SHILOH K9 OBEDIENCE Training & Boarding, Center, LLC

We want the best for you and your K9 friend(s)!

Dogs and Puppies DO NOT automatically respond rightly to us as Humans!

Humans DO NOT automatically respond rightly to Dogs and Puppies!

Both K9s and People need to learn right behavior around one another!

This is what we teach people through our "Philosophy & Practice" of DOG HANDLING, and this is what our TRAINING and BEHVIOR CONDITIONING addresses with all of the Dogs and Puppies that are brought to us.

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AT

SHILOH K9 OBEDIENCE...LLC,

We Teach People and Train Dogs how to have the right kind of BOND Between one another!

When People & Dogs behave properly around one another, EVERYBODY IS HAPPY!!!

It is the TRUTH & REALITY that if you...

"Treat your dog like

a HUMAN,

it will treat you

like a DOG!"

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PLEASE READ THIS INFORMATION!!!

The Human & Dog

Bond –

DO’S & DONT’S

The following information speaks to the issues and realities about dogs and humans as they try to relate to one another. The nature of the dog and human nature are NOT to be confused by humans.

Both dogs and humans face problems and very undesirable ends when DOGS cannot be DOGS, and HUMANS cannot be HUMANS.

How owners contribute to dogs’ behavior In many cases dogs fit somewhere in between being treated as children and often as toys creating unnatural boundaries that include both behavioral and psychological and in turn provide dogs more latitude than might be given a human child. Often when owners suspend these psychological boundaries, the dog often becomes simply an object of affection that tends to promote a “relationship that is decidedly one-sided, selfish, immature, unrealistic, and dysfunctional…aimed at providing the dysfunctional owner with some degree of psychological equilibrium” (Lindsay, 2000).

The result is when problems arise from this relationship “some owners choose denial” with others choosing to explain their dog’s bad behavior as “spitefulness, stubbornness, stupidity, and other convenient anthropomorphic interpretations” and in this state of “confusion and irrationality”, these owners will experience a “variety of interactive problems with dogs.” Their poor perception is further clouded as the behavior becomes worse and in some cases, “owners may unconsciously approve and unwittingly perpetuate the very behavior they are seeking to eradicate” (Lindsay, 2000).

There are acceptable cases when “dogs may be employed by some individuals as a psychological crutch” to assist in managing “personal emotional conflicts and anxiety” but when inconsistencies between reward and punishment are applied according to an “owners shifting moods and psychological needs” dogs often develop “displacement activities” i.e. jumping, barking, digging, chewing and often times aggression (Lindsay, 2000).

The Human Dog [from “DOG BREED INFO CENTER”]

We may dress him like a human, but we do not treat him like one.

 The biggest mistake dog owners can make with their dogs is to treat them like humans.

The human race is such a kind, compassionate species that we tend to look at our canine companions as little humans, when in reality, they are canines and have a very different thought process. This is what differentiates mankind from other species in pack societies; there must be a specific order, from the leader on down to the last follower. Everyone has a place. The leaders are the strength of the pack, while the followers need the leader to guide them. Dogs have an instinct to constantly test the being above them and an instinct to know they will always be tested by the being below them. Instinct tells them that if there is not a strong being in charge, their life and the lives of the rest of their pack are at stake. This primal instinct keeps the pack secure and happy.

Dogs instinctually crave rules to follow, and limits as to what they are allowed to do. When dogs live with humans, the humans become the dog's pack. For the relationship to succeed, humans must become the dog's pack leader. The mistake is made when the humans in the pack only give the dog love, and overlook the other needs of the dog. To a dog, constant affection without rules and limits goes against every grain in its instinct. While dogs enjoy being given affection, it does not satisfy the animal and it is not what makes them well balanced, stable minded, secure and happy. Dogs love affection, however that alone does not make a dog happy, satisfying its instincts do. You need to provide proper emotional stability in order to achieve this, and showing you have an orderly pack with rules to follow is what the dog needs.

Giving your dog affection is important for the human, and enjoyed by the dog, but must be done at the correct times. A dog is an animal and does not possess the same reasoning skills as a human. Dogs do have emotions, but their emotions are different than those of humans. They are simple creatures with instincts, and their emotions lack complex thought process. They feel joy when they know you are pleased, they feel sad when someone dies. However, they do not premeditate or plan ahead, and do not dwell in the past or future. They live for whatever is happening at the moment.

Let’s say that you are upset over something that has happened in your life, for example, your girlfriend or boyfriend just broke up with you. Your dog will know you are upset, but it will not know why. Your dog is unable to reason out in its head that you have just been broken up with. Its interpretation of you will be that you have unstable energy and it will see you as weak.

Similarly, when a human shares its affection with a dog that is in any other state of mind but a calm, submissive one (for example, aggressive, obsessive, shy, skittish, fear or hyperactivity, etc.) and you give it a hug or pat it on the head and tell it all is OK, it is comforting to the human, but intensifies the dog’s current state of mind. You are telling the dog it is OK to feel that way.

While a human feels they are comforting the dog, the dog sees it as a weakness, as you are not providing strong energy from which the dog can feed. If your dog has a traumatic experience and you show it affection during that time by trying to comfort it, rather than letting it work through the situation in its own mind and being a strong leader it can feed from, you leave it stuck in that state of mind. Later when your dog faces this traumatic situation again, when you comfort the dog, this intensifies the situation even more. You are creating the problem. Dogs do not see comfort and affection in the same way we humans see it. Dogs are always looking for a strong stable being to feed from.

On the same note: when a dog is constantly leaning on you, putting his paw on you, using his nose to make you pet him, and always feeling the need to be touching you in some way, this is not your dog loving you, it is your dog displaying dominant behaviors. In the dog world, space is respect. A dog that is constantly nudging you and leaning on you, is not only disrespecting you, it is being the alpha dog.

…Humans (must be careful not to be) giving affection to a dog at the wrong time. …(What will be) a result of many years of being treated like a human(?) During a storm… ”the dog is terrified of the thunder and fireworks she hears outside. This dog is in a weak state of mind.” Humans (must not) comfort.. the dog in a way humans understand, but not in a way a dog can understand; … comfort means two different things to the human and the dog. The dog sees it as everyone around her being weaker than she is. For a dog to be in a weak state of mind, then to be surrounded by pack members who are in an even weaker state of mind, well, this really messes up a dog's psyche and intensifies her fear. (We need to)… keep in mind how… humans feel (when) they are comforting, and how the dog instinctively does not see it that way.  Keeshond being treated like a human.

This also holds true for dogs with medical issues. For example, if a dog has an operation and you feel sorry for the dog—at a time in the dog's life when it needs a strong pack leader more than ever to feed from—you instead become weaker in the dog’s mind. If you show weakness to your dog, the dog instinctually takes over the role of leader whether he wants to or not, because there must be a strong leader and an order in a dog's pack. If the dog does not feel he is strong enough to handle the role of leader it can be very stressful, and even terrifying, for the dog to have such a heavy weight on its shoulders, as it tries to look after all of the humans around it.

Humans often give the dog mixed leadership signals, which throw the dog off balance, confusing his psyche, and causing many of the psychological/behavioral problems we see in dogs today.

Mental tension and energy build up within the dog, which lead to many common canine misbehaviors: eliminating in the house, obsessive behaviors, neurotic behaviors, chewing on themselves, being overly excited, barking excessively, whining, not following their owner’s commands, not coming when called, running off, getting into the trash, destroying things in the house, obsessively digging, chewing the furniture, tail-chasing, scratching, aggression towards other dogs, animals, or humans, snapping, biting, growling, and becoming just plain old uncontrollable (just to name a few).

Whatever the problem is, it is more likely than not, traceable back to the way you treat your dog. In some cases it may appear the dog is just nuts, or psycho, and there is nothing one can do about it. This is also the number one cause of separation anxiety. In a pack, the leader is allowed to leave; however, the followers never leave the leader. If your dog is instinctually seeing you as its follower and you leave it, the dog can be so mentally anguished that it will often take its frustration out on your house or itself.

Taking your dog for a walk is an important ritual in keeping your dog mentally stable. Dogs are walkers/travelers by instinct; packs of dogs get up in the morning and walk. Simply having a large backyard is not going to satisfy this instinct in your dog. To your dog, your backyard is like a large cage in which it is trapped. For a dog to be mentally stable, you as an owner must take your dog for daily walks to release not only physical energy, but also mental. 

The proper way to walk a dog is with the dog walking either beside you or behind you, never in front of you. This may seem petty in a human's mind, however it means a lot in a dog’s mind. Instinct tells a dog that the leader goes first. When you walk your dog correctly, the dog is not supposed to sniff the ground or relieve itself where it pleases, rather the dog should concentrate on its handler while walking. The person walking the dog decides when the dog is allowed to sniff or pee, not the dog. A lack of exercise and the mental energy that can only be released by a proper walk can cause many behavioral problems in a dog. Getting a dog to walk properly on a lead is not as hard as it may seem—yes, even for your own dog(s).

Dogs pick up on the energy of their humans. They can tell if you are hyper, nervous, scared, or calm.

You will be able to communicate successfully with your dog if you use your body’s energy rather than excited words. For example, if your dog does something wrong and you yell and scream at the dog or beat the dog, it confuses the dog. This is not the way a pack leader corrects his followers. However, if you approach your dog in a very self-assured and calm manner to correct the dog at the moment he is doing the unwanted behavior with an assertive voice correction or a touch to their neck, your dogs will understand this, because you are mimicking the way dogs correct one another—with calm, self-assured body language. If you want your dog to do or stop doing something, you need to first convince yourself it will happen. Stay calm and self-assured as your dog will pick up on your emotion. Remember, the dog must be doing the deed at the moment of correction in order for you to successfully communicate.

We humans have successfully domesticated the dog, but we will never be able to de-animalize a dog and remove their natural instincts. We cannot change a dog into having human characteristics, as this is how behavior problems arise. While we think we are treating a dog in such a way that will make them happy, we are in fact doing just the opposite. By not satisfying a dog’s natural instincts we create confused and unhappy dogs.

To happily coexist with man’s best friend, we need to understand our canines and satisfy THEM, rather than only satisfying ourselves.

Dogs do not live in the past or the future, as humans do. They live for the moment.  Because a dog lives in the present, it is much easier to rehabilitate a dog than a human. If you begin treating your dog in a very self-assured manner, giving love to it at the right times, and correcting it at the right moments, you can change your dog into a happy and mentally stable dog. The more stable your dog is, the more calm and submissive he will become and the more you can give it affectionate love. It's a "win-win" situation.

As the saying goes, "Treat your dog like a human and he'll treat you like a dog!"

 Written by Sharon Maguire © Dog Breed Info Center ® All Rights Reserved

Do Dogs Prefer Men Over Women?

November 20, 2013 By Dr. Becker

Results of a study on human-canine interactions suggest that dogs approach men more often than women. According to researchers from the University of Vienna, Austria and the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition in the U.K., it’s not known why the gender of an owner should affect whether a dog approaches, but they theorize it might have something to do with sex-associated roles observed in wolves. Lead author Manuela Wedl suggests “The sensitivity of dogs to owner sex may be rooted in their wolf ancestry, where sexes engage in distinctly different social roles.” The study also found that neurotic owners and neurotic dogs appear to be sensitive to each other’s needs, and spend more close time together than non-neurotic pairs. Also, dogs owned by men – especially neurotic men – approach their owners more often than dogs of female owners. But this doesn’t mean they necessarily prefer men to women. The study, titled “Relational factors affecting dog social attraction to human partners,” was published in 2010 in the journal Interaction Studies, and according to Discovery News, it adds to the growing body of evidence that pet owner gender and personality may influence an animal’s social attraction to the person.

Neurotic Men with Neurotic Dogs Are Magnets for Each Other

For the study, the researchers observed how dogs and their owners interacted during an experiment. Participants included 10 male and 12 female owners of male dogs. Prior to the start of the experiment, the owners completed questionnaires that helped the researchers determine their personality type and how they felt about their dog. The owners were then asked to look at 15 pictures of dogs that hung from the walls and windows of a room. While viewing the pictures, they were to write down three words they felt were related to each picture. This was actually just to keep the owners occupied so the researchers could evaluate what happened next. As each owner studied the pictures and took notes, his or her dog was let into the room and the researchers observed how quickly the dog approached the owner and also how long it remained close.

According to Discovery News, neurotic men with neurotic dogs (“neurotic” for purposes of this study was defined as not confident, anxious, and less vocal and aggressive) were “magnets for each other.” The dogs headed straight for their owners as soon as they entered the room, and the pairs stayed close together. However, Wedl acknowledged that overall, the research team didn’t find any effect of owner gender on the amount of time dogs stayed close to or were oriented toward their owners. And in fact, the dogs belonging to neurotic women also tended to stay close by their side.

A Dog Owner’s Personality Can Invite or Discourage a Pet’s Approach

The upshot of the study seems to be that an owner’s personality may cause the person to behave in a way that either encourages or discourages social attraction in dogs. Wedl uses this example: “Owners scoring high on neuroticism may mainly regard their dogs as being a social supporter and thus will frequently interact with them and reinforce spatial closeness with their dogs. ”The study also observed that the more important it was for an owner to spend time with his or her dog, the longer the pair stayed in close proximity to each other. But according to Andrea Beetz of the University of Rostock, who also studies the interactions between dogs and humans, the frequency of a dog’s approach to his owner can’t be accurately interpreted as proof the dog prefers the owner to others. If a dog makes frequent approaches to his owner but doesn’t maintain contact, it may suggest the pet wants more contact, but it might also suggest the dog is insecure and is seeking reassurance with frequent approaches. Wedl and her research colleagues are planning a larger study to continue to evaluate dog social interactions with human partners.

Owner’s Gender and Personality Affect Dog Behavior

Ron Miller 03/30/2012

There is a saying that ‘you are what you eat’. This is synonymous to ‘you are what your dog is’, as proven by a recent study which was accepted in Applied Animal Behavior Science, conducted and written by Petr Rezac and his team. Their study circles around the idea that an owner’s gender or sex greatly affects the tendency of a dog to get into a fight with another dog. According to them, “We propose that the occurrence of threat and biting in dogs on a walk may have some connection with aggressive tendencies and/or impulsivity in people.” They have also added: “Dogs are able to perceive subtle messages of threat emitted by another dog. Simultaneously, dogs are unusually skilled at reading human social and communicative behavior.

Here is a breakdown of their study, which they conducted in Brno, Czech Republic. They went dog-watching and observed an estimated 2,000 interactions, all in various areas of the city. Many people in this city walk their dogs, so it was relatively easy to collect data. Based on these many observations, here are their conclusions:

• Body sniffing is the most common social activity for dogs.
• Male dogs are more likely to sniff female dogs.
• Dogs of the opposite gender prefer playing with each other more than dogs of the same sex.
• Puppies play together more than adults and seniors do.
• Dogs prefer playing with similarly-sized ones.
• Off-leash dogs sniff more than those stuck in leashes.
• Leashed dogs are more aggressive than off-leash ones, as they tend to get into heated fights more than the free ones.

The last two observations are also quite important. Of course a leash protects a dog from many dangers and keeps the owner in control, but also does some damage and oppression to a dog’s will – he may feel as if something is blocking his freedom. They also feel a responsibility to protect and obey their masters, and thus have no time to run around and sniff at others. In the same way, many researchers who have read and commented on the study have also concluded that, indeed, gender makes the difference in dog aggression, aside from the leash. Most of them believe that, because when it comes to owners men are generally more aggressive than women. So their dogs reflect on their master’s personality and adapt them, hence making a dog like his master. And if that owner is someone who gets into trouble often, then his dog will end up in the same way. On the other hand, women are generally softer and gentler when it comes to treating dogs. Therefore there is less probability that their pets will attack other dogs.

So pet owners, be very careful when dealing with your dogs. The leash can make a difference in your dog, as well as how you deal with other people. Remember, your dog is a reflection of who you are. So if you don’t want to cause trouble to your neighbors and other people, make sure your dog receives the proper training for socialization.

Dog Personalities – Personality Types

[article from Squidoo / maddashin]

Personalities of Dogs

In this lens we will try to explore the various personality types of individual dogs and group them. This lens does not select a breed of dog but rather addresses the personality that the individual dog may have and give a general overview.

Personality Types Of Dogs

Each breed of dog has its own personality profile.
Within that profile each dog is unique within that profile and has its own personality.

Some are manipulative and like to dominate their owners while others are cooperative and responsive with their owners. All types of dogs can be trained but each type of dog must be trained with a different approach. What your dog has experienced in life and what his background is will affect his ability to be trained and what type of training he/she will need.

Personality Traits Of Dogs

Here is a list of personality traits of dogs.

Compromise
Distraction
Manipulation
Submission

Compromising Dog

This type of dog is neither dominant nor submissive. Most dogs have a mixture of both types of behaviour in their personalities. Depending upon the situation the dog will act accordingly.

Cooperative And Responsive Dog

This dog is the easiest to train.. They listen to people and investigate theme and will respond quickly to training. More so than the submissive, fearful dogs or exceedingly dominant individuals. Cooperative dogs will respond enthusiastically when being trained.

The Distractive Dog

The dog that is more interested in playing with other dogs than obeying their owners may not have been properly socialized with people as puppies. It is best to train this type of dog individually with a human than in a class with other puppies or dogs in a class.

The Submissive Dog

The submissive dog avoids eye contact, they tuck their tails between their legs, and they will collapse in fear when a person approaches them.

The Manipulative Dog

The dog can manipulate the owner by pretending to be submissive. The dog that is manipulative may scratch at the owner and beg for attention until picked up or petted. These dogs need to be ignored as hard as it can be at times.

Domination and Confidence in a Dog

Some dogs, regardless of the breed, have naturally confident personalities. The dog’s gender can also affect its trainability. Neutered dogs and dogs that are not in season are easiest to train. An unneutered male dog can be more dominant and confident. As a result, more difficult to train and less responsive.

The Insecure Dog

A submissive dog can become overwhelmed during training. Training must be slow and gentle with this personality type. Commands should not be issued harshly. If you have never trained a dog before and your dog has this personality type, you may want to consider a professional dog trainer for help.

Pecking Order of Dogs

A dog must always obey the humans of the family. A dog can display its dominance to

the outside world by barking at a stranger or if it hears a strange noise but it should stop barking if its master tells it to do so. Remember that the dog is the member of the pack.

The human is the leader of the pack.