I know I haven't been on here lately, working on a dog food story ya'll gonna love. STAY TUNED

TWEETING CAN BE FUN &TURBO THE PIT

So I was goofing around on Twitter today, yes people I tweet. FOLLOW me: http://twitter.com/IAMDOGTRAINER and saw someone that follows me/i follow her having an issue with her dog which gave me an idea of what to blog about today!

To set this up, her dog TURBO chewed his way out of her yard and was chillin in the neighbors yard. Since she was gone from home, her instinct was to go back and check on him. Well good thing cause not only was he not in her yard where she left him but in the neighbors yard. TURBO could've possibly been sent to the shelter. Now she continues to "tweet" what she does to correct him. So here i am, reading her tweets and tweet my response as to how to correct Turbo for doing what he did and possibly curb him from doing it again.....

What came to me to write this blog was a few different things. First we have to remember dogs have the comprehension of a 3 year old. This is why it is so important to train your dog and make sure he understands the rules of your home. Secondly being that TURBO is a Pit Bull, its more important that we make an effort to work and train this breed cause they get the bad wrap. How we stand up for our rights as a minority, we should for our dogs especially the BULLY BREEDS. Visit my other site www.breedmagazine.tv where we have a online petition you can sign to help stop the Banning of our breed! This is why training is important too, its our responsibilities to set the standards cause that's how they judge us.

Lastly but just as important most books and even trainers feel that the best way to correct a dog is to catch them in the act! In the case of TURBO she came home and found that he chewed the fence and was in her neighbors yard yet did the right thing to correct. Like i mentioned, some feel that the dog wont understand what they did wrong and that is so far from the truth. 

If your a dog owner, you've probably noticed at some point of ownership that your dog has done something wrong (ie.Pooped in the house or in this case chewed his way out of the yard) and when you came home your dog ran from you knowing they did something wrong! OK so why do they do that, cause they get it.  More than likely you had no idea when the dog did the mistake but what do you do. Get your dog and take him to the mistake you'll find that the dog will fight and finally realize what was wrong and can put 1 and 1 together. You follow that with stern correction and put them in a crate,kennel,locked up in a room or in the case of TURBO in the garage away from everyone. That too is a correction in itself. See your dog wants to be where ever you are but what your trying to get the dog to understand is that when he does something wrong not only is he going to get corrected but also put away from you for a period of time! Most dogs after a few times of going thru this understands what is happening and stops doing what you dont want them to do anymore.

Training is simple yet can be very difficult at times too. Remember this saying i tell all my clients "TREAT A DOG LIKE A HUMAN AND HE'LL TURN AROUND AND TREAT YOU LIKE A DOG" Thanks to Raq C and TURBO for letting me use them in my blog today and Raq when you get a minute lets work with your dog! Im willing to work with you so this wont happen again. Also im putting up a pic down below of the infamous TURBO for your viewing pleasure, enjoy! 

As always comment away and thanks for viewing my blog

stevethedogtrainer 

 

EXCESSIVE BARKING GETTING TO YOU????

I was recently asked about an excessive barker issue that a friend of mine is having with their dog. Barking can be a serious problem living in the inner city since most neighbors will not tolerate a dog doing this. What do we do?

Why do dogs bark? They lack attention, they're attention hogs. They are territorial or simply have separation anxiety which can lead to them acting out and looking for attention - hence barking. Indirectly this same behavior leads to a dog becoming destructive so curbing a dog barker can actually help down the road.

Rules is the first thing that need to be in place and you as the owner need to follow thru with them. Dogs like kids need direction. When the parameters of what they can and can't get away with are established then it's much easier to reprimand your dog for what he/she is doing wrong and praise them for doing what is right.

RULES:

*obviously NO BARKING is allowed unless there is a reason for the dog to be.
*a correction must be given when your dog bark for no reason, following thru with another correction if they continue.
*a correction can consist of a balled up pair of old socks or magazine, ducked-taped and thrown at his/her direction with the intent of hitting them but not hurting them whenever they bark!
*a crate should be purchased, in which case if they continue to bark he/she is placed in their cage and banished to a part of the house which the dog cannot have human contact with.
*after 20 - 30 mins of sitting in their cage there allowed to be loose again.
*follow the steps above if your dog continues to bark again. depending on the dog (every dog is different) some will get it within a few times of correcting them while others can take up to a few months. (lets hope your dog is like the first type!)
*key is to maintain steadfast in your pursuit of not allowing your dog to bark unless they have a reason. when your dog does, remember there is no negotiations he/she is to be corrected a couple of times (very sternly and then placed in his/her crate) the dog will learn that every time they begin to bark if he/she doesn't stop it will be corrected. in the event that your dog does stop, guess what he/she should be let loose as a way of a of praise.

What is equally important is obedience training. Imagine being with someone that lacks manners, experience and class. you wouldn't be with someone like that yet most owners own a dog like that.

Obedience training is important, it gives a dog a sense of confidence (which will in turn, possibly curb his neediness of wanting to bark) and also give him/her some fundamentals. Obedience training is the equivalent of getting an education (reading, writing, arithmetic, etc) for a dog. If a human doesn't have the basics in life then obviously they'll have tremendous setbacks in their life. The same can be said for a dog.

Obedience training consist of sit,stay,come,down,heel. Most trainers can help you achieve this level of training. It is these fundamentals that can help you from getting rid of your dog or being a happy owner for years.

Thank you for taking the time to read this column, please forward any questions or comments below.

Steve the dog trainer!

BUYER BEWARE: PET STORES AND BACKYARD BREEDERS

     i recently read this article and wanted to share this with everyone... please read and shoot me any comment you may have.... thanks enjoy

If you’re looking to get a new dog, recent headlines no doubt have warned you against buying an animal from illegal “puppy mills” run by unlicensed breeders. But don’t be fooled into thinking that legal, licensed breeders and those with registration papers are a guarantee of a healthy puppy either.

When the Humane Society of the United States released a video last month charging that a Los Angeles pet store, Pets of Bel Air, purchased its pricey puppies from puppy mills, the store responded on its Web site with a statement that its dogs were purchased from pet breeders approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and that it relied on the USDA to inspect breeders and their premises.

But just because a breeder has a license from the USDA doesn’t mean much. USDA minimum standards for housing and exercise are bare bones.  The USDA waives the exercise requirement of 30 minutes per day for at least five days a week if the dog is housed in a cage with twice the floor space called for by the above formula.

In addition, USDA regulations don’t address socialization — the handling and exposure a puppy needs during its first weeks of life to develop properly — or the health, temperament and quality of the parents.

American Kennel Club (AKC) or other registration papers also may not mean much. All they certify is that both parents were of the same breed. No dog registry or government agency requires breeders to socialize puppies or health-test their parents for orthopedic, eye or heart problems, or even to be knowledgeable about the breed or dogs in general.

Best of breeders
So how do you know whether a puppy’s had a good start in life? Plan on doing some footwork. Purchasing a purebred puppy should entail at least the same amount of thought and research you’d put into buying a new appliance or car, if not more. After all, you’ll likely spend anywhere from $500 to $3,000 for a companion that will spend the next 10 or more years with you.

Your best bet is a breeder who belongs to national and local breed clubs and has signed the club’s code of ethics. But even that’s not foolproof, says French Bulldog breeder James Dalton in Portsmouth, Ohio.

“The French Bulldog Club of America does have a code of ethics that breeders are expected to abide by, but they do not always and the FBDCA has no way of enforcing that code of ethics,” he says.

That’s true for any breed club. A code of ethics is only as good as the people who sign it, so look for red flags.

Visiting a breeder’s home gives you a chance to meet a puppy’s mother and the breeder’s other dogs. If they have nice temperaments, your puppy probably will too. If they’re shy or aggressive, there’s a good chance the puppy has inherited those undesirable traits.

Rule out breeders who sell dogs at flea markets or in parking lots or don’t want you to come to their home, a sign that the breeder doesn’t want you to see the conditions in which the dogs live. If you do see the home, heed the advice of Bloodhound breeder Susan LaCroix Hamil of Laguna Beach, Calif.: “Never buy a puppy from a place where you wouldn’t want to eat dinner or use the bathroom.”

How breeders raise puppies before they go to their new families or are shipped to pet stores has a strong influence on their temperament. Breeders whose puppies live in the backyard, don’t meet other people and animals and aren’t handled much can have more behavior issues. They can also have more difficulty adapting to new homes than puppies raised in the home and exposed to different people, sights, sounds and experiences, says veterinarian Lore Haug, a board-certified behaviorist with South Texas Veterinary Behavior Services in Sugar Land.

Can’t pass up that doggie in the window?
If your heart is taken by that doggie in the window, though, ask the pet store for the breeder’s name, address and phone number, copies of the breeder’s USDA inspection reports, pictures of the parents, and photos of the kennel where the dogs live. If you’re not satisfied with the response, don’t buy the puppy. You can also check the USDA inspection record of a pet store puppy’s breeders at petshoppuppies.org.

While sophisticated Web sites that accept credit cards and offer next-day shipping are quick and easy sources for finding puppies, they’re not the best way to ensure that you acquire a healthy, well-socialized puppy.

Don’t be sucked in by a pretty Web site that promises puppies now. Large numbers of puppies available, acceptance of credit cards and high-pressure sales tactics — “That puppy might be gone tomorrow” — are red flags. Often, these sites are fronts for brokers who purchase large litter lots of puppies from mills in the U.S., Eastern Europe or Ireland. When you buy a puppy sight unseen, there’s no way of knowing what its parents were like or the conditions in which it was raised.

That said, surfing the Web can lead you to good breeders. Sandy Ford of Monterey, Calif., used the Internet to find English Springer Spaniel breeder Linda Prouty of Stonewall, La. Before purchasing a pup, he spent time getting to know Prouty by e-mail and then flew to Louisiana to meet her dogs in person.

Not everyone can do that, but if you know someone who lives in the breeder’s area, ask him to visit and report back to you on the condition of the dogs and where they’re raised. You can also call the AKC’s customer service line at 919-233-9767 and ask if the breeder has ever been suspended for any reason.

A puppy is a big commitment, financially and emotionally. Choosing a breeder carefully will help you make the right decision. And if you really want to make a difference in a dog’s life, check your local shelter. Puppy season is coming up.

Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning author who has written many articles and more than a dozen books about dogs and cats. She belongs to the Dog Writers Association of America and is past president of the Cat Writers Association. She shar

DUKE

     Training can be fun and most definetly keep me sane. Yesterday found me catching up with an old friend, Arnold Alea who has obtained so many dogs in the 18 years i've known him that finally he got a dog that is a definte keeper, meet DUKE -Razor Edge and Gotti line bred dog. Hopefully Arnold will dog the right things and make him the type of dog that only PRESTIGE DOG TRAINING & Stevethedogtrainer can produce!

    Aside from that visited another old friend, Malcom Smith who's son is Brandon Smith from Disney's "Sonny with a Chance" Malcom happens to be a very reputable Cane Corso breeder and has some of the best specimens that the breed has to offer. Obviously pictures will be up on my next BLOG. Another day of training tonight, again with Dodger Dog and I'll update you about GORDO the LAB! ohhh yeah, listen to my segment on BULLY WORLD RADIO on Blog Talk Radio on rotation now.

     Gotta go until next time.............. 

DODGER DOG

     Currently working a very promising young dog, a Cane Corso (keep an eye out as i will be writing my version of what the breed really is) by the name of DODGER owned by Rob and Amy. His obedience is so/so, when your training for protection work you should take your time in working too much control work. Dogs like him need direction and control but there is a way to approach it without being to hard on them. Keep in mind too he's only 7 months old!

    Restarted his bite work last night and have to say that im really proud of him! Showed the right drive we are looking for to make him the type of dog that his owners want. Look out world for Dodger as we are also gonna get him to become a "Therapy Dog" as well! Here's a picture of him last night for ya'll to enjoy.

    

     Let me also make a mention of "DUKE" anyone can take a peek at him on my Facebook page - steve the dog trainer - finally Arnold you have a good dog in your hands..... inside joke

gotta go but thanks for reading

3/08/10 Im Blogging

     I've used my blog to post stories, news and photo's of the past. I'll begin this month by posting my own thoughts and comments that I would normally keep to myself. Most of it will be regarding dogs but dont trip if from time to time you see something NOT dog related posted! With that being said, I like to hear from you my readers (hello you out there? :o) to write me here or shoot me an email about anything you have on your mind, dog related. Anything else you can always call me....lol

     So let's get this cooking, let me fill you in with a little of what's coming down the pipeline! MY show idea is in full effect. Look for me on your Tube one of these days soon. You can also check me out on Blog Talk Radio as im now a regular on BULLY WORLD RADIO and working on my own BREEDLINE which will be launched sometime before summer. Trying to finish my book and really wanting to launch my APP's on IPHONE soon... I need $$$$$$ so anyone interested in giving out a helping hand, im not saying NO....lol

     Gotta go but I surely will be putting up more info and stuff on my mind, again send me a msg or comment on my page and let me know what you want answered regarding dogs and answer them.... Also if you choose too, follow me on twitter@iamdogtrainer and facebook at steve the dog trainer. Thanks for taking the time to read this ya'll....




Stevethedogtrainer - either roll with us or get rolled over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HUMANS GET HURT TOO!

When that leash runs around, it can hurt you: Pet accidents send 86,000 Americans to the emergency room every year

WASHINGTON - Federal government researchers Thursday filled in a blank spot on the map of life’s hazards — the part occupied by Spot, Fifi, the leathery chewing pretzel and the water bowl.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that an average of 86,629 Americans visit the emergency room each year after taking a fall caused by pets or their paraphernalia.
That’s the equivalent of 240 ER trips a day, and roughly 1 percent of the 8 million visits for falls of all sorts.
About one-third of the falls broke bones, about one-quarter caused bruises, one-fifth caused sprains, and a little more than one-tenth caused lacerations. About 62 percent of the falls involving dogs occurred at home, and 86 percent of those involving cats.

“We know that pets have many benefits,” said Judy Stevens, an epidemiologist at CDC’s injury center. “We just want people to be aware that pets and pet items can be a fall hazard and can lead to injuries.”
Dog-related falls account for 88 percent of the total, cat-related ones 12 percent. The largest number of injuries occurred in children 14 years old and younger, although the highest rate of injury is in people 75 and older.
Women were more likely to be injured than men; they suffered 68 percent of the falls involving dogs, and 72 percent involving cats.
Exactly how many of the falls occurred when leashed dog took off after a squirrel, a cat streaked by underfoot, or the water dish spilled and made the kitchen floor slick isn’t known. Nevertheless, the study, in CDC’s Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report, gave a rough sketch of hazardous activities.
About one-quarter of the dog-related falls occurred while walking the animal, about 3 percent while running from it, and one-half of one percent while breaking up a fight. In one-third of falls, a person tripped over the dog, and in one-fifth was pulled by the animal.
About 12 percent of the cat-related injuries involved chasing the animal. In two-thirds of the falls, a person tripped over the cat.
The CDC researchers offered a number of tips on how to avoid the mishaps. The big one, Stevens said, is that an “owner should know how a pet behaves on risky activities such as walks.” Obedience training for dogs is highly recommended, and rooms with a lot of pet and human traffic should be well-lit, she added.

To get the data, professional hospital chart-reviewers examined the records of about 8,000 ER visits at a sample of 66 American hospitals. The facts of the cases involving pets and falls where “abstracted” — boiled down and rewritten — and presented to the researchers. The information was then extrapolated it to the country as a whole.
This is the first national enumeration of falls caused by pets, and almost the first research on the subject of any sort.
A search of PubMed, the database of the medical literature run by the National Library of Medicine, using the terms “pet” and “fall” and “emergency” pulls up a single study, from Australia in 2004.
Researchers looked at ER visits for falls in the elderly and found 16 over an 18-month period involving pets. About 80 percent involved women.