Canine Ability goes hiking--Tips for Taking Your Dog Out on The Trail

If you've followed this blog and the Canine Ability story for any length of time, you've probably discovered that my daughter, dogs and I LOVE to go hiking, camping, backpacking, horseback trail riding...pretty much anything out in nature! 

Spending time outdoors with your dog is a wonderful experience--one that can create many memories that last for years to come!  Hiking provides a smorgasbord of enrichment for your dog!  There are many great smells, sights, and sounds to be found in the forest.  It is also great exercise that you and your dog can enjoy together.
 
Are you convinced that hiking is an activity you would like to try with your dog?  Great!  Lace up your hiking boots and throw on that backpack...(but I have to warn you, it is addicting!!)   

We took full advantage of my daughter Sarah's Spring break from school to hit the trails as much as possible this past week, and as I was posting our photos for our Canine Ability FB page, I thought of a few tips I wanted to share to make hiking safe and fun for people new to hiking and wanting to explore great new trails with their canine friends!  

Here are just a few:

--Make sure you are aware of your own ability, and any potential  health issues before you hit the trail! When the doc gives you the "all clear," choose the type of hike/trail that suits your individual needs best.  Do you like strenuous up/down hikes, or prefer a flatter walk?  Do you enjoy being "in the middle of nowhere," or is being around people more your thing?  Plan to be out for a day (or two), or just an hour?  

Take the time to research the types, terrain, and distances of trails in your area.  Get maps and topography information from your park management office (be sure to keep a copy with you when you hike; along with your fully charged cell phone and phone numbers of ranger stations nearby where you plan to hike).
 
I have a brain injury and multiple sclerosis. My ms is in remission right now, but when it flares, I need to stick to ADA trails (flat, easy trails that are made for people with disabilities).  My brain injury never goes into remission, unfortunately, so environmental/auditory overload is something I struggle with on a daily basis.  There is nothing is more soothing to me than getting out into the forest, slowing things down, and enjoying the sounds of nature!  My doctors are in agreement that hiking is a great activity for me--as long as I am conditioned for it,  don't overdo it, and follow instructions from my body to rest when my brain has had enough.  

My daughter, dogs, and I enjoy trails where an abundance of wildlife can be found, and far enough in to where we feel as though we're "in the middle of nowhere."  We very rarely pass other people on the trails that we hike. We usually pack picnics, sing songs, look for wildlife/fossils, and read devotionals on the trail--thoroughly enjoying time with God, and our own little family.  

Take time to consider the types of trails/hiking experiences you would best enjoy.

--Be sure that you and your dog(s) are fit for the type of trail you plan to hike.  We hike all year round, but do slow down a bit in the winter when its icy.  So in the Spring, before we hit the trails, we hit the pavement of our local community, building back strength and working back distance slowly, to avoid injury. 

--Take into consideration the age/physical condition of your pet.  This kind of repeats the message of the first tip, but I feel that its important to highlight the unique needs of our older canine friends. 

Pictured above is my beloved boy, Dawson--currently nearing 12 years young.  Though his spirit is still that of a young dog, I notice his body beginning to betray his will these days.  

To make sure that Dawson enjoys his hikes, and avoids injury, I have put him on Cosequin ( joint supplement) to eliminate soreness/stiffness of joints, adjusted his food ration (more on that in a bit), and take into careful  consideration the distance of each hike, and forecasted temperature for that day. 

As he has aged, Dawson has developed a more intense intolerance to heat, and inability to handle the distances that he used to.  If we are going on a shorter hike, or picnic, I'll bring him along, careful to either wet him down thoroughly, and/or tie a ice wrap around his neck to help keep him cool, and keep the trail short.
On sunny, hot days; he spends the day at home, in front of the TV in the A/C and waits to hear all about our hiking trips when we get home.   While it hurts me to have to leave him at home sometimes, I know its for his own good.

--Be sure to adjust your dog's diet to his increased need for calories/protein
If you are a weekend warrior, and only hike occasionally, then there's probably no need for you to change anything.  However, if you are hiking consistently 2-3 times per week or more, you may need to increase your dog's caloric/protein intake to meet his increased nutritional needs. Be sure to ask your vet on your dogs' pre-hiking check up if he/she wants you to change the way you feed your dog.

--Be sure to carry an emergency first aid kit--for you and your dog...and be sure that you have your vet's phone number, (as well as a local vet nearby to where you'll be hiking), in your backpack.  Emergencies are rare but can happen. Being properly prepared will help get your pet to the proper help as fast as possible.  

--Take care of the paws!  Just as proper footwear is very important to you, proper care of your dog's paw pads is critical to your pet enjoying his/her time in the great outdoors!  Be sure to trim all the hair between your dogs' toes and paw pads.  This gives them greater traction, and less ability for briars to cling on to your dog's feet.  

If your dog has sensitive paw pads, or they are cracking/splitting, get some paw wax (from your local pet store) and smear it liberally on your dog's feet.   This will also help with traction on rocks and help cut down on burns from paved surfaces. 

---Stay well-hydrated! Be sure to keep you and your dog well-hydrated at all times during a hike.  Pack plenty of water (either from home, or bottled), in your backpack; and don't let your dog drink from streams (unless in an absolute emergency), because natural water sources may contain invisible bacteria that is harmful to drink and may make your pet very sick.   

Do you have a high-octane canine friend who has energy to spare?  If your dog is medium to large sized, purchase a well-fitting (better to spend the extra money for a good one here), doggie back pack and let him carry his own water!  Slowly increase the amount of water you ask him to carry until he's fit for the task, and be sure to consult with your vet to find out what weight is safe for him to bear and be sure he's healthy enough to carry the load!

---Keeping your canine cool-- In addition to staying well-hydrated, keeping your dog cool is vitally important to his/her health while hiking.  Educate yourself to the signs of canine heatstroke---and have a plan to combat it.  If you see the beginning signs of heatstroke, act fast!

Be sure to limit your dog's exposure to higher temperatures in Spring/early Summer until he/she gets used to the higher temperatures.  

On the trail, keep your dog wet by pouring bottled water over him, or getting him to lie down in a creek to cool the main arteries underneath him, which will eventually cool his whole body (don't let him drink the water, though!).  

You can also tie an ice pack around his neck to combat the heat, or do what I do with my little dog, Gracie---I have a doggie tank top that I soak in cold water and put on her before we set out.  If it dries out before the hike is over, I just pour more water from my drinking supply on it.  This keeps little Gracie as cool as a cucumber! ;-)

--Throwing out obedience....well, sort of!  When I take a typical working, or training walk with my dogs, the rule of the walk is; no sniffing, pulling, or fooling around.  However, on our days off, I want my dogs to be able to relax and fully enjoy their hiking experience...and for dogs, smelling is experiencing! So, on the trail, my dogs can smell all they want--(provided they don't block the trail or cause anyone to trip).  

While I insist that all of my dogs "heel" when walking on a leash in everyday life, I throw out that rule and tell my dogs, "break!" when hiking.  This gives them the permission to go out in front of me single-file while hiking. I have discovered this technique to work the best for my ability to carefully monitor our three-dog/one child hikes.

Many times there are very narrow, single-file spots that overlook steeps hills/valleys below on the trails that we hike. I prefer having my dogs just out in front of me (but never pulling, mind you), where I can keep a good eye on them, provide immediate help if needed, and allow them to pick their way through difficult terrain at their own pace.  I can also spot and thwart potential dangers (such as snakes, poisonous insects, etc.) with the dogs up ahead, instead of  behind me.  


And while I do relax some of my dogs' obedience protocol on the trail, it's very important that any dog who goes hiking has a decent grasp of control commands, because there are many times when a handler needs both hands free to balance/navigate terrain, or modify equipment; and the dog will need to respond immediately to only vocal commands, with no support from the leash.  

In this photo, Gracie was told by young Sarah to "wait" as she traversed this steep downgrade first. Once she was safely down, she called Gracie down to her. 

Keep in mind that hiking trails are often very narrow and require close/touching passing of on-coming hikers. If your dog is the type to pull very hard on the leash, or bark/snarl/growl and/or lunge at every passing dog/hiker; he'll need some behavior modification prior to hitting the trail. 

Once you find out what works best for you, you can modify your dog's positioning/commands/obedience to your specific needs. 

---Don't discriminate: Little fur people love hiking, too!  Yes, it's true...little fur people DO love to go hiking! 

Our Gracie may be little, but she's big on the inside, and has a LOT of hiking miles under her belt! She's a great hiker, (and resident snake spotter!)... and absolutely LOVES the great outdoors!  While little dogs are great hikers, there are a few things to keep in mind when you take your little one out on the trail...

Be sure to keep your little dog on a leash at all times (most parks require your dog to be on a leash or remote anyway).  Even though Gracie has a great recall, we always keep her tethered to one of our backpacks---for her safety.  Hawks, owls, coyotes, and other predators have been known to grab little dogs very quickly, and without a sound.  Keep your little one tethered to you so they can't wander into the path of a predator!

--"Oh, my hair!"  Little dogs often have well-styled hair doos.  If you want to keep your little dog free of mats and cool as a cucumber, the doo must go!  Consider having your dog shaved down in the summer and kept as short as possible in the winter (layered for warmth with sweaters/coats) instead of a long-haired doo that will get filled with briars, burs and mud.  I keep Gracie (a Shih-tzu/Bichon mix), in a "puppy cut" all year round...and shave her with a shorter blade in the summer. *Note:  I would never shave my double-coated breeds in the Summer (Nadja, a German shepherd...and Dawson, a Collie), as the same second-coat insulation that provides them warmth in the winter, helps to block out the heat and cool them in the warmer months.  

Gracie says, "I know lots of folks think us little dogs are too small to enjoy the great outdoors--but that's just not true!  Don't leave your little dogs home! Take them out on the trail/camping with you!  Properly conditioned and prepared, we can keep up, and literally "run with da big dogs!" ;-) 

--Bugs, bugs, everywhere!  Face it, if you spend enough time outdoors, you're going to have to deal with bugs!  But that doesn't mean that bugs should ruin your hiking trip!  

Be sure that your dog is treated with a flea/tick preventative whether they are hiking or not.  Fleas/ticks can carry diseases that are very harmful for your pet..and you.  My guys are all treated with a spot-on preventative all year round.

Flea and tick preventative is a must, but won't help against other nasty insects that you'll find in the woods.  Mosquitoes, chiggers, and "no see ums" plague many a hiker and can make a trip miserable.  To prevent this, I spray myself, daughter and dogs with a chemical-free bug repellent (that I got from an organic products distributor) right before our hike. I also do a thorough bug-check (on us, and each dog) when we get back to the car.

---Share the trail...and remember, not all dogs (and other hikers) are friendly! My dogs, my daughter and I enjoy the company of other hikers/dogs---We prefer to be off on our own, but are not opposed to an occasional trail-sharing from other teams.  But keep in mind that not all dogs/hikers enjoy or want company on the trail! Some people go to the forest to escape and crave solitude--not company.  Share the trail and respect others' desire for privacy.

It's never a good idea to let dogs meet while they are on a leash, and remember that not all dogs are good with new dogs; so be sure to keep an eye out ahead for approaching hikers/dogs, and give yourself the time to find a space to "pull off" the trail to allow others to pass while keeping your dog safe behind you. 

--Take time to smell the flowers! Be sure to take frequent breaks (especially when the weather is warm) to re-hydrate and catch your breath a bit.  We usually pack a protein-packed picnic (and include special protein-packed doggie-lunches!) to recharge our bodies and give ourselves a chance to rest and just soak it all in ;-) 

Taking a lunch break along the trail

Sarah taking time to enjoy the sight of an early Spring flower growing in the rocks

These are but a few of the many, many tips you can employ to enjoy a hiking excursion with your canine friend(s).  Take the time to research your hike, prepare yourself (and your dog) with all the items you'll need on the trail, then relax and enjoy!

The best tip of all is---our canine friends want to spend every minute that they can with us.  Let them; and enjoy them ;-)  

Happy hiking!!

Come see us at the Pet Supermarket Customer Appreciation Day

We're very pleased to announce that Canine Ability Dog Training has been invited to participate in Pet Supermarket's Customer Appreciation Day on March 31st in Hendersonville, TN.  (Click on the link for location information):

http://www.petsupermarket.com/Store_Locator.aspx?info=37075

There will be special things going on in the store all day from 9am-9pm. We'll be there from 10-6pm and will be answering all your questions, providing training demonstrations, and will be offering at least two of our FREE award-winning canine educational seminars throughout the day (more information about times coming soon).

Be sure to save the date and come out to see us---invite your friends, too!

Looking for a dog? Don't let behavioral issues make you pass over untapped potential!

Looking for a dog? There are many great candidates at your local shelter, but don't let behavioral issues cause you to pass over what could be the "perfect dog" for you! Meet "Pokey" from the Humane Society of Sumner County. Pokey shows us that with just a little work, he has tremendous potential at being a superstar!

Video Link

Do you need help choosing just the right dog for your family, or need help bringing out the Ability of the one you already have?  Contact us today to learn how we can bring out the ABILITY in your dog!

 

Canine Ability's 10 Top Tips for a Happy, Well-behaved Dog

Canine Ability’s 10 top tips for a happy, well-behaved dog
  

Dogs want to be good and above all, please their owners.  Behavioral issues are usually merely a symptom that a dog is not getting everything he needs to be healthy--physically and mentally.  The following tips can help guide you to a happier, well-behaved dog!  


 1. Exercise, exercise, exercise!! Did you know that most dogs do not get the required amount of exercise they need to be healthy? Daily, structured exercise is as important as fresh food and water to your dog, (running around in the backyard doesn’t count).   Honor your dog by giving him/her fun games to play that exercise their breed traits for no less than 20 minutes twice a day, on a daily basis. You wouldn't even consider skipping feeding/watering him even for a day, right?  Exercise is just as important to your canine friend!

2.      Do you speak fluent Canine?  If you don’t, you’re missing out on the most effective way to train your dog, and may actually be created behavioral issues through mis-communication.  Effective communication is required for any successful relationship.  Your relationship with your dog is no different! Learn effective canine communication (Canine Ability can help you with this), in order to create a firm foundation for learning and behavior modification.

3. Remember that respect is earned.  Be sure to always be kind to your dog.  If you are in a bad mood, get angry or frustrated during a training session, it’s time to end it immediately and come back later with a positive attitude.  Training should be fun! Positive applications produce positive results! 

 4.  Ditch the “Can’t teach an old dog new tricks” wives-tale! It’s never too late to train your dog!  Dogs live in the moment and are environmental sponges…just waiting to soak up whatever you have to teach them! We’re always training our dogs—its up to us to determine whether we train good traits or bad ones.  Just as humans do, dogs require education throughout their lifetime in order to keep them well-balanced. Keep at it, even after formal training classes have ended. Training is for the lifetime of the dog—not just for a six-week course.

      

      5.      It is very important to get professional help from an experienced behaviorist, such as Canine Ability Dog Training for behavioral issues as soon as they arise.  It is much harder (and much more expensive) to treat a problem that has developed deep roots.  Better yet, learning how to build a foundation of leadership (as Canine Ability teaches), will prevent many issues from starting in the first place.    

      

      6.       Do NOT pet a dog without permission—and never pet it on or reach over its head!  Putting your hand out for the dog to sniff is an antiquated method; one which can induce a bite.  The head of the dog is the information center.  Having strangers near the head is very uncomfortable for most dogs.  Let the dog sniff you while you stand still at its side, then once the dog relaxes, stroke its back to make friends. 

      

      7.      When walking your dog on a leash, never let your dog say “hello” to another dog, or allow another dog to greet your dog.  This can induce a fight.  

      8.      Take up a new activity with your dog!  There are many wonderful dog clubs, activities, and events you can participate in together.  Things like agility, lure coursing, obedience, therapy, backpacking/hiking, dock diving, flying disc, canine drill teams, fly-ball and more!  These activities are beneficial to both you and your dog and will strengthen your relationship as well.  

      9.      Treat your dog like the dog he/she was created to be.  It is unfair to treat dogs like fur-children.  If we truly love and want to honor our dogs, we owe it to them to learn their ways and treat them in a way they innately understand.  Doing anything less is a huge disservice to our canine friends!  

     10.  A dog who has no pack structure, outlet for mental/physical energy, and rules often exhibits unwanted behavioral issues.  A trained and tired dog is always a happy a good dog! 

Want more tips for a well-behaved dog?  Contact us today to learn how we can bring out the ABILITY in your dog!  (Proudly serving middle TN for in-home training and group classes, and world-wide for email/phone consulation!)

When the family dog attacks... My Friday night case was to be a basic obedience/leash training lesson---what I found was a dog who'd just "snapped" and tried to kill his owner. A must-read for all dog owners.

I was on a very disturbing call Friday night...one that no behaviorist ever wants to discover---the family dog "turning" and viciously attacking a family member.   I'd originally been called in to provide leash training and basic obedience to this formerly wonderful family pet. 

Before my arrival for our first session, the dog unexpectedly, and out of nowhere, launched an attack which was brutal and relentless in nature. The attack was focused on the mother (who was home alone with five small children). The dog literally "snapped" and tried very hard to kill the mom. The family is very shaken, Mom is healing; but praise God, is doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances.

The family has agreed to allow me to interview them for an article that I will be publishing soon, highlighting the absolute need for folks to have any dog they bring into the family home, temperament tested and evaluated--and to be sure that where ever they get the dog is a reputable place. These clients learned this lesson the hard way, and are brave and gracious enough to share their difficult story in order to help save someone else.

Please keep this family in your prayers and stay tuned for more of their story... It's one no dog owner (or anyone planning to get a dog), should miss.

 

Is your dog tuning you out? Effective canine communication

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·         Have you ever wondered, "Why does my dog do that when he knows he's not supposed to?"  "Why does my dog ignore me?"  "Why does my dog refuse to walk on a loose leash?"  "Why does my dog eat my stuff when I'm away?' 

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·         Do your answers to yourself sound something like this? "He knows better; he's just doing that for spite." "He's so happy to be out, that's why he pulls on the leash."  "He's ignoring me; that's the stubborn streak in him."  "He gets mad when I leave him, that's why he eats my stuff..."

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·         Ever stop to think about the reasoning behind your answers and realize that all of those thoughts are brought about by the human mind and emotions; things that the dog doesn't operate with, and therefore, can't possibly abide by?

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·         Learning how a dog communicates, and responding to him in his own innate language is a gift that all dog owners should bestow upon their canine friends.  It's not as hard as some might think; we're constantly giving off signals to our dogs---often they are the wrong ones, which lead to many complications.  Learning how to properly and effectively communicate with our canine friends is easy, fun, and a great way to get lasting training results.

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·         Canine Ability Dog Training addresses these common issues and provides dog owners with an clear, concise way to effectively communicate with their canine family members. Want to learn more?  Contact us today to learn how we can bring out the ABILITY in your dog! 

    (Proudly serving middle TN for in-home and group classes, and world-wide via email/phone consultation). 

How DARE you call my dog a...DOG!!??

There was a question posed recently by a dog lover's page on Facebook: "Do you treat your dog like a dog or a human?"  There were hundreds of answers; everyone said how much they loved their dog, but not one said they treated their dog like a dog.

While I find treating my dogs like the dogs they were created to be, (and not humanizing them) to be the kindest form of respect I can bestow on them, I'm often brought up short by clients who are absolutely abhorred when I point out that their furred-family member is, in fact, a dog.

Treating a dog like a person is unfair and sets them up to fail. Even more upsetting is when people get frustrated at their "babies" for not understanding what is required of them and punish them in human-like ways (time-outs, spanking, yelling) when they don't react in the human way that was expected.  Not surprisingly, these discipline methods don't work with dogs, and only frustrate our furred-family members to no end. This is the cause of nearly ALL the calls I am brought in to evaluate--people treating their dogs like humans, and getting frustrated when their human ways don't work to correct canine "errant" behavior. 

It is an indisputable fact that dogs operate with an entirely different communication/operating system than we do. So based upon that fact, it stands to reason that in order to have a good relationship with our canine friends and family members, we absolutely need to treat them differently! I feel that the best way to show that we truly love our dogs is to take the time to learn to communicate with them and understand their ways---never forcing them to learn ours.

Dogs are dogs.  They are amazingly, wonderful creatures---beautiful on the outside and inside; forever versatile and fun-loving. Their greatest gift in life is to be with their owners, upon whom they lavish an unmatchable, unconditional love that stems from an honest, compassionate place---never from ulterior motives.  They are self-proclaimed sitters for our children, and most would lay down their lives for us in a heartbeat. I believe dogs to have the best moral compasses and uphold the best qualities (such as loyalty, devotion, bravery---they are loving, insightful, joyful, funny, forgiving), the list could go on and on.  Dogs are not vindictive.  Dog's don't lie or steal. Dogs don't kill (without a darn good reason). Dogs don't pretend to be something they are not--only humans do these things.

"Dog" is not a derogatory word. So why is it so hard for some people to admit that their furred-family members are, in fact, dogs?

As for my own dogs, and the dogs I'm blessed to have as clients; I love and respect them for exactly who they are; not for who I would like, or need them to be.  I feel like its my job to become partly dog in order to effectively communicate, rehabilitate, and bond with them--not the other way around.

What are your thoughts on the subject??

Leadership training---Canine Ability tip of the day

Looking for ways to earn your dog's respect and influence his behavior more calmly and effectively?  Leadership is a key factor in influencing your dog, and solving/preventing many unwanted behaviors.  There are many ways to define leadership with your dog, and I'm going to go through them one by one over the course of the next few weeks.

Scientific learning theory dictates that if you change the environment, you change the dog (or human, or whatever species you're modifying the behavior of).  In keeping with environmental control, I want you to try something very simple, that will speak volumes to your dog.  But before you try this, I want you to promise that you'll write to me and share the results of this exercise.  Okay? Once we get some results of this exercise, I'll explain why its so powerful..and that will be a golden key to unlocking many of the secrets of your dog's behavior. 

Most owners, upon arriving home show great excitement to their dog. Perhaps they talk in a high-pitched, excited voice, or have a running commentary with them about their day, petting them, playing with them and allowing them to jump for joy with or on them. (Many of you will be very surprised to learn what you are actually saying to your dog when you do this!)

Ready for a significant change (for the better) in the way your dog relates to you? For one week, I want to challenge you to change the way you interact with your dog upon your arrival home, or after any time of separation.  Okay...here's what you do: Upon arriving home, or after any significant time of separation with your dog, take at least five minutes to ignore him.  That's right.  Ignore him (there's a scientific method to this madness...and your dog already knows this exercise; trust me!) 

If he's crated and he barks at you from inside his crate, do not let him out until he settles.  Once he's quiet, go ahead and open his crate, but walk away and don't interact (pet, talk to, look at) until he's as quiet and relaxed (The dog must show NO signs of excitement before you pay any attention to him, or the entire exercise will fail.  Each day you will notice it takes less and less time for him to settle...ooops!  Giving away too much information!).   You can let him out to potty in the interim (just no talking, petting or eye contact), and when he comes back in, the rules are the same until he's completely and totally quiet and relaxed---then you can invite him to come over to you for some quiet bonding time.

That's it!  Simple right?  I can guarantee you, that as simple as this sounds, it will be a profound statement that you are making to your dog---one he will innately understand and respond to.  Now don't forget---write to me and let me know how it goes!  Explanation and further expansion of the theory to come...






*Interested in getting one on one advice?  We offer award-winning in-home training throughout middle Tennessee, and phone consulting throughout the world! Take a look at the pages on the right side bar for more about our training and contact information.

Canine Ability tip of the day

 

 Canine Ability tip of the day-- You are never more a leader (or follower) than you are at the end of your dog's leash. Mastery of loose leash walking sends a clear signal to your dog who the leader in your relationship is. Taking control over your dog's most primal activity will enhance effective communication, improve your relationship, and help to build a firm foundation upon which further training can take place...and without which, the former cannot be achieved.

Want more information about how Canine Ability can bring out the ABILITY in your dog?  Check out the pages on the top right sidebar.  We look forward to hearing from you and welcome any questions you may have.

Welcome to the brand new Canine Ability blog! I'm on a misson to teach dog owners how to bring out the ABILITY in their dogs!

 

Hello!  Welcome to my brand new blog!  My name is Kimberly and I am the owner/trainer at Canine Ability Dog Training.  Canine Ability is dog training....and SO much more! I'm currently offering award-winning training, pack walks, and group training (in middle Tennessee); and seminars, workshops and motivational canine entertainment (nationwide) in order to help dog owners bridge the gap in communication and bring out their dog's true ABILITY! 

I'm in the business of saving and improving canine lives.  With canine homelessness/euthanasia on the rise, I strive to take the cases that other trainers have given up on because I know each of those dogs has innate talents just waiting to be tapped. I am very passionate about my dogs and my clients' dogs; and feel utterly blessed to be given the opportunity to work with each one of my canine clients.

Dogs bless us in so many ways!  They provide unconditional love, compassionate understanding, and never ending support.  On a primal level, they are highly social animals, adhering to an advanced system of hierarchy that is forever changing to fit the needs of the entire pack. Dogs communicate through a very complex system of inaudible, yet highly effective body language that enables the pack to remain stable, effective, and safe.. 

When we bring dogs into our home, we become their "pack."  Thousands of years of domesticating the dog has not eliminated the dog's primal instincts or innate behaviors.  Dogs always have been, and always will be dogs. No matter how much we pamper them, humanize them, or even dress them up---a dog will always remain a dog. 

Dogs act like dogs, think like dogs, and communicate like dogs--this is why the greatest gift we can provide for our canine friends is to learn and communicate with them using their own, innate language. 

Without full comprehension of  canine language, owners often project confusing, or even hostile messages to their dog---and often get upset when this conflict results in the dog's "shutting down" (ignoring commands), or even aggression. 

Bridging this gap in communication can bring out the ABILITY in any dog---setting the stage for a new and effective relationship that is built on trust and mutual understanding. Taking this principal a step farther, we challenge owners to take their relationship with their dog to a whole new level in order to get the most of of the canine/human bond.

This blog will address common dog behavioral issues, provide interesting case studies, helpful tips, and much more!  Have a doggie dilemma?  Email me at: CanineAbility@gmail.com and ask away!  Your question could be the subject of my next post! Take a moment to subscribe to our blog (with the links provided on the right sidebar), so you don't miss any doggone good times!