Hi Everyone! And welcome to class.

Please use this thread to ask any questions regarding Module 5 material. To do so, simply reply to this thread here and ask away. I'll be checking in regularly to give feedback and stay up on the discussions.

Josh

Hey Josh, 

Good module once again, thanks.  I particularly liked the segment on socialisation principles [excuse me if I used Australian English spellings, ;) ].  I recently taught a workshop to foster carers and there's a lot of commonality in what you said in that segment and what I presented about dog-dog introductions and interactions.  I called one section 'A Word to the Wise about Dog Parks' and included the warning about the number of factors you can't control in dog park scenarios.

I appreciate too, that you acknowledged in this segment the very real concern that the guardians of small dogs feel with regard to dog-dog interactions.  I have two dogs I consider small, Cricket and Iota, but when Squeak came along, a tiny dog, my appreciation for how genuinely vulnerable she is, and how very aware of her own vulnerability she is, gave me a refined perspective on what Guardianship means with a dog like her.  Even Squeak getting the zoomies (hilarious and adorable!) would place her at risk in a group play situation if there's not good influence and control in place with the other dogs.

Cheers, Mel

Awesome! I'm glad to hear that our views are similar. Having a smaller sized dog is certainly something that changes the way we see dogs, in my opinion anyhow. Mostly because of how vulnerable they can be in some scenarios. 

Its the opposite of what I learned when I first lived with a very large breed dog, Newfie.

I hope this isn't a stupid question - but I'll ask it anyways.  I've read many articles & viewed many videos about crate training.  They all have one thing in common: it's important to take the training slowly, even if it means spreading it out over many sessions and many days.  How are you supposed to confine the dog while it's learning to relax in a crate?  I have had 2 dogs with separation anxiety, both destroyed their crates and my house.

Hey Peggy, I like to start with a very sturdy crate. If necessary, I will put zip ties on the corners to ensure that it doesn't flex and bend if a dog pushes on it. This can help keep the dog in the crate.

If the dog is having a difficult time in the crate, I also practice a good solid place or down command. And I try to shoot for about 45mins - an hour to make sure that the dog can handle being separated from me for a time.

Ultimately you may need to invest in a solid kennel if you're working with dogs that are extreme in a crate. 

As a last resort, sometimes I will put a bark collar on the dog in the crate. Many dogs begin barking before they try to break out of a crate, and if they get corrected in the beginning stages of this intensification, it can help keep them calm.