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Whether your dog is a family pet or a champion in the making, we have a class for you!
South Jersey's
at sensible prices.
is your dog
unpredictable,
reactive or nervous?
By Jean L. Tomaselli-Dawkins CPDT
Make these changes until you get help!
Write a list of triggers to be avoided at all costs. Elic-
iting aggression will only reinforce bad responses.
Some things will just be avoided in the beginning of a
program; others will be avoided permanently. Exam-
ple: "don't let your dog access the front door anymore
if he becomes reactive when people come in."
Throw away the prong collar, choke chain,
1.
electronic collar etc. Using these and other cor-
rective devices will cause more -long and short
term- problems, that will come back to haunt you
eventually.
Be non-confrontational! If you add fuel to the fire,
2.
the problem will grow exponentially. Walk away
from your dog or remove him safely-when pos-
sible- then try to think of a creative way to switch
him into a happy compliant mood.
Stop listening to TV dog trainers; you might be
3.
damaging your dog's mental health! Much of
what is popular on TV is regarded as outdated
and downright dangerous by experts around the
globe.
Find a CPDT certified trainer who specializes in
4.
reactive dogs.
Make sure they use exclusively positive reinforce-
ment methods!
Dogs that bite
A dog who really decides to bite someone doesn't
miss. If a dog snaps at the air in front of your face or
hand, do not assume that the dog missed. For the
few dogs that actually do bite, there are more who
warn (by showing
teeth, snapping the
air, growling, staring,
and rigid bodies)
in an effort to back
people off. They
may do the same
with other dogs.
Dog trAiNiNg