Admin Note: Hi All! Sorry we've been incommunicado. We've been out of touch because Canine Campus is in the process moving to a new, larger facility in Charlottesville that is more tailored to our clients needs. Unfortunately, as we move this week there has been some confusion with the phone company and we are in the process of getting the phone reconnected. If you are trying to call, we hope to have the issue resolved early this coming week. Our phone number will remain the same after the move (434-973-1050), but we did just get an invite to Google Voice, so after this little incident, we'll see what happens ;-)

Our new shop is located on Concord Avenue next to Pampered Pets - hoping to post some pics soon!

Click Here for directions and new contact info.

"Leave it" is a command that is essential to protecting your dog from environmental hazards and an important part of many therapy dog evaluations. We spend the second half of the show discussing this cue in the context of other behaviors, and start out with a big bag of listener mail, including: More info on event markers, feedback on our discussions on punishment, how to keep training fun for easily bored dogs, the Magic of Meatballs (easier than you think), dealing with loss in the pack.

 

Also Mentioned:

Susan Garrett's Dog Training Blog

 

 

 

Don't forget to join our group on FaceBook!

 

 

Learn all about "pecking order" and where we get our beliefs and theories of alphas, pack leaders, and dominance. After the history, we get to the current science, and wrap up our three-part series on unwanted behavior, punishment, and the current science that can help us deal more effectively with these often misunderstood (and misused) concepts.

All this and a big stack of listener mail!

Show Notes and Links:

Thorleif Schjelderup-Ebbe and "Pecking Order" on Wikipedia

Dr. Sophia Yin: Ask Dr. Yin

Wolf Expert L. David Mech on Wikipedia

“Dogs – A New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior, and Evolution”, by Raymond & Lorna Coppinger

 

Don't forget to join our Group on Facebook!

In our last episode, we discussed methods consistent with a "positive" training approach for eliminating unwanted behaviors. This week, we talk about punishment, the negative effects it can have on your training agenda, and the official position statement from the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) on Punishment. All that, and we answer a BUNCH of viewer mail and calls!

Show Notes and Links:
Deaf Dog Education Action Fund

Raw Diet (BARF) on Wikipedia

Comparing the Best Raw Dog Food Diet Plans at Whole Dog Journal

Patricia McConnell's "Cautious Canine"

Gentle Leader Harness

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) Punishment Position Statement

Don't forget to join our Group on Facebook!

Positive reinforcement training teaches behaviors and decision making skills, but how do we deal with unwanted behaviors? This show demonstrates techniques for indicating a behavior is undesirable without resorting to positive punishment, especially in light of a recent study from the University of Pennsylvania indicating that dog owners who use confrontational or aversive methods to train aggressive pets will continue to experience, and perhaps even increase aggressive behavior, unless training techniques are modified.

Also, don't forget to join our Group on Facebook!

(unless that's a contradiction in terms?)
We have some folks Freestyling at Canine Campus these days - Are any of you in to it?
Stace is editing the podcast right now, hope to have it posted tomorrow. Until then, enjoy this!

see more pwn and owned pictures

Atlanta Copywriter and Videographer Dan Goldgeier stops by to talk about his work with the Animal Rescue League of Northwest Georgia and how they are using Facebook, YouTube, and other new media tools to help facilitate and increase adoptions from their facility. Dan gives great tips on how they do it, including how to tell the story, pre-production planning, and even a few tips on how to use the camera.

 

Visit the Animal Rescue League of Northwest Georgia's YouTube Channel here, and click here to learn more about our good friend Dan Goldgeier. Thanks Dan!

 

Also, don't forget to join our group on Facebook!

Attention is the foundation of every communication with your dog, so in this episode, we discuss Attention Training – Why it’s important, how to teach attention training, and how to put it to work for you!

Also - we're on FaceBook! Join our group, Friend us, whatever, but be sure to get in touch (on our Wall, via email at podcast@caninecampus.com, or even by phone at 434-973-1050) and let us know what you want to hear on the show!

We're back for 2009! In this show: Listener letters, a brief chat about Raw Diet, and a quick answer for Ted on drive, which we'll be dedicating an entire episode to very soon. Primarily, we discuss handling and grooming (it's Spa Day at Canine Campus!)

LINKS:

Whole Dog Journal: http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/

Patricia McConnell: http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/

Susan Garrett:  http://www.youtube.com/clickerdogs

Shirleychong.com Doggie Nail File: http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/nailfile.html

Raw feeding on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_feeding

The podcast? Well, I know you've heard it before, but we've actually started recording for 2009. We're in a new studio and working out the kinks. First episode of the season should be up in a week or so!

We just came across this great video linked from the Blog of Major General Michael Oates, the commander of the Army's Task Force Mountain. "Military Working Dogs" is about the important duty of a military dog and his handler. Produced by Pfc. Seth Barham.

Interviewees:
• Staff Sgt. Chris Willingham (US)
• Sgt. Tyler Barriere (US)
• Capt. William Soutra (US)
• Sgt. Troy Stiner (US)

TRT: 2:05

Canine Campus sends thoughts and thanks to our brave troops and their families around the world. We look forward to seeing you all come home safe and sound!

On an unrelated note, thanks to all for the emails and phone calls on the podcast. We are in preproduction for the 2009 series, and hope to have them to you soon. If you have a question or a comment - don't hesitate to send it along!

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Does your dog get crazy in the snow? Like this?!?!?

Click Here to play the crazy video from dogwork.com.

New podcasts coming very soon - we promise!

This is the Canine Campus Wordle word cloud. What does your site's look like? http://wordle.net/

Deven discusses strategies and resources for overcoming the unique challenges of living with more than two dogs, including throwing out outdated notions of pack hierarchy and the book
"FEELING OUTNUMBERED? HOW TO MANAGE & ENJOY A MULTI-DOG HOUSEHOLD" by Karen London & Patricia McConnell.

Deven discusses how using life rewards (i.e. rewards that aren't food treats!) can help integrate positive reinforcement training in to every interaction with your dog. We discuss how to identify life rewards, the importance of moving from continuous to intermittent reinforcement schedules, and how these methods can enrich your training relationship.

Click here to download the Life Rewards worksheet.

Also, our podcast host Wizzard Media would like to know a little bit about our audience. Please do us a favor and support the Canine Campus podcast by taking their short survey here:
http://wizzard.tv/survey/caninecampus
Thanks!

What are the tough questions you need to ask yourself when considering asking a dog into your life? Deven and Stace review Purdue's "Pet Selection Survey" (download)  and discuss the process of adding a dog to your family. Review of the survey questions includes some analysis of breed characteristics and common problems that arise from incompatible lifestyles, along with tips on how to find just the right match.

photo via

If you can't see the video, click here.

Norwegian dog trainer Turid Rugaas is a noted expert on canine body language, notably "calming signals" which are signals dogs give other dogs and humans that denote stress, and even a cursory study of Rugaas' work provides invaluable tools for any serious dog trainer. In this episode, Deven discusses what "calming signals" are, why the research is important and how you can use these tools to facilitate better training and communication with your four-legged friends.

Links:

Canis.no – the Turid Rugaas website

On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals (Book)

Calming Signals: What Your Dog Tells You (DVD)

Happy Holidays from Canine Campus!

We hope you enjoy the attached card and wish you and your entire pack a safe, fun, and restful holiday season.

To keep the stress level low during this time of "high distraction", remember to:

1. Set your dogs and your guests up for success by providing clear
communication, handy treats, and a management plan.

2. Have plenty of loaded food toys, regular toys, and quiet areas
ready to provide easy distraction or comfortable time-outs.

3. Remember that the vet's office may be closed when you are at your busiest; call now to get the emergency vet phone number and post it in a handy place - surely, nothing will go wrong over the holidays, but better safe than sorry!

We have plenty of podcasts lined up for the new year, and look forward to getting back in touch with you in 2008!

Happy Holidays,

Canine Campus


Photo by Zach Klein via Flickr @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/zachklein/
Some rights reserved.

More podcasts coming soon. We promise.

Deven discusses how to approach the problem of resource guarding, with valuable references and tools for keeping pup away from treasured but troublesome treats. Later in the show, learn how to defer this behavior from puppyhood while teaching appropriate chewing and mouthing.

Recommended Reading and Links:

MINE! A Guide To Resource Guarding In Dogs by Jean Donaldson

Award Winner, Dog Writer's Assn. of America, 2002, Training and Behavior Book.

The San Francisco SPCA

photo

Almost-perfect pooches that exhibit bad behavior on-leash might have many reasons for doing so - here's how to accurately identify and change the behavior, with details on how the process works and what you can do to increase your efficiency as a trainer. Thanks to listener Mark from Sweden for sending in the question, and you can do the same at www.CanineCampus.com

Recommended Reading and Links:

Turid Rugaas:

Calming Signals

Patricia McConnell:

Feisty Fido: Help for the Leash Aggressive Dog (with Karen London)

Cautious Canine

Emma Parsons:

Click to Calm: Healing The Aggressive Dog

photo courtesy automania

As promised in the last show, these excerpts from the Canine Campus class manual provide direction on methods for socialization, the Socialization Scavenger Hunt, and teaching bite inhibition.

Finding the right trainer for you, how to build "anticipation" in training, praise for Susan Garrett, why puppy socialization is so important.

links:
Susan Garret via Dogwise
DOGS! Course at Purdue University

Blair French, Therapy Dogs International Evaluator, discusses what therapy-dog work is all about - the differences between Therapy Dogs and Service Animals, and Animal-assisted therapy.

Learn what's required in the test, what you can learn in a class, and what's involved in the training, work, and rewards of practicing therapy dog work.

Links:
Therapy Dogs International
Delta Society

Deven Gaston's delayed report from her last day at the 2006 APDT conference, with reports on Dr. Esther Schalke's research on shock collars ("Stress Symptoms Caused by the Use of Electric Training Collars on Dogs in Everyday Life Situations"), and what Dr. Patricia McConnell had to say about her new book, "The Biology of Emotion in People & Dogs".

Further Info from the APDT website:
Stress Symptoms Caused by the Use of Electric Training Collars on Dogs in Everyday Life Situations
Esther Schalke, PhD

This class will review the research that has been conducted into the efficacy and welfare implications of the use of electric shock collars. After which the reasons why the Institute of Animal Welfare and Behavior at Hanover University of Veterinary Medicine decided to expand on this research. Their methods, findings and the implications for the use of these devices in practice will be discussed in detail.

The Biology of Emotion in People & Dogs
Patricia McConnell, PhD

Ever looked at your dog and wondered how much of her emotional life is like your own? Learn the biology of emotion in you and your dog, and why it's reasonable to believe that both species share the emotions of love, fear, sadness, happiness and anger. This presentation will introduce Patricia's new book: For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend. Be the first to learn what emotions are, how the brain controls them and why we share so many of them with our dogs.

Links:

The Biology of Emotion in People & Dogs, by Patricia McConnell, PhD

The Expression of the Emotions in Man And Animals, by Charles Darwin
(wiki)

Esther Schalke, PhD, DVM

Music provided by the PodShow Podsafe Music Network:

Anne Heaton: Underdog

This week the military robotics and floor-sweeping tech company iRobot released the iRobot Roomba Discovery for Pets. We were excited to read about this as we've got both a Roomba and a Scooba that handle some of the housecleaning chores at Canine Campus. Details on iRobots website were minimal in regard to the redesign but do specify an upgrade to the original model, of sorts, an Easy Clean Brush Specifically designed to pick up pet hair, fur, litter and dirt. We had few complaints on the original model and none of them addressed this great little unit's ability to pick up fur, so we'll be interested to learn more about the new Roomba and hope to have more information for you in an upcoming show.

If you've got any experience or opinion on this new product, feel free to leave us a comment or send an email to podcast@caninecampus.com.

As we mentioned yesterday, we have a quick correction from an earlier show. We had directed our listeners to the Association of Professional Dog Trainers website via apdt dot ORG, one of our listeners writes that they believe it might have been a website on Portuguese telecommuting. Our apologies for the misdirect, you can get to the APDT website that deals with Dog Training at WWW.APDT.COM.

Highlights from Day 3 of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers conference in Kansas City. MO. Deven Gaston reports on Acupressure for the Canine Athlete, Assessing the Risk of Injury by Aggressive Dogs, and new products from the show floor.

Links:
Four Paws, Five Directions, A Guide To Chinese Medicine For Cats And Dogs By Cheryl Schwartz

Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide To Natural Health For Dogs & Cats by Richard & Susan Pitcairn

Acupressure's Potent Points: a Guide to Self-Care for Common Ailments by Michael Reed Gach

Premier Pet Products, available via the new Canine Campus Store

Music provided by the PodShow Podsafe Music Network:

DEERFOOT: Hot Doggin
Boo Boo Davis: Talkin Bout My Dogs

News and Highlights from the First Day of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers conference in Kansas City. MO. Deven Gaston reports on the Keynote from Susan Garrett, the UPENN Canine Behavioral Research Questionnaire, and some great new stuff from Premier. Also, Music from the Podsafe Music Network and info on the new Canine Campus online Store.

Links:
Susan Garrett: Ruff Love
Susan Garrett: Shaping Success
uPenn's Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire
Premier Pet Products, available via the new Canine Campus Store

Music provided by the PodShow Podsafe Music Network:
Isaac Angel: Come Away - Flamenco Passion Mix
DEERFOOT: Hot Dogginn
Lee Maddeford: The devil and his dog

Why do dogs tug on the leash and what can we do to train away this natural, if not annoying, behavior? Canine Campus Trainer Deven Gaston discusses why dogs tug, how we complicate the behavior, and what we can do with positive reinforcement training to eliminate this pesky behavior.

Deven Gaston discusses the problem of dogs jumping up and positive-reinforcement training techniques for eliminating this annoying behavior.

Show notes and links:

Pat Miller:
The Power of Positive Dog Training
Positive Perspectives

Patricia McConnell:
The Other End of the Leash

Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT):
http://www.apdt.com/

For more information, visit our website at www.CanineCampus.com

Video: Washington D.C.'s ABC-7 News profiles the Pen Pals Prison Dog Training Program and Canine Campus trainer Deven Gaston.

In the third part of our series on adult and adolescent obedience, we'll wrap up the class with a discussion on the difficulties of generalization, the life cycle of a behavior ("from new to known"), the different types of rewards we use to encourage desired behaviors, and a few more tips on capturing behaviors for recall and house training. Visit us on the web at www.CanineCampus.com

Welcome back to our most popular popular class at Canine Campus, Adult and Adolescent Obedience. Your trainer Deven Gaston digs deep in to the fundamentals of Positive Reinforcement training and behavior modification. Visit us on the web at www.CanineCampus.com

Sit in on our most popular popular class at Canine Campus, Adult and Adolescent Obedience. Your trainer Deven Gaston will be addressing many of the common behavioral issues that arise after puppyhood, and discussing the positive-reinforcement tools and techniques we'll use to address those issues. This first part in the series covers the basics of our class, food toys, harnesses, and how to develop a reliable recall. Next episode will cover the basics of positive reinforcement dog training. Visit us on the web at www.CanineCampus.com