Back To School Tips

Beat The back To School Blues:

Since dogs are social animals, it's only natural for them to want to be with their human companions. So when back-to-school time rolls around, a dog that's suddenly left alone for long periods may experience anxiety, and even display undesirable behaviors.   Best Friends professional trainer Kim Mandel offers some tips for combating your canine's back-to-school blues:  

Pump up the exercise.
 Set aside time each day for a long walk, active round of fetch, or romping with canine friends at the
dog park. "Many times the caregiver gets back into fitness routine once the kids have gone off to school," Mandel says. "Try to include your dog in these activities, whether it's walking, jogging, or even practicing leash skills." A well-exercised dog is a happy and well-behaved dog.

Take a training refresher.
 Dogs' obedience skills can lapse during unstructured summer months. Now is the time to reintroduce basic training commands or to work on a new trick. A training class can be a great way to refresh or expand skills.
Make sure 3 pm is not the highlight of the day. While your pet may appreciate a little downtime during the day, by 3 or 4 pm he'll be ready for some activity. "About a half hour before the kids get home, take your dog out for a walk or play a game of fetch," advises Mandel. "Provide him with an outlet for the energy that's been building up all day. This way, when the kids arrive home, your dog won't be overexcited. If not kept in check, he could get them into a frenzy, too."

Homework time = quiet time.
When the kids are sitting down to do their homework, give your pet something to do, too. Stuff a Kong, give him a new toy, or put him in his crate with a chewie to settle down a bit. "You'll be amazed at how productive the kids will be, and how pleasant the atmosphere is," Mandel says.

Send him to camp.
An alternative to lonely days at home is doggy day camp, where dogs play together in a safe, supervised environment. Attending just two or three days a week is enough to keep most dogs content.

Sit, Stay

Whether it's basic obedience or problem solving, the key elements to successful training are patience, consistency and time. But finding the necessary time to work with your dog every day can be difficult, so a board-and-train experience is a great alternative.   "Board and train is like a short-term boarding school for pets," says Matt Stewart, professional trainer at Best Friends in White Plains, NY. "Pets live at 'school' for a week or two and we devote hours to training, specifically focusing on any problem areas or the skills he needs to learn."   Any dog can benefit from the program, says Stewart, regardless of age, breed or prior training. A minimum of seven days is recommended for the Best Friends Board and Train program, but even more can be achieved with a 10-14 day stay. "We can get a lot accomplished in a short amount of time," Stewart says, "but the more time we spend together, the more reinforcement is received, making it easier on the owner."

How it works

Board and Train begins with a consultation between the trainer, owner and pet before the boarding stay. At this important meeting (which is included in the fee), the trainer asks questions about the pet, the family and the home environment, and discusses specific training needs and goals. He/she will also evaluate the dog to gauge the amount of training he's already received.   During the pet's stay, the professional trainer takes him for private lessons, generally 30 to 60 minutes each. Some trainers break up the training into two short sessions each day to keep the dog from becoming overwhelmed or bored. The program is customized for each dog's needs, which are identified in the initial meeting.   "Whether you want to work on basic commands or problematic behavior like barking or jumping, the Board and Train program can help," says Steve Forsty, professional trainer at Best Friends in Carmichael, CA. "Most of these behaviors are instinctive to dogs, but can be altered with training techniques. Once the dog is trained, we instruct the owner how to interrupt, redirect and reward."   Puppies especially benefit from the Board and Train program, says Forsty. However, he warns, housetraining cannot be taught in a kennel environment, so if you're looking for a trainer to help with the dirty work, a better option would be at-home consultations or sessions.

Going home

At the end of his stay, the happy pet returns home to his family with new skills ... and homework for his owners. The trainer creates a document outlining specific instructions, details and tasks for the owners. The commands the dog has been taught, and the techniques for working with and correcting him, are outlined in the paperwork. It's up to the owner to practice with the dog on a regular basis, so he retains what he has learned. A follow up meeting between the trainer and owner, also included in the Board and Train price, is arranged at a convenient time. Obedience classes are generally recommended to reinforce new skills and encourage socialization.   Training your dog is one of the best things you can do for him, and for your family. Your dog will be safer, happier, and a pleasure to have in your home. For more information on the training options in your area, contact your local Best Friends Pet Care center.

Rally-O at Best Friends Pet Care

Woofstock 2010

Join Best Friends at Lambs Farm on June 19th

There will be plenty of fun for you and your dog. 

Watch for Allan our dog trainer, as he and his class show off some fun rally techniques!

For more information visit call or visit the web site for Lambs Farm.

Minding Your Pets Manners

Toby and I read the following on the Tails Magazine website.  For more helpful hints contact our trainer here at Best Friends. 

Hitting the streets with Fido is fun - as long as he behaves like a gentleman

By Kim Kavin

Springtime brings many things: big-blossoming wildflowers dotting the countryside, longer days filled with endless sunshine, and, in many places, a collective sigh of relief among both humans and animals suffering from cabin fever. Parks, sidewalks, and trails practically burst with pets and their people looking to reconnect with the great outdoors. Inevitably those people and dogs end up connecting with one another—and not always in a good way.  Incidents of poor dog etiquette can occur more frequently during the springtime months when a glut of people and their pets make a mad dash for the streets and dog parks to partake in the balmy weather. Dogs who normally play well at the park may get overexcited and rowdy, those who used to walk well on leashes may try to pull, and in the worst cases, dogs with anxiety or other issues may have forgotten how to be polite in general, resulting in barking, jumping, and even biting.  Using spring as a time to get back to good etiquette is about far more than being able to sit with your pet at a canine-friendly restaurant. It is about ensuring that your dog is socialized well enough to be a respectful member of society.
“When a dog respects you, he’s not trying to drag you into the street, under a bush, or trying to attack another dog or jump on a person walking across from you,” explains Rose Williams of the Dog Lovers obedience school in Los Angeles. “Obedience itself starts with socialization.”  And obedience continues with practice and training. Highly social dogs, for instance, tend to need constant etiquette reminders. Often, guardians who don’t mind a dog jumping on them—say to offer a kiss—have a hard time getting their dog to stop jumping on other people. These mutts get into trouble even when they, and their people, think they are simply being friendly.  “You have to know what that dog is thinking, what he’s getting ready to do,” Williams says. “The dog is thinking, ‘Here comes a little kid waving his hands in my direction, and I’m going to pounce on him.’ You have to pre-think him. Have him do his sit, stay, down, come over here. Make sure they’re up on their commands. You stop all that energy from exuding, and you don’t have to tell people you’re sorry all the time.”  Etiquette challenges become more difficult, and occasionally even dangerous, with dogs who are poorly socialized in the first place. If a dog isn’t routinely being placed in situations where she has to learn good socialization skills by the time she is about 3 months old, she may have etiquette problems for the rest of her life, says Diana Coles of Teacher’s Pet in Eatontown, NJ.  Even worse, some dogs will fail to succeed etiquette-wise no matter what their guardian does, Coles says. Some dogs simply prefer to be left alone. “Bringing the dog out and trying to socialize [her] is not necessarily going to change genetic makeup,” she says of antisocial dogs. “You have to have different expectations for different dogs.”  Knowing what situations your dog is capable of handling can be just as important as having a perfectly trained dog, both trainers say. If you know, for instance, that you have a highly social dog who likes to wrestle with other dogs at an off-leash park, then consider keeping your dog away from herding breeds, who typically don’t enjoy that style of play. That’s good etiquette on your part as much as your dog’s. You are both respecting the other people and dogs around you.  By the same token, if you have a dog who has never gotten along with other people or dogs, then consider walking him in the backyard instead of taking him out in public, where he is likely to fail—and where an unwanted biting incident could lead to calls for stricter regulations and subject him to leash laws, which affect even the most etiquette-perfect dogs. If you’re without a yard, pounding the pavement for an early morning walk around the block could be your only resort. But if you’ve got a biter on your hands, even this could be problematic.  “You can’t trust a dog like that, even on a leash,” Williams says. “If he is 6 or 7 and has never been socialized, that’s like putting a man out there who’s 50 or 60. It’s hard to teach them new tricks. Even if he’s a friendly dog, he’s going to pounce.”

National Dog Bite Prevention Week

The following was taken from an article posted by the Center For Disease Control and Prevention


4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year, and one in five dog bites results in injuries that require medical attention. There are ways to make dog bites less likely and to help prevent children from being bitten by dogs.  Listen to this CDC podcast to learn some steps you can take to prevent dog bites. (4:05 seconds)

How big is the problem?
About 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year.   Almost one in five of those who are bitten :a total of 885,000: require medical attention for dog bite-related injuries.   In 2006, more than 31,000 people underwent reconstructive surgery as a result of being bitten by dogs.

Who is most at risk?
Children: Among children, the rate of dog bite–related injuries is highest for those ages 5 to 9 years, and children are more likely than adults to receive medical attention for dog bites than adults. Recent research shows that the rate of dog–bite related injuries among children seems to be decreasing.
Adult Males: Among adults, males are more likely than females to be bitten.
People with dogs in their homes: Among children and adults, having a dog in the household is associated with a higher incidence of dog bites. As the number of dogs in the home increases, so does the incidence of dog bites. Adults with two or more dogs in the household are five times more likely to be bitten than those living without dogs at home.

How can dog bites be prevented?
Dog bites are a largely preventable public health problem, and adults and children can learn to reduce their chances of being bitten.

Before you bring a dog into your household:
Consult with a professional (e.g., veterinarian, animal behaviorist, or responsible breeder) to learn what breeds of dogs are the best fit for your household.
Dogs with histories of aggression are not suitable for households with children.
Be sensitive to cues that a child is fearful or apprehensive about a dog. If a child seems frightened by dogs, wait before bringing a dog into your household.
Spend time with a dog before buying or adopting it. Use caution when bringing a dog into a household with an infant or toddler.

If you decide to bring a dog into your home:
Spay/neuter your dog (this often reduces aggressive tendencies).
Never leave infants or young children alone with a dog.
Don’t play aggressive games with your dog (e.g., wrestling).
Properly socialize and train any dog entering your household. Teach the dog submissive behaviors (e.g., rolling over to expose the abdomen and giving up food without growling).
Immediately seek professional advice (e.g., from veterinarians, animal behaviorists, or responsible breeders) if the dog develops aggressive or undesirable behaviors.

Are there safety tips for children?
To help prevent children from being bitten by dogs, teach the following basic safety tips and review them regularly:
Do not approach an unfamiliar dog.
Do not run from a dog or scream.
Remain motionless (e.g., "be still like a tree") when approached by an unfamiliar dog.
If knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball and lie still (e.g., "be still like a log").
Do not play with a dog unless supervised by an adult.
Immediately report stray dogs or dogs displaying unusual behavior to an adult.
Avoid direct eye contact with a dog.
Do not disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.
Do not pet a dog without allowing it to see and sniff you first.
If bitten, immediately report the bite to an adult.