Sat, Jan 12, 1:30 - 3:30pm; St.Luke's Episcopal Church, 6030 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda
What health issues can cause behavior problems? And what behavior can indicate a possible medical condition? These questions will be the focus on Dr. Reich’s workshop – one that can have lifelong consequences for your dog. Come join us as Dr. Reich discusses these important, but rarely considered, questions. Speaker: Dr. Marsha Reich, DVM, DACVB; Maryland-Virginia Veterinary Behavior Consulting
Advice for Adopters - guidance for adopters, potential adopters & fosters
Sun, Jan 13, 1:30 - 3:30pm; St.Luke's Episcopal Church, 6030 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda
Learn how to make life with your adopted dog easier and more fun! Come hear a trainer discuss dog training and behavior, helpful pet products, and the many common issues that adopters face. There is also time to discuss your individual concerns.
Presenter: Lisa Arant, Small & Tall Dog Training (www.smallandtalldogtraining.com)
You can see all of our workshops and register at http://yourdogsfriend.org/free-workshops/
Over-Stimulated, Overly-Friendly Dogs
Before they can learn, wild, high-arousal personalities need to learn how to relax.
Some dogs are go-go-go 24/7. They wake up wound up. They burst through doorways, bark at you to hurry up and feed them. Must go, must do, must go see, might miss something. Others are only wired up when something in the environment changes. Doorbells and the sound of the mailman opening the mailbox become emotional event triggers. They don't just bark to alert you. They lose their mind and their ability to think. They are on high alert to every sight and sound. Canine adrenaline junkies.
What does way over-the-top arousal look like?
Combinations of one or more of the following: High startle response. Hyper focused, scanning the horizon, pupil dilation, chattering teeth, rapid panting, or mouth clenched shut when focused in. Up on their toes, scorpion tail and cobra neck, staring with zero blink rate. Jumping on you, on furniture, on other dogs or people. When they chew on something they seem ravenous. Zero impulse control. Grabbing things, clothing, your arms, your ankles. Whining. Their bark is sharp and piercing. They bark at what they want, at you, at movement, at sounds, at sudden environmental contrast.
It's important to note that an under-exercised dogs are often over-stimulated and wound up. They need adequate exercise, brain toys, and training and attention to give them a full and satisfying life. But It's not enough to try to wear them out. They also need to learn how to relax and get adequate rest. Check out this article: "Too Much of a Good Thing: Over-excitement in Exercise"
Riding the adrenaline wave of hyper-arousal is stressful on the body. He needs to learn how to calm himself. He needs practice just hanging out, sniffing, sprawling in the lawn with another dog, without wrestling or chasing. When play happens, it should be cooperative, with lots of starts and stops.
Overly-Friendly Dogs
Overly-social - it's a good problem to have - way better than the alternative! But it can get them into trouble. They strain at the leash to get to dogs or people. They rush in too fast, too close, with too much 
contact. It puts the other dog in a very uncomfortable position. The tension against the leash pulls them into what looks like an adversarial posture. This is a recipe for a dog fight.
The biggest problem is they aren't listening to what the other dog is saying - it's a one-sided conversation. They aren't following appropriate social protocol. Other dogs telegraph their "no thank you' signals, warn louder, brace themselves for impact, and finally react. Both dogs are impacted by the interaction. Dogs who are continually rushed by other dogs eventually abandon the polite 'no-thank you's' and go straight to self defense every time another dog shows interest.
Overly-social dogs can easily become dog-aggressive dogs.
They are rude. They rush into other dogs' space and get decked for it. They become defensive. "I'll get you before you get me."
"But, he just wants to say 'hi' to the other dog!"
Read this article by Suzanne Clothier Don't wait. Do it now!
Meeting every dog he sees will not satisfy him so he doesn't obsess so much. It will make him worse.
"But, he's fine as soon as he gets to meet them."
What are you teaching him? Whatever behavior he displayed before he met that other dog is what you rewarded. Rushing up to that other dog is the most amazing jackpot reward you could possibly give him in return for dragging you there.
The dog above is certainly being "friendly" - but look at the other dog. Ears back, tail tucked, leaning away and against his tight leash as his owner pulls him toward the big scary dog. This is NOT a good meeting!
The 10 foot / 3 second rule:
Keep your distance - Keep greetings short and sweet.
Maintain a minimum distance of a 10 foot arc when passing other dogs. If you have room, make it larger. No straining, no staring! Do not allow the dogs to meet unless you AND the other owner have agreed that the dogs can safely and calmly meet. If either dog hesitates or turns away, don't! If they are calm and focused on you, make sure the leashes are slack before giving the okay. They should say 'hi' for no more than 3 seconds before calling them away, even if it is going well.
If your party animal loses his mind when he sees other dogs, STOP going to the dog park or day care.
For many dogs, the repeated free exposure to other dogs makes them worse. They drag you to the entry and rush in and rush up to other dogs. They are practicing high arousal play with no boundaries.
They can't wait to get away from you and to the other dogs.
It may seem like if they had "more practice" playing with other dogs, they'd get better. If they got more exercise, they'd be tired and happy. The reality is, there is a correlation between dogs who regularly attend group free play with unfamiliar dogs and leash frustration and
poor dog- to-dog manners.
If your dog isn't improving, or is getting worse from his group play experiences, STOP.
Article: Why Not the Dog Park?
Set up Contingencies: IF / THEN
You set the expectation. You control what behaviors get rewarded.
Your dog should assume that he is NOT going to meet other dogs on the street or in class. Getting to meet should be the exception, not the rule.
When he does get to meet other dogs or people, there should be specific expectations in place. You will insist that, in order to get to meet, he will:
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Approach calmly - no pulling, no straining
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Listen and follow directions: full attention on handler before release
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Eye contact - looking to you for permission
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Come away when called - without having to be pulled away
IF your leash is slack. IF your attention is on me. IF you are patient and polite. IF you wait for the specific "okay" to meet, THEN you may meet briefly and politely, and then we will move on immediately when I cue.
Prepare your wild child for class:
Exercise, but don't over-exercise - choose activities that create a satisfied, relaxed dog, not an energized ready-to-party dog. Sniffing and searching is a good form of tiring exercise that is calming and satisfying.
Hungry - eager for the rewards you have.
Not too-hungry - If he's ravenous and frantic about eating, you could add stress rather than motivation. Know your dog.
High value rewards - if he's on an adrenaline high, kibble won't cut it. It needs to be moist and smelly. You need real meat, organ meat, cheese, canned food in a squeeze tube, deli meat.
Work on bite inhibition. When dogs get wound up, the tension in their bodies is also held in their jaws - if they already struggle with bite inhibition, the addition of stress will naturally cause them to bite even harder when they take treats or grab for a toy. Don't toss treats for them to catch. This causes sudden snapping at a moving target, not careful taking.
No tight leashes - short, but no tension. Brake and release. Keep him close, but be sure his weight is 
evenly distributed and he is standing in balance, not leaning against a tight leash. Be aware that a large portion of pulling is YOU!
Eyes and noses to themselves. Pay attention to how the dogs around you are feeling. Your dog may be super-friendly but if the dog he is dying to meet is shrinking away redirect his attention on you. If your dog's gaze is causing another dog to act up, please get his attention back on you.
Practice redirecting - help your dog be good at it before you need it. Settle and focus, keeping attention. Ask your instructor to show you how to teach and use bail-out moves to quickly get your dog out of sticky situations.
Equipment - gentle leader head collars are a great choice for dogs who lunge or bark or stare as you can gently turn their head away from the thing they are focused on.
Calm entry and exit - how he arrives will set the tone for the rest of the class. How he exits sets the tone for the next entry. Wait in the car until the crowd has cleared or arrive early to get settled before the crowd assembles. Your dog should wait until you have checked that the coast is clear before he leaves the car or follows you through any door.
Avoid traffic hazards - avoid OTHER maniacs!
No tail-gating! Stay alert! The world is a busy freeway of potential hazards. Defensive driving is essential. Where is your dog looking? Your dog should practice getting it RIGHT, not blowing up and recovering.
Party Gates. Portable gates will reduce the amount of visual stimulation your dog has in the classroom. This will help social butterflies and worried dogs be less distracted so they can focus on their owners. If you need a gate, please ask!
"Copyright - Carol A. Byrnes, Diamonds in the Ruff, www.diamondsintheruff.com. ditr_training@hotmail.com All rights reserved. Used by permission."
Highlighted Classes
NEW Teaching Your Dog Impulse Control: Mon, Jan 7, 1:30 - 3:30pm
Learn the skills and strategies to keep your dog’s “wild and crazy” impulses under control.
focus on you - ignore interesting things - wait - check with you before greeting
Online Reactive Dog Class: Wed, Jan 9 - Feb 20, 7:30 - 8:45pm (no class Feb 6)
For local & out of town students; 6 webinars plus Facebook group for individual concerns
Connection, Cooperation, and Control, Level 2:
- Sat, Jan 12 - Feb 23, 6:45 - 8:00pm (no class Feb 23)
- Mon, Jan 14 - Feb 25, 3:00 - 4:15pm (no class Feb 4)
Improve the cooperation and focus you learned in level 1.
COME: "Oh, do you mean me?": Wed, Jan 30, noon - 2:00pm
Learn techniques that make your dog want to come to you the first time you call, every time!
NEW Vet Visit Tricks: Mon, March 4, 1:30 - 3:30pm
Join us as we train tricks useful for vet visits, bath time, and nail trims.
Check our
Basic Manners,
Puppy Kindergarten, and
Puppy Party schedules
here.
