It is wonderful how Cesar is reaching out to people around the country!

So many lives on so many levels are being changed! Dogs that would otherwise be abandoned or killed, at last have hope in places where people would never have give a chance to change!

With all the breed specific legislation (BSL)~ (Oh, you didnt KNOW that laws were being passed all over the US and Canada which not only make it illegal for you to have certain breeds of dog, but for instance, like in Denver Co.), they can actually come take your dog for being the wrong breed, even if it has never done anything wrong and even put it down. (Over 1100 killed there so far!). You can do yahoo search on BLS or "Breed Specific Information" and Cesar actually went to Canada to draw attention to this in June. (Mentioned in June newsletter I mean).

What a perfect opportunity to introduce others to Cesar ahead of time through book or DVD and then let them meet him!

Already in other posts I mentioned about how I was able to rescue Redzone Signal Bear and convert him using Cesar's techniques. After my last (non-Cesarized) dog died of cancer an month ago, I went to Pets 911 (thanks Cesar!) and found the opposite - a lab-shar-pai who was terrifed of everything.

So I rescued her and she is coming along just as fast as Signal did! It is so amazing how consistantly his techniques work on the polar opposite type problem dogs.

Not only that, but his suggestions on "how to create a pack", brought these two opposite dogs together to thepoint that Signal has been doing some of my teaching for me, like how to use a doggie door and how to run along-side the bike I use when we go out for our "walks"!

Hopefully, he will be coming to Arizona sometime when things cool down some!!!

Mochacchino,

I had the same problem with my dog/puppy (now 5 1/2 months). I would roll him and hold him down until he calmed down and stopped biting. The second I would let him up he'd try to bite my hand (playfully). I would then roll him again while putting presure with my fingers (kind of a bite). Everytime he moved, more pressure until he relaxed, then I would ease up. I thought that maybe he just didn't understand what I was doing or that maybe I took him away from his mother too soon and he didn't learn the socialization skills. However, one day he was biting one of my adult dogs on a walk and the dog turned and bite him back and he quit right away. It wasn't an attack, just a quick bite telling him to stop and he did. That proved to me that it wasn't him, but me. My message wasn't being received clearly.

Ultimately though, IMO I think all that nipping is puppy behavior. You just need to be consistant with "no", and he'll grow out of it. For the most part mine has already stopped it. What helped also was everytime he nipped me I would yelp like it hurt and he would stop.

Hope this helps!

Hi Breadman,
Jack Russell's are wild things:) and at 1 1/2 years old, he's still got alot of puppy in him. It sounds like you know what you are doing, but I would suggest lessening the play time and keep it to short 15-30 minute play sessions. And I would up the walks to 2 a day instead of 1. It seems like this little guy has boundless energy and I doubt the neutering will help much in calming him down.

And the treadmill should work wonders on wearing him out if you don't have time in your schedule for a second daily walk. Just remember to always supervise.

What a lucky pup to have found you:) And how wonderful of you for rescuing a stray animal:)!

Mochaccino, Puppies nip naturally. You may not be able stop the dog from doing the nipping altogether, but you CAN give him something appropriate to chew on. I highly recommend reading some of the books by Patricia McConnell (recommended by Cesar at the end of his book). She talks about chewing and biting, and how they are natural and what you can do to redirect that energy to appropriate chewing. Dogs have to chew, just like humans have to talk.

You can post questions to Cesar on pets911 web site, but he probably only answers a question every-so-often. I'm sure he gets bombared w/questions!

Breadman-

Yes, you have a high strung breed of dog on your hands. Kate has great advice there! Neutering will help a little, but it mostly will help him from becoming sexually frustrated, lower the testosterone a bit, and prevent future health problems. It just makes training easier as well, and considering that he was found as a stray, its likely that he ran away from his previous owner looking for a mate. You certainly have the right idea and know what you are doing! Its great to hear of people rescuing strays. good luck!

"I am trying to find some outside advice/help on training my Australian Shephard mix. I got her from the humane society when she was 9 weeks old she is now about 13-15 weeks old and she is very nippy (bitey). Its somewhat playful, she’s not drawing blood or anything and have tried to put her in submission every time she gets nippy but that does not seem to work she thinks I’m still playing with her. Any suggestions. My last dog I had was a Black Lab mix and she was not nippy at all when I got her and so this is new to me. She already knows how to walk on the leash and sit but this one is troublesome. Anyone out there have an idea? Is there any chance to communicate with Cesar via the web? "

You are dealing with a dog that is part a breed whose purpose is to work with cattle. They ARE more "nippy" than other breeds because it takes a forceful dog to handle stock the size of cattle. Making her submit is not the answer. What you need to do is make it clear to her there is a time and a place to bite and the time to bite PEOPLE is never and nowhere!

First have an acceptable toy always handy, then whenever she nips you put a finger in her mouth as far back as you can and press down on her tongue until she is working hard to spit out your finger. As soon as you let her go, give her the toy and encourage her to play with that.

Repeat as needed, but if she begins to get stubborn then end your game with her immediately and put her in her crate or in another room until she calms down. Just like puppies living with their littermates, you have to teach her the limits of what you will tolerate. Making nipping you incomfortable for her will teach her your limits.

Hi Pointerpal, At about the age of 8 - 10 months, many dogs begin to have irrational fears. I remember my Lab/Shepherd was so afraid of balloons and kites, things in the sky that are colorful just totally flipped him out at that age. So, while I hesitate to say "this is completely normal", I will say that it is normal at her age to start noticing things and being afraid of them. Also, this is a critical age to socialize a dog. If you don't socialize her (meaning: expose her to ANYTHING and EVERYTHING as often as possible) her problems will only get worse and will become deeply ingrained in her personality.

And, of course, I have to ask the same question I always do: How often are you walking her, and for what length of time each walk?

Pointers are hunting dogs, so she needs mental stimulation, as well as exercise to burn off the energy.

I was surprised to find out that many local rescues in So. Cal do not adopt dogs out if they will be outside dogs regardless of the attention and exercise that they may receive - or the lack thereof they may get from an indoor lifestyle. I always own at least 2+ dogs so that they have their own pack and they are never isolated from each other in addition to the attention from my family and the walks that we go on together.

I have kept dogs indoors and out and have found the outdoor dogs to be healthier overall. I am curious if Cesar has addressed outdoor packs?

Wow guys, synchronicity again!! I watched the Season 1 DVD practically all night last night, and when I went to bed I flipped through Cesar's Way for a bit. One thing that was disturbing me is Cesar's talking about "the four walls" -- he feels strongly that many dogs in America are stuck inside the four walls of the house, and that is not good. I started thinking about what kind of activity my dogs get, and even though I walk them twice a day for at least 40 minutes (unless it's too hot or extreme weather of any kind), they are confined the rest of the time. They are indoors most of the time, but if they are out they are confined to the fenced yard, or here at my summer cottage they are tied out on 30-foot ropes because we can't fence in the yard (seashore regulations). So... I was worried because I feel that it is my responsibility to give the dogs in my care the best life they can have. People would look at my dogs and say they have a great life! But do they really? I'm starting to realize that they are not happy sometimes. Maybe that's why they lunge and freak out every time a dog walks by the house... because they've got "four walls" syndrome (my phrase, not Cesar's! LOL). I am happy to see what Jen said "They give numerous reasons why it is better for a dog to be with the pack day and night. You being the pack leader, they need to be with you" I've never read the book by the Monks, I will have to get it. When we lived at the farm, the dogs were either in or out, didn't matter (different dogs this was years ago). My Lab that I had when I was young & single would sometimes stay out at night. She was pretty much an outdoor dog, but very devoted to me -- we went EVERYWHERE together. So, I wonder, do you think we are being unfair to these dogs by keeping them confined all the time? I feel after viewing & reading what Cesar had to say that they are not getting the things they need. What are people's thoughts on this?

Other good book recommended by Cesar is "The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia McConnell. Fascinating book. She is awesome -- she puts things in to laymen's terms, even though she has like two PhDs in animal behavior! LOL! She's awesome, and very complimentary to Cesar's teachings. She has several smaller "pamphlets" that are equally as helpful.

LOVE THE SHOW IT HAS TAUGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT DOGS.
I HAVE 2 PUGGLES BOTH ARE FEMALES & A YEAR OLD. I ALSO HAVE 3 CATS.
MY PROBLEM WITH THE PUGGLES, THEY LIKE TO CHASE & BARK AT THE
CATS. WHAT SHOULD I DO TO STOP THIS BEHAVIOR?

TANALEA MARRIER
BURNSVILLE, MINNESOTA

And one more thing *grin* -- nearly every time I walk my dogs (and I have to walk them individually or they overpower me -- working on that one) we get charged and often attacked by other dogs, even though there are leash laws, a lot of people let theirs out. They yell "Don't worry, they are friendly!" ....but mine are not. How does Cesar suggest dealing with rushing dogs when mine are leashed?
Ginny

I'm almost half-way finished reading Cesar's Way, and I have already started my efforts in being "the leader", especially when walking my Golden. She goes "bananas", barks like crazy and starts lunging and jumping towards other dogs coming her way. Yesterday, I tried the "leadership" stance and kept her at
"heel" with "calm and assertive" corrections the moment she started to take "the lead". Of course another dog was coming our way and the moment she started to get that "crazy energy" I corrected her and kept up the "leadership" role. She really seemed to respond to me better than ever before. I also realized that I usally am in a constant state of anxious anticipation of another dog coming down my path and my Golden probably picks up on that. According to Cesar, the dogs live in the moment and I am learning to also "walk" in the moment.. I still don't know why she does this when another dog approaches so if anyone can help me I'd truly appreciate it.
Thanks Cesar !!
-Stacey

Ginny-

Cesar does have other people who always work with his dogs. Cesar teaches humans to be pack leaders, and teaches all of his dogs to view ALL humans as pack leaders, not just him. Being the only one that your dog can follow and feel comfortable with is not good, and that leads to separation anxiety.

Tana,

You need to "claim" the cats -- make sure you step in between the dogs and the cats the second the chasing begins. Tough to do, but you can do it. Also, let the cats have prime locations in the house i.e., cats allowed on the bed, dogs not allowed. Or, if you want the dogs on your bed, then use a different part of the room, furniture, or house to give the cat higher social status. The dogs need to understand that the cats are higher social status than the dogs are.

Thanks Bootsmutt -- I figured out that he's talking about people who just let the dog out into the yard and then go to work all day LOL! That ain't me!!! LOLOLOLOL

to all-

I would like to know each ones opinion on flea and tick prvention, because i normally have used frontline, or advantage, but i am starting to think that they are just like other flea and tick products, its just that they designed their products to be marketed by veterinarians so that they could charge more money for them. I was considering Bio-spot, but then i found a horror story on the internet about that one. Frontline and Advantage do not seem to last for a whole month, and they are so expensive. What do some of you do to prevent fleas and ticks?

"Frontline and Advantage do not seem to last for a whole month, and they are so expensive. What do some of you do to prevent fleas and ticks? "

I use Frontline exclusively and have for years. I live in Georgia, the HEART of flea country, and I only treat my dogs ONCE per year! So I'm not sure why you are having trouble with them not lasting for a month...that seems odd, unless you are washing your dog a LOT, which will reduce how long they last.

My dogs are outside all day while I am at work and a once a year treatment works just fine. They do get an occasional tick, but not often enough to worry about. You really should only need to treat once a month if you live in a bad tick area...otherwise every three months is what is recommended.

When I first started using Frontline I followed the "every three months" routine for over a year, but actually after the first treatment I saw NO FLEAS...and I had been going through a gallon of flea spray every month for my 10 dogs without seeing much difference.

After about 18 months of no fleas I conducted an experiment: I waited for the next treatment until I saw fleas again, but after almost a year of no fleas AND summer coming up I chickened out on the experiment and treated them. Since then, I have done that once a year treatment and it has worked just fine. I've got an 8 year old dog right now that has NEVER had fleas.

I did try, one time, only treating half of them but the ones not treated got fleas, so I went back to treating them all. So the fleas ARE still around here, we just don't see them on the dogs anymore!

Hi Everyone!
I am sooo excited! woofwoof,bark,fast wagging tail.
we just watched "People Training for Dogs" video, and I learned SO much!!My husband loved it too. It makes it so much more clear where Cesar is coming from in the DW episodes. I get it!
All dogs are animals first! and have different energy levels, even tho I had dogs my whole life I always thought that "dogs are people too", so it's kind of sad that they're not, but I do love them, so I have to accept it & fullfill their needs.Also God realy spoke to me about what He says in his word, same thing...that is...if you want to be fullfiled, then fullfil the needs of the other person or dogs, be unselfish and by so doing, you will get your needs fullfiled as a by-product, instead of only thinking about yourself & trying to force people, dogs to fullfill you! and isn't it totaly unselfish to fullfill your dogs needs? after all, they're not people, not your husband, best friend (mine are tho), or son/daughter that you relate to, but a different species. I don't always communicate well, so I hope you can figure out what i'm trying to say. but that DVD is such a blessing, God often talks to me thru my dogs because I can relate that way. When the wheather cools, i'm going to take shirley my balistic dog down the streets where there are alot of barking dogs, I can hardly wait..but for now, it's 105+ outside, so I can't stand being out there and yesterday at the DP, they didn't run around too much themselves.About the fleas...my dogs used to have ALOT of flees, I put anvantage on them once & didn't get more fleas for about 2yrs. It seems to last them about 2-3yrs. we havent had ticks since I had my collie several yrs ago, because you could see them on our short hair dogs & we picked them off right away. My dogs have never had heartworm that I'm aware of, they're very healthy.I do feed them first thing in the a.m.before i take them out. if the dish is empty, shirley takes it to the grass, telling me she wants to eat.I think if I didn't find Cesar when shirely was a puppy,she would have taken over, but they eat together nicely & I can take the food away,
boots gives up rawhide chews to shirley, so I don't know if I need to change the feeding routine, as we do make them "work" for treats.

Bootmutt, What an excellent post!!! Made me wanna watch the People Training for Dogs DVD again LOL!! I haven't watched it in a long time. I think the things you just said were beautiful. And you know what dog spells backwards?!

Mochaccino,

I agree with the other formerly posted suggestions:
You have a puppy.
You have an Aussie mix puppy.
Aussies are herding dogs.
Herding dogs nip,
they nip for a reason,
they are bred to nip.
My own dog is half Aussie, half heeler. We went through a very energetic nipping puppy phase but we survived it.
My point is that based on what the dog is and was created for, these are instinctive traits. With puppies, and especially herding breed puppies, you curb nipping and teach bite inhibition by screeching "ouch" much the way a puppy that was nipped to hard by a littermate would yelp, and remove your hand. You stop whatever fun, play or game was going on when the nipping happened and you walk away. Puppy has to get the message that nipping is not acceptable and causes the fun, attention and affection to screech to a halt. That's what a pup in a litter would do if bitten to hard "I don't want to play anymore, you play too rough." It takes a while to get the point across, but if you consistently react this way every time you are nipped, whether it's a hard, painful nip or just mouthing, it will pay off. My dog is almost 3 now and we've just acquired another puppy and are starting all over again. Our "problem" at present is that my DH allows the mouthing if it doesn't hurt while I do not tolerate any type of mouthing, biting or chewing on my hands/arms at all. So the pup is learning who bends the rules and who doesn't...sigh...Cesar needs to write a book on relationships...

Anyway. Good luck with the pup. Be patient. Try treating it like a puppy and not an older dog. After all 13-15 weeks is still very young and the dog is only beginning to react to the instincts bred into it. The mouthing and chewing phase has only just begun and teething pups mouth and chew for the first 14 months of their life. Some say 4months and again at 8 months...but it depends on the dog, really...

Just try to remember that nipping is what the dog would be doing to the heels of livestock, were it a working dog- especially when it starts going after your pants leg! That was the worst to deal with, IMO, but we survived, and Cesar was new to the dog world at that time! I did it without his books, dvds, etc... I had just started watching the show, so it helped me know what not to do in the future in certain situations but...puppy raising wasn't covered much at that time.

Also, you might try redirectin your pup's attention to a fetch-and-retrieve game; and don't play tug-of-war!

Margaret, sorry I missed the part about her not going near other dogs. Wish I had that problem (LOL just kidding! -- my dogs will do ANYTHING to get near another dog!LOL!). I think you just have to keep socializing her around other dogs as much as possible. Don't force her, let them sniff her and she will eventually sniff them (it's only natural), but try to expose her to situations where there are other dogs (and people) as often as possible. This was a tragic mistake I made -- I did not socialize my second dog enough, and he is very aggressive toward other dogs and scared of people, mainly men. I should have exposed him to a lot of social situations, but I didn't, and now I am paying the price -- I have a flipped out, afraid dog. I try to expose him to situations now, but it is really difficult because he is so strong. So, I find myself wishing I were in your shoes because at least I'd only have one dog, and I wouldn't be risking my own personal injury trying to socialize her. The grass is always greener on the other side!

Bootsmutt,

I really enjoyed your post..I got the same thing out of it as you did! It changed my world to realize I was treating my dogs as people and thinking that was a good thing! But, having learned the lessons from Cesar and understanding dog psychology I learned I was being unfair to treat a dog like a person. I know somehow the concept of that has got twisted to mean that if you treat a dog like a dog that somehow that's cruel, but THEY ARE NOT fulfilled if we do that! Some people might take that as a green light to stick their dog in the back yard and throw some food at it and think they're doing good. That's why understanding the CORRECT meaning of treating our dogs like dogs is so vitally important.

I have a neighbor who has two full bred Corgis that he built a kennel for, got one of those radio fences and thinks his dogs are "fine"...his word.
They bark and howl day and night from boredom, he sticks them in the garage at night...what a horrible way to live. I offered to walk his dogs for him, but he said..no, that's okay..they're "fine"...grrrrrr.

So, learning to treat a dog like a dog doesn't mean that kind of treatment...for this I'm all the more grateful for Cesar's teachings.

I love how God uses His creations to teach us so many things. It's my opinion that dogs are His finest example of the kind of love He gives us..."Un-Conditional"!!

KCC,

"That’s a terrible life for herding dogs to live. Some people and their inadequacy to realize that the fact that a dog is “small” doesn’t mean it needs less activity or training!"

You're so right! I will NEVER understand why people get dogs and then doom them to a life like these two dogs have to live.
I keep trying to comfort myself with the fact that at least they have each other, though these guy told me they tend to fight...well, DUH!
I even told him the barking doesn't bother me in the sense of the noise they generate, but that it BROKE MY HEART to listen to them knowing they were profoundly unhappy!! That didn't make a difference either...I still hear them bark and howl...poor guys they had to be saddled with stupid people.

thank you pam. I am considering giving it a try.