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“Beware of all those in whom the urge to punish is strong” – Friedrich Nietzsche Darwin Dogs Training - Origins Everyone always wants to know the origin story of my Piloting method of dog training. What made me suddenly become a dog trainer? Where did I learn all of this. The short answer is that every day over the last 20 years of training dogs I've been learning, and will continue to do so. Every single session provides me with at least some minor tidbit to keep in my head, adjust my techniques according to new information. I watch dogs. I learn from dogs, and I know that dogs always have something interesting to tell you (just not with their voices). Unfortunately, sometimes those voices are stifled, either from fear or anxiety. They are afraid to speak up, to ask questions. Sometimes it's because a dog has had all the questions dominated out of them, and they are afraid to ask any more, merely turning into obedient dog robots, with their eyes constantly glued to "master" for fear of missing a command (and the potential repercussions). Sometimes it is simply because they never heard an answer before, so they've anticipated that their owners have no answers. I learned this young from watching and learning early on. But amazingly enough, the concept of Piloting dogs and training dogs didn't start with a dog....it started with a horse. Learn how to answer your dog's questions here What's the difference between dog training and dog behavior here Learn how to Pilot your dog here The First Dog I Trained - A Horse Named Troy As a little girl, I had just about every kind of rescue you could imagine. I was the kid who found it and rescued it. From the first rescue at 8 years old (a kitten I named “Boots”, who I found on the way to school) to a white rabbit (I named him “Hasenpfeffer”) to a turtle I named Ivanhoe, there was always a conveyor belt of animals I found and cared for until they could find their forever homes. Obviously I had the normal pets growing up: my cat, Belle. And the family dog, Pebbles, a Border Collie mix we got from a shelter when I was about 4. I was also fortunate enough to have two horses, Stargen and Troy. Stargen was a white Arabian stallion, who technically belonged to my single-for-life aunt (who doted on me excessively), but I was in the thick of it with her. Eventually, at age 10, I was gifted a neglected off-the-track thoroughbred gelding named Troy. Troy had the most kind, gentle disposition of any animal I’d ever met, allowing me to braid wildflowers into his long black mane as a child. He showered me with endless patience as I tried to figure out exactly how to put his bridle on. He was patience personified. When I screwed up, I felt as if he was saying to me, "It's okay, little girl. Try again. Keep at it." I felt safe enough to fail and not be perfect around him, and with him I grew in ways I never had before. However, Troy was dangerous. He was kind and loving, yes. Affectionate, and the best horse to give a hug. But the moment he was startled, he was dangerous. And he could be startled by anything. A leaf blowing. A car door slamming from the drive. I lost track of the times he threw me (although to be fair , I never learned to ride, just to "hang on"). Growing up, I always wondered what the difference was between the two horses. They were the same age, and to add even more confusion, one would think the “hot blooded” Arabian stallion would be the more dangerous one, not the gelded Thoroughbred. My young mind chewed this up, over and over in my head, and developed thoughts about the wherefores and they whys, as only a young kid can do. Have a reactive dog? Learn more about it here Learn about the missing connection with your dog here What things does your dog wish you knew? Find out here Understanding Where We Started From The difference between the two horses was partially who they were naturally, but mostly had to do with their beginnings and the amount of money in their Piloting Piggy Bank. Just like training dogs, my horses each had different amounts of money in their bank (To learn more about dog behavior and the Piloting Piggy Bank, check out this article.) Troy had been set up for failure from the start, both based on his loving, but anxious personality, and the abuse he had received at the racetrack prior to coming into my care. He would have been a train wreck under a normal circumstances, but the abuse he received made him an anxious mess. So how does this apply to dog training and dog behavior? I learned quickly that beginnings matter. But it also taught me how to write the ending. Find out how I spend my first 48 hours with a new dog here Learn what you need to know before picking any new dog here Choosing a rescue dog? Get tips here Dog Training Through Dominance I grew up in an abusive family (felt weird to actually acknowledge that). I was slapped, spanked, beat with a belt, and subjected to some rather bizarre punishments for “doing wrong” (kneeling on raw rice - wtf?). My first bully was my dad. My mom has a story she loves to tell for some reason, about why I have always been “such a bitch”. “We were eating dinner, and her father used to tease her, and she’d start crying. One day I finally told her to get him back. And that was the day I lost my sweet girl.” I was six. That day I learned that not only was the emotional abuse normalized, but that nobody was going to protect me from it. It was the day I learned to be defensive. When that didn't work, sometimes I needed to be aggressive. My mom thought that was the day she lost her sweet girl, but in reality, that was the day I realized I was on my own. I didn’t trust them to protect me from even themselves. I grew up skittish and afraid, constantly looking for the next thing that would attack me with words, emotion or even a smack. I was taught to treat the animals in a similar fashion. When the family dog got on the couch to watch us through the window as we pulled out of the driveway, my father was sent back inside by my mother with the instructions to "smack her". If the horses “misbehaved”, I was to take the metal chain that crossed over their nose and yank on it with all my might *cringe*. I was taught to give horses an uppercut under their chin if they gave me trouble. I saw my aunt kick Stargen on more than one occasion, and I was told to do the same to Troy. In other words, I was taught how to dominate, but never how to communicate. I refused to take part anymore when Troy showed up. I saw my own fear in Troy. Scared of where that misstep he made would lead to. Flinching if you made a sudden gesture. Scared of constraints because he felt trapped, his flight response gone, he had no choice but to rear up and break the crossties, where he would flee only a few feet before allowing me to approach and collect him. He had nobody to trust, so therefore he trusted nobody. He wasn’t aggressive, per se, but he was definitely defensive, and that was a problem. So when I was told to “beat” Troy for misbehaving, I didn’t see a horse who was bad. I saw me. And I refused to do it. Was I going to beat the fear out of him? I could obviously make him more afraid of my wrath than of the original thing he was afraid of, but that would never make him safe. He would never confide in me, just as I never felt safe confiding in, or being protected by, my parents. So rather than beating my horse, I decided we would both just beat the fear instead, and we would do it together, as equals. I was eleven at this time. Be informed: why I hate shock collars here Learn about how to work with a scared or abused dog here The mindset of dog training: a being vs. a thing here Your Dog is Not Against You, He's For Himself First I had to address the more dangerous aspects of Troy: his fear of failure. Every time he reared up and broke the crossties and ran, when I finally got to him, his eyes were wild, and his lungs were working like bellows. It took a bit for him to cam down. So rather than making him calm down with force or manipulation, I decided to fight my true enemy (and his): the fear. Fear is what makes a dog attack. Fear is what makes a dog reactive dog snarl and lunge at another dog while on a walk. Fear is what makes a dog become labeled dog aggressive or dog reactive. But the issue isn't the reaction to the other dog, any more than Troy's problem was with crossties. It was the fear being trapped when bad things happen. To distill it even further, it's a question that my horse was asking, same as that dog reactive dog: "If you remove my options for flight, are you going to protect me since I can't run away?" Rather than answering the simple question our dogs ask us, we've resorted to bribery through treats or other tactics. We've relied on force and brutality to not only avoid answering the question, but to make said animal fearful of asking that question in the future. We've taken animals with a small to moderate degree of natural anxiety, and then amplify, leaving us wondering why our dog is giving us such a hard time. But I want you to remember something. Write this down. Tattoo it on your forehead. Your dog isn't giving you a hard time, he's having a hard time. The same way that Troy wasn't out to hurt me, he was out to defend himself. A dog would much rather run away from the perceived threat the other dog implies (or better yet, know that you've got the situation) than become leash reactive, or even redirecting upon you. See your dog's behavior for what it is: not about you, but about the unanswered question regarding the situation. Empathy is a wonderful place to start any kind of conversation, but especially one stemming from fearful dog behavior. Learn about your dog's fight or flight response here Learning the behavior of dog trust in this post Want to know what's it's like training an aggressive dog? Find out here Troy's Ending I wish I could say that I cured Troy of all his anxieties. I wish I could say he lived happily ever after. I can say, however, he lived better ever after. Troy died of colic when I was barely 18, giving us just a brief amount of time together. But during that time, he saw me stand up to my family when I was told that I needed to "control" him. I was able to do safer rides with him. He still would bolt and rear sometimes, but his intensity and determination was tempered, and his flight response fizzled to a simmer. We each saw each other's flaws and shortcomings not as something to dominate, but something to draw us closer. We attacked the fear, and we did it as a team. Troy also stopped breaking cross ties. I removed stimulation all together, and then started over, only draping a crosstie through his halter, one at a time. Gradually, as he felt I wasn't going to hurt him while he was trapped in the ties. I added a bit more restraints day by day, until he started to answer his own question based on past experiences with me: Am I safe? Of course I am. Kerry will protect me. Thank you, Troy, for not only teaching me about trust at such a young age, but allowing yourself to trust me. Even almost 30 years later, I still miss you, and will cherish the lessons you taught me. Dog Training vs. Dog Life By focusing on dog life, rather than dog training, our goals can become so much more attainable and clear-cut. Most of us don't want an obedient dog, we just don't want a dis-obedient dog. Robot-style dogs who are afraid of stepping out of line are for certain types of people I guess. But that's not my style. That's why I developed the Piloting method of dog training over 20 years ago, a force-free method of dog training and puppy training that didn't rely on abusive shock collars or cruel prong collars, yet didn't constantly bribe with non-stop click-n-treat style dog training. I want a bond with my dog based on trust and communication. Learn more about our Piloting method of dog and puppy training here. Find out more about our private in home 30 Day Best Dog Ever and 30 Day Best Puppy Ever training packages here. Have questions about our puppy training or dog training? Kerry Stack Darwin Dogs Dog Training and Puppy Training Greater Cleveland Area Northeast Ohio

Do you train your new dog? Or address your dog's behaviors? What's the difference between dog behavior and dog training? Short version is one is something that happens naturally, such as a dog's natural behavior is to bark, or to perhaps chase a squirrel. Some dogs behaviors gear towards playing fetch, running head first into the nearest body of water they find, or perhaps guarding family members. Dog training is behaviors that are caught so they can be recreated. Sometimes it's a serious of behaviors that we've linked together, like a compound sentence, for us to use as a convenience. Examples of this would be training a dog to wait to have their feet wiped when coming inside. Another example would be basic dog commands: sit, stay, come, etc. Those are all naturally occurring behaviors, or habits; we've just simply attached a name to them so we can utilize them at our convenience. Catching Dog Behavior - Creating Basic Dog Commands Dog tricks and dog training are merely the result of repeatedly catching a behavior and assigning it a name. So while dog behavior never changes, and doesn't really need any encouragement, dog training requires cultivation and maintenance. Dog training (which includes tricks and commands) can become routine, but never truly habit. It's habit for us to eat when we're hungry. It's training that sets mealtimes. It is habit that we need to urinate when we wake up, it's training that tells us it needs to be in the toilet. Training can become routine, but no matter how ingrained, it is never habitual. So even though for the vast majority of us, the concept of peeing anywhere but the toilet is revolting, it is indeed still a routine, not a habit. Habit: peeing. Routine: in the toilet. Now that routine has been ingrained into us on every level, and supported by every member of society. The thought of doing it anywhere else is so socially unacceptable, that it would be difficult for us to just drop trousers and go, but it is still most definitely a routine. And in very difficult situations, a routine that you may feel compelled to break with. As with small children being potty trained, house breaking a puppy is all about catching the behavior and naming it. So with the child, you are constantly asking about potty... "Do you need to go potty? " "Did you go pee on the potty?" " I'm so proud of you, you peed on the potty." or my favorite Mom moment "I see you're going pee on the potty!!!! " *as child makes direct eye contact with you* As human's, we've assigned a name to the behavior (pee) and linked it with a routine/trick/training (in the potty). The same concept applies to every routine we wish for our dog to adhere to. Dog Behavior: Peeing Dog Training: Outside With the example above, it was very easy for me to catch the behavior of a child peeing because humans can utilize words. I linked the behavior to a specific training: on the potty. Dog language is a bit different. Dogs obviously don't communicate with each other using words (they utilize body language for the most part). So not only am I training my dog to communicate via human words, I'm attempting to assign said human words to specific things I'm trying to train my dog to do. That was a lot. Let's break it down into how your dog may see it. Dog: *exists* Human: sjaldf asjdfj eopapibj tjsd Fido sdfjislkdf sdf Dog: Human: Jwejroj ejf Fido? Dog: *starts to become trained that his name is Fido through repetition* Now we can build on that. Human: Fido, asdfk asjdbibit e rnfs Outside? Fido: *has been taken outside enough to link the words Fido & Outside* Fido (now outside): Starts to pee Human: Fido, potty, potty, potty, potty..... As Fido is giving the behavior of peeing, you are naming it with the word "potty". You've caught the behavior you want. Now I have the potential to recreate that behavior. I've assigned a name to the action. In order to recreate a behavior, you have to catch the behavior and name it. Pretty soon I can take Fido Outside and have hime go Potty on command (all words he's been trained to recognize). Through even more repetition, I can train him that Fido Outside Potty gets positive reinforcement. I've created a routine, or as we refer to it, I've succeeded in housebreaking my dog. Simple Dog Commands How to make dog behaviors work for you Let's start with something simple: the stay command. A dog can naturally stay in one place, so that makes it a behavior (they're not sharks who drown if they stop swimming*). *Some exclusions apply But how do I make a dog stay when I want them to? You have to name that behavior as the dog is presenting it. The key part is you can't lose that behavior. You have to catch it. So I have the dog in a sit (another trick/command). Now think about what the stay command actually is. Is it Fido moving all around? Is it him coming to you? What is the precise behavior you want to catch. Fido not moving as you move away from him. I stand up straight, with my stomach pointed directly at him (which is a gentle negative regarding following me), and ....lean back ever so slightly. A gentle shift in body weight if you will, as I calmly repeat the word I'm trying to use to catch the behavior: Stay. I don't mix in other words. I simply repeat words he already knows and mix in his new word. Maybe his name: Fido. Perhaps he knows a positive word: Good. Me: Fido, stay stay stay, good, stay, good, stay. Fido: has not moved. Me: *as I shift my weight back towards Fido*: GOOD STAY! I caught the behavior. I didn't get far, and I didn't wait too long, risking losing the behavior. But I caught the behavior, and named it stay. Connections are being made. Maybe next time I try it, I take a single step back with my right foot, ever so slowly so as not to create more energy. I gradually increase the space between us a I constantly repeat the word so he understands the new trick. Fido now has a routine, or trick, forming in his head: "When mom says "stay", if I don't move until she says so, I get a positive." Congratulations, another behavior you've caught and trained as a routine or trick. Maintaining Dog Routines and Training Without maintenance, any routine or training will dissolve Remember, behaviors occur naturally; training is something that needs to be maintained. The maintenance plan depends upon your dog's personality, though. For instance, I have trained my dogs to walk politely on the leash. Leash walking is, at its heart, a trick, or a routine. Dogs don't walk dogs on leashes, so it's something that will require maintenance. For my Orion, maintenance was me telling him to heel at the beginning of a walk, and to sit while I took off his leash at the end. My Ellis is a little bit fearful around energetic dogs, so I need to occasionally negate his behavior of having energy, or reactivity towards dogs, on a leash. Again, not bad, though. Just a simple, gentle answer to his natural behavior. Arwen was a little more difficult. Initially, any stimuli brought her either into a panic or a frenzy. So there were a lot more answer to her questions about her behaviors, until I was able to establish a routine of calm while on a leash. Her age (1 year) means that there will be a lot more questions, but over time, they have drastically reduced and she's progressed with her training routines. So, three different dogs learning the same training, with different sets of beginning behaviors. That's where that Piloting Piggy Bank comes in. Piloting Your Dog's Behavior The Cost of Training Your Dog's Behaviors Every time you work towards changing a dog's behavior, or training a new routine, you need to pay for it. Each time you give your dog an answer to their question, you get money out of their bank. For example: Arwen: Can I jump on you? Me: Negative. I just took a little bit of money out of Arwen's behavior account with regard to jumping. I'm a bit closer towards turning not jumping into a trained routine or trained response. The closer I get to emptying that account, the easier it gets to answer each question. This is the whole Piloting basis, hence the Piloting Piggy Bank. That's why it seems as if some dogs are so easy to train, but others aren't. The dog's aren't dumb, and there is no such thing as stubborn dog training. What is happening is your dog's behavior simply costs more money to turn into a trained routine, or a trick. Your dog barks at the door. Behavior. Your dog stops barking with a gentle negative. Training. Your dog now goes to their specific spot. Training. They wag their tail. Behavior. Understanding the difference between dog training and dog behavior is imperative when working with your dog's antics and having the a strong bond with your dog based on trust and communication. For more information about how. to gently negate your dog's behavior, visit this link. To learn how to correctly give your dog a positive, check out this link. Find out how to work those pesky basic commands in this link. And remember, Keep Calm and Pilot On. Dog Training vs. Dog Life By focusing on dog life, rather than dog training, our goals can become so much more attainable and clear-cut. Most of us don't want an obedient dog, we just don't want a dis-obedient dog. Robot-style dogs who are afraid of stepping out of line are for certain types of people I guess. But that's not my style. That's why I developed the Piloting method of dog training over 20 years ago, a force-free method of dog training and puppy training that didn't rely on abusive shock collars or cruel prong collars, yet didn't constantly bribe with non-stop click-n-treat style dog training. I want a bond with my dog based on trust and communication. Learn more about our Piloting method of dog and puppy training here. Find out more about our private in home 30 Day Best Dog Ever and 30 Day Best Puppy Ever training packages here. Have questions about our puppy training or dog training? Kerry Stack Darwin Dogs Dog Training and Puppy Training Greater Cleveland Area Northeast Ohio

Dog Training vs. Dog Behavior and Where Piloting Fits In You've been "doing your research" in the interwebs, and now you're thoroughly confused. One website says not to use harsh methods, only positive reinforcement. Another site says that you must be Ultra Alpha Macho Dominant Pack Leader. All you know is you paid a lot of money for puppy classes, but still have (an adorable) little doodle who is still, um..doing a doodie on the living room rug. Or you have the sweetest little Aussie mix who goes absolutely bonkers with dog reactivity when another dog walks by on a leash. You know it's anxiety, but one Boob-tuber video says to click and treat, click and treat, click and treat, click and treat,.... until your dog is now an obese bundle of dog reactivity. But that guy on Pugs and Ammo Dog Training is telling you to perform some kind of ninja death maneuver on your dog using a collar inspired by a medieval torture device. So what the answer? Punishment? Positive only? You've put a lot of time (and money) into training, where are your results? Let's clarify! Dog Training vs. Dog Behavior Let's start with the basics: what is the difference between a dog trainer and a dog behaviorist? How can two different terms describe the same thing: training and behavior? What is Dog Training? Training a dog is striving to create (and recreate on command) a set of responses to specific stimuli. Dog training usually encompasses things such as teaching your dog a new trick, basic commands (sit, stay, come, etc.). It can also be teaching your dog to sit down as soon as they come inside the house so you can wipe their feet. It can be fun things, too, such as teaching your dog to do various tricks. The key phrase that keeps coming up is teaching your dog. You are taking actions or behaviors that aren't very dog-like and catching those actions, marking them with a positive. After doing this repeatedly enough, your dog will learn whatever you have taught them to do. Typically training is designed to make your life a little easer. For example, teaching your dog that the word "come" means head over here in my direction. Teaching your dog to wait at the door so you can wipe their paws. Those are all examples of training a dog: Catching (and typically naming) a behavior so you can recreate it on command. With children, it's similar to teaching them to read, or to count. Perhaps teaching them how to brush their teeth. Those are not things that are inherent knowledge in a child, and would be passed along to recreate those behaviors ("Go brush your teeth, brush hair for 30 seconds, and then we can read a bedtime story together"). Training is based on a "create behavior, catch behavior, repeat behavior" mentality. Training is not designed to communicate with your dog regarding a situation. Training also doesn't answer your dog's questions about everyday life ("Can I steal food from the counter?"). Most importantly it doesn't do much to help anxiety, as it's designed to catch a naturally occurring reaction from your dog. Simply waiting until your dog is no longer reacting aggressively towards that other dog is a very, very long approach to a problem, with little guarantee of a result. For example: If you show me a mushroom, which I find repulsive, I may even give a mild reaction, saying, "Get that thing away from me". I may push it away from me, even. Now you wait until my very mild reaction is complete, and present me with a candy bar. Perhaps I'll eat it the candy bar. And if you do it enough times, maybe I'll start to think of candy bars every time I see a mushroom. But then again, maybe not. Let's escalate that scenario. What if instead it's a mushroom, it's: Literally NO candy bar in the world is big enough to get my focus off anything other than a freaking cordycep headed in my direction. And for some reactive dogs, that's exactly what that dog across the street looks like. And you want him to ignore it because you waved a Milkbone in front of his face? Training your dog is not designed to give real-time results to behavioral issues. Training is designed to create a behavior that can be assigned a word or noise. to catch and recreate that behavior on demand. What is Dog Behavior? How to communicate with your dog through Piloting Dog behavior is actions or reactions that naturally occur in your dog's normal daily life. Working with your dog's behavior is a bit different. It's about answering your dog's questions, and yes, they have questions. Case in point, that dog across the street. Your beloved little Bella, the Cavapoo, is barking, lunging and snarling at that dog. What she's asking is, "Is that dog a threat?" and "Do I have to back him off before he hurts us?" And your answer is "No". Essentially, think of responding to your dog's behavior, in a similar way a therapist may respond to a child's behavior. Yes, you can teach/train a child how to read, and you can take them to school, but if they are getting into fights with other kids, or are struggling with anxiety, you don't wait around for them to not beat up another kid, nor do you just hope your kid will have a non-anxious moment so you can reward it. You would be engaging in behavioral therapy. Communication. So behavior is something that isn't controlled, it's something you "discuss". You answer questions for your anxious child so they can feel some relief. You listen your your child who is bullying other kids so you can figure out that the core issue is fear, which you can then answer questions about. For dog's, I call it Piloting their behaviors. Answering their questions. Piloting is direct communication with your dog via a series of Q & A. For example: Fido: Can I jump on you. Me: Pilots them with a gentle negative. Fido: Okay. The key to Piloting your dog's behaviors is understanding the communication. With the training aspect, your are typically giving. a positive to your dog to catch the behavior in the hopes of recreating it at another point ("Sit", for instance). You use it for the "positive" behaviors. Piloting is simply used to negate your dogs questions ("Can I eat the mulch?", "Is that other dog going to hurt us?" "Do I get second dinner today?" "Should I be afraid"?). All of those questions will be receiving a negative answer. Your dog isn't bad, nor do they ever ever deserve punishment. But what they do deserve is an answer, and that answer happens to be "no". Piloting is designed to change a current behavior by opening the channels of communication, thereby creating a bond of trust, as well as alleviating your dog's anxiety. How To Pilot Your Dog's Behaviors Two steps to Piloting and negating your dog's unsavory behaviors. As I always tell my clients during our training sessions, there are two steps to working with your dog's behaviors. Be it jumping, barking, counter surfing, or any other behavior your dog is giving that will require a negative. 1. Control yourself. I don't know why dog experts on SPinterest and DisgraceBook gloss over this, but your dog is a reflection of you. If you want get control of your dog's behaviors, you need to get control of your own first. If you're acting hyper, angry, rushed, annoyed, distracted....it's not going to work. Your dog is just going to fling all of those reactions right back at you like an angry monkey with a handful of poo. So control yourself. But control is something that can be perceived, too. We typically can judge if someone is in control of themselves (and a situation) based upon their body language. Stand up as straight as you can. I always tell my clients, pretend you rubbed Viagra all over your body. Stand tall. Hands belong either beside you (not tense), in your pockets, or behind your back. Keep them away from your dog, as hands are a target and add energy. Don’t feel the need to get down to your dog’s level; aim your belly button either at them or directly over them. I call this stance your Piloting uniform. It’s the uniform you wear whenever you’re about to answer your dog’s questions, such as, “Can I bark at the door?” or “Can I jump all over our guest?”. And do you know who wears this uniform best? RuPaul. Yes, you read that right. Perfect body language, as usual, from RuPaul. She looks confident. In control of herself. She doesn’t look aggressive, but she looks as if she could handle just about any opposition without breaking a sweat. Is that what she (or any drag queen) looks like all the time? Not necessarily, but it’s part of the job, so they put on their uniform. It's their glorious armor. And they wear it proudly. 2. Control the Situation Okay, you’ve released your inner drag queen. You have your armor on, aka your Piloting uniform, as I like to call it. Now it’s time to control the situation. Let's say the situation is the door. Someone has the audacity to ring the doorbell. Your dog is going banananananas at the door. Your dog is most likely at the door already. That’s fine. You’re about to control that by claiming the door. Simply walk up to the door, get between your dog and the door (stomach facing your dog still, RuPaul style) and back him off the door by using a gentle negative. Just pretend you’re a snowplow (and your dog is snow). -Gently, but firmly, use your legs to nudge and guide him back from the door. Now you’ve got a few feet to operate, or as I call it, "Ground Zero" plus a bubble for personal space. -As soon as Fido is backed off the door, I want you to start backing up towards the door. Once you're a few feet back from him (butt towards the door you're protecting, stomach facing Fido), give Fido the finger (don't rightly care which finger- middle one if you're feeling frustrated).while pointing at him like your finger is a squirt gun and you’re going to shoot him between the eyes with holy water. Just make sure your finger is *never* in your dog's face. That's a bit much. If Fido starts to move towards you as you back up to the door, move into him again. Gently snow plow him back, and then "RuPaul" him with your body language and by pointing at him, nailing him to his spot with your finger and eyeballs. ("the Mom stare"). You are creating a bit of breathing room between the door (where you are going to be engaging in a moment) and your dog. In other words, the door is goal, and you are goalie. Your dog is playing for the opposing team. Goalie doesn't let anyone right up to goal (there's no breathing room to maneuver), but goalie doesn't hang out midfield. Just back him off a little bit. Just once you're a few feet back from him, give him the finger again. Hint: the closer you are to your dog, the farther away your finger should be from your dog. So if you have to move into him again to back him off the door, as you do so, drop your hand behind your back, as opposed to into his face. You are answering Fido's question, which is, “Do you need help at the door?”. This is how you give a dog a calm, gentle negative. It may take a few times, but as you do it, you’re getting more and more money from his Piloting Piggy Bank into yours (more on that in a minute). Whoever has the most money wins. Only once you have enough money in your Piloting Piggy Bank will you be able to s-l-o-w-l-y open the door (keeping your back to your door and your front towards your dog as much as possible). Continue to control the situation. If you lose control (your dog comes running up again), simply stop and reboot. Do not add more stimuli if you lose control. In fact, remove stimuli. Close the door again if you need to. Hint: Continuing to open the door (ie., adding stimuli) to a situation you already don't have control of is like taking a drink of milk, realizing it's gone bad, and putting it back in the fridge, hoping it gets better. Your guest would rather wait outside a few more moments rather than be mauled and jumped on when they come in. Once you let your guest in, you’re going to make a sandwich. Your dog is bread, your guest is bread, and you’re the cheese. Bread doesn’t touch bread. You will be the cheese between them, answering your dog’s questions about your guest, even as your guest comes through your house and sit down on the couch. Remember, your navel points at what you are engaged with (your dog). Your backside faces what you are claiming (first the door, then your guest). Continue answering your dog’s questions using the same body language. Congratulations, you’ve just answered your door without all the drama. And the best part is, each time it gets easier and easier! RuPaul would be proud. The Piloting Piggy Bank Piloting is a contest, but we all want whomever is best to win. Piloting is a lot like parenting. Anyone can be a parent; doesn’t mean you’re a good one. Parenting, like Piloting, is built on trust. Every time I answer my dog's questions, I get what I call money in my Piloting Piggy Bank. Each question she asks costs a certain dollar amount (which is different for each dog). I answer the question, I get the money. My dogs, Ellis and Arwen, both want to know if they can have any of the carrots I'm chopping up for a salad. I'm going to negate both of them. Arwen only requires a very minimal negative before she accepts my answer, so we'll say that question only cost me $5 out of the Piloting Piggy Bank. Ellis, however, has decided that accepting my negative will cost about $15. Is he bad? No, it's just that carrots are more valuable to him, so I have to pay for my answer. Which he accepts after just a bit more negatives. Now I have added $5 to my bank account with Arwen, and $15 to my Ellis account. So what do I do with it? Spend it. I can then use that money to pay for the next question. Both dogs are barking at the door because the Fed-Ex guy is making many deliveries at our door. That's a $5 question for each of them, but since I just earned more money, this question requires just a hint of a negative before they accept. Remember, any dog behavior isn't bad, it's just negative or positive. So now my running total in the banks are $10 and $20 respectively per dog. And the amount just keeps growing throughout the day with each question I answer. It doesn't matter the cost of the question; if I have enough balance in my Piloting Piggy Bank, they accept the answer almost immediately. If the question costs more than I have in the bank, then I simply earn that money by continuing to answer their question until they accept my answer, just like answering the door. How Piloting Increases Trust AKA, that time my daughter got busted by the police I don’t mention my kids in my blog posts much anymore, as they’re teenagers now. If I do mention them, I always ask permission first. Me: River, can I write a post about the time you got busted by the cops? River (15): That’s fine, but can you please not use “busted by the cops”? It sounds terrible, and I’m not a felon. Me: Yet. I'll get back to River and her brush up with the cops in a minute. Piloting is designed to answer questions, specifically questions that require a negative answer. And let me repeat it for those of you in back: Negative does not mean bad. Negative does not mean punishment. Negative just means...no. Let's go back to answering the door. Fido is an anxious mess at the door, jumping and barking, or perhaps even acting aggressively (another expression of anxiety). And what's the definition of anxiety? Anxiety is fear of the unknown. So how do you make the unknown ..well, known? By answering your dog's questions. Example: Fido: Is the person here going to kill us? Bella: If it's Grandma, can I jump on her? You notice how both Fido and Bella are asking a question, both rooted in anxiety. Anxiety is neither good nor bad (I'm anxious before opening birthday presents, and I'm anxious at the dentist). I this case, Fido's anxiety has a negative energy (he's not bad, but he's not in a healthy place right now mentally). Bella's anxiety has a boisterous, excited vibe. However, each question will be answered with a negative. No, Fido, you're not going to die. No, Bella, you can't jump on Grandma. Two different questions, same answer. Not bad, just no. Now I've alleviated Fido's nervous, anxious behaviors (for the moment) and helped Bella with some impulse control. In other words, you've helped both dogs trust you to answer the door without drama. Back to River and her life of crime. My kids are almost grown now, but I've always been very fair, yet strict with them. Plenty of praise, love and affection, but negatives aren't to be contradicted simply through whining, cajoling or sheer disappoint at the consequences of your actions. For example, both of my kids are extremely gifted, and have no trouble pulling excellent grades. Therefore, the rule in my house is that if you have a grade below a "B-", you lose all electronic devices until you bring it back up to a "B-" or better (which I can verify in real-time though Powerschool). I have indeed had to enforce that rule with River previously. She knows that I always follow through on my answers, so when River came home with a bad grade in a class a couple years ago, she, without prompting, immediate put her cell phone, laptop and iPad on the table for me to collect. And that was the last I heard about it until 1.5 weeks later, when she came home with a test she crushed with an A+, putting her back into electronics territory. She knew I would follow through with my answer regarding electronics devices vs. poor grades, so she didn't try to negotiate. I didn't berate her. I didn't yell, or preach. I gave her a big hug and praised her for being so mature and strong while she lost her electronics. And when she got them back, she got even more praise (and candy for such a great grade!). A few weeks ago I got a phone call from River during school: River (in a frightened, quavering voice, close to tears): Mom, I'm in the principal's office with the police. Me: You'll be okay. I'll handle this. River: I know you will. And that right there is why you Pilot. River was terrified (and deathly pale from fright) when my husband and I got to the school. We didn't ask her anything, but gave her a hug, and said, "I love you. Now let's figure out what's happened and what we will do to fix it." River followed behind me as. we went to meet with the principal and Officer T-Bone the police officer usually on duty at the school. . I listened as Officer T-Bone explained what heinous thing my daughter had done: She lent a student (we will call them "A") her cell phone. Said student A then texted a "friend" who was out of state, sending a series of messages using River's phone. Said "friend" turned out to be an adult, not a kid, as they were posing. Now the police were investigating, headed up by Officer T-Bone. Officer T-Bone proceeded to go on a tirade about never knowing who was on the other end of the line, and how dangerous and stupid it was for her to do that. He proceeded to use frightening descriptions of what could have happened, and how dangerous this world is. How, as a cop, River had put his own family in jeopardy because River had texted her friends that she was in the office with Officer T-Bone to discuss what was going on with Student A. Officer T-Bone was angry at River for mentioning him by name to Student A. River's eyes got bigger, and her lower lip started to quiver as she desperately fought to keep from crying. I stopped Officer T-Bone. I recapped the situation: River lent a kid a phone (because River is kind). Said kid proceed to message a person of interest. River put a stop to the texting herself, cutting off access to her phone. A few days later, she was called down to the office by OfficerT-Bone. OfficerT-Bone nodded his head in agreement to those facts. I told him were were done and leaving. But first I needed for T-Bone to realize who actually had caused harm in this situation. While I feel badly for Student "A" and the mess they were in, and it was silly of River to lend out her phone, once River realized that this was not a good idea, she cut off access to her phone with no prompting. The truly frightening person in the situation was Officer T-Bone. Rather than allowing River to trust that he was there to help, he berated her. He took a girl who is already very timid and shy, and continued tried crush her with words and anger, simply because he could. I told him that he had an opportunity to gain her trust, and let him know that he was there for her as a guide, as a Pilot, but instead he chose to punish and show dominance. "Just know", I said as I left with my daughter, "That you have taken a girl who has a 3.8 gpa, no history of any infractions of school rules, who takes out our neighbor's trash unprompted, and made her afraid of you. She will never come to you for help. She will always be more afraid of your response to any problem she has than the actual problem. She will probably avoid you when she sees you. She has no trust in you, and most likely never will again." And as we left, River squeezed my hand and whispered, "Thanks, Mom". So what on earth does that have to do with Piloting? Well, let's. go back to the phone call from River. She told me the police had her (never a good thing). She had believed she was in trouble, even potential danger. And the person she called was the person who is most strict with her (my husband was there, and just as supportive, but was so angry at the situation they had placed our daughter in, he decided to step back from the conversation). The person who gives a lot of negatives (and follows through). But that's why when I told her I'd handle this, her immediate response was, "I know". Because she trusted me. Because I followed through with every answer I had given her, from "Can I go ride my bike?" Sure. To "Can I get a D in Science?" No. I never made her afraid of my answer or my response, but unless she had more or better information to give me, my answer didn't change. No matter how awful I felt watching her check her grades every day, hoping it went back up, and then looking crestfallen when they hand't yet, I followed through. Since I followed through in every other situation, why would the situation with Officer T-Bone be any different. Recap: Training a Dog Vs. Piloting A Dog's Behavior Whew, that was a lot! Let's recap. Dog Training: Training is a like a new book. You've never read it, and you're excited to start it. Piloting Dog Behavior: Piloting is knowing how to read. You aren't getting very far with the new book if you don't know how to read. You learn it from someone else, and are guided as you sound out words to find out what works and what doesn't. After a bit, you don't need help reading each new book. Can you get by with just Piloting alone? Um, yeah, sure, I guess. But training helps with things like answering the door. I've worked with the behavior of being anxious at the door by Piloting, but now that we've done that, it can be easier to train your dog to go to a specific spot when the doorbell rings. And dog tricks are never not fun, so teach them tricks through training. Piloting is real-time answers to real-time questions. "Can I steal food from. the counter?" is a real time question that requires immediate Piloting, "No", using the same body language I outlined above. Training is a bit more proactive rather than reactive. Is Piloting tough. Not really; the more you do it, even in small value situations ("Can I jump on you?"), the more money you get to put towards larger value items ("Can I eat the cat?"). As you do it, your dog begins to have more and more faith and trust in you and your answers. Until one day, they are asking a particularly difficult question, ("Will the vet's office be too scary for me?") and you respond with your answer: No. I've got this. "I know you do, Mom." For a visual demonstration on Piloting body language, check out this link To learn the basics. of leash walking, check out this link To find out more about positive methods with dog training, check out this link Kerry Stack Darwin Dogs Dog Trainer and Behaviorist

So ... I had two dog training sessions scheduled for today. Session one was a pair of Yorkie mixes who just couldn’t stop trying to kill each other. Second two consisted of a new Husky. Awesome lineup! Both clients sounded wonderful on the phone, and I love the feeling of accomplishment after a session. Both sessions were later in the day, so I had most of my morning off. Plus...Husky! The problem arose about 3/4 through my first session. I started to get that sparkly vision in the periphery of my vision. That can only mean one thing: a migraine. I tend to get migraines when the barometer changes, but also when I’m stressed and not taking care of myself. Over the past few months, the number of dog training sessions has picked up dramatically for me. January through March is usually my slow(er) time; yet this year I’ve had more sessions than I typically do in my busier season! Rather than booking out a bit farther, I decided to double my workload so my clients wouldn’t have to book out so far. Hence, the stress migraine today. For those of you who aren’t familiar with migraines, calling them headaches is like referring to childbirth as some mild cramping. Fortunately, I usually get plenty of time to take some meds before the actual headache kicks in. Too bad they only work 70% of the time. So I have about an hour to get to my next session, and I can’t see out of my left eye, and my brain feels like it’s trying to squeeze through my eyeballs. What to do? Apparently, if you’re me, the answer is to beat yourself up mentally for the next 20 minutes, vacillating about whether you should contact your upcoming client or just yuck it up and do the session. So let’s pause this narrative for a moment. How does this relate to dogs? In every way possible. Think about the two steps involved when you’re working with your dog's behaviors. Everything from the come command to aggressive dog behaviors. 1) Control Yourself - Your Dog's Behavior Mimic's Our Own If you’re angry, rushed, hyper or out of sorts, it’s not gonna work. There is nothing so urgent that you can’t take a moment to collect yourself, even if it’s just a deep breath before you engage. Calm yourself. Walk into another room if necessary. Or take Liz’s advice: 2) Control the Situation - More Energy Doesn't Help You or Your Dog One of my favorite quotes is an African proverb: Only a fool tests the depth of the water with both feet. Control this moment before you add the next moment. Sometimes that means waiting for energy to subside. Sometimes that means taking a dog for a run before I try to work on commands. Most of the time it just means something as simple as not opening the front door to let your guest in while your dogs are still going ballistic! Now, as I mentioned, these two steps are mandatory when training dogs. But I also use this as a mantra for my life. - When I address behavior from my kids. I ask myself if I’m calm, and then survey the situation before acting or speaking. - When I head out to train dogs for the day, I stop, close my eyes and breathe deeply before mentally running through my day and making sure I have everything. - Before writing a blog post, I make a cup of tea, and play specific music to calm down and focus after a day full of raucous dogs. Back to my migraine and rescheduling the remaining dog session. I was about to do the dumbest thing. I couldn’t see out of my one eye, and my headache, while finally subsiding a little bit, was still definitely there. But I was so worried about letting my client down that I forgot that my showing up in that condition would actually let my client down. Could I possibly give them my best while in my current state? Would I be able to remain safe and think critically in a dangerous situation with a dog? Resounding no! We are so busy taking care of everyone else, concerned with not letting someone down, be it dogs, kids, spouses or clients, that we end up letting everyone down, including ourselves. You can’t help anyone if you are (momentarily) helpless, physically or mentally. So I texted my client client, asking if they could reschedule. And you know what? It was fine. They were gracious and understanding. The world didn't end. My career as a dog behaviorist didn't end. It was just....fine. “You need to give yourself permission to be human. - Joyce Brothers My first mistake was doubling my workload, as I mentioned earlier. There’s an ancient story about how you can boil a frog alive because if you slowly raise the temperature of the pot, the frog never knows when it’s too hot, and it needs to get out. A very true, if not revolting, parable. My mental rule is usually the moment I feel any heat in the pot, I stop, control the situation, and turn down the heat. Unfortunately, I didn’t do that, and continued slogging along at a double workload. Fortunately, I got a migraine. I never though I’d say that. But that migraine reminded to me to control both myself and the situation. If I had not rescheduled that appointment, I could have very easily misread a situation and been bit by an aggressive dog. So think about all the times, just working with our dogs, that we muddle our way through a situation without really even addressing it or controlling it. - Answering the door. Doorbell rings and it’s Bedlam. Rather than allowing your guest to be pummeled by your dog jumping when they come in, stop for a moment to control yourself as well as the situation. Are you calm? Good body language? Are you actively answering your dog’s question, “Can I bark and be hyper?”. If you don’t know how, give this post a read for how to Pilot your dog and answer their questions. - Feeding time. Does your dog barge right into the bowl after badgering you while you try to measure out their food? Or do you answer their question (“Can I bully you into moving faster with that food?”) and put them into a calmer state before serenely putting the food down and then calling them over to their bowl? - The walk. Is your dog in front of you doing what I call The Minesweeper? Swinging back and forth in front of you like a pendulum. Or even worse, dragging you where ever they want. Rather than taking even another step, control the current one. Shorten that leash, and answer your dog’s question! Learn how here. Start slowly, and remember, you have no destination, merely focus on calm. If you make it to the end of your driveway and back, and you have answered questions to maintain calm, you did it! Back to my migraine. By taking on a double workload, ignoring my own body’s warning signals (and eschewing my own needs) I didn’t realize that I was failing everyone: exactly what I was looking to avoid. The amazing thing was that about 20 minutes after I contacted my client, my headache started to subside. I still couldn’t see properly out of my one eye (I’m having my husband thoroughly check this post for typos!) Stress started to melt away, and I was able to focus on something more important. My own health. My own sanity. And taking care of the ones I love. Because in failing myself, I failed them, too. My daughter had a school play today. Just a minor part, but she was excited. All of our family was going to attend, but I had to tell her I wasn’t able to go because I was scheduled to train dogs. The session had been set up a while ago. I had been beating myself up over not being able to go, but still, I take my sessions and my work very seriously. After taking a moment to control myself and the situation by taking a quick rest, I was able to attend her play. Granted, I only saw half of it due to the migraine vision. But I felt relieved. Better. Accomplished and in control of myself and what may come ahead. And now I can’t wait to meet that husky when we reschedule. Dog Training vs. Dog Life By focusing on dog life, rather than dog training, our goals can become so much more attainable and clear-cut. Most of us don't want an obedient dog, we just don't want a dis-obedient dog. Robot-style dogs who are afraid of stepping out of line are for certain types of people I guess. But that's not my style. That's why I developed the Piloting method of dog training over 20 years ago, a force-free method of dog training and puppy training that didn't rely on abusive shock collars or cruel prong collars, yet didn't constantly bribe with non-stop click-n-treat style dog training. I want a bond with my dog based on trust and communication. Learn more about our Piloting method of dog and puppy training here. Find out more about our private in home 30 Day Best Dog Ever and 30 Day Best Puppy Ever training packages here. Have questions about our puppy training or dog training? Kerry Stack Darwin Dogs Dog Training and Puppy Training Greater Cleveland Area Northeast Ohio

I've worked with so many dogs and their owners over the last 2 decades. Big dogs, little dogs. Puppies and seniors. From leash walking to separation anxiety, aggression to housebreaking; and I've loved them all. I love the updates. I love the questions that come up after training. Most of all, I love to see the progress you're making. But not everyone is successful, and all the people who fail at training their dogs, always seem to have a few things in common. 1)Thinking Money Will Handle Your Dog's Behaviors There's a saying I like: There is one thing that money can't buy, and that's the wag of a dog's tail. No matter what behaviors your dog is giving you, money won't solve it. More training sessions. More treats. More clickers. More money, more money, more money. I constantly reference the similarities between dogs and kids. And I've never see a correlation between the happiness of a child and the amount of money spent on them. More tutors. More sports. More extracurricular activities. More lavish birthday parties. More, more, more usually means you're getting less from each dollar you are spending. Now I firmly believe you can't spoil a dog (or a child for that matter), but at some point, you have to realize it starts with parenting rather than spending on a child. The same applies to dogs. Dogs only need simple things, same as children. - Piloting (or parenting) based on love - Activity - Mental work/stimulation Start with these simple things before moving on to yet another round of training sessions, or buying that shock collar (yikes!). 2. Mistaking Your Dog's Behaviors as the Problem Rather Than the Symptom Suppose you had a problem with your child throwing a tantrum at Target. So you call a child therapist and set up a session to work through the problem. During our session, the therapist starts to mention how to address the child's impulse control issues. So you cut her off, saying, "Yeah, I see that, but I just want to know how I get my kid to stop throwing tantrums at Target. Seriously, aside from that, she's fine". Yeah, we all know your kid isn't "fine". This just happens to be the biggest symptom your child is displaying of a larger behavioral issue. It's also most likely the only one that's on public display, and therefore, why you care so much about it. The same thing goes for dog training. Your dog lunging at other dogs during the walk actually isn't the problem, but their anxiety sure is. It's just only a problem for you when you're out walking and they see another dog. Get rid of the anxiety, get rid of the unsavory behaviors. 3. Hearing But Not Listening Be willing to listen, and maybe hear some things that you don't want to hear. As long as your dog trainer is respectful and kind with constructive feedback, and not bullying or shaming you, be willing to listen to what they have to say. We're here to help. So ask your questions, but realize you may get an answer that seems contrary to your current thoughts. Ask more questions until it make sense to you. I want you to understand your dog's behaviors, and asking me (tough!) questions during our session doesn't mean you're being stubborn, it shows me you're listening so you can understand. (But no, your dog is NOT rage peeing. Yes I know it happens when you leave. Yes I know she doesn't like when you leave. No, she's STILL not "rage peeing".) 4. Assuming Osmosis Will Handle Your Dog's Behaviors Yes, I know it's early Saturday morning, and you went out Friday night. Yes, you also chose the date and time of your dog training session. That's unfortunate that you were out late last night and didn't feel the need to take our session seriously. No, I won't come back out for a reduced fee. No, I won't refund your money because you were so unfocused. No, I don't feel badly about it, either. What I do feel badly about is your dog who was counting on you. Again. 5. Going Off the Path It always happens, even with my bestest, most favoritist clients. But even the best deviate from the plan. They forget to give their dog enough mental work, and call me in tears after they've lost a pair of Manolo Blahniks. They didn't follow through with the amount of activity their dog needs, and now their dog is being a twerp on the walk. But usually, it's that they forgot part of the Holy Trinity of dog training: 1) Control yourself; 2) Control the situation; and 3) Add more stimuli *repeat Most of my clients understand the importance of controlling themselves, but sometimes the situation overwhelms them. Or things are going so well, that they forget why they are going so well: you've taken responsibility for controlling the situation.... and now Fido is acting out again on the walk because you hadn't been taking responsibility for the stimuli he's confronted with (i.e., you went back to a retractable leash). It's okay. You're not a bad pet parent. You had a bad pet parenting moment. And all my successful clients, who after troubleshooting with me as to what happened, understand that while Fido reacting on the leash wasn't their fault, it is indeed their responsibility, and keep their promise to be controlling the situation. But there's a small subset of client who when I contact them a week after their session tell me "It's not going well", but when I press for details, it's obvious it's "not going well" because they haven't gotten it going yet. Have you Piloted your dog? Have you done what i showed you when he causes and uproar at the mailman? Did you remember to address his "yo bitch" habit? No? Okay, well then, I'm sorry about the lack of success you got with the effort you didn't put in. As a dog trainer, my job is to make this as quick and painless for both you and your dog as I can. I'm not throwing extra steps or unnecessary details into your session, so please don't cut corners. I've already trimmed the fat for you. 6. Not Having Faith in Your Abilities I hate bullies, and I call them out when I see them. That goes for you, too. If you start berating yourself for not doing things you didn't know (wtf?), or not spending every waking moment catering to your dog, I'm going to call you out on it. You are doing the best you can with what you have available. I know you can do this. Your dog knows you can do this. The only one in the room with doubts is you. I'm not going to let you doubt yourself. You deserve to have a great, wonderful, loving and healthy bond with your dog. You just have to have faith that you can do this, one step at a time. You just need a roadmap for your journey with your dog. Oh, and a little faith in yourself. You've got this. Dog Training vs. Dog Life By focusing on dog life, rather than dog training, our goals can become so much more attainable and clear-cut. Most of us don't want an obedient dog, we just don't want a dis-obedient dog. Robot-style dogs who are afraid of stepping out of line are for certain types of people I guess. But that's not my style. That's why I developed the Piloting method of dog training over 20 years ago, a force-free method of dog training and puppy training that didn't rely on abusive shock collars or cruel prong collars, yet didn't constantly bribe with non-stop click-n-treat style dog training. I want a bond with my dog based on trust and communication. Learn more about our Piloting method of dog and puppy training here. Find out more about our private in home 30 Day Best Dog Ever and 30 Day Best Puppy Ever training packages here. Have questions about our puppy training or dog training? Kerry Stack Darwin Dogs Dog Training and Puppy Training Greater Cleveland Area Northeast Ohio

“When the Man waked up he said, ‘What is Wild Dog doing here?’ And the Woman said, ‘His name is not Wild Dog any more, but the First Friend, because he will be our friend for always and always and always.’” —Rudyard Kipling (author, The Jungle Book) I’m holding a staff meeting for Darwin Dogs right now.  All of the senior heads are here, and believe me, there is a fair share of grey on those heads.  Including mine.While I’m not a big believer in routine, I will admit to following a few specific daily rituals.  Namely, my morning ritual.  Up at 5:45 (even on weekends).  Make coffee while the dogs are outside powdering their nose/terrorizing local wildlife. Wake up kids for school.  Grab my breakfast, coffee, and head upstairs to my office and start to work.  Blog posts. Emails, texts, Facebook posts.  Instagram pics, Twitter.  Verifying schedules, client confirmations and updates. Of course my loyal staff (Sparta and Orion) are there.  Somehow they know when I’m ready to head upstairs to work, and dutifully wait until I’m in my office to follow me upstairs, and my door is closed. I always feel as if I give them enough time to come upstairs with me if they want, before finally closing the door. I wait, and wait, not wanting to call Sparta just in case she feels as if her old bones aren't up for a trip up the stairs. Finally, I feel I've waited long enough and close the door, and settle down into my work. Just as I feel I'm settled, they come barging in, scaring the crap out of me because after 3 years in the “new” house that has a faulty lock on my office door, I still don’t expect Sparta to come barging in here for our staff meetings. I swear, I give her plenty of time to come upstairs.  I don’t call her anymore, since her hearing has been failing, and I don’t ever want to make an old dog get up from a comfortable spot for no reason. So the next day I wait even longer.  I leave the door open.  Surely by now she should be up here if she wanted to come up.  But I really need to get going on my day, so I finally close the door.  It doesn’t latch all the way, but it still affords me the necessary privacy, so I start up the fireplace in my office, get my blanket, and stretch out with a cup of tea on my couch to work. BAM! Sparta comes crashing through the door, and coffee, blanket, and my nerves are all in an uproar.  I never expect it, and my heart is thudding in my ears now, and my nerves are all a skitter from three cups of coffee being startled. I have to get up and re-situate the door, my blanket, my coffee and my adrenaline rush. I call Sparta my Crazy Bitch for scaring the hell out of me, as I give her a few playful smacks on her ass and a scratch behind her ears. We all settle in for the morning’s work. It never matters if it takes me 10 minutes or 3 hours to complete the day’s office-oriented tasks; Sparta and Orion stick it out with me, offering their quiet companionship, as they have for the past 8 and 11 years respectively. But things are different today. Orion can’t get comfortable, and is pacing.  He keeps trying to stretch, and his tail is dragging on the floor, not held upright like a strutting peacock, like it used to when he was younger. I give him some pain meds (he has some arthritis now, plus has some issues with a slipped disk).  He finally settles into a calmer state and sleeps on the floor next to me.  Getting up onto the couch with me is a thing of the past, due to his age and spine issues. Sparta sometimes drags a leg behind her, arthritis and an old injury to her ACL forcing her to slow down to accommodate moving on 3 legs until her 4th decides to finally cooperate.  She finds her place quickly, but now snores loudly, and whines and quietly barks under her breath as she sleeps, no doubt dreaming of finally catching the squirrels she loved to chase in her youth. Her legs move in her sleep, testament to her coursing dreams. Both dogs are riddled with grey. Sparta’s once jet-black coat, so sleek and glorious, is now a faded shade of salt & pepper, with emphasis on the salt. Orion has gray behind his ears and around his muzzle. I, myself, haven’t escaped unscathed either.  At 43, there’s some “tinsel” showing through my dark hair as well.  I guess we’re all in this "getting old" thing together. My first dog was Pebbles, a precocious Border Collie mix my parents adopted from an animals shelter when I was 4. She was the best dog ever. She was a total bitch.  And I mean that in the best possible way.  She was confident enough not to have any fear reactivity, and was painfully logical in everything she did. Pebbles was a constant companion. The best dog ever. She was official outfielder when we played baseball (using a tennis ball of course).  She would stay in my room with me until I fell asleep at night, whereupon she would then start her patrol of the house, keeping everyone safe from things that go bump in the night. She would watch Saturday morning cartoons with me, and if I got up during commercial breaks during Voltron or X-men, she never touched my bowl of cereal I'd left on the floor. She defended me from a creepy guy in the woods when I was 5 (read about her bravery here).She also knew not to take any crap of my brothers nor me. She bit me once, which I deserved at the time, as I was 6 and trying to play a little too roughly with her. But she taught me to pay attention to what dogs, and animals were telling me without speaking a word. That small bite on my hand (and yes it bled) taught me how to read and animal’s body language.  I was never afraid of dogs, or any animal, because she taught me that all dogs are like fire: treat them with respect, and be aware of a fire’s ability to burn you, but never fear it, because it is man’s greatest ally. Pebbles passed at the age of 16. Being a young adult myself at that time, and just starting on my career, out on my own in the world, I missed her last days. I still treasure her memory, but though I feel I grew up with her, I don’t feel quite like we actually aged together. I missed her best years: the senior dog years. With Orion, and especially Sparta, it feels different.  Sparta has been with me since my kids were very young. They always felt like my third and fourth children, rather than pets.  I raised them as I was raising my family. Every morning, patiently waiting for the morning ritual of coffee, breakfast, head into the office, do work. Only back then, it was full of interruptions.  Diaper changes. Messes to clean up.  Lunches to be made.  Add in a full schedule of dog training appointments, and looking back, I don’t know how I did it all.  But I did.  We did.  And sometimes, the dogs got lost in the shuffle.  A few walks were missed.  I ignored the rope toy hanging out of Sparta’s mouth, dangling like an unanswered question, “Can we play now?”. All said and done, I did the best I could during those busy years, and if I want to be honest, I did much more than most.  But I always ask myself, was it enough? Darwin was my dog from the time I was 21 until I was 32.  He was the best dog ever. He seemed to understand that, as a young adult, sometimes I needed to go out with my friends, and that there would be a shorter walk that evening when I got home from work.  He was just as happy to spend time with me watching Animal Planet and National Geographic as he was to go romping off on day-long hikes.  He went with me just about everywhere.  He was even my date to a wedding. All my friends knew him (and called him D-dog, or Darwin Dog), and knew if I was coming to a party, Darwin was, too. Darwin got old without me noticing. He was with me through boyfriends and breakups. Apartments and my first house.  He never complained when I added a baby and a husband.  And then another baby.  Life was a whirlwind towards the end. Again, I did the best I could, but one day I looked at him, and he was old. Why hadn’t I noticed? He had given me his all.  I had given him my best. He had taught me so much, though. Picking up where Pebbles left off, he taught me to read when a dog was unnecessarily defending me, and how to let them know that I didn’t need to be protected from every single dog we passed on a walk.  He taught me everything I know about how to work with a counter-surfing dog.  He was my boy, and still is.  The best dog ever. Darwin’s last pic. Now that I have my coffee back in it’s place on the desk next to my sofa in my office, and my computer is set up, my blanket wrapped around me, I’m ready to get to work. Orion is comfortable, finally.  He’s taught me so much about unconditional trust.  Every day that he goes to work with me is a day he is paraded in front of a dog who wants to kill him, but he trusts me to protect him.  He believes I won’t let him down, therefore I never will.  He and I are partners. Those of you who come to the pack walks have seen him in action.  He teaches the newcomers how to walk a dog, giving them just enough sass to help them hone their Piloting skills. He’s shown owners of dog-reactive dogs how to work through their dogs’ issues by being “bait”.  A truly terrifying job, if you stop to think about it.  Yet he has never once hesitated when called on to do his duty. He has shown me how to take pride in your work.  How to let go and trust your partner.  He’s a senior now, and slower, but still ready the moment the words, “Pack Walk” leave my lips. I learned the true meaning of teamwork from Orion. My little "Skunk Boy". The best dog ever. Sparta is snoring peacefully, apparently having either caught her squirrel in her dream, or perhaps shown mercy to it. I see her gray hair.  I see her slower gait.  I not only see her aging, becoming old (hell, she is old!), but I embrace it.  Sparta has taught me so much. She showed me that it’s always futile to muscle your way through a dog on a leash, no matter how they are reacting.  She’s taught me what it truly means to put on your Piloting uniform and work with a dog-reactive dog. She’s taught me that just because you’re a 120lb canine, you can still be terrified of other dogs, and it’s okay to be afraid.  She taught me what unconditional trust is, by letting me Pilot her through those scary situations. She’s the best dog ever. Sparta has taken up a new hobby in her sleep: she farts.  I guess it’s an old age thing, but the part that gets me is that when she farts, she wakes herself up, sniffs the air, gets a sour look on her face, and then puts herself in the corner, where she falls asleep again, only to repeat the ritual.  So far the maximum number of times she’s repeated is 3, which makes me wonder what happens when it hits 4, and she’s out of corners.  I can’t wait to find out, as I try to wave the stench from the air with an old magazine. Getting old ain’t for sissies, as Betty Davis once said.  I can only hope that I’m not farting and putting myself in corners when I get to be senior citizen.  My future apologies to those around me if I end up doing so despite my best intentions. We’ve wrapped up our morning meeting and are ready to get started with the rest of our day.  By the time I get home, I’m exhausted, and head up to my office to relax a little.  I wait for Sparta to join Orion and me.  I leave the door open for her.  It’s been 10 minutes, and she’s not up here yet, and I want to watch a movie, so I close the door that doesn’t latch.  Five minutes go by.  Fifteen minutes go by.  I don’t want to call her in case she’s sleeping, and there is a special place in hell for people who make old dogs move without good reason.  So I close the door and start watching my movie without her, assuming she’s going to stay downstairs for once, and maybe she doesn’t want to -BAM! Popcorn goes flying everywhere and my heart is in my throat, my nerves on edge, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s the best dog ever. Are you lucky enough to have a Best Dog Ever? ***** Update This article was originally published in March 2020. We lost Sparta in February 2021. I showed her the greatest mercy. A dog owner can show by letting her go. It was an absolutely heart, wrenching decision that I don't regret. My last words to her work "I love you you Crazy Bitch ". She will always be my best dog ever. In December 2021 we lost Orion. Orion, out of all of my dogs, was my closest companion. While the rest of the dogs were always family dogs, Orion chose me as his best friend, following me everywhere, and working closely with me. Orion passed due to a congenital heart issue. It was so sudden. I think he actually died from a broken heart after losing Sparta. Or maybe it was the lack of opposition after Sparta died. He will always be my best dog ever. Since then, I have adopted to new dogs: Ellis, my pitbull, and Arwen my border collie. They both have their quirks and they're own distinct personalities. I'm so lucky that they are both my Best Dogs Ever. Dog Training vs. Dog Life By focusing on dog life, rather than dog training, our goals can become so much more attainable and clear-cut. Most of us don't want an obedient dog, we just don't want a dis-obedient dog. Robot-style dogs who are afraid of stepping out of line are for certain types of people I guess. But that's not my style. That's why I developed the Piloting method of dog training over 20 years ago, a force-free method of dog training and puppy training that didn't rely on abusive shock collars or cruel prong collars, yet didn't constantly bribe with non-stop click-n-treat style dog training. I want a bond with my dog based on trust and communication. Learn more about our Piloting method of dog and puppy training here. Find out more about our private in home 30 Day Best Dog Ever and 30 Day Best Puppy Ever training packages here. Have questions about our puppy training or dog training? Kerry Stack Darwin Dogs Dog Training and Puppy Training Greater Cleveland Area Northeast Ohio

Building a bond with your dog should be a positive, rewarding experience for you both. Communication should always be your goal (or Piloting, as I frequently refer to it) and should always include (many) positives when training your dog. Building the Bridge of Communication Through Piloting Your Dog 1. Make sure you giving positives correctly. Probably the biggest mistake I see is not properly using simple Pavlovian responses with your dog. During a training session with your dog, you'll notice that I frequently make a chirping/bird noise right before I give your dog a treat and a gentle pet. I'm creating a Pavlovian response. Your dog will very quickly link the sound I make, the touch I'm giving and the treat together, until I can indicate that they deserve a treat just by making that noise or giving them a scratch behind their ear, or a pat on their butt. I call this Touch, Talk, Treat. Now I can give them a positive without the fumbling, calories and energy of a treat. In other words, instead of searching my house for a clicker, I simply make whatever noise is convenient for me, and then repeat that noise whenever I give the dog a treat. Because let's face it, nobody ever knows where their clicker is, and the more gimmicks involved in training, the less fun it is. Let the gentle scratch behind the ear indicate that a treat is coming. Let that kissy kissy noise you make be a heads up that chow is on the way. Keep it simple. 2. Catch the correct behavior from your dog Be sure you're catching the correct behavior. Prime example: when trying to housebreak a dog. Puppy is outside, and finally goes potty. So you call the puppy towards you, and give them a treat, praising them for going potty. Need I remind you that puppies have the attention span of a toddler with a Redbull? You didn't mark the correct behavior; you just rewarded them for coming to you, not for going potty outside. To use positive dog training effectively, you have to mark the precise behavior your are looking for. You've already lost the behavior by the time your puppy has made their way to you after going potty. So rather than giving the positive after the event, give the positive during the event. No, I'm not telling you to try to cram a treat down a puppy's through while they are trying to do their business. But you can mark the behavior as I indicated above: with a simple noise that you've been linking to positives/treats. Puppy: *sniff, sniff* *squats and pees* That's your cue to use whatever positive noise you've chosen, while your pup is in the act. As soon as they're finished, they'll come running to you to see what kind of treat you may have for them. Congratulations: you've finally marked the correct behavior. The same issue applies with the stay command. You should be marking a positive for them staying, not when they come to you. 3. Don't give your dog positives for the wrong reasons I always tell my clients during our initial phone call that my dog training methods do not involve negotiating with a terrorist. I refuse to give your dog a treat to keep them from jumping on me. I will not give them a positive to get them to stop barking. Doing that simply trains them to bark. Remember the 3 times you give a dog a positive: - The "come" command Yeah....don't be this guy. Recall always requires a positive. Also watch your body language; make sure you aren't squared off at your dog. Your hip/side should be facing your dog when calling them, not your stomach. - Asking a dog to be human. If a dog can ask another dog to do the same thing, no positive is necessary. For example, my pittie, Ellis can ask my Border Collie, Arwen, to play. She can tell him to back off her food bowl. But Arwen hasn't taught Ellis any tricks, or any commands in English. As I always say, positives are mandatory when you're asking a dog to go outside their job description as a dog. - When they're calm(er). Calm is a lottery ticket, and the prize is positives. You have to play to win (and you don't always win), but unless you're playing the lottery, you don't get a positive. So if Fido is running around causing chaos, being super energetic, but then calms down, give him a positive. You're at the vet's office, and he's acting nervous and scared, but calms down, even just a bit....give him a positive. 4. Don't be stingy with the positives We use (gentle) negatives to get our dogs on the right path; we use positives to keep them there. Hence the 10/90 rule: 10% negatives, 90% positives. As Catherine the Great said: praise loudly, scold softly. Negative only training defeats the purpose of having a dog. Give credit where credit is due. 5. But don't confuse negatives and positives I asked my husband if the pants I was wearing made my ass look big. He answered: absolutely yes. He didn't lie and give me a false negative. (I wore the pants anyway.) There are two times you give a dog a negative: 1) When you don't like what they're doing. Don't like the barking? Negate it. Don't like them on the couch? Negate it. Just remember, your dog isn't bad, and their behavior isn't bad, it's just negative. 2) The "yo, bitch". You know exactly what I'm talking about. "Yo, bitch, feed me." "Yo, bitch, throw the ball." "Yo, bitch, don't tell me where to go on a walk." Every time your dog is "Yo, Bitching" you they are taking money out of your Piloting Piggy Bank, and that's why most of your are broke. Learn more about it in this article, but suffice it to say, you don't respond to "yo bitch" with a positive. 6. Don't use exclusively treats for positives Remember touch, talk, treat? Does your dog deserve a treat every time they come when you call? Absolutely! Are they going to get one? Maybe. If your dog gets a treat every time they come when you call, the first time you don't give them a treat, they will have a meltdown: you've set precedence. What your dog gets is different than what they deserve. If tigers are hunting, do they deserve to eat? Yes. Are they going to? I hope so, but statistically, only 25% of the time. But the tiger understands that the behavior of hunting is how they eat. They don't give up just because they didn't make the kill this time. Same goes for your dog. Now when you're first teaching your dog a difficult behavior, such as housebreaking or recall, by all means, use mostly treats during touch, talk, treat. If your dog is usually a trembling mess at the vet, but this time they've taken it down half a notch, offer them a treat for calming down. But for established behaviors, my dogs don't usually get a treat. It's randomized. Sometimes they'll get a treat 3 times in a row for coming in the house when I call. And then nothing the next 8 times. But they're operating based on the triumph of hope over experience. They still get a positive every time (touch talk) but not necessarily a treat. Also, not all dogs even like treats. Learn your dog's "love language" Ellis is obsessed with treats, and will take them every time. It's tied with affection for positives. So he's very happy with affection and/or treats. That's his love language. Arwen likes treats, but the sun rises and sets for her over fetch. That is her ultimate love language. So to mark a positive for her, whenever we play a game of fetch, I throw the ball while simultaneously making that bird noise I was referring to previously. That noise is linked with an extreme positive, so now it's an effective method to mark a behavior as positive. I can still use treats with Arwen, but learning hard tricks or behaviors usually involves some form of fetch as the positive. A positive bond with your dog. Positives are an essential part of any type of learning or communication. They let someone know you love them. That you are proud of them, or simply that they are engaging in a behavior that you would like to see repeated. But the act of giving a positive gives you a positive as well. It's a gift, but it's a present to yourself as well. It creates a bond, and says "family" like nothing else does. When used properly as part of communication (rather than negotiation), positives are the basis of a bond based on respect, trust and love. Kerry Stack Darwin Dogs Dog Training in Cleveland, Ohio

Dog Training Basics: Anxiety So you did your research and found a reputable breeder who ended up not being so reputable. Or maybe you felt sorry for the puppy in the window at the local mall. Or perhaps you visited the local animal shelter and adopted a puppy from a hoarding situation. Regardless of where you got your new dog, if they came from a puppy mill scenario, it's likely your dog is anxious and fearful. But does that mean they aren't good pets? They still make wonderful pets, and are just as loving and fun as every other dog, if not more so! As a matter of fact, both my late Orion and my Arwen are puppy mill survivors. But most rescues have been through a lot, and the place to start training a dog is with empathy. Your Dog's Behavior Most puppy mill dogs and mall pet shop puppies have been raised in cages until the bare minimum age that they can be sold for profit, which can be as early as 5 weeks - far to young to be taken from their mother and siblings. Older breeding dogs have spent most of their lives in cages, isolated from any semblance of human interaction, aside from meals being chucked into their cages once or twice a day (although weekly feeder bowls are common, too). They are literal breeding machines who are abandoned once they are no longer of any monetary value. So how does this affect your dog's training? In some ways, it doesn't change anything: you still give them the Piloting, Activity and Work they require. But in other ways, it changes everything. Your new dog will be very sensitive to the new world they have been thrust into, and may not immediately think this new world is safe. A puppy mill survivor can get overstimulated and seem reclusive, as if they've shut down. This is normal, and will pass with patience, empathy and understanding. They have no sense of normalcy right now, as their whole world has been shaken to the core. Gaining Your Dog's Trust - Controlling Yourself The biggest mistake I see with any anxious dog is an owner who is desperately trying to "make friends" with their new dog. A dog who's been through a lot doesn't want to make friends, and are incapable of doing so, at least in the short term. They first need to understand that they are not in any kind of danger, and that you are not going to hurt them. You can only start to gain their love, friendship and trust after you've been able to establish those things first. Let them decompress. And the best way to help them trust you? Don't force your presence nor affection on them. Don't breach what little trust they may have in the situation by forcing contact or touch. If your dog is acting withdrawn or shy, avoid eye contact with them, as that can be interpreted as aggressive or threatening. Also, pay attention to your body language. Facing your dog , even from a squatting or crouched position, is confrontational. Rather, any interaction with your dog should come with your side or your hip facing them. Your navel should be pointed away from them. Avoid looking directly at them if you can, merely giving side glances when necessary. Feeding At feeding time, your dog may feel insecure. Depending on the situation your dog was rescued from, they may not have been fed individually, but rather with food slopped in one area, so there may have been competition for food. This doesn't mean your dog will be a resource guarder, but they have become habituated to being picked on during meals. In other words, don't expect your dog to immediately start to gorge themselves on their food. They may not have an appetite while they decompress, and they also might not feel comfortable and safe to eat. Again, this is a great time to afford them a luxury they've never had: privacy. Don't make them eat out in the open if they aren't comfortable. Put food in their crate or another safe and quiet spot. Let them eat in there, when they feel comfortable. A common occurrence with the puppy mill rescues that I work with is that they only seem to eat after everyone has gone to bed. That's the only time they are pretty certain they won't have to defend themselves while they are trying to eat. Put their food down, and leave them to it. If you try to coax them, it will backfire. This isn't about you, it's about them. They will let you know when they feel safe enough to eat. Feel free to make their dry dog food more enticing by adding gently warmed low sodium chicken broth, or even warmed (not hot) canned dog food or a small amount of warmed peanut butter (always ask your vet if it's okay first). If your dog seems to be okay with eating, and they have not shown any signs of food reactivity, you can start to hand feed them. Again, you aren't going to face them, but rather, take some food, and while facing away from them, stretch your hand out with the food. Don't make sudden movements, or even praise them at this point. Too much stimuli can backfire, and send them scuttling back to their corner. As your dog feels more comfortable with this situation, start to change your position each time you feed them by aiming your body closer to theirs, very gradually. Remember to read their "tone". If they suddenly stiffen up, or give you hard side eye, you must remove some of your presence. A dog who bites is rarely aggressive; they're typically frightened and overstimulated, so don't force it and don't push boundaries. You're just gently massaging those boundaries. By doing this, you are establishing a relationship of trust, and proving you will respect their boundaries. As your dog gets more inquisitive and more comfortable, you can slowly start to introduce yourself more naturally, with slightly more stomach-facing and eye averting. Housebreaking Your Rescue Dog Almost immediately, your dog may need to go outside to potty. This can be difficult if you are working with a dog who has spent most of their lives in a crate or cage. Outside is scary and overwhelming. Resist the urge to force your dog outside. You are trying to find your dog's base level of comfort. If they feel secure when they are out of their cage but not in another room, now is not the time to force them into a 5 mile hike outside. Your dog may relieve themselves in their safe spot...inside the house. This does not mean housebreaking has failed. It may not even mean they haven't been housebroken. It means right here, right now, your dog is too overwhelmed to go potty outside. This is where empathy and compassion come into play. Allow your dog time to adjust. Yes, you may get frustrated with cleaning up messes, but bear in mind your dog did not wake up this morning trying to figure out how to make your life more difficult. At this stage of their life, they are trying to get through the next day, hour or minute of their lives. It's okay to be frustrated; emotions aren't right or wrong, they just are. But what they are not going to do is sabotage your budding bond with your dog. Clean up the mess and then go rage on your elliptical/bowl of ice cream/video game. Take it out on something inanimate, but not your dog. Just remember, trust comes before housebreaking. That is the most important thing to work right now. First Contact with your New Dog As I mentioned above, now is not the time to try to play rope toy with your new rescue, nor is it the time to try to cuddle. They may be in survival mode. They may be full of energy and completely coping the moment you get into your house. There is not one-size-fits-all rule to how you interact with your new dog, except that you let them take the lead. If your dog is in the back of their crate, plastered against the wall of the cage, they are currently at a 1/10 for comfort. There is literally nothing physical you can do for them at the moment except to prove to them at you are trustworthy...by not forcing your attention on them. In other words, don't pull a Harvey Weinstein on them. When they say "no", it means "no". It doesn't mean "convince me". Let them be, and you will start to notice the money in your Piloting Piggy Bank filling up. It's about trust, not strength and not obedience. However, if your dog is acting rambunctious and initiating play at a level 5/10, you reciprocate at a 3/10. In other words, make sure you are controlling the situation at all times, because if your dog becomes overstimulated, you may not have a way to get them back to calm. And make sure you are following at this point, not leading. If your dog is at a 8/10, don't ramp them up to a 9/10. You are better able to control a situation with lower energy than higher. The Leash The worst thing I see owners of stressed out dogs do is to immediately try to put a harness on their new dog, thinking it's more humane. You have a dog who is already scared, and not sure if you're going to eat them, and you're going to try to manhandle them into a harness? The safest and most comfortable thing you can use right now is an all-in-one slip collar. It's what I bring to every training session. Best budget brand (which I always have in my training bag): Best leather slip lead (what I use at home for my dogs who are spoiled and pampered): Slip leashes are a safter alternative and more humane way to leash a scared dog. Simply make the loop very large, slip it over their head from the side. Do NOT face the dog when putting on the collar, but rather the dog will be at your side, facing the same way as you or away from you, but never facing each other. Quickly loop it around their head, and gently pull the safety tab to make the loop smaller so they don't slip right back out. You are going to tread the line between adding more stimuli and controlling/managing the current stimuli you have in place. For example, if you loop the collar onto the dog, and the dog just stares at you with an, "Okay, now what are we supposed to do?" look, then you're probably safe to start moving around the room with them, constantly watching them for cues to see if they are getting overwhelmed or overstimulated. If your dog immediately panics after having the leash on them, let them panic. Don't fight their response. Allow them to get all that yucky panic out of their system. Simply extend your arm, and follow them (from your side, not facing them!) allowing there to be some slack on the leash as much as possible. In other words, you aren't giving them anything to fight against. Under no circumstances are you to hold that leash tight, or try to pull them into any specific direction. Again, let them take the lead (as long as it's not right into something dangerous). While they are getting all of that out of their system, you will be giving a series of gentle tugs on that leash every 2-3 seconds. It's not a correction; they aren't doing anything wrong. It's a gentle, gentle negation of what they are doing. Imagine you are playing the triangle back in middle school. You didn't wrap that wretched piece of metal as hard as you could. You would delicately tap it. That's what your leash should be doing. Remember, you aren't trying to get your dog into any specific location, except for a place of calm(er). You aren't leash training your dog, you are getting them accustomed to wearing a leash and not panicking. Don't shorten the leash (yet). The hard part about all this: you have to remain silent the entire time. Don't coax, cajole, bribe, threaten (asshole!), or convince. The more noise you make, the more energy you are giving them, and that's the last thing they need. You are a calm, quiet presence. After they have calmed down a bit, if they are able to take treat from you offer one (from the side). If they don't, it's okay, too. Think of it as a compliment they aren't able accept right now (but yes, you do indeed look beautiful today, even if you can't accept that compliment, you know it's there). If they are able to start to move in any direction calmly on the leash, go ahead and move with them. You are still letting them lead, as your goal right now is movement on a leash, not necessarily leash walking politely. As you get more and more trustworthy, you can start to "suggest" a direction to go by gently tugging the leash towards you while you are facing the opposite direction. Don't face them, but rather away from them to see if you can get them to change course. If you can, awesome! If not, that's okay, but see if you can guide them into a slightly different direction. Wash, rinse, repeat, gradually adding stimuli as they are able to take it. How about changing direction? How about going down the hallway? No? Then let's just cross the threshold and head right back into the room you feel safe in. Just watch out for tight spaces, where your dog may panic. They should always feel as if they have an escape route, because without the option for flight, the only response left is fight. Never go farther than their courage allows. At this point, you are there to guide, not dictate. As a bit of trust starts to happen, you can turn away from them, allowing a long leash, and gently tug them towards you. If it's an inch closer, nice job! If they're right next to you, nice job! But focus on anxiety levels, not distance. You haven't accomplished anything if you managed to get your new rescue dog right next to you, but they are a quivering, shaking mess. Conclusion How long does this take? Depends on the individual dog, the circumstances they endured, and how much patience you have. I train puppy mill rescue dogs probably at least 2-3 times a week. Sometimes it's instantaneous, and we are out the door and walking around the block immediately. Other times it takes longer. I'm really damn good at working with frightened rescue dogs. I'm amazing, actually. I've been training dogs like these for almost 20 years, and even if I've had 5 sessions in a week with a frighted dog, it still feels just as amazing as the first time when they finally start to trust you. Bottom line is: I shouldn't have to be this good at a skill like this. Puppy mill dogs are an indication of a problem with our society, and the fact that I have had to develop this skill is shameful. No sentient creature should be traumatized in such a way that they are unable to even think of trusting a human. It is what it is, though. I will continue to try to change the laws regarding puppy mills and puppy mill brokers. I will continue to fight against back yard breeders, but even as the last puppy mill closes there will still be dogs left behind who need our help and compassion to learn to trust. So while I would love my skills to get rusty, unfortunately, they are remaining exceptionally sharp due to my constant need to hone them. By doing puppy mill protests, attending city council meetings, and bringing awareness to the puppy mill survivors, I am doing all that I can to help end this cruel industry, because I'm looking forward to a time when someone asks me what it was like, working with all those mill survivors all those years ago. But unfortunately, I have 4 frightened dogs scheduled for training this week already. Dog Training vs. Dog Life By focusing on dog life, rather than dog training, our goals can become so much more attainable and clear-cut. Most of us don't want an obedient dog, we just don't want a dis-obedient dog. Robot-style dogs who are afraid of stepping out of line are for certain types of people I guess. But that's not my style. That's why I developed the Piloting method of dog training over 20 years ago, a force-free method of dog training and puppy training that didn't rely on abusive shock collars or cruel prong collars, yet didn't constantly bribe with non-stop click-n-treat style dog training. I want a bond with my dog based on trust and communication. Learn more about our Piloting method of dog and puppy training here. Find out more about our private in home 30 Day Best Dog Ever and 30 Day Best Puppy Ever training packages here. Have questions about our puppy training or dog training? Kerry Stack Darwin Dogs Dog Training and Puppy Training Greater Cleveland Area Northeast Ohio

Getting Your Dog's Behavior Back on Track "Hi, my name is ________ and I'm calling to get training for my dog. She's a great dog, and we love her so much, but she's got some behaviors we need to work on." I always love how clients first introduce themselves when they call. I try not to be a judgmental person, but those are almost exactly the words I want to hear when speaking to a client the first time: that your love for your dog always comes first, but you admit there are some problems that can't be ignored. There's a handful of times that all I hear are complaints about the dog, and I know those sessions are going to be excruciating; the owner is unable to separate the dog's negative behaviors from their dog, only focusing on the negatives. They forget a key point: Your dog is not out to get you, he's merely doing rational things that make sense to a dog. Your dog is not trying to "get back" at you. They don't work that way. So, yeah..."rage shitting" in the house is not a thing. It’s easy for me to understand dogs, because I realize it’s not about training them. Not really. As Edward Hoagland stated, “In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn’t merely try to train him to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog.” It’s more about working with your dog to build a relationship and trust so they can live comfortably live in a human world. When clients call me to their house, they are at their wits end. They’re frustrated with certain behaviors they don’t understand. My job is to try to build a bridge between dogs and humans, and to do that, I need to help humans understand exactly what’s going through a dog’s mind, and why Fido does that. Once they can empathize with their dog, it’s so much easier for them to build that bridge of communication, and meet their dog in the middle. After we've established empathy, we start with the Piloting, one of the three pillars of The PAW Method of dog training. Not the WAP Method. Let's not make this awkward, hm? The PAW Method of Dog Training Piloting - Working with Your Dog's Behavior Answering your dog's questions. It's almost like parenting. Every question you answer for your dog gets you money out of your dog's Piloting Piggy Bank and makes a deposit into your Piloting account. Whoever has the most money wins. The more money you have saved up, the easier life in general is with your dog. The truly easy part about Piloting? Every question they "ask" you is answered with either a yes or no. Hot/Cold. Red light/green light. No long, drawn out answer. A simple positive or negative. Example: Arwen: Can I chew on your shoe? Me: Negative She accepts the answer and we are done. I've got some money out of her Piloting Piggy Bank. She's not bad; she merely had a question. The amount of money I get out of the bank depends upon how "expensive" the question is. For me to negate her chewing on a piece of cardboard isn't that expensive, as it's not high value. Maybe two dollars. However, if she's chewing on the cat food, that's more like $25.00. Each time I answer the question, I get money until I can pay for her to accept the answer. In other words, I may have to answer a few times. I call that a case of the "Are You Sure?". Arwen: Can I chew on your shoe? Me: Negative Arwen: *Looks at me, and goes back to chewing on the shoe* Are you sure I can't chew on your shoe? She's not bad, I just simply need to get more money out of her bank by negating her behavior again. I answer the question again, earning a bit of money with each answer, until I have the amount I need to finally pay for the shoe. Now she's left it alone to go do something else. I've just made a big deposit into my Piloting bank account. I can now use that money to pay for the next question she asks. My Piloting Piggy Bank then snowballs with compound interest, until questions are a breeze, and some that are always receive a negative ("Can I chase the cat?") are being anticipated as a negative by Arwen, so she stops asking altogether. Arwen: Can I chase the ca-.....never mind. It's always a negative anyway. This is the framework of Piloting. No shock collars or prong collars. No violence or yelling. Simply a cruelty-free series of Q&A. Learn more about Piloting here, as well as how to give your dog a calm, gentle negative here. Activity - Setting up Your Dog For Good Behavior Exercise, plain and simple. Each dog, as an individual, has a set amount of calories they need to burn in order to function comfortably. The amount varies based on the individual dog, not necessarily the breed, as siblings from the same litter can have a different level of activity they require. Unless your dog is getting enough activity, your dog is bound struggle, and therefore, so do you. Your dog's activity should be based upon a few things, such as: - Age - Build (long and lean like a Border Collie or stocky and strong like a Mastiff) - Health Here are some easy ways to exercise your dog. And check out this link to learn why activity is integral to learning. Work - Keeping Your Dog Mentally Engaged A source of positive, productive stress in your dog's life. Your dog requires positive stress in their life to feel fulfilled. Without it, they can become anxious, rebellious, unfocused, and downright destructive. Just like Activity, each dog has a set amount of mental work they require to feel mentally sated. My Ellis, for example, is exceptionally intelligent, and picks up tricks in no time flat, but definitely has a lower Work ethic than Arwen. His requirements for mental work are pretty low, and can be sated by simple enrichment feeding, boosted with learning a new trick. Arwen, however, may not even be smarter than Ellis, but definitely is obsessive with the learning. Think Hermione Granger. Arwen needs enrichment toys, games of "find it", learning tricks, as well as rudimentary agility. Without these outlets, she's an absolute troll to live with. Check out this link for some ideas to easily give your dog the mental work they require. Piloting, Activity and Work in Conjunction - Making it Effective During my in home training sessions with my clients, I always go over the specifics of Piloting, Activity and Work. It's amazing to me how often these principles are confused. When I ask what kind of mental Work their dog is getting, I hear things like tug, going for a walk, fetch. While they provide a small amount of mental Work, these are actually forms of Activity. Teaching a dog a trick is Work, not Activity (although a small amount of Activity may be involved). Just as a flower needs sunshine, water and soil to grow, your dog needs Piloting, Activity and Work. You can not expect your dog to be calm and have impulse control through Activity alone; even if you take them for a 10 mile hike, they still need Piloting to understand that jumping is a negative behavior. You can be the most amazing Pilot, gently, but firmly answering every question, but unless you've given them a mental and physical outlet through Activity and Work, your dog is going to be prone to destructive behaviors and potentially anxiety. The PAW Method of dog training isn't difficult, nor is it complicated. It requires merely that you recognize your dog is a sentient being capable of questions. No, your dog doesn't want to "please you". They aren't sycophants. What they do want is to have a bond, and to work together. Understand that your dog is liable to make mistakes. Afterall, they are a dog living in a human world. They need help navigating our world. Piloting, Activity and Work are the tools you use to help him succeed. Kerry Stack Darwin Dogs Dog Training in Cleveland, Ohio

And the 4 We Skip It's not always easy to shop for your favorite people during the holidays. Will they like it? Will it fit? Fortunately, our dogs are so much easier to shop for, and I happen to have some special insight as to what a lot of our dog would be asking for from Santa. Here's a look at just a few things my Ellis and Arwen will be finding under our Christmas tree. Whether you have a dog, or are looking for a gift for someone who does, here are a few gift ideas to put you right at the top of Santa's nice list. 1. Enrichment Feeders You've heard me go on and on (and on) about the merits of using enrichment feeders for your dog's meals, but seriously, I can't think of any good reasons to not use them. Every meal. Every time. Here's some new ones that will be added to our repertoire. A lot less noisy than some of the other mobile feeders, this one gets your dog a bit of activity without the constant "thud" on hard floors. The perfect marriage between a slow feeder and an enrichment feeder, I'm loving the concept of the food entering a containment area for the dog to eat from, rather than just landing on the floor. Dog Training 101: Mental Work Dog Toys: Using Them Effectively for Training Dog Training & The Importance of Being Bored 2. New Backpacks Arwen and Ellis wear their backpacks mostly on walks now, as we have a lot of other ways we exercise, but for a young dog over 6 months, wearing a small amount of weight all day in the house (while you're home) is a great way to get rid of excess energy. (Learn more about using backpacks effectively and safely in this link.) Right now, I'm eyeballing this one for Arwen. I've used OneTigris for Ellis for the past 2 years, and I love the padded velcro fasteners (easier to get on than other brands). 3. Gift Certificates to Doggie Day Care We all love our dogs, but let's face it: sometimes it's nice to let someone else wear your dogs out for you. Arwen is a huge fan of daycare, as she's a very young dog still. It also provides much-needed socialization, and I love the fact that she comes home exhausted. 4. Tennis Balls Every year I buy a bulk pack, and somehow they're all gone within a few months, but it is always fun to see Ellis when I drop all the balls at once. 5. The Gift of Learning Together As a dog trainer, I never stop Piloting my dogs and helping them grow their self confidence as well as their trust in me. We will always continue growing together, and working together, so I guess that's their gift to me as well: a healthy bond based on communication. For me, it's picking up new ideas for tricks as well. For others, it may be a gift certificate for actual training to help with their dog's anxiety, or just learning how to have an enjoyable leashed walk with their dog. 6. Dog DNA Test C'mon.... you know someone is just dying to find out what your rescue is. I got Arwen's DNA results back recently, and while I would never judge a dog based upon their breed, it was fascinating to see how many genetic traits they picked out correctly from her sample, from her eye color and coat type to how she holds her ears(!) - it was amazing. 7. Dog Photo Shoot I've never met someone who is sorry they had it done. Just do it. 8. Automatic Ball Thrower I always thought this was a waste of money... until I saw it in action when I was training someone's dog. Arwen is going to lose her mind. 9. A Canine Companion If your dog is lonely, and you have the time, means and ability to care for a second dog, consider adopting a new friend for you and your pooch. While a dog is never a good gift to give unannounced, if it's something you've been kicking around for a while, maybe now's the time to adopt a rescue dog. Give a deserving dog a home for the holidays. If a second dog isn't in the cards, what about a donation to the shelter you adopted your dog from? 10. The Gift of Time Let's face it: you are your dog's favorite thing. What about just spending more time with your dog? Schedule a little getaway road trip together, or even just an overnight at a pet-friendly hotel. Perhaps just adding another ten minutes to your usual walk, or simply getting on the floor with them and cuddle for 10 minutes without any distractions (no phone, no tv), just you and your dog. Because it's your time that matters most to your dog. Now what about the things my dogs won't be getting? 1. Laser Pointers Just don't. It's not good for dogs or cats. It just increases prey drive with no tangibles, leading to frustration and frequently obsessive behaviors. 2. Rawhides I get it: they're cheap, your dog loves them, but if you love your dog, just don't do it. Dr. Stephanie Austin at Preventative Vet states: ...rawhide is difficult to digest due to it being a byproduct of leather, making it extremely difficult for a dog’s digestive system to break down. This creates a risk of obstruction in the esophagus or intestines if a dog swallows a large piece whole. Go with antlers, hooves, or raw (never cooked!) marrow bones. 3. Tidbits from the Holiday Feasting As much as I want to, most holiday foods aren't good for your dog's tummy, and some are even poisonous. You're not a Grinch if you don't share your food with your begging dog. 4. Understanding Yup, my dogs do stupid things. But they're not meant to be human. They are merely doing the best they can in our human world. Sometimes they fail. But guess what: even as humans in a human world we still fail. Which is why understanding and empathy are the greatest gifts you can give. And yes, I know they can be costly, especially when your 6-month old puppy chews up that blanket you've been knitting over the past month (looking at you, Arwen). As Pope said, "To err is human. To forgive canine." Understanding is the greatest gift you can gift your dog, and it's also one of the most costly for us humans. But never has anyone deserved your understanding, love and empathy as much as your best friend. What will you be giving your canine companion this holiday season? Dog Training vs. Dog Life By focusing on dog life, rather than dog training, our goals can become so much more attainable and clear-cut. Most of us don't want an obedient dog, we just don't want a dis-obedient dog. Robot-style dogs who are afraid of stepping out of line are for certain types of people I guess. But that's not my style. That's why I developed the Piloting method of dog training over 20 years ago, a force-free method of dog training and puppy training that didn't rely on abusive shock collars or cruel prong collars, yet didn't constantly bribe with non-stop click-n-treat style dog training. I want a bond with my dog based on trust and communication. Learn more about our Piloting method of dog and puppy training here. Find out more about our private in home 30 Day Best Dog Ever and 30 Day Best Puppy Ever training packages here. Have questions about our puppy training or dog training? Kerry Stack Darwin Dogs Dog Training and Puppy Training Greater Cleveland Area Northeast Ohio

Why traditional dog training is failing you, and what to do about your dog's behaviors instead Everyone loves Google, but nobody quite as much as the owner of a new puppy who hasn't gone to the bathroom outside in the full two weeks they've had said puppy. The new puppy panic sets in: Hey Google, what basic commands does my dog need to know? Hey Google, am I housebreaking my dog wrong? Hey Google, how much exercise does a puppy need? And of course Google is more than happy to supply you with All The Answers. All 7,338,241,060,935 of them. So far. You're up late at night reading anything that remotely sounds like "How To Train A Dog". Everything is contradicting everything else. Shock collars are abusive. Your dog needs to know who's alpha dominant master head chef pack honcho. Don't feed your puppy after midnight. There's just too much info out there. Everyone knows how to train a dog. But nobody knows how to train your dog. Dog Training - Keeping it Simple Training a Hyper Dog: The Link Between Learning and Exercise Urine Trouble: Housebreaking Your Dog Understanding Your Dog's Behavior Let's start with one very important fact: everyone is obsessed with The Latest Thing. The newest hack. New and improved. We are overcomplicating everything, including our dogs. The more steps there are to housebreaking, the better this method must be. These dog classes meet 3x per week for 6 weeks instead of just 2x per week for 7 weeks, so it must be better. More complicated, more steps, more more....it must be better. But your dog is simple in the most perfect way. Your dog doesn't need all the entrapments and gimmicks of a human world. Your dog only needs one thing: communication. And how your dog best communicates is through Piloting, asking and answering questions. But what they need to communicate to you about is something nobody but your dog can tell you. Dog Training - Learning to Talk to the Animals Dog Training When You're Frustrated Dogs vs. Kids: Learning from your Child Piloting Your Dog Instead of Training The PAW Method is based upon three simple tenants: Piloting, Activity, and Work. Activity is just exercise. Work is mental stimulation, or enrichment. The Piloting can also be thought of as parenting, they're almost alike. And what is parenting? Teaching through communication. Asking and answering questions. Honest and open communication and dialogue. Children should never be forbidden to ask a question, and while they may not like your answer, they should never be afraid of your answer. Kids are on a quest to understand this crazy-ass world they were squelched out into, and so is your dog. Learn to see the questions your dog is asking, which is completely different than your neighbor's dog, your parent's dog, or hell, maybe even your other dog. For example, in my house, the questions most often asked by my two dogs: Arwen: "Can I chase the cat?" and "Wanna play fetch?" Ellis: "Wanna cuddle?" and "Should I be afraid of that dog across the street?" By merely seeing each dogs' individual questions, I can focus on what's important, rather than doing dog training that doesn't apply to my specific dog. In other words, I don't need to work on dog reactivity with Arwen, but I do need to negate her questions about the cat (although the cat is an asshole who deserves what he should get from her, but I digress). I give Arwen a simple negative, she chooses to accept the answer or not. If she accepts, we're done. If she doesn't, I continue to answer her question until she does accept (ie., stops chasing the cat who is once again taunting her). While the answer to the questions Ellis asks is indeed usually a resounding "yes" to cuddle time, it obviously must be a "no" to whether or not he should be afraid of the other dog. While Ellis isn't quite dog reactive, he is definitely very timid, and needs not a firm hand, but a loving, guiding Pilot to answer those questions for him. Once he's no longer asking about the dog heading our way (ie., trying to ignore them and stop trying to bolt off the leash away from the other dog), we are done. No punishment is needed - that's just plain gross anyway. It's a question, not an infraction. They don't need correction, they need answers. Answering Your Dog's Questions My Dogs: The Day in the Life of a Dog Trainer Dog Training: The Most Important Part The Piloting Piggy Bank Okay, so you understand the basics of what Piloting is, so what can it do for your training? Everything. So each time I answer Arwen's question about the cat, and she accepts my answer, I get what I call money in my Piloting Piggy Bank. Each question she asks costs a certain dollar amount (which is different for each dog). I answer the question, I get the money. Ellis and Arwen both want to know if they can have any of the carrots I'm chopping up for a salad. I'm going to negate both of them. Arwen only requires a very minimal negative before she accepts my answer, so we'll say that question only cost me $5 out of the Piloting Piggy Bank. Ellis, however, has decided that accepting my negative will cost about $15. Is he bad? No, it's just that carrots are more valuable to him, so I have to pay for my answer. Which he accepts after just a bit more negatives. Now I have added $5 to my bank account with Arwen, and $15 to my Ellis account. So what do I do with it? Spend it. I can then use that money to pay for the next question. Both dogs are barking at the door because the Fed-Ex guy is making many deliveries at our door. That's a $5 question for each of them, but since I just earned more money, this question requires just a hint of a negative before they accept. Remember, any dog behavior isn't bad, it's just negative or positive. So now my running total in the banks are $10 and $20 respectively. And the amount just keeps growing throughout the day with each question I answer. It doesn't matter the cost of the question; if I have enough balance in my Piloting Piggy Bank, they accept the answer almost immediately. If the question costs more than I have in the bank, then I simply earn that money by continuing to answer their question until they accept my answer. Case in point: The cat pounces on Arwen's tail. She wants to chase him ($100). The Piloting ensues. Arwen: Can I chase the cat? ($50 question) Me: No (with $25 in my bank) Arwen: Can I chase the cat (still at it) Me: No (got $10 with that negative) Awen: Can I chase the cat? (still going at him because I don't have the $50 yet) Me: No (another $15, bringing my total to $50). Arwen: Ok. (accepts my answer and brings me a ball instead I now have another $50 to put into my Piloting Piggy Bank. That balance continues to build until Arwen starts to trust me that I will indeed follow through with my answers until she accepts them. Meaning now that the cat question is $50, it requires barely any answer, if any. No algorithms, no calculations or machinations. No memorizations on how to handle each, individual scenario. In other words, no training required. You don't train kids, you don't train dogs. You answer their questions until they start to anticipate the answers. No bribing them. No negotiating. And no domination. Just simple communication that has created trust. Your dog is starting to trust that you have safe, good and cruelty-free answers. They are more apt to ask you a question instead of assuming an answer themselves. Dog Training Methods: Dominating and Bribing vs. Communicating The Behavior of Trust Dog Training: Why it isn't Working Now when Ellis sees another dog, he doesn't immediately go on his toes, meerkatting, as I call it, trying to find out if they are a threat. He looks to me to see if I have an answer regarding that dog. Yes, it's a $5,000 question he is asking, but I've been patiently saving my money, answering his questions with empathy and understanding instead of force and coercion. I give him a gentle negative, and he accepts my answer. Good boy, Ellis. Dog Training vs. Dog Life By focusing on dog life, rather than dog training, our goals can become so much more attainable and clear-cut. Most of us don't want an obedient dog, we just don't want a dis-obedient dog. Robot-style dogs who are afraid of stepping out of line are for certain types of people I guess. But that's not my style. That's why I developed the Piloting method of dog training over 20 years ago, a force-free method of dog training and puppy training that didn't rely on abusive shock collars or cruel prong collars, yet didn't constantly bribe with non-stop click-n-treat style dog training. I want a bond with my dog based on trust and communication. Learn more about our Piloting method of dog and puppy training here. Find out more about our private in home 30 Day Best Dog Ever and 30 Day Best Puppy Ever training packages here. Have questions about our puppy training or dog training? Kerry Stack Darwin Dogs Dog Training and Puppy Training Greater Cleveland Area Northeast Ohio

How important is it to know your dog's breed? Should your training style be based on breed? Discovering the results from my dog's DNA test changed how I look at breed profiling when training your dog. I developed the PAW Method of dog training many years ago to achieve one goal: keep it simple, keep it engaging, and keep it relevant to every dog and pet parent. Piloting, Activity, and Work: that's all it takes to having the balanced relationship you want with your dog; always based upon trust and communication rather than force or domination (or bribery with neverending treats). The PAW Method of Dog Training Dog Training 101 - Activity Dog Training 101 - Mental Work But does the PAW Method hold true for all dogs, regardless of breed? I was about to find out. A few weeks ago I had Arwen's DNA done to find out what breed(s) she is comprised of. As I've mentioned in previous blog posts, I got Arwen earlier this year from someone who purchased her from a backyard breeder in Amish country. Most likely a puppy mill. They purchased what they believed to be a full bred Border Collie However, given the nature of puppy mills combined with the fact that they never met the parents led to some skepticism on my behalf. Besides, even if her parents were full bred Border Collies, there is always some...gentle massaging of breed standards when it comes to backyard breeders and puppy mills. Sure, Arwen looks like a Border Collie, but there were just a few things that were off about her. When you think of a Border Collie, who do you automatically think of? Rex and Fly from Babe. They are the quintessential Border Collies! Border Collies come in essentially two types of fur styles: simply put, long hair (or rough coated), which is what Rex and Fly were, and short hair (or smooth coated) which is how Arwen's hair is...mostly. And while there are quite a bit of colors recognized by the AKC, black and white is always the Border Collie trademark to me. While Border collies can have blue eyes, amber colored eyes are most common, which Arwen has. And while most Border Collies have ears that are erect, Arwen's are not. As the FI Team wrote: According to the American Kennel Club, the breed standard description says, “Ears are of medium size, set well apart, one or both carried erect and/or semi-erect (varying from one-quarter to three-quarters of the ear erect). When semi-erect, the tips may fall forward or outward to the side.” Also, Arwen has an exceptionally keen sense of smell. She tracks with incredible dexterity when we play our little games of "find it" to alleviate her need for some mental work. While my pit bull, Ellis, uses his nose, Arwen seems to use it almost to the exclusivity of her other senses. So in short, there was plenty of things about Arwen that were Border Collie, but just didn't seem Border Collie. Hence the DNA test to see where she truly belonged on the spectrum. What I discovered was rather a shock. I used Wisdom Panel (Hint: on sale 35% off with this link) While it was supposed to take up to three weeks, I got Arwen's results in only 2 weeks. Dog Breeds: What was I expecting? Well, based on the fact that she came from a backyard breeder, along with the location she was born (southern Ohio), I figured part Coonhound. Her ears, her tracking, her really long legs: they all signified hound to me. Others mentioned part lab or even pitbull. Honestly, given how goofy she is, I expect she's slightly inbred. Some days I thinks she's her own aunt. Judgement free zone: Cleopatra married her brother. Dog DNA Results. Drumroll please..... Arwen came back as 100% Border Collie. *gasp* There were some interesting genetic traits listed as well. - Short hair likely, longer hair possible - Heavy shedder - Genes for average to long snout - Brown or amber eyes - Floppy ears Training a Border Collie: What's Changed? Well, to be honest, nothing. Let me explain why. About a year ago, my daughter Robynn and I took a DNA test to find out our ancestry. I was told growing up that I was 1/2 Slovak, as my father is pure Slovak. I was also told that my mom was of British & German descent. Let's just say that turned out to be only partially true. I was all over the place! Robynn was even more of an enigma: She's very fair, with light blonde hair, pale skin, and blue eyes, but while mostly Northwestern Europe she came back with East Asian DNA, and Sub-Saharan African. My husband and daughter River (Robynn's 1/2 sister) recently found out they had are 3 and 4 generations (respectively) from a grandparent who was Ashkenazi Jewish. So what does all that mean for my children and my husband? Absolutely nothing. I married a man named Michael, who is very good at programming, and not so very good at putting his shoes away. He's handsome, with gorgeous green eyes, and dark hair. My daughter River is still a firecracker of a girl, with a wicked sharp sense of humor, and a keen sense of justice. She's got a messy bedroom most of the time, but has a 4.0 GPA. My daughter Robynn is still a programmer, just like her dad. She composes music and hates playing MarioKart, but does it to appease River and me. Don't confuse culture and heritage, with genetic traits. I was raised with Eastern European culture and heritage, which makes me part of who I am. Having dark hair and eyes, that's just genetics. Same with your dog: their heritage is dog...their genetics might be mixed or pure Dalmatian, but it's the individual dog that's important, not the genetics when working with your dog's behaviors. Training the Dog and Not the Breed When training your dog, let's bear in mind what breed has to do with it: Nothing. I didn't change how I was raising my children when their DNA tests came back differently than expected. I'm not going to change how I train Arwen, which is not at all. You don't train kids; you don't train dogs. The PAW Method of working with your dog's behavior is designed to take into account their uniqueness and work with it, rather than molding them into some stereotype of what a dog should be because the AKC has set a mandate. Sure, Arwen's got a lot of energy, but I already knew that. That's why I have so many tools in my Activity tool box to wear her out. And yes, she's a show off when it comes to learning new tricks, and needs a lot of mental Work, but truth be told, Ellis, my pit bull, picks up tricks faster than Arwen does. If you live and die by breed standards, it's easy to miss the beauty of the individual dog's quirks. Now hereditary traits are different, and yes, hip dysplasia and cherry eye are indeed something that travel along hereditary lines, but personality is different. Your dog's individuality should be first and foremost when building a communication-based relationship with them. Knowing that Ellis requires less physical Activity than Arwen, but more mental work, is what makes for a strong connection, not reading up on what breeds they are. Are Border Collies easy to train? Harder? Stubborn? Eager to please? Bah. Instead of using those phrases, just ask yourself how much Piloting money each of their questions costs. Some questions cost more for Arwen than for Ellis, and learning to be cognizant of individuality in our dogs can prevent a chaotic and combative relationship. Know your dog, not the AKC's version of who your dog should be. So what if you've got a purebred lab who hates water. Such a huge weight to bear, those breed standards. I much prefer my Arwen, an individual with quirks and endearing (and not so endearing) traits, over something so oversimplified and categorized as a "Border Collie". So at the end of it, dog breeds are fascinating, but overall meaningless unless you take into account the who before the what. And my derpy little dog is true to her own breed: Arwen, and it's one of my favorites. Dog Training vs. Dog Life By focusing on dog life, rather than dog training, our goals can become so much more attainable and clear-cut. Most of us don't want an obedient dog, we just don't want a dis-obedient dog. Robot-style dogs who are afraid of stepping out of line are for certain types of people I guess. But that's not my style. That's why I developed the Piloting method of dog training over 20 years ago, a force-free method of dog training and puppy training that didn't rely on abusive shock collars or cruel prong collars, yet didn't constantly bribe with non-stop click-n-treat style dog training. I want a bond with my dog based on trust and communication. Learn more about our Piloting method of dog and puppy training here. Find out more about our private in home 30 Day Best Dog Ever and 30 Day Best Puppy Ever training packages here. Have questions about our puppy training or dog training? Kerry Stack Darwin Dogs Dog Training and Puppy Training Greater Cleveland Area Northeast Ohio This post contains affiliate links, but I think you already knew that ;)