Whether it’s a purebred or rescue dog, there’s no question that Durangoans love their canine companions.
But reaching the point where we can live comfortably with our dogs and take them safely out in public requires training, patience and for many, some help from a professional. There are a lot of options on where to go when seeking that help in our area, including several people who have received certification as professional dog trainers.
We went out and asked some questions to get you started:
Q: What is a certified dog trainer, and who certified you?
A: “The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers,” said Juliet Whitfield, owner of Durango Dogs. “I took two intensive two-week courses before passing the test to become certified.”
Q: What did you learn in your courses?
A: “One thing is knowing dogs and how they learn,” Whitfield said, “and understanding their body language because they communicate with their bodies, and they try to read us from our body language.”
Q: Should everyone get some professional training for their dog, or is that just for dogs with behavior problems?
A: “I think every dog owner should get some professional training,” said Kirsten Frisch, who works under the umbrella of the Durango Dog College with her Gentle Canine business. “For anyone who has a new dog, a professional can help people communicate better with their dogs and spot little communication gaps. More training means they’ll be more comfortable taking their dog places.”
Q: How much of the training is training the dog, and how much is training the human?
A: “You definitely have to know how to work with the people,” said Cathy Nelson, who trains family dogs through the Durango Kennel Club. “You have to teach them to be patient, to be consistent, so the dog understands what they want, and not to train their dog when they’re feeling grouchy after a hard day at work.”
Q: What is one of the biggest mistakes people make?
A: “There are a lot of misconceptions on how dogs process things,” Whitfield said. “People put human thoughts and reactions on dogs. The dog pooped on the floor, and he looked guilty, for example, when really, the dog pooped on the floor two hours ago and is reacting because you were mad. ‘Oh, no, she’s mad, why is she mad?’” is more likely to be what’s going through the dog’s head.”
Q: Is timing everything when it comes to training?
A: “Absolutely,” Nelson said. “It was presented to me as though it’s how a dog’s earning a living. Time the food reinforcement with the praise, and it’s got to be for what the dog just did. After a while, the food isn’t necessary, the praise is often enough.”
Q: How do you train a dog so it’s comfortable in public?
A: “Socializing dogs so they see people and other dogs and learn to trust people and the world is key,” Nelson said. “When they’re aggressive, shy or reactive, it’s because they’re scared and not confident out in the world.”
Q: What if your dog doesn’t get along well with other dogs?
A: “It’s kind of like Facebook, where you don’t really have 200 friends, you just have a handful of close friends,” said Frisch, who specializes in dogs with behavioral problems. “It can be the same with dogs, where they only have a couple of good friends at the Dog Park or doggy day care. But with training, we can decrease their discomfort, helping them go from snapping at a dog 20 feet away to teaching them to tolerate a dog 6 feet away, which is important if you’re hiking a trail.”
Q. How much does tone of voice matter?
A: “You want a firm but friendly voice,” Nelson said. “I’m working with a group of 4-Hers, and I’m trying to get them to stop saying sit, sit, sit, sit, sit (with a rising voice). A couple of firm sits should do it.”
Q: What are some other things dog owners should remember?
A: “Be careful about the cues you teach them,” Nelson said. “I don’t mind dogs jumping on me, but I don’t want them to do it when I have my hands full of groceries. I once taught a dog to jump when I clapped, and then I was clapping at a good play in a game on TV and suddenly had a flying dog coming at me. Then I taught her it was OK to jump up when I pointed to the top of my chest and opened my arms wide.”
A: “People need to buy in and put the time in,” Whitfield said. “They say their lives are too busy to train every day, but I try to help them create one- or two-minute sessions that work into their lives, while they’re at home or out taking a walk.”
A: “Emotional issues aren’t necessarily fixed with obedience training,” Frisch said. “There are two sides to the solution. Management, which includes gates, putting them in their crates and leashes. Then there’s training, which includes increasing their threshold for dealing with frustration.”
Q: There are a lot of dog shows on TV. Do they get it right?
A: “A lot of things like the dominance thing and establishing yourself as the alpha dog have pretty much been thrown out,” Whitfield said. “Dogs are just trying to learn to live with us.”
abutler@durangoherald.com
To learn more
Certified dog trainer Juliet Whitfield may be reached at www.durangodogs.com or 382-2542.
Classes through the Durango Kennel Club may be arranged by calling Susan Riches at 247-5531. Visit www.durangokennelclub.org for more information about the club, which is associated with the American Kennel Club.
Durango Dog College is an umbrella for two businesses – training lessons through Wag Between Barks, run by certified trainer Tracy Moriarty, and Gentle Canine, run by behavioral specialist Kirsten Frisch. Contact them at www.durangodogcollege.com or by calling 259-4455.
