Save Your Shoulder

Wrist, back, and shoulder pain can be prevented by teaching your dogs to heel.

Do you ever feel like you’re being dragged down the street by your dog? Yanked into the bushes? Pulled off your feet? 

Do you have neck pain? A sore shoulder? At this time of year in Canada, you need your back and shoulders in tip-top shape for shovelling snow and for fun winter sports too! 

Wrapping the leash around your hand can lead to wrist pain.

Many new clients approach me for help because they suffer from wrist, shoulder, and back pain. It’s very common for people to wrap the leash around their hand many, many times. Not only can this lead to wrist pain, it’s actually very unsafe. Your dog may yank you into traffic. In fact, I saw a woman pulled into the street just last week, because her Rottweiler decided it wanted to cross the road. It was terrifying! A car had to swerve to avoid them! 

A dog that pulls you in a field, is a dog that can pull you into traffic.

This week, I want to save your shoulder and also your life, by teaching you a few tips about heeling. 

A lot of people hesitate to teach their dog to heel. Most of this stems from guilt. Guilt that our rescue dog was born into terrible conditions and we want to gift her the best life ever. Guilt that our dogs have been inside all day while we were away at work. Guilt that they only got a pee break in the morning because we were running late. We feel guilty and think that letting the dog do whatever it wants makes it happy. We have forgotten that dogs crave structure and love to work. Heeling makes them happy!

So, let’s get rid of that guilt, shall we? I gift you right now my guilt-crushing unicorn. There. It just sat on your guilt and now you can’t pick it up and carry it around anymore. Feel better? Don’t try to move my unicorn! Just walk away from the guilt. And while you’re walking with that newfound confidence, pick up your leash with no tension and follow these three tips so that you can enjoy safer walks with your dog. 

Note: Guilt-Crushing Unicorn is heavier than she looks.

1. Teach your new puppy or rescue dog to heel as soon as you bring them home. A puppy that is pulling you soon grows into a full grown dog. A heavy dog. Did you know that male Great Danes weigh between 140 - 175 pounds? Even if your dog isn’t going to be very heavy, heeling is a great way to bond with your dog.

2. Practice heeling indoors. Outside, your dog is distracted by all the wonderful smells, sights, and sounds. Work on heeling inside your home before upping the challenge and heading outside. 

3. Change direction. When you’re walking with your dog or new puppy and they start to take off ahead of you, call their name and/or tap your thigh and encourage them to change direction with you. Reward them for doing so. This doesn’t mean hand them a barbecue chicken. A simple “Good boy,” is praise enough. Dogs LOVE to please their people. 

Happy heeling, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa

Photo by: Mel Elías (cover photo), V Srinivasan (red leash wrapped tightly around hand,) Jordon Conner (close-up of hand with leash and black dog pulling ahead,) James Lee (Guilt-Crushing Unicorn,) Jeffrey F Lin (pulling lab with pulling Weimaramer.)

Ice Ice Baby!

Is hockey the only way to enjoy being on the ice with your dog?

Sing it!

I know I just got it stuck in your head. In fact, stand up and do the running man — but only if you’re on stable ground! If you’re on the ice, you may slip. This week we’re talking about how to keep you on your feet when you’re walking your dog on the ice.

Have you ever fallen on the ice? Or even slipped on mud while you’re walking your dog? Yikes! Right now, you could play an NHL game on any Canadian sidewalk. You know that your dog needs her daily walks, but you’re terrified you’ll hurt yourself.

Can we PLEASE leave the deck today?

Last year, my friend broke her ulna when she slipped on an icy sidewalk. Not only was it painful, it required surgery, physiotherapy, and lots of time off work.

Here’s how to get a grip on those icy trails and sidewalks.

The answer is Traction Cleats.

What are they? Coils of wire or metal spikes/cleats that attach to your winter boots via a stretchy rubber frame. The first time you try them will blow your mind!

Traction Cleats

There are lots of different styles of traction cleats. My current pair of Yaktrax are about fifteen years old. When they were new, I could easily slip them onto any pair of boots (including an extra-large pair worn solely for insanely deep snow.) They even fit on my hiking shoes during the springtime. Yep, there’s still ice in Canada in the spring!

In their prime, my Yaktrax were fine to put on inside on my runner mat. I could stretch them over my boots, move around on the carpet (grabbing last minute items — a second poop bag, maybe a third, just in case…I think I need one more layer of mittens…), and then head outside to walk the dog. Fast forward about twelve years when the wires began uncoiling, and I quickly learned that I had to put the traction cleats on outside. The wires, now poking out this way and that way, snagged on the carpet and I almost fell flat on my face. More than once. Lesson learned…eventually.

Since I’m all reduce, reuse, repurpose, I am still using that same pair of Yaktrax three years later. The rubber has snapped, leaving me with wire coverage only on the front half (okay, third!) of each boot. I have to put them on outside, which is uncool when it’s freezing out, but hey, I’m saving the planet. Haha!

Last year was the first time I ever fell while wearing them! I drove to a trail, parked the car, pulled on the Yaktrax (what’s left them, anyway,) and carefully extracted myself from the front seat. I collected Magic from the back seat without any problem. She seemed to have enough traction on the skating-rink of a trail, so I decided to proceed. If we could just make it across the skating rink (AKA parking lot), we could tromp through the snow beside the trail, and eventually pop out into a clearing and play some fetch. Never mind that the first hundred feet of trail is completely uphill and flanked by trees. We got this! I want my outdoor time and Magic wants hers too.

Two steps away from the car, my feet came out from underneath me and I understood (finally!) why everyone who didn’t grow up in Ottawa is so afraid of ice. “So, this is what it’s like,” I thought, sitting up. Thankfully, I hadn’t hit my head. More importantly, I hadn’t hurt Magic when I bailed. I sat there thinking about of my friend’s broken bone and decided to go find a clear sidewalk to safely walk Magic. It simply wasn’t worth the risk.

I knew it was time for some new traction cleats.

I did the research. I just haven’t bought them yet.

And it’s February…of the following year. In my defence, this winter has been quite mild. I’ve only needed cleats twice, and the old pair worked just fine.

The good news is, I’ve had plenty of extra time to do even more research. I would LOVE to hear your feedback about which pair I should buy!

I’ve asked dog walkers and runners what they prefer in terms of coils (like Yaktrax) vs. spikes (like ICETrekkers Shoe Chains) vs. steel studs (like OutStar Ice and Snow Grips Over Shoe.) It really depends on whether you’ll be walking or running and whether you’re doing these activities on ice or on snow.

The runners maintain that the wire coils don’t bite into the ice as well, but taught me that the studs actually wear down much faster than the coils.

The dog walkers are divided. They like the coils for snow and the studs for ice.

The biggest takeaway message is: If you’re walking on sidewalks that have icy patches and also exposed pavement, you need to be careful no matter which cleats you pick. The same rules apply if you are going to wear them across a slippery parking lot and then walk inside a store or shopping mall - take the traction cleats off BEFORE you go inside. Yes, I have been that person who whooshed into the mall. “Which way to the Bambi auditions? Of course I’m doing this on purpose. It’s research.”

If you’re walking in deep snow, or ice-crusted snow, some cleats may come off your boots. It’s the same predicament we have with dog boots always coming off. Many traction cleats have attempted to solve this problem by adding a strap across the top of the foot.

The most recent reviews I’ve read online warn that the newer Yaktrax fit smaller than they used to. How many sizes up will I need to buy for my size nine winter boots? I’ll let you know, if I ever get around to replacing them.

Alyssa

Photos by: Taylor Friehl (hockey player with dog), jiayuan zhao (dog on deck), Patrick Schneider (traction cleats.)

Love, Love, Love

Happy Valentine’s Day! Since this is a day that’s all about LOVE, what better time than to talk about how much we LOVE our dogs. Today, we’re talking about shopping, hugging, and the top 5 ways you can show affection to your dog! 

If you walk into any pet store today, you’ll find an endless number of Valentine’s Day-themed toys, outfits, and treats that you can purchase for your favourite pooch. 

Humans show affection to other humans by showering them with gifts and hugging them. When we transfer these same sweet things over to our dogs, it doesn’t translate very well. 

Here’s why: 

Dogs don’t do shopping:

Dogs don’t go to the store and buy toys for their dog friends.  

When you come home waving a new stuffie around and talking in a high-pitched voice, your dog has NO IDEA what’s WRONG WITH YOU. They read your energy as EXCITED and SOFT and take the leadership role because it’s available. They JUMP on you, they WHINE, and you think it’s cute and REWARD them with the toy. 

What just happened? 

While you were filming the video of their “cute” behaviour, they became YOUR BOSS. 

It doesn’t matter if your dog is a 180 lb Great Dane, or a 10 lb Chihuahua mix - they both have teeth and nails. We don’t want them jumping on houseguests, toddlers, or Great Grandma. 

By giving them a treat or a toy when they are jumping and whining, you are essentially high-fiving them for that behaviour. When they jump on Great Grandma later that day and you yell at them, your dog will become VERY CONFUSED. 

PRO TIP: Ask your dog to sit and wait calmly before rewarding them with a new toy. Have fun!!

Dogs don’t do hugs:

If I had a nickel for every picture I’ve seen of a grinning person hugging their dog and the dog looking MISERABLE, I’d still be writing this blog for free (because I LOVE it), but I would be writing it from a castle in Ireland on Wednesdays, and a hammock in Fiji on Saturdays. Say it with me: Dogs don’t like hugs!

The dog in this picture is NOT happy.

In the dog world, a dog that stands overtop of the other dog’s shoulders is the dominant one. In some cases, after the head is placed on the shoulders, the next step is mounting behaviour. When a human hugs a dog, although they are intending to send a message of love, they are in fact sending a message of dominance. 

This is NOT a hug.

And that’s not all. The energy of the person GIVING the hug AND their RELATIONSHIP with the dog matters. You’ve probably witnessed this firsthand: The adult in the home who the dog views as his leader comes in and hugs the dog. The dog tolerates this, because this leader is trusted to come into the dog’s personal space. This doesn’t mean that the dog LIKED that hug, but it tolerated it because the person giving the hug has earned his trust and is allowed in his space bubble. 

What happens next? The adult says, “Sure, anyone can hug him. Go ahead.” So the neighbour’s rambunctious son goes over to hug the dog for a photo and WHAM - a bite in the face for Timmy that “came out of nowhere.” That phrase! Again, with the nickels! If I had a nickel for every time I heard that, I would OWN Ireland and Fiji by now.  

You’ve likely seen a few trainers of internet fame post pictures of their dogs hugging their shoulders from BEHIND. This is a different trick altogether, and one that I do not recommend for any of my clients who are struggling with leadership. It puts the dog in a dominant (yep, HUMPING) position behind your back. 

Sure, it’s a cute trick when you’re watching a dog show, but not when you inadvertently teach your PET dog that it’s okay not to have four on the floor. It won’t be a cute trick when they are covered in mud and walk up behind people in their Sunday best having a picnic in the park. Think about that before you teach that trick. 

5 WAYS TO SHOW YOUR DOG YOU LOVE THEM: 

1. Walk them every day. Dogs need walks. By fulfilling these needs, you are showing LOVE. 

2. Give your dog nutritious dog food, clean water, and appreciation every day. All of these things show affection to your dog. 

3. Remember to tell them when they are doing something right. So often we yell at our dogs to stop barking or stop chewing that sock. Let them know with a calm tone when they get it right and you will reap the reward of them repeating that good behaviour. A simple “Good boy,” speaks volumes to your dog. 

4. Pet them the way THEY like to be petted. Some dogs are nervous. If you are patient, they may come to you wanting to be petted. Petting these dogs UNDER THEIR CHIN is a great way to gain their trust. Happy-go-lucky dogs may come over to you right away and love to be petted all over. Other dogs love “bum rubs” - that spot near the base of their tail that they can’t reach themselves is a wonderful spot to pet them. By treating EVERY DOG AS AN INDIVIDUAL, you are showing TRUE LOVE and RESPECT for THEIR needs. 

5. Treat them like a DOG instead of a human baby. RESPECT is part of love. We often forget that dogs are a different species. They are not humans, even if they are dressed in bowties and sweaters. By becoming your dog’s LEADER you are fulfilling their NEED for leadership. You’re not becoming a tyrant boss, you’re becoming the coolest person on the planet - the one your dog will look to before they make a mistake. Lead on! 

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! 

Alyssa

This week’s photos by: Nicola Dreyer (lab on pink couch), __ drz __(husky being hugged), Carrie Yang (husky with it’s head on the shoulder of the other husky) , Yannick Menard (wolves), Constantinos Panagopoulos (humans leaning over dog’s shoulders), Berkay Gumustekin (puppy with red collar.)

HELP for First-time Dog Owners

Over the past four weeks, we’ve focused on how WE can HELP PREVENT dogs from being returned to shelters. 

Today, we’re going to help first-time dog owners figure out what dog (if any) to choose. Not a first-time dog owner? Don’t worry, there’s tips in here for you too. 

You did it! You graduated high school or college and you have your very first apartment. You’re sharing your home with two roommates and a guinea pig and you’re interested in adopting a dog. 

Here are two things to consider VERY carefully BEFORE you head to Florida for Spring Break, fall in love with one of the dogs on your beer can, and decide to bring it home with you — Yes, this has become a THING! 

You can read about that here: https://nypost.com/2020/01/23/florida-brewery-promotes-shelter-dogs-by-putting-their-faces-on-beer-cans/

1. Who will take care of the dog when you and all of your roommates go away on vacation? Or decide to tour Europe for a month? 

 If you answered: “My parents.” Call them RIGHT NOW and VERIFY that they will do this for you. I’ll wait…

If you answered: “I’ll just return the dog to the shelter when I want to go traveling.” Please do not adopt a dog right now. 

2. Who will exercise your dog EVERY SINGLE DAY while you’re at school or at work?  

If you answered: “I will exercise them before and after work and hire a dog walker to take them out midday,” — Awesome! 

Now, sit down and let’s talk about weekends. Your dog or new puppy will need to be let out VERY early in the morning EVEN on mornings that you are EXTREMELY HUNG OVER. If you choose not to exercise them and just head back to bed after a quick pee break, your new dog or puppy may: 

-have an accident on the carpet

-bark nonstop because she’s bored

-chew your shoes, remote control, and cellphone before you wake up again

-ingest something that requires SURGERY to remove

Do you have that kind of money? 

If you made it this far and are still thinking about adopting a dog, allow me to save you LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY!

Over the past two years, I have witnessed the number of clients who have ADOPTED FEARFUL RESCUE DOGS INADVERTENTLY increase at an ALARMING RATE! 

BEFORE YOU ADOPT A DOG: Book an INITIAL TRAINING SESSION with Beyond Dog Training. The skills you learn from us will ensure that you find a dog who is suitable for you. A fearful dog who snaps at your houseguests isn’t a great fit for novice dog owners, nor is a rescue dog who is said to be good with cats, and then tries to eat yours. Skip the stress and book with us. 

What you will learn when you book an INITIAL TRAINING SESSION before you choose your dog or puppy: 

-what energy level of dog would BEST suit your lifestyle

-how to choose between a young puppy, an adolescent, or a senior dog

-how reputable breeders test for temperament, matching the puppies to the owner who is the best fit for THAT puppy

-what questions to ask a breeder to find out if they are reputable or A PUPPY MILL BROKER (YES, THAT IS A THING AND IT FREAKS ME OUT!) 

-how many times you should visit a shelter before committing to signing the adoption papers

-what questions to ask the shelter staff or rescue organization to ENSURE that you don’t end up adopting a dog your are unequipped to handle. 

I can’t stress this enough. The number of rescue organizations adopting out FEARFUL, ANXIOUS dogs is STAGGERING! Please call us before you get TRICKED into thinking you’re adopting a “CHILL” dog. 

Let us arm you with wisdom, so that you can adopt a dog the whole family will love. 

Wishing you many wonderful walks today, dog leaders! 

Alyssa

This week’s photos by: Nafis Al Sadnan (brown dog), Vasily Koloda (graduation day), Dan Gold (Border Collie on beach), and Colter Olmstead (unsure black dog.)

Preventing “Christmas Mistakes” and Beyond

This is Part 3 of a 4-part blog series focusing on what we, as dog leaders, can do to prevent dogs from being returned to shelters. 

Christmas is pretty much the last thing on your mind right now. The tree is down, the decorations nestled safely in the boxes in the basement, and you’re finally getting the chance to curl up on the couch with your cuddly dog and good book. But what about those puppies who were given as gifts, only to be returned to shelters? Are they comfortable right now? Are they lonely? I don’t know about you, but I can’t rest until I’ve passed on these four tips about PREVENTING CHRISTMAS MISTAKES AND BEYOND with the world! Because you and I both know that puppies being given as gifts and returned to shelters happens year round - not just at Christmas.

If you read Part 1, you may remember that there are two times of year when shelters see a spike in the numbers of dogs and cats being returned. The first time of the year when people return their pets is in the summer, when they realize that they’ll have to either bring their dog with them on vacation, or pay a professional to take care of them. The second time of year comes right after the holidays, when puppies, who have been given as presents, are returned for well, just being puppies! 

Click this link for Part 1. Here is the link for Part 2.

The picture below, should be captioned: “Not my Fault.” Underneath it, is this week’s tip so that YOU can help less dogs end up in shelters like this one.

TIP #3: Give the gift of prevention.

If you know someone who is thinking about getting a puppy or a rescue dog, consider directing them to BeyondDogTraining.ca. We would be THRILLED to help you, your friend, your family member, or a random stranger you met on a bus to select a dog that is the perfect fit! When we offered this service to Jen J., she adopted a medium energy Miniature Australian Shepherd that other Aussie owners are perplexed by!

“But he’s so CALM!” they say. “Mine is INSANE!”

Jen learned about temperament testing from us and is grateful that she got the right energy level for her household. Her puppy fits in perfectly with her two cats and three children.

Are you wagging your tail just thinking about adopting a new dog? Visit BeyondDogTraining.ca and book a FREE 15 MINUTE PHONE CONSULT. We’ll start digging into (pun intended, sorry not-sorry!) what breeds and mixed-breeds would best suit you and your lifestyle. Planning on expanding your family in the near future? Find out which dogs make great family pets.

Is someone you know thinking of adopting a new dog and you’re worried that they’ll end up with the wrong energy match? Is your sedentary son thinking about adopting a Belgian Malinois and planning to keep it inside all day? You can give the gift of Beyond Dog Training in advance of the adoption. You do not need to HAVE your dog yet to work with us. Part of what we offer to our clients is HELP PICKING THE RIGHT DOG in the first place. This SAVES LIVES and PREVENTS dogs from being returned to shelters.

Here’s how to give the gift of BEYOND DOG TRAINING. 

1. Email alyssa.foulkes@beyonddogtraining.ca with:

 -the first and last name of the person who will be RECEIVING the gift certificate from you

2.   Send an e-transfer to alyssa.foulkes@beyonddogtraining.ca for $125 + HST. Total amount including the HST: $141.25

When you send the e-transfer: 

USE THE QUESTION: What do dogs love to do? 

USE THE ANSWER: Play 

Here’s what the person who receives the gift will do to book with us: 

1. Visit beyonddogtraining.ca/take-action

2. Select the “Redeem My Gift Certificate for a Behavioural Assessment”

3. Select a date and time that suits your schedule and book an appointment.

4. Gift certificate recipients must redeem their gift certificate by July, 2020. 

5. The gift certificate may be used for in-home training OR online training OR a one-hour consultation to help figure out what dog would be the best fit for you. 

Your gift to your family member or friend will help prevent a dog from being returned to a shelter.

Thanks for being a knowledgeable dog lover and a true dog leader!

Alyssa

This week’s photos by: Matthew Henry (Pug), and Valerie Blanchett (boxer X)

Preventing “Christmas Mistakes”

This is Part 2 of a 4-part blog series focusing on what we, as dog leaders, can do to prevent dogs from being returned to shelters. 

There are two times of year when shelters see a spike in the numbers of dogs and cats being returned. The first time of the year when people return their pets is in the summer, when they realize that they’ll have to either bring their dog with them on vacation, or pay a professional to take care of them. The second time of year comes right after the holidays, when puppies, who have been given as presents, are returned for well, just being puppies! 

Here is the link to Part 1:  

In 2018, Canadian shelters took in approximately 30,000 dogs and 81,000 cats! Of the 30,000 dogs, 35% were surrendered by their owners. There are no statistics available on the number of those dogs that were given as gifts. 

Many surrenders could be prevented.

How?

What if I shared the secret with you right now? Would you pass it on? 

The SECRET to a SUCCESSFUL ADOPTION is matching the ENERGY level of the OWNER to the ENERGY level of the DOG. More specifically, the energy level of the dog should be the SAME or LOWER than the people who adopt them. 

Here’s how it works. 

Dogs can be loosely grouped into four energy levels: low, medium, high, and very high. Anyone who wants to adopt a dog needs to look closely at how they spend their time, and select a dog that suits their lifestyle. 

If you are single and like to go hiking and biking every day and/or LOVE playing fetch, perhaps a Husky mix, Rhodesian Ridgeback, or Russell Terrier. These dogs require HOURS of exercise EVERY DAY, so if you’re very active and enjoy the outdoors, these breeds and mixed-breeds may be worth some research. 

If your family loves the water and spends weekends at the cottage, a Labrador Retriever, Barbet, or a German Shepherd X could be a lovely addition to your lives. 

If your family likes to chill in the house and watch movies all weekend, perhaps a less active, older rescue dog or retired breeder would fit in well. These dogs still need daily walks, but will tire out faster than dogs with high and very high energy levels. 

Psst! Did you know? All dogs require daily walking and exercise, regardless of energy level. Some dogs need more walking and running time, while others need less.

Interesting fact: Although the numbers of dogs and cats being returned annually to Canadian humane societies and SPCAs seems very large, the number of animals being taken in is actually trending downward! 

Let’s help continue this trend, by spreading the word about what it takes to meet the needs of a dog. 

If you, or someone you know is looking to adopt a dog and would appreciate some help selecting the perfect fit, please get in touch with us. 

Have a fantastic week, everyone!

Alyssa

This week’s photography by: Bharathi Kannan (Puppy-dog eyes), and Jakob Owens (French bulldog inside Santa’s hat.)

Christmas Mistakes

If the title of this recent article posted on CBC News by Matthew Kupfer made you shudder — you’re not alone! How sad that someone would gift a puppy. How careless. Humans need to do better. In case you missed this article, Kupfer highlighted two times of the year when local humane societies see a spike in animal returns (especially in dogs.) The first time of the year when people return their pets is in the summer, when they realize that they’ll have to either bring their dog with them on vacation, or pay a professional to take care of them. The second time of year comes right after the holidays, when puppies, who have been given as presents, are returned for well, just being puppies! 

It is doubtful that any of you reading this article would ever consider giving a puppy as a gift, but you may know someone who is thinking of surprising a loved one with a fuzzy bundle of awesomeness, so I thought of a few tips you could pass along. Let’s save some puppies from going through the stress of being adopted and then given away. 

Since this is SO IMPORTANT, I’m going to dedicate FOUR posts to this topic: that’s one tip every week right here in the blog. 

This week’s tip for how to stop a friend or family member from gifting a puppy is simple: Convince them to buy a book about dogs instead. I believe in your powers of persuasion! You’ve got this! 

There are a lot of great books that help families select the right breed (no, this should not be based solely on looks or colour preferences), energy level (we’ll get to that one next week), and age of dog. My favourite is “A Member of the Family,” by Cesar Millan. If people read this book before rushing out to get a dog, there would be a LOT less returns to the humane society, a lot less sad children, and loads more people who are HAPPY with their dog’s behaviour. 

If you haven’t had a chance to read it, this book can be enjoyed by any dog lover who is on the journey to becoming a dog leader. Enjoy!

Here’s the link to the CBC article.

This week’s photos by: Rhaúl V. Alva (puppy wearing Santa’s hat) and Jakob Owens (French bulldog inside Santa’s hat.)

Local Leash-Free News

Did you know that the City of Guelph is currently conducting a phone survey about Leash-Free areas for dogs? Many people have been making use of the new off-leash dog park located at Peter Misersky Park. There are two more fully-fenced dog parks scheduled to open soon: Bristol Street Park and Lee Street Park. If you want to weigh in on this topic, be sure to answer your phone to participate in the survey.

This week’s photo by: ipet photo