Beyond Obedience

Doggie Daycare: Is this a Solution for the Anti-social Dog?

2012-02-07T11:13:00.000-08:00

Some dogs enjoying the daycare in the play yard

Doggie Daycare is a wonderful opportunity for lots of working families. Today, people are busy with work and family commitments and sometimes our dogs are left at home holding the ball in their mouths waiting, for some playtime. So it seems like a good fit to get your dog out to the daycare for some exercise and socialization. And it is. But daycare should be used to supplement your dogs' exercise program, not be a substitute. What I mean by this, daycare shouldn't the only time your dog gets to socialize with other dogs. It shouldn't be the only time he gets out and about for his long walks and playtime. Why is that your ask? Because it is missing a key component to the success of your relationship with your dog. It's missing you. Quite often when people start seeing antisocial behaviours in their dogs, they immediately think of daycare as a good way to "treat " the problem. However, they are forgetting about their interaction with the dog and how they affect their pets behaviour. I have seen this first hand with my previous experience working in a wonderful pet resort as the Pet Activity Coordinator. My job was to find appropriate groups of dogs to play together. There was one particular dog that was a challenge and I spent a great deal of time working with him, not only finding the appropriate dogs to play with , but also making sure his level of play was under control. The owners were so happy with his progress throughout the months, that one day they decided to take him to the off leash park. The result was not good. He seemed to still have the same antisocial behaviour as he had before! They were shocked because I had told them that he had been doing so well. What went wrong? Well, during all the time I spent working with this dog, I had developed a relationship with him. He knew what was expected of him when he was with me. Unfortunately this "relationship" is non transferable. This idea is sometimes confusing to owners because with obedience, we teach our dog a command like "sit" and after the dog understands the idea , others can then often get the dog to sit. We can teach our dogs lots of obedience commands and hand signals and after practically anyone can get the dog to perform with much success. That is the differnce: Obedience is often transferable. Relationships are not. You can't teach a dog a relationship and then afterwards everyone has that relationship with your dog. (Golden Retrievers might be the exception to this rule) Your relationship with your dog is personal, unique and always evolving. Every day when you wake up, the things you do, affect your relationship with your dog( for better or worse I might add) . Obedience,on the other hand is often taught, remembered, and unchanged.
Here at Beyond Obedience we work on your relationship, not necessarily obedience. Don't get me wrong obedience training is very important. It helps to enhance your relationship.

Thanksgiving day pack walk

It is this concept that inspired me to offer the opportunity for people to join me in PACK WALKS. The pack walk helps dogs work on their social skills while reinforcing their relationship with the owner. During the pack walk, owners get an opportunity to master the concept of the structured walk, and then with the addition of other dogs( usually from my pack) begin to help (fearful or unconfident) or challenge (confident or high energy dogs) their dogs.

Tinder waiting to join the fun

Most pack walks end with some well deserved playtime in the yard. Before entering into the play yard , the owners take their dogs to the introduction area to see how everyone is "feeling" before entering into play with the other dogs ( a concept that should also be incorporated in the off leash parks as well)

Once the dog enters the yard the owners are encouraged to observe their dogs behaviour and monitor their level of play. All of this makes for a better understanding of their dog

Owners monitoring play time

.

Pack walks give owners and dogs the opportunity to get out and burn off excess energy, meet other dogs and dog owners, work on their relationship, and have some fun! If you would like more information about the pack walk, please feel free to contact me.

Walk on

Tracy

New Years Resolutions~

2012-01-26T10:46:00.000-08:00

    Well its 2012! We rang in the new year here at Beyond Obedience with a few guests from the holiday rush but all in all there is a significant decrease in activity. Our daycare dropped off quite a bit and boarding numbers, and pack walks are down too. I understand it of course, winter is hard on everyone.   I am not here to preach, but recently I have received a number of calls for behaviour consults and I can honestly say that in 9 times out of 10, the major reason for our dogs "acting out" is an abundance of energy. We aren't venturing outdoors as much and if we do we aren't out for as long. Some of our furry friends can't handle the extreme temperatures. Snow and ice can get all caught up in those paw pads. One of the stumbling blocks we have here right now is the icy conditions is hazardous for both people and dogs. We don't want to add tons of salt to the paths as it reeks havoc on our dogs paws too. So what are we to do? Well, we should try to get out as much as possible but when we can't, consider finding interesting and innovative ways to entertain your pooch inside. How about teaching your dog a new command or trick. Puzzle games and scent games which ask your dog to think outside of the box are good too! Anything really that gets your dog thinking will help rid some of the excess energy.
I was recently at Chapters and picked up a really good book by Kristen Wolf called Games and Sports for Dogs. This book is jam packed with lots of interesting things to do with your dog.   Everything from sledding, agility,fly ball etc to "treasure hunts", "find the scented towel", and "cardboard box and pillow pile".

   And of course for those of your that have a working breed or working mix breed, consider finding them a winter job. Our Jake (the Australian Shepard ) has been outside working hard on digging out a snow fort with our kids. He is doing an awesome job! And I recently heard from the owner of one Mariah's puppy's. She says her dog is doing his part to help out on the farm.  She sent me this pic and I thought it was worth sharing. She told me that Tughar loves to work and actually looks forward to putting on his harness. Winter chores now seem more fun!

So get out (or in) and try something new, you never know maybe you will find your dog has a hidden talent!!!!

Walk on

Tracy

Home for the Holiday

2011-12-19T10:39:00.001-08:00

The holiday season is among us and with holidays comes visits from friends and family. Recently someone asked me what to do about family coming to stay with them and they had no choice but to bring their dog as all the dog kennels were booked. She was wondering what to do with her dog as there was some concern that the two may not get along. She didn’t want to spend the holidays separating and isolating the dogs or worse having dog fights resulting in injuries. Anytime there is a visiting canine friend, it is always important to maintain your house rules at all time. It is never fair to isolate your dog to make room for a visiting dog. So the best way to introduce a new visiting canine companion is to take the two dogs for a structured controlled walk FIRST. Before you bring the new dog into the house, before you let them meet and sniff. Take your dog out and join the visiting dog in a walk. If there is a lot of tension keep dogs apart (ie dog/person/person/dog) keep walking until the dogs are calming down and not focusing on each other. When they are calm move one dog in (ie dog/person/dog/person) keep walking until you can walk the two dogs together and everyone is calm and relaxed. The walk does a couple of things. First and foremost it re-establishes your relationship as pack leader. Secondly it gets rid of excess energy and thirdly it allows the dogs to ‘meet‘ on neutral territory. Always remember a controlled walk is one where you walk with calm purpose and the dogs walk beside or slightly behind you. It gets your dog in the natural frame of mind of following. Something they were born to do. It also helps to calm down the brain which is excited due to the new guests. Moving forward with purpose prevents the dogs from focusing on each other which may build tension between the two of them. Instead the walk gets them working together as a ‘pack‘. The exercise is also critical to relieve pent up energy especially if your visiting guest has traveled a long way and probably needs to stretch his legs. And finally the worst thing you can do is introduce the new dog into your dogs territory especially if your dog ( or more importantly you) are unsure or apprehensive of the new arrival. During the walk make sure you remain calm and in control. Keep walking till both dogs are calm and there is no longer any tension between them. When returning home make sure YOU go through the doorway first and the dogs wait patiently until invited in. Maintain routines as usual. Both dogs should wait and be calm before being fed. All house rules about sleeping arrangements, furniture, dog toys etc should also be set and controlled. And everyone should be on board with the rules. Remember it shouldn’t matter that if the dogs aren't the best of buddies, as long as they both understand that the humans are in charge at all times. And lastly try to remember to maintain your dogs daily routines especially exercise. Routine is always important as your dog relies on this structure to find security, safety and over all well being. Have a wonderful Christmas and holiday season.

Walk on

Tracy

Don't Buy From Breeders!!!!

2011-12-11T08:17:00.001-08:00

This is a phrase I hear all the time, usually after a sad infomercial featuring dogs behind bars with sad faces looking horrible. Truth be told, those infomercials make me cry. And although I don't normally like to use my blog as an opportunity to stand on my soapbox and preach (oh wait I do that all the time) and I know there are lots of opinions on this subject matter and I am sure I will get a lot of negative feed back but here it goes.

I am a breeder. There I said it. Do I think you should buy your dogs from a breeder. Yes if you want a purebred dog absolutely, but from the right breeder. Now before you start typing your rebuttal let me finish my thought here. I recently started breeding my Newfoundlands. A breed which I fell in love with back in college when I was studying to become a veterinary technologist. I only just recently finally purchased my dogs a little over a year ago and fell in love all over again. What is it about the breed that I love? Everything from the lovable nature, working attitude, family dedication, to their ability to always find me after they have had a drink to wipe their slobber all over my pants. YEP I LOVE THIS BREED. I researched the breed, talked to breeders and eventually settled on a rescue organization to adopt one from, even met the dog and knew he was the one I wanted to adopt. The only problem was they rejected my application. I know right? I was a little floored about the decision too. How could that be? I was not only a vet tech, dog groomer and canine behaviourist with a dog facility, but I clearly knew my stuff about the breed and could provide a lovely home for him. But they rejected me due to the fact that I have children under the age of 5. And the dog is big and could accidentally knock over the children. (if only they met my children! They live with 10 dogs all different sizes and I guarantee the Jack Russell knocks them down way more than the large dogs!...but I digress)

Mariah working with the kids

So I went back to one of the breeders I spoke to which is eventually where I bought Mariah and Wellington. One of the core reasons I choose this particular breeder was because he was breeding for health and temperament. And any of you who have met both Mariah and Wellington can attest to that. Mariah is now my main therapy and training dog and accompanies me in almost all aspects of my Beyond Obedience work. Wellington is our star dog walker and assists in pack walks with such calm confidence he puts the most fearful dogs at ease. They are truly wonderful dogs. And they produced wonderful puppies which now have fantastic homes.

Now some of you will say I add to the problem of the huge number of dogs being euthanized every year, and all for the profit of dog breeding, cause you wouldn't do it if you didn't make money right? ( I hear this phrase an awful lot too!)

So here is my point of view and although it is the point of view from a "breeder" I think I bring to the table another perspective. I am also a vet tech. And in my career as a technician I have been the person on the other side of the needle, pushing the plunger to end a life. Hundreds of lives. I have been the person to hold the life of a beautiful creature in my arms and watch helplessly as the last flicker of energy leaves that body. I have been the one to cry, to yell, to scream at the top of lungs in anger and frustration. I have been the one to ask why? time and time again. And although it never got any easier, the question still remains. How do all these wonderful dogs end up here and why do I have to kill them?

Are dog breeders the cause of this over population of canines? I guess some are. But, I think we should be targeting the right culprits. Just saying don't buy from breeders is a blanket statement and doesn't really help in my opinion.  There are wonderful breeds of dogs out there that have been around for hundreds of years and although they may not serve the same purposes as they did when they were originally created, they still hold a piece of history within themselves that I believe should be maintained. Just watch a working breed in action and you will see the shear brilliance and beauty that is remarkable and amazing. Take Jake for example. The Australian Shepard who just recently came to stay with us here at Beyond Obedience. His work ethic is unparalleled to any other and the joy of working can be seen on his face as he performs. But this is just one example there are too many to list for sure. SO  for my side of the story...

I can only speak for myself and a lot of my breeder friends who are fantastic people. Because these are the people who truly love their breed. Their dedication to the breed and their dogs is outstanding. You see most of us breeders, do take painstaking care in finding the right homes for our dogs. My first litter I think the puppies where almost 5 months old by the time they finally went to their new homes. I turned down many. And at the end of the experience I spent way more money than I made. I know that is hard to believe but sometimes we do thing for the love of it , not because it makes us money. The other part I think I should mention is that for good breeders out there, our commitment to our dogs is for the life of the dogs. The dogs are to come back to us if there is ever a problem whether it is health or financial have to move to an apartment, you name it, no questions asked the dogs can always come back. Our dogs are micro chipped and registered to us if they are ever lost, and the owner can not be found. I know of a breeder who has been out of breeding for over a year and just recently got a call from a dog owner in another province. This breeder is already making arrangement to fly this now adult dog back because the owner can no longer take care of the dog.( all expenses being paid for by the ex-breeder) Another friend of mine, a husky breeder, flew to a city to rescue one of her dogs from a home which was currently having a domestic dispute. We love our dogs. We love the breed. Many of the good breeders donate money or are part of rescue foundations for the breed they love. Registered breeders take care in monitoring genetic health issues and registering their pedigrees to maintain good lines. We are not out their just willie nillie putting unknown dogs together and hoping for the best. There is care and forethought in all decisions. And it is this that you are paying for. When you spend hundreds of dollars for a dog from a breeder you are paying for this dedication. You are paying for the monitoring and registering, you are paying for the care and consideration that goes into each and every dog and most likely you are paying for the love and commitment to not only the breed but the puppy which you are taking home.

Sooooo... here is where I believe the difference lies...

WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY are people spending top dollar for MIXED BREED DOGS???????
yep I am shouting! Back in my day these were results of neglecting getting your dog neutered in time and the puppies were "free to good home" and the dogs were fixed the second they could be fixed as pet owners did not want to go through that again. Now a days people are putting cutsie names to it and charging upwards of a thousand freaking dollars for them. Chweenies???? are you freaking kidding me? Puggles, Chorkies, Morkies????and lets not forget the doodles. Please STOP!!!!! STOP STOP STOP.
Did you know that "labradoodles " were created to give a "hypo allergenic" dog for those suffering from allergies but don't like "poodles" . But here is the thing. First of all these dogs are not shed free. If they have hair, they shed. True they shed significantly less but it is the dander of the dog that cause allergies and all dogs have dander. And ironically (and this is just my own observation from working in the boarding/daycare business) lots of these dogs suffer from ...you guessed it, ALLERGIES. So although we produced a dog that is suppose to be easier on our human allergy suffers, these dogs end up suffering themselves. Seasonal allergies or food allergies, lots of doodles I know are on some sort of antihistamine. Don't get me wrong. I have had the opportunitiy to work with many doodles and I do love them dearly. So I am not hating on the doodles or any other mixed breed for that matter. I am just questioning the accountability of the "breeders " of these dogs.  You see, I have had the opportunity to work in genetics for a while in my technician career. I worked closely with leading scientists and doctors that have dedicated their lives to trying to study and understand genetics. If there is one thing I learned from it was this : genetics is a crazy game, it is not as simple as if I take one thing with good and bad qualities and mate it with another that has both good and bad qualities I will most likely get a litter of only good qualities. It takes generations ( at least 20 ) to create a breed and start to see some predictability in your lines and even then genetics will throw you a curve ball. Hence why registered breeders are continuely keeping track of their pedigrees!

I recently emailed a "breeder" of small dog mixes to question her "breeds" (her website had lots of adorable puppy pictures with hearts and clouds in the background...ahhh cute right?). I wanted to find out more information about her "breeds". She sent me back information about how the puppies births are all documented with baby pictures and such (which you get in an adorable baby photo album when you buy one of her dogs) along with some other cute things like the blanket he/ she was born on and that sort of thing. Of course her puppies were cute and adorable ( as most puppies are ) but when I asked about her health issues, she indicated that her puppies were healthy and that sometimes the get a slight skin redness which goes away and also some have slight heart murmurs.... (Ummm Excuse me ? WTF??) but the dogs with the heart murmurs still live to be quite old with no problems. Oh ok well that is well worth the $500.00 she was charging. This is a problem. I wish people could see this. Ok the puppies are cute but a mixed breed is just that a mixed breed. And let me say it is a MYTH that mixed breeds have less health issues. If you breed a pug with a health problem to a beagle with a health problem you are going to get puggles with ...you guessed it: HEALTH PROBLEMS. And there is no one documenting this. There is nothing holding these people accountable. They are not paying for registrations or health testing or even genetic testing. They are just MAKING MONEY ON THESE DOGS.
We spend all this time hating on puppy mills but just because these people aren't mass producing these dogs to the same extent as puppy mills does not make their contribution to the over population of dogs any less of a concern.

In my years of having to euthanize dogs, very rarely was I euthanizing a purebred registered dog. That is my experience. That is not to say it doesn't happen, just in my experience it wasn't the norm. However now as I am increasing my behaviour studies there are far more "mix " breed dogs out there with not only health but behaviour issues, and they are going un-documented, and they are becoming a increasing concern. These are the dogs ended up in shelters and these are the dogs that are be re-homed again and again. Stop the madness. Don't buy from BACKYARD BREEDERS. If you want a mixed breed dog, adopt one from a shelter, chance are you will be paying far less and giving a well deserved pet a new start on life. So I will say it agin: Adopt when you can, spay and neuter your pets and if you are having behaviour problems with your dog, seek professional help, before surrendering your pet to the shelter.   Lets do our part in keeping our beloved dogs out of the shelters and in our homes and hearts.

Tracy Franken
Vet Tech
Pet Groomer
Dog Behaviourist

and
Breeder of Newfoundlands.

Beyond Obedience's Newest Pack Member

2011-12-04T07:53:00.001-08:00

Meet Jake. A 12 year old Australian Shepard. Jake has a story. A 12 year story. And the truth is I don't know his whole story. Only Jake knows this. So I am starting his story today, or a few days ago, when I met him. My husband and I drove out to Pakenham, to meet Jake , his current owner and a potential new owner. Jakes current owner wanted to give Jake a better life, and while many of us out there can say, how can you give away a 12 year old dog? it is not my place to judge or critize as it does nothing to help Jake in this transistion, The interested potential new owner brought her 6 year old Sheltie Bailey to see how the dogs would react. Introductions of dogs can be a tricky thing. It is often not as simple as "let them figure it out" Well let me clarify.. It is that simple when humans are not involved. Dogs are remarkable at figuring it out without much fighting and rarely bloodshed. But add a human into the equation, well that is another story. Quite often we are the cause of much of the fights and disagreements amongst dogs. We think that dogs are acting out of jealously but sadly this is just in our own heads and in my opinion not true. Jealousy is a complex emotion that I believe dogs are too intelligent to suffer from. ( I know many of you will disagree but we can save that debate for another time :) ) Quite often when a new dogs enters into a pack with another dog and some humans, the original dog takes offence to the new dog because he has his pack of humans well trained and the new dog is going to interfere with all his well laid plans. This would have been the case with Bailey. It was quite clear from the moment I met Bailey that he had his pack under control. The owner admitted this too. Bailey was 'spoiled' and he was quite comfortable in his life. So after a few walks and some talking we brought Jake home with us.

Any new dog that enters into the Beyond Obedience pack starts off the same. Structured pack walk. The structure walk allows dogs to "meet" while understanding the relationship and hierarchy here at the facility. For most dogs this pack walk starts off slightly stressful but soon becomes a method of reassurance to the new dog. Pack migration is natural in the canine mind, and although the pack members may be new, the dynamic of this migration is not. Essentially I am taking the guess work out of it for the new dog. We are a pack. The humans are in charge. Once that is established, the new dogs' mind is put at ease and tension quickly dissipates. We started Jake out no different. Even though both my husband and I were already soaked and tired from Jake's initial meet in Pakenham, we knew we had to do it again and probably again and then again. We first introduced Jake to Jessie, our older mixed breed female and Wellington, the intact male Newfoundland who has the highest dog ranking here at Beyond Obedience. As expected Jake's presence set Wellington into a less than cordial greeting as Jake is not neutered and much older than Wellington. But I disagreed with Wellingtons reaction and we were off. We walk until all dogs settle in and there is no sign of stress or anxious behaviour. This didn't take long and we continue introducing our other dogs in the same fashion. Before long it was plain to see that Jake likes the ladies, but not a fan of the boys. Not unusual for an older intact male for sure, but something we would continue to work on. After the walks and Jake was tired we asked him to rest in a large crate in the house. Unfortunately Jake has confinement issues from his past and this was made apparent after we successfully got him in the crate and walked away. Jake has the most soulful and one of the saddest howls I have ever heard. But this was something we would also have to work on. Although the sound would break your heart it was important to make sure we didn't feed into this by talking to him or telling him it is ok. We had to let him be. This is an issue that he needs to face. Instead we started him on a routine of short duration positive confinement (ie putting him in the crate) to eat and then when he is quiet and calm let him out and play. This way he learns that confinement isn't a death sentence but instead part of daily life, and nothing to get worried about.

Day 2

I took Jake out first thing in the morning for his walk with a few of our pack members, later he helped me walk the kids down to the school bus and then went for another walk with different pack members. (we do lots of walking here) He really walks well with the other dogs even if they are not his best friends. We went into the indoor play yard and I wanted to see if he would play. The previous owner mentioned he had a huge play drive and I wanted to see for myself. Jake was more interested in sniffing and marking the area at first but soon I got his attention with a basketball and I got to see the working dog come out. Pretty impressive! He got pretty dirty so I then decided Jake was overdue for a nice bath and trim.

He did fabulous in the bath and was a real rock star for the dryer and trimming procedure ( and he looks and smells fantastic). After the bath we did some more walks and got the kids off the school bus. He was very cheerful and submissive to see the kids off the bus. A very encouraging sign. That night after final playtime he entered his suite on his own without encouragement but still howled when we left.

Day 3

Pack walks today with guest Yogi. Wasn't love at first site as Yogi is an intense boy, but he walked well and stayed right with us. Mark discovered Jake's love for Frisbees. So much fun!!!! Note to self: buy more Frisbees!!!! We want to make sure that Jake understands that the kids are pack leaders too. I invited Paisley to play with Jake and she had a good time, and so did Jake!
We continue to work on Jake's confinement issues. Still a sad howl when left but much better at going into a suite. Also Jake is obviously feeling more comfortable in the house as he has tried marking some of the furniture. He is easily corrected, and does not take offense. He has bonded more with us as he always likes to be with or near us.

Day 4 and 5

Pack walks are going fantastic! Jake knows what is expected of him and fits in beautifully. He has been going out for group with Jessie, Lincoln, Mariah, and Soda (sometimes Berlin) and doing well. If there is toy he is playing with, he prefers to work alone. Lincoln loves him and although the feeling is not mutual, Lincoln has not taken offense to this. Jake is good in the house (still have to watch for marking) and always sleeping at my feet. There is an intense bond as he is obviously comforted by my presence. This is normal when you provide clear structure to a new dog. When a dog is feeling vulnerable, we need to be more confident leaders to help them through the transition and Jake has adjusted really well.

Day 6

New guest dog pack walk this morning. Tonka was trying to be dominate, and Jake did not approve but looked to me for support. I immediately corrected Tonka, and Jake went back to submissive position. I love it when a dog asks a question!!!

This afternoon I had Jake with me outside while I was moving the outdoor play equipment inside. I noticed Jake trying to help by picking up logs. So I put him to the test and asked him take in the plastic jumps. He did awesome and was so proud of himself! He is a truly amazing dog! He loves to work!!! I love a working dog!!!! He is brilliant!!!! And really coming out of his shell!

Day 7

Snow! and Jake is having a blast with the kids. Ben loves the fact that Jake will jump in the air to catch his snowballs! Jake is sleeping more soundly now which is a great indicator of his comfort level with us in his new home. We love this boy and are truly blessed to share our lives with him!!!!

What is Beyond Obedience?

2011-11-05T11:11:00.001-07:00

When we opened our dog doors here at Beyond Obedience, We had ideas for what we would offer the local dog community. A nice comfortable place to board their dogs when they had to go away. A fun place to drop your dogs off for the day for daycare. A relaxing grooming salon, to allow dogs to actually enjoy their day at the spa, and of course a different take on traditional "training" by offering people help in their home on issues they deal with everyday. Well in doing all that I realized perhaps what we offer is all that and alittle more. Recently, we started offering the opportunity to join us in pack walks. We always walk in packs due to the number of dogs we have to walk, so we take this for granted but the pack walk is so beneficial. What I didn't realize is for people with anti social dogs or I should say dogs labelled anti social, there isn't many options open for rehabilitation. Those dogs are not welcome at off leash parks and trying to find neighbours and friends to help you out is sometimes difficult. But often what is standing between an anti social dog and his road to recovery is the opportunity to be with other dogs in a structured setting. Take our newest honoury member of our pack Tonka. A 4 year old lab/ boxer mix with tons of energy and spirit! His owner Lynn has done a fantastic job teaching Tonka basic obedience and it shows! Tonka has attended obedience school as well as had in home training through another company. He is obedient and very smart. But Lynn was still struggling with his social behaviour. After setting up an appointment to meet, Mariah and I set out to Dunrobin. Our walk with Tonka proved that he was not an aggressive maniac that he had been labelled, but an exhuberant excited guy that maybe sending off the wrong signals. After discussing the importance of getting him out with other dogs Lynn honestly said she was at a loss because there was only one other dog in the neighbourhood that Tonka was allowed to be around. It was at that point I invited Lynn to walk with my pack at Beyond Obedience. And what a walk! Tonka and Lynn did so well that we signed Tonka up for some daycare as well. Since coming for some socialization Tonka has been doing much better at home. Lynn says he is even listening to commands better and just generally happier. See, pack walks are like group therapy for your dog, and a whole lot of fun!

Anyone interested in learning more about Pack walks feel free to contact me

Walk on

Tracy (and the whole pack at Beyond Obedience!!!!)

Thanksgiving Fun!

2011-10-09T16:12:00.000-07:00

We have had an amazing weekend here at Beyond Obedience. What a gorgeous weekend and the dogs have been having an absolute blast. We welcomed Harley, a gorgeous bullmastiff with so much spunk and energy we couldn't let our own Arlington pass her by. These two 11 month old pups had the time of their lives! It was non stop play and with the addition of a large stick that Harley found they couldn't be happier. Of course Harley loved her time in the pool (unusual for a bullmastiff) but it is so warm I think everyone had a dip or two in the pool this weekend. We also met Lacey and Hershey, 2 adorable chocolate labs. Hershey sure does love his walk and everyone was arguing over who gets to walk Lacey because she loves to hang out with people and walks at a perfect heal! Lacey also has her own way of swimming in the pool. She lays down and spins. Quite a laugh. Mariah thought Hershey was pretty special and kept asking him to play. Sam the mini doodle, popped in on Saturday for a spa day and joined us for a pack walk in the warm fall sun. He loved it and of course looked stunning and gorgeous after his bath! Today we were sad to see our good friend Harley go home but we were so happy to welcome Pewter for the day! It's a good day to be Pewter!!! She is in a super good mood! She ran laps this morning in the yard, then had a fantastic pack walk, then played again . She is having some great fun playing in the pool too! In the evening we enjoyed great playtime in the arena. What a great weekend!!!!

Home Away from Home

2011-10-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

Since starting our boarding department of Beyond Obedience we have had the opportunity to meet and greet many different types of dogs. As always our goal with each and every dog is to provide them with the best experience every time they stay with us. We do this by finding out the individual likes and dislikes of each one of our guest, and coming up with an itinerary that suites their individual needs. That is our commitment, but there are things owners can do to help improve their dogs stay. So I would like to give you some "Tips for Your Dogs Stay at the Kennel or Home Away from Home"

1) My first recommendation before any stay at a kennel is: to do your homework.
There are many different types of kennels, from cage free, to group play, to individual space with indoor /outdoor runs. Pick the one that fits your dogs needs. Shy and quiet dogs will not do well in group settings and may need private space to allow them to rest, where as young playful dogs will be bursting with energy if they only have limited playtime. You need to check them out, visit and talk to the owners. Ask lots of questions about sleeping arrangements, exercise, feeding routines etc. Not every dog is right for every kennel and both you and your dog need to be comfortable with the kennel you choose.

2)If time permits schedule a daycare appointment first.
Daycare is a great way to introduce your dog to a facility and the staff without the overwhelming experience of a nightime stay. It allows the dog to get used to the routines and daily goings on and more importantly gives the facility staff a chance to give you feed back on how your dog is dealing with all the change. Sometimes it helps to have a few more days of daycare or even a one night stay to make sure your dog is adjusting well before you head off on your 2 week european vaccation.

3)Aways give your Kennel all your dogs information
Even if you think it isn't relevant or it may look bad on your dog, providing the kennel with all your dogs personality traits is important. If your dog has food aggression issues or doesn't like children or small dogs for example, make sure the staff know it. It will only help to ensure not only safety but your dogs comfort as well. Most trained kennel staff can work around common behaviours as long as they know about it before hand.

4) Drop off in the morning
Even if you aren't leaving till the evening or early the next morning, it is always best to drop your dog off in the morning time slots to allow your dog time to settle in and and settle down. It is worth the extra day board to make sure his/her first night is successful. Dogs need time to adjust to a new environment before they can relax and sleep so give them the day to meet the staff and other dogs and relieve some energy and anexiety before they are asked to go to bed for the evening.

5)Try to keep night time rituals the same
If possible bring all your dogs sleeping arrangements you use in your home (with the excepetion of you and your bed of course) Whatever your dog associates with rest/quiet time should be brought to your kennel. Crates, mats, blankets toys he/she sleeps with, kongs with peanut butter etc, should all be packed with his/her stuff. It is easy to distract dogs during the day with playtime and walks but at night time you want your dog to be comforted by familiar scents and rountines. If you always give your dog a biscuit before bed, your kennel should do the same. You can also include a gently used item of your clothing to help with scent associated with home.

6)Leave your negative emotions at the door
This is probably one of the best things you can do for your dog. If you do practices steps 1-5 you should feel comfortable and confident that your dog will be well cared for in your absence. I know your dog is part of your family and of course you are going to miss and probably worry a little about him/her. But if you can try to be positive and believe your dog is going to have a good time, it will greatly improve the likely hood that he/she will. But on the contrary , if you feel bad , or are apprehensive about leaving your dog, you will send this negative energy message to your pet.

Although I can't speak for all kennels, we take a lot of pride in the care we give to our each and everyone of our guests. We at Beyond Obedience really do try to give your dog a "home away from home".

My Weekend Away

2011-09-20T10:05:00.000-07:00

So as some of you know I spent the weekend back "home" where I grew up to say hello to family and friends and of course do some in-home consultations. I wanted to share some of my experiences so those of you in similar situations can relate and perhaps benefit from others stories.
I wanted to talk about my last session. One that was almost missed, but as I was packing my truck to head home a neighbour approached with his adorable min pin/ yorkie cross. To protect the identy of this neighbour lets call him Bill and his dog....Foxy.
So as I am packing my truck I happen to hear a bit of a boisterious commotion behind me and was of course not surprised to see the small package of joy that was behind all the chaos. Foxy was 10 ft ahead of Bill at the end of a 'flexi-leash' and dancing on her hind legs , barking up a storm, something that was obviously very important to her but the message was lost in translation.

I greeted Bill, tried to get around Foxy to shake his hand but was unsuccessful at avoided the dancing dog. Bill then proceded to tell me that Foxy was quite "anti-social" and difficult to deal with. He went on to explain that he and his wife could not believe how one little dog could manipulate a household the way Foxy did.

I check my truck, check my watch, really had a long drive ahead me and should get going but I have a hard time walking away from a dog in need. (yes I said dog in need)

So I put my bag down on the ground and asked Bill if he has time for a walk. He agrees and head off to the house, turn to Bill and tell him I am just going to get my dog too.
"oh NO!" Bill says, "Foxy only likes one dog and unfortunately that dog passed away. She hates every other dog."
I assure Bill that everything will be ok and proceed into the house. I return with my wonderful sidekick a beautiful bronze Newfoundland Mariah. Well Bill wasn't kidding, Foxy goes ballistic! she charges to the end of her leash back up on her hind legs barking growling and lunging like she had every intention of taking down my Newfoundland. Of course Mariah is unphased by all this and we continue walking towards Bill and Foxy. I motion to Bill to start walking, he does, abit reluctantly but as I catch up I take his flexi leash, lock it in position and keep walking. Foxy is still lunging and carrying on but we pay no attention to it. We make it to the road, Foxy is still only walking on 2 feet and barking but the intensity is decreasing. Bill still looks worried so I start talking about the weather. Less than 50 meters into the walk, Foxy's front feet touch the ground. She is walking right inbetween Bill and I but she still keeps a close eye on Mariah. We reach the stop sign and head down the "loop " of the cresent. Bill starts to relax and talks to me about his other business ; horses which of course is my other passion. As we round a corner I see Bill tense up as a black and white dog comes charging down out of his house towards us. "Foxy HATES this dog!!!" I keep walking and talking horses. Foxy does turn to bark but I used my pinky finger to gently pull up on her leash to remind her that we are walking. She turns back to the road ahead and keeps going. Bill is amazed. "Normally she would be like a fish on a hook after that dog!" We continue on our walk. Bill looks down at Foxy and says "I wonder what she is listening to? her ears are down and back, I guess she hears something behind us." Well the truth of the matter is that Foxy was starting to relax. Her tail was still up and Bill mentioned to me that her tail never comes down that is just the way her tail sits on her back. I smiled at that. As we heading for his house I tell him I am going to give him back the leash but he had to keep doing what we were doing, keep her beside us, no tension on the leash and just keep walking. And as I let go and Bill took over, wouldn't you know it, Foxy's tail came down, level with her body. Bill was shocked and amazed. We walked the two dogs up the driveway and to his front door. I mentioned to Bill that when I took the leash and 'disagreed' with Foxy's behaviour, I took on a leadership role. A role that was once possessed by Foxy and it took less than 1 minute for her to give it up. The other 10 minutes was me proving to Foxy that I could handle the job, which was why her ears went down and she started to relax. But it was not a long enough walk to gain Foxy's trust. Trust takes time and that is why she only completely relaxed when Bill took hold of the leash. Leadership and trust and he and Foxy had a perfect walk. As we spoke the two dogs laid down beside one another on the front step of Bill's door.
Now of course there is still lots to do, Foxy has issues in the house with barking and such, but in less than 20 minutes we had a "anti-social " dog walking in perfect harmony with her owner, a stranger and another dog. Not bad if I do say so myself. Soooooo

I have said it before and I'll say it again

THE WALK. It's more than just exercise or potty breaks. The walk is like your reset button.
Use it correctly, the walk will change your relationship with your dog for the better!

If you would like more information about the 'structured' walk please feel free to contact me

Walk on

Tracy

Dog Playground Open!

2011-08-05T18:43:00.000-07:00

Well we finally done it. With the suggestions from some of my beyond obedience clients we have finally opened the first section of our new dog playground. It is a large out door yard with obsticles, toys , balls and pool. The yard has access to individual 10x10 suites with cooling down, and sleeping areas. Each suite is set up with it's own little deck for those sun lover dogs who just enjoy lounging on a hot day. The addition of this playground and suites has allowed us to offer more services here at the facility. These services include daycare, boarding and socialization training. As always Beyond Obedience still offers grooming, seminars, training and in -home consultations.

It is true that doggie daycares are a good way to introduce your dog to new dogs, people and different environments. Here at Beyond Obedience we specialize in socialization the right way. Proper introductions and supervised playtime are essential to the health and well being of all our guest here at the center. If you would like more information about the new services offered here please feel free to contact us.

Newfoundlands of Beyond Obedience: Velvet Goes Home

2011-06-27T03:34:00.000-07:00

Newfoundlands of Beyond Obedience: Velvet Goes Home: "Well we are pleased to say that all puppies have found their forever homes. Velvet went home with her wonderful family in Kingston. It has b..."

Walk the Dog!

2011-05-26T16:41:00.000-07:00

I am not going to lie. I am a fair weather dog walker. There I said it, and I will be the first to admit it. Not for my job of course. I walk in sunshine, rain, snow or hail. I walk when I am sick, I walk when I am tired and I walk when I am hurt. For my job, I walk no matter what. But when I come home after a long day of walking other peoples dogs, and look at my own pack of dogs I admit, if it is miserable out or I don't feel great, I skip the walk. Kinda sucks for my pack huh? But now that the weather is warming and there is more daylight I am trying to commit to walking my pack more. Nothing starts your day off better than a nice morning walk. There are so many good reasons to walk. Exercise and health being one of course but there are more maybe less obvious reasons. I use the walk to see what side of the bed a dog woke up on. It then sets the tone for the rest of my day. Most times if I go to a new clients home to discuss correcting unwanted dog behaviour, whether it be barking, jumping or chewing, more often than not we start off with the walk. I like to think of the walk as the fundamental groundwork to every canine relationship. And most often than not, my clients will admit to not spending alot of time walking the dog, and those that do, do not practise a structured walk. Quite often we are only walking the dogs to allow him to do his business, or we are on our way out the door to work and only have a few minutes so we let Fido run to the end of his flexi leash and run back and call it a walk. Some feel the smaller the dog the less of a walk required. Their little legs have to move 2X as fast anyway right? Walking around the house and yard should be plenty of exercise. Or we let the dog drag us down the street because well you have been away all day and you want your dog to "have fun". I have heard it all. But here is what I know. Almost every dog LOVES to go for a walk. And if you can throw in an unfamiliar street or two it is like winning the lottery for your furry friend. And if done with some structure the walk can help build a better bond with your dog. Now I know what you are thinking. You thought a nice chunk of your cheeseburger would build a better bond with your dog. True enough but this works too and it better for the both of you. Now there is a wide variety of dog equipment available to use now a days. Everything from flat collars and leashes to training collars, head harnesses, body harnesses, anti- pull products etc. All of which I will go over in a future discussion. I personally have a "less is more" kinda philosophy when it comes to walking but every dog/human is different. You have to find a product that you and your dog are comfortable with. Walks should start off with you in control. You should never let your dog yank you out the door.( incidently you should teach your dog that an open door does not mean he can run out. It is for his own safety) Your dog should follow your lead. You get to decided the path and direction of the walk. You get to decide the speed, when you stop and when you start. You even get to decide when the pee breaks are. Now your whole walk doesn't have to be this structured. You can allow your dog some slack to pick up the daily doggie news in the neighbour hood, but you should always start and end your walk with structure. Coming back home, you make sure you are in the lead. Enter your home first and invite your dog in. He who enters first runs the house. Trust me he will appreciate it in the long run. For a dog, running a household of humans is very stressful work . Too much work for most dogs. So take the pressure off. Let your dog take the follower role and you both will be better off.

For more tips on walking your dog and starting your journey to a better relationship, please feel free to contact me.

Walk on.

Tracy

Adopting a New Dog?

2011-03-27T06:18:00.001-07:00

I enrolled in the Veterinary Technology program at St. Lawrence College, many years ago. I remember my very first animal handling class in first year. We were all extremely eager and excited waiting for the class to begin. The instructor walked into the room, welcomed us to the program and then turned quite abruptly and stated: " In this profession you will have to kill animals. If you think you are unable to do it, save yourself the time and money and drop out now" Harsh words I thought but it kinda went in one ear and out the other. The shear excitement got the better of me. Besides as if the job I get would include killing animals. I wanted to help animals. So I completed the 3 years. One of the programs work experience placements included working at an animal shelter. And wouldn't you know it one of our responsibilities was to euthanize the animals that were not adoptable. It is the sad reality of animal shelters. The first dog I ever had to euthanize, was a purebred Weimaraner . Yep the 'gray ghost'. He was stunning. I couldn't believe this beautiful creature was sentenced to death. I went back to the admin desk to question it. She assured me that indeed this dogs time had come. He had been dropped off by his original owners because he was too hard for them to handle and the couple was expecting a baby. He had been at the shelter, in total for months, been adopted out more than a few times and was always returned. His file was stuffed full of complaints from families stating that they just could not live with him. Oh he wasn't aggressive or fearful. He was destructive. He destroyed furniture, carpets, broke glassware,walls and chewed counter tops. He even took down a screen door. Ripped apart yards, pulled on his leash so no one wanted to walk him. He chased cats and cars and simply put was incorrigible. I went back to the dog, while the vet got the shots ready. I remember clearly as if it were yesterday the expression on that dogs face. He looked happy. I know that is an unusual thing to say but it is true. He looked like a happy go lucky dog. I became overwhelmed with sadness as I thought about what this dog had been through the last few months, trying new homes, meeting new people, and then always coming back to the shelter. How unsettling this must have been. And here we are today about to end his life. The vet returned with the sedation and the euthanizing solution. He gave the sedative and told me to wait with the dog until he got sleepy. As I sat with this dog and watched him slowly get comfortable on the floor, his head in my lap, I couldn't help but shed some tears as I stroked his head. Of course I had to pull it all together when the vet returned and handed me the euthanol solution. I was told this is a good opportunity to practice my intravenous injection technique I had learned in school. So there it was. The day I thought would never come was here. I had to euthanize this dog. The vet could sense my moral struggle and told me this is something I should get used to, but it never gets easier, because truth be told there are a lot of dogs brought in for euthanasia for behavioural issues most of which could be corrected. As I held my breath, I inserted the needle, exhaled and slowly pushed the plunger. I watched as this beautiful creature took his last breath. For him, it was painless and peaceful. For me it was agonizing. I went home that night with a flurry of emotion. I was angry and sad and confused all at the same time. I had decided to looked up information about the breed. German Gun Dog. Hard core working breed, needs lots of exercise... it went on and on. You see this dogs wasn't being a bad dog, this dog was just being a Weimaraner.

This leads me to my point. The decision to add a new pet to our lives is one that should be done with a great deal of consideration and forethought. You need to ask yourself some serious questions and be honest about your answers.

Why are you getting a dog? What role will your dog play in your life. Are you fulfilling your own needs or his?

How much time can you spend with your dog? Are you the type that likes to travel or works a lot? Perhaps a dog isn't the right choice for you.

How active are you...honestly? Don't think that getting a high energy dog will inspire you to start training for that marathon.

How much time will you spend on grooming, training and socializing?

These are just some of the many questions you should ask yourself before getting a new dog. Even if you are adopting a mix breed from a shelter or rescue, find out the background of the dog. Ask the staff for their input. Don't go falling for the shy one in the back that cocks his head ever so slightly unless you are equipped and fully prepared to deal with a fearful and shy dog.

Understand that just because your terrier cross is small does not necessarily mean that he must be suited for your apartment lifestyle. Terriers can be quite destructive if the are not stimulated mentally or given enough exercise and will go stir crazy in a small apartment.

Working dogs like to work. Give them a job, or else they will find their own work on your furniture or in your shoe closet.

And if you are stuggling with a new pet, please get help before things get out of hand. Don't believe that all problems is something your dog will "grow out of"

Get help from a local trainer or dog behaviour specialist.

That beautiful Weimaraner is the reason I am so passionate about the work I do today.

If you are thinking of adding a new pet to your family and would like help finding the perfect dog, please feel free to contact me.

Mariah Goes To School

2011-03-09T16:25:00.001-08:00

Today was a great day!

Mariah and I took some time today to stop in a visit the McNab PS Grade 1 class. We talked about some very important issues like dog safety and how to De-Code the dogs secret language... ie body language. Kids quite often get bit by dogs and contrary to what you might hear in the news, it is almost never by a wildly aggressive pitbull like dog that broke free and went on a rampage in the suburbs. No the truth of the matter is that most bites are from the family pet or a dog the child already knows. And why is that? We teach our children not to go up to strange dogs, ask permission before petting someone elses dog, and maybe utter to them, "hey don't tease the dog!" But do we ever actually teach our kids, to listen to what our dogs are saying to us. Dogs speak to us every day. They let us in on how they are feeling and they are always honest and true. And not unlike humans dogs can be "off" sometimes. Perhaps they are not feeling well, perhaps they are in a bit of pain. Regardless of the reason, our dogs will let us know if it is a good time to play and they will certainly let us know when it is not... long before the bite.

So today we learned some body language and we also took some time to learn the "doggie handshake" The kids got to practice with Mariah the right way to approach a dog, and more importantly when to leave your dog alone.

It was great fun today. To top off the experience we got the chance to bring a little friend with us. Little Ivy, a Siberian Husky puppy from Ancient Moon Kennels also joined us in the fun. And wouldn't you know it? When the puppy came out, all the rules went out the door. Ahh who could blame them. She was pretty cute!

Leave the Dog Training to the Professionals!

2011-02-13T15:57:00.001-08:00

No not the kid....

As many of you know I have a litter of Newfoundland puppies born Nov 7 of last year. Now that the puppies are 3 months, we have been focusing more on doing some training. The puppies are getting use to the crate and quite often can be found sleeping in there withouth being asked. They are being asked to wait for their meals and of course I started working on the leash training. Started off with collars (which was no big deal cause they are used to wearing the collar on the grooming table) and then trailing leashes behind them. We took them on trips out to the barn where they could explore while trailing the leashes behind. But on the first walk I decided to start with Velvet. I took her out, got her dressed in collar and leash, loaded my pockets with treats and off we went. Well there was the struggle at the door, then of course the puppy crazy scene where it looks like she is dying. I of course used my happy voice and cookies to get her attention and move her forwards. She got all excited and was jumping and crazy but moving forward. We continued this way down the lane and by the time we returned, I was exhausted. She was still crazy and jumping at me looking for more treats. I had a sense of dread thinking I have to do this 3 more times. Then I looked over at the fence and saw Wellington, the puppy's father, who had noticed the leash in my hand was quietly wagging his tail. Wellington loves his walks and so thinking I could kill two birds with one stone I grabbed the dignified gentle giant, and Wreck(named for his crazy destructive behaviour) at the same time. Wreck saw Wellington and immediately started jumping at his face and cutting him off and going crazy. What did Wellington do???? Nothing. Yep nothing, he just kept walking. If the puppy walked in front of him he just walked right into him. He ignored the obnoxious jumping at his face and even the biting at his tail. He just kept walking. At first I was impressed at his patience but then I realized we were not one quarter of the way down the lane way and the puppy just started walking too. Right beside him and me at a perfect heel. He was still happy, tail wagging looking like he was on top of the world, walking as if he had been walking on leash his whole life. It was the most enjoyable walk. Needless to say I walked the other 2 puppies with Wellington all with the same result. Definately going to have to put Wellington on the payroll! He is by far the best dog trainer I have seen! Of course I should have know that. I used other dogs all the time to help me evaluate dogs, calm dogs, even excite dogs if I need to. I use other dogs to bring a shy and timid dog out of their shell. So why not use well balanced mature dogs to teach younger dogs how to walk on a leash? Wellington didn't mind the extra walk time either. It was a perfect day.

Where it Began

2010-11-23T17:16:00.000-08:00

I had always known that I wanted to work with animals. In 1993 I was accepted to the Veterinary Technologist program at St Lawrence College in Kingston. The summer before I left for college I was walking dogs at the Ontario Veterinary College. There was a dog there named Sadie. Sadie was a collie mix who was terrified of absolutely everything. No one could get her to go outside or anywhere for that matter. I always wondered why. I asked the technicians there if I could put Sadie on my list of dogs to walk. The lead tech laughed and agreed with a 'good luck' snickered under her breathe. I remember the first meeting with Sadie did not go well. She hid in the corner of her run and wouldn't even look my way. So I just sat there and stared at the wall. I figured even if I just spent the time with her it was better than nothing. The next day was the same, and the next. Then one day another tech walked by with another dog and I saw a slight glimmer in Sadie's eye. It soon went away as the other dog just passed by. And there is was. I needed to find Sadie a friend. I searched the other rooms until I found what I thought was the perfect match. I brought the new dog to Sadie's run and suddenly I got a wag. Just one wag but it made my heart soar. So the next few days I would enlist the help of other dogs on my walk list to get to know Sadie. It was a little crowded in that run with the 3 of us but eventually we made it to the hallway and then finally outside. The other techs were so happy to see Sadie enjoying the sunshine and so was I. By the end of summer, I was preparing to leave for college, Sadie was happily going outside for her walks, tail wagging, nose sniffing. It was going to be hard to say goodbye, but I had already taken the time to introduce her to her new dog walker Kelly and she was doing just fine. The day I left the lead technician pulled me aside and talked about how impressed she was that Sadie was doing so well. They were considering euthanizing her as she was not coping well but now she was full of life and she has me to thank for that. I was flattered of course but the true hero was the other dogs I used to help me bring her out of her shell. It was at that moment I realized how powerfully healing dogs are not only to humans but to other dogs as well. This knowledge would later help me when I started rescuing dogs and rehabilitating in my home, with the help of my other dogs that is. But it all started with a little dog named Sadie.

Welcome To Beyond Obedience.... Introduction

2010-08-31T09:15:00.000-07:00

My name is Tracy Franken.... and for as long as I can remember, I have had dogs in my life. Growing up I was always told I had "a way" with dogs. I never really truly understood why. But my dogs did "get " me and I "got " them. We had incredible relationships. But if someone asked why or how.... the answer was always "I dunno, they just like me". My interested peaked in highschool when I began studing canine behaviour. I read book after book on behaviour and training. How the dog mind works, why they do the things they do. I was facinated. I continued my studies into college where I took the veterinary technology course, in Kingston Ontario. After college I continued on... taking canine aggression seminars put on by PABA, TTouch seminars for canines, taking obedience course after course. It was also at that time I received a phone call about an abused bullmastiff and asked if I could take him in. I of course said yes and this began a journey of rescue and rehabilitation for dogs in my home in downtown Guelph. I took in abused dogs and dogs from research facilities worked with them and when they were ready, adopted them out. At any given time I had on average 7-8 dogs living with me in my 800 square ft home. It was quite the pack, and always changing.
After the birth of my first child we relocated to the Ottawa Valley. We bought a horse farm and started a horse boarding facility. I started working with horses, which lead me on a the path of natural horsemanship.Through that I had my 'AHA' moment. There it was. Parelli's "Love, Language and Leadership." I took to it like a duck in water. Shortly after I went to work part time at a dog kennel in Dunrobin and re-realized my passion for dogs. I completed a professional pet grooming course and started grooming dogs. I realized my skill and way with dogs would help those dogs who don't enjoy and tolerate the grooming procedure. It was at this time and through talking with owners I could see, the love people have for their dogs but yet, most still had some complaint about their dogs behaviour. Jumping up, barking, pulling on the leash. So it got me thinking Perhaps the idea of Love, Language and Leadership but on a canine level... with one exception: ORDER CHANGE : LEADERSHIP,LANGUAGE AND LOVE. I can help people with problems they have with their dogs. Help owners to better understand their dogs. To achieve a relationship with their dogs that is beyond the normal expectations...a relationship beyond obedience.