By Sean O'SheaWhile many trainers and training approaches advocate for, and infuse their training with, excitement and high intensity, one of the things that we're always focused on here at The Good Dog is working to train and create calmness.Obviously if you're training for a dog sport or some other kind of competition/performance you're going to want lots of excitement/intensity, but for most family dogs, and especially those with serious behavior problems, calmness is absolutely key.So much of what we do here - and what other trainers who are aware of the value of calmness do as well - is teach impulse control and relaxation. We use lots of anchoring behaviors with long durations, like "place" and downstays, as well as being sure dogs don't pull on leash, don't fly out of crates or doors, wait for food, and generally approach all things in a chilled out fashion...except of course playtime...which is when the dogs are allowed to let it all hang loose...as long as the "loose" is appropriate!This calmness training is one of the biggest secrets to transforming problem behavior, and this style of training tends to be the opposite of most rewards-based training approaches, which tend to create a dog that is heavily excited/worked up...possibly listening to the trainer, but a dog that exists in an amped up state of mind that makes him challenging to live and work with. This is the one of the major reasons we don't use treats/toys to train/rehab dogs. We want an easy, relaxed mind to work with...not an edgy, hyper food/toy-focused maniac.That said, when I work with my girl Belle competing in flyball or doing tricks, I want her goosed up and crazy...that way she does everything in an intense, hyper-fast, hyper-focused fashion...but I would certainly not want that state of mind all the time!One of the greatest side benefits of all this calmness training is, it creates a fantastic relationship of leadership with you and your dog. Once a dog understands you can control his behavior, it creates a new and improved perception of who you are and how he feels about his world.And that is good stuff!

  The Good Dog Tip Of The Day: You can have a nervous, fearful, anxious dog that makes poor choices (barks, growls, lunges, attacks, runs, hides) towards people, other dogs, bikes, skateboards etc, or you can have a nervous, fearful, anxious dog that instead of simply reacting to their nervousness, fearfulness or anxiety, defers to you, and makes great choices around all of the above listed items.Left to figure it out on their own, with no real information about what an appropriate response is, dogs will simply react, and are liable to make very bad choices. It's your job to show your dog what to think, how to feel, and how to react when faced with things that unnerve them.This takes knowledge and leadership on your part and establishing the right relationship with your dog. 

By Sean O'Shea, read more at my website http://thegooddog.net/about/The Good Dog Tip Of The Day: If your dog pulls on leash when you don't want him to, you have a problem with your relationship. If your dog lunges at, drags you towards, or becomes agitated around other dogs on walks when you don't want him to, you have a problem with your relationship. If your dog pulls you towards places it wants to sniff or pee when you don't want him to, you have a problem with your relationship. If your dog jumps on you or your guests when you don't want him to, you have a problem with your relationship. If your dog barks when you don't want him to, and you are unable to stop him, you have a problem with your relationship. If your dog races or pushes past you out of the crate, you have a problem with your relationship. If your dog races or pushes past you at any doorway when you don't want him to, you have a problem with your relationship. If your dog jumps in or out of the car when you don't want him to, you have a problem with your relationship. If your dog steals food or counter-surfs when you don't want him to, you have a problem with your relationship.And on, and on, and on.If your dog doesn't respect and defer to you with these small ticket items, please don't expect to be able to stop or block any of the big ticket items such as dog to dog aggression, human aggression, nervousness/insecurity, or resource guarding.Until you have established the proper relationship of respect with the small stuff, it makes absolutely no sense to your dog to listen to you for any of the big stuff.Start small, and work your way up. If you build this foundation, you can change virtually any behavior problem.

By Sean O'SheaHey all, last weekend I had the great pleasure to attend Chad Mackin's Pack to Basics workshop in Riverside CA. Chad has pioneered an advanced concept for socializing dogs with varying degrees of behavior problems. Without this program, many of dogs would never be able to be off leash around other dogs, and would never be given the chance to recover their natural social state.The program uses the dog's naturally strong social drive to reduce stress and fear, and to build confidence. It's a breathtaking thing to behold...watching dogs with issues almost instantly begin to adapt and change their behavior and their choices. It's definitely an advanced program, and not for the faint of heart. Any time you have strong breeds off leash, that have issues, the stakes are fairly high. But the reality is, you have to be able to push boundaries, and walk the tightrope a bit to give dogs a chance to improve their behavior issues.The program was modified by Chad after studying with Dick Russell, who pioneered the large field socialization concept of dog rehabilitation. Dick would use a rather large piece of land (5 acres I think), and had a very specific set of rules and protocol for the humans to follow. And from everything I've heard, he was very successful with his approach, as well as an amazing dog trainer in general.Chad sought to find a way to modify the basic approach for smaller areas both indoors and out - which folks  thought could never work - but work it did! Now Chad travels the country putting on Pack to Basics workshops to teach both dog trainers and dog owners alike, how to better understand, and better identify aggression, as well as read their dog in general. It's a two day workshop that will change the way you view your dog, and change the way you interact with him as well. The workshop covers both the academics as well as the hands on.Anyone interested in furthering their knowledge, and becoming either a better, more knowledgeable trainer or owner should definitely sign up and experience this amazing workshop! This is some seriously cutting edge stuff!PS, I'm working to get Chad out here to LA for one of these babies in July! So anyone interested, let me know!Here's Chad's info:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pack-to-Basics/85497347392http://www.facebook.com/ChadMackin?sk=wallAnd here's the link to the new documentary about the legendary Dick Russell and his work:http://thedogmanmovie.com/index.html

By Los Angeles Dog Trainer Sean O'Shea,Ok, so continuing where we left off from the last post, we were talking about how dogs on the walk are keenly aware of whether another dog is under human control, and how that perception either creates relaxation and comfort, or stress/nervousness/challenge.So now, lets move this concept indoors, with a multi-dog household. Once again, the primary concern a dog has is, who is in control of their environment, and the dogs in it - am I safe, or do I need to advocate for myself?This aspect of the human/dog relationship not being totally clear and rock solid, is what causes most dog fights in my clients home. When dogs see that no one is setting firm boundaries, or correcting inappropriate behavior, they are going to take matters into their own hands, and insure that the situation is "handled". And you're usually not going to like the way it is "handled".When dogs see other dogs in the home behaving in an anxious, pushy, dominant, possessive fashion, or simply acting nutty and hyper, they are going to take matters into their own hands. Why? It all depends on the other dogs in the scenario, and their personalities, issues, triggers etc.I often hear about dogs from rescues or from the shelter, being introduced to a new home with other dogs by just letting them go and watching them feel things out on their own. Just saying that gives me the heebie-jeebies! I cannot stress enough what a recipe for disaster this is. You can take a perfectly viable situation, where if the right measures were taken, and the right amount of time given, a fantastic situation could be created, and instead, absolutely ruin the chances of ever having these dogs safely co-exist.Here's my method for introducing new dogs to my home that might have some issues: The first step is to take everyone on a nice long walk together. This way, the dogs can get used to each other's scent and presence in a totally non-challenging, non-confrontational fashion. Watch them closely, they will give you all kinds of information about how they're feeling about each other. And don't feel the need to walk them side by side until you are seeing a massively relaxed conversation between them...and even then...take your time, move slowly, and be patient (this may be several walks down the road). If there is tension, you are going to have to move even slower and more cautiously.Next, all dogs should be on leash in the house...the last thing you want one of you're dogs seeing is a strange dog prancing about his home in a disrespectful or hyper fashion. You should immediately begin teaching the new dog a "place" command...you need to be able to have your dogs learn to exist around each other, and the "place" command is the best way for your original dog(s) to feel comfortable about the  new dog's presence. Use this command A LOT!! All your dogs should be in a heavily structured regimen - just hanging out quietly around each other. If you're consistent with this, you will slowly see all the dogs begin to relax around each other. The trick is to insure that all the dogs KNOW that you are in charge, and that no one but you is to be correcting, and that no one is acting the fool.The new dog should absolutely be crated  when you leave the dogs alone...DO NOT open up the possibility for a fight simply because they seem ok at first.As you continue the process, you will start to get a feel for the comfort level. Watch for negative eye contact, tension, avoidance (looking away when the other dog is close), growling, or a sense of unease. If things start to feel relaxed, you can then take some more steps...just move slowly and cautiously...walk them next to each other, "place" them closely (are they looking comfortable?), are both dogs wanting to engage in play, or is one growling and maddogging the other?The trick is slow and steady. I never have fights at my place, even with known fighting dogs, because I always move slowly, and take my sweet time (and all dogs know unequivocally that I am running the show). If you're paying close attention, the dogs will let you know when they're ready for the next step. The biggest mistake (which sometimes can have terrible consequences), is simply moving too fast and not controlling the environment.Remember, all your dog wants to know is, that you're in total control, of yourself, the new dog, and the other dog(s) in your pack. This combined with good rules and structure create the opportunity for a harmonious integration. Take your time and you'll be surprised how little friction/problems you'll see.Visit us at www.thegooddog.net