Welcome to PackLife K-9 Behavior Solutions

Aggression is easily the most misunderstood of all bad behaviors because of our natural fear around the primal side of our pets. Dogs can become aggressive for many reasons but rarely is the intent to do harm. Most of the bad fights and attacks are a direct result of a human trying to stop or breakup a normal ritual between overly excited dogs. Connect a dog to a tense or nervous human through a leash and the chances of an aggressive display increase ten fold.

The red zone is when a dog has reached the level of aggression where there is a serious and prolonged intent to harm or kill that is directed towards humans, dogs or other animals. Excited, insecure, dominant dogs of any breed, mixed with a nervous human can be a recipe of behavioral disaster that leads to the red zone.

Red zone cases can be difficult to help because the human has to be willing to make changes in themselves. If you are someone who is willing to work on personal growth, I can help you with your dog’s aggression. Just because they bite does not mean its over and if you understand your role you can change the message you have been sending.

Let me break down and determine the true cause of your dog's aggressive behaviors. Once we know why she bites we can put a plan in place and start with the basics. There is a good chance your dog is simply misunderstood, and I truly feel all dogs have a chance regardless of what others may have told you.

Dominance is a tough energy to work with because as the saying goes, “Your dog knows what you know, and they know what you don’t know.” Dominant dogs are quite aware of what you don’t know, so to gain control you must act as if you know more than them.

The phrase act as if is the foundation of working with dominance. You must act as if you know what you are doing at all times so you can be trusted to lead. You have no lee-way. Remember, your dog already thinks he knows what is best for you, so he needs some powerful indications that you can handle things.

Dominance is projected in different ways but it always has an element of control to it. It is a strong energy, driven by instinct, that tells the dog to always make decisions for those in the immediate environment. Teaching rules to dominant dogs can only happen if your ability to lead is greater than theirs, so I teach a method that is based more in structure and routine than physical challenge.

Many of you who think your dogs are dominant are only partially correct. Most of your dogs have a very high energy level known as excited dominance or anxious dominance. These are dogs who feel dominant more from human influence than instinct. Dogs with this energy are the ones at the park leaving a trail of destruction behind them. This is why I generally stay away from parks.

To help dominance you must rely heavily on the fundamentals of structure and exercise. You must be a leader so the first thing is to master the walk. The walk burns energy, but more importantly it puts your dog in a follower position. The more you lead your dog on walks the more you are seen as a leader.

After walking it’s all about structure. Since dominance controls movement you must control ALL the movement of your dog. Going from the living room to the back yard is a decision your dog can make if they are not in a crate or small restricted space. Making this decision tells him it’s okay to make others and making decisions is a leaders job.

Keep it simple. Focus on walks, plenty of structure and more guidance than affection. Dominance can be challenging but it can also be rewarding. Gaining the trust and respect from one of natures leaders is a primal experience one must experience to appreciate and understand.
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Leadership

At this point in your training you may have realized how tough leadership can truly be. The consistency and control needed of your emotions can seem beyond reach for many. I am here to tell you that everyone has the ability to become a leader. The only limitations you have to becoming the best pack leader you can, are the limits you put on yourself. Leaders don't quit. Dogs (and humans) instinctually recognize leadership because it's natures projection of balance.

Definition of leadership: Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent.

~If you make decisions for others then you have power but may not be a leader. Parents, teachers, managers, coaches, CEO's and politicians are all examples of those who have power over others, but as we all know may not have what it takes to lead those they control.

~Leaders use calm, assertive energy at all times. This energy is applied consistently, patiently and fairly to all members of the pack.

~A leader's best interest must always be for the good of the pack. Self-serving energy is not balanced and will always create ripples in the pack.

~Leadership is based on trust and respect. There can be no respect without trust.

~The primary tools of leadership are energy and discipline. Effective discipline applied properly, with a calm energy, uses consequences when rules are broken, not frustration. If you get frustrated as a leader you are communicating a lack of control to the pack.

~Discipline with calm energy is understood and effective. Discipline with unstable energy is punishment. Punishment is control out of fear. If your pack fears you they will do just enough not to get punished. If your pack respects you they will go beyond what is expected to help advance the good of the pack.

~All members of the pack must follow the rules. All members of the pack must be disciplined for breaking the rules...no exceptions. It is vital to understand each pack members sensitivity to discipline. Too much pressure makes that member not trust you. Not enough pressure and that member does not respect you.

~All leaders set clear rules and boundaries that are understood, and always enforced.

~Communication breakdowns are the number one reason relationships fail. Communication includes your actions. Actions speak much louder than words so be mindful of what your actions communicate to the pack.

~Leadership is a culture that starts at the top. If leaders don't guide the pack and set examples, you can't expect the pack to follow.

Principles of Leadership

Self Awareness
A leader understands how they are effected by their emotions and how that impacts those around them

Competency
A leader must understand their role and duties as well as have an understanding of what duties each pack member is to perform.

Personal and Professional Responsibility
As a leader you are ultimately responsible for the packs success and failures. Don't criticize or point fingers. Make adjustments and move on.

Sound Decision Maker
As a leader you must make the best decision possible for the pack based on the information available at the time. Be timely and thoughtful, never hasty.

Lead by Example
Pack culture starts at the top. As a leader you are looked to as the ultimate example of what is expected. Act irresponsible and you lose respect. Without respect you can not have trust.

Create Pack Cohesion
Know the members of your pack. Leaders nurture good behaviors with positive reinforcement. Only pointing out the bad keeps the bad alive. Leaders must recognize when the pack is performing well and praise accordingly.
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Fear/Insecurity

The second most common issue I deal with is fearful and/or insecure dogs. Fear usually originates from a lack of exposure and socialization. From there humans get involved and the result can be devastating.

The most common ways humans try to help fearful dogs is with sympathy and affection. Whatever gets affection gets repeated so telling a fearful dog “it’s okay,” in a soft affectionate tone is only telling him it’s okay to be afraid. The other thing we like to do is focus on the story of why they may be fearful. Oh my, Taxi (real dog, true story, read testimonial by Janet Malloy) had been thrown in a lake to drown by a mean man and now he hates people so much he bit the nice man who saved him!

Now the story is true but Taxi’s mind doesn’t work like ours and he has no conscious recollection of his past. The symptoms and associations of his past lingered until I helped him move forward with structure and balance, not affection and sympathy. Sharing the energy of Taxi’s past will keep it in the present. Every time his story is told Taxi feels a sadness in the room, and after a while he would simply associate humans with weakness and continue to be wary of them. The recipe to help fear is the same as for aggression it just needs to be applied with a softer touch. An exercised dog with structure and discipline quickly becomes confident because they no longer have the responsibility of being in charge. It’s like I say during my consultations, “dogs are barely qualified to work in the mail room, yet we make them CEO.”

I will set up the structure and teach you how to bring out the confidence in your dog. Dogs have an amazing ability to move forward from the past but they need our help. It’s not hard but it does take time. I can help no matter how intense or permanent the behaviors may seem. Please call today to free your dog from her mental prison.
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Dogs have no concept of manners so they only know what we teach them. Dogs won’t sit when company arrives unless they are taught how because they naturally get excited when a new member joins the pack, so proper greeting rules must be set and enforced on a consistent basis.

The best way to teach manners is by first coming up with a plan. Get the family together and set the rules that you know you can consistently reinforce. Pick one or two things at a time and go to work. If you don’t want her on the furniture she must be removed EVERY TIME she jumps on it. You must always practice so it makes sense to your dog.

The phrase “I know my dog knows what I want” can only be said if you spend time every day clearly teaching her what you want. Rules and manners are easy if you are seen as a pack leader. Your dog’s instinct tells him to follow whatever the leader wants...you just have to know how to ask. Let me teach you how to ask for what you want.
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Teaching a dog how to behave on a walk is very much like teaching them manners in the house. You have to set rules and boundaries that you enforce calmly and consistently each and every walk. The most important rule is where your dog is placed during the walk. If your dog pulls or is out in front then you area follower and can’t make rules for him. Keeping your dog next to or behind you makes him a follower, so you can set rules like no aggression.

There are a number of different collars and tools that are designed to help the human better control the dog. Most of them work to some degree and I have my favorites but leash control comes down to a couple of basic rules that work on every dog. If the rules are not followed I can assure you that every walk you take with your dog is reinforcing their leadership position. That makes you a follower and dogs don’t listen to followers.

Leash aggression comes from the above mentioned lack of control mixed with a weak emotion like nervousness, tension or excitement. If your dog is walking in front of you and another dog approaches it is his job to make a safety decision about the other dog. Is it safe? Is it dangerous? Now add a touch of human tension as you pull back on the leash to tell your dog “leave that dog alone,” and what you really said was “That dog is making me nervous, so do something.” Now he sees it as dangerous because he thinks you see it as dangerous. He listens to your request and barks at the dog in an attempt to chase him away. Since you don’t want your dog barking at other dogs you now try to “control” him by yanking on the leash, while adding “no” “no” “quiet” “sit” “sit” “no.” Your freak out only reinforces to your dog that other dogs make you out of control. Don’t worry mom, your dog thinks, I will keep all those scary dogs away from us. This is how we inadvertently train our dogs to be leash aggressive!

~Leash control starts the second you touch the leash. If your dog normally gets excited when the leash comes out you need to wait until they are calm before you put the leash on. Don't add to the excitement with your voice by asking them if they want to go on a walk. They do. You may even want to take the leashes out, set them down and go do something for a minute or two to let them calm down before hooking them up.

~If your walk starts at a doorway it's vital that you go out the door first. If you put your dog in a sit and they are zoned on something outside, that does not count. I want the dog relaxed and I only want them to walk across the doorway after you have walked through, and they follow slowly and calmly. If they rush through you need to start over.

~Don't worry about how far you will be going. If you only have 45 minutes and it takes 40 minutes to properly get out the door then there are 5 minutes left to work on the walk. The discipline involved in a new process like this is burning large amounts of mental energy so they are getting a workout that will make them tired.

~Now that you are outside you need to get yourself ready for a relaxed, controlled walk. Take a few deep breaths, shake out any tension in your hands, arms and shoulders and picture what you want. You want to lead your dog so project that in your mind. Hold your head high, pull your shoulders back and begin. A good tip is to look at the tree tops or clouds to keep your head high. Makes you look confident.

~Most likely your dog will rush out in front of you if that is what they normally do. What I want you to do, is take a step and stop. Don't yank on the leash or do anything else. All you need to do is take a step, stop, and the dog will get to the end of the leash and self correct. Now guide her back to your side, wait until she is calm, lift your head, shake out any tension, take another step and repeat.

~If you only take one step and then put her where you want her and repeat this she will start to figure out exactly what you want her to do. You must be patient and consistent for this to work.

~As she starts to figure things out and she stays by your side you can start walking and taking more steps. This is her reward for following. If her collar moves past your leg I want you to give a slight correction or snap of the leash that is perpendicular to her body or straight up. Never pull back. If she falls back behind you great, she understands. If she continues out in front you need to stop, guide her back, get her calm and continue.

~For every 15-20 minutes on the walk you should give them 5 minutes of free time for going to the bathroom and sniffing around. Its a thank you for following.

~When you return home you should pick up their water bowl, empty it out, fill it with fresh water and place it down in front of them. You are now a provider. If the water is there when they get home they just think it appears. Water is an important resource to a dog, let them know you supply it.

Teaching your dog how to properly walk with you takes time but the payoff is huge. Walks become relaxing, enjoyable and a bonding experience you will look forward to each day. The pack must journey so get out and walk your dog(s).
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Separation anxiety is really common and almost every dog I board or rehab has separation anxiety on some level. The good news is they all get through it with a little help.

If you dog is suffering from separation anxiety the reason goes much deeper than them simply missing you and may be based on a breakdown of fundamentals. This is an unhealthy, unbalanced behavior that has symptoms ranging from mild whining to outright panic. The cause is usually a combination of things but leadership definitely plays a role. Instinct tells a pack leader to control the comings and goings of the pack. Separating the pack without the permission of a dog who believes they are in charge can set off a panic response. These are usually the most severe cases and dogs have even been known to jump through windows to reunite the pack. Extremes like these demonstrate how powerful instinct is in influencing your dog's behaviors.

There are many different ways to help with separation anxiety and no two dogs respond the same to any given method. Some dogs respond to positive reinforcement while others need corrections. You cab go out the front door and return 5 seconds later through the back or do something as simple as give them a bone when you leave. The dog just needs to know the pack always reunites and he can usually learn to settle down.

I will help you get through this by discovering the cause of your dog’s separation anxiety so we can find the best method to help her become peaceful and calm when you are away.
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There are a couple of fundamentals to follow when adding a new dog to your pack that will make all the difference in how smooth the meeting goes. I am going to assume there is only one other dog in the house for this and will give more details later. It is always best to look at a few basics like sex, energy level and age to understand how your current dog is seeing things.

-If you have a male you should look at adding a female and vice versa. The reason choosing opposite sex is important is because there is a more natural order and problems are less likely. Female on female can be some of the most intense behavior there is. Chick fights can be crazy!!

-The new dog should be a lower energy level than your current dog. The energy level is important because it shows respect to your current dog. If your dog is six years old and kind of mellow and you get a ten month old boxer it's not a good match. It's like bringing a ten year old to a retirement community.

-The new dog should be slightly older than your current dog. If your dog is 2-5 years old you should get a dog that is about 3-6 years. This helps keep the energy level equal and it increases the chance of the dogs getting along. Don't get a dog with the idea it will help your puppy figure things out. This is only the case if the older dog is balanced.

-Getting a second dog to keep a current dog company is not a good reason. That usually tells me the current dog is acting up and you think a new dog will occupy him when you are not home. If you do not have control of your current dog and you get a second dog you will most likely end up with two dogs you can't control.

Once they are in a submissive state of mind (ears back and calm) I let them go through the brief ritual of greeting. I am looking for mutual body language and dogs who are equally interested in meeting one another. I let them do this for 15 seconds and then I keep walking. If either of them gets excited I stop the meeting and start walking. I will repeat it again and again until they are comfortable with one another.

This ritual is important because it helps the new dog see you as a leader from the moment he meets you and tells your current dog you have control of the new dog. You can essentially tell him anything you want from that point forward if you take your time and follow this process.
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Feeding a healthy, balanced diet will have a significant impact on your dog's overall health and well being. The trouble comes from finding consistent information that can help guide your decisions. It seems everyone has a different opinion of what the best approach is, and I am going to add one more. I am not telling you this is the best way to feed you dog, but it is the way I feed mine.

The reason I chose to explore options other than processed foods is that I don't eat much processed food myself. It was after research on the ingredients that I realized how unhealthy much of the current products were. Studies have shown that urinary tract disease, kidney disease, dental problems, obesity, allergies and chronic digestive problems are all associated with diet. The source, quality and type of ingredients are often to blame.

Feeding your dog a good diet is easy, inexpensive and could save his life. There are many recipes that work and you can try different combos of ingredients to keep things new. I mix the fresh ingredients listed below with the Natural Balance Fish and Sweet Potato formula. I use the kibble to help clean teeth and keep costs down.

Below is a list of different ingredients that can be used to feed you dog. You should pick a protein, a carbohydrate and veggies to mix together. Mix in some fruit from time to time as well as a vitamin supplement. I cook the meats but there are plenty of dog owners who prefer the raw natural diet. This means the meats are uncooked and served raw. The only obstacle with this method is keeping the food safe from contamination. Use the same rules as for your own food and you will be okay. I have fed raw chicken to my dogs with great success. The bones are incredibly healthy for them as long as they are raw. Never give a cooked bone to your dog. Always consult your vet before changing your dog's diet but keep one thing in mind. Your vet received very little primary training on diet, and many schools allow pet food manufacturers to do the educating, so inquire about their nutritional background and ask lots of questions.