I will try to put movies of some of the walks so that you can see what happens with Le Woof.
Don’t expect the best film making quality, I’m not a director but I’ll do my best to please you ”my people”
Enjoy,
Le Woof
read users comments (0)I wanted to start the new year with something that would touch people in a positive way and when I saw this I new I had found it. Sorry for the tears and happy new year to you all.
I love my Job. The dogs are always happy. Its a great feeling to go to work where everyone is happy:)
September was a really nice month. The weather was amazing. Its always one of my favorite month. I try to take as many pictures as I can. You might see more pictures of a dog than another one. It just happen.
Enjoy!
Le Woof
Hello everyone,
Here is a great article I found in The dog star daily. I see this happening in my puppy training classes all the time. Please read it and give me your feed back on that topic.
Laurent
Antecedent Intervention
by Erica houck young
It is well established, I think, that dogs learn mostly via two ways: Association & Consequence. In either of those two topics there are a myriad of variables that can potentially work for and against an owner.
In the “Consequence” category we have a simple paradigm of how dogs pick up a cue. One can put it in a simple way and say “dogs do flowcharts”. The flowchart for a dog is as follows:
Antecedent – Behavior – Consequence
Now, what do all these things mean? Antecedent refers to the catalyst, or stimulus, that causes a dog to react in a certain way. Examples of antecedents are verbal commands, strangers, leashes, and doorbells. The list is quite endless. Behavior is just that – how your dog responds to the antecedent and the consequence is the result of said behavior, which either reinforces or punishes the behavior thus causing it to happen more or less.
What I’d like to focus on is the A part of the equation – Antecedents. They are numerous, easy to stack on top of one another, and, for a lot of dog owners, very difficult to avoid. Pam Reid talks about a “package of stimuli” in her book, Excel-erated Learning, which basically refers to the entire picture your dog sees, hears, and smells in addition to what we perceive that our dog senses. Most often in dog obedience training the extra antecedents are caused by our body language. We raise an eyebrow, lean over our dog, have the alluring scent of liver on our hands, and give our dog the hand signal for sit. What is the dog really learning as the cue to make him sit? It might not be what you think.
Unfortunately for us, not all antecedents are created equal. The first of the 5 senses your dog gets in life during his neonatal period is not sight or hearing – it is touch. This is why it is indefinitely important to do as much “hands-off” training as possible as this is a very salient antecedent that is difficult to fade out of training. The second most important sense is smell – your dog’s scent receptors in his nose are said to be enough to fill a space the size of a Kleenex. Our scent receptors are only enough to fill a space the size of a postage stamp. Chances are he knows what’s for dinner even before you do.
The problem lies in what I call “Muddied Antecedentville”. No, you can’t vacation there, but many owners seem to live there year round. We humans, with our big complex brains and emotions, often do not realize the subtle (or not so) “extra” signals we give out while training our dogs.
So, why is this information important to us?
When we attempt to install cues for certain behaviors in our dogs their learning process can be hindered by excess antecedents. The clearer the picture we draw for our dogs about what we’d like them to do, the more efficient our training becomes. The two of the demons of dog training that play a hand in fouling up our intended antecedents are called blocking and overshadowing. Fancy terms, yes, but definitely simple ideas.
Overshadowing refers to having too many new antecedents present and one that is unintended “winning out” for your dog’s attention. An example of this would be moving a food lure down between your dog’s paws while saying the word “down”. What do you suspect your dog is learning predicts the “down” position? Most likely NOT the verbal cue you gave. The less salient antecedent of your voice is drowned out by the smell of food because we presented them together.
The other side of the coin is blocking. Blocking refers to presenting a new antecedent like a verbal cue at the same time as a known antecedent like a hand signal. If you say “Sit” at the same time as your hand signal the dog does not learn anything new regarding your verbal cue because he already knows what he needs to from your hand signal. Again, presenting these things together muddies up our delivery.
I have noticed some of my students in training classes give countless “extra” body signals they don’t even realize they are doing – but their dogs do. In the end, they’ve leaned over the dog while raising an eyebrow with their one hand in the treat pouch while the other hand gives a hand signal – what exactly did the dog learn was the cue for “Sit” again? In case this evening I noticed this exact “stimulus package” being offered to a Havanese pup during a “Down” exercise. I asked the student to step in front of her dog and simply lean over in the manner she was doing with her cue without doing anything else – the dog laid down. Extremely astute dogs will also begin to sing and dance at the sight of a treat pouch on your waist – huge antecedent. Is that the end of the world? No, but don’t be surprised when you stand up straight and ask for the behavior with your intended cue – the hand signal – and get a dull stare.
How can you avoid muddying up your cues (antecedents)?
- Focus on doing one thing at a time. Say the cue; give a half-second pause, and then follow-up with the hand signal your dog is familiar with.
- Rule out as many extra antecedents as you can so you provide your dog with a very easy-to-understand flowchart. Practice in quieter environments at first.
- Give one word cues. “Rover, will you please sit down” is not a cue.
- Keep your hand out of your treat pouch until AFTER the desire behavior is achieved. There is no louder sound or more salient motion in the world to a dog than a pouch reach and bag crinkle.
Mom said “sit”, moved her hand in that certain funny way, and then I sat and got paid. Rinse and repeat until the dog knows that the antecedent of “Sit” = bum on the ground and tasty goodness.
Last, it is important to note that this is only part of the battle that is dog training. There are other issues that exist to lengthen the training time and unclear antecedents (cues) are but a small part. Good Luck & Happy Training!
You can see that the dogs seems happy and I love at the end when they all come get a threat. Awesome job!
I really enjoyed this summer. The dogs where really good. Yay!
This information has been prepared as a service by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
What is canine parvovirus?
Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) is a highly contagious and serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the gastrointestinal tract of puppies, dogs, and wild canids (e.g. foxes, wolves, coyotes). It was first identified in 1978 and is seen worldwide. It also can damage the heart muscle in very young and unborn puppies.
There are several variants of CPV-2 (CPV-2a, CPV-2b, CPV-2c) based on analysis of the genetics of the virus, but they produce similar signs in animals. CPV-2b is the most common variant in the US. CPV-2c was first confirmed in the U.S. in 2006, and is becoming the second most common variant.
How is parvovirus spread?
CPV-2 is highly contagious and is spread by direct dog-to-dog contact and contact with contaminated feces (stool), environments or people. The virus can also contaminate kennel surfaces, food and water bowls, collars and leashes, and the hands and clothing of people who handle infected dogs. It is resistant to heat, cold, humidity, and drying, and can survived in the environment for long periods of time. Even trace amounts of feces containing parvovirus may serve as environmental reservoirs of the virus and infect other dogs that come into the infected envinronment. CPV-2 is readily transmitted from place to place on the hair or feet of dogs or via contaminated cages, shoes, or other objects.
What dogs are at risk?
All dogs are at risk, but puppies less than four months old and dogs that have not been vaccinated against canine parvovirus are at increased risk of becoming infected and ill.
What are some signs of parvovirus infection?
Dogs infected with the CPV-2 virus that are ill are often said to have “parvo.” CPV-2 infection causes lethargy; loss of appetite; fever; vomiting; and severe, often bloody, diarrhea. Vomiting and diarrhea can cause rapid dehydration, and most deaths from parvovirus occur within 48 to 72 hours following the onset of clinical signs. If your puppy or dog shows any of these signs, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.
How is canine parvovirus diagnosed and treated?
CPV-2 infection is often suspected based on the dog’s history, physical examination, and laboratory tests. Fecal testing can confirm the diagnosis.
No specific drug is available that will kill the virus in infected dogs, and treatment is intended to support the dog’s body systems until the dog’s immune system can fight off the viral infection. Treatment should be started immediately and consists primarily of efforts to combat dehydration by replacing electrolyte and fluid losses, controlling vomiting and diarrhea, and preventing secondary infections. Sick dogs should be kept warm and receive good nursing care. When a dog develops parvo, treatment can be very expensive, and the dog may die despite aggressive treatment. Early recognition and aggressive treatment are very important in successful outcomes.
Since CPV-2 is highly contagious, isolation of infected dogs is necessary to minimize spread of infection. Proper cleaning and disinfection of contaminated kennels and other areas where infected dogs are (or have been) housed is essential to control the spread of parvovirus. The virus is not easily killed, so consult your veterinarian for specific guidance on cleaning and disinfecting agents.
How is parvovirus prevented?
Vaccination and good hygiene are critical components of canine parvovirus prevention.
Vaccination is extremely important. Young puppies are very susceptible to infection, particularly because the natural immunity provided in their mothers’ milk may wear off before the puppies’ own immune systems are mature enough to fight off infection. If a puppy is exposed to canine parvovirus during this gap in protection, it may become ill. An additional concern is that immunity provided by a mother’s milk may interfere with an effective response to vaccination. This means even vaccinated puppies may occasionally be infected by parvovirus and develop disease. To reduce gaps in protection and provide the best protection against parvovirus during the first few months of life, a series of puppy vaccinations are administered. Puppies should receive a dose of canine parvovirus vaccine between 14 and 16 weeks of age, regardless of how many doses they received earlier, to develop adequate protection.
To protect their adult dogs, pet owners should be sure that their dog’s parvovirus vaccination is up-to-date. Ask your veterinarian about a recommended vaccination program for your canine companion.
In spite of proper vaccination, a small percentage of dogs do not develop protective immunity and remain susceptible to infection.
Hygiene—Until a puppy has received its complete series of vaccinations, pet owners should use caution when bringing their pet to places where young puppies congregate (e.g. pet shops, parks, puppy classes, obedience classes, doggy daycare, kennels, and grooming establishments). Reputable establishments and training programs reduce exposure risk by requiring vaccinations, health examinations, good hygiene, and isolation of ill puppies and dogs. Contact with known infected dogs and their premises should always be avoided.
Finally, do not allow your puppy or dog to come into contact with the fecal waste of other dogs while walking or playing outdoors. Prompt and proper disposal of waste material is always advisable as a way to limit spread of canine parvovirus infection as well as other diseases that can infect humans and animals. Dogs with vomiting or diarrhea or other dogs which have been exposed to ill dogs should not be taken to kennels, show grounds, dog parks, or other areas where they will come into contact with other dogs. Similarly, unvaccinated dogs should not be exposed to ill dogs or those with unknown vaccination histories. People who are in contact with sick or exposed dogs should avoid handling of other dogs or at least wash their hands and change their clothes before doing so.
Although this brochure provides basic information about canine parvovirus, your veterinarian is always your best source of health information. Consult your veterinarian for more information about canine parvovirus and its prevention.
Hello everyone.
I really enjoyed this documentary and I would love you to watch it . I’ll post the part 2 real soon.
Enjoy!
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