Frequetly Asked Questions

Q.  What is the best age to begin training a dog?

A.   There really is no BEST age to begin training a dog.

       As a trainer, my FAVORITE time to to begin training is with a young puppy under 6 months of age.  That’s only because it’s so gratifying to work with a family and their pet before behavioral problems have even begun.  Building a solid foundation for a great relationship between a new puppy and his family is one of the most wonderful parts of my job.  There are so many problems that can be completely avoided when you get the right start. 

        Having said that, all dogs are capable of learning.  The old adage, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” applies more to some people than to dogs.  Mature dogs actually have some advantages over puppies when it comes to learning because their attention span is much greater.  I’ve worked with dogs as young as 8 weeks and as old as 12 years, with equally wonderful results.

Q.  Is there any such thing as an “untrainable” dog?

A.  Absolutely not, but it is possible to have unrealistic expectations.

           All dogs can be trained.  Behavior modification is possible for any dog with a normal brain.  With the proper techniques, patience and consistency, every dog can move forward with training.  Success is usually directly commensurate with the amount of effort owners are willing to apply working on the problem.

            Occasionally, an owner will expect something of a dog that is simply not realistic.  Perhaps a young, energetic dog is left alone in a large yard for 8-10 hours, 6 days a week, and he or she becomes destructive.  The owner believes that because the dog has a large yard to play in, he should be content and happy.  He also believes the dog is just being spiteful and naughty and can be trained to stop it.  This is a perfect example of an unrealistic expectation.

            A qualified trainer would not see this as strictly a dog training situation.  They would view this as a bored and frustrated dog in need of help.  They would persuade the owner take a closer and more realistic view of the situation and help them to develop an understanding of the dog’s predicament.  In addition to some training, they would provide suggestions for environmental changes and lifestyle enrichments to help ease the dog’s loneliness, boredom and frustration. 

Q.  My housebroken dog is still having accidents.  Is this normal?

A.  No it is not.  A properly housetrained dog is reliable in the house. 

            An accident is something that happens less than rarely.  If your dog is having "accidents" around the house then the cause is usually one of three reasons:

            1) Least Common -- Your dog has a medical issue that is interfering with his ability to control his bladder or bowel movements.  Suspect this if the problem has emerged suddenly with a dog who was previously reliable, if he is exhibiting any other unusual behavior or symptoms, or if you know that reasons number 2 & 3 do not apply.  If you do suspect that this could be the problem, please seek medical attention for your pet, ASAP. 

            2) Second Most Common --  You’re expecting your dog to be able to wait much longer between potty breaks than is realistic for him.  Just like people, different dogs have different abilities when it comes to waiting to go outside.  Some dogs can go 8 hours without a potty break (not advisable) while others are pushed to the limit after 3 or 4 hours.  Are you being reasonable in your expectations?  Is it you that needs to change something?

            3) The MOST COMMON Reason For House Soiling Accidents --  Your dog is not having “accidents” because he's never actually been reliably housetrained.  Many people call their dogs housetrained when they really aren’t.  Just because the dog hunkers down and looks guilty when you point to the floor and say, “What is this?” doesn't mean your dog actually has any concept of what he’s done wrong.  What it does indicate is that you have a dog that knows you’re angry…and more significantly knows you’re angry with him...and it scares him.  If you doubt this, go point to the floor and use the same body language and tone of voice to ask the dog the same question over a clean piece of floor or carpet.  Your dog will look "guilty" and upset just as he always has. 

            Housetraining can be easy or difficult depending on the methods you use, but it always requires owner diligence and consistency.  If your dog is not actually housetrained then go back to square one and start over.  Use positive methods and build on your dog's successes.  If you feel the problem could be the methods you're using then contact a qualified dog trainer to help you with your techniques.  Most of all, this time, don’t stop working with your dog until you feel sure that he's 100% reliable.

note:  Occasionally, house soiling may be a symptom of a much bigger problem: separation anxiety.  You should suspect this is the problem if your dog only soils the house when you leave, and also exhibits other problem behaviors when you are away (possibly barking, howling or destructive behavior.)
This is something that a qualified trainer can help you to identify.                

Q. I give my dog everything he wants, but he still doesn’t seem completely happy. He's often destructive when I leave and I think he might have separation anxiety.   What’s wrong?

A.   You love your dog and you give him everything thing you think he wants, but you forget about what he needs. 

          One of the biggest misconceptions that people have about their dog is the idea that if the dog gets absolutely everything he seems to want or demand, he'll be happy and well adjusted.  This is no more true of dogs than it is of children.  Dogs need guidance and boundries to live a truly happy life.  Dogs can even develp behavior problems when this need for guidance is not met.  Some dogs become so demanding that they refuse to be left alone.  Although some of the "symtoms" may be similiar, this behavior problem is not the same thing as the anxiety issue we call separation anxiety.   

True separation anxiety is a complex psychological behavior pattern that without intervention tends to get worse over time instead of better.  There can be many contributing factors when dealing with this type of problem and the solutions are rarely simple.  Depending upon the severity of the problem, sometimes medications may be neccessary to manage this problem and that may require a visit to a veterinary behaviorist. A qualified dog trainer who is familiar with this issue can help you determine whether or not you are dealing with this true separation anxiety and can help you with a referal to a veterinary behaviorist if need be. 

If your dog seems to be unhappy and anxiety ridden, go to my first article and read, "The Importance of Leadership in Dog Training."  This will give you some insight into some of the needs you might not be meeting for your dog.

            Then, be sure to seek help from a qualified professional trainer familiar with this type of problem.  

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