Safety tips for the conference of confection:

1. Exercise your dog before the trick or treat begins. If you’re short on time, a 10 minute fetch game will help too.

2. Know your dog.  It’s better to be safe then sorry. Think in advance. Think about what you are going to do this evening with your dog. If your dog is hyperactive, older, a young teething puppy or very introverted then it’s probably best to gate your dog. Putting your dog in a room with the door shut can create separation anxiety. So baby-gating your dog within a room is best. Music is key. This will mellow your dog and set the tone to a calmer mood. Then you can treat your dog to his favorite chew bone.

3. Never leave your dog outdoors in the yard on Halloween! This is a bad thing to do. No matter what size your dog is, this is teaching your dog to protect your territory and potentially get teased or hurt. They could even hurt a child who may open the gate by mistake. All animals should be indoors on Halloween.

4. If you want your dog to be apart of the party, do it safely. Have your dog on a leash with you. Yes, even in the house for an hour. That way you can answer the door and guide your dog to sit and stay as a trick and then treated! Teach your dog to sit and stay at the front door on a leash… What a training opportunity!

5. No chocolate or candy allowed.

Happy Halloween!

The trick I use in dog training is to vary when you give your dog a treat. I know, there are so many conflicting views and methods out there in the dog training world. I don’t blame you for being confused. Using treats as a reward is fine sometimes but certainly not the only mode of praise. Your voice can do the trick too. Giving treats all the time when teaching your dog can often give you a reverse affect. Your dog ends up training you. In the honor of Halloween,  I have a little treat for you–a little insight. Many people end up begging, repeating, coaxing and luring their dog to come or sit with treats. Tying to teach your dog exclusively with treats all the time will give you a fast effect, but it may not last. Over time your dog will catch on. So when you don’t have the treat and he is running away from you after a squirrel, then what?  Besides, I don’t always want to have a piece of chicken in my hand every time I want my dog to do something. I am all about giving cookies and treats ‘just because,’ but not all the time. As a trainer I don’t want to rely on treats as a primary source of communication. Hence, I’m not a big fan of clicker training. Technically speaking, what the treat does is creates focus. But overusing treats to train your dog will give you limited success.

Using voice inflection, movement, and body language also creates focus. For example, when a squirrel runs across the fence it gets your dogs focus, right? So here are a few tips and tricks. Try it, you’ll like it. Next time you’re at home, ask your dog to come. Use movement. Take a couple steps backward as you say “come!” in a happy voice, then gesture the letter “J” and say “Sit.” You’ll find that your dog came to you and sat in front of you, waiting for your next instructions.

Here’s another treat. When you come home form work, walk in the door silently. Zip it. No voice. Crouch down and give your dog a deep, slow massage, silently. This will condition your dog to greet you in a mellow way and you both get some sugar. Remember, you can show love in many different ways.

Meet Pumpkin! Cute, right? A sweet rescue dog from the shelter. Well, kind of…

Cute enough, yes, but the best match for a busy family with two young girls? Maybe not. When they first brought Pumpkin home, things were great. The girls had picked him because he was the cutest dog in the shelter.

They had me come over to give my stamp of approval and to begin training. I had my reservations about this being the right fit for this family, and told them so. My immediate thoughts were that Pumpkin was a great dog for an experienced dog owner. He was well suited for a one-on-one dog owner or a couple who enjoyed hiking. Pumpkin had a high play drive. Maybe too high for this busy family who had two little girls. When I looked at Pumpkin I saw a smart energetic dog. Trainable? Absolutely. Potential trouble for this family? Yes.

Two little girls who are not seasoned dog owners spells trouble. Most young dogs are energetic and that’s fine. In Pumpkin’s case it was the manner in which he played.  While playing fetch he would race after the toy and shake it while growling. He would have bursts of energy and was very motivated by moving objects. This is called a ‘prey drive’ and Pumpkin’s was high. When loose in the yard he relentlessly hunted. He would relax indoors but it was clear that he needed training and to be taught the process of how to please.

Slowly Pumpkin became very protective toward the house, especially the front door. Guests coming in the front door and yard became his target. Never, never toward the family, only guests. Fabulous… Now what? Send the little girls into therapy by giving away their Pumpkin?

Classic junk yard dog behavior can be common for misguided, high energy dogs. Pumpkin decided it was his job to protect his territory.  The more relaxed he became the more their house became his territory. Although, high energy dogs often make great obedience dogs! They can be difficult if you’re not up to the process. They are just looking for something to do!  However, they can be difficult for the average family because they are looking for someone to drive the car! In Pumpkin’s case he was more of a race car driver heading for a crash. Fortunately for him,  this family was up for the challenge!

We began training, which by the way, is key to making a smooth transition. Basic obedience (heel, sit, stay, down, come, etc.) was  trained on a leash, formally!  This doggie “alphabet” really helps create a language for new dogs and helps them settle in to their new homes.

We discussed the solution of training, boundaries and time! They were committed. They had a dog walker come to run on a regular basis and implemented leash training and house rules with the kids.  Everyone learned the basic commands, not just Pumpkin!  Leash work and teaching basic commands allows the owner to communicate a positive vibe and creates eye contact from the dog to the owner. This process redirects the dogs attention from the distraction to the owner.  It’s a great form of praise and allows the dog to complete a positive command. Lots of tips and training were implemented that created a change.

This ended up becoming a family affair and a great experience!

Now, Pumpkin is a completely social and happy dog and a really good fit for this family after all.  It took time and a little therapy, not unlike many relationships. He is the love of their lives, and mine too!

That’s why I wanted to share this story and I have a few tips for choosing the right rescue dog, especially for parents.

6 Tips for Picking Pumpkins!

1. Do not let your kids choose the dog.

2. I suggest that parents go to the shelter first, without the kids. Narrow down your choices to one or two suitable dogs and then bring the kids.

3. Just because you may have an active lifestyle and active kids doesn’t necessarily mean you need the gold medal athletic/energetic dog.

4. Understand that getting a dog is a process!  It takes time, training and sometimes “working out the kinks” in order for the relationship to evolve.

5. Create structure for your new family member. Training time, playtime, snuggle time, food time etc. Dogs love routine. Lots of walks are important for a new rescue dog–not just backyard play with the kids.

6. Set an example for your kids! Parents need to formally include the kids in training and care to create a family event!

Tis the season for Pumpkins!

Goosing dinner guests within the first 20 seconds of arrival with a slobbery mouth after drinking a bowl of water. Barking profusely every night at a possible alien invasion (Those nightly invaders in the sky seem to always be disguised as airline carriers landing at LAX). Counter surfing and being able to inhale whole roasted chickens while leaving the tinfoil and plastic wrapping intact. Now that was a talented puppy!

These mysteries were just a few of the thoughts that were swimming around in my head while driving home from the movies. Are these scenes from Marley and Me, you ask? No. They are moments of my own life. Marley moments of life happen to all dog owners!

Yes, even me. Sometimes I wonder why I have not bought stock in a lint roller company as I curse at myself constantly for loving a breed of dog that sheds winter, spring, summer, and fall! Being a dog trainer allows me to have odd dog hair on sweaters, but having some stranger pick one off of me at a dinner party is where I draw the line. Still, everyday I come home to discover the crazy happiness and sheer bliss for simply being me. Well, maybe the next meal has something to do with the homecoming reaction.

I had to include this picture of ”Maggie” sent to me by the owners of Maggie and Chloe. Many of you can relate to this scene. Could this possibly be a relative of Marley? Maggie’s owner discovered her artistic redesign of the dog bed just after seeing the movie, of course. The funny thing about this picture is that Chloe is peering around the corner looking as if to say, “Wasn’t Me!” Dogs will often rip stuff up due to separation anxiety. I won’t go into why and how to solve this right now, but all of these scenes and their solutions inspired me to create the Paws for a Minute™ website to help dog owners.

Approximately 8 million dogs don’t survive those Marley and Me moments. Animal shelters are filled with them. Is it the dog? Are some dogs good and others not so good or smart? Many people believe that some dogs just don’t listen or are bad. The reality is that many animals have been bred for centuries to hunt ducks, chase sheep, or guard their territory. Often people get a dog because they like the looks and aren’t prepared to meet the exercise demands of the breed. Then the new dog will end up in a backyard for too many hours on end. Boredom sets in and problems arise over time.

Other dogs experience a painful teething process during puppy-hood. They may have plenty of toys but no chew bones to chew for their teething process. Many people call their dogs spoiled, but really, they just aren’t equipped with the right supplies to satisfy their pooch. Hence, the dog ends up destroying an expensive carpet. The solution? Maybe heel thy self—not heel the love.

One person’s trash is another’s treasure. In efforts to save, recycle, and give back to our planet, this mantra has become the wave of the future. The backlash of overindulgence is seen in every nook and cranny–even the animal world. Yes, it’s been there for years, yet somehow our awareness of this building problem has not been able to stop it from occurring.

“What?” you ask. Well, it’s the 8 million animals in local shelters looking for homes this year. The 4 million that will be euthanized–a softer word for killed. I think these numbers are so large that the average person, me included, finds it hard to comprehend. Evidently, billions of dollars of our tax money is going towards catching, housing and the euthanasia of millions of animals. Billions of dollars are spent!

How can this craziness stop? I believe awareness, education, and recycling what is already available to us would do the trick. Shelters contain every kind of breed imaginable. I teach people how to get through those ‘Marley and Me’ moments of life and very little of it has to do with the dog. Spaying and neutering is also essential in reducing these numbers. Are these animals in local shelters defected? No. The majority of them are perfectly normal.

The truth of the matter is that dogs get many of the same ailments that we humans do, medically and psychologically. Often dogs and cats in shelters are often healthier and ultimately sturdier than their purebred counter parts. My magical mutt Daisy is living proof, hand picked by me 12 years ago from the South Central Los Angeles animal shelter. She has had impeccable health her entire life. Yes, we may have met when she was full of fleas, bony from malnutrition and lacking the best hair-do, but she has since blossomed into a full-fledged diva, with an extremely mesmerizing inner beauty. She has the kind of “something” we all aspire to have. That indescribable “it factor.” Not to mention she is one of the best dogs I have ever had.

One of my new clients recently got an adorable 8-week-old Shih-Tzu puppy for their 7-year-old daughter.  I told them that an 8-week-old puppy is an infant, and should not have too much freedom in their house and yard for the first week or two. They were wanting to housebreak their puppy immediately! I told them that this was a process that needs to happen according to their puppy’s developmental needs. So we set up an exercise pen and put a crate within that pen, leaving the crate door off. This way, the puppy can go in and out of the crate on its own and use wee wee pads to go to the bathroom. They had heard and read in books that they should crate their pup immediately and begin taking him outside. I said NO! Too soon– for many reasons.

I explained to them that the puppy has been on this planet just 8 weeks. There is no reason to expose the puppy to too much too fast. People want to housebreak and socialize their puppies too early! They give them too much space, letting the pup follow them around everywhere. Developmentally, an 8-week-old puppy is peeing a lot, just like a baby in diapers. At this developmental stage new dog owners are not accelerating the housebreaking process by taking it outdoors every hour. In a few weeks–at 12 weeks old–your puppy is much better equipped and ready to follow you outdoors to begin that concept. When people try to do this too soon, it can overwhelm an 8- or 9-week-old puppy by exposing it to too many people and loud noises. This is especially true for small or toy dog breeds. Maltese, Shih-Tzu, Yorkie and Chihuahua puppies are tiny and very cute but delicate. Overstimulation–dogs barking, people coming over, kids coming to see–makes an infant toy breed puppy go into self-protection mode. This can mean hiding under furniture, having pee accidents in your house, and becoming introverted instead of extroverted.

This is exactly what happened to my clients with their new Shih-Tzu, named Teddy. They took liberties the first week of owning him, and had him following them indoors and outdoors too much, and for too long periods in the day, testing him, in a way, to see if he would potty outside. And at a point, 8-week-old Teddy began to seek cover under lawn furniture when he became overwhelmed. The danger here and what happens over time is, puppies become defensive as a means of self-protection. This is not a healthy behavior for a young puppy to have to endure, instead of  seeking direction from you.

So, the corral and crate are intended to provide a safe environment while your puppy is in his infant stage. This set-up teaches your puppy to self-soothe. He’ll be able to hear noises in the house, and yet, feel safe in his personalized space, with his water, food, toys, and den.

So, for the first week and a half of owning an 8-week-old puppy, be cool. Play with your puppy for short periods of time out of his corral. Play with your puppy in an indoor safe environment for the first week and then slowly venture to the outdoors. Know that his job at 8 weeks of age is to play, eat, poop, sleep, and get to know you.

Puppies need to get a series of shots before the age of 16 weeks to protect them from the Parvovirus. New dog owners need to know NOT to bring their puppies outside in public until they’ve had their full series of inoculations! The virus is highly contagious and is transmitted from one dog to another via contaminated droplets and feces. In other words, merely walking around the block has its dangers.

So, be PROACTIVE!! Check with your vet about the series of shots your puppy needs. Symptoms of Parvo include vomiting and diarrhea which quickly dehydrate and may prove fatal to your puppy. So, educate yourself! Go ask that vet!

Hi there! So yesterday I got this e-mail from Robert and his 1 year old French Bulldog, Chai. He writes…

Dear Inger,

I have this issue… I went away for about a month and Chai stayed at the dog walker’s house. When we were finally home, I realized that she has become extremely aggressive, meaning that she growls when you go near her food and will go to bite you if you go near her bone. Although she was mouthy before, she is getting out of control. What do I do?  HELP!

Well, Robert, thanks for your question! This is a problem on multiple levels. It is one thing for her to growl at another dog around her food bowl, but it is whole other magnitude of a problem for her to growl at you! I am assuming that your dog sitter had other dogs in the house while you were gone. Having multiple dogs eat together creates competition. Dogs (especially young adult dogs and pups) will inhale their food and a dominance can occur. One will go over and want seconds from another dog’s meal. That creates a “piss off” growl from a more dominant dog. Likewise with chew bones! Even games can create this bad habit. Games like chase, tug of war and keep away. Now that she is back at home without the other dogs you can try the following…

In general, what you need to do is create a structure that emphasizes positive boundaries for a few months.

Paws For A Minute™ Quick Tip

Avoiding Dog Food Possession

1. Create a new feeding ritual! Feed her in a gated area. This will help her feel safe and not threatened while eating.

2. No more bones or chew bones loose in the house. Only during gated or crated times. Remember, dogs are den animals. They love small spaces. After a nice long walk, guide her into a gated area or crate and give her a bone. Do this while you are home. This all represents a safe place to her and structure. Bratty behavior can develop when puppies are  allowed to have chew bones in a “free for all” manner. They often take chew bones and chew them under tables and furniture. If no rules are created in the beginning, growls can develop. If you gate and crate your dog for “bone chewing time” in puppyhood, then as adults they can have a delicious chew bone loose in the house no problem and no possessiveness.

3. Training exercise: Make a pleasant bone “chewing time” ritual. To train your dog to relax while chewing a bone (instead of being possessive over their chew) you need to create a positive boundary with a baby gate for a month or two. This structure allows your dog to realize the rules of the house. Your house!

4. Another option:  Occasionally put her on a leash during feeding. Hand feed her a few handfuls, once in a while. The leash helps you correct her with a tug and a firm “No!” if she growls. The tug on the leash (creates eye contact from her to you) and connects the word “No!” to a sanction for growling.

I hope this is helpful… keep me posted!

A client of mine recently asked me to clarify the term or phrase “being a pack leader.” She had some confusion over this concept and wanted my opinion.

So here are some of my thoughts on this concept. Needing to be an alpha dog or pack leader over your dog, I think, can confuse dog owners. Rather, what you really need to think of is the concept of the game “follow the leader!” Every dog owner loves their dog! Does dog training mean discipline? Nope, it does not. Structure, yes. Being organized and knowing what your goals are as a dog owner helps. I encourage people I train to write down on a list their vision of Lassie. That way, you get a really good idea of what specifically you are looking for from your dog. For example, the list could include things like, “I want my dog to stop peeing in the house,” or  “I want my dog to come every time I call his name.” You’ll find that within that list you will come up with concise practical goals. Then you can learn how to address each aspect of what you want from your dog, rather than simply, “I want my dog to listen.”

Changing your frame of mind will help you use reverse psychology and more positive reinforcement, then discipline. “More bees with honey,” I always say! It’s about being smarter than your dog. It’s easy.

O.k. back to the concept of “follow the leader.” This means dogs learn by being guided on a leash. It is not discipline, it is guidance! The leash enables you to guide your dog in a positive way. This process creates eye contact from your dog to you.

Try it. Put a leash on your dog while in your house and walk around for just 5 minutes. Yup. Just for a few minutes. Walk around your living room and stop every so often and say “sit” while gently lifting up on the leash. Repeat this action until your dog sits. Remember to keep your voice nice. Happy voice inflection is key. Think puppet, not puppy. As you gently lift straight up and down on the leash, keep saying sit. Doing this indoors helps with less distractions, smells and noises. When your dog sits, say “good sit!” You will see that your dog is looking up at you. That is the focus and eye contact that I am speaking about. This process creates a great bond. Does this mean you have to do this exercise for life? No, of course not. It just gets the process of a positive bond started.

Some dog trainers use clickers, treats and excessive techniques that complicate a basic, simple process for dog owners to understand. Being a pack leader does not mean asserting yourself–it means guiding your dog.  What you want to achieve from your dog is focus.

Your dog is really looking to you  to drive the car! The leash enables you to establish eye contact and say, “Let’s go, sit, come, stay, and down” while praising your dog. In other words, communicate a vocabulary. This over time creates trust and consistency. Old school? Maybe. But it works. People need to know that dog training is not discipline- it’s positive reinforcement!!

Leave a leash on your dog all the time? Of course not. Guiding your dog in your house for five minutes now and then helps develop a new rapport and gets dog owners out of the bad habit of coaxing and begging their dogs to focus on what they want. So, while some trainers touch upon a concept, the daily application of how to achieve it gets lost in translation.

It’s not respect you want from your dog- it is the desire to please you! Respect comes along naturally if the desire is there in the first place.

I am so excited to have read in this week’s People Magazine that not one, but two of my clients were featured. Mandy Moore and Kathy Ireland are both proud owners of amazing shelter dogs. Kathy’s dog, (featured on page 66), was hand picked by me personally for her family from a west LA shelter a few years ago. Choosing a dog from a shelter can be a magical experience. As I was searching for the right dog for Kathy, I stumbled upon a six month old terrier mix with a balanced temperament, perfect for kids. At the shelter, the dog was called Sparky. And to my surprise, Kathy later told me, that without the children knowing his original name, they had decided to call their new pup Sparky. Now that’s destiny!

Newlywed Mandy Moore also found muttrimony with a spunky diva from a rescue. Great dogs, puppies, and all breeds can be found in the pound! Getting a dog from a breeder does not guarantee you a dog that will grow up without any afflictions. Trust me, every breed has its own genetic ailments. It is just like having a child– it is the luck of the draw. It’s love, education, and putting energy into the relationship that helps attain success.

Can you really resist a face like this one? Check out a rescue shelter near you! Here are just a few great places to start your search:

The Yellow Pages Shelters

The Pet Rescue Center

LA Animal Services

Noah’s Bark Pet Rescue

Adopt-a-Pet Rescue Shelter