3 New Canine Good Citizens

On December 16, 2010  three new Canine Good Citizens and their parents earned the  American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen certificate at the Humane Society of Huron Valley.  Two of the new citizens, STELLA ARTOLIS, a Plott Hound mix, handled by Alison Chester of Ann Arbor, Michigan and SOPHIE, a German Shorthair Pointer, handled by Cathy Pianelli also of Ann Arbor, Michigan earned their certificates after completing Michael Burkey's Canine Behavioral Training's CGC/Intermediate Manners group class.  The third new citizen was a walk in registrant, TURBO CHARGER, a Lab/Shepherd mix handled by Katelin Thomas of Plymouth, Michigan.  Congratulations to all three new citizens!

For professional dog training in Michigan, contact Michael Burkey at http://www.MichiganDogTrainer.com, info@MichiganDogTrainer.com, 734-634-4152.

Easy Walk Harness May Now Be used in CGC Testing

Previously, the American Kennel Club (AKC) did not allow dog teams taking the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test to use a body harness such as the Easy Walk Harness The EW s a body harness in which the leash attaches to a clasp on the dog's chest instead of on top of his back.  Doing so, the strap across his chest tightens slightly if he pulls forward.  This redirects his attention back to you or places him slightly off balance making it easy for the handler to step in front of their dog and walk in the opposite direction.  It will not pinch him nor totally restrict  his movement but he is less likely to continue pulling forward with his shoulders turned sideways.  The EW is sold for a nominal price at the Humane Society of Huron Valley (3100 Cherry Hill Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan).

I always found it puzzling as to why the EW was not previously allowed in the tests but yet a martingale style neck collar, also known as a premier collar, was allowed (also sold at HSHV).  A martingale collar does not restrict forward movement but it does clasp tighter around the dog's neck when he pulls forward without choking him (note, a martingale collar is a very effective tool to ensure a dog does not slip out of a traditional snap together or buckle style collar and is more humane than a chain or sometimes referred to as a choke collar.)  I attributed the reason why the EW was not allowed previously was probably because it was not yet developed or widely used when the test rules were developed.  And, it appears I was correct.

As of November 4, 2010, the AKC changed the CGC test rules to allow the use of a harness such as the EW.  Per the AKC website, "As of November 4, 2010, body harnesses may be used in the CGC test. The evaluator should check to make sure the harness is not of a type that completely restricts the dog's movement such that it could not pull or jump up if it tried."  Thanks go to the AKC for updating their test rules as many owners find the EW to be a wonderful training tool.  It helps manages the dog's pulling behavior (to reduce excessive pulling but it is not  a replacement for professional dog training)  while the owner teaches the dog to walk with them on a loose leash.  It's also a great strength equalizer for many students with large dogs.

If you're interested in training your dog to pass the CGC evaluation, register for the "Canine Good Citizen / Intermediate Manners" group dog class held at the Humane Society of Huron Valley in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Evaluations are held upon the conclusion of each six week period class.  If you want to see what a CGC test looks like, come observe the next testing scheduled for December 16, 2010 at 6:45pm.








For professional dog training in Michigan, contact Michael Burkey at http://www.MichiganDogTrainer.com, info@MichiganDogTrainer.com, 734-634-4152

Dog Meet and Greets, Who to Watch?

The other day, a group of dog lovers and their dogs, the MichiganDogTrainer meet up group, met at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan to participate in a group walk together.  The dogs in the group are considered "green light" dogs, meaning they are friendly with other dogs and people.  The group's intent is to provide ongoing socialization and exercise for their dogs.

During the walk, the group commonly pass other dog owners and their dogs that are unknown to them.  A common exchange occurs such as asking if the dogs are friendly and if so can they meet each other.  If the answer is yes, the dogs are allowed to meet and greet each other while on leash (due to park leash laws and the lack of a fenced in area).  Many of the MichiganDogTrainer group members have previously participated in group dog classes or private dog training at Michael Burkey's Canine Behavioral Training program so they are well versed in recognizing stress behaviors in their dogs.  If they see their dog exhibit stress behaviors such as muscles tensing, body posturing toward or away from other dogs, ear carriage going from normal relaxed carry to forward or back, breathing changing from normal to paused, etc., they know how to safely move their dog away from the other dogs to create a safety distance between them.

In this instance, the group member dogs were not stressed and they were enthusiastically and appropriately greeting an unknown dog.  It was the unknown dog that was exhibiting the stress behaviors.  However, it initially went unnoticed because the group members were focusing on watching only their own dogs' reactions.  The group leader was present and requested the members to pull their dogs away from the unknown dog.

The greater distance between the dogs lowered the unknown dog's stress level and therefore, prevented the situation from escalating.  And, it was an excellent learning opportunity for the group members.  They took a moment to discuss the situation before completing their walk.  They realized they didn't see the unknown dog's behavior change because they were looking at their own dogs.  The moral of the story is that even if your dog is the most polite and outgoing dog there is, you must watch for behavior changes not only in your own dog but also of the unknown dog to keep every one safe and stress free.  Not every dog is ready to go nose to nose with other friendly dogs.  The unknown dog's needs should also be considered as to when it is safe for dogs to meet and greet each other.




For professional dog training in Michigan, contact Michael Burkey at http://www.MichiganDogTrainer.com, info@MichiganDogTrainer.com, 734-634-4152.  Click here, if you want to join the meet up group to participate in fun walks with other dog lovers in Washtenaw, Wayne and Oakland counties particularly in the Ann Arbor and Canton areas.

Dog Behavior Photos

Do You Have an Old or Current Behavior Photo of Your Dog, in Your Mind’s Eye?

Recently, I was working with two of my clients who have come so far with their reactive dogs (in these cases, dogs who show dog to dog aggression or toward other stimuli such as cars).  The first dog, is a Border Terrier who would go from being calm and sweet in an instant to wanting to lunge, bark and bite at other dogs and passing cars who were at quite a distance from him.  He is now able to attend dog seminars and be in the midst of 30+ dogs without being reactive, take loose leash walks with other dogs, and look to his owner when a car passes by instead of trying to apprehend the speeding vehicle.  His training consisted of a board and train program as well as in home training sessions.

The second dog is an All American Shepherd mix, who enrolled in a Feisty Fido dog training class which is for dogs who are considered “yellow lights” and show aggression or reactivity toward other dogs.  At the start of the class series, their dog had to be worked at the most remote corner of the training room to lessen his stress level and consequently his desire to bark non stop.  A few weeks later, their dog was able to walk toward other dogs and be worked in close proximity to other dogs; while focusing on his owners rather than barking at the other dogs.  He will soon be ready to participate in other group classes which will build his confidence and desire to work with his owners such as a new K9 Scent Detection Game class.

The owners of both dogs recognize the progress their dogs have made.  However, they still had an old picture of their dog in their mind as to how their dog use to behave when challenging triggers presented themselves.  For example, when a car passes the first dog, he now looks to his owner in a calm manner instead of reacting toward the passing car.  However, the owner is still operating in the past with an old picture of her dog in her mind.  The dog is no longer reactive toward the oncoming car but the owner still is.  Her muscles stiffened, she forgot to breathe, and she yanked her dog to the side of the road instead of calmly walking with her dog, creating more distance between her dog and the car.

To bring the owner into the current moment, she used neuro-linguistic programing and visualized that old photo of her dog’s behavior and threw it in the virtual trash.  She then looked at a digital camera and visualized taking a current picture of her dog’s calm behavior in above situation.  The car was coming toward them and instead of voicing, “oh my gosh”, the new inner voice said, “oh good here comes a training opportunity”; snap goes the picture.  So now when a car approaches, she will instantly look to that new photo in her mind’s eye of her dog’s calm behavior.  Thus, she will remain calm and be able to take charge instead of panic in new situations.  And, her dog will continue to make progress by leaps and bounds.  So the question is, do you have an old or current behavior photo of your dog in your mind’s eye?

For professional dog training in Michigan, contact Michael Burkey at http://www.MichiganDogTrainer.com, info@MichiganDogTrainer.com, 734-634-4152.

Potty Training - Please Help!

Nancy K.G. wrote:  

Don't know if this consists of a behavioral issue, but here goes....I have a 10 week old Beagle mix puppy. I take her out to go potty then she comes back into the house and a few minutes later, goes again. Why is that and what am I doing wrong? Please, anyone who can help, please do!! Thanks in advance....

Hi Nancy,  

Ohhhh, the delightful and frustrating perils of having a puppy.  A puppy isn't able to reliably control their bladder and bowel until they are about 20 weeks of age, although you should see their control improve from 10-20 weeks of age.  So in other words, it will probably get better with time.

Here are some quick tips regarding housbreaking:

1. Make sure your puppy has had enough time to do their business outdoors before brining her back in as maybe she just wasn’t yet done.
2. When you take her outdoors, make pottying the first order of business and then verbally praise her after she eliminates.
3. Take her on leash to the same spot for her to eliminate as the smell of where she has gone before will stimulate her to eliminate.
4. As she eliminates, name the behavior by saying “potty”, “break”, or another term.
5. When she comes back inside, keep a close watch of her in case she needs to go back outside again.
6. Keep a close watch of her by closing the door of the room you are in with her, attaching her to a leash which then is attached to your waist and by teaching her to rest comfortably on a dog bed, “place” command.
7. “Crate train” her so that when you can’t closely supervise her activities she can rest comfortably in the crate that is only large enough for her to lay down, stand up and turn around.  
8. Take her outdoors often, much more often than you may think one should have to.  This may mean hourly outings and certainly every time after a play session, upon waking up, and after eating or drinking.
9. Feed your puppy a high quality dog food, such as Life Abundance, that doesn’t contain by-products, corn and dyes.
10. Consult with a professional dog trainer for more advice as training questions are a challenge to answer within the confines of an email or blog entry.  A trainer can help you make sure your puppy starts off on the “right paw.”
11. And if the situation doesn’t improve despite the above tips, take your puppy to your veterinarian for a wellness check.

For professional dog training in Michigan, contact Michael Burkey at http://www.MichiganDogTrainer.com, info@MichiganDogTrainer.com, 734-634-4152.

E-Palozza - Continuing Education for Professional Dog Trainers

It's crucial for professional dog trainers to commit and be responsible for their own on-going personal development.  As such, this week I'm attending the annual E-Palozza dog training program at "That's My Dog" training center in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.  

E-Palooza is a gathering place for professional dog trainers who use remote training collars as part of their overall training program.  "That's My Dog's" owner and Training Director, Robin MacFarlane states:  "....As all things, the event (E-Palozza) has evolved over the years and the E in palooza represents much more than just the electronic collar. It is about, education, entertainment, enthusiasm, ethics…all the things that the people that gather here represent. It is about creating a higher standard for professional trainers."  That program kickstarts starts tomorrow with an exciting group of featured speakers representing the medical field, dog training, business building and personal development specialities.

However, for the purpose of today's blog, I want to talk about the awesome opportunity I and two other business owners had by spending the day with MacFarlane.  It was a personable focused introspection of our businesses and the steps we can implement to take our businesses to the next level, whatever that meant for each of us.  Through discussion, questions and challenges; MacFarlane helped each of us develop a business plan that was highly personal and realistic to our individual needs and passions.  

As with any goal setting program, there must be action steps that are developed and implemented in order to accomplish the goal.  MacFarlane recommends limiting the core goals to just three at a time that can receive focused attention.  Otherwise, it is too tempting to become distracted by other events and projects that result in our energy being applied elsewhere rather than on our core goals.  Along with actions steps, she recommended that time frames be established for completion of the goals and action steps.  It is also helpful for them to be shared with a partner or mentor to ensure accountability to the program.  

Having been a social worker in a former career, goal setting comes second nature for me.  And this is what we do with dog training clients every day; help them develop training plans that are effective, realistic, personalized and broken down into doable action steps for the client and their dog.  And yet, today's session was extremely helpful for me.  


With the guidance of a trusted and knowledgable professional, it provided me with clarification of what is important to me and what makes me happy.  This in turn will enable me to become even more effective when servicing my clients and their dogs.  Additionally, MacFarlane was an excellent sounding board to bounce our ideas of from.  Drawn from her vast experience, she provided constructive feedback, imparted new knowledge and suggested ways to keep learning fun.

As I experienced with MacFarlane today, I  recommend that you take some time for yourself and visualize the type of relationship you desire to have with your dog.  With the help of a trusted and professional dog trainer, you can develop a personalized and realistic training plan for your dog (three goals at a time) that includes actions steps to be accomplished within agreed upon time frames.  And, by consulting with an experienced dog trainer, you will learn new skills and build accountability into your program to ensure success of your core training goals.  Now go have some fun training time with your dog! 

For professional dog training in Michigan, contact Michael Burkey at http://www.MichiganDogTrainer.com, info@MichiganDogTrainer.com, 734-634-4152.

Dogs that Go Missing in Action

Recently, my neighbor called me to help her return a dog that was sitting outside her fence gate.  The unknown terrier mix , later identified, as Rudy, was attracted to her property because her dogs were in their back yard.  Not knowing the history of the dog, she was afraid to approach Rudy.  Fortunately, he turned out to be extremely friendly toward people and other dogs.

Rudy had a city registration tag on his collar but it was unreadable due to it’s age, 2002.  A spot check of nearby homes did not result in finding anyone who knew to whom Rudy belonged.  There wasn’t time to take Rudy to the humane society the same day, so I took a picture of him and uploaded it onto the shelter’s website.  I  hoped his owner would find the picture and know that Rudy was being well cared for during his absence.

The following day, I took Rudy to the Michigan Humane Society to have him scanned for a microchip.  Hopefully, one would be found and I would be able to return Rudy to his owner without him having to spend any time in the shelter.  Sadly though, he did not have a microchip.  Therefore, I checked him into the shelter knowing that they would place a hold on him for four days, to give his owner time to find him before placing him up for adoption, provided he successfully passed the temperament evaluation.  After having spent the night with Rudy and being a dog behavior expert myself, I knew he would pass such an evaluation with flying colors.

Fortunately, Rudy’s story has a very happy ending.  As I waited for Rudy to be checked into the shelter, his owner entered the shelter lobby joyfully exclaiming, “you found my dog!”  As it turned out, Rudy had travelled approximately ten blocks during his neighborhood exploration.

Early this morning, I saw two adult Rottweilers running loose on Wayne Road in Westland, Michigan.  At first they would not come to me but with some encouragement, they jumped into my truck for a ride and some pet massages.  Fortunately, they had stayed together during their outdoor adventure as one of them didn’t have any tags on his collar.  The female Rottweiler had a city registration tag but no further identifying information.  Therefore, I took them to the Michigan Humane Society in Westland, Michigan.  

Due to it being a Sunday, the shelter was closed.  However, have no fear, a Westland Police Officer saved the day.  He appeared on scene and assisted me with placing the dogs in kennels and giving them food and water at the shelter.  Due to the female having a city tag, I am sure they will be home with their owners tomorrow.  It’s just unfortunate that they didn’t have a phone number on their collar.  If so, I would’ve been able to return them to the owner on the same day.

These recent events point out how crucial it is to have identification on your dog so your loved one can be returned to you as soon as possible.  

To protect your pet:  

• Register your dog with your city hall and place the tag on your dog’s collar,

• Place your cellular telephone number on your dog’s collar, 

• Ask your veterinarian to microchip your dog,

• Ensure your dog’s outdoor play area is secure preventing your dog from jumping over or digging under the fence,

• Spend more time with your dog when he/she is outdoors to prevent your dog from becoming bored and seeking an escape route, and

• Train your dog to come, stay, and not to bolt out doorways by joining a dog training class or by hiring a professional dog trainer for in home training.  

If you follow these tips, hopefully your dog will never become one of the missing.  But if the unfortunate happens and your dog goes missing in action, you will have peace of mind that you took the steps necessary to aid your dog’s safe return.

For professional dog training in Michigan, contact Michael Burkey at MichiganDogTrainer.com, 734-634-4152.

Zeke, from highly excitable to a calm state of mind

I recently had the distinct pleasure of working with Zeke, an English Bull Terrier and his loving parents, Dr. Glen and Mrs. McClure and their staff at Strong Veterinary Hospital, Livonia, Michigan.  Zeke had the problem of becoming overly aroused when meeting people which resulted in him mouthing their hands, jumping on their legs and nipping their pant legs.  Some people misinterpreted his behavior as being aggressive but it was not.  Instead, it was pent up energy and a lack of appropriate meeting behaviors.

To modify Zeke's behavior, he participated in my board and train program.  His behavior plan focused on preventing situations he wasn't ready for, managing his environment, and teaching him new alternative desired behaviors.  Regular exercise was also introduced to Zeke via individual and group dog walks at local parks via my Outdoor Adventure and Remote Adventure classes.  This exposed Zeke to new challenging environments with the distraction of other dogs being present.

Because of Zeke's high energy, the use of a remote training collar, used at a low setting was crucial to his training program.  Zeke quickly learned how to self compose himself and offer appropriate greeting behaviors.  The remote training collar (also known as a "shock collar") does not hurt the dog but instead is like a tap on the shoulder to get his attention.  Through follow up sessions with the McClure's, the technical knowledge of how to utilize the remote collar correctly and humanely was easily transferred so that Zeke would also listen to his parents.

During a recent follow up session, Dr. McClure advised he is now able to relax and enjoy his evenings with Zeke, Zeke is much calmer in their home, and he now greets his veterinary staff with a much calmer demeanor.





For professional dog training in Michigan, contact Michael Burkey at http://www.MichiganDogTrainer.com, info@MichiganDogTrainer.com, 734-634-4152.

Train your Dog in No Time

by Michael Burkey, Professional Dog Trainer

All Rights Reserved, July 2010.

When acquiring a dog from a dog shelter or rescue organization, a lot of thought has gone into the adoption process such as:  “Is the family at home enough for a dog?”; “What breed of dog would be best?”; “What age of dog?”;  “Are the children mature enough to interact with a dog?”; “Will the new dog get along well with other household pets and vice versa?”; and “What kind of wholesome dog food should be provided?, etc.” 

However, new owners often times forget that their dog will need to learn good household manners.  They assumed their dog would naturally behave until it becomes apparent at about five to six months of age that that is not necessarily the case.  Hence, the scramble to find a dog class or dog trainer to help them break their dog of bad habits and learn new manners.  If this is you, no problem that is what professional dog trainers are there to help you do.  If you’re lucky though, you preplanned the need for professional instruction and contacted a trainer before or soon after you obtained your new family member.  Much like a child, it is far easier to train a puppy the “right way, the first time” rather than allowing the puppy to practice misbehaving.

A frequently asked question of dog trainers is, “how often should I train my dog?”  The answer is:  training is occurring all the time.  Your dog learns during formal periods of training as well as during down times throughout the day.  Learning, either “good or bad” is non ending.  Dogs have short attention spans, even shorter than children.  So they learn best by short and frequent training sessions.  Short sessions keep the learning process fun for both you and your dog.

In the beginning (first four weeks), it is recommended that owners set up training appointments with their dogs for approximately 15 minutes, 2-3 times per day, 4-5 days per week.  Scheduled appointments between you and your dog are necessary because “life happens.”  Much like the plan to go to your local gym to work out, you are much more likely to make it there if you have it scheduled into your day.

After your dog has learned basic obedience skills, then one can replace the scheduled appointments with committing to practicing those skills throughout the day.  It’s easy to make training a part of your daily activities:

1. While brushing your teeth, place your dog on a down stay.
2. While having dinner, practice having your dog go to his mat for a place command.
3. Invite friends over for a pizza party and practice your dog’s front door greetings.
4. While gardening or washing the car, practice your dog’s down stay.
5. While taking the kids to the park, practice your dog’s come command.
6. While washing clothes at the laundry mat, take your dog with you and practice obedience skills during the was/dry periods.

These are just some ideas to inspire you to train your dog in new places and times that make training simple to do.  For example, just the other day, Bella, a German Shepherd Dog doing a board and train program, accompanied me to the laundry mat called the Laundry Stop in Westland, Michigan.  During the wash and dry times, Bella had fun practicing her obedience skills outside in the nearby grass lawn.  It also removed the boredom I experience waiting for clothes to wash and dry.  An additional plus was that she met some very friendly strangers which greatly added to her training and socialization process.  She practiced greeting strangers in the real world by being calm and sitting for attention.

For owners who had the fore thought of training their dog from the beginning but then found it difficult to find the time to follow through; a board and train program can be the perfect solution.  At Michael Burkey’s Canine Behavioral Training, your dog learns good manners and obedience skills in a home environment away from home.  Upon conclusion of the program, you learn how to continue your dog’s new learned skills.  And, because time is a valued commodity, you are able to skip the formal scheduled training sessions.

By following the above dog training tips, you can train your dog in no time.  For professional dog training, contact Michael Burkey of Michael Burkey’s Canine Behavioral Training at 734-634-4152.

***Side note, if you are in need of a clean, helpful, and friendly laundry mat; visit Ralph and his workers at the Laundry Stop.  You’ll be amazed by their customer service!  Additionally, they have free wi-fi, a nice television and a play area for children.  So if you’re not training a dog during your wait, there are other activities to keep you entertained.  

Laundry Stop maps.google.com 725 South Wayne Road Westland, MI 48186 (734) 728-2646

How to Prevent Heat Exhaustion in Dogs

Dog Training Tips by Michael Burkey, Professional Dog Trainer

734-634-4152

All Rights Reserved, July 7, 2010.

Heat exhaustion in dogs is a very serious medical condition.  It can happen suddenly making medical treatment necessary to save your dog’s life.  What does it look like?  A dog experiencing heat exhaustion will appear lethargic, listless, and almost drunk like.  It’s tongue may be hanging out and he/she may not be able to stand.  According to Dr. Richards, DVM of VetInfo.com, "Signs of heat exhaustion include heavy panting, hyperventilation (deep breathing), increased salivation early then dry gums as the heat prostration progresses, weakness, confusion or inattention, vomiting or diarrhea and sometimes bleeding. "

Read more: Heat Stroke in Dogs 

A dog experiencing heat exhaustion needs to be cooled down immediately.  It is commonly thought to do this one can simply place cool water on a dog’s back or belly.  However, a dog cools itself down by releasing heat via their tongue during panting and via the pads of their feet.  The dog’s coat is likely to insulate or prevent the absorption of the cool water.   Dr. Richards suggests placing cold packs on your dog in areas where circulation is very good such as under the "armpits",  in the inquinal region, and on the neck.  If your dog’s condition doesn’t immediately improve, transport your dog to your veterinarian or a 24 hour veterinary clinic for emergency medical care. 

To prevent heat exhaustion:

1. Always provide your dog with fresh cool water to drink.
2. Supervise your dog’s outdoor activities (note it is possible for a dog to experience heat exhaustion even during moderate temperatures such as 70 degrees).
3. Provide your dog with a kiddie pool filled with fresh cool water in which he/she can step in to cool down their feet.
4. On heat advisory days, keep your dog in an air conditioned home as much as possible.
5. Never leave your dog in a car, even for a few minutes during a hot day.  Having the windows rolled down a few inches will not provide your dog the needed ventilation.  Your dog can die within minutes of being confined to a hot enclosed car.
6. Do not leave your dog in a vehicle with the air conditioner running.  The car may stall or catch on fire due to the excessive heat.

By following the above tips, you can prevent your dog from experiencing heat exhaustion and thus save your dog’s life.

For professional dog training in Michigan, contact Michael Burkey at http://www.MichiganDogTrainer.com, info@MichiganDogTrainer.com, 734-634-4152.

Dog Kisses: the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly

--Dog Training Tips to Prevent Dog Bites by Michael Burkey, Professional Dog Trainer All Rights Reserved, July 2010. The unconditional affection from a dog is an amazing thing and many times this includes wet dog kisses.  Many people who pet your dog will allow and even encourage your dog to kiss them up and down the side of their face.  For those who don’t mind this kind of interaction, it can make the child within an adult giggle with glee. Some folks will advocate that a dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s mouth and compare it to antiseptic.  My father is such a person.  However, after observing dogs lick their private parts and ingesting their own stools; I don’t need to consult research studies to determine who has the most germs in their mouth.  For this reason, a dog kissing your face is a “bad” idea. The “ugly” part of dog kisses is what this article is really about.  Loving affection can turn bad very quickly if the dog becomes stressed.  And, how does a dog relieve stress and/or protect themselves?  They use their teeth to make the stress trigger go away. Each year many children are bit in the face simply because they tried to hug and kiss their family dog.  The act of pulling a dog toward your face is many times unwanted social pressure for dogs similar to if a person stood a foot from your face while engaging you in unwanted discussion.  If the dog can’t pull away, he/she may protect themselves by nipping or biting the invading person or child. So it’s vital to teach your child how to pet a dog appropriately and forgo the dog kisses.  Here are some helpful lessons to teach your child: 1.  The child should ask permission from their parents before petting a strange dog. 2.  After obtaining their parents’ permission, the child and parents should request permission from the dog’s owner before approaching to pet a strange dog. 3.  The child should allow the dog to sniff their hand that is folded into a fist and held slightly out from their side.  This gives the dog the opportunity to approach the child for the interaction rather than the child imposing himself/herself onto the dog. 4.  If all things look positive, the child can then place their fist under the dog’s chin and start to pet the underside of their neck and then later move their hand around to the backside of the dog’s neck.  Everyone tries to pet a strange dog by going over the top of a dog’s head thinking it is safer to do since the hand is further away from the dog’s teeth.  However, it is not safer.  In fact, it can cause the dog more anxiety as he/she can’t see where the hand is going. The dog’s owner can also take steps to ensure their dog’s interactions with others are done safely: A.  If you know your dog doesn’t do well with greeting others, don’t place your dog in the stressful situation of being petted by strangers.  If the person approaching your dog is insistent on greeting your dog, be just as persistent in telling the person to stay away from your dog.  You are your dog’s guardian in the human world. B.  Contact a dog behavior expert if your dog is fearful or aggressive toward others.  A professional dog trainer can train you how to use prevention, management and teaching to help your dog become more confident in social situations and therefore, less aggressive.  Plus, it's an excellent idea to teach your dog not to give kisses. C.  Assuming your dog is comfortable in greeting others, instruct approaching strangers the proper way to greet a dog as listed in above lessons #3 and #4. D.  Some people who ask to pet your dog are actually afraid of dogs.  To help them feel more comfortable, turn your dog’s head away from him/her.  This enables the person to pet your dog’s backside so they aren’t anxious about being close to your dog’s mouth. Plus, many dogs love having their backsides scratched.  It also allows you to control your dog’s head and therefore, prevent an unexpected and unfortunate snap from occurring. By following the above dog training tips, you can ensure your dog’s kisses don’t turn ugly.  For professional dog training, contact Michael Burkey of Michael Burkey’s Canine Behavioral Training at 734-634-4152.

May 2010 "Where's Your Dog" Contest Winner is Echo!

Echo, a sable German Shepherd Dog belonging to Terri Goldstrom wins the honor of "Where's Your Dog" contest for the month of May, 2010.  Terri and Echo honored the past and present troops by walking in a Memorial Day Parade.  Upon conclusion of the walk, Echo loaded the Huey helicopter and performed a wonderful sit stay.

Terri formerly trained her Doberman to track with Michael Burkey's Canine Behavioral Training.  Now she is teaching dog obedience classes in Western Michigan.  Terri purchased Echo from Von der Haus Gill German Shepherds, a Police Dog training facility located in Ohio who import their dogs from Germany.

Congrats again to Terri and Echo!  Thanks for honoring the troops!

Shock (Remote Training) Collars are Effective, Safe & Humane

Remote training collars are effective, safe and humane training tools.  The present day technology of remote dog training collars enable users to use low levels of stimulation that are the "just right setting" to get the dog's attention.  It can be compared to tapping a person on the shoulder to get their attention.  It can also be compared to the feel of a TENS Unit (Trancutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation). 

Wikipedia describes a TENS Unit as "a non-invasive, safe nerve stimulation intended to reduce pain, both acute and chronic."  Years ago, I suffered a shoulder separation during a Judo practice.  Another black belt and myself were practicing our throws and take downs.  Due to our competeitive nature, it really wasn't a practice but instead a sparring match.  Well ok, truth be known we were screwing around as neither one of us was willing to submit to the other one which one should do to avoid an injury.  So long story short, he had me in a one arm shoulder throw and instead of taking the fall safely like I was trained to do, I tried to avoid taking the fall.  I didn't want to be pinned to the mat even though he was an experienced international competitor.  Consequently, my shoulder was driven straight into the mat and separated.  As part of my recovery, the physical therapist placed a TENS Unit on my shoulder which relieved the pain.  It was not painful and instead I would describe the sensation as a stimulating massage.

Robin MacFarlane, a professional dog trainer and owner of "That's My Dog", has created a new website entitled "The Truth About Shock Collars".  Her goal is to provide an educational resource on the web to dispel the commonly held negative myths about remote training collars.  To this, I salute her!


MacFarlane's new website contains some helpful and thought provoking articles such as:  "What Does Science Have to Say about Remote Collar Training?", "What Level of Stimulation is Needed When Training a Dog with an Electronic Collar?", "Can I Use a Shock Collar on a Small Dog?", various testimonials from remote collar clients, and more.


Why do clients consider using a remote training collar?  It is because they need reliability in their training program that most family owners cannot achieve without the constant use of food treats or other rewards.  It needs to be a system in which is fair and humane to the dog and easy to learn with the assistance of a professional dog trainer.  Remote training results in excellent communication and more freedom for your dog.


Here are some of the most frequently asked questions I come across about remote collar training:


1.  Will it hurt my dog?  Answer:  No.  A remote training collar used at the "just right level" will get your dog's attention and serve as a reminder to comply with your direction.  This could be life saving such as when calling your dog away from a passing car, calling your dog off from chasing the family cat or simply just improving your relationship with your dog.  The collar does not burn the dog's skin nor cause any other type of injury.  Additionally, some of Michael's clients include veterinarians who have used and endorsed the use of remote training collars with their personal family dogs and clients' dogs.  We would not endorse the use of a training tool if it was inhumane.


2.  Is it like a electronic fence collar?  Answer:  No.  An electronic fence collar system is developed with a shocking intensity necessary to ensure a dog does not go through a permanent boundary.  Additionally, it is used as a "positive punisher" which means a punisher is "added" to a scenario (leash corrections, electronic fence, etc.) causing the undesired behavior (going past the boundary) to decrease.  Whereas, a remote training collar is used at "just the right" level that gets the dog's attention.  Properly taught, the remote training collar is a "negative reinforcer" which means an adverse stimulus is taken away or stopped (the buzz of the vibration collar or the tingling sensation of the electronic collar) upon the dog complying with the desired command.  This results in establishing an effective communication system with the dog instead of a punishing situation.


3.  Can I still use food treats, verbal praise and/or physical praise with remote collar training?  Answer:  Yes.  Combining the remote training collar along with positive reinforcement (a desired reward is given to the dog upon successful completion of a desired behavior) and negative punishment (taking a desired reward away until the dog does what you want such as placing his rear on the ground after being asked to "sit") provides reliability to your training program.  The dog does what you want him to do in hopes of receiving a reward as well as to avoid feeling the tingling sensation.


4.  Is there a potential for the collar to be used abusively?  Answer:  Not any more so than any other training tool.  It's a tool, that's it.  Some people who oppose using a remote collar instead resort to yelling at their dog, jerking their dog's collar, and in some cases even swatting their rear end.  A remote training collar is not only not painful but it also removes you from being the bad guy in the scenario delivering the corrective action.  Consequently, there is no need for you to become angry with your dog when he does not comply with your directions.  It's nothing personal, it's just a training issue.


5.  Can a novice dog trainer learn to use a remote collar effectively and safely?  Answer:  Yes, although I didn't use to think so.  As a young trainer, I bought into the idea that a remote training collar should only be used by training professionals or serious dog competitors.  The belief presented to me was that the novice dog trainer would not take the time or concern to learn how to use a remote training collar correctly.  As my experience as a dog and people trainer increased, I realized this simply is not true.  Family dog owners are intelligent people who are concerned for the welfare of their pet.  While they do not have the professional experience and knowledge of training dogs, they are intelligent people in other fields.  Therefore, they are very trainable.  They are seeking professional instruction as how to train their dog the right way, the first time and to do it humanely.  So they have already demonstrated their love and commitment for their dog.  It is my job therefore, to provide them with professional training that will enable them to be successful with their dog.


6.  Can an older person learn to use a remote training collar?  Answer:  Yes, many of my remote training clients are senior citizens, including my mother who is 73 years of age and recently learned how to train her high energy Miniature Schnauzer using a remote training collar.  Some senior citizens may have physical limitations preventing them from being able to handle a strong willed dog but with a remote collar this is not an issue.  In fact, a remote training collar is a very effective training tool for many senior citizens to use.  After completing my Remote Dog Adventures group class, she sent me this very nice email:

           
    "Dear Michael,  thank you so much for having your dog class.  Misty is so much better since working with the remote collar.  I used it at a low setting, the "just right setting" and it did not hurt her at all.  We can now enjoy our walks together.   I learned a lot and had fun in class too.  Thank you!  Love, Mom (Beth Burkey)."

Many of my clients have been surprised to discover how effective, safe and easy remote training collars are to use.  In fact, every client that has tried the collar on their own skin has learned first hand that remote training collars are not harmful to use.  


Suzzane Antisdel's dog, Keller, an all American mix breed, use to pull so hard on the leash and lunge at squirrels that it was impossible for her to hold onto her leash and therefore, walks became non-existent.  Food treats were not rewarding enough for  Keller and management tools such as an "Easy Walk Harness" had little effect on her (although for most dogs an Easy Walk Harness can be a very effective management tool).  


Using a remote collar, Suzzane was able to train her dog to walk nicely on a leash amongst multiple squirrel distractions.  Keller also learned a super fast recall (come) with a sit by Suzzane's side that would put many working dogs to shame.  It appeared as if Keller had a magnet in her rear as she quickly and happily returned to Suzzane's side and performed a lightning speed "sit".  Suzzane happily supplied the following testimonial of her experience using a remote training collar:  

    "My dog, Keller, was a rescue dog, and terribly phobic when I got her at 8 months.  She gradually adapted to life with me, and was relatively well-trained in a few months.  But I could not get her to stop pulling when I took her for walks.  When it came time for me to move out of my house and into an apartment where I would have to walk her instead of just letting her out the back door; I realized I'd better get her to stop pulling.  I was worried about having to take her out on a dark, icy winter morning and being pulled over by her.  Michael suggested the remote trainer, and when we began to use it, she responded like magic.  The difference in her behavior was like night and day.    I'm eternally grateful to Michael, and to the remote!"  Suzzane Antisdel, Detroit, Michigan


And, here's another wonderful testimonial from Lisa Lagone regarding her dog Rocko and the use of a remote training collar.  Rocko use to jump repeatedly on Lisa and he was quite a handful for her aids to walk him.  Now, the jumping is resolved and Rocko can walk off leash and come when called despite outdoor distractions.

   " I had never heard of a remote training collar ("shock collar") prior to Mike Burkey mentioning it to me.  As I use a wheelchair to get around and also have limited use of my hands, Mike thought it made sense for me to obtain Rocco's (Bernese Mountain dog) attention, if needed.  

At first, I was reluctant to use it, because I feared it would inflict pain.  Turns out, it doesn’t.  My caregiver uses it when Rocco is outside playing with his small group of friends (a practice he enjoys a few times a week). This has been a wonderful addition to not only the caregiver, but especially to Rocco, as well.  It offers freedom and flexibility, which enhances the experience for all.  The best part is, there is no pain to the dog.  If anything, it appears to be the equivalent of a tap on one's shoulder -- -- a gentle reminder that it's time to pay attention.

It also gives me security in knowing that Rocco is safe.  Overall, Rocco has become much happier and more obedient since Mike has entered his life. 

Rocco and Mike first met several months ago when Rocco did a board and train program with Mike.  Rocco continues to go for extended walks when Mike has the time.  He sends pictures and an occasional short movie of the fun they are both having!  This makes me smile, and Rocc is so happy and worn-out when he gets home!

I would recommend Mike Burkey to anyone who has a dog in need of training."  Lisa Lagone, Ann Arbor, Michigan


Here is a video showing Rocko's freedom and improved good manners.  He is a joy to walk with in the woods.

Remote training collars are very effective, safe and humane tools to use with most clients and their dogs.  It enables dog owners to achieve the desired relationship with their dog, which is a happy and obedient family dog.  


To learn more, check out MacFarlane's website, "the truth about shock collars" or contact Michael Burkey, 734-634-4152, a Michigan professional dog trainer who offers group classes and private instruction utilizing remote training collars as well as other positive training methods.