October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month!

We're thinking about adopting a dog, what's the first thing we should know?

First and foremost, everyone in the family needs to be on board and committed to adding a new family member.  Adopting a new dog is a big responsibility, and everyone needs to do their part. Everyone should sit down and discuss responsibilities for each member of the family so everyone is clear what their job is pertaining to the new dog.

We've agreed on adopting a dog, what kind of dog should we get?

Most people make a decision based on looks.  Before you starting looking for a dog to adopt, you should research the breed(s) you're interested in to make sure it'll be a proper fit for your home.  Make sure you ask yourself a few of these questions when looking at different breeds:

-Energy level: what energy level are you capable of living with? Understand the difference in physical stimulation and mental stimulation, and how much a certain breed will need on average. 

-Training commitment: how much of a training commitment you're prepared to make? This goes along with energy level! A higher energy dog will require more stimulation, which training falls into the "mental stimulation" category. 

-Personality: what type of companion are you looking for? Think about long term, would a more independent personality or a "ride or die" buddy fit your lifestyle?

-Medical care: have you looked into pet insurance? Certain breeds are more prone to health problems. Make sure you're prepared for acute/emergency care, as well as long term/chronic problems that a dog may suffer from. A small monthly insurance payment on your pet may prevent you from major expenses from illness or injury down the line.

-Finally, ask yourself what is a realistic expectation of adding this dog to your life? Is this a graduation present for a senior that's going to college next year? Are you planning to have children in the next 5-10 years? A dog is a 10-15 year commitment, make sure you've asked yourself all these questions!

We know the type of dog we're interested in, where do I find one?

We recommend you start by looking at local shelters and rescues near you.  Keep in mind, there are small rescue groups that do not have a facility, but survive solely on foster homes. You can find shelters and rescues by searching on the internet, or visiting your local pet store. You can see when adoption events are scheduled at local pet stores, which typically take place on weekends.  You can also search the internet for breed specific rescue groups, although some travel may be necessary to meet the dog you're interested in adopting. There are also many big shelters locally where you can go see several dogs at once, taking them out one at a time to play with them.  

What do I look for at the shelter?

There are several behaviors a dog might exhibit at a shelter.  If the dog is hiding in the back of the kennel with "sad eyes", chances are you will need to spend a lot of time establishing a relationship and building trust to help him overcome his nervous tendencies.  If the dog is jumping on the door, barking and clawing, he'll likely need to work with a trainer to build self control and learn how to have an appropriate outlet for his energy. If the dog approaches the kennel door with a calm manner, you're more likely to have a middle of the road dog. 

What can I expect with a rescue group?

Most rescues have foster programs, where the dogs live in a home with a family until finding their forever home. The fosters of these dogs may have a better history of expected behavior of their adoptable dogs, since the dog has had a chance to get more comfortable and show its true colors. They can tell you about the dog's strengths and weaknesses, and what it's like to live with the dog. 

I found my perfect dog, what's next?

We're glad you've chosen a rescue dog to adopt!  Make sure you meet qualifications for the certain rescue or shelter you're adopting from; some require things such as a training class be attended or a fenced yard at your home. If you have another dog at home, you should allow the dogs to meet on neutral ground, such as a park, before bringing your new dog home.  Take a trip to the pet store and obtain all the essentials for your new dog, such as a kennel, a high quality dog food, a bed, toys to keep him busy, and an adjustable collar and leash to walk him.  Also consider looking for a dog trainer to work with you if you have concerns about integration with another animal, or if you have questions about adequate mental and physical stimulation. Einstein Dog Training can help with basic and advanced needs, please contact us at 248-733-3776 to schedule your consultation!

Board and Train Goldendoodle, "Percy"

Percy is a 7 month old golden doodle that came to us for basic training.  He was nervous, actually more like terrified, of things.  Not of people or noises, but of things such as car rides, stairs, doorways - you know, the things that usually excite most dogs.  

His owner started with private lessons.  After just one lesson she knew that this was a little tougher than she was prepared to fix.  So she decided to send Percy to our Boarding School doggy bootcamp program, where he would board and train for 10 days.  

Percy's first few days was a little rough for him.  When he was afraid, he would freeze and become stiff.  He wouldn't move his legs, his head, nothing.  Just freeze.  So we started by building a relationship with him, and working on some basics like coming when called and sit/stay.  Once we gained some ground with the basics, it was time to start working on the fear.

Our first major breakthrough for Percy, was coming through our side screen door onto the landing that went to the basement steps.  We were able to successfully get him through the door, and up and down the stairs.  Our next breakthrough came with getting him to place on a large patio chair, and turn around to jump off.  Then it was getting into his kennel and turning around.  The confidence just starting boiling over with this guy in all aspects!  All of a sudden he turned into a normal dog!  We knew it was in there, we just had to help him work through his paralyzing fear, and learn that these things were fun and not scary!  

Percy went home yesterday, and his mom brought him to his first group class last night.  They did amazing!  He walked in strutting like he owned the place!  Results like these are why we do what we do!

Board and Train Catahoula Leopard Dog - Royal Oak, MI

This is “Coco”, a 5 year old Catahoula Leopard Dog that came to us for separation anxiety and aggression with other dogs.  Coco spent 20 days with us in our Immersion Boarding School program, to help work through his problems.

During Coco’s stay, we had a lot of ups and downs with his anxiety.  We were able to get him to stay in his kennel without destroying anything in it, break out, or bark continuously.  We worked immensely on self control for many reasons, mainly including his anxiety and his dog aggression.  We were also able to get Coco integrated with our pack, and around many other dogs without aggressive outbursts. 

One of the most difficult things we help clients with is separation anxiety.  The reason it’s so difficult, is because it’s hard to train your dog when you’re not there.  Coco went home with a full list of activities and drills for his owner to work on while she is home, and guidelines for her to follow when she was not home.  

Since his return home, Coco has made major improvements with his anxiety in his kennel, as well as his self control around other dogs. He still has a long road in front of him, but he’s off to a great start!

If you’re dealing with separation anxiety at home, you’re not alone.  It’s one of the most common behaviors we work with in our program, and we can help.  Please contact us for a free consultation to discuss training options for your dog. Serving Royal Oak MI, Troy MI, Birmingham MI, and surrounding.

Board and Train Lab X with Separation Anxiety - Rochester Hills, MI

Meet Bentley, a 2 year old Lab mix that is spending the holidays with us for a 12 day Jumpstart Boarding School program.  Bentley has a pretty severe case of separation anxiety.  He will break out of any kennel he’s in, then destroy anything keeping him from his owners - walls, doors, trim, etc. Bentley chewed through the wall at the owner’s front door, and destroyed the wiring to the doorbell.  He has a pretty serious case of separation anxiety!

During Bentley’s stay we put a ton of self control work into him.  Spent hours every day working on getting him comfortable with his kennel.  We worked on him being in his kennel with people home, in his kennel with the door open, as well as establishing a solid foundation of obedience and off leash training.  We had several successful attempts at leaving him for short periods, 30-90 minute intervals.  We set up a “nanny cam” to watch him, and we experienced no whining, no barking, and definitely no breaking out!

Bentley will experience a transition period when returning home into the same home he’s used to breaking out of his kennel at.  He will be spending some time during the day at doggy daycare, and working on in kennel relaxation when his family is home during the evenings and weekends.  We are working towards Bentley staying at home for longer periods, to eventually all day while his owners are at work.

One of the things I like to tell clients when dealing with this type of behavior, is the following analogy: if a child is so afraid of the dark, that he screams and screams when the lights go out, and you tell him to stop screaming or he’ll be in trouble, he may stop screaming.  It does not mean he’s no longer afraid of the dark, he just doesn’t want to be in trouble.  You still have to work through the actual fear.  When dealing with separation anxiety that leads to destructive behavior, the first thing we have to do is stop our dogs form breaking out and hurting themselves or destroying the house.  But it’s equally important for us to fix the way our dog is feeling, it’s not fair for them to be afraid every day.

If you’re experiencing separation anxiety or destructive behavior, please feel free to contact us to schedule your free consultation.  Serving Rochester Hills MI, Troy MI, Birmingham MI and surrounding.