Dogtopia

What is the rating system?

1- Older, over 3 years old, calmer dogs, those with exc canine communication skills, dog daycare regulars with no history of issues. 2- Like to play but have no obvious prey or ball drive, people oriented as much as dog oriented, respond to basic commands, newer to dog daycare. 3- Dogs that have been excused from other daycares, high energy/hunting breeds with little training.

What are fear signals? What do you do?

A dog huddled by the wall, door, or in a corner, a tucked tail, a dog that refuses to engage, a dog that hides under play structures, or a dog that tries to jump on top of the crates. Encourage the dog to come to you as you praise the dog, ask the dog to sit or get him to follow you, do not chase him. If the dog has a pet friend in the room pet and praise that dog so the scared dog will see it is okay.

All shift notes should include:

Any incidents and how they were resolved, any shift in a dog's play style or if he seems stressed, favorite playmates, bad play combinations.

Where do you wear your slip lead and what if it's a long one?

Around your neck, if it's a long one put onto your neck and into your front pocket on a diagonal.

What do you do if a dog is barking at another dog?

Body block and redirect the dog to another activity, praise when they do.

What are the proactive steps?

Body blocking, collar grasps, slip lead desensitization, and crate desensitization.

What dogs should be crated before practicing dogs back?

Crate at door, CAD. In a crate as far from the entrance as possible.

How do you use the dogs back technique?

Define the boundary around the door 3 ft away, walk toward the door face the dogs and say, "dogs back." Keep your hands at your side. Praise the dogs in a calm voice when they don't cross the boundary.

What are two techniques used for door control? When should you practice, how often?

Dogs back and radio desensitization. Practice when no one is leaving or entering the playroom each hour for 5 minutes.

What does body blocking do? How do you do it?

Gets the dogs accustomed to you moving into their space. Which allows you to breakup disagreements easier. With your hands at your sides taking a step or two confidently towards the dog. Praise them when they let you pass.

Key signs of needing redirection:

Increased vocalization, higher activity in the room, chasing, and moves away from the interaction with tucked tail or ears or starts to yawn.

What do you do if the other dog doesn't respond to distance increasing signals?

Intervene immediately by directing the dog into another activity. Call their name, make a unique sound, body block, or calmly say, "nope" as you move toward them. Immediately praise when they comply.

What to do if a dog is stressed.

Monitor the dog to find the stressor. Encourage the dog to play with you, happily praise, briefly crate the dog.

If a dog jumps on you or moves toward you you should ____.

Move into the dog.

How to redirect:

Move towards the dog in a happy upbeat tone, touch their collars, scratch them, move into the dogs space and offer praise, make a unique sound, practice, "come." If the dog doesn't respond, pretend you found something on the floor, do a jumping jack, or play follow the leader.

What does crate desensitization do? How do you do it?

Need to be viewed as a happy place, helps them not become crate shy. Practice when the dogs are calm, when a dog is calm in her crate place your hand on top, say her name and praise her. Gently grasp her collar while guiding into the crate as you say, "house." Once in the crate walk away for a couple seconds then come back immediately and calmly release the dog. Should be there for a m of 10 seconds in regular crates not time out crates.

Should you pet a dog that jumps on you? Why?

No, the dog will learn invading your space means praise.

Should you rub a dog's belly? Why?

No. It is easy for another dog to jump on you, makes it hard to watch other dogs, can cause conflict.

Should you stand still? Why?

No. They will learn to ignore you and your attempts to manage them.

What do you do if a dog barks continuously in their crate?

Open and close the crate door next to the dog, always place the dogs one crate apart never next to each other. If the dog quiets put your hand on the crate and praise him calmly if he acts up again turn your back and walk away. No dog should be in the crate longer than 15 min unless it's break.

What are the play signals?

Play bow, relaxed mouth, soft body and tail, role reversal, frequent breaks, and fluid motion.

What does slip lead desensitization do? How do you do it?

Practicing this will allow the dogs to be more calm around the leash. Loop the leash around the dogs neck or if a harness is worn around the harness loop, walk a couple steps, praise the dog, release.

How do you be proactive?

Recognize and reinforce good behavior.

Signs of okay play. And what to do.

Role reversal, mirror each other, take breaks, show a play bow, and a hip nudge. Look for distance decreasing signals. Encourage a dog laying on the ground playing to stand up.

How do you get a dog to sit? What do you do if the dog does not sit?

Say sit as you show the dog a raised closed fist, praise if the dog responds but calmly. Hold the collar as you place you thumb and index finger on his rump then gently push down as you say, "sit." Praise when he sits.

If a situation is escalating immediately crate any dogs that might indicate a ____.

Scuffle.

What are distance increasing signals?

Signals dogs give indicating they want more space. Lip licking, lower tail and or body, stiff mouth and or body, growl, low bark, hackles, marking, air snapping, high tail and or body, flagging tail, and showing more than front teeth in a snarl.

What are distance decreasing signals?

Signals that tell another dog come closer, I am enjoying the play. Play bow, soft wagging tail, relaxed mouth, submissive grin, and a hip nudge.

What are the commands you will use most often?

Sit, name recognition, come, nope.

Aggression signals and what to do if you see them.

Staring, stiff body, whale eye, low growls, intense chasing, air snapping, full mouth snarl, and freeze. Clap your hands or make a unique sound, call the dog's names in a happy tone and say, "come," as you back up a few steps, firmly walk between the two dogs and use your body to block them from each other, if you have a broom or a mop use it to sweep between the two dogs, make a sudden noise by moving the agility equipment slightly, call for assistance right away if you see aggression signals while you are interacting with a dog.

Signs play is not okay and what to do.

Stiffness, freezing, stopping movement, distance increasing signals, appeasement signals, intense chasing, deeper tone of barking/growling, third-wheel play.

Why shouldn't you crouch on the floor or sit on the agility equipment?

This will put you at eye level with the dog which will reduce your level of authority also it puts you at a disadvantage if you need to move quickly.

True or false: dogs can sense your mood.

True.

True or false: don't back up when a dog invaded your space.

True.

True or false: never crouch on the floor or sit on the agility equipment.

True.

What do we base the dog ratings on?

What the pet owner told about their dog, what the dog's temperament was like during the meet and greet evaluation, how they behaved their first day of daycare.

When to use nope!

When a dog is making a mistake or jumping or marking the agility equipment say the dog's name then say, "nope!" In a firm but calm voice. Redirect the dog using a happy tone or body block. When the dog stops misbehaving praise. Never say, "nope" to a dog barking.

How to do name recognition. What do you do if he doesn't look?

When you are next to the dog say the dog's name in an upbeat tone, when he looks praise him. If he doesn't look make a small sound. Keep working at it from an increased distance if he doesn't respond move closer.

When practicing come what do you do? What if he doesn't come?

When you have a dog's attention say, "come" and praise when he comes. If he doesn't come do a light collar grasp and encourage him to come to you.

What are appeasement body signals?

With these signals dogs are trying to stop the escalation of an interaction or calm a situation. Turn away look away, yawn, sniffing, nose licking, lifted paw, body shake.

Should you move around the room all the time? Why?

Yes. Dogs will see that you are interacting with the environment which means you are important to them and what they are doing.

Should you bond with the pups through handling? Why?

Yes. Routinely touch every dog. Dogs bond with each other through touch so if you do this in a positive manner they will listen to you.

Where do you where your slip lead and what if it's a long one?

Around your neck, if it's a long one put onto your neck and into your front pocket on a diagonal.

Be sure to to keep detailed records of _____ and incidents.

Behavior.

Signs of stress.

Exc panting, pacing, barking, yawning, exc shedding.

What does collar grasping do? How do you do it?

It is important to do this when they are calm so the dog is used to this feeling. Grasp firmly onto the collar, praise, then release.

Compassion is better than ______.

Judgement

Watch ____ combinations.

Play.