“People are like dirt.”

Those are not my words. That quote comes from a philosopher in Classical Greece. He was also a mathematician and founder of the Academy in Athens.

Of course I’m talking about Plato. Here is the full quote:

“People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die.”

I was thinking of this quote the other day talking to my friend Kim George. Kim is author of the book “Coaching Into Greatness” and helps people grow by getting them to focus on Abundance and not scarcity. She is also very passionate about dogs and runs a great organization called Kane’s Krusade.

Kim truly helps people and dogs and has done an amazing job by providing dog houses and help to people that need it.

Kane’s Krusade needs some help and is going to run out of dog food on July 1st.

So here’s the dealio:

If you can help Kim out and make a donation I’ll send you two gifts!

FIRST: The Fun Dog Tricks Program - (This puppy normally sells for $37.00!)

SECOND: Ebook: The REAL Secret To Teaching Your Dog To Come When Called – (You won’t find this secret anywhere else)

Here is where you can make a donation:

Kane’s Kibble

Send me an email that you made a donation and I’ll send the gifts.

I really appreciate any donation you can make.

All the best,

Eric

Interesting question I got yesterday.

“Eric,you share a lot about yourself in your emails which I find is much different than other emails I read. Can you tell me a little more about yourself? Thanks!”

Never got that question before but in my never ending quest to make my readers happy, here are 22 things you probably don’t know about me:

1. I’ve had a sheltie, pit bull, Great Dane, German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, and a maltese/poodle mix.

2. I started working with dogs in 1988.

3. I have a daughter that is 24 years old and another daughter that is 4 months old.

4. I’ve only been married once.

5. I’ve been involved in two riots.

6. I once tackled a guy on the roof of a hospital as he was trying to commit suicide.

7. I spent the last two years of high school in one room with ten other students, one step away from being throw out.

8. I love reading, gardening, do it yourself projects and recently started another blog with my wife: The Homemade Family

9. I’ve run two half marathons.

10. My favorite book is “Lonesome Dove,” by Larry McMurty.

11. My favorite movie is “Star Wars.”

12. I was tested and told that I had a “learning disability” in the fourth grade.

13. I have an older sister and younger brother – and severely suffer from middle child syndrome, kidding.

14. Most people don’t believe this but I am kind of a shy, introverted person and get nervous walking into a room full of people.

15. The first movie I saw with my father was “Jaws,” the second was “Scarface,” with Al Pacino.

16. Growing up, my family had a beagle mix that  my mother named “Union Park.”

17. I was a vegetarian for about six years.

18. I can’t walk into a bathroom without looking behind the shower curtain.

19. I wrote my first book in under two weeks.

20. I hate raw tomatoes but love ketchup, salsa and tomato sauce.

21. Both of my daughters were born in The Year Of The Dragon.

22. I got the idea to start The Dog Training Inner Circle when I started getting questions from dog owners in Hong Kong, Australia, England and other parts of the world.

Before taking off, one more thing.

I recently included a private expanded blog on The Dog Training Inner Circle. I now make private videos and written updates and it is EXCLUSIVELY for Inner Circle members.

More info at:

Dog Training Inner Circle

Best,

Eric

What’s the big deal.

I remember last summer everyone was talking about the book “50 Shades Of Grey” and lately for some reason it seems to be all over the place again.

I have not read it but Rachael did and she explained that it as a story about a relationship in where the guy dominates some college babe with some twists and turns along the way.

To date some 70 million copies have been sold.

It may make for good fiction but NOT good dog training.

Dog training for years was taught with the trainer physically dominating the dog. If the dog did not respond to the commands the trainer was supposed to physically “teach” the dog to perform.

It’s the way I was taught. I got my start working with protection and guard dogs. Unfortunately, some of the early trainers I worked with were extremely brutal and the training was very tough on the dogs.

Luckily, I found better, more positive training methods which is what I teach today.

One of the main reasons is that I have seen firsthand what physically, dominant, harsh training can do.

It can turn the nicest dog into an unstable and aggressive dog.

Dog training is NOT about dominance and submission. Dog training is about rewarding and reinforcing behavior.

Dog training is about consequences. Positive consequences to strengthen and improve behaviors we want – sit, stay, come, down, etc. and negative consequences to stop behaviors we don’t like or want – jumping, stealing, digging, etc.

Learn how to apply the right consequence to the right behavior and dog training is easy.

Moral of the story?

Forget dominance and harsh methods. There are better ways to train your dog. Ways that don’t involve dominance and submission.

Don’t involve choke collars and “alpha rollovers.”

You can learn about these ways at:

Dog Training Inner Circle

Best,

Eric

Couple of weeks ago I woke up with a weird feeling.

My back felt like someone was pinching it.

I asked Rach to look at it and sure enough, I had a tick embedded in my back.

I live in the woods and my little dog is a tick magnet. Dog owners are constantly asking me if I use Frontline, Advantix or any other product to keep the little buggers away.

My short answer:

No.

My longer answer:

I really have concerns using strong chemicals on my dog. I get concerned about a product that has to be applied with gloves and no one is supposed to touch the dog for 24 hours after application.

Each year thousands of health related incidents are reported to the EPA connected to spot on flea and tick treatments.

The main ingredient for most of these products is fipronil.  Fipronil is a slow acting poison. Here is some more information on fipronil:

• Fipronil is highly toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates.
• Fipronil is toxic to bees and should not be applied to vegetation when bees are foraging.
• Fipronil has been found to be highly toxic to upland game birds.
• Fipronil is also used as the active ingredient in flea control products for pets, field pest control for corn, golf courses and commercial turf, although flea populations appear to be developing a genetic resistance to its effects

In animals and humans, fipronil poisoning is characterized by vomiting, agitation and seizures.

This concerns me greatly. I know that many dogs have it applied safely every year, but I just have to wonder what it is doing when it is applied month after month.

I have big concerns about these products so I am trying some natural Do It Yourself Bug Sprays.

The one I am trying out now includes the following ingredients:

Lemon essential oil

Water

I put about 20 to 25 drops of the oil in water and shake it up. I spray a little on my dog before I go on walks and I spray some on her collar and let it dry. It has to be lemon essential oil NOT lemon juice.

Anyway, I’ll let you know how it goes and some of the other recipes I plan on trying.

I know this email newsletter is about dog training, but having a dog is more than just behavior and I take a holistic approach to dogs.

It’s the reason I include the Ultimate Dog Nutrition Guide in the Dog Training Inner Circle which is only available to Inner Circle members.

Here is a little of what is covered in the Guide:

• How I Became Interested In Nutrition For Dogs
• How The Dog Food Companies Have “Trained” You
• The Biggest Problem I See When It Comes To Canine Nutrition
• Reading Dog Food Labels
• Let’s Talk About Protein
• Let’s Talk About Grains
• Let’s Talk About Additives And Preservatives
• Commercial Dog Foods That I Recommend
• Supplements You Can Add To Your Dog’s Food
• Enzymes For Your Dog
• Mineral Supplements
• Vitamin Supplements
• Cod Liver Oil
• And more…

Here’s where to go NEXT:

Dog Training Inner Circle

Best,

Eric

Reading a great book right now.

“The ONE Thing” by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan.

The book starts with a Russian Proverb:

“If you chase two rabbits you will not catch either one.”

The book goes on about how you need to focus on one task at a time in order to be successful.

I find this interesting because this is how I teach dog training. I always recommend focusing on ONE command during a training session and then building on each session.

For example, the first time I am working with a dog I just work on attention. Attention is the foundation for ALL training so that is where I start.

I don’t move on until I have the dog’s attention.

The next session is teaching the stationary commands – sit, down and stand.

I then move onto stay, then the recall and finish with leash walking. Each session builds on the next and I stay focused on the ONE command until the dog gets it before moving on.

By doing this the dog learns and it makes each session easy for me. There is no guesswork, no wondering what to do next.

Here is my advice for you. What command are you having a tough time with?

Recall? Leash walking? Stay command?

I want you to just focus on that one command at each session. Keep at it until you get success.

For specialized help you can always head on over to The Dog Training Inner Circle. It’s the best place to ask questions and get help from me on the forum.

Here’s where to go NEXT:

Dog Training Inner Circle