Mia Semuta

Why? It is so often the driving force behind everything we say, think and do.  We are in pursuit of the satisfaction of knowing why.  Sometimes that pursuit is so single-minded that it distracts from solving the problem itself.  As higher-order thinking beings, it makes sense that we strive to put things in order, to make things make sense.

Dogs are not so burdened.

Dogs don’t always need a reason why; they don’t tend to live in their wounds as we do.  Dogs don’t embrace victimhood and dwell on what happened. 

Dogs live in the now.

Now, before I get bombarded with one-off stories of dogs suffering from PTSD and dogs who have known true horrors that have affected their ability to live a full, free life, take a breath.  Of course there are exceptions to every rule.  However, the internet is so full of exceptions that we forget that there is an overwhelming, silent majority out there.  Let go of the exceptions and embrace the norm.

If your dog barks at men it does not always mean that he was abused by a man.  I’m willing to bet that he barks at women and squirrels, too, but you really only notice the men because it fits a narrative that is comfortable for you.  

If your dog balks at going into the crate it does not mean that he was forced to spend long periods in a crate.  It probably means he doesn’t want you to leave and that’s what the crate represents.

If your dog chews your shoes but not your husband’s, it does not mean he hates you.  Your feet stink better to him than your husband’s do.

And this, this is the coup de gras.  Your rescued dog does not spend every waking minute thinking about the horrors of his life before he was rescued!  He likely only remembers that he was saved.

Your dog is not living in his wounds, you are.  You are making excuses for his behavior because you want there to be a reason why other than, “He’s a dog.”  He is part of your family, I get that.  Maybe he sleeps in your bed, maybe you cook homemade food for him, maybe you cancel plans with people because it’s a beautiful day to take a hike with just him.  Full disclosure, that’s personal experience right there and I’ll add that if I could find the medical team to do it I would donate one of my kidneys to my dog to relieve his chronic kidney disease. 

Dogs are family, but they’re not people and they never will be.

Stop making excuses for your dog’s behavior in pursuit of the why.  Your dog is being a shithead because you let him.  There you go.  That’s your why.  Demand that he be respectful and obey the rules of the human pack that he lives in and stop letting him get away with shitty behavior because you’re searching for the why. 

Stop treating him like a person.

Once more for the people in the back: STOP TREATING HIM LIKE A PERSON!

He’s not dwelling on the why, he’s not living in his wounds, he’s not acting out over what was so stop allowing him to be rude, disrespectful and ill-behaved “because” of it.  He is so ready for you to lead him into a better life; a life that makes sense because the boundaries are clear and the rules are consistent.  Embrace your dog’s attitude of letting go and stop living in your wounds.  You will both be better for it.

I am so proud of this boy and his family!

His parents reached out for help in late July, not long after they found out they are expecting. 

Chase had recently begun disobeying his Mom and refusing to go into his crate.  He was acting out in ways he never had before despite having been adopted nearly four years prior at less than a year old.  With a new baby on the way, this new behavior from a big, strong boy like Chase needed to be nipped in the bud.

Our first “meeting” was via Facetime as they lived just a bit outside my normal working zone.  I was hooked, however, as I love a success story and I could see all the makings of a great one.  They checked out the website, visited the pack page and talked about it behind my back, (which I encourage all prospective clients to do!)  The decision was made and Chase was enrolled in the Good Dog program.  He had his first lesson on August 1.

We began slowly at his home where he was comfortable.  We teach “heel” to begin as it is the foundation of the relationship between the dog and the leader.  Heel is so much more than just walking nicely on a leash; it establishes the hierarchy and the chain of command.  It helps the dog learn that on-leash time is work time.  Playtime is a privilege that is earned later.  Heel gives the dog the freedom to relax, let down his “on guard” status and follow his leader. 

The e-collar was introduced immediately but was only used for very specific behaviors that first week.  Proper conditioning to the training tools is paramount as it does nobody any good to simply shock or choke a dog into submission.  There is no learning there.  There is no respect.  Chase’s family was phenomenal.  They listened carefully, they followed the guidelines, they did the homework and by the time we arrived the next week for the second lesson we could already see improvements in him as he showed us a snippet of the superstar he was about to be.

I won’t lie, I was nervous to do the temperament test with Chase.  I remember giving Zach instructions on what to do if he snapped.  I told him I would break up the fight and take the hit if need be.  His only responsibility would be to pick up Gigi, RUN to the car and get her to the emergency vet.  I handed him my car keys with strict instructions to leave me behind and break any traffic law he needed to break to save my girl.  We both walked into that park with butterflies in our stomachs.

No need to worry!  Again, his family had put in the time and effort, they followed the structure and did their homework.  Not only was Chase obeying the commands like a champ but his confidence and faith in his leaders was exploding.  Because he trusted that they would not lead him into harm’s way, he did not feel the need to react inappropriately.  We had a delightful walk together in a public park without incident.

Over the ten weeks of personalized lessons, we continued to introduce commands to Chase in small pieces while his family practiced them during the week.  The e-collar was used increasingly more as his understanding of it expanded.  We also took him to more and more public venues to proof his new skills around new smells, people, places, dogs- you name it. 

His first playdate with another pack member was a smashing success.  Full disclosure, Willow was carefully chosen to be his playmate because she is both submissive and playful.  She is exactly what Chase needed to really begin to learn how to play appropriately and enjoy the freedom he was earning through obedience. 

By September 1, one-month after we began working together, Chase was able to fully participate in group class including free play with several other dogs.  His lessons continued weekly until mid-October and he attended as many of the twice-weekly offered group classes that his family could work into their schedules.  In class, he has become the same affectionate and well-behaved dog he was at home for four years.  His attitude with his Mom has improved, he is no longer defiant just because he can be and he goes everywhere. 

As Chase progressed, his family was inspired to push him even more.  At one point, having been given a heads-up that we would be working on “down” at the next lesson, his parents worked ahead before the lesson.  When we arrived, he already knew it!  His lesson then became a fun session of a proud Chase and Mom showing off what they had learned together.

He even dressed up in costume and walked in a Halloween parade in early October.  He was in the middle of our pack of dogs, so much noise and screaming kids all around, but there he went along the two-mile route like a champ; happy and proud to follow his leaders and be a great ambassador for both his breed and for balanced training. 

A few days later he completed a 5K with the pack again, even more people and lots of ill-behaved dogs but there he was, raising money for charity with all of us.

Last night, Chase graduated.  He would have graduated last Wednesday but the deluge of rain here in Central Pennsylvania cancelled our class and graduation testing.  He is truly a testament to the power of dedicated humans and no-nonsense training.  His family asked for help, they embraced a change in habits, they did the work and they follow through by attending group classes and pack events.  The result is a boy, now five-years-old, with a brilliant future ahead of him!  We, his pack family, are eagerly anticipating the birth of the tiny human who sparked his education. 

Graduation is not the end, Chase; it’s only the beginning.

October is Pit Bull Awareness month.  Please know, deep in your heart, that they are destined to do great things if only their people will help them set out on the right path. 

There is a war going on in the dog world.  Do you know about it?  It’s brutal and it is being fought on multiple fronts.  The combatants are even squabbling within their own ranks.  Those of us in the middle of it are fraught with anxiety, unsure of who or what to trust or which team is reliable.  It’s much like American politics with the war between the Left and the Right and do you know who the casualties are?  The American people and the dogs.

So who’s fighting?  The primary schools of thought are force free and balance.  I’m going to attempt to write an unbiased description of each.  If I should fail, please know it is a subconscious keystroke or two, a Freudian slip, if you will.

Force free proponents theorize that a positive reinforcement, rewards-centered approach to dog training and ownership is the modern, science-based best choice.  Creating an atmosphere of establishing a relationship between human and dog that makes the human the most appealing choice in all situations is the primary focus.  Instead of establishing a hierarchy of superior and subordinate an equal, choice-driven relationship is the goal.  It shuns training tools such as shock and prong collars and seeks to guide rather than command.  Good behavior is praised and rewarded while bad behavior is ignored and redirected.

Balance advocates embrace dominance theory and a more traditional approach with respect to alpha and pack mentality.  They posit that praise of good behavior and correction of bad behavior lead to a peaceful equilibrium within the household.  The humans are in the position of power, directing and controlling the lives and choices of the dogs; the dogs fall in line out of respect for this mimic of the natural order and thrive under a benevolent dictatorship.  It rejects the notion that the dog has free will and instead assigns the role of monarch to the human.

Within each group there are factions at war with one another.  In the force free community there are some that are more force free except when you really need it then a little force, judiciously applied, is acceptable.  There’s another faction that takes force free to the extreme, they ban crates, demand consent from the dog before training and seek to end all form of ownership. 

Over in the balance camp there are factions that judge and condescend even their own for being too soft, for allowing their dogs to sleep in their beds and for being “fur mommies.”

The only thing these two groups agree on is that the other is absolutely wrong.  They refuse to see the other’s point-of-view, they twist the facts to support their own theories and go to such extremes as to hide their incorporation of the opposing methods into their own practice. 

It’s really screwed up.

I am a fur mom who uses shock collars.  My dogs sleep in my bed but submit to my rule.  They have unlimited access to their toys but not their food.  I train with punishment and praise, I am the absolute alpha and the frequent pushover.  I’m both adored and abhorred by members of each side of this war.  Today I’m declaring myself a third-party candidate in this dog pile.

I am prepared to lead the commonsense movement.

We are balanced but treat our dogs like our children.  They are family with no say in the rules that govern their lives.  We are as liberal with our praise as we are conservative with our boundaries.  When the chips are down, will you take up arms in this war?  In which camp?

Let’s talk about thresholds.  According to Webster, it is something physical that lies under a door, the door itself or some other boundary.  He also offers another definition:

the point at which a physiological or psychological effect begins to be produced, “…has a high threshold for pain.”

a level, point, or value above which something is true or will take place and below which it is not or will not

It’s this theoretical threshold we need to consider.  They keep us “safe.”  They keep us in a state-of-mind that is familiar and comforting.  Thresholds keep us on base, so to speak.  That’s nice, that’s a good thing, right?  It’s also pretty boring.

It’s the same for dogs.  Keeping them under or behind their threshold keeps them comfortable.  That’s a great theory but the trouble is when your dog’s definition of comfortable is in conflict with yours.  Your dog might not like visitors so to stay in his comfort zone, below his threshold, he will bark and carry on trying to make the visitor go away. 

You, the human, have a choice.  You can either acquiesce to your dog’s comfort level by tolerating the behavior and removing the visitor or you can push your dog out of his comfort zone, past his threshold, and modify his behavior so your visitor can stay.  I would not recommend the other “options” which are yelling at him to shut up, avoiding having visitors over, kicking the dog out of the house or pretend it’s not happening at all so that you passive aggressively give in to the dog’s demands when you visitor gets sick of it and leaves..

As I understand it, some trainers advise never pushing your dogs beyond their thresholds.  I can’t speak more on that since it’s not my advice.  Ever.  My advice is simple:

Do not negotiate with terriers.  Or Shepherds.  Or Labs.  You get my drift.

Yes, push your dog past his threshold!  Do it thoughtfully, do it gently, do it with support, knowledge and encouragement.  Help your dog face down his fears and work through them to a calm state of mind.  Don’t force him to be a slave to his own insecurity.  Give him the freedom to explore the world and the joy of knowing that his comfort zone is expandable.

My dog, Gigi, was once riddled with fear.  That fear held her back from fully embracing all that she had available to her and it manifested with nasty, anti-social behavior.  I pushed gently, just enough to help her make a different choice when faced with a situation that frightened her.  It was good enough that she learned to retreat upstairs or behind the table instead of snapping and barking. It was good enough until Pony got hurt and I needed Gigi to step into his role while he healed.

I thought, for sure, that it would be a disaster.  I did not think she would be able to mentor the new dogs the way he did, I did not think she would be able to set the example and guide better choices the way he does.  Most especially, I thought she would hate it.  I was distraught at the thought of making my little girl so unhappy.  I didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable, certainly didn’t want her to be mad at me!  However, my business- and ability to buy her food and keep a roof over her head- meant that I needed to help new dogs learn manners and the best way to do that is to have another dog model that behavior.  Alrighty, then.

Here’s what came to pass:  She excelled.  She reluctantly took on this new role and she crushed it!  I watched my shy, sweet, scared little girl blossom.  Her confidence and self-esteem are now at an all-time high even as Pony is slowly getting back to work.  She has a different style than Pony, but she’s just as effective.  In pushing past her threshold I discovered that both of us are capable of more.

Thresholds are for suckers.

I’m not sure when this became a “thing” but it’s a day to honor your superior.  It may be a day you’ve been looking forward to because you have a boss you really want to celebrate.  It may also be a day you find yourself with a sudden case of pink eye, contagious, can’t make it in today… *cough*

How does this relate to dog world?  YOU are you dog’s boss.  You are responsible for setting the agenda and goals, designing the course, driving the motivation to achieve success, resetting the structure if it’s not working and celebrating a job well done.  Your dog is counting on you to be the leader he wants to follow; to be the leader he will set aside his own fears and insecurities for because he trusts you so completely.  Are you that leader?

Think about the bosses you’ve had in your lifetime.  Who has engendered your anger?  Pity?  Respect?  Who would you follow into danger because you had faith in their judgement?

I guarantee that, for me, it is not Jason.  He was an assistant manager at McDonald’s where I worked in high school.  He was a terribly nice man.  Too nice.  He was a total pushover.  He allowed liberal phone privileges, (this was before cell phones!), he ignored the vast amount of free food disguised as waste being handed out to our friends, he believed us when we said we made the wrong change all the while that cash was in our pockets, he tolerated blatant disrespect and ignored basic standards because he was unwilling to assign dreaded duties.  I loved working a shift under him because I got my $4.00 an hour to basically fool around and laugh with my friends.  Looking back, I can understand why he got fired and I pity him for being so keen on being liked that he didn’t bother to do his job.  I even resent him a little for allowing my 16-year-old self to be such an asshole.  Eventually I learned my lesson but I could have used that education much sooner.

As well, I can’t count Maria among bosses I would honor today.  She was horrid, I worked as an after-hours triage operator and staff trainer for her.  She micromanaged our every minute, talked down to and demeaned her staff, changed the schedule on a whim and then held us responsible for not following it and refused to allow any opinion other than her own to be considered.  I hated that job so much only because of her.  It was emotionally satisfying- and sometimes devastating- to take calls from people in medical crisis and help them to determine if they needed to go to the ER, speak to the doctor on call or wait until the morning when the office opened.  I loved training new operators to do the same.  I hated working for Maria.

Who did I adore?  Troy and Kay.  My boss and grandboss.  They were fair, consistent, respectful and clear.  They gave me the objective and the tools I needed and then got out of my way to get the job done.  When I reached, they encouraged me to go for it.  When I overstepped, they pulled me back.  I worked for them for four years and they engendered so much confidence in my abilities that I took a chance and left them for greener pastures.  Big mistake.  Huge.  But that’s for another blog.  I appreciate them so much that I’m tempted to send them each a little something to celebrate the day.

If your dog was writing this blog, which boss would you be? 

Are you a Jason who tells him he is wonderful even as he’s breaking all of the rules and being blatantly disrespectful? 

Are you a Maria who offers only corrections and disdain, never any acknowledgement of your good choices? 

I hope not.  I hope you are a Troy or a Kay.  I hope you guide and educate your dog to the proper behavior.  I hope you praise and reward their good choices and I hope you drop the hammer when they make a poor choice.  It’s that balance that makes your dog want to give you the very best he has to offer.  It’s that confidence he has in himself that only comes from having confidence in you.  Be the leader your dog wants to follow.

Of the 10 dogs pictured, how many…

Are purebred?

Were taken in by their families as puppies?

Were rescued?

Are mixed-breed?

Were dog-aggressive?

Were human-aggressive?

Have a bite history?

Were so painfully shy they had to be physically removed from their crate?

Are still under one-year-old?  Two-years-old?

Are graduates of our program?

Are e-collar trained?

Are prong-collar trained?

Participated in a charity walk yesterday to raise over $500 for families fighting cancer?

I’ll spot you the answer for the last one- ALL of them!  I’m so proud of this pack, but this is more than just a bragging post.  I want you to really look at this picture, I mean really study it.  I’ll bet you see that Pit Bull in the center and assume he’s got the bite history.  Assume the purebred Belgian Malinois was raised from a puppy?  Think the German Shepherd is a mix?  Think those little ones are safe because they’re cute?

Wrong Dong

Looking at this picture, you don’t know which dog was found in a field in Texas as a still-nursing pup with littermates when their mother was hit by a car.  You don’t know which one survived having been strangled and resuscitated.  Who was nearly returned to the shelter within three-days of adoption because of behavior and destructive issues?  Who was given only 3-months to live 6-years ago?

They all have a different back story, some so sad it’s even hard to write this blog, others so idyllic I don’t want the others to find out!  What they all have in common, however, is their future.  These dogs are with the families they will love and protect forever.  If tragedy should strike and their families can no longer care for them, they have an extended pack family who will step up in a heartbeat to adopt them.  They are well-behaved and trained, (the puppies are still works in progress but coming along so well!)  They completed the 5K yesterday amid a huge crowd, other atrociously behaved dogs, obnoxious children- and a few adults- who have no concept of “personal space” and polite behavior.  The loud noises and the eternity of standing around waiting for something to start was enough to break even the strongest among us but they persevered.  They looked to their people for guidance, they sat and posed on cue, they took the opportunity to play and “be dogs” when given the chance. 

I’m writing this today to brag a little because we’ve all worked hard for their success.  I’m also writing today hoping this will make the rounds on social media and someone out there trying to decide what to do will read it. 

You do not have to get rid of your dog if behaviors are out of control. 

You do not have to raise a pure bred puppy to have an incredible family pet. 

It’s okay to admit that you need some help.

You are not alone. 

We did a great thing yesterday.  We helped Vickie’s Angel Foundation help families struggling to pay their bills while undergoing cancer treatment.  We were able to do that with our dogs and enjoy a beautiful morning in the fresh air and sunshine.  Don’t look at other dogs being well-behaved with their people out in the world and just wish your dog could do that; make it happen.  Seek education for your dog and for your family.  It doesn’t matter what your dog’s back story is, with proper, balanced training, the future is limitless.