When most people have an interaction with dog trainers they aren't aware that the dog may be working at the time or have a different idea of how you should interact. Generally speaking when people run into me and a dog they will try to interact with the pup. Most people know the general things that will help like crouching or holding their hand out for an inspection but do you know how to maximize your interactions? I wanted to write this to help people who want a better connection with most dogs they meet. 

1. Interact with the human first. Dogs are usually comfortable meeting strangers but if they don't know you then they are going to take their first cue of your status by checking in with their parents. Dogs have been proven to read your facial expression 10 times more than you project it. If you rush up on someone and the dog sees that it makes their human uncomfortable you may be in for some trouble.                                                              What should I do? When approaching a dog and their human say hello first and make eye contact. Ask to pet their dog and by then you should have a general idea of how the dog will react because they were taking you in already and have decided if they like or will tolerate you. 
   
2. Forcing an interaction. Most of the times my dogs will interact with people and be happy about it but if someone is unusual to them they may not want to be petted by them. Sometimes my dogs don't want to play or to socialize with anyone and some people will take this to heart. Following the dog around or getting even more in their face will not change them being tired or cranky and not wanting to be bothered. In many respects they are the same as humans and this is one of them.                                                            What should I do? If you are trying to interact with a dog and they yawn or lick their lips over and over or stiffen up they are wanting to be left alone and the best thing to do is be nice and walk away.
3. Overreacting to a dog. When you meet a dog for the first time you may think about how the dog you have at home likes to play and try to draw a dog out by getting them excited. Some dogs are mistrustful of this sort of behavior. Often people come up and try to get my dog to play and are nonplussed when they don't respond. Usually when I have my dog with me either they are working or I am or both and even though this is not the case for everyone it can be very frustrating when someone amps up your dog and then walks away leaving you to deal with the aftermath. Some dogs will strike if they feel your play is dangerous or too unusual.               What should I do? If the dog isn't already playing then they are probably not in a position to. Assess the situation and don't push it if the dog growls or show aggression like fast head turns or staring.
4. Patting a dog on the head. Dogs DO Not Like This. When you approach a dog and pat them on the head and it's not something the owner does you immediately get a negative reaction. Because they don't understand why you would hit on them even playfully, some breeds will defend themselves against this type of behavior. Some dogs have undiagnosed  illnesses and it's not fun being the one to find it out.                                         What should I do? Being respectful goes a long way on this list and this is no different. If an owner treats a dog rough by patting them or aggressively rubbing them it's not an invitation for you too. If a dog is older then avoid rough interaction altogether even if they are well known to you, no need to be the one who finds out he pulled a hamstring when he nips you. 
5. Giving a stranger's dog commands. This a big pet peeve of mine. I train my dog to listen to my commands promptly and execute them with precision. I don't even allow my friends to command my dog. Usually I won't say anything but if someone continues to try to get my dog to do something for them and I'm trying to walk away I will explain it to them. Most people aren't as rabid about this as a trainer would be but it will still annoy someone working with their dog.                   What should I do? It's not a big deal to get a dog to sit by pestering him but beyond that you usually are pushing your luck. Ask the owner what they can do and allow them to demonstrate if they want to but don't try to get the dog to do it all yourself. When a dog doesn't know you they usually won't listen to you.

Most people will intuit a lot of this list by the interactions they have had in the past and if any of this fits you just try to be more respectful and you will have better interactions each time. You don't have to train only your dog you have to train yourself. 

Adam Madore 
professional dog trainer with Artisan 
dog training
Lexington / Nicholasville 

Dogs are social animals that appreciate being understood as much as anyone so sometimes when we are baffled by our pets behavior we may need to look at the basics again. I have a lot of clients who come to me with no way to communicate with their dogs and feel like it's the fault of the dog or the clients blame themselves. Instead of blaming yourself you simply improve you communication and you will see results right away. I've decided to write down some of my favorite ways to increase communication and improve your skills with simple exercises.

1.  Training. Most dogs need some amount of training or some kind of work so you can help them understand whats expected of them. Repeatedly showing them something builds their confidence in you and helps them understand your personal body language. Try setting aside 10-15 minutes a day to show your dog something or to improve a previous behavior. 
2. Body language. Dogs don't understand the English language, don't get me wrong with repetition any dog can learn a few words and phrases but your puppy doesn't have any spoken language to base it on. The next time you interact with your furry friend try miming what you want. While we may say "Just tell me what you want" a dog  would prefer you show them. Use no words besides sounds and lead them through what you are working on slowly and deliberately. You will notice a change in your interactions immediately.
3. Allow your dog to interact first. When you are introducing your dog to anything new be sure to watch them and allow them to follow your lead. If your pet is nervous or unsure about interacting with something or someone don't try to talk them through the interaction or explain it to them, instead try to position them so they can comfortably interact with the offending object or person . Allow them to take all the time they need to realize it's a trash can or mailbox, not an imminent threat. Avoid any aggressive or dominant dogs while doing this exercise and be sure not to stare at them as they are working on the problem or they may think you are trying to tell them something.
4. Protecting your dog. One of the major factors in everyday life for dogs is security. When they are worried about something for a prolonged period of time and you can't figure out why they are upset it could be because they feel unsafe. Usually this is fostered by poor communication and can be remedied handily. Whenever you practice the three exercises above be sure to watch for fear of something and use that chance to help your little pup by taking on the bad guy for them. Hexe my German Shepherd used to be defensive as a puppy but when we approached a badly behaving animal I would shift her position so she was behind me for just a moment while the offending pet was drug away from a safe distance. Overdoing this can cause anxiety but you will do this exercise the least than any on this list because of the very real opportunity that you will make your dog overly dependent on your protection. Another good example is motorcycles. Many times a client dog who grew up in the country will have little to no experience with loud bikes. I stand in front of them for a second and maintain rigid posture and very often a timid dog will start to build trust in me so when I force them to interact like in exercise 3 they are certain I won't let them get hurt. 
5. Use appropriate eye contact. When you are doing anything around your pet they may get very excited about something you are looking at or have an outsized reaction to you focusing on them. The short way to explain this is your dog may think you are addressing them when you look at them and try to discern what you want so if you are not interacting with your dog be sure not to stare at them for no reason. I used to catch dogs trying to do something for me while I was on the phone. I soon realized I tend to stare off while I'm on the phone giving my poor dogs the mistaken impression I was trying to say something. This is the easiest exercise on the list. If you notice your dog constantly begging and nuzzling your hand you may need to be more aware of your eye contact. Try to reduce your eye contact and don't give in for begging, not even a glance. 
   
   

I hope that you find the tips helpful. If I lost you at any time or you would like more instruction feel free to contact me. Thank you for taking the time to read this. 

Adam Madore 
professional dog trainer with Artisan 
dog training
Lexington / Nicholasville 

While I was studying to be a dog trainer I learned extensively about socializing dogs. I can't convey the large amount of knowledge here in a short blog post or even in a single lesson. What I will be covering today is summary of some things and a condensed version of others. If your raising a puppy for a certain job you will need to contact me directly or put it on my facebook page. 

Socializing your dog is generally speaking taking your dog out and exposing him or her to variable scenarios. Introducing new things and experiences in order to amplify your dogs confidence and help them develop without fear of the world around them.


Some of you worry about what may happen when you are socializing your puppy. The most common fear is will they come down with some random malady. When your puppy has not finished its round of shots you do have to protect them or they certainly can come down with something possibly fatal. The benefits to your puppy Vastly outweigh the negatives in my eyes because of the amount of control that you can exert over them when they are going somewhere. When a puppy grows from 8 weeks to 12 weeks the puppy isn't really afraid of anything and it would take a rather extreme issue in most puppies minds in order for them to become wary of something. After this short window they will begin to become suspicious of things, people, or other animals.


When your choosing places to take your new furry friend remember that they can become overloaded and stressed. If you take them somewhere that is busy or chaotic then they will have a shorter amount of time to take it all in before they need to leave or could become too overloaded and create stress issues. Signs of stress are a puppy licking their lips repeatedly or yawning. More obvious ones like shaking or cowering could present themselves too but don't swoop in right away and evacuate with your puppy just give them a moment to recover. If you are going around other dogs you should be mindful of the other dog and be cautious. Be certain that they do not touch lots of  random dogs and puppies. DO NOT TAKE THEM TO DOG PARKS. When you expose a puppy to the dog park they have a Far greater chance to get sick. Many people don't have vaccinations on their dogs or they are not up to date and could harm your puppy. If your puppy is small enough then carrying them around and letting people pet them is a good idea and I be sure to watch my facebook page to find out about things going on in your area that your dog and you would want to do. 

Adam Madore 
professional dog trainer with 
Artisan dog training
Lexington / Nicholasville 

I have a lot of people who talk to me about trainig and were filled with information about training and didn't know what they had started on or how to cotinue.

This post today will outline the different styles of training and the limtations as well as the strengths and a few terms.

Training dog in America was originally marked by military dog trainers and in particular William Kholer. On the other side of the beginning of a different do training style we have Marian and Keller Breland.

Kholer was a great dog trainer and he employed the use of choke chains and leashes as the foundation of his training. His book can be found under The Kholer Method of dog training and is still the cornerstone of military style of training.

The Brelands used treats and clickers to train animals. They studied under B.F.Skinner and later started a school called Animal Behaviour Enterprises in wich they trained chickens to ensure that people understood their method and how to use it for dogs. This is some of the origins for stryles used at places such as BigBoxSmart.

Training has taken some very important people on both sides that shaped it into what it is now. Barbara Woodhouse and Karen Pryor to name a few. They either ran paralell to or explained more in depth earlier ideas.

Prong or pinch collars are a tool that has since replaced the choke chain just as manufactured treats have replaced raw meat originally used in treat training. Positive reinforcement is now the term used for treat training and Operant conditioning is usally used for leash and collar. A third type of training has been in use for many years called modeling and it will also be explained breifly but retains it's earlier name.

First I will explain the limitaions. These do not apply to every dog or every person.
 When you are using Positive reinforcement you will never tell a dog no or withhold from the dog anything. You will mark a behaviour as only positive and wait out the negative. Without being extremely dedicated this method can get pretty hairy on its own as the owner has to really understand the nuances to make a behavior end. Also it can take your dog a very long time to advance.

Operant conditioning is limited to only controlling your animal with a leash and collar or electric collar and never off leash or without stimulation. This leads people to rely too heavily on the collar for all of their communications with the dog and can be hard on a dog without proper use.

Modeling is using your hands to "sculpt" a dog into position repeatedly while telling them the command and holding them there. This method can take a very long time and will be very hard to use on a dog that is excitable. 
 
The positives are just as varied.
Modleing allows you to put a dog in extraordinary positions wich they will hold for as long as you will tell them. A classic example is Lassie.

Positive reinforcement allows you to teach a dog to think through problems and can lead to fantastic tricks in a very short time. An example would be Eddie on Frazier.

Operant conditioning allows you to start control of a dog when you first begin training and shows immediate results. A famous example is Rin Tin Tin.

I use any form of training a customer wants but if I reach a limitation and need to I can switch tactics or blend them together. As always let me know if you have any questions and I will be glad to answer them.

Adam Madore
professional dog trainer with Artisan

dog training
Lexington / Nicholasville