As a professional dog trainer, I sometimes have to deliver news that clients aren’t eager to hear. One of the most difficult things to impress upon some people is that training is a process, and sometimes it’s a long one. We live in a world of instant access to information, sound bites and instant gratification. We’re increasingly expected to accomplish more tasks more quickly at work, sometimes all at the same time. We’re all busy. It’s no wonder that so many people want their dogs to master basic obedience immediately, or want behavior modification to happen overnight.

Puppy Vinnie behind baby gates

Without this understanding folks become frustrated and upset with their animals, their relationships with their pets suffer, and often, so do the pets. The rowdy adolescent dog is banished to a yard or basement. The avid barker gets a shock collar. The anxious submissive urinator is given to a shelter.

Believe me, I empathize with how exasperating it can be to live with a pet who has an ongoing behavioral issue. For the past two years, my home has been divided into feline and canine zones separated by baby gates. Ever since we adopted Vinnie at the age of 4 months, in true herding dog style he’s been compelled to chase my cat, Ted. Ted, always a nervous skittish guy, has been compelled to run from Vinnie. You see the dilemma? A dog who simply must chase a fleeing critter. A cat who simply must flee from the dog. Definitely not an ideal combination.

It’s been a challenge preventing Vinnie from having opportunities to chase Ted, supervising closely whenever we allow them to be in the same room together, and making sure Ted’s quality of life continues to be good now that he no longer has free run of the house. A certain undercurrent of tension stems from having to negotiate and manage all the pets’ interactions with each other.

Ted in the sunshine

It’s been a long-term project to train Vinnie to focus on and come to me when he sees Ted instead of chasing him. Very often it’s felt like one step forward and two steps back. However, more and more often these days I’m reminded that though training is sometimes a long process, if you stick with it, it’s a process that yields positive results. Behaviors can indeed be modified. Some behaviors just take longer to change than others.

I’ll never forget the night that a once-seemingly unbelievable scene first unfolded before my eyes. Picture this: me sitting on the floor of my living room. To my right was Ted, rolling around with his favorite catnip mouse. Not six feet away lay Vinnie happily playing with his blanket. I looked back and forth at each of them, unable to completely take it in.

Was I dreaming? Could it be possible that I was sitting there with both of my pets in the same room just a few feet apart, and we were all basically. . . FINE?

Sure, both animals were keeping an eye on each other. But they weren’t focused on each other. They were relaxed. There was no conflict. There was no chase. I was overjoyed.

Even now as I write about that night, I get chills. For all the times we had setbacks, for all the times it felt like we’d reached a stalemate, for all the times I was ready to give up on training and resign myself to living permanently in a Cold War-like home, we’d been making progress. It was incremental, it was slow, but the overall trend was upward and positive.

That first night was no fluke. My critters co-exist tolerantly more and more of the time. Vinnie and Ted may never be friends. But they’re well on their way to becoming peaceful housemates thanks to the training process.

∞

An earlier version of this article first appeared in www.InCirclePets.com.

My dog Vinnie is a young Kelpie mix we adopted when he was a wee 4 months old. We’ve never had his DNA tested but I’d bet my last dollar he’s all herding mutt. He’s got the high energy, drive and smarts of a herding dog. And over the summer, he passed his herding instinct test with flying colors.

Vin checks out a dog park

Given his often maniacal energy, getting him plenty of off-leash exercise every day is a top priority at my place. Vin needs lots of room to run and play with other dogs or he makes his own fun in our home, usually in ways we don’t appreciate.

Thanks to Vinnie we’ve explored loads of off-leash spots in San Francisco. Here are his top 5 favorite play areas in no particular order. Four paws up for every one!

1. Fort Funston. Whether you choose to wander the trails and hike the dunes, or head all the way down to the beach, this is an enormous slice of doggy heaven. It’s a wonderful place for humans to visit too. While dogs galore race all about, you can admire gorgeous coastal views, check out weekend hang gliders, scout out sand dollars on the beach or watch for wildlife. I’ve spotted hawks, whales and dolphins here! This place is so big that you can’t see it all in a single visit. Visit often and choose a different route each time. You’ll feel like you escaped the City and your dog will adore you for it. A solid recall is a must as this “park” is unfenced. There are doggy water fountains on the main paved trail and in the parking lot.


Glorious leash-free Ocean Beach

2. Ocean Beach. You may not realize it, but two stretches of Ocean Beach are open to leash-free pooches. They are the area south of Sloat Boulevard and a much larger area north of Stairwell 21. The larger area is Vinnie’s favorite because there’s loads of room to break into a full out gallop. This beach is unfenced so make sure your dog is trained to come to you when you call him. Bring your own water and some for your pup as there are no water fountains.
3. Upper Douglass Dog Park. This park is tucked into the hills overlooking Noe Valley at Douglass and 27th. It’s fenced except for the narrow entrance. Besides a large flat 3-acre grassy field, there are steep rocky outcroppings at one end of the park where nimble and fleet-footed canines scramble up and down. Hike a hidden trail that ascends the rocks in one corner and weaves among the tall trees overlooking the park, and you’ll feel like you’re in a forest, far from the City. Big rocks and tree logs make nice spots to perch while your pooch plays. This park has a dog water fountain. The City and Bay views from just outside the park are lovely.

4. St. Mary’s Dog Park. If your dog is still honing his recall skills, this park’s for him. It’s fully-fenced so you can relax, big enough for chase, fetch and frisbee, but not so big that you won’t be able to find him. You won’t find gravel or hard-packed dirt here. Most of the park is lush grass where dogs love to roll and frolick. Shrubbery and trees create natural hide-and-seek pockets for dogs who are so inclined. This park is located at Murray Avenue & Justin Drive and has a dog water fountain.
5. Stern Grove. Many people don’t realize that Stern Grove’s not just for humans. It’s got a couple of leash-free dog parks. The best and largest is the Pine Lake play area, located off of Crestlake and Vale in San Francisco. At 3.3 acres,it never feels crowded even though it’s heavily-used by dogs in the know. A paved path that loops around the huge grassy expanse provides a nice jogging or walking route and a welcome alternative to standing around while your dog plays. This park’s not enclosed, but it sits in a deep natural valley and is far enough from streets that you needn’t worry about your dog running into traffic. There are two dog water fountains and free parking in the adjoining lot.

If you’ve never visited these parks, get out there now while the days are still on the longer side. Don’t forget to take poop bags. And if there are other “4 paw” SF dog parks your pooch loves, by all means, post a comment and let us know about it.

If you’re about to adopt your very first dog, you’re probably a little overwhelmed at the variety of dog stuff out there on the market. Every toy, collar, and chewie out there screams, “If you buy nothing else, buy me!”

Hopefully this post is about to make things easier for you. Read on for a list of Top New Dog Gear You Didn’t Know You Needed.

I’m not talking about obvious stuff like food and water bowls, grooming equipment or health care supplements your vet should tell you about. This list is for the things you may not have thought of, but will make your life with a new dog easier in countless ways:

1. Non-retractable leash. Retractable leashes give your dog plenty of room to wander, but in busy urban areas, a non-retractable leash is safest and easiest to manage. It’s also the easiest type of leash to work with when teaching Rover leash manners.
2. Front-clip Anti-Pull Harness. Accept no imitations or wanna-bes. True anti-pull harnesses attach to the leash by a ring located at the center of Rover’s chest. It’s this mechanism that reduces pulling on leash and Iditarod behavior. I like the SENSE-ation and SENSE-ible Harnesses made by Softouch Concepts. Premier makes the anti-pull Easy Walk Harness.
3. Bitter Apple. This non-toxic harmless spray is a great aid in training Rover what’s OK to chew and what isn’t. I’ve sprayed it on wood furniture, fabric and carpets, and never had a problem with staining. Dogs don’t like the smell so they naturally avoid surfaces sprayed with Bitter Apple.
4. Anti-Icky Poo. This cleaner contains enzymes that eat the bacterial residue indoor potty accidents leave behind. It’s essential for potty training your new dog. The enzymes remove any trace of the pee, poop or vomit, making it less likely that your pet will be attracted to the same spot for additional potty events.
5. Crate. Yes, you can train Rover to like hanging out and sleeping in his crate. If you’re wondering why you’d bother, there are a host of reasons. The crate is an invaluable tool for potty-training. It doubles as a secure spot for Rover to sleep. You’ll know he’s safe and your house and belongings are safe from him, so you’ll sleep better. A crate also makes a safe and handy carrier for car rides. It should be big enough for Rover to stand comfortably, turn around and lie down in. A thick fluffy blanket makes the crate comfy and warm.
6. Microchip. Dogs get lost. Dogs have a higher chance of making it back home when they can be easily identified and linked to their humans. Microchips injected under Rover’s skin provide a permanent form of ID. When your lost pet is picked up by local animal shelters, the first thing they’ll do is scan him for microchip information. Talk to your vet about microchipping and remember to keep your registration and contact info current.
7. Safe travel gear. The vast majority of our nation’s pets travel unrestrained in vehicles. Not only are they at risk of death/serious injury in a crash, they can become life-threatening projectiles in collisions, and can slow rescuers’ efforts to help other passengers. As if that weren’t enough, unrestrained Rovers can cause accidents by blocking a driver’s view or disiracting drivers. There are all sorts of vehcile pet barriers, crate restraints, and seat belts on the market. BarkBuckleUp reviews and recommends safe pet travel gear.
8. Waste bags. Scoop Rover’s poop. It’s smelly, unsightly, and unhygienic to have around. It attracts vermin and hosts parasites. Not scooping the poop gives all dogs and their people a bad name.
9. Portable baby gates/dividers. These are indispensable when teaching Rover house manners. Portable gates/dividers make it easy to section off a doggy-proofed area of the home that will be Rover’s den until he learns proper house manners.
10. Say it isn’t so. I’m already at 10! This is a tough one and I’m torn between food puzzle toys, long term chewable treats, and enrollment in a positive reinforcement training class. This is a trainer’s blog though so I must go with the positive training class enrollment. Don’t wait for bad habits to set in. Those are hard to change. It’s so much easier to teach Rover polite manners from the get go. Too often, dogs are abandoned or relinquished at shelters for “behavioral problems” that could have been avoided or modified through positive training. The vast majority of those animals are euthanized. Do yourself and Rover a favor. Train him positively, and train him early.

Have fun shopping for your furry friend! And congratulations on your new addition!