Speak! Jennifer McCarthy's Blog: Training & Behavior Tips Archives

Training & Behavior Tips

Free Dog 101 Seminar at Healthy Spot: West Hollywood!

Posted by jennifer on July 29, 2010.

"Free Dog 101 Seminar w/ Q&A - THE WOLF WOMAN Jennifer McCarthy

Who is afraid of the big, bad wolf? Not this lady. Jennifer McCarthy is a world class celebrity dog trainer that has done extensive work with wolves. She is widely regarded as a leader in the field research with wolves. You can call her a leader of pack!

We are excited to WELCOME Jennifer McCarthy to our West Hollywood Healthy Spot location for a special FREE one night engagement.The Wolf Woman will be presenting her Dog 101 lecture and Q&A session Tuesday night, August 17th at 7pm

This is your opportunity to learn and ask one of the very best in the industry about your canine companion. It promises to be a wild night out. Come join us!"

To access Healthy Spot's website, visit: www.healthyspotonline.com

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Africa Research Begins...

Posted by jennifer on May 20, 2010.

Today I began my research into Hyenas and African Wild Dogs. I will be leaving for South Africa soon to go behind the scenes with biologists working on conservation efforts and local livestock concerns surrounding Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. I will also be observing many other species of animals. I can't stress enough how my research of wildlife and working with other animals has given me unbelievable ideas of which I try on your average domestic dog. I have thought more in terms of an animal surviving on the food chain than anything else living up in the mountains. I truly live on their terms and from their perspective. Most people don't think of a flapping jacket and spinning wheels or going the same route on a mountain bike may attract a mountain lion, but I do.
This has been an interesting year for me. It's been a time where I've had to stand up for what I believe in and stay true to my efforts of educating the public in the right way to work with animals. The truth is, there is no wrong way so long as you are not abusive and can see the dog, wolf- whatever for their personality & temperament. In order to be a good trainer you have to be flexible and ebb and flow with your methods dependent on the dog. I personally think the whole thing between positive and negative reinforcement arguments is something quite unbelievable. I don't know how many teachers I've met that have a large number of methods they apply in the classroom- not just one. That's kind of like assuming all people are only visual learners and that just doesn't make sense.
Today while training Elvis, I was using both positive reward and a negative reinforcement to show him exactly what I wanted. The truth is, you can use many different things to show a dog exactly what you mean- no, I don't want this... I want this!
For some, it's easier marketing and anxiety relieving to put things into one nice, neat box but that isn't reality- all people are individuals and so are dogs. I hope I can show the world that all animals need to be understood for who they are first and it is our responsibility as their caregivers to learn different tools that work for each individual one.
Have a great night!
- Jennifer

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Breeding Elvis...

Posted by jennifer on May 19, 2010.

I am pleased to report that this fall I will be purchasing a GSD from West German show lines in Germany to breed to Elvis. This will be his first litter on the ground for spring of 2011. Since mentioning this to a small batch of clients who know Elvis, there is already a waiting list! He is not only a wonderful family protection dog but perfect in temperament, health and in great looks (hence the name "Elvis", he is the king!) I'll keep you posted through the process as well as give inside tips on how to pick a great dog. He has already begun training for Schutzhund again and is building up muscle mass following me on my mountain bike at 9,000 ft. elevation for endurance work. The female I will be purchasing will be nothing short of a world class dog!

First Tip On Obtaining The Right Companion:

Whether you're adopting or purchasing, don't be in a rush! Too many great adoptable dogs are put down every day when others come out with severe health and temperament problems. I believe in doing your homework and never, ever rush into anything as a pet is a lifetime responsibility! More to come...

Elvis at play in the snow:

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10 Reasons Why I don't Fit Into The Positive Reinforcement or Negative Reinforcement Categories:

Posted by jennifer on March 24, 2010.

1) I believe all animals are individuals. What works for one may not work for another.

2) I embrace all techniques so long as they don't injure the animal but this can even be mis-leading as I believe in hazing wildlife to deter them from becoming habituated to humans. More so that they don't end up getting killed- a bruise is better than death.

3) I have invented new techniques which would not be listed under these two categories because they come from co-operative, non-bribery and equal standpoints. Truly working with the animal not by force nor treats but simple communication and understanding. What category does harmony and equal participation fall under? More so than not, this is what most animals embrace on a daily basis with one another.

4) I will sometimes communicate to the animal in their language.

5) I view human beings as individuals and use a technique that they feel comfortable with, can understand and use effectively. There are no short cuts- the owner must do the hard work and their experience and situation must be viewed and respected as much as the dogs.

6) Fitting me into one category or the other is misleading. I can go through certain things that Cesar Milan does that I agree with and other things that I don't just as I could do that with the other dog trainer on animal planet. I believe the detriment to animals is humans thinking they actually have an approach. Truthfully, it's more about co-existence to me. Living in harmony peacefully in the most effective way possible.

7) I am always learning and coming up with new ideas. The things I thought ten years ago aren't the same as the things I know now and I hope it continues that way. I try to understand & help other creatures in the best possible way but I learn new things all the time and therefor have different approaches and ideas I come up with constantly.

8) If you put me in a room with ten dogs and ten different people and behavior problems (human & canine), I am going to do certain things with one or two and totally different things with the others. I may use three things at the same time. I think people respect my work and come back to me because of my knowledge, experience, flexibility and willingness to listen, understand and help them achieve lasting results.

9) This is no magic show- in order to help people and other creatures, patience and time is involved.

10) I believe humans feel more comfortable putting things into boxes- black or white thinking, one way or another way. Life to me just isn't that simple. For every new theory, there is another one that could disprove it. Nature is the only thing that holds all the answers. I know at the end of the day, if I am walking her path, it is the right one.

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Simply Experience.

Posted by jennifer on February 14, 2010.

When you look on-line for a qualified horse or dog trainer, you'll find words coinciding with people's names like "whisperer", "communicator" or even "healer". I have been called many names, some of which have included "dog trainer to the stars", "K-9 Rockstar", "Wolf Woman", etc. In simple terms, I do not believe myself to be a magician or any different than anyone else on earth. I feel as though experience and a need in my childhood for nurturing brought me to understand and be passionate about animals.
The truth is, despite what you see on TV, it sometimes takes a lot of time to call a case "recovered". It may look easy but in reality, many, many steps are taken to resolve issues. Nothing is solved over night as up-keep from owners and other factors are always an issue.
Patience is what I like to call a strength of survival in the wild. It's hard for many people to be patient yet patience is one of the best assets a human can obtain. Whether in business or in life, this one tool can keep you staying in the moment and allowing a process to unfold.
A coyote by example, doesn't rush in to eat when wolves are present. He may sit for hours but he will eventually get some food. Birds are great at this as well.
Remember that patience with animals is necessary to always continue moving forward. If you lack this skill, your pet may very well shut down or even win.
Think simply, act naturally, be a calm presence- always asserting guidance along the way.
Experience will lead you in the right direction. It's not magic, not rocket science it's just an understanding of simply reading an animal & understanding it's intentions.

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The Art of Listening...

Posted by jennifer on February 5, 2010.

In my experience, it is the dog owner that fails to take the time to listen to their pet that has the most problems.
You must remember that it doesn't matter if you have a fearful dog or an overly aggressive one. If you cannot listen, you will not make progress.
This is an element to good horsemanship. No one goes out and throws a saddle on a green horse and expects to ride. You work everyday to desensitize and pay close attention to the signals your horse gives you before moving on to the next step. Should one thing become difficult, you honor that by working on it until the horse releases the fear and moves towards trust. Trust is earned with animals- never given.
It is an honor to consider yourself an "owner" of a pet but you must always show respect. Learning about body language is key as it is the second form of communication every dog uses. Don't just learn about dog body language but also how your body language can mean different things to your dog.
An experienced animal trainer is an artist, a creator, a problem solver and an athlete.
You must work WITH the animal and never against her as you can re-direct unwanted natural instincts into a healthier direction. Pay close attention to their personality as no two dogs are a like, they are all unique like human beings. It would be close minded of us to not recognize that animals are individuals and have different personalities as I have never met two dogs that are exactly the same.
It may take longer to pay attention to the details but in the end, those details are going to give you a better dog.
Never expect that just because you aren't afraid of something that your best friend shouldn't be either. Acknowledge that fear and take steps to work with him in eliminating it. Don't rush anything- If you have time on your side, there are limitless possibilities to what can be accomplished.
There is a Native American horseman who believes you should spend a day with your horse. Showing love and affection by giving treats, toys and allowing your dog on your bed is not really what a dog wants. If you go and pick up your pet's leash, she'll show you what she really wants- your time. This is listening.
If you spend a day with your dog away from your house on an adventure, you're bond will be stronger than you have ever imagined. It is that bond from hundreds of years ago that we all know with dogs, formally with wolves- the bond of travel- on the hunt and on the move.
I am lucky to have Elvis and Lola by my side always and as much as Lola loves to eat, if I open the back of the car, there is nothing that will stop her from getting there. I believe that when you give your time, you give it 100%. I will turn off my cell. phone on a walk with my dogs through the city. If I am playing ball with them, I schedule time that no one can interrupt me. I show my respect by giving them 100% at least an hour everyday and you know what? When they have to go into a hotel lobby crowded with people, they give me 100% back by being well behaved. This is a true bond we share that is equal.

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Brother, Sister Wolf- I Ask You What You Can Teach Me...

Posted by jennifer on January 17, 2010.

There is greatness in the values of compassion, kindness, loyalty and understanding. I ask myself. "What have the wolves taught me about this?"
Their answer came in the snow when I was hiking along and saw their footprints gathered together in common areas and travel paths.
They have taught me about family- related and sometimes non-related. It is in their happiness to re-unite or celebrate after a successful hunt. Sometimes it is through play or an otherwise fun ritual of babysitting a tired mother's pup's. I have learned the importance of eating meals together and bonding while moving. Their understanding of family order is by far, one of the most important and key elements to their livelihood and survival.
Beyond this though is the friendship and deep bonds they hold to one another. I believe they are individuals like us- working through whatever issues and hurdles they may have to face in order to learn and grow to a deeper level of understanding. Values however are innate to most and with that being said, it is interesting how they stick to the relatively simple, yet intuitive elements that have kept this species going much longer than we have been here.
For wolves and other animals in the wild, they are living life on an incredible scale. It is do or die, life or death. No one hands them a pay check for their hard work but rather their reward is in sleeping on a full stomach. Their reality is so very real- every second of every day counts and they live a life they love. It makes me wonder though if all our modern achievements as humans have really made us happy. In my view, it has only caused harm. For example: Is it worth to dig for oil when the amount you may or may not find is not near the amount in emissions it takes to look for that oil? Is it to the earth's benefit to create more things when you are harming more things in order to create them?
If we are a society built on escapism, what was life like when we couldn't escape? Our people must have been strong- not just physically but mentally.
With every word I type, there is this non-reality to the expressions of my words. I remember a time when video games were nonexistent and tree houses and riding bikes were.
As I discussed with a friend tonight this detachment from reality, I thought it would be nice to get people motivated to simply get off line for a change and actually meet a friend for coffee to hear their latest status update on Facebook. It's just a thought but maybe a thought that could implement some common ways of communicating in person versus on-line. If a wolf was shown a computer, they may try to chew on it. Be a wolf for a day and try life off-line. Maybe you just might read a book that has been sitting on your shelf for months staring at you or you may go for a hike and get a great idea or talk to a neighbor. Who knows? Hmm... maybe I should start a national get off your computer day. Not only would it be good for the environment but also good for us too!

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Rhythm

Posted by jennifer on January 13, 2010.

In order to be come joined up or linked in with a connection to animals, think of your favorite drum beat. When I used to compete in tracking competitions, I learned that while laying my track, if I stomped my footprints into a rhythm, the dog would follow the track better.
If you can walk you have rhythm- anything that moves has this concept. Think of skiing for example. Once you get going on some runs- you get a feeling of being in synch to something greater. This is a energy connection and it happens with animals too. If you have done any sport- running, horseback riding, tennis, surfing- you can get into a certain flow. Now, imagine that same feeling and beat running with your dog across a field- after a while you both join to a rhythm... a central beat like one heart.
This is what I have seen in nature. When I watch deer run, I can feel that. Take it back to when we were hunters... Running along side buffalo on a horse under your feet. You have so many heart beats in one continuous pace. Your heart rate elevates at being in this wave of continuos energy as does your horse's and the buffalo.
Rhythm is the essence to being wild. Wild wolves, horses, elk, etc. use their feet in a beat. I encourage you to discover this with your own dog. Feel what it's like to go off the beaten path where people don't frequent. If you are in a city, try alley ways. Put on your ipod and synch into some upbeat music with a paced rhythm. You can walk or run but go for a while. As your dog starts to tire a little, you will reach a point where you both are linked in. Like horse and rider, this is an equal relationship. Pretend you and your dog are living on the plains and searching for food. You are now teammates- equal partners. You can achieve this equal plane competing in dog sports too as well as watch it on TV when handlers move a dog around a show ring. Watch how they move & watch the dog handlers movements. The good ones can feel this common bond and connection to a greater energy flow. True horse whispers are also very knowledgeable at this concept though they might not be aware they are doing it.
I have learned this living with the wolves and from growing up as a competitive horseback rider. I have run through the aspen groves after rabbits with the wolves- sifting back and forth through the trees. They were faster than me but we both were on the hunt. I see the same thing up in Yellowstone when the wolves move the herds... Testing and prodding to find the weakest link, their tails are raised in heartbeat and anticipation- they are bonded on the highest level- one heart beat, one rhythm... Hunting to a drum only they and the elk can hear.
The highest form of bonding you can do with your dog is on the walk or on the run. Movement together resembles that primal urge going back to our ancestors who hunted with the wolves. Even the tiniest chihuahua still has these natural urges.This is why I am such a huge opponent to not using treadmills. It is an "easy out" for modern society to not take their animal for a walk.
If you are disabled, etc. their are certainly instances for it but I just think it's one more way man is separating himself from nature. There are no shortcuts in the wild but rather, basic laws and principals that everyone lives by. If you are out of shape, your chances of getting eaten are even higher. I have only known this from being on the food chain myself.
I can't expect a wolf to respect me unless I am physically capable of showing strength and attitude. They have to know if they challenge me over a piece of food, I could very well win. I eat my food in front of them and guard it till the ends of the earth.
All of these concepts were taught to us by the Native American culture however it may be only until now that we are capable of hearing them....

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Hello From the Woods...

Posted by jennifer on January 12, 2010.

Hi Everyone-
Well, I certainly have been on quite the journey lately trying to re-a-quaint myself again with society after spending so much time alone in solitude with nature, wolves, dogs, horses, birds, lynx- you name it.
These last four years have not only taught me a great deal professionally but personally as well. I have truly learned more from wolves about humankind than I think from humans themselves.
It has been quite the journey thus far that has taken me to places I never thought I would go. My understanding of creatures other than our own has shown me since I was a child that they know more than us in simpler terms. If you can slow your brain down and think with your instincts, you can be more effective with your pet than ever before.
Since modern society has had us "creating" and inventing all this useful stuff with our brains, we have forgotten how to think with our more primal, natural senses. It is about coming forth on equal terms- joining with animals that will allow the greatest respect and understanding between both parties. Animals get this concept btw.... When I meet a horse for example, I am not there to dominate or submit to them- I am only there in friendship to listen to them. Whether it be the most aggressive wolf to the most tame poodle or a friendly street cat- it works the same way. You can never go in assuming anything until you have established a relationship and then AND ONLY THEN true communication can begin.
It saddens me that so many humans are out of touch with these instincts and fail to learn from animals as much as we teach them. Much of society in my experience with nature & various creatures comes from a sense of superiority, entitlement, selfishness or acts of convenience.
When you can feel an animal, they might not always want what you think they want because it's more about you then them. I hate to say it but I see many pets like this and their voices expressing this to me are only getting louder. The owner showers them with affection when rather- they may prefer to be left alone yet the owner fails to acknowledge this because it comes from their own needs not getting met by other humans. There are dogs that do better walking in front of you and dogs that do better walking in back or on the side. The truth is- there is no "one way" but all ways except to injure those involved. You must look at every creature as an individual and different creatures hold different body language but they all hold some things in common: energy, thoughts, souls, intentions & feelings.
I have learned since I was young to be quiet and feel out these situations that may other wise be dangerous. I walk a soft but firm path, set boundaries and help guide animals to a different place of understanding. Perhaps the human is getting in the way of this growth by just the mere lack of improper tools when something else would be better suited. This skill is truly the most crucial- to think with your feelings, your intuition, gut, minds-eye, whatever you want to call it- we all have it inside us to draw upon. Many times pets can get stuck and just need some help communicating so I try to bridge that gap.
I look as these teachers as my equals and they show me things that I need to learn in order to grow as a human being. I feel fortunate that I have sought animals as my friends my whole life but it has come at great cost as I have been more like a lone wolf in life and to help people was like learning a whole new skill set.
With all this said, I really want to communicate to those that are listening that we are in a
great time of change in our world. If parents can teach their children to have a better appreciation for the earth and all it's inhabitants, we will be able to make great changes in the future of humanity. We must lead by example and protect the landscape due to over population and habitat loss for all animals around the globe. Climate change is causing tremendous stress on species fighting for their very survival such as the polar bear and other top predators. I wish there would be some sort of education about these topics in our school system but there isn't. Every day I witness animals suffering great losses to their habitat and fear of these animals causes humans to want to eliminate them. We need to learn how to co-exist peacefully again with Mother Nature. Los Angeles for example has one of the oldest and healthiest populations of coyotes co-existing with humans yet some folks will still call wildlife services or animal control if they merely see a coyote in their neighborhood. As more people try to claim nature as their own (I don't care how much money you make, who you are or all the reasons you can say you own your land...) the land my friends was never ours to begin with and will far surpass your family ownership or claim upon it once you move on from this world. You must know that you are creating homes upon homes that have already existed before you got there. Animals have a far more advanced understanding in this system than us because we expand and spread like a slow burning fire- crushing and killing living things in our wake with bull dozers and pipe lines. Take only what you need and leave the rest... The truest path in life is a simple one.
Goodnight from living with the wolves,
Jennifer

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Babies And Dogs Make The Same Classic Mistake : NPR

Posted by jennifer on October 4, 2009.

"In addition to drooling and walking on all fours, both young infants and dogs sometimes ignore what they see with their own eyes and instead trust a human "teacher." Dogs may have evolved this ..."

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112524209

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"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I... I TOOK THE ONE LESS TRAVELED BY, And that has made all the difference." - Robert Frost

Posted by jennifer on September 30, 2009.

Hello Out There~
I have been on the road now for over two weeks traveling everywhere from Los Angeles to Phoenix to the Wet Mountains and Mission: Wolf in Colorado. I am home temporarily as I leave soon to live with the wolves again for a week. Next I'm off to the Gila National Forest to dive into the Mexican Wolf controversy and from there I will hit the Defender's of Wildlife Carnivore Conference. Home seems to be where my suitcase is and going from all different climates, I take a variety of gear including two different sleeping bags, one tent, extra blankets, flip flops and my snow shoes. Then again, I could be hiking in rattlesnake country on the outskirts of Scottsdale. My theory is, I never know just quite where I'll be until I get there.
Included in this blog are photos from today in the mountains near Westcliffe, Colorado. I hope you enjoy them.
Soon, there will be some interesting information here on my website for those thinking about purchasing a wolf or wolf dog. I hope you'll come back to view it as it contains fascinating data regarding behavior, financial responsibility, fencing, etc. After reading it, those thinking about getting a cute, cuddly, wolf puppy may want to reconsider as the implications can sometimes far outweigh the rewards. I am not an advocate of owning these animals as pets but if you are considering adopting an unwanted wolf dog (best case scenario), this is something you should definitely read. My thanks go out to Mission: Wolf for allowing me to put it on the website and also Annie White for re-editing and doing such a fantastic job putting it together.
In the mean time, I finally get to sleep in my own bed. It's such a reward for a long journey in one big loop to L.A., Phoenix, New Mexico and up into Colorado. Home sweet home! "Life is about the journey... Not the destination.."
Best,
JMc

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Winter Camping Tips:

Posted by jennifer on September 9, 2009.

Winter Camping tips:

1) Don't leave your boots outside your tent. They will freeze and mice will sleep in them.

2) Speaking of mice, check your boots before you put your feet in them.

3) Don't pitch a tent near a river, stream, etc. The moisture will condense on the inside of your tent and cause ice to form.

4) Layer the bottom of the tent with many blankets. The farther you are from the ground, the warmer you will stay.

5) Eat spicy food to keep you warm and fill a cantene or water bottle with hot water to put in your sleeping bag when you for get in. Hot rocks off a campfire will do the same thing.

6) Store your food, lotions, creams, etc. Away from your tent in a proper bear proof container or slung over a tree far from the ground at the middle portion of a limb. Being bear safe even in winter is a smart choice as some bears will still be roaming around.

7) Pets attract animals, food & your behavior. Behave properly in the wild and you will avoid dangerous animal encounters. Carry bear spray and a blow horn if you are in grizzly country.

8) If you get snowed into your tent, start banging the snow away before opening any zippers. Pitching tents under trees will help with snowfall accumulation.

9) Mice love warmth! Don't store food in your car or you'll have company riding shotgun with you on the way home.

10) Take care of your dog by providing warm bedding, fresh (not frozen) water, food, sleeping accompdation inside your tent and booties and warm outerlayers if needed.

11) Bring snowshoes in your car, extra food and blankets and always bring two back up sleeping bags.

12) Sleep in layers, with a hat and winter socks on.

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This Has Been A Very Long Journey...

Posted by jennifer on September 6, 2009.

This has been a very long journey for me that seems to have been a life long process over the years. I'm somehow unsure how I've gotten here besides just putting one foot in front of the other but this journey has led me every where from training Coon Hounds in Florida to working side by side sharp shooters in L.A., to hiking off leash with wolves and dogs in the back country of Colorado. If only I knew as a young girl obsessed with animals and horse back riding, teaching my dogs tricks in the kitchen and learning from my Mom how to take care and train all of our dogs, well..., I never thought I would be here.
I would say that the circle of life- how to pull this all together across many fields is what interests me the most. I believe we are all animals and I believe there is much to learn from animals beyond our comprehention. They are invaluable teachers. I don't beleieve we are greater nor less but as equals. We are coming into a time to bring us back to basics- the wind, the sun, the earth are the very resources we need to partner with to sustain our existance for a brighter future. As basic as it sounds, Native Americans had this whole thing figured out long before we did. The difference is we never stopped to listen. With that said, animals- play an imporatnt role in sustainable living, teaching and growing our relationship with them is an important one in the future of a new planet. We have to be careful to sustain balance. Humans love to tip the scales.
Now that I think about it, the most peaceful place on earth to me is in with the predator. I feel truly connected to something greater- almost as if my alignment goes out of whack the more humans I'm around, the more I become centered- the more wolves I'm around. A true sense of peace. The same with scuba diving- I'm always the last one up because I hardly waste any air- just purely relaxed underwater around sharks or when a Rottweiler has my arm in it's mouth & viciously shaking, I relax my arm and he let's go. If that makes me weird- so be it. I have always felt different around animals.
And then there are the dogs. I am still a dog trainer but enjoy educating people on my latest research as it pertains to their given situation is the essence to my philosophy- thinking "outside the box" and being creative.
I would love to do more nature therapy for dogs and their owners. I recently had a situation in L.A. with a woman who had no respect for me as a person- forget about what I do. She had two assistants, a housekeeper, etc. and was hiding behind this mask or wall in which she created for herself that I could see right through. I thought to myself, if I could put this woman in generic clothes, no makeup, no brand names to hide behind- just a backpack made of tarp and a seatbelt, gave her a leash with her dog and sat her down after a long hike to talk, she would have let that mask begin to come down and I would have seen a real human being.
Everyone is affected by their childhhood just as animals affected for life by theirs. There are good mothers and bad mothers across all lines- life is funny that way. It does not hold preference to species. The thing that most people fall into is the trap of, is time. Animals have all the time in the world. If you take away time, take someone into the woods and break them down to build them back up- having to survive to care for the basic needs if themselves and their dog, you have a human being not associated by job, rank, money or fame. To learn to be a good parent, I truly believe one has to have the experience of caring for an animal. If you can protect your dog, surely you can protect your child. The power of nature is beyond comprehention and most that get to experience it on a deep level, will never forget it. Get outside!

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Back To the Missing Deer...

Posted by jennifer on September 2, 2009.

Upon return, the cat may have moved it to a safer location but then everything else came in from coyotes to Magpies, foxes and ravens. Maybe even a bear had a go at it. Both Henry and Max played tug of war over a deer leg while Lola and Clide chewed on some vetibrae bones. Elvis always on the go, had better things to do. It fascinates me how so many things are similar between wolves and dogs yet some things are drastically different.
We hiked into the forest as I looked over the tree trunks for scratches or signs of fur but nothing. Once again, my eyes scanned the high rocks, trees and talll grass for signs of motion. I pay more attention to my animals for anything out of the ordinary more than I do signs of motion. The wolves tune into prey much quicker than the dogs do. Once the dogs realize the wolves hear something, then they tune into it. This alone has been fascinating.
My cats at home are also great alerters to any thing unusual which brings up an interesting point... Domestic cats are far more closer to their wild cousins in behavior than domestic dogs to wolves. The reason is simply that they haven't been domesticated that long and can thrive on there own being feral after being pets. Dogs can't do this. Dogs are so much more dependent on us. They look to us for not only food but decission making, advice, etc. That's of course if they are a well behaved dog. A dog with dominance or aggression issues will usually take these matters into his own hands which is not good.
Human behavior is as important to look at as any other animal's behavior as we influence them. From the roads we build to the stress in our own lives, animals are affected by us.
It's also important to work with animals from a level to which they operate and are sensitive to- that being intuition or feeling. Never making a decission or judgement until you meet the dog, cat, horse or wolf. I've had to learn this the hard way. No matter how many books I read or videos I watch, it goes out the window on an initial encounter on how I'm going to solve a situation.
Why is it important to teach people about nature? Because people are spreading at a rate so fast outside of cities and beyond that we will be faced with the co-existance questions more and more down the road.

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"Wolves Do Not Look At You, They Look Through You." - Doug Smith

Posted by jennifer on September 1, 2009.

Living With the Wolves: June 11th, 2009

Today I ventured out for a hike when the sun broke through the dark clouds above. We've had so much rain & snow this spring, their seems to be a ton of water rushing down the rivers, creeks and streams and the grass is growing higher than I've ever seen it. The land is lush, speckled with purple, white and yellow wild flowers. Such a beautiful property here but as I hiked, my eyes scaled the trees, ridges and boulders and I watched for any sign of motion behind bushes in the forest. Although beauty reins, the lion is on the prowl amongst me- probably watching my every move. This feline may be back for lunch upon the kill site and I was headed there alone without refuge from the force of of my canines and wolves which would potentially disturb evidence. I walked and turned often, making sure this predator didn't strike from behind breaking my neck as they so well do. Any kill is potentially dangerous. From cats, to bears, wolves & coyotes- when you put food in the picture, it brings things to a whole different level. Before I got here, the owner of the property had forwarned that the deer lay near the barn. Knowing mountain lions full well- they will return to the kill after a few days to feast or even move the carcass. I searched and I searched- no deer. "That's it." I told myself. "I'm going to get the dogs and wolves." Within a few seconds, the animals took me right to a spot over near a large wood pile. Sure enough, something was killed there. Where did it go? The wolves concentrated on the scent at the scene of the crime. Eventually, Max lost interest and decided instead to catch a near by mouse which he played with, hung out his mouth while it squeeled and swallowed in one gulp as Elvis chased him around for it. If the cat moved the deer, the likely place it would be would be the forest in the center of the property where it could be out of view. However, lions up here use old mine shafts as dens and I've seen 3 shafts thus far in relative proximity. Could it have carried the deer back to it's den? Tomorrow I'll venture where I think the kill may have first occurred. A mountain lion will usually drag the carcass before performing surgery on it. I'm also going to look for any scratch marks on trees there- a signal that this is a male's turf.

In my research into habituation, I picked up the Daily Camera today. There was a story about an Eagle pocher and a bear that wouldn't leave a woman's backyard. I thought it would be a good idea to start keeping track of various animal encounters and try to make headway into the Colorado Division of Wildlife. I will need to take an overview of all animal encounters over the past 20 years with a concentration on coyotes. How has their behavior changed of late and when did this start occuring?

Next I need info. on how many wolves are currently believed to be in Colorado at the moment running wild. How many from Yellowstone vs. How many are thought to possibly being released? Are there any wolves currently in the state? What's happening with the wolf in Steamboat?

Yellowstone used to keep track of every wolf that left the park. Now they no longer do which is a positive sign.

The main question: When will wolves be thriving back in Colorado because we desperatly need them here...

Before I go, a word of advice: Never live your life around a dog. Make them live their life around you.

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More Excerpts From My Journal Writing...

Posted by jennifer on August 31, 2009.

What I'm doing with animals acendes many levels. My communication to them is a feeling, sixth sense or psychic connection. I believe this to be true as I feel a lot of things from the core of my being when working with them.
Everything is nothing. Not controlling is freedom when working from an equal plane. Doing things from the feeling creates success. This is how I feel instead of "dominate" or control the situation- it's not written in a book rather a learned mutual conversation whether it be a horse, wolf or dog. - May 22nd, 2009 Hiking Alone In The Woods

Fresh mountian lion kill- deer near barn on property. Second kill within months, same general area. Possible habitual route lion is taking on property. Tomorrow going to kill site to investigate. Fascinating that these kills are taking place so close to the house and this one in broad view. Wondering if lion would have the same response to wolves as the coyote but that us unlikely as it has no fear entering captive wolf territory. Our hikes venture on the property line or outside of it in national forest. Lion kills seem to be more centrally located. Deer seems not as present the same as when my property was occupied by many deer visits until they realized dogs lived there. If lion is consistantly seeing wolves and humans, the potential for attack on an animal other than deer down the road would be likely if this is using as it's hunting grounds.

Going back to the lion that ate 7 dogs and a horse near my home two years ago, eventually killed by a neighbor, Dept. of Wildlife refused to kill such an animal. If a lion is that easily transfering from deer to dogs, cats, a horse, what comes next is a child or a human being. Where do we draw the line in the habituation with wolves and other animals? What constitues killing vs. Protecting? Educating people on how human behavior influences wildlife is key. Hunting may be a nessasary messure to allocate certain predators from uprising too far. Hunting interest has fallen however by 8%? Where do we find co-existance with mother nature is key question. Watching the scales tip could be dangerous: too much love of animals could backfire just as eliminating a predator altogether.

There was another attack by a coyote on a man recently here in Colorado. This is the second attack I've heard about within a matter of 3 months proximity. The way nature is rapidly growing out of allignment without the wolf is evident. However what if the wolf down the road becomes habituated to humans? Can we become friends with this predator and live in harmony is ultimatly a question that will effect the very future of our land. There is the very real possibilty the wolf will loose it's fear of us. - 6/10/09 Living With The Wolves

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Bringing Home A Shelter Dog

Posted by jennifer on April 8, 2009.

How can anyone resist that cute little face that peers back at them through the kennel door at a dog shelter? Many times when human beings walk into a rescue organization there can be a lot of emotions that come up that you may or may not be aware of. Some find themselves overwhelmed with guilt or sadness for the animals and some just want to take home every single one. These emotions when adopting a dog need to be checked at the door. If you go in with the mind set that every dog is going to a great home, you will have a clear head to operate with good emotions on choosing the right dog for you. Lifestyle, exercise, commitment, training, socialization and leadership are a full time job. Make sure before you bring Fido home, you will not be sending him back. Getting a new dog of any sort requires patience, a lot of time and a life long commitment financially, emotionally and physically. Be sure to choose a dog that not only fits your budget but also your physical strength and lifestyle. If you are a runner, choose a more active dog. If you are a couch potato, meet my friend- the greyhound who loves to sleep and watch t.v.

- After bringing your dog home, realize your friend needs about two months to properly adjust to his new environment.
- Take your dog for a good long walk around the neighborhood the first day as the highest way to form a bond with your dog is on a walk.
- Walk your dog off the property everyday. Larger and more active breeds require a fast paced one-hour power walk and small dogs require two half hour normal walks.
- Rescue dogs can sometimes be at a rescue because they have run away. Ensure you have everything set up- such as checking fencing, etc. before you bring him or her home.
- Expect stress and get involved in a good dog training class as soon as possible.
- Problems are common within all dogs. Most puppies don't fully mature until 2 -3 years. Be aware that you may still have a puppy on your hands even though he looks fully grown.
- Lack of education on the part of the dog owner is the number one reason why dogs are returned into the shelter system. Do your part on researching lots of information and avenues before giving up!
- Lastly, if you treat your dog more like a dog and less like a human being, you'll be speaking his language and ensure a healthy and happy relationship with one another ☺

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What Is "Natural" In the World of Animals?

Posted by jennifer on February 25, 2009.

Trust does not come easy for me. I trust no one until trust is earned. With animals, trust comes easy but sometimes not as much for them as with me. Sometimes I feel like a dog or a wolf trusting a human. I get close enough to back away. A lot of human behavior can be applied to dogs. I have often times found myself growling with words if someone over-steps a boundary. I can remember my brother eating my french fries when I wasn't looking as a kid. I think I growled and probably nipped at him... LOL Mother's and women in general are naturally protective creatures across many lines of species. We have it in us to protect our young even if that means putting our life on the line. I can't tell you how many female dogs I've seen for guarding aggression & false pregnancies. They growl carrying around a small stuffed toy that they place gently in their bed. "It's mother nature playing tricks on her." I say to the owners.
I have applied my own behavior to dogs in so many instances. I use what I know from human psychology. I also have applied dog and wolf behavior on people. That seems to have worked my whole life. Copying what animals do and selling it as human without anyone realizing what you're doing or where you got the inside scoop. There are many ways in which I like to cross all the lines. Many studies on human behavior have resulted in outstanding affects in the animal world. Unfortunately & fortunately (depending on how you look at it), many studies on animals have resulted on outstanding effects on humans. The only difference is, we aren't bred to be lab rats or locked up in cages to be poked and prodded. There are certain laws that protect humans.
Just recently in the news, I saw the story about the woman who got her face mutilated by a captive Chimp raised like a human baby. My Mom was actually on the phone calling me as soon as she saw it. "Can you believe that?!" She said in disgust. "The woman treated the chimp like her child!" Hmm. I don't remember the last time we were taken away from our parents and raised captive by a bunch of monkeys making us act like Chimpanzees. Of course the Chimp was acting out of rage and possibly confusion. It is completely unnatural for dogs not to roam everyday and go where they please in search of smells to gather information, food and mark territory boundary lines. It is completely unnatural for exotic animals and wolves to be kept in sanctuaries. The reason why they are there is to give them some what of a wonderful life from the most horrific circumstances. It's also unnatural for horses to be ridden and dolphins to do shows at Sea World. So what is natural? Natural is the process of evolution. Because we have bigger brains (although most of the time I think other creatures are a lot more smarter than us), this has caused our greatest achievements and biggest downfalls. As creatures, we are very primitive. This is why we made wolves our pets or some people say, they made us THEIR pets. This is why cats live indoors and fish swim in tanks. Is it natural? No. Is it evolution? Yes. So where do we draw the line? I firmly believe that what is not currently domesticated, should be left wild. I don't believe in keeping wolves or hybrids as pets. I don't believe in keeping a chimp in your home as something you should be proud of. My theory is that unless the animal has been successfully domesticated for hundreds of years, Leave it alone and let nature be wild.
I will insert here on what IS and what is NOT natural dog training... Natural means you treat a dog as another dog would in dog language. Un-natural would be teaching my German Shepherd to beg with a treat on his nose for a biscuit. Yes, we teach dogs stupid tricks for treats. Is it natural? No- it isn't. Here's another example: Natural would be correcting a dog as another dog or wolf would for taking over the job of decision making (i.e. barking aggressively at a child.) Un-natural would be giving the dog a treat to take his mind off what is going on with a gentle leader around his nose. Biting, growling, nipping is part of the natural dog language. You can get the same effects by using methods that portray the same effect another dog would use. Strictly only using "Positive Reinforcement" is not natural to animals. A mother mountain lion would never spit out food when her cubs did something wrong. Mother will teach their off-spring what is wrong and what is right. When a human child gets attention and praise from their mother, there is nothing more in life that speaks that of please and affection from a parent. This is nature at it's finest- this IS natural dog/animal/human behavior that has been making the world go around generation after generation.... More to come :-)

Dogs playing in snow.JPG
My Dogs Playing In The Snow. Biting, growling and having fun. Dylan (furthest left) was head decision maker as the oldest. He would hold Elvis down and said when he could play & when not.

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Ralph the Amazing Trick Dog

Posted by on February 22, 2009.

Watch Ralph do his amazing tricks!!! WOW (Don't attempt these tricks yourself at home with out supervision!) LOL
<3
Dana

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Tricks & Frisbee Just for Fun [Video]!!

Posted by on February 22, 2009.

I came across this video that shows you how much you can do without expensive equipment or toys, just three main components: a large area to run, a Frisbee and your beloved dog!!
Enjoy!
<3
Dana

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The Game of Lacrosse & Aggressive Dogs: Two Things That They Have In Common...

Posted by jennifer on January 26, 2009.

Back in Boarding School, I traded my saddle in for a while to play team sports. Accepted into one of the best riding programs in the country, there was something that was calling my name when I started kicking around a soccer ball one day. With that said, within my high school career, I was fortunate to play three varsity sports, win many awards and team captainships as well as become a New England Lacrosse all star player. I played on the field at times but my home was in the goal box and as a lacrosse goalie, the hard balls can come flying at you at extreme speeds from close range. Accepted into college, I was recruited to help start a women's team at Chapman University.
The history of Lacrosse is quite fascinating. It is considered to be our nations oldest sport dating back to early Native American times when men would prepare for battle using the game to develop strength, speed and agility. Lacrosse was also used to resolve conflicts and heal the sick. The first women's lacrosse game was played in 1890 at a school in Scotland at it is considered to be one of the fastest growing sports in our culture today.
The ability to catch a ball moving at high speeds develops one's reflex action. By watching body language, you may anticipate a move or a direction of throw. Not wanting to get hit by the hard ball kept you on your toes and fast with the net. In goal, I had been hit so hard that the padding wore out in certain areas on my equipment and when I blocked the ball with my body, there were permanent black & blue marks.
None the less, when I handle aggressive dogs, it is the same quick reflex that gets me out of some sticky situations. Handling techniques are very similar to playing a sport- even dogs and wolves know this. As much as they practice their coordination through play, I practice my coordination through playing with them. Throwing around a lacrosse ball and catching it in a net develops my speed and quickness the same as when a dog misses a bite because I got out of it in time.
When you play ball with your dog, watch them as they progress through puppy hood, into adult hood. You will see their ability in reflex with their mouths, timing, speed and quickness develop. A dogs mouth, is our hands. They use their mouth like we do our hands. If you make your hands fast as they make their mouth's fast, you are both playing the same sport with just different equipment.
There are always ways in which you can pull from experiences in your life to help make and create techniques and tools that keep you on the field on not sitting on the bench. Each and every day I strive to earn my success by pulling from many different experiences in my life to always stay one step ahead of the pack...
Until next time,
Jennifer

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Holiday Hazards For Pets...

Posted by jennifer on December 17, 2008.

If you are anything like me, no holiday is complete with out our pets. It's important to realize however, that the Holidays pose a danger to many of our household dogs and cats. Owners should be aware that many things humans enjoy and consume could cause life-threatening consequences. Here is a list of hazards to beware of during our times of celebration:

FOOD:
Chocolate is toxic to dogs and can be a killer if the dog is small or the chocolate is very pure. So don't let Fido into the kids Halloween candy or give him a piece of fudge or a sip of your hot chocolate. Any kind of poultry bones, turkey bones or steak bones can shatter into small pieces and become lodged in the dog's intestines. If you'd like to give your dog a special treat, pick up a hard bone (no raw hides or pigs ears) from a pet store or a knuckle or marrowbone from the butcher. Anytime you give your dog something they are not used to, this could cause their stomach to become upset. A little extra meat such as chicken, turkey or beef in their food bowl is fine but stay away from any type of fat, gravy, etc.

PLANTS:
Poinsettia plants, mistletoe and Holly are all poisonous. Keep these out of reach from pets. Pine needles on Christmas trees can be a hazard if digested. Kittens and puppies should steer clear of rooms with holiday trees, gifts, etc. As puppies love to chew, a Christmas tree is very tempting to ease the pain of new teeth emerging and sore gums.

STRINGY THINGS & GLASSY TOYS:
Ribbon, tinsel, electrical cords, lights, and ornaments are all recipes for disaster. Cats and kittens love tinsel and ribbon but if eaten, the tinsel can become hazardous to their digestive system. Even dogs can get these items lodged and they can actually cut the intestine causing devastating results if not caught in time. Many pets will vomit, become lethargic, have diarrhea, a fever, stomach pain, etc. Ingesting foreign objects into the body is one of the top ways animals can go to the vet during the holidays. Dogs and cats are not always completely acclimated to the human world we live in so it is our job to ensure their safety. Electrical cords and lights can cause shock and burns. Keep these items safely secured and out of reach especially with younger animals. Use three pronged grounded cords and check to see if your pet has tried to chew on any electrical items. Ornaments can break and cut paws, mouths, etc. The might look like tennis balls but their made of glass and your dog might not know the difference!
Candles are also dangerous if knocked over or played with.

STANDING WATER:
Dogs and cats love to drink out of unusual water sources- even our toilet bowls! Your water stand holding up a Christmas tree can have potential harmful chemicals in it as well as pine needles. Don't let your animals use this as a water source!

HOLIDAY PET PROOFING:
If you want to incorporate a safe environment for your animals during the holidays, pet proof your home by using such things as baby gates to block off rooms, an exercise pen around a Christmas tree, chocolate, plants, etc. always out of reach, plenty of pet friendly toys, fresh water bowls, and lots of exercise. Keep your animals on their regular diet and give them something safe as a special treat. Keep all human food away from pets or at a high level. Puppies and kittens should be strictly monitored and kept from holiday areas unless strictly supervised.

HOLIDAY ANIMAL BEHAVIOR:
During times of celebration for humans, we seem to get very wrapped up in the logistics of planning for a Thanksgiving meal to getting to the mall before they close on Christmas eve. Many of us over look the stress and anxiety that can be caused when people come and go from the house, visitors ringing the door bell, hectic activity or unusual smells. If you get a lot of kids coming to the house on Halloween, it may be a good idea to keep your dog in the back yard or a secure location in your home. A dog that is constantly monitoring for a potential visitor or trespasser to their territory can become anxious, overly excited and out of control. Minimize risk of injury to children if your dog has displayed any type of aggressive episode in the past by not allowing them near that area of your home. If you own an aggressive dog, make sure a room; crate or gate to a backyard is securely locked if you have to put them away. Take your dog out for a lot of exercise that day or morning off your property. Be aware of children and animals together at all times- both can be unpredictable around each other. Dogs and cats should have an area they can retreat to that is away from kids, commotion, and enjoy some quiet time. This is essential for older dogs that like to rest as stress can cause much more harm then good. Children have to be monitored not to tease pets or cause them to be defensive. If your dog has never been around a child before, don't use a holiday gathering as a testing ground. Keep your dog or cat on their normal routine as much as possible.
Be ware of open doors and gates to your home and always keep tags and collars on your pets incase they get out.

Make sure guests are aware of little dogs not being stepped on and rules such as not leaving a front door open, etc.

Lastly, some well-deserved, calm affection for your furry friend through out the day can prove to have some re-assurance that things are going to be all right.

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DOG TRAINING TIPS FOR HALLOWEEN!

Posted by jennifer on September 29, 2008.

As a dog trainer in Hollywood, many of my clients always ask me how to get their dogs prepared for Halloween. Not only are there cute pet costume contests that could cause an embarrassing moment but there are also the tricks involved to pull off an A-list costume. For instance, a dog dressed as a nurse pushing a mini wheelchair with another “patient” dog in it. These extreme Halloween maneuvers are a sure bet to get a celebrity client a first place at a Beverly Hills dog costume event. So when you think that the red carpet is all about the people- think again. It wasn’t long ago that I was training dogs for the annual “Doscar” awards in Palm Beach, Florida complete with limos, bodyguards and millions of dollars in donated jewelry that the dogs wore on the big day. And the bodyguards were not for the dogs but sent along with such expensive pieces from Tiffany’s, Channel, Cartier, Chopard, just to name a few. It’s a good thing my dog Lola responds well under distractions to the come when called as she saw a squirrel down the street with a hundred thousand dollar necklace around her neck tied with dental floss. Yes, even the dogs have their day on special occasions- including Halloween.
So how do you get your dog prepared to wear a costume on that special day? Here’s a little advice on how to pull it off without your dog trying to tear it off in sheer anxiety:

Start a couple of weeks out before Halloween with your costume. Practice in short sessions throughout the day; gradually increasing the time the costume is on. First start with a delectable treat… Something extraordinary like small pieces of hot dogs. Place the costume on top your dog, and give him a treat. Take the costume off and repeat a few times. If he won’t stand for it on top of him, place it on the ground and have your dog sit or stand on it, eventually laying down with treats. Place one aspect of the dog in the costume such as a paw through a sleeve. Give him a small piece of the hot dog. Take the paw out and repeat a few times. Next, place two paws through each sleeve or tie the costume just so one part is on him. Give treats and repeat. Go all the way through until you have the costume completely on your dog and can put it on and take it off with ease. Increase the time periods and get your pet used to walking in it, any noise it might make, etc. Repeat this over and over again until you completely desensitize him to the costume and he is now off the treats. Hats, etc. are last and require the same technique. Practice walking around the neighborhood at night with it on as well. Repeating this over two weeks gradually will get them used to something on them and come Halloween night, you and your pooch will be the talk of the neighborhood. If I can get my cat to walk on a leash in the mountains of Colorado, surely Fido can take to a costume. Be sure to ad in lots of praise for a job well done and remember that unless your dog is used to wearing clothes, this is completely unnatural to them so be patient!

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Domestic Dog Wolf-Program

Posted by on November 13, 2007.

Here's one of Jennifer's latest articles for you to read...

Throughout history, our beloved friends who sit on our living room floors originated from a highly intelligent and social creature- the wild wolf. Since initiating a long study into wolf behavior, my philosophy and work with dogs has changed tremendously. I have found that by treating domestic dogs more like the animals they originated from, I have been able to solve and prevent severe behavioral problems from occurring with tremendous success.
I ask you to open your minds into thinking of your dog in wolf terms and allowing these simple rules and education to play a part in your every day lives. This is the language and the soul of the wolf- not the ideas of a human being. Those that live their life in the wild taught me the following…

1) FEEDING THE MIND (The Hunt, The Chase, The Kill): Wolves spend mornings and evenings looking for food. When they spot a heard of Elk, much thought is put into the role they play in the chase, how to expend the least amount of energy possible, figuring out the easiest and weakest animal to take down, stalking and then chasing & bringing down the animal. Once the kill is made, the alpha or alpha pair eat first and decides who gets to eat or who has to wait their turn.
When domestic dogs eat, the food is given to them with sometimes no rules established, rank in pecking order or work prior to eating. Some dogs get a free buffet all day! By setting rules and routine during the feeding process, you are taping into your animal’s natural instincts. Feeding time is one of the most important times in your dog’s day. In order to speak their language, we need to mimic the hunting drives within them. The following should take place every morning and evening before eating:

- Take your dog for a powerful walk or run before feeding time. If you have a breed such as a Lab or German Shepherd, this may mean walking 45 min. to one hour. If you have a smaller breed, this could mean 20 min to half an hour.

- Before walking your dog, have them go to the bathroom in an area you choose. The one’s who mark the most on the territory boundary line in a wolf pack is the alpha pair. The more you allow your dog to go to the bathroom on your walk, the higher their confidence will rise.

- When you walk, do not allow your pet to stop and sniff constantly. You should keep a swift pace and remember that the primary reason for the walk or run is exercise- mimicking and taping into the same psychology a wolf receives when the pack moves to hunt food. Leadership is shown when you walk with confidence. Many trainers will emphasize that your dog should not lead the walk. However, the breeding alpha pair in wolves only lead about 78% of the time. This leaves room for you to take your dog hiking for example and allow them ahead of you so long as they stay within pack range and in-sight.

- After exercise is given, come home and ignore your dog. You can put them in the backyard or another room if you wish. Give them water and rest. At this point, you should eat something yourself whether that be making yourself breakfast or dinner or if you’re not hungry, pretend to eat something as the alpha eats first. Prepare your dog’s food and let the bowl remain on your kitchen counter. Allow him or her into the room that you feed in but prior to eating, make your dog perform a command such as sit, down, wait, shake, roll over, etc. Once this is done, allow your dog to eat for 10 min. They should eat right away but if not, take the bowl away after 10 min. After your dog eats, pick up the bowl right away and take them out to use the bathroom… Just like the wild wolf or after you eat a turkey dinner, your dog should rest.

- Wolves and dogs alike are the most un-active during the day. They spend most of this time conserving energy, sleeping or resting. In the evening however, the feeding and exercise routine should be repeated.

2) PLAY: Play is like school. Through play, wolves and dogs are able to practice and use skills that they would need to hunt prey in the wild. They see who can run the fastest, spin around, jump and co-ordinate or come up with agile moves. Play also can work out issues within the pack, keep social status by keeping younger members down in rank, etc. Play can also teach confidence to puppies and younger members. Some wolves will allow a pup to get above them to teach them how to become confident. You can control your dog’s confidence in the same way. By playing a game such as tug of war, the more you let your dog win, the more their confidence will rise. The more you let your dog loose, the more their confidence will decrease. However, if you always win or you always loose- the game is not much fun and your dog will get bored.
If your dog tries to engage you in play, you can either reciprocate or not. Play however can come at times of celebration such as after training or even after eating once the stomach has settled. This is very important to the dog’s state of mind as most play involves quick movements and thinking. Just as a human plays a sport, which involves agility, thinking and quick decision-making, your dog receives the same mental and physical exercise. Not only that but wolves and dogs can think of this time as recreation- they love it and it’s fun! Play can also come in different games such as ball chasing, Frisbee, tug of war, etc.

3) THE ALPHA’S ROLE: The role of Alpha Male and Alpha Female are the two most fundamentally important roles of the pack. In order for the pack to have longevity, these two provide not only the gene pool base but also leadership. As a human, you are providing your dog with the same essentials as a pack leader would. You provide food, water, control, direction, boundaries and rules without even knowing it. If your dog has ever been on a leash or in a house, you’ve
already asserted control and provided shelter. An alpha pair or single alpha wolf will provide the same direction. They tell the pack when to move, when to hunt, lead the way most of the time, find the food, find water and an alpha female provides a den for her puppies. So long as your dog is living in your house, goes on a leash and eats the food that you provide for him, he already sees you as the alpha. Where your dog gets confused and where most behavior problems start is when you start giving him mixed messages. Some of these include: Allowing your dog on your furniture or in your bed, letting him lead you on the leash constantly by pulling you down the street, not providing rules and boundaries, letting him push through doors first, allowing your dog to tell you what to do or any dominant or pushy behavior. If you are giving your dog mixed messages by saying you are the alpha in one context but relinquishing your control in others, your dog may start showing signs of dominancy, anxiety, fear, confusion, depression or aggression. You want to make sure Fido understands that you are the boss all the way around. When this is done, your dog relaxes and is happy and problem-free.
Being an alpha male or female is about attitude. You have to present yourself as confident but kind, fair but tough, loving but firm. Before praise is given, leadership has to be proven, as this is the way of the wolf and the way of your domestic dog. To show strength, confidence & leadership means safety and security to your pet.
The highest form of dominance is to ignore. A true Alpha will never get into a fight- they don’t have to. By asserting your leadership through strong body language and attitude, you’ll never need to get in a fight either. Your dog will understand that you mean business just by a look you give or even a growl.
It’s a part of all canine’s nature to try to get to a higher position in the pack even if they aren’t successful. This may occur for some dogs on a daily basis. The more submissive dogs may not need to test the limits as often. However, if something happened to you as the leader, they would take over that position in the pack naturally. If you’ve ever observed wolf and dog behavior, you would see that by putting a submissive adult dog around puppies, their confidence would rise. By putting a confident dog around older more alpha dogs, the confidence would decrease.
It is important to all dogs that you have rules. Some can be as simple as not going to the bathroom in your house, not allowing a dog up high (only the Alpha wolf will sit high above the pack on a rock), not getting under your dog or on their same level on the floor, going out doorways first, etc.
It’s also important to ignore during times when you most likely as a human want to praise. For instance, when you come home from work… Instead of getting your dog more excited with hugs and kisses when you walk in, ignore them for five minutes until they are calm. Once they are calm, you can give praise. By acting aloof, we set the stage when we walk in the door.
An Alpha male- when a wolf pack is threatened will stand tall against danger. When all the other wolves run for safety into the forest, it is the Alpha that faces the danger head on and remains ready to fight. You are the protector of your dog. You make the decision of fight or flight for your pack. You need to protect your dog in all situations especially with other dogs and children. Should you be walking down the street and a dog comes out of no where and attacks your best friend, the friendship or connection will now have mistrust because the dog doesn’t feel that as the Alpha, you are protecting him. It is essential that your dog feel safe although unfortunately, not all situations can be prevented.
Many times someone will get a breed such as the German Shepherd or Rottweiler. They have chosen this breed to protect them. This is a mistake. If you want your dog to help you protect you in the pack, you must still show leadership. When your dog feels safe, they thrive. Lack of leadership presents confusion which is a distraction from protecting you. You must relate to your canine in pack terms like a team or family.

4) THE STRESS FACTOR: After a three year long study was done on Alpha and subordinate wolves in Yellowstone National Park, it was found that elevated stress hormones were more common in Alpha wolves then subordinates. (Credit: Yellowstone Wolves: In the Wild by James C. Halfpenny) This is interesting because subordinate wolves tend to have other pack members releasing their aggression on them and are picked on constantly.
Psychologically, when you are a true Alpha wolf and your dog is a subordinate member, you are relieving them of stress.

5) SHARED RESPONSIBILITY: In your household, there may be two adults living under one roof. It is important to understand that the Alpha pair (you and your partner, roommate, family member husband, wife, etc.) should share the responsibility of leadership. It should not just come from one member in the household but if possible two. This can also go down the line into children who are old enough to understand this role as well as down to your actual dog. Previously, we talked about a security or protection dog. This is a good example of shared responsibility to protect your territory. The security dog should
not run the show rather the dog learns it is his responsibility within your pack to protect your territory (i.e., car, home, office, etc.). You are still the leader. However, the dog is fulfilling his share of the responsibility.

6) ACCEPTING NEW PACK MEMBERS: Each day, thousands of dogs across the country attend dog parks; see each other on walks around the neighborhood, and meet one another on social terms. It is fundamentally important that we teach our domestic dogs from a young age to accept new potential members of the pack. It’s un-natural for dogs to be running around meeting so many other dogs these days but as a part of our society, they should and have to do it. When attending a dog park session, it is important for you to treat the social interactions between dogs greeting each other as new prospective members of your pack. When walking into the dog park, you should still show your alpha status to all who are there. It makes a big difference if the dog has been to the same park many times or if it’s a first visit. If they go to the same park everyday, they’re going to treat it as more their territory than a first time visit. As the alpha, you may make all the decisions when meeting other animals. If you welcome another dog into the park by a successful greeting, so should your dog. If you show aggression to another dog, your dog should back you up. Obviously, we don’t want to show aggression but a sense that you welcome in all dogs to your pack. If you’ve ever watched two dogs behind a fence and the subordinate member starts barking at another dog passing by, the alpha will turn on that dog to say “I’m the only one that barks here- not you”. That is your relationship with your dog when greeting other dogs or people. Should your pet bark or become aggressive, you should get after him to say that it’s your job to initiate the aggression- not his.

6) PUPPIES AND YEARLINGS: As much as the socialization process is a key element in very young dogs, so is the case with wolves. From birth until about
five months old, wolf pups (males and females) must learn to become social members of the pack. With young dogs from six weeks to six months, it is vitally important to socialize and continue doing so throughout the life of the dog. A common problem I see is from vets and breeders insisting not to socialize until all shots are given. This however is a big mistake and I’ll explain why… The most crucial socialization stage in a puppy’s development takes place between six and eight weeks. Although making sure your pup does not pick up a disease, there are ways of getting around this. What I do is take puppies to meet people and other dogs by holding them. So long as your pup doesn’t smell an area where other dogs have gone to the bathroom, you should be o.k. I suggest to my clients to take their puppies to outdoor malls, outside grocery stores and even carry them outside a dog park. If you let your pup greet people at this valuable time and let them watch other dogs socialize, the benefits cannot be captured at a more crucial stage in their development. By holding your dog up, you are not allowing exposure to disease.
Wolf puppies learn a lot from each other. They socialize, play, practice future hunting moves and start establishing pecking order with each other. These elements are necessary for survival. Such is the case for puppy dogs. It’s a very good thing to allow your pup to play with other puppies once you receive them so long as those puppies are for a fact- healthy. It is also good to allow your puppy access to adult dogs that are not in their geriatric stages of life. Adult dogs (so long as they do not hurt your puppy) can teach them a lot more than a human can. Very dominant puppies can become more submissive by being placed around good adult dogs. Be forewarned though- your puppy can learn good AND bad habits from an adult so make sure your adult gets some good training in first before bringing home another dog.
One of the most important elements in a wolf’s life is up until about two years of age. A big part of a wolf’s survival is the hunt, kill and chase. Adult wolves will start puppies on dead mice then on half-alive small prey such as mice, squirrels and rabbits. The wolf puppies have to understand the association between food and kill. Your puppy should associate the same thing. Just as adult dogs are psychologically developed in this manner, the hunt, kill, chase-feeding program should start at a very young age. This may include playtime first (if they are two young for exercise), giving the puppy a command before feeding them and then they eat. As your dog gets older, more exercise can be weaned in at the right age. Too much exercise in young puppies can lead to improper bone development however. Always check with your vet first to decide how much exercise can be given for your breed and at what age the exercise can be increased…
As wolf puppies play with mice and small prey, this is the time to start implementing play with toys in young dogs. Again, we want to mimic as closely possible to what would take place in nature. By playing with toys first and eating after, we are duplicating the hunt, kill, and chase philosophy.
As wolf puppies get older, they start to go on real hunts. This can be very challenging as they have to learn to stalk silently, go after weak members of a heard, when to make a move vs. when not to and finally- the chase and kill. Wolf puppies make many failed attempts before success is rendered and if it weren’t for the older adults making the kill, they may go hungry.
As your dog gets older, it is important to challenge them to work for their food. Getting your dog to use their brain at this stage is crucial. Teaching them to make choices and decisions through training is critical. I teach many young dogs a lot of tricks. It’s not because I want them to become the next Lassie or Rin Tin Tin but rather to start getting them to figure out solutions to receive food. By doing this, you are creating more activity in the brain which will only help your dog learn to problem solve in the future.

7) THE HUMAN ELEMENT:
Preventing problems from occurring in domestic dogs is one of the most important elements of my interactions with my clients. I have found after twelve
years of starting my business and a lifetime of working with these creatures that their psychology is simple- yet the human element is the one complicating factor.
Because our society is ever evolving and changing, we are forcing our pets and domestic animals to change too. It’s not just happening in dogs but in many other species of animals. Horse people are finding that many women who are not having children right away but have successful careers want stallions. Pet clothing, cat strollers and furniture, vet services, kennels and doggie day cares are booming. More and more humans are staying single longer and more have decided not to have children right away. Moms and Dad’s that send their kids away for college want a replacement child so they get a pet. The evolution on our furry friends has a human element that must not be forgotten…
Many people get pets now to receive un-conditional love, companionship, a furry child or friend. We must not forget that these animals are not far off from the wolf. To humanize is something they don’t understand. Your dog would pick up their own survival instincts much faster if you left the front door open for them to roam the earth than teaching them to live life as you do like human. You can’t make a dog think like a human. You can make a human however, think like a dog. Both human and dog, understand wolf. We have many of the same social elements as
a wolf in our every day lives. When you go to work, you have a boss or you may be the intern- who’s the subordinate here? When you eat your food, you may be hungrier after you exercise. Why is that? Because humans used to hunt for food. Wolves are our teachers. As primitive creatures- we used to watch them hunt. They have given us much more than we have given them. Now the question is raised: did dogs domesticate us or did we domesticate the dog? History has many different theories on this idea but I believe in the intelligence of the wolf. After our hunts, they became somewhat scavengers of our scraps. By living close to these creatures we started the human element by giving them food in return for companionship. Over time, we took the most social wolves to breed and before you know it, we have the dog that sits before you today.
Persecution, selfishness, money and hunting have lead to the extermination of the wolf in most parts of North America. Wolves are fearful and shy of humans with good reason to be but we have a piece of them within our soul. So does your dog except on a higher level. The majestic traveler, the family existence of the wild wolf is something we can all learn from and to give back to your dog a sense of what Mother Nature has intended is priceless. Just take your dog out into the woods and explore. You as the leader, he as the lower pack member. See how he lights up with a smile when you take off on your journey into the
unknown. When you come home, watch him rest and relax in peaceful harmony for the rest of the day. This is the way of the wolf and this is the way of our human ancestors.

8) DOG’S LEARNING FROM WOLVES:
I once did an experiment with my three German Shepherds and a female wolf fence to fence next to one another. I was interested in seeing the effects a wolf’s behavior has on a domestic dog. I observed that the female wolf was very clear in her communication. When she growled or engaged in play, there was no mistaking it. Her growl although threatening in dog’s terms was a normal wolf growl with just a warning behind it. Interestingly, this growl sent enormous messages to my dogs. Both the dogs and the wolf understood each other completely in their communication styles. Had my dogs been at this wolf sanctuary for a long period of time, they would learn to howl with the other wolves. This has been observed with other domestic dogs living around captive wolves that do not know how to howl. It would not be far fetched to say that a domestic dog such as the German Shepherd or Alaskan Malamute could become part of a wolf pack in the wild. I noticed that the female wolf was able to- with one communication; send a message clearly to my dogs, which may have taken another dog longer to do. There was no mistake as to what she was saying and my dogs listened intently.
They engaged with her in play and respectively backed off when she wanted them to. This wolf was able to be so clear in her communication that the three German Shepherds did not push the limit. This proved to me that not only do wolves and dogs speak the same language but also wolves have the power to teach dogs on a different level. It’s just like learning things from your high school teacher vs. a Harvard professor…. The wolves are much more intelligent than dogs and can teach them more than any other dog or human can.

8) SOLVING SEVERE BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS USING THE WOLF METHOD:
To not take away that there are some severe behavior cases that involve medical conditions such as thyroid, brain tumors, etc. Or some dogs that cannot function without the help of medication and rigid behavior modification, many behavior problems even severe ones can be solved by going back to wolf behavior in the wild.
An example of this would be the case of a severely dominant and aggressive Rottweiler named Jake. Jake has gotten so aggressive that he has slowly stopped letting his owners in their own home without biting them. The reason for this has been lack of leadership throughout Jake’s life and also a lack of exercise off the property. The bites have gotten so severe that his owners have received stitches to their legs and arm.
In this particular case, Jake needs to see someone as a leader and fast. He is confused in his position. Although Jake looks very mean he is actually incredibly stressed out and unhappy living life this way.
To begin, I ask the owners not to feed Jake for one day. No treats, no food whatsoever. I’m going to put him back into fasting mode. This would be the same if he was scavenging for food on the streets or if he were a wolf. He may not be successful in hunting for one, two or maybe even three days before eating a big meal so now he’s going to have to work for it. Wolves can travel up to twenty miles or more to locate food. Jake will now have to travel to find his food and I as the leader, will take him there.
Jake sees humans at this point as subordinates or potential threats to his position in the pack. His territory is well marked which is a warning for me or other humans to stay out.
Before arriving the second day to meet Jake, I ask the owners to put Jake in his crate or kennel. This first session is between Jake and myself. Both dogs and wolves tend to do better with females than males. This I have observed from captive wolf experts that allow people to interact with wolves on a one on one basis. The human female is less threatening than a male because of our energy. Male’s present more testosterone, which to a dog of this nature can be threatening. Males also tend to give off natural dominant- energy. Therefore as a female, my chances of rehabilitating this dog can be a bit quicker than a man’s because I am not here to physically dominate Jake. I am here to psychologically dominate him. With this type of aggression, to physically dominate will cause more damage, which is not good.
I show up with a hot dog upon my first meeting and was welcomed into the house by Jake’s un-easy owners. I can hear Jake full-forcibly attacking the kennel from
inside the back bedroom. I wait until he settles down a bit. I put a small piece of hot dog in my hand and walk into the room. He attacks the kennel again by barking and growling viciously. I ignore him and stand in the room. Eventually, he calms down. Once he calms down, I move closer to the crate. He again, tries to go after me. I ignore him. He calms down. I throw in a small piece of hot dog into his crate and he eats it. I move closer and again we repeat the same thing over again. This is the morning and time for Jake to eat. He will not receive food now until he is calm and he’s catching on rather quickly. When I move, he goes into prey drive. Jake now understands that I am in control of the food. He is also getting that being calm means reward. I have now become an alpha female and I’m treating Jake like my puppy to regurgitate some food into the den but just as a wolf, I can teach him to be calm and not bother me so much before he eats.
I ask the owners to prepare a small meal for him and they bring it into the room in his bowl. Jake goes nuts again. I wait it out. He’s calm so I put the food on the
floor. I move with the food on the floor- now he wants to eat and is focused on his food bowl instead of me so I give him some kibble with my scent on it. He eats it- now we’re on to something. I walk around the room again and Jake looses focus and barks at me. I leave with his food in hand not to return until that night. I instruct Jake’s owners not to feed him again.
The second session goes smoother and now this dog is hungry. It’s been almost two days since he’s had any food and he knows now that as the leader, I control the food source and I decide when he gets to eat. This time Jake isn’t so inclined to be as aggressive with me. I’m now able to use his food bowl to my advantage. With his meal on the floor, I can move back and forth without him acting aggressively. I reward him with small bits of kibble.
Now it’s time to get him on a leash. I take control again of the food and hold the bowl in my hands while the owners put the leash on. The owners hand me the leash, bowl gets put away and Jake and I go out for a hard hour walk and run. By the time we get back, Jake is exhausted. I have his food bowl in my hands and he is starting to trust me taking over his position. I put Jake back in his kennel. I place the bowl on the floor with chicken in tin foil inside the bowl for me to eat. I eat on all fours, out of his bowl just like a dog while he drools and watches me. When he gets up, I growl at him hovering over the bowl asserting my status. When I decide I’m finished and Jake is now in submission, I open the crate door and he eats his food. Now I’m in control of the pack. Now it’s time to have the owners do what I just did.
In order for this dog to thrive in his new position, it is important to place strict rules on the entire family. Two hours of exercise a day, giving Jake a job through
training and using food as control. For this situation, control will now be placed on every aspect of this dog’s life except while he’s at rest. He is under strict rules
around the house- no more babying and more importantly, the owner have to become now the wolves. They have control on where and when he goes to the bathroom, where he sleeps, when he sleeps, eats, plays and exercises etc. There is a reason why the alpha’s have higher stress levels- in some cases it’s a lot of work!
As time goes by and the owners take the lead, we see a different dog. The aggression is gone but they will always be tested. Jake has now taken a sigh of relief in his new position and is a carefree, well-rounded and balanced dog….
Another example is severe dog aggression. Daisy, an alpha female wolf whom I’ve done work with, was notorious for causing severe injury to males that would go after her food stash or try to flirt with her. One injury cost another wolf his life over a piece of meat. Wolves will kill or injure other wolves if they ask for it. The biggest killer to adult wolves at Yellowstone is other wolves. Because their territories are so close to one another, conflicts arise frequently. If however,
Federal law in the park did not protect the wolves; the biggest killer would be human hunting.
Should a wolf cross a boundary line or territory, that wolf is at danger of attack. If a wolf threatens another wolf’s position, they may also be at risk of attack.
Daisy is a prime example that within every dog, within every man, there is a breaking point. Whether defensive, prey, inter-male/female, territorial, resource guarding, etc. A dog can unleash havoc on another animal.
Down in Florida, I worked on a “dangerous dog” case where a German Shepherd had killed a Daschund for no reason. This dog had gotten worse and worse over the years and had previously gotten off leash and attacked several other canines. Lack of socialization was the main factor and lack of leadership was another. Again, it is so important to think of yourself as the first one to bark or growl- not your dog. In this particular case, I used my three German Shepherds- two males and a female. The animal that I was working with was named Gretchen or “Gretch” for short. I used a prong collar with Gretchen and a six-foot leather leash. In some cases, prong collars are used to mimic another dog’s bite. I cannot bite Gretchen when I want to be the assertive one so I have to use another tool. I do not use choke chains as they statistically damage a dog’s neck however when using the prong collar properly, it does not. I also premise this by saying that not all dogs need prong collars…
When a dog gives another dog a warning bite, on fur it feels much differently then we would feel it on our fragile skin. The idea is that when walking Gretchen past my dogs and she would go into prey drive, I will take over as the Alpha female just like two dogs behind a fence. No one has ever successfully stopped Gretchen from acting this way and this dog having gone through the court system, is on death row unless rehabilitated.
Gretchen has never learned how to be a good high-ranking dog. As long as she is below her owners or me in rank, but wants to be more dominant over other dogs- I’m going to let her. Huh? Yes. She is going to learn how to be a true alpha female around other dogs. Unfortunately, Gretchen has never learned the art of ignoring and she has never learned how to properly socialize so we are going to teach her…
To teach a canine how to ignore, I use an out of sight, out of mind technique. To do this, I place Gretchen in the sit position between myself and a simple distraction such as her owners walking by. When she looks away from me I give a gentle tug on the line and tell her “Fuss” (foose) which means heal in German. I teach her that this command means to keep her eyes up on me no matter what’s going on kind of like a horse with blinders. We next bring in my dogs and place
them in a non-threatening position in the down stay. I bring Gretchen out and from a far distance as she goes nuts, I’m able to get her in the sit and tell her “Fuss”. She looks up at me and receives calm praise. I get closer and closer to the dogs until she is now able to do this extremely close to them without a reaction. Next the owners are taught the command. We do this both on the sit and at a walking pace. Gretchen’s head is right on their left leg ignoring my dogs. The next step is walking my dogs around her then eventually, allowing them run around her. Finally the Shepherds are asked to come up and sniff her with her head remaining on the owner’s leg, eyes up- out of sight and out of mind. Gretchen is now ready to learn how to “shake hands” with another dog as she has now been somewhat desensitized. We teach her how to sniff another dog without being aggressive and how to allow other dogs to sniff her. This whole process doesn’t happen over night but is gradual and takes place slowly over weeks at a time. After she can be trusted on leash with the dogs, we go to a long line and give her more freedom. Any dominant signs of aggression I stop before they accour based on reading into her body language just as an alpha wolf would. After she is fine on the long line, she is trusted with one dog at a time off leash, then more dogs and finally- the breed of dog she killed, my mini- Daschund, Jack. Gretchen is now a social dog but it will be up to the owners to continue socializing her daily, asserting rules and regulations at home, incorporating exercise, paying attention to her body language, practicing the “Fuss” command and finally- the owners have to become always the wolf.
The thing to remember about aggression is that you can never take it out of a dog. It’s always in there but as an alpha, you have control over it.

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The Following Question Is From Debbie...

Posted by jennifer on November 7, 2007.

QUESTION:

"How can I get my Rottweiler to stop digging holes in my backyard. She is alone outside for about 6 hours a day while I'm at work. I have a big backyard and I leave toys out there for her to play with, but she still digs. I fill in the holes and she moves on to create other holes."

ANSWER:

Hi Debbie-
There are a number of reasons why your Rottie may be digging up your backyard. Some of these reasons can include the following: Dogs dig holes to stay cool, dig out of boredom & lack of exercise or there could be a great smell under the earth that you or I wouldn't be aware of.
For starters, lets take exercise. One way to stop her from digging is to get her really tired before you leave for work. The exercise should always take place off your property as dogs, like wolves, need mental as well as physical stimulation. Let's take for example a pack of wolves... Believe it or not, your dog is not far from these creatures at all. She is just a toned-down version of the wild wolf. Therefore, in the morning and in the evening are when wolves are most active. They wake up and start out hunting for food. Before your female gets fed, she should go out for a hard hour walk- not stopping and sniffing but good exercise. If that's not possible, try running her for half an hour in the a.m. Granted most people will say "I don't have time in the morning" but you have to make time. Worse case scenario, you hire a dog walker. Either way, she needs physical and mental stimulation every day. So by looking at wolf behavior, when they hunt, they have to work for it. They will chase their prey at high speeds, stalk or figure out the best way to take a weak animal down. When they kill their prey they eat right away and the alpha pair will always eat first. Hence, your Rottie gets exercise in the morning, she then eats a meal after you eat and just as a wolf- she sleeps and rests the day away until you get home in the evening. This will definetly help the digging problem. Two other solutions are to put her feces in the area in which she digs and she won't dig a hole there as this would be disturbing her scent. Another thing to do is to provide her with a cool area to hang out in such as the shade of a dog house, lots of water or a cooling mat which can be purchased at any big pet store.
Toys mean nothing to dogs unless there is a reason to play with them or they have food inside. You can also give her toys with food that she has to figure out how to get out but beware- if she's not getting her a.m. exercise, this could possibly make things worse. Some treats and food have high contents of protein and the effects of protein on a dog are similar to the effects of caffeine on a human being. More protein can cause more energy, hence more holes.
If you treat your dog similar to a wolf, life should be a piece of cake. Best of luck to you and thanks for your question!
All my best,
Jennifer

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The Following Question Is From Alana...

Posted by jennifer on October 17, 2007.

QUESTION:

Is it possible for dogs to have OCD. If I take my little dog to work with me for 3 days in a row and then I don't take her the next day she gets really sad. I mean sad sad, she starts shaking like she is cold with her ears back and pouts. So I wait for a week and then take her one day and leave her home the next and she is just fine. Maybe that is a bad example.

My friend Kim stayed with me for a week doing minor repairs on my home. Surcie (my little dog) spent every minute with Kim. When I would get ready for bed, Surcie would want to sleep with Kim. When I told her to get in her bed, she walked past me slowly and did a low growl. It was amusing at first because she had never done that to me.....not even to a stranger. She loves everybody. Well, when Kim left Surcie became very ill. She was throwing up and had uncontrollable accidents 5-6 times a day. When I took her to the vet the vet decided after many questions that Surcie was love sick. uggghhh. So I have determined that anything in repetition is not good for her mentally. Is that strange? Am I doing the right thing by limiting her constant intake of things.

Alana

ANSWER:

Hi Alana-
THere is such a thing as obsessive compulsive disorder in dogs but it usually comes in the form of tail chasing, light or shadow chasing, etc. not from being "love sick". Your dog is experiencing some seperation anxiety. Dog's are naturally pack animals so if you bring her to work for three days and she expects that, the day you say she can't go- she'll be upset. Any change in your environment when new people come to stay that she forms an attachment to can also cause a depression when that person leaves. The good news is that you can help her with this into becoming much more at peace away from people. You have to establish yourself as the pack leader first and from here, everything is a piece of cake. The less in control you are in your everyday life with your dog, the more out of control and confused Surcie will feel. It's almost as if they take a big sigh of relief when you actually control different parts of her life. This starts with rules, exercise, and leadership.
After this is done, you can actually set up mock scenarios with friends or family members. THe idea is that Surcie developes an attachment, that person leaves but then comes back over and over and over again. Eventually, you will increase the time before the friend returns. The idea is that Scurcie learns that friends don't leave forever and they will be back :-) Hope that helps and best of luck!

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The Relationship Between Man & Beast...

Posted by jennifer on October 15, 2007.

On a cold snowy day in Colorado, I looked outside to see my SUV staring at me stuck, halfway down my driveway in a pile full of freshly blown snow. About five months prior to this, I had just moved to the state after going through two hurricanes in Florida and coming off ten years in Los Angeles. Although I’m originally from Boston, snow had been the furthest thing from my mind in recent years. Not only did it snow- it kept on snowing for countless days straight. DIA was closed for Christmas leaving many people stranded (including me) and it just so happened that I moved to Colorado in one of the worst winters in the states history.
I didn’t really no anyone here- just a few clients that I was picking up here and there and coming from the city, living on five acres is a big change of life for one to go through. However, here I was and this is ultimately where I wanted to start calling home- the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
I moved to Colorado for a few reasons. The first was to work with wolves, which I had been dreaming about doing for years. The second was to get closer to nature, become more “one” with animals in general and then apply that to dogs. The last reason was to open the K-9 Ranch Training Center from where I sit today. In Los Angeles, it’s pretty hard to come by a five-acre ranch in the heart of the city. My dream was, and still is, to have a facility open year round, rain or shine and get people away from their job, their responsibilities, their life (in a sense) and connect them back through nature to higher relationship with their pets.
There are so many fond memories I have as a kid that I’m sure a lot of people have with their childhood animals. The only difference was I didn’t live with dogs as pets- I lived with dogs that worked. For the most part, every dog my parent’s owned was there to protect our house. That was the dog’s number one job. After this was completed though, we were all living in one big pack. There wasn’t just one but always two or three or more…
I remember running as a 4 or 5 year old with two large German Shepherds and a big, black Great Dane (the size of a small pony), right at my back. I remember my dogs as my best friends growing up and throughout every day of my life. I could play with them for hours and never get bored. As my rebellious teenage years took hold, there I was again every night when every one else was asleep having therapy sessions with our German Shepherds. It was never any doubt that I loved animals more than anything else and therefore has lead me down the road of where I sit today…
Anyone who ever grew up with a dog has a fond memory of that animal. There was an innocence that came between our two souls where you might have been able to relate to them on a better level. There is no coincidence to this. I think a lot of people have just forgotten how to do this.
As we grow older, the innocence slips away into the cracks and crevasses of our adult lives. The days of “going out to play” have now become “going out to dinner” or “going out to have drinks”. The problem is that for a lot of people living in our modern world, the connection to their animals is either a replacement for something else missing in one’s life or their just too busy to have a real connection and often leave the duty up to someone else.
Because our world is changing from people not feeling the overwhelming pressure to be married right away, not wanting kids or just waiting to have them later and people in general staying single, our dog’s worlds are changing too.
The way the pet industry is right now, if you are in the pet industry, it’s a very good time to be. Billions are sold each year from couture clothes to vet services, grooming and yes- training is booming. There is a reason for all of this… Humans are not treating their dogs like dogs anymore but rather, as little children. This in turn, has caused more problems and much more business for me… lol.
Going back to those days of the winter that just never ended, I had spent days, weeks and months with the only friends I had- Dylan, Lola & Elvis. It was at that time that I realized the most powerful, healthy connection a human has to their pet is lost in the innocence of childhood.
From that moment on, I tried to get back to that but what I found out was that we were no longer friends with our dogs but parents. Huh? What a concept. I was guilty of it myself. I spent God only knows how much money in vet bills every month, premium food, grooming, the best dog beds, etc. and here I was in that role of being a parent to my dogs. I have always led my dogs through pack psychology, asserting leadership, dominance, rules & regulations but it was time to get back on their level and not on mine.
I think one of my greatest gifts I have been given from a child is trying to figure out new things through experiments with animals. These “experiments” didn’t hurt them in any way but I had to figure out how everything from my goldfish to my horse ticked. So, throughout my life my experiments have continued and there I was on the floor, on all fours about to embark on the biggest experiment of my life…
Watching Lola growl over a toy, I copied her as precisely accurate as I could. I spent hours watching her body posture, her eyes, and teeth and how she carried herself. If there is ever a dog that I owe credit to teaching me about growling and body posture, it’s Lola. She will make your heart melt but in one swift moment, when she needs to be boss- boy does she let the other dogs know it.
It’s interesting to watch wolves and dogs in packs. I could go on and on about the roles they play, their relationship to each other, etc. Wolves and dogs are actually not far from us as social creatures and also not far from each other either (despite what other people may tell you). Although as a human, you may be at a party, how you walk into that party, what your body posture says, which way your eyes look says a lot about you before you even open your mouth.
As any one knows, this language that dogs have is in some ways very similar. In order to tap into this language though, I went where not a lot of people
would want, or even think of going- I became (in as much as I could get away with)- a dog. Now before you think I’m crazy, hear me out.
This experiment I conducted had remarkable effects. So much so, I use a lot of what I learned still today. I teach people how to growl at their dogs and after there initial embarrassment, they go to- “Oh my God- this really works!” in a matter of seconds. In all honestly, the growling and establishing rank in pack over food and other high-value items, has become the quickest, most efficient methods of solving some of the cases I work with to date.
Beyond all the tricks I learned, all the dog language that was taught to me, I discovered my point all over again. Dogs are friends with each other. Have you ever heard the saying “You can pick your friends but you can’t pick your family?” Dogs pick and choose their friends just like we do and we need to be better friends to them.
What was lost in innocence was gained in being utterly alone with my pack for months on end. A truly accidental experiment that turned into a life’s long journey. Getting back to the connection I had with my animals when I was younger. Getting off the computer and playing games with them until we were both tired. Forgetting about the world for a minute and living in the moment with your dog- this is the secret to success. Also, time. I have always said one thing-the more time you put into your dog, the more you’ll get out of him.
So here I sit, one year later with more questions still un-answered but with each trial and error, I become one step closer to truly being as close as I can come right now to truly understanding a dog.

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DENVER'S "THE FOX- 103.5 FM" LIVE RADIO INTERVIEW

Posted by jennifer on September 21, 2007.

Hey Everyone-
Check me this Wednesday at 8 a.m. on Denver's "The Fox" radio station 103.5 FM... Should be filled with lots of good doggie info. as well as life as a celebrity dog trainer. Don't miss it!!!
All my best,
JMc

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Acting Like a Dog and Unleashing the Power

Posted by jennifer on May 23, 2007.

This week as Elvis was around more puppies, his confidence rose and Dylan is trying to hang on to his position as Beta in the pack under me. Elvis (now at maturity) is starting to challenge his elder and watching it unfold is always greater knowledge to me than any book.
The journey started to unfold when I got Lola. By copying her playful moves and strong assertiveness over toys, I was able to start speaking the actual language of dogs. People thought I was crazy but it only made sense to cross the threshold of acting less like a human and more like a dog. Then came the many experiments I performed down on my knees, asserting myself over toys, instigating play and then one day, what I had hoped for actually happened. My pack of German Shepherds started to approach me submissively, licking my face, ears back and lowered tails wagging. They accepted me not only as their human leader but as an actual alpha dog and that was one of the greatest accomplishments I've been able to have in my life.
People don't realize that being an Alpha dog is like being a movie star. It's actually an amazing feeling to have other pack members submitting to you. With being an Alpha also comes a lot of responsiblity. It's similer in our society to being a good boss or being the president. You are the protector, the stability and the one who makes all decissions for the rest of the animals.
I try to help people understand the body lanuage, the "looks" and the attitude but the best way to become a great leader to your dog is to mimic from time to time a good alpha wolf or alpha dogs behavior. There are many videos to watch about dog & wolf pack behavior- check them out! Trust me, your dog will thank you for it as he or she will feel safer, more secure and less anxious in the human world...
Have a good night!
All my best,
JMc

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What Wolves Have Taught Me About Dogs

Posted by jennifer on May 14, 2007.

We, as humans, are all intruders on very fragile eco-systems in the wild. After killing off those that are eating our livestock, we constantly forget the importance of nature’s fine element of balance. It hasn’t been until recently that wolves are starting to make a comeback from feared killer to social, family orientated animal. Over time, humans have destroyed wolves leaving them fearful and shy of coming into contact with us in the wild. Much of the wolves’ social structure is very similar to our own and yet they have been around much longer than we have. They taught us how to hunt and possibly could have taught us a primal social order- at least that’s my guess anyway. Wolves must always work together to be successful as a close- knit family run by a strong pack leader.
As I grow to continue to learn about these animals, I see much more of what they can teach me about my interactions with dogs. So much so that I’ve made it a primary part of what I integrate into my daily client sessions. I develop social structure around food. Using growling as a means to keep the pecking order clear. I’m the Alpha female who rules the pack and every resource that’s important to my dogs, comes to me first. Toys will sometimes be guarded and often, I initiate play, exercise, etc. This is all through speaking the language of canines and leaving the human language behind. I communicate to them using body language and even smile to show a sign of affection. Touch is very important and always comes as a reward or through play. This new form of dominance has not only shifted the way I interact with dogs but has led me to stead fast results.
Another form of dominance I use is to have first rights at any attention when a spouse comes home from work. Corrections are given very seldomly just as an Alpha wolf would but by making the bark much stronger than the bite.
The reaction I get from humans when I tell them this is usually a laugh but when I demonstrate the effects, I often see jaws drop. The bottom line is that the status of your pack must be kept always in sync. If this occurs, the dogs feel safer, secure and happier. Once pack status gets out of whack, that’s when you will experience problems.
Thanks once again for another insight owed to our friends- the wolf…

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Communication Breakdown

Posted by jennifer on March 28, 2007.

The days of giving the dog a bone, patting him on the head and letting him live out his years in the backyard in a dog house are long since gone my friends. Now that we've made the transition from back yard pets to couch potato pals, there's more going on behaviorally then meets the eye. For one thing, dog problems are getting worse and worse because more people are seeing their dogs as equals rather than as subordinate animals (which is actually where they prefer to be when it comes to human companionship.) So where do the chips fall when you come home to see your dog? Is he or she allowed to sleep in your bed? Does he jump up to greet you? Push his way in front of you to get through the door? Does he insist on taking over the couch? Does he pull you down the street on the leash or maybe have sudden hearing loss when you call them to come back to you? If your dog displays any or more of these symptoms, he or she may have what I call- "Spoiled, Rotten Dog Syndrome" and it may be worth your while to read an article about it on my website. There is help out there for those who want it.... lol

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The Calming Effect

Posted by jennifer on March 27, 2007.

I guess it wasn't until I got older when people would say- "You're so calm" that I realized what it was from. Surfing every day will put me into the same state. A state of total relaxation after a day of working with dogs. Even aggressive ones. When you pet an animal it lowers your heart rate and in turn, it does the same thing for them. The sounds they make- a cat purring, a dog with a low warning growl can soothe even the most up tight person as long as you're not afraid. When you work with dogs or horses or any animal for that matter, you have to come into a situation on an equal plane. If you enter a house with anger or resentment, that animal is going to pick up on it right a way and not be at ease. Patience, having a clam way about you will get you from point A to point B in no time where as frustration and anger only makes matters worse. That's my tip for the day- good night ;-)

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