Ep191 Train Your Dog Month

[00:00:00] Episode 191. This week we're talking about National Train Your Dog Month. So January in the United States is National Train Your Dog Month, and I wanna talk about a variety of dog training options out there for owners to explore and also talk about the idea that, , training is enrichment and it should be fun for people and dogs.

[00:00:20] This is the Creating Great Grooming Dog Show. I'm Chrissy Neumyer Smith. I'm a master groomer behavior specialist, a certified professional groomer, a certified behavior consultant for canines, a certified professional dog trainer, a fear free certified groomer and trainer. I'm an instructor at Whole Pet Grooming Academy and I'm the owner of Happy Critters in Nashua, New Hampshire.

[00:00:38] And this my friends and colleagues, is the show where we talk about teaching dogs to be good for grooming and other types of care. So National Train Your Dog Month. I mean, how could I miss that? So I wanna talk a little bit about, , dog training should be fun. Dog training is something that we should all really enjoy, and there are lots of ways for us to use dog training and dog trainers to help our dogs be better for grooming.

[00:01:04] So we're still on topic for this grooming and cooperative care part, but let's start off with the idea that I think most of us have heard about puppy classes and basic obedience classes. Let's just start there. That is the most common gateway into dog training. Most owners, before they even get a dog.

[00:01:22] Are aware that they're gonna need some sort of training. And those type of classes really revolve around, , working in a group setting on some really basic stuff. Now, you might think that puppy classes are all about socializing puppies and to, in many respects, that is true. , but I think it's really important to know that a puppy class is also about helping a puppy begin to understand that.

[00:01:47] This is how we interact with dogs. How do puppies learn about how to interact with humans Is through training and to be around other dogs and still have to listen to their owner. Ooh, that's kind of a cool thing, and we don't always think about that when we're talking about, , teaching dogs. We don't always think about the idea that it's not just when the dog listens to me alone.

[00:02:12] It's when the dog listens to me, even when there are doggy friends around. So, a puppy class is a great place to find out if your dog is friendly around other dogs, if your, how your dog feels about other dogs, how they feel about other owners. , and to work on whatever that is that that puppy needs maybe some confidence in or maybe a little bit of self-control, a little bit of impulse control.

[00:02:34] Very, very, very common stuff to do in a puppy class. Puppy classes are all about fun, and if you are getting a puppy or you know, someone who's getting a puppy. Puppy classes are really, really important. So even if you as an owner feel like you can teach your puppy those things, it's about the environment that they learn them in.

[00:02:55] So when I have a puppy, I bring my puppy to puppy classes. And I bring it to somebody else's puppy class so that I can just be an owner interacting with my puppy in that environment, basic obedience classes, very, very similar idea. We're trying to work with animals in a place that has other dogs. And other owners and this environment because frankly, a lot of our owners have dogs who can behave very well in the kitchen but don't know how to behave when there's another dog on leash, 30 feet away.

[00:03:31] Or walking down a sidewalk with another dog going for a walk who's walking down the sidewalk. And obedience classes and puppy classes help us to understand why our dogs would have trouble with that. And also to help our dogs learn how to listen to us and respond to us and see us as just as interesting as that other animal walking toward us, or person or bicyclist, whatever it may be.

[00:03:58] So. These are really, really basic type classes that I think are fundamental. I think we should all be taking some sort of basic obedience classes and puppy classes. It's a really, really fun way to spend a night a week with your new dog or with your dog you've had for many, many years and just have a good time and work on some really basic stuff that can be really helpful.

[00:04:23] Because people love examples.

[00:04:25] . One of my guys who really does not enjoy other dogs, sometimes we're at a flyball tournament and we all go out and we're like, okay, we're pottying our dogs. And that's when you realize, oh shoot, I don't have a poop bag. Does anybody have a poop bag? It's not uncommon for dog sport people.

[00:04:41] To have dogs who maybe don't wanna be around other dogs to put their dog in a sit stay, and then they meet up halfway up the leash to. Pass a poop bag to each other and those dogs are sitting in a sit stay. Everybody's nice and safe. Everything's nice and under control. And it took practice. But it takes practice working around other dogs.

[00:05:01] Puppy classes and obedience classes are wonderful for this. And they're fun. Oh my God, they're so much fun. So let's talk about some of the other types of training that are available. To us as pet owners, behavior consulting, a little bit different than our obedience classes and our puppy classes, but that's when , we're doing really specific individualized help.

[00:05:25] When there is something very specific going on at home, maybe it's a dog who is getting used to a new pet or, , is worried about. The mailman or has an issue with barking, things like that. This is when you're getting very specific individualized one-on-one help. So that's behavior consulting versus the group classes.

[00:05:48] And while I love attending group classes. I really enjoyed behavior consulting more because when I taught group classes, what I found was is that people would wait till the end of class and then ask me questions that maybe everybody would have benefited from. So we review that question again the next week or something that was so specific that it was good that they waited till afterward because not everybody has the same problem with him trying to eat the couch.

[00:06:17] So behavior consulting is a specialty niche. It's one I really enjoy that I did a lot of and now don't have time for because I do this. , let's talk about dog sports. Dog sports are a fantastic way to go out and hang out with your dog and be around people who understand why you are so into your dog.

[00:06:37] But how can they relate to dog grooming? And one of the ways that dog sports can really relate to dog grooming and cooperative care stuff. Is that when we are doing a sport with our dog, they are interacting with us. We're having fun together. I can. Tell you, it is really obvious when I'm working with a dog that someone talks to all the time and works with, that dog is much better prepared for listening to a human.

[00:07:04] How neat is that? So when we start thinking about the games and stuff and Disc dog and all these other things that are available, and I do have a very short list, but these are ways for dogs to have fun with a human and be around other dogs having fun with their humans. So it's social. And these are social creatures, and it gives us something to do that is enjoyable.

[00:07:27] Also, another side benefit of some of these dog sports, some of the dogs that we see in dog grooming could really benefit from a little bit more confidence and. We often tell people, maybe try something like agility. Maybe try something like nose work or disc dog or just go out there and work on tricks, but something that helps your dog feel more confident so that they're not as timid, so that they're not as scared, so that they aren't worried about every dog that walks into the room because they're.

[00:07:59] Being around dogs, walking into a room in a super fun environment. So it's not the only time they see dogs is when they're in a grooming shop. And like I said, lots and lots of dog sports. My own dogs, we do fly ball. Which is a super fun dog sport. , there are two teams, each team has four dogs.

[00:08:21] The first dogs go there's drag racing lights and a judge in the middle, and yep, it's all timed. But the first dogs go and they go over four jumps, hit the trigger box, get the ball, carry it back over four jumps, second dogs go. Third dogs go. Fourth dogs go. And they compete for best team time. Oh my god, so much fun.

[00:08:39] , it looks like it might be really easy. But those dogs are off leash. As soon as we let them go, there's nothing holding them in there, and they are running full speed past another dog who is running full speed toward them. So there's some intricacy, even if it's always the same setup, even if it's always the same jumps, and it's always the same ball and it's always the same box.

[00:09:02] There's some intricacy there, and it is my dog's favorite thing in the world. And my last dog too, over anything else. We also do rally obedience. We dabble, they each have their first rally level one title, but flyball is more important so rally gets put off, but that's obedience in a very casual setting.

[00:09:25] There is obedience, which is A-K-C-U-K-C. Lots of different organizations have obedience, but they're very formal setting. Not my cup of tea, but man, gorgeous stuff and those dogs are really enjoying it. So that's heel work and sits and downs and, drop on recall. Really, really neat stuff.

[00:09:47] And you are having fun with your dog. There's agility, nose work. Nose work is something that, that a lot of people are teaching their dogs. There are lots of ways you can just teach 'em tricks, but these are all ways to help build confidence, add enrichment. Okay, so your dog's not just at home being bored, your dog is having fun and enjoying time with our dogs.

[00:10:12] And we'll talk about more in the next part. If you are enjoying the show, please tell another groomer, tell an owner, tell your trainer friend or your veterinarian friend, because there are lots of ways that we can help these dogs be better for grooming and for vet visits. The other part about training is that you do not need to sign up for a training class.

[00:10:33] What I know, it's not just about trying to sell you dog training. You can train a lot of stuff at home. In fact, if you are working toward one of those. Titles or something. You're probably doing a lot of practice at home. I can tell you. While we don't do a lot of rally obedience, we don't, like I said, we choose flyball at my house.

[00:10:55] We practice rally obedience stuff. We practice all sorts of things like sit stands down, , stand, stay while I walk around them. And those are things that we practice in the house. We practice on walks, we practice in the yard, and my dogs love it. They really enjoy like, oh wait, we're gonna do something.

[00:11:12] Now, not every dog is going to enjoy the same things, but that's okay. Think about picking tricks and they'll tell you, all right. Honestly, I'm terrible at teaching tricks. Yet you would think everything's a trick. , I'm just terrible at thinking them up. It's like, Ooh, that'd be a neat trick. How would I teach that?

[00:11:33] Not my thing. But you don't need to go to a group class to enjoy some training with your dog. Teach your dog a trick. Teach 'em to do something fun. . Teach 'em to do something silly. When you say a particular word. , teach 'em to find people in the house or to, find a hidden object. See if you can get them to listen to

[00:11:55] the names of all of their toys. , can your dog distinguish between get your ball, get unicorn, get hedgehog, have fun with your dogs? And that's what's really important when we think about National Train Your Dog Month. It's about the bond and having fun with your dog. Now I will say that. There are lots and lots and lots of different ways to train, and especially if, if you're just out there to have fun, really make sure that your dog is enjoying it all right?

[00:12:25] And that doesn't necessarily mean that, . It's a training method thing. It might be the sport that you're doing. Like my guys, I would not try dock diving. My dogs don't wanna jump off a dock and go underwater. It would not be their thing. It would make them pretty miserable. Even if my dream would be like, oh, they're gonna be great at doc diving.

[00:12:44] They can learn it. They can learn it. I don't think my guys would wanna do it, but nose work, fly ball. Rally obedience. , playing around with some agility stuff. They like that stuff. Figure out what your dog enjoys. Now one of the things I wanna talk about while we're talking about train your Dog month is that there are lots of people in your dog's world.

[00:13:06] So let's talk about the different types of trainers and training and , the various professionals in your dog's world. And I'm gonna parallel this. With kids. Now, sometimes people get annoyed with me when I do that, but think about, , the parallel between the kids' world and the dog's world. So you're veterinarian.

[00:13:27] Sort of like a pediatrician. Your veterinarian sees a lot of dogs. This is their main practice. They see dogs, they see cats, they see birds, but your dog vet is seeing a lot of dogs and the nurses. There are vet techs. Yeah, vet techs are nurses. They're not veterinary helpers who maybe wanna become a veterinarian someday.

[00:13:51] That's a nurse and I want everyone to start really thinking about that. That's important. But the veterinarian and the nurses in the veterinary office, they are there to help keep your pet healthy. When you start talking about obedience classes and puppy classes, those are like school teachers.

[00:14:10] Ah, how cool. Yeah, direct correlation there. Like school teachers, when you start talking about behavior consultants, that's a little bit more like the guidance counselor. So that's a little bit more of, I'm seeing that someone is having some difficulty. Let's figure out what's going on and see how we can help.

[00:14:30] Okay. Guidance counselor, , agility classes and nose work and all those other things. I want you to think about those as sports coaches. Right. That's little league. Yeah. So if they're taking agility or they're going to flyball, or they're doing some of these other things, that's a little bit like sports or art and music,

[00:14:50] your art teacher and your music teacher, that's a little bit like marching band and soccer. So think about. , the professionals who are coaching or teaching, those are a little bit different than maybe the pediatrician or the nurses or the guidance counselor or the school teachers. There can be overlap, absolutely.

[00:15:08] There can be overlap, but let's think about what's going on there. And when we think about our sports coaches, a lot of the time they are parents who are specializing , in a sport. And so when we start asking. For training advice from someone who maybe, , teaches a dog sport. We may have someone who's also a teacher.

[00:15:29] We may have someone who's also a guidance counselor, but more likely we have someone who's an owner with a lot of pet experience. So just be kind of aware of where we're getting our information from and which professional we ask , don't ask your pediatrician about soccer unless it's about the health aspects of soccer.

[00:15:46] Does that make sense? I hope so. , so who else do we have in our dog's world? We have hairstylists. Well, those are our pet stylists, our pet groomers. , they work with a lot, a lot, a lot of dogs, but their particular profession is about haircuts and skincare of course there are lots of different dog grooms out there, but, but skincare and haircare.

[00:16:10] Haircuts different than these other jobs. When we talk about doggy daycare, well that's daycare. Yeah. Right. They work around groups of dogs. They have them playing together. They're experts at knowing when dogs are maybe not getting along or aren't handling it well. We have our pet sitters and our dog walkers, I kind of think about them as almost like the nanny, . They know your dog, and they're gonna be working with your particular dog. So when we start talking about the behaviorist, that's the psychologist or psychiatrist that is not the guidance counselor, psychologist, psychiatrist. When we talk behaviorist, I want you to think veterinary specialists like cardiologist or dermatologist or a PhD.

[00:16:55] In behavior. Okay. That's not a term that we just fling around casually. Well, we shouldn't be it. It does get flung around casually, but it's not a term we should fling around casually. So a guidance counselor is different than a psychologist or a psychiatrist, though. You might have a psychologist or a psychiatrist working as a guidance counselor.

[00:17:17] Okay. But just be thinking about this variety of specialists in your dog's life. Okay. And then I'm gonna add one more. When you start talking about a breeder, your breeder is a little bit like asking grandma. And why is that important? Because your grandmother's gonna say, oh, you know what? What your kid is doing is so much like my brother's youngest.

[00:17:43] They know the whole family history. They're like, oh yeah, you know what? So and so was like that till he was about three. You know, they have the family history, they know the stuff about their particular dog, the line, , what they were breeding for. So a breeder is a little bit like having grandma.

[00:18:03] Who knows? Everybody's. Health history and , the behavioral quirks that maybe some of our families have. I speak for my own, but there are some behavioral quirks in there. And that's a really important asset for people who went to a breeder. , I will also say that, , the people who foster dogs and work in the rescues, they're a great, great resource when it comes to the individual that you have rescued.

[00:18:27] They spent time with that dog. So there are lots of different professionals in our dog's world and when we talk about National Train Your Dog Month, which again January here in the USA National Train Your Dog Month, think about these, this wide variety of individuals who are professionals and are here to help you or maybe hobbyists who are here to help you and not everyone's advice is going to have the same weight.

[00:18:50] Think about who you're going to for which advice. , I don't go to a scout leader about vaccines. I talk to a pediatrician about that, right? You don't go to your hairstylist for things like, you know how to be better in soccer. So let's think about where we're going when we ask questions , and have fun with your dog.

[00:19:11] That's the most important part. So if you wanna know more about me and the classes that I teach, because I do teach the Master Groomer Behavior Specialist Diploma Program at Whole Pet Grooming Academy, you can go to whole pet nh.com for that and for other classes that I teach. If you wanna know more about.

[00:19:28] The podcast, creating great grooming dogs.com has every podcast episode. I've started putting transcripts on there. If you are listening as a podcast, you can listen anywhere, but also you can go to YouTube 'cause I started putting episodes up on YouTube, creating great grooming dogs at YouTube. I started putting episodes up on YouTube, I'd say about a year and a half ago.

[00:19:49] So there are lots of ways to find me. All right, everybody, have a great week. Bye.