Shock collars

Just because we can use this type of punishment, does not mean we should.

This dog stopped eating when
boarded with a male trainer.

I am once again called upon to help with a rescue dog that wants to attack humans.  Not just bite, I mean lunge, snarl and do what ever it needs to do to keep any man from coming near him.  


Ask your self why would a dog be so hostile and angry with a man coming near it?  Because we are now familiar with this dogs history, like many before, we again are faced with the unfortunate fact that a trainer, in this case a male tried to punish a fearful dog.


Please make sure that any "trainer" you employ is Certified with the Association Of Pet Dog Trainers and is able to provide you with a Positive Rewards Based Training Plan.

Why does Sheila not trust hands?

Sure you CAN shock your dog for barking at your neighbor each morning, but do not be surprised when your dog bites that man who he now associates with punishment.


There are reams of studies and stories from trainers, scientists and behaviorists that lead me to believe e-collars and/or remote collars have a great potential for misuse, whether intended or unintended.  So before you use this correction on your dog, I suggest you use it on yourself or even one of your children if you dare.  It is not pleasant, nor is it effective.

Eva learning to make friends

Truman, Eva and Harry learning to be friends.

Truman on the left is a very dog friendly boy as is Harry the black lab mix on the right.  Eva the German Shepherd in the middle is not so trusting of new dogs.

When she first meets or even sees a dog she becomes nervous and reactive as she is very worried.  Using an approach and retreat method or BAT training program we allowed Eva to get lots of information about the new dogs so she could feel safe.

After about 30 minutes of engaging with Truman and Harry, Eva was able to greet and even play with these two handsome boys.  They constantly reassured her that they were friendly with their open mouths, tongue flicks, look aways, yawning, sniffing the ground and many shake offs.

Once Eva was sure they were not going to harm her, she relaxed and began to enjoy their company!  While dog to dog aggression can be scary, with proper management and conditioning, many dogs can learn to trust and enjoy the company of new dogs.

CBC Training Room

Sadie is staying even with distractions!

Come enjoy our large, clean training space at Tender Touch Veterinary Hospital, Scarborough, Maine.  Family members are also welcome to attend.

Class sizes are kept to 4 or 5 dogs to help everyone succeed.

Socialization, Manners, Canine Good Citizen Certification and Private Consults are held in this space. Check out the Class schedule for a list of up coming classes!

Feisty Fido, BAT and Outdoor Adventure classes, all held outside to promote the best learning environment for these dogs.
Not sure what class your dog belongs in? Email or call me so we can set you and your canine friend up for success!

Nose work and tricks classes coming in 2012!  Hope to see you soon!

Rescue Dogs

Rescue dogs are often put up for adoption simply because humans do not know how to get them to STOP doing something.  Turn this correction thought process into rewarding the dog for what he is doing right!

These dogs learn appropriate social skills each day.

Punishing or correcting an animal for making a mistake often makes the situation more frustrating for the animal.  We all have experiences when something that once worked fine now is not working at all.  Your car does not start, the printer is out of ink, your phone battery is dead.  Both people and animals get the same feeling when faced with this situation known as extinction in behavior terms. We all get angry, yell, maybe even curse, "this is infuriating!" 


I often see this intense behavior when working with rescue dogs, such as barking, guarding, lunging, jumping, spinning and many others.  For example, I recently worked with a handsome black lab mix whose foster mom complained that he continually jumped up on her.  After taking the pups leash and a handful of treats, just as she said, he began to jump on me.  I quickly turned and walked away from him saying nothing.  He was clearly confused and jumped up on me higher and in quicker repetition, and with more force, using his muzzle to bump/pop my chin and chest.  This went on for nearly a minute or two when I explained to the foster parent that he is incredibly frustrated as this behavior has worked for him in the past.  Rather than waiting until he sat without jumping first, I used a treat to lure him a few steps then over his head, when he sat down, I simply said "yes" and tossed him a treat.  The second time, I only lured him one step and raised it over his head, again he sat and received his treat.  At this moment his lightbulb went off and he approached me and sat, again I marked his behavior with a "yes" and rewarded him. 

Over time, dogs learn how to avoid punishment to the best of their ability.  No species seeks out punishment unless they feel as if they have no alternative behavior to offer.  If you think your dog is being pushy, maybe it is because it has worked in the past.  All dogs choose a behavior that works.


Rewarding your dog for good behavior will certainly encourage your dog to do that behavior more often!  See how many times you can tell your dog "good boy/girl" the rest of today!  Bet you get more of this behavior while the rude behavior will fade.

Off Leash Puppy Class Starts on 1/17/2012

Are those cats in there?

This year we celebrate 30 years of Off Leash Puppy Socialization, introduced by Ian Dunbar, founder of the APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers).

We now have scientific proof that puppies that are not exposed to other young puppies in a positive way have a much higher rate of exhibiting aggression when they become adolescents.

Knowing how critical it is to allow young puppies to play with other young puppies please find time to attend an Off Leash Play Class with your new puppy!

While you can train a puppy at any age, socialization is best done between the ages of 8 and 14 weeks.  It is important to have your puppy receive at least one set of shots before attending any classes.  Again, make sure you attend an Off Leash class so your puppy can grow to be the most balanced he can be!

I sometimes have clients attend 2 sessions of Puppy Socialization before entering a manners class. We expose your puppy to dogs, strange people, children, cats, birds, stairs, different types of footing, crutches, skateboards, sweeper hoses and many different noises.  Learning how to desensitize your pups to new things and allowing you pup to to learn how to resolve conflict is essential!

Who does not love a dog with a soft mouth?  One with good emotional control, void of guarding behaviors.  Most of the problem behaviors I see every day could have been avoided with proper socialization!

Truman is adopted

My handsome foster boy Truman has been adopted to a wonderful family!!

Fortunately he is nearby so I will be able to visit him and continue to let him and my boy Pablo play.  If there is one thing Truman is really good at it is getting other dogs to play.  He has amazing calming skills and is able to play with older dogs as well as young.

I am so happy he is in a home with another dog to play with!!

Socializing Adolescent Dogs

Reintegrating Feisty Fido dogs into our community is incredibly rewarding for both the owner and me the trainer.  I can't imagine keeping a dog locked away from the rest of the world, there is so much to enjoy and explore!

Some dogs are not able to handle the stimulation of having a strange dog near by.  Why?  For most dogs it is because they lacked proper socialization as a young pup. Using a combination of Classical Conditioning (making a new association), Operant Conditioning (helping the dog choose an alternative behavior) and improving the owners leadership skills, we are able to change the leash lunging dog to a calm thinking dog.

Helping young adolescent dogs with rude or aggressive communications skills to be cooperative in a pack is not easy, it takes critical distance, patience, confidence building, and the right mix of temperaments to be successful.

Eva the shepherd in the middle has gone from having no friends, to now having 4!  With a feeling of joy, her owners can now watch her romping with other dogs!