Humans aren't the only species that can be calmed by soothing music, it can also help anxiety in dogs. Many owners leave a television or radio on when they leave the house to help a dog feel comforted. But there is also specialized music that one can play to help particularly anxious dogs. Through a Dog's Ear is a selection of music specifically aimed at calming nervous dogs. The website states, "The overarching psychoacoustic theory informing Through a Dog’s Ear is summed up in just two words — simple sound. This term refers to the process of minimizing intricate auditory information found in most music.
Each family and dog has a unique reason for our training and behavior modification services. Sometimes a single consultation and training session is enough to set dog and owner on the right track, other times it may be very beneficial to continue behavior modification and owner instruction in follow-up lessons. 60-minute follow-up in-home consultations are $40.00 and can be scheduled at any time after the initial in-home consultation.
Great article, Kimberly. Thanks so much. I’ve been looking for info on no food training. I’ve had 5 dogs over the past 20 years, all rescues, all adults. The only one who has been food motivated is the one we got as a young puppy. I started training her right away w/ treats, which worked great for a couple months but I’ve noticed her responsiveness is decreasing as I decrease the use of treats w/ training (and we do a ton of training- adv obedience, tricks, agility and find it) so I’ve been looking for guidance on how to make the transition go more smoothly. Thanks again. Great info! Sally looks like a happy well loved dog.
In the 1950s Blanche Saunders was a staunch advocate of pet-dog training, travelling throughout the U.S. to promote obedience classes.[15] In The Complete Book of Dog Obedience, she said, "Dogs learn by associating their act with a pleasing or displeasing result. They must be disciplined when they do wrong, but they must also be rewarded when they do right."[22] Negative reinforcement procedures played a key part in Saunders' method, primarily the jerking of the choke chain. The mantra taught to students was "Command! Jerk! Praise!" She felt that food should not be an ongoing reward, but that it was acceptable to use "a tidbit now and then to overcome a problem." Saunders perhaps began the shift away from military and police training methods, stressing repeatedly the importance of reinforcement for good behaviour in training—a move toward the positive training methods used today.[23]
Choose the proper equipment. A 6-foot leash and flat collar or martingale collar may be all the you need to start, besides your treats. Consult a trainer for advice on other equipment like a “Promise Leader” head halter, a “No Pull” harness, a metal training collar, or other device. Puppies or small dogs generally do not need harsh equipment. Larger dogs may temporarily need specialized equipment (like the “Promise Leader”) to keep their focus.[4]
Do you or someone in your family have Diabetes? This is our 13 private lesson training program which will give you all of the tools, knowledge, and training necessary in order to make your personal dog a diabetic alert dog.(service dog). This program will take your dog from knowing nothing about scent detection, to targeting on your blood sugar, and alerting you before you reach a dangerous level. If you are interested in this program, click here: http://diabeticdogvirginia.com/
Achieve the prestige and rewards that come from owning a business you will love! Become your own boss and make your own hours while working your “dream job!” Purchase a Bark Busters franchise and become part of one of the world’s largest dog training companies and join one of the fastest growing industries today. Bark Busters has many business areas available today. You have the opportunity to join the growing Bark Busters community and family as we expand across the USA ...Find out more
I have a one year old Cairn Terrier that we adopted from our local SPCA 6 months ago. He is in his only at night and for the first few months we had him there were no problems but recently he has started growling and snarling at us when he goes in the crate. So we started leaving the crate door open and just closing the gate to the room his crate is in but he will bark when we close the gate. We just had family stay with us over the weekend and while they were here he would single me out and bark hysterically at me and jump on me. His tail is wagging and I really don’t think he is trying to bite This morning I was unloading the dishwasher and he sneaks up on me and when I turned around he started the incessant barking again. If I walk away it usually stops. Any suggestions on what may be causing this and what I should do?
There is nothing inherently wrong with telling your dog “no,” except that it doesn’t give him enough information. Instead of telling your dog “no,” tell him what you want him to do. Dogs don’t generalize well, so if your dog jumps up on someone to say hello and you say no, he may jump higher or he may jump to the left side instead of the right. A better alternative would be to ask him to “sit.” Tell him what you want him to do in order to avoid confusion.

In the last 6 months I would say she has “calmed down”, but we feel it’s due to her getting more used to us and her new home (she was a stray and had a couple foster homes before we got her). She still has lots of energy when we go for walks and to the park. She likes to be in the backyard (even in the evenings) and goes for a walk just fine (in the mornings only). It seems to be she only likes going for walks in the morning, and we used to go 3 times a day (morning, afternoon and evening). The only thing I can think of that would have frightened her on a walk is a few times storms have rolled in (usually a thunderstorm). When there is a thunderstorm she gets anxious, paces, pants and usually hides in the bathroom where she seems to calm down after a while. She loves the dog park and plays well with all the dogs she comes into contact with, and LOVES people. We’re really good about keeping her schedule the same, eats at the same times everyday, walks at the same time ect. We live in a new neighbourhood so there are trucks (all kinds) driving around all day. That would be the only noises I could think of.

The 21st century has seen the proliferation of television programs and accompanying books that feature dog training and rehabilitation,[35] including Joel Silverman's Good Dog U, Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, It's Me or the Dog featuring Victoria Stillwell, The Underdog Show, Dogs in the City, and SuperFetch. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers advises that television programs are produced primarily for entertainment, and while all programs will have good and not-so-good points, the viewer should critically evaluate the information before deciding which training tips to adopt.[36]


If he's an older dog, he's probably used to his name; however, changing it isn't out of the question. If he's from a shelter, they may neglect to tell you that he has a temporary name assigned to him by staff. If he's from a breeder, he'll come to you with a long name, which you may want to shorten, or change. And if he's coming out of an abusive situation, a new name may represent a fresh start. But we're lucky: dogs are extremely adaptable. And soon enough, if you use it consistently, he will respond to his new name.
The final command that has been extremely beneficial, in my experience, is “leave it.” Dropped a piece of raw chicken on the floor? “Leave it.” Changing baby’s diaper and the scent is intriguing to your dog? “Leave it.” Your dog may not catch on right away, so it’s okay to give a slight tug on your dog’s collar to pull them away from the object you want them to leave. After enough repetition, they will learn the command.
I have a 5 month old Siberian Husky, I am having issues with her while I am gone in the crate. She seems to poop in her crate and then smother it all on the bottom. I talked to the vet and she suggested I block half the crate off so she only has enough room to turn around. I did that and came home yesterday to her destroying her crate again. I was always told Huskies will not use the bathroom where they stay, but she seems to cover her crate in poop. She is good about listening to me and minding. Sometimes I think she thinks she is the alpha dog though, what kinds of things do I do to prevent that? And discipline. I’ve been told to spank her, grab her snout and pinch, rub her snout in her pee or poop if she has an accident, get aggressive with her and other things. Spanking on her butt but not too hard, seems to sometimes work. (I don’t do the things above I just listed) I would just like advice on training her the proper way. Huskies have a mind of their own and I want to train her the right way. Any advice is appreciated!
Information at this site is provided solely for the user’s information and, while we strive to be accurate, all information is provided strictly “as is” and without warranty of any kind. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for legal counsel from a qualified attorney. ServiceDogCertifications.org, its agents, affiliates, employees or contractors will not be liable to you for any damages, direct or indirect, or lost profits arising out of your use of information provided at this site, or information provided at any other site that can be accessed from this site.
We are certified Therapy Pets Unlimited evaluators! Is your goal to make your dog a certified therapy dog? We would recommend our Therapy Dog Development Course. This is our 8 private lesson course which includes the 4 basic obedience lessons (5 commands outside/off leash) followed by 4 lessons specifically tailored to you and your dog passing the Therapy Dog Certification. At the conclusion of this course, we can test you and your dog for certification. Upon passing the Therapy Pets Unlimited test, you and your dog will be awarded the Therapy Pets Unlimited certification and ID.
It can be scary dealing with anxious behaviors in your dog and not knowing what is going on or how you can fix it. Anxiety in dogs is a common problem, is very serious and should be handled appropriately. We hope this tips helped you better understand your dog's anxiety and that you seek the right actions to help him/her. If you have any additional tips please feel free to comment below or shout us out on social media! Have a pawesome day! 
This is a tough one because she obviously has a learned, deep-seated fear of crates. Forcing her into one will only make the problem worse. You can try desensitizing her by feeding her in the open crate, playing with toys in it, and seeding it with treats, but this all takes time. If she is truly distressed, then a gentle sedative from the vet is going to be the most humane option.
Try again! Find a tasty treat he loves and make him earn it as a reward. Work on one command at a time ("Sit" is a good one to start with) in a room without distractions. Use the treat to lure him into a sit, and, once his butt hits the ground, say "Sit" and give the treat. Train every time you remember you have a dog. Keep a pouch of treats on you, and train him a little bit at a time, but frequently, all day, every day. As he gets the hang of things, take his training outdoors where there are distractions, and persevere in the same way.
My dogs are also very sensitive to my energy. If I am stressed out or anxious, they will pick up on that and become stressed out themselves. I try to always be calm when interacting with them, I have a fixed routine, a consistent schedule, and I make them work for the things that they want most through positive behavior (Nothing is Life is Free program).
Don't raise your voice to get his attention. Save the big booming voice for “life saving” situations, like if he escapes his fence or leash. If you rarely raise your voice, you'll get your dog’s undivided attention when you do need to yell. But if you are always “loud” to your dog, they will ignore that sound and tune it out. Shouting will no longer be regarded as something that commands special attention.
The author of this article correctly points out that you are one of the largest factors in this obedience training. You must have a patient and calm approach in order for this to be effective. If you are not generally a patient person, you may have a difficult time with this training. That being said, there are ways around this handicap. You may decide to simply take things one step at a time. Focus on teaching in very short spurts. Take one command at a time. Going slowly like this will take more time, but it is a good way to keep you from feeling overwhelmed. Depending on your dog’s personality it may also be the best way for them.
Hello, my name is Bob Gailey, and I have been providing Orlando Dog Training services for over 50 years. Starting off with Orlando for over 20 years and growing to all of Central Florida over the next 30 years. I am the Father of all Law Enforcement Programs in the Central Florida area and a prior FDLE Certified Instructor, Trainer, Handler, and Evaluator. I have trained for Walt Disney World® and Sea World® of Orlando K9 units, as well as hundreds of Central FL K9 Police teams. During these years, I also offered dog training to the public, concentrating heavily on Orlando dog training. I have had magazine articles written about my training techniques, newspaper articles done on my kennels, and have been interviewed on radio shows about my history with Central FL dog training. I am also considered an Expert Witness on dog behavior.
The most important part of training your dog is teaching her that it pays to do things you like. But your dog also needs to learn that it doesn’t pay to do things you don’t like. Fortunately, discouraging unwanted behavior doesn’t have to involve pain or intimidation. You just need to make sure that behavior you dislike doesn’t get rewarded. Most of the time, dog motivations aren’t mysterious. They simply do what works! Dogs jump up on people, for example, because people pay attention to them as a result. They can learn not to jump up if we ignore them when they jump up instead. It can be as simple as turning away or staring at the sky when your dog jumps up to greet or play with you. As soon as she sits, you can give her the attention she craves. If you stick to this plan, your dog will learn two things at once. Doing something you like (sitting) reliably works to earn what she wants (attention), and doing things you don’t like (jumping up) always results in the loss of what she wants.
It's important to know what type of issues you're looking to avoid so that you can teach your dog good habits right from the start. Some pet parents hope to ward off excessive barking, while others are worried about their dog chewing on non-food items (like dangerous house plants or their shoes). Digging, begging, biting, stealing food and urinating in the home are other issues pet parents look to avoid.
Lindsay says of this study, "Schilder and Van der Borg (2004) have published a report of disturbing findings regarding the short-term and long- term effects of shock used in the context of working dogs that is destined to become a source of significant controversy ... The absence of reduced drive or behavioral suppression with respect to critical activities associated with shock (e.g., bite work) makes one skeptical about the lasting adverse effects the authors claim to document. Although they offer no substantive evidence of trauma or harm to dogs, they provide loads of speculation, anecdotes, insinuations of gender and educational inadequacies, and derogatory comments regarding the motivation and competence of IPO trainers in its place." [64]
BASIC & ADVANCED OBEDIENCE: $950 – Would you like to unleash the bond between you and your K9? The Basic/Advanced Obedience Package will take your dog’s obedience to the next level! This program includes training equipment and 8 private lessons. The first 4 lessons will cover our Basic Obedience curriculum, and the last 4 lessons will cover advanced commands. Your dog will learn “Extended Distance Sit”, “Extended Distance Down”, and your choice of the following: “Touch”, “Through”, “Come to Heel”, “Watch”, “Stand”, “Send Aways” and more. Basic/Advanced Obedience is ideal for owners who enjoy working with their dogs on a consistent basis. ***Be prepared to practice daily for at least 30 minutes and schedule lessons 1 week apart.***
When your dog is feeling anxious, it’ll be noticeable. You’ll come to be familiar with his behavior problems over time and know when to expect bigger moments of anxiousness. And symptoms are typically obvious. Dogs who are suffering from anxiety tend to bark more aggressively for longer periods of time. Your dog may also tear around the house, full of energy, and unable to settle down.
Dogs suffer from stress and anxiety as much as people do, though it can be harder to recognize their symptoms. Your pet might try to tell you that he’s stressed by pushing his ears back, tucking his tail, salivating, yawning, licking his muzzle, or lifting his front paw. Other, more obvious signs of dog anxiety include cowering or hiding, trembling, panting, or expressing his anal glands.
Before you try to teach your dog to protect a child, you need to take the time to make sure he is fully obedience trained and well-socialized. This means taking the time to take your dog out in a wide range of environments where he will encounter lots of people, objects, other animals, sounds, and sights. You need to know that no matter what distractions you are around, your dog will obey your commands. He needs to know you are in charge.
• Destruction: Some pet owners blame their dog’s destructive tendencies on boredom, unaware that anxious and fearful dogs also become destructive dogs. Dogs chew, dig or scratch at doors and other objects in attempts to escape what they fear. The anxiety and fear centers of the brain trigger the fight or flight response — and destruction resulting from fear is usually an attempt toimg class flee whatever triggered their fear reaction.
Prong collars (also called 'pinch collars') are a series of chain links with blunted open ends turned towards the dog's neck. The design of the prong collar is such that it has a limited circumference unlike slip collars which do not have a limit on how far they can constrict on a dog's neck. The limited traction of the martingale chain combined with the angle of the prongs prevents the prongs moving close enough to pinch. The collar is designed to prevent the dog from pulling by applying pressure at each point against the dog's neck.
YP - The Real Yellow PagesSM - helps you find the right local businesses to meet your specific needs. Search results are sorted by a combination of factors to give you a set of choices in response to your search criteria. These factors are similar to those you might use to determine which business to select from a local Yellow Pages directory, including proximity to where you are searching, expertise in the specific services or products you need, and comprehensive business information to help evaluate a business's suitability for you. “Preferred” listings, or those with featured website buttons, indicate YP advertisers who directly provide information about their businesses to help consumers make more informed buying decisions. YP advertisers receive higher placement in the default ordering of search results and may appear in sponsored listings on the top, side, or bottom of the search results page.
Last night was a big day for Oliver the aussie - his family joined us for his go home lesson! I am super proud of his owners as they worked with their boy through some distractions on the walk (seeing dogs and people, adjusting our numbers to keep him focused and not reactive, as well as using engagement moves to keep him present with them) as well as practice some of his indoor obedience to help him be a calmer dog in the house! Before Oliver came to training his routine at the house was pretty restless - pacing and always on patrol, barking at any sound, or needing the tennis ball tossed for him constatlntly throughout any family downtime! For three years this guy used constant movement and reactive barking to mitigate some of his high energy and anxiousness at home and on walks. During our training we focused alot of creating some structure to his day - a more organized walk in heel, which tries him mentally while also keeping him focused and non reactive AND household management with boundaries and direction featuring duration place command, crate time, and overall moments of impulse control and Oliver needing to wait for permission before doing things. Sometimes during the go home lesson we see some fireworks when owners arrive- general excitement of seeing their family again is expected, but for dogs who are a bit older AND have been running the roost at home, we also often see some protest-the-rules antics! I often warn owners in advance that with dogs, especially those who have such an entitled association with their owners, that they may pull some moves to get out of doing their work...instead wanting to just "throw in the doggie towel" and be their old impulsive, demanding, bratty, pushy selves when they have their family back because history tells them that with their owners they DO get to do all the things the want to do, without boundaries or consequences.
Strictly following the model set out in the Koehler Method of Dog Training, some 50 years later, the Koehler method continues to be taught in both class and private training formats. The method is based in the philosophy that a dog acts on its right to choose its actions. Koehler explained that a dog's learned behavior is an act of choice based on its own learning experience. When those choices are influenced by the expectation of reward, the behavior will most likely be repeated, and when those choices are influenced by the anticipation of punishment, they will most likely cease. Once the dog has learned that its choices result in comfort or discomfort it can be taught to make the correct decisions. Action→Memory→Desire encapsulates the learning pattern used by the method; the dog acts, remembers the consequences, and forms the desire to repeat or avoid those consequences. Adherents believe that once the behavior has been correctly taught, it should be performed, thus making any correction, fair, reasonable, and expected.[57] While the model has been used consistently since 1962, some of the punishment procedures described in the book are now not considered necessary, humane, or appropriate by many trainers.[23]
Scents can also help calm a dog's anxiety, and DAP is a popular option. It is a synthetic chemical that is based on a hormone produced by lactating female dogs that help keep her puppies calm and increase their bond with her. While scientific studies have shown that DAP does work with puppies, it isn't as clear if it works with anxious adult dogs. Even so, there is the possibility that it can help, and it can be one of several tools used to help an anxious dog. It come as a plug-in diffuser with vials that last about 30 days, and humans aren't able to smell it.
I found that looking for alternative ways to connect with Sally outside of food, such as play, life rewards, and affection, deepened our relationship. I also found that thinking about Sally’s behavior and our quality of life more holistically, outside of simple obedience cues, helped me address some overwhelming issues that I wasn’t sure how to tackle at first, such as getting and keeping her attention in distracting situations.

Your young puppy is totally reliant and dependent on you to help him habituate and fit into our human, domesticated world. Your guidance and leadership will determine what path his life takes and what type of dog he will become. During puppyhood you play the lead role and are responsible for shaping the character, temperament and behavior habits that your dog will carry throughout his life. Your puppy's future is in your capable hands...
The most common form of anxiety is separation anxiety in dogs, which can occur when a dog is left alone for any period of time. Separation anxiety occurs when a dog or puppy develops a phobia from being left alone. Dogs suffering from this condition may develop behavioral issues and severe stress. Often, dogs who have been adopted from a kennel have either lost a loved one or have been previously mistreated, which has caused separation anxiety to surface later on when they’re older.
Finally, a visit to the veterinary office may make your dog feel leery and cause anxiety. Think about the conditions of the situation and why your pet may feel extra jumpy. Take him for a walk beforehand to get his energy out. Soothe him as you put on his leash or put him in a carrier. The more you remain by your dog’s side and let him know you’re there for the duration of the visit, the more comfortable he’ll feel.
Hi, I just got a 9 month old Puggle who I believe may have been mistreated before because she’s very easily alarmed by any sudden sounds even if she’s laying with me and the sound comes from me. It also takes a while before she willingly comes to anyone in the house. It also took a while for her to eat treats and she doesn’t play with toys very often. We got her a crate that she slept in for a week in my room without a problem. The crate has her bed on one side and a piece of fake grass on the other side and she never had any problems with the crate. However 2 days ago I overslept so she ended up being in the crate for 12 hours and peed on the side with the grass. I took her out when I woke up and she still pooped outside and acted normal that day. Since then when we put her in the crate to go to bed she barks and howls and moves around anxiously until someone’s in the room. I’ve tried comforting her and letting her out when she’s quiet and scolding her when she’s yelling but nothing seems to have changed. Help!

Moderate or severe cases of separation anxiety require a more complex desensitization and counterconditioning program. In these cases, it’s crucial to gradually accustom a dog to being alone by starting with many short separations that do not produce anxiety and then gradually increasing the duration of the separations over many weeks of daily sessions.
In the spirit of full disclosure, we wanted to let you know that we proudly support this website through advertising and affiliate marketing. In other words, when you click on a link that takes you outside of this website, we often earn a small commission. These small commissions allow us to keep the site up and running and to continue offering it completely free of charge to you. Rest assured that all content, recommendations and advice are created before, and are independent of, any sponsorship or affiliate relationship. Click here for more info.
Obedience training helps your pet learn his role in your family and in the world. It will teach him the skills he needs to interact with other dogs and with the people inside and outside your home. Puppy training is the first step to teaching healthy behaviors and avoiding negative ones. Often, dogs start their training by learning simple commands, such as "sit" and "stay," though later on they may be trained in more specific ways, such as how to stay in a crate without whining or how to sit patiently without begging while the family eats dinner.

Fear is the instinctual feeling of apprehension resulting from a situation, person, or object presenting an external threat -- whether real or perceived. The response of the autonomic nervous system prepares the body for the freeze, fight, or flight syndrome. It is considered to be a normal behavior, essential for adaptation and survival; its context determines whether the fear response is normal, or abnormal and inappropriate. Most abnormal reactions are learned and can be unlearned with gradual exposure.
Points underlying Reward Dollars will be added to your Pals Rewards account within 48 hours and a notification of issuance of Reward Dollars earned (in increments of 5 Rewards Dollars) will be sent via email within 5 business days thereafter. If any item purchased under the offer is returned, all bonus points from the offer (and regular points from such purchase) will be deducted from your PALS Rewards account (which may result in a negative points balance).
Hi, we’ve got a Jack Russell who was the best natured, most loving little dog then our now 7 month old daughter came home and our dog hasn’t truly adjusted and shows signs of being stressed and anxious and in last few months has started to loose hair on her nose and top of head which vet cannot explain or help with but I’m convinced it’s due to our daughter. If you have any advice on how to help our dog it would be greatly appreciated
Hi Lee! I just wanted to leave you a message real quick and let you know we had a great first day. We went out for a little bit and he did rather well. In the evening, there are a few instances where he would jump up or start to bite and we implemented the bah and a quick flick of leash and he looked up to give us his attention. We are truly amaze...
×