Training a Rescue

Breeze learning respect herself, many years before.

Sit, Down, & Stay, Are 3 Separate Commands
Don't confuse your dog by telling it to 'Sit down'.

When I first get a new dog, I sleep with the leash on my arm. I sleep on my stomach so the leash is beneath me attached to the arm in the middle of the bed. I don't use the arm at the edge of the bed near the dog because the leash could slip off my arm. The dog sleeps at the side of my bed on a rug.

When it moves, I wake up and ask if it needs to go outside. Then, the next few days I keep the dog leashed to me all day long. If I wash dishes, the dog washes dishes. When I fold clothes, the dog folds clothes. It learns to never leave my side. In addition, it is housebroken at the same time without accidents because it has supervision every minute. When I have to, I put the dog in a crate while I do whatever it is, then it's right back on leash with me.

Step One: Food Aggression

The top dog gets to eat first, in close proximity to the new dog who must wait. Please do NOT attempt this on your own. It takes a professional trainer to put two adult dogs together with dog aggression problems.

In this lesson, the new dog not only learns respect for the top dog, it learns to respect me at the same time. See how he is turning his head away? That's what I want to see. No problems will develop when both dogs are calm and submissive. This dog came with dog aggression problems. He is Rocco, the stray who made history. Click to read his story.

The other dog is Breeze, who had the worst dog aggression of any dog I ever saw. Read their stories.

The dog above on the right is Breeze. She was a red-zone (bad as they can get) dog-aggressive dog. Go to her page and read about her. She isn't dog aggressive now, but I still have to know what the rules of dog behavior are and be mindful of them to prevent problems from arising.

I have to be aware when we meet other dogs, so their behavior and our approach doesn't trigger her to revert back into a bad state. I never allow a stranger's dog get within 10 feet of her because I don't know how the other dog will behave. Breeze isn't going to just stand there if another dog jumps on her nor would I expect her to. But, if properly introduced, Breeze will not start a fight like she used to do. You can see from the photos she allows other dogs in her space.

The yellow Lab, above, was just beginning to show dog-aggression himself when I got him. His head is turned away saying he 'gives'. And he isn't allowed to eat his food until I say he can. See him obeying the command to 'leave it'?

Every dog needs to be obedient. Rocco has to learn to sit and stay where I put him. Naturally this is always started in an area where there's total control for when he decides to break the rule and take off. He can't get hurt or lost running inside the house.

It takes a professionally trained dog to be able to be off leash safely in areas with traffic, shooting, fireworks, etc. As well as my dogs are trained, I wouldn't let one of mine be off leash. Don't be a show off and end up losing your dog because of your ego! Keep your dog safe on a leash or in a crate at all times.

There's always a way to do what must be done plus make time for what you want to do.

Teaching 7 dogs the down command at one time.

Dogs learn from one another. If you are the top dog's boss, the other dogs figure it out really quickly.

CAN YOU GUESS WHAT IS IN THE BAG?

You guessed it! Ellie Mae the puppy is in the bag around my neck.

I had to find a way to baby sit her until Santa came to deliver her. I didn't want her developing bad habits like whining or potty mistakes, so I kept her close to me while I did the things I had to do. Can you see me with a baby strapped to my back and a puppy in the pouch on front? Hey, do what you have to do!

TIP:

Can you see the confidence in his face ?

But the time comes where I have to trust a Service Dog outside in the open. This yard is secure, but if it wasn't, there has to be complete confidence he will not break his command to stay. His life depends on MY common sense.

DO NOT EVER TAKE YOUR PETS OFF LEASH! THEY COULD BE RUN OVER BY A CAR OR GET LOST!

Respect is the key. Once you have the dog's respect, you are his leader, who he will adore.

No dog is allowed to chew or destroy property. He has to learn the difference in HIS toys and the rest of the family's toys, which means our shoes, children toys, etc.

TIP:
Teach your dog to 'Leave It' and then once they are in a room, put items in front of your dog and give the 'leave it' command. This dog is not going to chew a toy that isn't his. He knows what 'Leave it!' means.

The photo above of the dog and toy was taken by my 2.5 year old grandson, Parker. It is his first photo. His second one is of me, above at the top of the page lying on the floor with the same dog.

Among all the other things going on in my life, I was fighting breast cancer.

I was talking to the surgeon who would be performing the mastectomy while my friend and prayer partner, Nancy Goodson saw a TV program in the waiting room about a new 'SAVI' device that could be used instead of a mastectomy in certain instances.

I asked for and became the first woman at MD Anderson to have a Savi device (with my particular set of circumstances.) The projection coming from my left breast was part of the device that was surgically implanted in my body for a few days.

It was no 'accident' and it wasn't 'luck' she saw the program at the exact same time as the surgeon was explaining how he was going to chop off my breast.

Thanks and glory to God, He arranged for me to find out about this new procedure and request it. Not a single doctor at MD Anderson had given me information about the SAVI device even when I asked, "Isn't there something else I could do?"

God used my friend to get the news to me that saved my breast. How awesome is that?

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