River Valley Dog Training
5705 Rte 104 Cloverdale E7P 1Y6 Hartland, NB, Canada

Yesterday I shared some ideas about how to prepare for your new pup or rescue dog to come home.. and if you happened to miss it., you can find those tips on my profile page or on my training page.. River Valley Dog Training. Now that your new pup or dog is home with you there will be times that he or she is gonna do something that you don't want them to do.. like grab your shoe and run to the other end of the house.. so.. what do you do? I always use the old, "Trade Me" appr...oach to solving this potentially dangerous problem. As soon as he grabs the shoe.. I say, " Nope", and take the shoe away.. then I give him an appropriate chew toy.. like a bone..and then play with him for a while with that toy.. this will help your pup to realize that shoes are no fun.. but the bone gets me a lot of attention and fun happens.. and this is what your pup wants most.. to have your attention and have fun at the same time. This kind of trading with your pup can apply to many aspects of raising your pup.. like when he wants to chew your hands or pants leg.. have a toy handy or some food..and when you trade with him you are teaching him that No, you can't do or have that..but you can do or have this.. and make it fun for your pup.. and soon he will start looking at you for the answers to what he should do with his energy.. This kind of trade off training will help you on your outings with your new pup... at first you might not know that when your pup sees a new person or dog coming toward you he may feel anxious and run to the end of the lead and bark at the oncoming object. You don't want him to practice this behavior because it can really get out of hand and become the reason you no longer take your dog for walks. So dig out the toy or food and trade him.. make him feel like there is nothing to be anxious about and that when he sees other dogs or people it means that good things are about to happen. Once you discover that your pup has a tendency to react to dogs and people you will want to try hard to catch him before he reacts ..not after.. if you wait until he is at the end of the leash or harness and then try to get his attention it will be much harder.. because he is now focused on his object of desire and the harder you pull back the harder he is gonna pull you toward the other dog or person,,Your job is to not allow your pup to practice this behavior.. it will go a long way to having the kind of pup that is a dream to walk through any neighborhood. Be mindful of what your pup is fixated on.. like if you are just standing there and your pup is hard staring at a crow in the parking lot.. don't let this go on.. step in and redirect your pups attention back to you.. or your pup will soon be out at the end of the lead yelling at the crow. If you have any questions about his or any problem you might be having just leave a comment or send me a message.. I am always happy to give you a hand..

A big part of getting a new puppy is making sure you are as prepared for that puppy as you can be.. I will list what I believe to be some of the most important things to consider.. if you want more detail about something message me or leave a comment and I will help you. 1. Decide where you will keep the pup., and buy a good crate, and exercise pen. 2. Buy leashes, appropriate chew toys, food, collars ect. 3. Puppy proof your house.. think about what you would do if you had a... toddler. 4.Set up routine for using the bathroom.. decide where you want your dog to use it.. both inside and out if possible. 5. Be prepared to crate train your pup.and train them to ride in the car 6. Don't be too concerned with training your pup right away.. use the first couple weeks to build your relationship. help them to get accustomed to their new environment. Teach them to take food from your hand , and If you have a dog at home already, make sure to supervise all interaction, never just allow your pup to run up to your dog.. this can end very badly, and have life long consequences for you new pup. During this first two weeks or so you should get to know your pup.. what does he like, what does he not like, what is he afraid of..what things motivate your pup. Do not put of socializing your new pup.. get him used to his collar and leash and take him on field trips right away..to a lot of different places. This list will help you to be prepared for when your new pup comes home.. remember if you want some help message me or leave a comment.

Thank you to all who wished me a Happy Birthday.. I appreciate you all.

If you have recently adopted or rescued a shy or fearful dog ..please understand that this is quite common.. most shelter dogs have been through a very traumatic experience and it's gonna take some time for the dog to come out of it's shell ,. perhaps a long time for them to begin to deal with it and move on. One of the most common mistakes that people make is to think that coddling the dog will help them get over being nervous or afraid.. I can tell you ..it is not going to ...help at all, in fact it can and does make things worse, when you coddle a dog that is cowering in the corner afraid to come out ,.what you are doing is telling the dog that it's o.k to be afraid. What I do to help these dogs is this.. The first thing I do is to put the dog on a scheduled feeding routine.. Food is the best way to get to a dogs heart.. but I don't just feed the dog at 7 in the morning and again at night from a bowl.. I begin by skipping the 7 am meal . I take the dog out for some basic training.. using high valuer food rewards like chicken, or sausage.. something the dog really loves.. and the reason I skip the morning meal is because I want the dog to be hungry.. and really motivated to eat.. I want the dog to have to make the choice,. do I want to be afraid and nervous,,. or do I want to eat.. I never ask the dog to give me too much in the beginning.. I don't ask them to sit or down, or put social pressure on them.. none of that.. I might call them to come, use their name, and give them food, maybe play some games if the dog is in to it.. the dog might be nervous about some things going on.. but they soon begin to understand that it's o.k.. nothing bad is happening and this guy has lots of good food, and is happy to play. After a week or so of this kind on interaction the dogs behavior beings to change.. they become more confident and less nervous and afraid.. then I start to train them for obedience.. slowly at first and as they grow more confident I ask more from them, but I never force them to do things that cause them to shut down.. Now I'm not saying to starve your dog.. but with-holding the meal for a time is the best way I know of to make sure the dog is hungry and motivated ... you can always give them the 7 am meal at 8:30 or 9 am ..If you have questions put them in the comment section and I will answer them all.. See more