February 29th, 2012
By Eric Letendre
This week’s show was great. Lots of phone calls, discussion or the recall command, hero dogs and poop badges. Remember to follow the show and leave comments below. Thanks!
February 28th, 2010
By Eric Letendre
“I once decided not to date a guy because he wasn’t
excited to meet my dog. I mean, this was like not
wanting to meet my mother.” – Bonnie Schacter, Founder
of the Single Pet Owner’s Society Singles Group
I saw the above quote and thought of a girl I once went on
a date with. Half way though the dinner the discussion of
dogs came up and she said, “I really don’t like dogs.”
Stunned I asked why. She said that people that have dogs
are kind of crazy. She couldn’t understand why some dog
owners buy clothes, gourmet food, doggie beds, toys, etc.
In the middle of her extended speech on why she doesn’t
like dogs I held up my hand and asked her to stop. I also
called the waiter over and paid the bill.
I politely informed her that this would never work out
between us. Stunned she asked why. I told her that I
have four dogs at home and they all have their own closets
for their clothes.
I was kidding about the closets but she felt the same about
me and we parted ways.
Anyway, I was thinking of her the other day when I saw the Magic
Poop trap. You won’t beleive this video. If you have one minute
check it out. I don’t think I’ll ever use one for my dogs but who
knows – maybe they’ll catch on.
Check out this video
All the best,
Eric
P.S. Housetraining can be a big problem for a lot of dog
owners but not when you have the Housetraining Handbook.
January 22nd, 2009
By Eric Letendre
Monday night I was doing an interview with a good friend of mine.
The interview was on how to be your dog’s pack leader. One of the questions he asked me was how long have I been training dogs.
I told him my first job was way back in 1988.
Over 20 years ago!
I thought about how much dog training has changed and evolved since I began training dogs. Luckily some of the old myths are starting to fade away. Here is a top 10 list of them:
1. Never start training until your dog is six months old.
2. Never play tug o war with your dog.
3. Always use a choke collar to train your dog.
4. Never use treats to train.
5. If your dog does not respond to a command give your dog an alpha rollover.
6. Dogs learn that you are the pack leader by scruff shaking and growling at them.
7. Never allow your dog on the furniture.
8, Never feed your dog "people food."
9. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
And thankfully this last myth is going away…
10. Stick your dog’s nose in his mess when you find it in the house.
But…
Some old myths die hard.
Not too long ago I got an email from someone that was told to shove her dog’s nose in his mess every time he has an "accident." I decided that it was time to sit down and put together a complete guide on housetraining.
My new HousetrainingHandbook will show you:
Check it out:
All the best,
Eric
P.S. The "How To Be The Leader" interview is included with the Housetraining Handbook.
May 11th, 2007
By Eric Letendre
Seems like I spent most of the week helping new puppy owners housetrain their pups. Housetraining can be accomplished in as little as ten days if you follow a plan, a plan that has worked for many dog owners. The closer you follow the plan, the better the results.
Step 1: Understand dog behavior – dogs do not know right from wrong. What they understand is safe and dangerous. When your puppy comes into your house he doesn’t understand that it is “bad” behavior to urinate on your carpet.
We want to teach your dog that going in the house is unacceptable. We do this by catching your dog in the act – not after the behavior has occurred but while the behavior is happening. Punishing your dog after the behavior has occurred can confuse your dog, making the housetraining process much more difficult.
Step 2: Understand your dog’s digestive system – A dog’s digestive system is much shorter than a humans. We have about 26 feet of intestines, a dog has about 8 feet, so the whole process is going to happen much faster. It is also important to remember that what goes in must come out.
Some dog food companies recommend feeding a puppy four times a day. That can make the housetraining process very, very difficult on the puppy and the owner. I have always fed my puppies twice a day. You can meet all of their nutritional requirements and make it much easier to housetrain on this feeding schedule, which leads us to step 3…
Step 3: Develop a schedule – Putting your dog on a feeding schedule during the housetraining process can make your efforts much more successful. A dog or puppy that is allowed to eat whenever she wants will make housetraining very difficult. Also, developing a schedule to take your dog outside will make it easier on you. I always bring a dog outside within 15 to 20 minutes after meals.
Step 4: Manage your dog’s behavior – One of the most important steps in the housetraining process is the proper management of your dog’s behavior. In step 1 we discussed catching your dog in the act, not after the fact. Using a crate can help you when you are too busy to watch your pup.
Most pups and dogs will not eliminate in their crate. When you need to go to work or have to leave the house for a while, you can put your pup in her crate. When you come home, you can immediately take her outside and not give her the opportunity to make a mistake in the house.
Using a crate is excellent for young dogs. At some point in your dog’s life he will probably have to go into a crate. The vet, travel, and grooming visits all require your dog to go into a crate. It is better to get him used to one while he is young. I also recommend crates because as a former animal control officer, I have seen plenty of young dogs that became injured – some seriously – because they were allowed too much freedom while unattended.
Step 5: Influence your dog’s behavior – Just as you need to catch your dog in the act, you also need to let your dog know that she is doing the right behavior. During the housetraining process it is a good idea to take your dog out on leash. If you let your dog out into a fenced in area and you are not there, you will not be able to communicate to your dog that she is doing the right behavior.
When your pup needs to go out, put your pup on leash and as she is sniffing the ground say a command like, “get busy” or “do your business,” and keep saying that until your pup starts to go. Once she starts, don’t say anything else. Once your pup is finished, praise and reward her immediately.
Step 6: Proper clean up – When I am helping someone housetrain their pup, one of the first questions I ask is “What are you cleaning up the mess with?” A lot of people get commercial cleaners at the supermarket. A lot of these products contain ammonia. Ammonia smells like urine to your dog. So if your dog urinates on the carpet and you clean with an ammonia product, your dog will come back to that spot and think that a strange dog has gone on the carpet. Your dog will eliminate again on that same spot to cover it.
Nature’s Miracle is an excellent product that has enzymes to break down the scent of urine naturally.
Step 7: Get everyone involved – if you live by yourself with your dog this step will be easy. If your dog lives in a house with more than one person, make sure that everyone is taking the steps to make the housetraining process quick and easy. The closer everyone sticks to the plan, the faster the training will progress.
Conclusion – Dog training really boils down to timing, consistency, and motivation. When we are housetraining a dog, we need to make sure that our timing is good – catching your dog in the act. We need to make sure that we are consistent with the training – same feeding schedule, outside schedule, and everyone in the house is on the same page. Motivation is rewarding your dog for going outside and startling your dog when they start to eliminate in the house.
Click here for my complete housetraining report.
Free video dog training and behavior lessons, articles and tips. Go to AmazingDogTrainingMan.com
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Eric Letendre is a professional dog trainer from the United States. For more than 20 years, he has been developing dog training techniques that have worked for dog owners all over the world. Eric operates from a home office or a laptop while traveling and draws on his experience and passion for dog training to show others how to develop a dog that is truly “Man’s Best Friend”.
Eric is the author of numerous reports, the E-Book “101 Ways to Hack Your Dog’s Behavior,” “The Amazing Dog Training Man Book,” and produced and stars in his DVD “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer.”
