Welcome to K-9 Perfection, LLC | Dog and Puppy Obedience Training, Manitowoc, Door County WI
Sky
Sky is the newest addition to my pack. She is a beautiful two-year old Border Collie/Aussie mix that was adopted at Lakeshore Humane Society.
It’s ALL Important!
Rehearsal is powerful, so if your dog is repeatedly put in challenging situation before they have the skills to make the right choices or rehearse the best response, you’re setting them up for failure.
In the early stages of addressing that struggle the approach is to intentionally take your dog out of situations, deliberately making their world smaller.
Making your dog’s world smaller and limiting their exposure to difficult situations allows you to reshape their brain. By playing games that build optimism and disengagement outside of the situations your dog struggles with, you teach them how to handle the situation appropriately.
The Importance of Canine Training
Canine training is about transforming your relationship with your canine and allowing it to experience a positive existence in the human world that surrounds it. Objectives in training can range, depending on the circumstances. The basis of all training should be a foundation of a positive relationship between human and canine; obtaining life skills that teach you and your canine the proper canine behavior to adapt to various social situations in a safe manner for both the canine and the humans; how to avoid problem behaviors and a means to allow the canine to achieve a level of calmness and ability to make the right decision.
In short, a relationship between human and canine that is made up of trust, loyalty, good behavior decisions and companionship. Owning a dog is a lifetime commitment, make it a positive, calm relationship.
There are many choices and types of canine training. Choices include alpha/dominance; positive reinforcement, clicker and e-collar training. Types of training include obedience, behavioral, canine good citizen, agility and therapy*.
It is very important for whatever choice and type of training you wish to pursue that you find the proper trainer. Anyone can say they train dogs but there is difference between training your canine and training you and your canine to create that positive relationship between the two of you. Pursue a trainer that is accredited, certified and/or licensed in their field of expertise.
Where to start? Check with your fellow canine owners, and your veterinarian about canine trainers they respect in your area. After deciding on a trainer or trainers you are interested in, ask if you can observe their work. This will allow to you to determine if the trainer and training style will fit you, your canine and your needs.
Remember that a well-trained canine will be confident and comfortable in social situations, will make the right behavioral decisions, and experience less stress in the human world. This type of relationship is built on good training for both the human and the canine that will continue to grow and nuture that positive, calm relationship.
*A special note on Therapy dog training and Emotional Support Animal (ESAs). “The key difference between a service dog and an emotional support dog is whether the animal has been trained to perform a specific task or job directly related to the person’s disability. ESAs provide support through companionship and can help ease anxiety, depression, and certain phobias. However, they are not service dogs, and ESA users do not receive the same accommodations as service dog users.Therapy dogs do need certification from, and registration in, a reputable national organization. Certification is the final hurdle in a dedicated process toward becoming a therapy dog, however, which includes temperament assessment, training, and more…” (source: www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/everything-about-emotional-support-animals/)
The Importance of Animal Shelters
If people would spay and neuter their pets, there wouldn’t be a problem. If breeders would stop breeding for money, there wouldn’t be a problem. These are just two arguments used over time to solve what some call “the pet problem.”
But these are not solutions that can ever be reasonably applied to our imperfect world. What we can do is provide low-income means to safely spay and neuter animals and we can encourage consumers to only buy from licensed, inspected, humane breeders.
We can also look at the invaluable asset that exists in many of our communities and counties. The local humane societies and rescue shelters. Just a quick peak at our own Lakeshore Humane Society’s mission statement provides us with the answer to “the pet problem.”
“The LHS mission is to ensure humane and compassionate treatment of all animals entrusted to its care, reunite lost animals with their owners, place adoptable animals in responsible and permanent homes, and extend humane education to the public.” (source: www.lakeshorehumane.org/about-us/mission-and-bylaws/)
Reuniting lost animals with their owners. You only have to do a quick Facebook search to see the multitude of posts from organizations alerting followers lost pets to videos of a lost pet being reunited with its heartsick owner to understand the depth of value that pets bring to people’s lives. When a pet goes missing, the pain and heartache is almost unbearable. The reuniting of the two is inspiring to keep going. Humane societies and shelters play a pivotal role, animal control offices, police officers and the general public bring a stray to the shelter for safe keeping and care. The shelter will scan the animal for a microchip, provide food, water, comfort until the owner is found. If the owner declines to pick up the animal or the owner cannot be found, the animal is cared for and placement in a responsible, permanent home is sought.
Placing adoptable animals in responsible and permanent home, this can be challenging for some of the animals. Most shelters will in addition to providing safety and care, will assess an animal for inappropriate behavioral problems and will work with the animal to redirect such behaviors. It is not a perfect solution as time and demand for pets ebbs and flows. In most cases, the shelter will work with the new owner to find suitable training if deemed necessary.
Most shelters, and specifically Lakeshore Humane Society, spay/neuter all of the animals before adoption is final. This invaluable service helps not only the animal and its new family but it helps to stem the tide of unwanted animals loose in the public, being sold or given away to horrible life situations, left to fend for themselves creating unsafe life situations for both the animal and humans.
Extending humane education to the public. While this is achieved differently with each shelter and community, the basis of the education is choosing the right animal for an individual’s life style and resources; finding the proper medical care and training, spaying and neutering your pets; some shelters provide limited medical care including vaccinations; wellness checks and nail trimming. Further education includes the incredible value of microchipping your pet; some shelters place the chip automatically upon intake and will offer low cost placement clinics to other pets in the home.
But there is more that shelters do for the community. Sometimes the best of intentions result in an animal/human relationship that is not positive. Sometimes animals outlive their humans. Sometimes, left with an uncertain future, humans are forced to surrender their animals. Where would these animals go if the shelters did not exist?
In the most recent decades, the tumultuous environment has resulted in natural disasters displacing both humans and animals alike. Shelters are often times the only front line response for the animals and the last hope for their survival.
Humane societies and rescue shelters play a vital role in the health and safety of our pets and our communities. They provide a safe place for lost or surrendered animals, they educate the public on the value of pets as well as making informed care and medical decisions, they help with controlling the animal population.
Until we are in a perfect world, we need to recognize the invaluable asset humane societies and rescue shelters are to our communities and give them all the financial and volunteer support we can to continue to push forward the mission of reunite, shelter, save, adopt and educate.
THE TOY DOG GROUP
If you adhere to the saying, “Good things Come in Small Packages,” a member of the Toy Group may be the pooch for you.
Small in size—generally built to fit in your lap—these diminutive dogs are big in personality. They are perfect for apartment dwellers, older dog lovers and anyone who enjoys a cuddly critter on their lap. They tend to be very smart and aware, which brings their protective spirit—and bark—to the front. This tendency to bark may be annoying for some, in which case a member of the toy group is not the dog for you.
Their voices notwithstanding, the toys are often low maintenance, many with generally short, low-shedding coats. Some of the more famous members of the toy group include the Toy Poodle, Shih Tzu, Papillion, Italian Greyhound and Chihuahua. If you prefer a lovable little dog who enjoys indoor ball toss and exercise, a member of the Toy Group may be a wonderful candidate.
This concludes our look at the seven different categories of dogs as defined by the American Kennel Club. Some are big, some are small. Some need lots of room to roam, while others are content to sit by your feet as you watch TV or read a book. But all of them need consistent training and care, and most of all, no matter what the breed, love. Enjoy your dog!
P.S. Don’t forget the multitude of animals looking for a home that have one or more of the AKC’s 190 recognized dog breeds’ blood flowing in their background. They need love and homes, too, and can be a wonderful addition to your home. By knowing a little bit about their breeds’ characteristics you can make a more educated choice about what would be a good fit for you and your family. Happy Dog Days!!!
NON-SPORTING GROUP DOGS
The Non-Sporting Group may be the most diverse of all the American Kennel Club classifications of dogs. They vary greatly in size, temperament, needs and abilities. In a way they are a catch-all for dogs that don’t have a specific job or purpose. They are not herders, hunters, hounds or terriers. They vary in size from small, like the Lhasa Apso and Miniature Poodle, to medium, like the Bulldog, Tibetan Spaniel and American Eskimo Dog. Other members of this group include the Keeshond, Dalmatian and Chow Chow.
Obviously with this group, over all the others, knowing the specific characteristics of the breed, rather than the group, is extremely important. Which breeds need a lot of exercise? Which breeds are more laidback? Which members of this group are good with children? Which are more of a one-person or one-family companion?
In fact, non-sporting group dogs are often called members of the “Companion Group.” In about the only generalization available regarding the Non-Sporting Group, according to the AKC, is the description of non-sporting group dogs as “intelligent, playful, alert, reserved with strangers and confident.” But before adding one of these great animals to your household, do your homework. Specific characteristics of individual breeds can be found on the AKC website at http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds .
HERDING DOGS
To paraphrase a quote, “Idle paws are the devil’s workshop!” And that is no truer than for the intelligent, loyal and loving members of the Herding Dogs group.
Herding Dogs are wonderful companions and pets, as long as they are challenged with tasks. They need lots of both physical and mental exercise. It is why many members of this group find themselves fulfilling service dog responsibilities, including police work for Herding Dog members such as the German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois, and farm and field work for many other members of this group.
They are also keenly intelligent, with Border Collies, widely acknowledged as the most intelligent breed of dogs, a renowned Herding Dog breed. Other notable Herding Dogs are the Australian Shepherd, Briard, Collie and Old English Sheepdog.
But it is precisely their intelligence and need for physical and mental stimulation that makes them impractical for dog parents who do not have the time or energy to give them that specialized attention. Without proper stimulation, they may become bored and take out their inactivity in socially unacceptable ways. They also tend to be larger dogs (with some exceptions, like the Welsh Corgi) and therefore not a good choice for most apartment dwellers.
But with proper exercise and stimulation, Herding Dogs can be both charming and fun and a wonderful addition to your family.
THE TERRIER GROUP
If you decide to add a canine companion from the Terrier Group, be prepared for an active, feisty friend who needs plenty of love, attention and activity.
Members of the Terrier Group range from small to medium-sized dogs, like the Norwich Terrier and the Kerry Blue Terrier to large, muscular dogs, like the American Staffordshire Terrier and the Bull Terrier. Other members of the Terrier Group include the popular Jack Russell Terrier (like “Eddie,” some would say one of the “stars” of the hit show “Frasier”), the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, the Bedington Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier.
It may be best if you incorporate a member of the Terrier Group as an “only child.” Terriers are hard-wired to chase small creatures, such as rabbits and squirrels, and were originally bred to kill rats. So if your house also includes small pets like cats, ferrets and other small animals, a terrier is probably not a wise choice. And some Terriers may not like other dogs, so be aware of that factor when looking into the Terrier Group.
Terriers are active dogs and need plenty of exercise. They love to play and consequently are wonderful companions for active people who have lots of time to share with their pet. If you have the time and the energy, a member of the Terrier Group may be just the dog for you.
WORKING DOGS
The dogs designated as “working dogs” by the American Kennel Club include some beautiful, bold and big specimens, including Great Danes, Doberman Pinschers, Siberian Huskies, Saint Bernard’s, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Mastiffs and Rottweilers.
Working Dogs were bred to, well, work, with duties such as sled dogs, rescue dogs, and guard dogs. And as much as these canine companions work hard for a living, they can also be hard to live with, as they need intensive obedience training and early and consistent socialization.
And, because many of the members of this group are large and even extra large, they also need a big area in which to get their necessary exercise and to just “be.” They are not recommended for apartments or small dwellings. Many members of this group are not always appropriate for first-time dog owners, as they can be stubborn with strong personalities.
Having said that, with the proper training, socialization and exercise, these dogs can be brought into the family structure and are very loyal and devoted. They are also highly intelligent.
So while working dogs might take a little extra “work” and expertise to integrate into your family, the rewards can be great. Take the time to investigate the breed you are interested in from this group. With a little planning and a good amount of work, Working Dogs will reward you with a lifetime of affection and enthusiasm.
Calling All Hounds!
Who hasn’t been transfixed by the sad-eyed Basset Hound looking lovingly at a pair of Hush Puppy shoes? Or mesmerized by the elegance of the sophisticated Afghan Hound? Members of the hound group include breeds as diverse as the charming and funny Dachshund to the lazy-eyed Coon hound.
The AKC categorizes hounds as “even-tempered, affectionate and relaxed.” That sounds like a description for the perfect canine companion.
But there are a few caveats. These dogs were bred for hunting. They will resort to their nature by running frantically after bunnies and squirrels or whatever they determine to be prey. Consequently they need plenty of safe exercise, on a leash or in a fenced yard.
Many of these beautiful animals, such as Beagles, Foxhounds and Bloodhounds have distinctive voices which they use to alert their owners of nearby prey. They can’t, however, distinguish between the mail carrier or a mountain lion (the original objective of the Rhodesian Ridgeback).
Some find the resulting “baying” musical; others maniacal. Know your tolerance for this aspect of some members of this group.
With research and care you, like Elvis Presley, may find yourself singing about hound dogs.
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