How Your Dog Communicates With You

There is more to a man’s relationship with dog than just affection and sincerity. Dogs connect and communicate with humans on a more spiritual level. They not only use physical actions to communicate but they also send messages through non-verbal signals, postures, and body language. Dogs are known as a man’s best friend. This saying can’t be truer as the bond that a dog and a human share is superior than the bond that a dog shares with other creatures. It can be said that the bond between humans and dogs is on another level, a level which is complex and controversial. 

As humans, we accept only one form of communication i.e. verbal. As the most superior creatures, we believe that dogs do not have the capability to feel and think like us. That’s the reason we fail to form a spiritual or a deeper bond with them. However, it is true that dogs are extremely intelligent and capable of communicating to us on a deeper level. It is not just simple actions and tricks that helps you interact with the dog but there is more meaning behind every action the dog makes, and every signal that it sends. To be able to understand the bond between humans and dogs, let’s take a look at the different ways dogs communicate with us since the time they are young pups.

The Truest Form of Communication

To understand a dog’s reaction to human expressions and actions, we need to consider a few examples. Just like a little child, a puppy follows its owners/guardians. When you pick up a ball from the ground, you will notice that your puppy will pick it up after you. Every move you make the puppy copies. 

This happens because the puppy is interested in the things that its owners are doing. It gets involved in practices that it observes around itself. When you show interest in anything, your dog will too. This is the purest form of communication that happens without any verbal signals. The dog shows interest in things that its owner is interested in. This is a great revelation that tells us that a dog is capable of following our commands to our will.

How Dogs Help Detect Threats

When you closely observe a dog’s behavior, you will come to know dogs can be trained to follow certain desirable actions. The dogs that are part of the military squads and help detect drugs, explosives, and weapons; they develop these skills upon receiving training from humans. If you start training a dog to detect drugs and explosives, you might be intimidated to use toys and treats as a way to bribe the dog to perform in a certain way. However, the thing that you are missing is that your dog will only take interest in things that you are interested in. You might find positive reinforcement training techniques helpful but if you believe that the dog is able to understand your expressions and feelings on a deeper level, you would not use such techniques while training the dog to detect explosive and drugs. 

The dog will be interested in the toys more and will be distracted from the actual detection task. Therefore, it is important to understand that a dog will show interest in detection if you communicate with it in a more effective way. Dogs often make use of verbal actions to point out things to their owners. When the dog sees a stranger walking into the door, it barks to communicate with you using verbal signals. Signals like these are extremely helpful as they help keep the homeowners aware of intruders and thieves.

Focusing Your Interest

The best way to make your dog learn detection tricks is to focus your attention towards it. Do not add distractions to the training process and understand that your dog will show interest in the things you focus on. To be able to train your dog to detect drugs and explosive, you need to connect with your dog on a more spiritual level. However, many people fail to believe that dogs and humans can communicate spiritually. 

When you focus on something that you want your dog’s attention at, you will witness that your dog will also put its focus on that thing. There is no need to use toys and treats to bring the dog’s attention to a desired thing because your dog will sense your signals and will put its focus on the same thing without needing any distraction. 

Developing Trust

When we talk about military dogs, we need to know that these dogs are trained to detect drugs and explosives. The great thing about these dogs is that they perform their task without alarming the people in the surrounding. To train a dog to detect explosive and drugs is a complicated task. However, with the help of trust, the desired results can be achieved rather easily.

The handler and its dog should have a bond of trust. The handler should be able to trust the dog’s every action and similarly, the dog should trust the handler for every action that they command it to perform. This bond of trust can only be formed if the trainer and the dog are connected spiritually. 

During detection training, the handler should be able to trust the dog’s instincts. It is not a good practice to discourage the dog for its judgment. To be able to benefit from the dog’s detection skills, you need to trust it. 

Teaching the Dog to Communicate in an Improved Way

Dogs are super active and possessive about their owners. Moreover, they protect their owners from harm and threats. We often find our dogs barking at strangers on the road. However, instead of considering the dog’s behavior or trying to understand the message that it is trying to communicate, we correct it for barking loudly at someone. We need to consider the signals that our dogs send us. Instead of trying to teach it a better way of communicating, we correct its behavior by making it wear a collar or by scolding it. 

You need to train your dog to communicate in a way that is acceptable for you and everyone else. However, to do so you need to understand that a dog is capable of communicating in several other ways including non-verbal signals. Therefore, train your dog to silently communicate with you without making everyone aware. The dogs in military are trained to send silent signals to their handlers. They do so because they are responsible for detecting threats that may cause panic in others. Dogs can also be trained to detect bed bugs, other animals, weapons, and molds. However, the key is to understand that they can be trained to detect things in a subtle way. 

Communication through Sound, Scent, Thought, and Intent

A dog communicates with humans in a variety of ways including scent, sound, thought, and intent. Therefore, as dog handlers, owners, guardians, and trainers, we need to understand that a dog’s communication skills are beyond the physical realm. If we just believe in our dogs and their capability of connecting with us, we will come to know that there are several ways to stay in touch with the dog and the signals that it is trying to send to us. Read more www.ccprotectiondogs.com

Pack Structure

Introduction

A stable and established pack structure is very important when you are dealing with adult dogs. This is because they may become aggressive otherwise. To get a dog to respect you, you have to do more than take care of it. You need to teach a dog respect and establish yourself as the leader of the pack in the dog’s eyes. 

It is important to tell your dog how to behave, especially for new dog owners. It helps you get the animal under control with more confidence. They come to understand how a dog’s nature is influenced by traits, both acquired and inherited.

Humane societies come across many dogs who have been turned in because their temperament is unstable because of their genetics. It is not abuse that has made them this way but an owner who did not know how to provide a stable pack structure to the animal! The drive to acquire a rank in that faulty pack structure is what makes them behave the way they do.

At times, treating your dog anthropomorphically can lead to development of dominance issues in the dog. A dog is to be treated like a pack animal – the pack being your family. Most owners then have the troubled animal put to sleep or turn to a shelter.

Obedience training is useless, if you aim to teach your dog about pack structure. We do not ask you to forego obedience training completely but rather to combine with the steps that we suggest later in this article. If you send your dog off to a professional dog trainer, the animal learns to mind the trainer, however , when back home, he will have forgotten all his lessons since it was not the owner who trained him. A dog’s intelligence can be gleaned from the fact that he will revert to his obedient self, when he meets the trainer but he will not accord you the same level of respect!

Laying the groundwork

Don’ts

• Be aggressive towards the canine – not even raising your voice!

• Accept him to roll over

• Use hard leashes

• Depend on your love to correct his behavior – loving your pet unconditionally will not be enough to make him see you as the pack leader.

• Confuse simple commands like, “come”, “sit” or “heel” with groundwork.

• Use human psychology on your canine – the solution to his behvaorial problems does not lie in his past.

Dos

• Behave like the leader of the pack and show your pet his responsibilities and limits.

• Understand your daily behavior with him will determine how he behaves.

• Realize you will need to modify your training, if you own a dog abused by his previous owners.

• Comprehend that is never too late to correct behavioral issues.

• Accept that everybody – from your gardener to the grocer– will tell you how to train your dog!

• Recognize that dogs of all breeds – sizes and ages – need to be trained on how to behave. While the training is not breed-based, it will be specific to each dog since they all have varying temperaments and drives.

Training

What to do after bringing your new dog home

The first step is social isolation for three or 4 days – or more, depending on how dominant the dog is. 

Don’t

• Pet the dog

• Play with the dog

• Apply this method on puppies

Do

• Feed the animal

• Walk him

• Provide him with a clean place to sleep

Earning the privilege to roam around without a leash

Yes, it is a privilege and your pet needs to earn it. Even if the formal obedience training does not start until later, it is good to bond with him early. When you let him realize that you are in control, he will start to respect you. Similarly, be fair to the animal and always issue corrections when warranted. Fairness will form the basis of a respectful relationship. He needs to learn that affection is earned.

Don’t

• Let the dog off the leash until you are outside

• Let him have the run of the house for some months – all activities are to be done while on the leash.

• Push yourself on the dog

• Hit or yell at him, if a crate stresses him.

• Leave him alone at home, unattended.

Do

• Let him back in the crate – and on leash – when he misbehaves

• Act aloof since you are the leader of the pack

• Throw in a treat or a bone, if your dog does not like being confined in a crate.

• Let him realize barking will not get him out of the crate but only extend the time he stays in it.

• Use a plastic airline crate. 

• Keep the crate in the family area, so the animal gets used to the ways of the family more quickly. 

Earning your affection

Petting means something completely different to a dog. To him, demanding to be petted is a show of dominance. Let him realize that while you will pet him, it will be on your terms. One of the pack drive issues, this is because the alpha of the pack expects grooming as his right.

Don’t

• Overdo petting

• Pet him when he has not earned it

Do

• Ignore the dog when he wants to be petted

• Scold him, if ignoring does not work

Earning the right to play

Another privilege that needs to be earned. Withholding play for a while ensures that it will mean more to the dog when finally allowed.

Don’t

• Play a lot in the initial stages

• Give him new toys – can trigger aggression in the initial stages

• Pick a fight that you might end up losing

Do

• Make him realize you own the toys and you can take them back

• Store the toys in a bag, not strewn around

• Keep him on the leash even while playing

Interaction with family members

That is a big don’t. Never let your family members pet or play with the dog until your role as his alpha has been established. It will help you establish the roles of other members later.

Don’t

• Let a child younger than the age of seven near a new dog.

• Try to teach a dog that your children rank higher than he does.

Do

• Make sure you are always present to supervise when kids are interacting with the dog.

• Make him understand that your child is off-limits

• Ascertain he realizes there will be serious consequences to breaking the second rule.

Interaction with people outside of the family

Don’t

• Allow people other than your family to interact with your dog.

Do

• Correct your dog, if he runs to a stranger and demands petting.

• Be firm in your corrections

• Ask strangers – and others, not family – to not pet your dog.

Exercise

Exercise can correct most behavioral problems since a dog that is being exercised will not be a bored dog who does not get into trouble. 

Don’t

• Allow a dog out for jogging, if they are younger than twelve months.

• Over-exercise your dog since it can lead to skeletal failure. 

• Allow a new dog outside without a collar

• Allow your dog to interact with stranger dogs while out walking.

Do

• Employ a weighted dog vest when walking your dog.

• Use swimming to exercise your dog, along with long walks

• Use a prong collar to correct the behavior of a dog who likes to pull on his leash.

• Drive a stranger dog away, if one does approach your pet – it is your job as the leader of the pack. Gas stray dogs to keep them away or use a stick.

Walking through doors and using the stairs

Both are important displays of your leadership over your dog and may be used to make him defer to your status. 

Don’t

• Let your dog go before you do.

Do

• Reinforce the lesson, in case your dog does not get it the first time.

Opening the door, so that a dog can only stick his head through it is how you approach this lesson. If he tries to push his body through, hold him in place. Do not let them pull their head back either. Holding the position for a few seconds will make them realize that when there is a door in the way, they need to wait to be let through.

Feeding

We recommend you keep your dog on a raw all-natural diet. An alpha takes care of the lower-ranking members of his pack and that means he takes care that they are fed. Here is how you should go about feeding:

Don’t

• Let the dog inside the crate and then put the food in. Do it the other way around.

• Harass the dog after you have given him food, so that he cannot eat it.

Do

• Feed the dog yourself initially and while he is in the crate.

Grooming Habits

Since grooming is an expected practice between pack members, spending a few moments grooming your dog is required. Again, the goal here is to establish control and make him see you as the pack leader.

Don’t

• Allow the dog to behave restlessly during the grooming.

Do

• Keep your touch soft, so your dog understands that you like him.

• Praise your dog at the end of the grooming session and signal him that the session is over.

Staying away from vaccinations

Even though, we would prefer you do your own research, we tend to stay away from vaccination. It is our belief that they can cause health problems in a dog. If you are providing him with a healthy all-natural diet, his immunity will keep him away from illness. Too many vaccinations can cause auto-immune diseases in dogs.

Establishing a meaningful bond makes you both want to spend time together. Do not disregard its importance or the happiness it can add to your life and your dog’s.  Read more www.ccprotectiondogs.com

Bad Breeders

When it comes to getting a dog as pet, everyone has a different opinion and preference. You cannot tell someone to adopt from a shelter and not buy from a breeder just because you had a bad experience in the past. Everyone has the right to make their own choice for their future family member. However, a recent trend gaining quite a lot of popularity is to adopt and not to buy. Although it might be good to adopt a dog from a shelter and make space for more abandoned dogs, there is no harm in buying from a breeder. The thing that matters the most when going for the breeder option is that the breeder must be a responsible person. There are many breeders out there who have only one goal in mind; to earn as much money as possible without providing proper care to the dogs. 

So, if you are going to buy a puppy from a breeder, make sure you are aware of the signs of an irresponsible breeder. Let’s start with it!

Sign #1: The Breeder doesn’t Encourage Visits

The biggest sign of a bad breeder is that they don’t want you to visit their home or facility. A responsible breeder would want the future puppy owners to visit the puppy’s home and learn about the environment it lives in. However, if a breeder is always offering to visit your home with the puppy and not invite you over to theirs, then know that there is something fishy. Many backyard breeders try to keep buyers from visiting them because they have a small area where they keep puppies in crates. If the breeder that you are in contact with is not inviting you for a visit, then this is a warning sign and you should avoid buying from them. 

Sign #2: The Breeder Makes Excuses when you ask to meet with the Puppy’s Parents

It is extremely important for buyers to meet with the puppy’s family and its parents. A good breeder will always encourage you to meet with the parents to take a look at their temperament and breed qualities. If a breeder makes excuses when you ask to meet with the puppy’s parents, then there is a problem. Breeders are more than willing to make buyers meet the littermates and parents because it gives them a good idea of how their puppy is going to be like. They also get to learn the qualities that their pup will have as it grows. By taking a look at the puppy’s parents, you can easily come to a decision that whether you want to buy the puppy or not. 

However, if the breeder isn’t allowing you to meet with the parents, then there is a high chance that the parents or the mother is in bad shape. Meeting the puppy’s parents is essential for getting to know the breed and learn vital information about it. A responsible breeder will go to any lengths to ensure that you are satisfied with the breed and the puppy’s family.

Sign #3: The Puppies did not spend Enough Time with Their Mom and Littermates

Puppies need to stay with their moms for at least eight to ten weeks. This period in a puppy’s life is very crucial and the puppy learns a lot from its mother and its littermates. If the breeder tells you that the puppy did not spend a lot of time with the mother, then you should stay away from the breeder. Puppies form basic behavioral and social skills from their mothers and littermates. However, if they did not get to spend enough time with them, they are more likely to be aggressive and have problems socializing with others. No one wants to buy a puppy that doesn’t socialize with the whole family. So, if that’s what your breeder tells you, it is best to stay away. 

Sign #4: The Breeder doesn’t have the Puppy’s Medical Records

When you are buying a puppy from a breeder, you have to keep a lot of things in mind and one of them is the puppy’s medical records. Whether it is a breeder, private owner, or a shelter, every puppy should have an up-to-date medical file with all of its medical records in it. If a breeder tells you that they did not keep a record of the puppy’s vaccinations, check-ups, and medicines, then there is a high chance that the puppy was never taken to the vet. A responsible breeder wants the best for their pups. That’s the reason they hand-over a proper medical file to the buyers. A medical file is a proof that the puppy had been under great care and is safe to buy.

Sign #5: The Breeder doesn’t inquire about you and Your Family

A responsible breeder is eager to question the family that comes to buy puppies from them. They always have lots of questions because they want their pups to go to the best homes. A good breeder will ask you the following questions:

• Your knowledge of the breed.

• The reason you want to buy.

• The environment of the home that the puppy will be living in.

• The number of people in the family.

• Information about the person who will act as the main caretaker.

• Your experience with any pets.

• The number of pets that you have in the home.

• The vet that you will take the puppy to.

• And many more.

If the breeder is asking you a lot of questions, then there is no need to get worried as the breeder just wants to make sure that the puppy is a perfect fit for the family. Moreover, breeders often give advice to families for providing good care to the puppies so that they don’t face any trouble afterwards. 

Sign #6: The Breeder doesn’t have Specialization in One Breed

Responsible breeders do not handle different dogs because their main purpose is to improve a particular breed. However, if a breeder deals with several breeds, then it is a clear sign that they do not focus on making the breed better. Breeding is a complex process that involves a lot of challenges. A good breeder has to take several things into consideration before they are fully ready to pair dogs. A responsible breeder will look for parents that have certain personality traits and characteristics. They also need to take a close look at the medical records and genes of the parents to ensure that the litter will be disease free and healthy. There are many more things that a breeder needs to keep in mind including the parents’ looks. So, if the breeder you choose breeds multiple breeds, then know that they are not going to be responsible. 

Sign #7: The Breeder has a Huge List of Available Puppies

A responsible breeder never has a lot of puppies available in the waiting list. These breeders never breed until they have several people waiting to buy puppies so that the entire litter finds good homes. Many responsible breeders already have families waiting for the litter to be born. Therefore, if a breeder tells you that they have a lot of puppies on their list, be aware as the breeder might not be that credible.

Sign #8: The Breeder doesn’t want to Sign a Contract

A responsible breeder always makes people sing a contract before they buy puppies from them. This piece of document is a necessity which ensures that the puppy has been bred responsibly and is going to be taken care of by the family. The contract also includes information about the puppy’s health. If you are buying a larger breed, then you need to make sure that the contract contains medical reports of the puppy’s hip examination to avoid any hip diseases in the future.  Another important clause that should be included in the contract is that the owner can always return the puppy to the breeder if they are unable to keep it with them. 

Sign #9: The Breeder is not Part of Breed Specific Clubs

A good breeder is always willing to learn more about the breed that they specialize in, and the best way to keep up-to-date with breed information is to be a part of breed specific clubs. If the breeder is not passionate about breeding, they will not care to get involved with breeding clubs and informative events. So, when you meet up with a breeder, make sure you ask them about their participation in local, regional, and national breed specific clubs. If the breeder is not part of any clubs, then there is a high chance that they are not as knowledgeable as they should be. A good breeder should always be eager to learn new things about the breed they are dealing with. This makes them improve the breed and act responsible towards them. 

Sign #10: The Breeder doesn’t Encourage Future Contact with You

Breeders are the closest to their puppies and they act as their guardians. They are also extremely attached to them since the time of their birth. Therefore, if a breeder tells you that they don’t want to stay in contact with you after you have bought the puppy, then this is a sign that the breeder is careless or is hiding something from you. It is not possible for a good breeder to not keep in touch with the family that is buying their puppies. So, be careful of the breeders that just want to get rid of their puppies. 

Wrap Up!

If you have decided that you want to buy a puppy from a breeder, then beware of the signs mentioned in this article. The sign of a responsible breeder is that they are always willing to help families and are open to their questions. They also actively stay involved with the families that buy puppies from them. If you are being careful in scrutinizing the breeder, then there is nothing wrong in buying puppies from them. After all, it is your responsibility to ensure that your new fluffy family member is coming from a good and healthy environment, and is a perfect fit for your home. Read more www.ccprotectiondogs.com

German Shepherd - A Herding Dog ?

Introduction

Tending Style or HGH sheep dog training that involves GSD for sheep herding, has become quite popular these days. Also developed has the controversy that the GSDs are biting sheep. 

HGH vs. Sheep Herding in U.S.

HGH training took form in European countries where sheep are free to graze because the only fences that exist are the ones that keep the flock out of a neighbor’s field. In America, Border Collies have been used to herd sheep since the sheep are kept in fenced pastures. While the Collies are completely capable of gathering the sheep into a flock at the master’s call, GSD are not! Since the Tending style trains the sheep to follow the shepherd, the dog is only present there to police the sheep and keep them sheep within the borders defined by the shepherd.

Caveats in HGH being applied in the U.S.

• Not enough dogs for a large flock

• Sheep starved overnight 

• Dog can control only through grip or bite

• Often not taken into consideration, sheep’ stubbornness

An HSH trained dog:

• Will only bite the wool and not a sheep’s legs or head

• Will not shake their head while biting

• Will select an adult over a kid sheep to grip!

 When the American dogs, trained to stay away from gripping try to control a flock, the sheep do not recognize their authority. Completely eliminating gripping from the HSH program will only result in its failure. I hope AKC take this factor into account when sanctioning trials. Read more www.ccprotectiondogs.com

The GSD Police Dog

Introduction to the GSD 

A PSD’s job has underwent a drastic change:

• Either it is a part of the K-9 Team involved in Search and Rescue missions in rural areas, or

• Part of a specialty unit involved in apprehension of armed suspects on the run in an urban are, or

• Somewhere in between the two! 

Throw drugs, explosives and a myriad of modern ways crime is committed today and you end up with a range so diverse that the modern GSD finds difficult to breach.

A Sorry State of Affairs

It is traditional to choose canines bred as working dogs as PSDs, which has created a huge demand for GSDs, Malinois, and Dutch Shepherd varieties from countries, like Holland, Germany, and Belgium. Unfortunately, the increased demand has in no way increased production of serviceable German Shepherds. Plummeting numbers of GSDs as PSDs tell the story all too well! 

Theories abound for this failure. Some of them are mentioned as follows:

• The GSDs are now primarily being bred for the show ring with not much attention given to presence of working traits in the breeding stock.

• Sport’s failure in weeding out the less desirable characters from the gene pool.

• Less than optimal selection in the Korung:

lack of fighting instinct, absence of play drive evaluation, or Schh scores used to qualify a breeding candidate.

GSDs Lose Their Status

The once sought after GSDs are being passed over by handlers in face of the demand from many agencies for alternate breed PSD's. This has occurred mainly due to two reasons:

• Few individual GSDs now have sufficient drive that enables them to excel at duties of a PSD.

• Additionally, diverse environments and a variety of tasks now involved with PSDs has made things complicated. We expect the PSD to work with SWAT Teams. In such cases, small security deficiencies, minute changes in sound sensitivity, as well as, the changing nervous threshold can lead to huge prices being paid.

Demand for Control

Society, today, demands the PSD be controlled and the handler — and other concerned parties — be safe while in pursuit of armed/violent suspects on the run from the law. This had led to increased demands made over the temperament of the PSDs, as well. A controllable canine is the result of more than just training, it also requires the animal in question to be tough and brave, — all of which used to be synonymous with the GSD in the past.

A Need to Evolve

Scent training now incorporates areas, which had not been required of a GSD previously. 

• Learning to differentiate between the suburbs and urban areas is one such area. The GSDs must be able to search uneven terrains, as well as, maneuver through crowded areas and be able to pick a scent from the multitude of smells in such areas. 

• Other new things to learn for the GSDs were sniffing out drugs — storage, import or even distribution —, body dumpsites, suspected arson etc.

• Recreational areas in the wilderness have also added to the load of the GSDs since people who take off to these areas often require rescuing.

• Worldwide threats — whether precipitated by natural disasters or terrorist attacks have further extended the list of things to learn.

However, scent work through training has not yet been standardized. Producing a progeny trained in this type of work is thus difficult. I have heard that the German Police has considered addition of retrieval exercises to the Korung for breeding candidates; however, a corresponding test has yet to be added by the SV. Such a test would have a wide range of applications.

Solution to the Plight of GSDs

Working Show-dog supporters insist that all trained dogs must be on par with the standards of the show they are running. On the other hand, breeders insist that will damage the GSD stock even further. Once we have come to accept that there is a problem that requires solving, we can see both sides of the picture. Let us examine possible solutions:

• Follow the German Police, Northrhine-Westfalia’s lead. Development of breeding programs for both GSD, as well as, the unregistered Malinois dogs from out of Holland. With the common aim i.e. provision of well-bred and healthy PSDs, the state now breeds the lion’s share of PSDs currently in use. In the U.S., though the local law enforcement relies too much on the products of imports or the result of hobby breeders.

• Max V. Stephanitz introduced the GSD only because of its working ability. Candidates chosen to be included into the ranks of PSDs should be strictly checked. Animals that do not meet the mark should be rejected, even if that means all the GSDs are declared unfit for the job!

GSDs in Danger

The GSD make excellent:

• guide dogs for the blind,

• search and rescue dogs

• protectors of homes

• companion dogs

However, their pièce de résistance has always been their excellence in the police canine arena. Other breeds traditionally used to herd cattle may be much better at their job than the GSD but nobody beats them at police work. With demands of appealing physical appearance flooding in, the entire picture could change! Law enforcement might give up on GSDs entirely, turning them into lapdogs for the wealthy and eccentric which is entirely against the GSDs nature. Read more www.ccprotectiondogs.com

Advanced Training For German Shepherd Dogs

California pioneer in advanced dog training techniques announces a unique Dog training system using a combination of communication, direction and correction training. 

CC Protection Dogs, a dog training center operating out of California has announced the development of a unique canine training system using an unique approach that incorporates communication, direction and correction training. The aim is to help dog owners build a more positive relationship with their canine companions. 

According to CCPD, a dog’s world (and the behavior within it) is not complicated but it definitely is intricate. To understand and communicate with dogs, dog owners need training in canine communication and body language. Dogs have a universal language that’s both subtle and wide-ranging. Real canine language is not just verbal. It’s, in reality, a rich visual language. 

An extension of the above, the well being of a dog and the quality of life of its owner is contingent upon building a relationship based on mutual trust and respect. An important part of building such a relationship is teaching a dog how to walk on a loose leash at all times. Because this is hard to adequately teach in an obedience class situation, teaching dogs how to stop, abruptly change direction or back up on a loose leash has been a guarded secret among dog trainers for a very long time. 

Another important aspect of both basic and behavioral canine training is the theory of corrections in dog training. It rests upon a core understanding that correction training in canines is not to punish a dog for inappropriate behavior. Instead it serves the purpose changing or “correcting” a behavioral trait in a dog for a more positive rapport between the dog and its owner. 

And these are the three pillars of the new advanced canine training system developed by CCPD. Encouraging a natural approach to help dog owners and their canine companions work together at a comfortable pace, CCPD is committed to providing a high quality dog consultation service and a variety of different training options to help bridge the gap between dog owners and their pet. 
CC Protection Dogs is a dog-training center specializing in selling Elite Family Estate Protection Dogs to high profile clients. See our trained German Shepherd for sale. 

CCPD'S Top Secrets To Keep Your Dog Fit

If you own a dog, caring for it is an important responsibility that requires a real and genuine personal commitment. It is important to make sure that everyone in the family shares in this responsibility and commitment. The dog that you bring into your home must honestly feel loved by each family member.

You can do five important things when caring for a dog to ensure it stays happy and healthy.

The first thing to know is that your dog needs water. Like any other living thing, your dog always needs fresh water to stay healthy. Poorly regulated contaminants, including harmful chemicals such as lead and even low levels of prescription medication, can enter into your tap water supply. The solution is to have a good water filter. A water filter will help remove most harmful toxins, making the water much healthier for both you and your dog.

The second thing your dog needs is highly nutritious, quality food. When you feed your dog, it is important to choose healthy ingredients. Many dog food labels on the market today are nutritiously quite deceiving. They may have dubious sourced ingredients or product mixes to comply with government labeling standards. They may contain things that you would probably not want your dog to eat. A good dog food is one that meets the higher labeling standard of being “complete and balanced.” When you choose your dog food look for one with more meat than fillers. When you are looking at the package look to see that it lists meats like lamb, beef, or chicken and that the fat to protein content meets recommended nutritional guidelines. Also, look to see if it contains natural preservatives, as these are much healthier for your dog.

The third thing you can do is make sure that your dog receives proper health care. It is very important that you take your dog to the vet for regular check-ups. Flea and heart worm control are common canine conditions that are easy to diagnose and prevent but extremely costly if not treated. Heart worms are parasitic mosquito-borne infections known to kill or injure dogs by damaging the heart and blood vessels. To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, taking your dog to the vet is an ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure.

The fourth thing you can do is exercise your dog. Many people don’t think about this as being one of the most important things that keeps a dog healthy, but it is. In the United States, 40 percent of dogs are considered overweight. Just like humans, it is important to keep your dog’s weight under control because it can lead to health problems. Help your dog exercise by doing things like taking it for daily walks. Exercise and playful workouts not only enhance the bonding experience but also can help avoid some behavioral problems.

Lastly, and probably the most important thing you can do for your dog is show affection. Letting your dog know that you care affects their health in the most positive way. To learn more visit,

www.ccprotectiondogs.com

CCPD'S Advise How To Train Your Dog

Years ago, when I received my personal protection dog from CC Protection Dogs, the trainers went into detail about how my dog was trained. In addition, I remember a story they told me about another trainer who called them seeking advice on how to work with a dog that had reached a learning impasse due to behavioral issues.

This trainer explained one of his methods for becoming the dog’s “pack leader” involved biting the ear of the dog, something wolves in wild packs do. Another ritual he adopted as a training technique involved “alpha rolling” the dog; again, something wolves do.

The problem this particular trainer had is that he viewed dogs and wolves in similar ways due to ancestral history. In fact, this well-meaning trainer was correct in his desire for control but his misunderstanding of the real dynamics of the human/dog relationship meant he was going about it the wrong way.

Over the years, I’ve heard other people advocate similar types of flawed training and I’ve concluded that dogs understand their role in the human world better than humans understand their role in the dog world. Simply put, dogs are smart enough not to confuse a human for a dog. I’m certain my executive protection dog doesn’t get the two of us confused.

Considering the complexity and intricacy of canine interactions, it would be arrogant to think that humans are able to accurately replicate a dog’s view of the world. Given that dogs are masters of body language, they view human attempts at imitating canine behavior as abnormal at best. When a dog bites another dog’s ear there is much more going on than meets the eye. We shouldn’t presume we understand what’s happening.

By observing wolf behavior, we really are highlighting the differences between wolves and dogs. The two behaviors are not interchangeable. The ways in which wolves interface with one another should not be applied to our own interactions with dogs; nor should the way dogs interface with each other.

The differences in the two species are apparent. While wolves do all that they can to avoid humans, dogs readily leave their litter mates to join them (the reverse of the pack instinct). Dogs will even defend their two-legged human companions against another dog. They are fully committed to defending their human handlers whereas wolf pack leaders often have to defend their position from rival members within their own pack. Such behaviors, a few of many, demonstrate that dogs view us differently than they view their own kind.

So when asserting yourself with your personal protection dog or canine companion, please keep in mind that he or she does not see you as another dog. Dogs see us as something they think is even better: a human. To learn more visit, www.ccprotectiondogs.com

Female Protection Dogs

When it comes to protection dogs, most  customers normally request a male dog. The military, law enforcement and clients seeking K9 security dogs overwhelmingly feel that males are the most

physically imposing and effective visual deterrent.

Therefore, the majority of dogs that I train are males in order to meet this demand. It is unfortunate, however, that the special attributes that a female brings to the table aren’t widely known. All in all, female protection dogs are extremely capable; they just have an image problem.

Marketing over the years has misaligned female dogs as weaker and less able to defend their handler. Nothing could be further from the truth! Once females have been introduced into their new family they almost always bond closer to their family than their male counterparts. More affectionate and less independent, watching over and protecting their owner is a much deeper emotional affair. The intensity of their bite, when in defense, is actually greater.

It has been my experience that female protection dogs are much easier to train and learn at a faster rate. They are adept at integrating into their new family and swiftly blend into any situation they are consigned to. They are fantastic at blending with family pets and children. Size really isn’t an issue since there are plenty of females that are physically formidable. CCPD is able to provide any size or build that you desire, male or female.

One of my own personal protection dogs is a female. CCPD produces exceptional dogs and  Cindy fits the CCPD profile of everything an outstanding protection dog should be. Yet there is a certain ‘protective tension’ that can be felt when she is at my defense. Teeth bared, saliva, stiff stance, intense growling, just as spectacular as my male personal protection dog but with a slightly more hot-blooded twist. She’s a protection dog with the added benefit of being like an over protective mother all rolled into one.

So when you call us to talk about ownership of a protection dog, whether it be a German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois , please keep an open mind when considering gender. You’ll be very happy with one of our males but the benefits of the female canine should be recognized. To view our available Trained German Shepherds for sale visit our site at www.ccprotectiondogs.com

The Advanges Of A Family Protection Dog

Many families believe that if they get a certain dog breed, like a Rottweiler or a German Shepherd for example, it will automatically protect their homes owing to their instincts. That is a huge misconception. In fact, almost all dogs will go with ‘flight’ instead of ‘fight’ when faced with this situation. That is the self-preservation instinct in effect. 

The Soaring Crime Rate

When we talk about the increasing crime rate, we are left with only a few options to pursue. You can get a new security alarm system, or a personal weapon for self-defense. 

On the other hand, a Protection dog that has been trained effectively, serves to protect the entire family from threats and criminals trying to break in or attempting to harm your loved ones. 

There are various types of Protection Dogs that you can get for yourself:

A guard dog gives you and your family a sense of security. You feel more comfortable when you leave your home or your valuables and are not around to keep an eye on them. Check out CC protection dog’s website and go through their professionally trained dogs for sale. These dogs are trained for families, women, and children.  

But is the benefit of owning a 

Protection  Dog limited to making you feel safer? Not at all; there is a lot more to owning a  Personal Protection dog of your own.

Responds Fast

Protection  dogs are more responsive and have faster reflexes. This way, whatever you command them to do, they will be at it on your first cry. A dog with obedience training will not be as quick to respond as a professionally trained guard dog will.

Loyal

 Protection dogs are extremely loyal. They are trained to only listen to their owner’s commands. Protection dogs cannot be bribed by others and will never accept treats from strangers, thus making it difficult for a criminal to get the best of them. 

Companionship

A trained Protection Dog will protect you when you need to be protected, while being your loyal companion the rest of the time. Few things can compare to a pet’s love for their owners. 

A protection dog is a confident canine, sure of its strength, and therefore will not act like a ‘junk yard dog’ one-time biter when faced with a situation.  Protection dogs have better health as they are physically fit, and unlike most dogs, do not respond adversely to sudden noises and other form of stimulus unless the situation demands it.  At CC Protection Dogs, you will find dogs both young and old. If your family would like to have a young trained pooch as a part of their family then you can have those too. To view our available  Trained German Shepherd for sale visit www.ccprotectiondogs.com

Five Question About Getting A Protection Dog Answered

The world as we know it today is a dangerous place. Crime levels are soaring and in particular property crime statistics including burglary means it's hard to feel safe in our own homes. But if your home is your castle where you retreat from the strains and stresses of the world around you, you need to feel secure, and more importantly, you need to make sure you don’t become a crime statistic.

And fair enough, all homeowners take certain precautions to make their home less of a target for criminals. Some make their home look like someone is in it at all times. Some fit doors and windows with high security locks. Some even go as far as investing in a bunch of hi-tech gadgets including fancy alarm systems, CCTV and electronic access control systems to make it as hard as possible for outsiders to gain entry into their property. The truth is: These are all viable security solutions but nothing beats the very real, very visible and very effective deterrent that a protection dog can be. Protection dogs also offer the unique advantage of not only detecting disturbance but also acting upon it, selflessly defending their charge against potential threats and assailants.

If you are in the market for a protection dog, you probably have a lot of questions. Let’s answer some of them. Perhaps the most important question is the following:

- Why do I need a protection dog?

An extension of the above, a protection dog can provide you with the greatest peace of mind. If you have been a victim of burglary or you have a neighbor or acquaintance who has been a victim, you would know that having your home invaded can be deeply upsetting. A protection dog is very real deterrent for criminals with the right confidence and skill set to defend your home and family against cunning crooks should they somehow gain access to your property. In essence, a protection dog is at the same time the best companion you can hope for and a sword by your side.

Other pertinent questions include:

- How do I choose a protection dog?

Not all protection dogs are trained equal, and not all breeds share the same characteristics. If you are thinking about getting a protection dog, dog breed is an important consideration. Individual dog breeds can be compared to one another in terms of size, trainability, barking level and grooming needs among other things. The German Shepherd, for instance, is an energetic, strong, confident and smart well-muscled animal. These big guys were born to work and therefore require lots of mental and physical exercise. They also have a very good ability to assimilate and retain training. Another dog breed that makes the perfect loyal companion and protection dog is the Belgian Malinois. A high-energy worker and well-muscled animal that’s more elegant than bulky, the Belgian Malinois has long been used as both a police and military working dog.

- Does personality and temperament matter?

Depending on your lifestyle, one dog breed may make more sense for you than another. In particular, you need to consider how similar and different you are to your favorite dog breed in terms of energy, cleanliness, sociability, independence, trainability and playfulness.

- Can I trust a protection dog around my children?

In Dogdom, aggression is not the preferred course of action. Dogs only feel inclined to attack each other and humans alike if they feel a threat to themselves, their pack, or their territory. If you choose a well-bred dog, the animal will not be a problem around kids. The key is early socialization and exposure in order for the canine to fit in our home and world better. A well trained dog can go on to become your child’s best friend and most loyal companion, developing a very special bond over time. Supervision, of course, is important.

- What kind of training do protection dogs need? What else do I need to know?

And finally, getting a protection dog comes with certain responsibilities. For instance, the canine needs to be expertly trained using a combination of communication, direction and correction training to develop the confidence and right skill set to be an integral part of your family as well as a weapon by your side to defend your home, business and/or loved ones against criminals and cunning crooks. Protection dogs also require care in terms of nutrition and feeding, coat and grooming, exercise as well as veterinary and health care.

For more information go to  www.ccprotectiondogs.com