Happy Paws

As a business woman and as a dog trainer one of the best ways to strengthen my abilities is surround myself in the company of other passionate pet business owners.

Having someone who I can bounce ideas off of or pull knowledge from can be an invaluable resource in my field. I also believe in sharing our skills and support with others who want to be trainers or groomers, many of you know several times a year I will take on a mentee so that I can teach more people about positive reinforcement dog training methodology, client relationships, breed awareness, etc. I'm always incredibly proud to see one of my students succeed, canine or human; it's an uplifting experience.

Recently I had the huge honor of attending a meeting of other professional trainers in Atlanta.  They came from all around the country as far south as Hawaii and as far north as Alaska!
It was the first time I'd ever been asked to sit in while training methodology and practices were discussed at length by those who spearheaded the positive reinforcement methodology movement for my colleagues and I.  
I have to say I was giddy to finally meet them as many of these people wrote the books I studied from in College, or the ones I read from now to keep my skills sharp and my company growing.

During the meeting several topics were covered under the formal agenda and each of them  would be followed by focus group-like forum for attendees to talk on treatment plans, questions, and I was able to offer advice on specific test cases used as examples. To date, I think this has to be one of the most exciting of my career as a Dog Trainer. Hearing all these well seasoned trainers who make my 9 years of training look like childs play offering thoughts and techniques was truly inspiring and invigorating. 

After the meeting a mini-conference followed where individual specialists would speak on things like canine geneticism, canine husbandry and rehabilitation, all the way through to some of my core values in understanding wolf behavior and characteristics to name a few of the chosen topics.

My mentor trainer Mary Livingston, was one of the guest speakers at the conference and spoke on several of the wolf-based topics.  It was wonderful to see her after several years and having time to catch up and learn about how things have been going at the wolf rehab/preserve in Ketchican, AK.
I found out several of the wolves I helped raised in the 2009 are now part of a healthy breeding program to help protect the dying numbers of gray and artic wolves.  Also, each of the four rescued pups we got the day before I began working there were re-released into the wild and are being tracked via transmitter to collect data on feeding schedules and pack movement beyond the preserve.  

I got to go to four of the lectures but had to change my plans a bit because shortly after the conference began everyone became ill with some awful achey, fever based illness.  But hey, before that I learned a bunch!

I will also have recordings of all the lectures I missed via Itunes for several months, so really I didn't miss a thing. Gotta love technology!

At any rate... I can't wait to share all this great energy with my clients when I start work back on Monday!

How to teach your puppy to "come" when called.

This is a life saving cue and the sooner you teach a solid "come" to a dog the better your chances are of avoiding a tragic situation.

It's a very simple cue to teach but often it's one we stop practicing too quickly and then loses it's effectiveness over time.

A few rules: If your dog doesn't immediately come when called don't be discouraged, just continue to encourage him to head in your direction using your voice, Fido will get the idea.

Never, ever, rep-remand your dog or puppy if he runs off and you finally get him. This is a common mistake many owners make out of frustration and sometimes fear for the dog in times of stress. Take a deep breath and remember, the moment you get angry with your dog when he finally does come or you finally get him you're going to blow up, thereby teaching him to avoid coming toward you the next time, for fear of the same reaction.

If Fido runs off, just collect him as quickly as you can and try to remain calm.

To teach your "come" cue, start with a few treats in your hand and a six foot leash.

Attach the leash to your puppy and begin by asking your puppy to "sit". Then say his name and your cue "Buddy Come!" (only say come once) and then immediately begin to encourage him to walk in your direction by patting your leg, and saying things like " hurry hurry!" to coax him, if he doesn't move right away begin gently pulling him toward you.

For every step he makes on his own praise him as if he's bringing a million dollars in with him, the more excited you are the faster he will run!

As soon as he reaches you give him a good rub down and a few treats. Praise him to excess! Since this cue can save your dog's life I feel that there is no amount of praise that is too much to reward him for returning when you call.

Once your puppy learns to come when called you can practice calling him in your home off leash and on a longer line outside or in fenced in areas to increase distractions and strengthen the cue.

On Monday December 19th at 10:58 a.m. I had to say goodbye to my eldest dog, the one who started it all, Brinkley.

I felt the best way to honor his memory would be to share his story as it is so tightly woven into every fiber of the business I have today.

I tell many clients, "Before I was a trainer, I was in the exact same spot as you, an owner, looking for healthy solutions for my dog's countless issues" , and when I say this, I'm always referring to my first dog. As most of you know, I've always had a soft spot for my rescues, and especially for breeds most people label "difficult", and Brink was no different. A little Miniature Pinscher with a BIG personality...

We were an instant team, and in alot of ways he was the perfect dog. Loyal and loving, bright eyed and bushy tailed ready for play time with personality to spare. But life before I adopted him had not been as kind. He was kept in a crate 24/7, forcing him to soil the tiny crate he slept in. He had never been around other people or other dogs, and his owner at the time only bothered to let him out of the crate long enough to beat him.

When he came to me he had been labeled "damaged" and had two broken ribs, as well as 6 fully rotted out teeth from malnutrition.but he simply couldn't handle the stress associated with me leaving him for any period of time. He suffered from severe separation anxiety, far worse than I had ever seen before, or since. He would defecate on himself if you left him alone, constantly soiling and destroying whatever he had been contained in. On top of that he was highly aggressive to anyone who entered his home and if we tried containing him he would just bark for hours until he was hoarse. It was tragic to see an animal battle with such stress, so I sought out every behaviorist, trainer, vet, friend, relative, forum, anything and everything I could think of to find a permanent, lasting solution.

In the end, nothing anyone could tell me offered us any relief. It was through this desperation that I began to trust my own instincts when it came to training a dog with such unique needs. I took one day at a time, working to desensitize him, socialize him, build up his confidence so that he could finally relax and just be a lazy lap dog, and I'm glad to say it worked. So well in fact that he received his AKC Canine Good Citizen Award exactly 2 years after I adopted him; one of his many accomplishments during our time together.

In the coming years he would become my greatest personal training victory. I regularly used him as an Ambassador for rescue outreach, speaking engagements, training seminars, classes, to raise awareness against animal cruelty and to promote rescue and adoption. So many amazing dogs have been saved because of his selfless dedication to me, his Master.

I'm grateful for the 10 years I shared with Brinkley as I experienced so many firsts. My first love, first year of college, my first apartment, he was there every step of the way serving as a constant source of inspiration and companionship. He was as much a part of my life as any relative, or friend. I'm thankful to him for that and the limitless love we both so fiercely protected.

There is nothing quite like the love of a dog, it is something of exquisite beauty, respect, and loyalty that truly knows no bounds.

Brinkley 1995-2011

"Always by my side, always in my heart" R.I.P.

We're expanding our service area!

Effective immediately we will be offering dog training classes to the following areas:

Feel free to give us a call to get your dog or puppy started today! 770-876-7678
And, as always, we come to your home! 

We offer: Basic Obedience, Puppy 101, Behavior Evaluation, Behavior Modification, Aggression Treatment, Trick Training, AKC Canine Good Citizen Prepatory class, Private in-home classes, Trainer drop-in classes, Consultations, and more!

We accept: Cash, Checks, Visa & Mastercard

 Argyle, Bartonville,Bedford, Carruth, Copper Canyon, Carrollton, Coppell, Corinth, Corral City, Colleyville, Carruth Estates, Denton,  Double Oak, Elizabethtown, Euless, Farmer's Branch, Flower Mound, Frisco, Grapevine, Harvest Ridge, Hickory Creek, Highland Oaks, Highland Village, Keller,Lake Dallas, Lewisville, Little Elm, Marshall Creek, Northlake, North Richland Hills, Oak Point, Parkview, Roanoke, Shady Shores, Southlake, Summerbrook, Taylor Oaks, The Colony, Trophy Club and Valley Ranch.

-Mallery Bosworth, ABCDT.
Owner / Master Trainer of Happy Paws Dog Training Services LLC.

Here's some training tips to keep you warmed up for the season!


(Tucker Fedoryshyn pictured above in his Christmas best!) 

Q. How important is it to socialize your puppy?
A. Properly socializing your puppy during his formative months is crucial to healthy emotional growth. Most dogs that are anxious or aggressive in most cases weren’t well socialized as puppies. Exposure and experience will build up your dog’s confidence and allow him remain calm and relaxed in our more complex, human world.
Begin socializing your puppy once he has completed the parvovirus and distemper shot series as this will protect him from fatal illness. Remember, proper socialization goes far beyond meeting other dogs and will require exposing Fido to varying sounds, objects, places, and people. This will give him the opportunity to develop confidence and build a history of relaxed responses to new things.

Q. How do I get my dog to come when I call him?
A. Many owners struggle to retrieve their dog at a park or in their neighborhood.
Teaching your dog to come when called can be a life saving skill and one that should be practiced often.
The reason your dog doesn’t want to come when you call is because he’s figured out it’s way more fun and rewarding for him to avoid you. So make it fun to come to you! Practice hiding in different spots of your house and calling your dog. Use an excited tone and tell Fido to “Hurry! Hurry!” when finds you reward him by giving him lots of praise, a good rub down. You can also vary the rewards by interchanging treats, toys, and affection to keep him interested in the game.

Q: How can I get my puppy to stop nipping? It hurts!
A: Every new puppy owner will fall victim to those little needle teeth since puppies put their mouths on everything and anything they can effectively stuff inside.
At first, most owners will allow Fido to "play bite" and nibble on them for the first couple of weeks, usually because it isn't painful.
But as the puppy matures and his jaw begins to strengthen, what once was a harmless behavior, can then become very dangerous.
The first important thing to mention is that your puppy isn't trying to be aggressive or harm you intentionally. Quite the opposite in fact, he's doing this because it gets him attention, your attention.
In order to change the behavior you will need to teach your puppy what's referred to as "bite inhibition".
Puppies who play rough or bite too hard do so because they haven't gotten any feedback from anyone that this hurts. An owner intervening might be something like telling Fido "No bite!" and maybe pop him on the nose. The reason that will not work is because the puppy doesn't understand what you're saying and usually it leads to more nipping because puppies end up thinking this is a game.
Here's a simple fix: The next time you're playing with your puppy and he begins to put his mouth on your hand in any way immediately make a quick high-pitched squeal; just like a puppy, avert your eyes, fold your arms, stand up and ignore your puppy for 10 seconds.
After you squeal your puppy's immediate, natural, response will be to stop what he's doing and evaluate what just happened.
Begin playing with your puppy again and repeat the process several times. Through this exercise your puppy will learn two very important things: 1.) "I bit too hard" 2.) "When I bite mom ignores me and play time is over." which is the complete opposite of what your dog wants. With practice and consistency your puppy will abandon the behavior quickly.

Q: Is it safe to play tug with my dog?
A: In a word, absolutely. Playing tug-of-war with Fido will not cause him to be aggressive however, it can intensify aggression that is already there. For this reason it's important to have safe boundaries and rules for tugging and playtime as it is crucial in emotional development and bonding and overall well being. Dogs thrive off of the excitement and they need an outlet for all of that energy unless of course you don't mind them taking it out on your shoes when you're at work.
A couple of rules though; first, never let Fido end the game. When a dog gets tired and walks away he's decided he's done playing with YOU not the other way around and therefore making a decision that a higher ranking pack mate would have made. Instead, when you see he's getting tired, promptly end the game and put the toy you were tugging with away will send a very clear message as to who is in charge. Second, ask your dog to do a known cue often such as "sit" to earn more tug time. Make frequent "stops" during the game which helps teach them self control as well as to relax and not get over stimulated.
With these rules, you will have years of happy tug games ahead of you!

Teach a true "stay" to your dog and use it during the holidays!
Start with your dog on a 6 foot leash and ask him to "sit" in front of you.
Then raise your hand up in front of you as if to say "stop" and tell Fido to "Stay". Stand still, don't move and count to three seconds in your head. Then immediately say "Good Boy, OKAY!" and coax him out of position. As soon as he moves out of a sit to a standing position or by walking over to you give him lots of praise!
Remember, timing is everything, you need to say "okay" before Fido stands up on his own, so if you feel he may get up before you want him to say "okay" before he does.
By doing this two connections are made, one, that staying still was rewarding, and two, that he needs to hear the cue "Okay" before getting up. At first, your dog won't know that he needs to hear the word "okay" before he's released but with repetition he will wait to move until he hears his new release word.
As you practice the stay cue, gradually add distance and time by taking one step back from your dog at a time.
Don't rush the process, if your dog begins getting up faster than you want him to you probably need to shave off a few seconds from his time until you find an amount of time he is successful with. Add time in five second intervals as your dog progresses successfully.
Work this into your holiday schedule and you'll be able to tell Fido to "stay" while you go to answer the door. Your guests will be thrilled they don't have a dog jumping on them as they walk in.

-Mallery Bosworth, Master Trainer, ABCDT.
Owner of Happy Paws Dog Training Services LLC
American Pit Bull Terrier Advocate
AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
Professional Member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)

770-876-7678 Serving the Dallas Metroplex 

http://www.twitter.com/happypawspro

Recently, I had the priveledge and pleasure of meeting a volunteer therapy dog named Mia, a seven year old Bernese Mountain Dog who has been treated for her heart condition since she was a young puppy.

When we met, Mia and her mom Chris Bridge were seeking a trainer to help them properly prepare for the Therapy Dog Certification Test administered through the Delta Humane Society in Colorado. 

Right from the start, Mia's easy nature drew me in and her cuddly body and loving smile will make anyone fall in love with her!

She loves children and connects with them on a level that could only be described as spiritual.

We began training together in August preparing for their big test last weekend.  Each week I would go to their home with crutches and all different sorts of sound makers in order to desensitize Mia to those awful noises and unpredictable situations.  I don't believe in training for just the therapy dog test however, so we covered several other key skills so regardless of what this duo did they would be ready!

On our last day of class we decided to meet at a local pet store to expose Mia to an intense series of situations and countless high-pitched noises in a target rich environment.  At first, Mia was a bit stressed and unsure of her arch nemesis the automatic door strategically placed at the front of the store.  We guided her calmly and effectively to help acclimate her with this busy place. We wandered around practicing the skills covered in the test, walking up and down the aisles. At the very end of the pet food aisle we spotted a little boy and his mother.

The little boy was very excited and had so much energy he couldn't stand still and struggled with expressing what it was he wanted.  We approached them and asked the boy and his mother if he would like to pet Mia.  His mother gladly accepted but seemed a bit nervous about her son being careful with such a large dog.  As we began walking up to him his mother noticed Mia's vest and asked what kind of therapy dog she was. Chris explained that Mia has had years of experience working with special needs children.

Immediately when Mia saw the little boy standing beside her and how small he was she laid down slowly beside him leaning her big graceful head against his leg.  (Mia participates in the R.E.A.D. program which focuses it's efforts on working with special needs children who get to spend quality time to a relaxed and loving dog resting beside them.)
Before now, I had never seen Mia work with a child but for anyone in the store, it became evident that this was her calling in life.  Nothing in the world makes her light up like being around a child and while watching her and Chris it was truly an incredible experience to be part of.

Chris calmly and quietly helped the boy to relax in the store, pet Mia, give her a hug, and a nice big doggie kiss. I stood there mesmerized by the three of them in what seemed like their own little world.  Chris and Mia make an incredible team and provide a much needed therapeutic service as volunteers in their community.  A half hour passed while the little boy and Mia sat and read  a little story together and by the end both of them we calm and happier than ever. After that, Mia was cooler than a cucumber going through the electric doors and ready to go take a well earned nap at home.

I felt moved to share this with all of you because during my training career I've been lucky enough to experience moments like this, that seem to strengthen my bond to these incredible dogs we love.

Today I got an email from Chris with an update from her and Mia which I will share here:

Mallery, Mia and had our test last Saturday, we passed with flying colors. Actually we were given the highest rating the Delta Society and American Humane gives. We are now rated Complex with no Restrictions. We were only rated 1 on the neutral dog, Mia decided that she didn't want to sit, BUT tried to gaze around me to look at the dog. I stepped in front of her as you taught me and got her to sit and stay as I shook the other handlers hand. Other than that we were rated 2 on everything, which is their best rating.

THANKS for all your help.
Warmly,
Chris and Mia

_______________________________________________

Being involved with this amazing pair has been an honor and I look forward to hearing about their future successes as I know they will continue to touch countless lives of both special needs children as well as children undergoing extensive health treatment such as cancer patients.
I, much like the children they work with on a regular basis have been positively changed by them forever.  I am captivated by their dedicated work ethic and wise loving nature and have been deeply touched by them forever.

-Mallery Bosworth, ABCDT.
Owner-Master Trainer of Happy Paws Dog Training Services

Why using force with your dog is a bad idea

I am a positive reinforcement method based trainer.

For a list of reasons... at the top of which is because I refuse to harm an animal in an effort to collect a response.  You never need to be physical or rough with a dog in order to get him to listen to you, or respect you, in fact, doing so will make the opposite true.

The second reason is because positive reinforcement is by far a more effective long term response method.  It allows both owner and dog to tune into one another and to navigate through things as a team, or rather, a pack.
In almost a decade of working with clients I've never needed any sort of pinch or slip collar, remote shock collar, or anything of the like.  Not once. And it isn't because I don't work the tough cases, in fact, quite the contrary.  I've worked some of the most difficult aggression cases in the country and fully rehabilited aggressive and unwanted dogs so that they could have a shot at a normal life with a wonderful family just like yours.

Personally, I think it's cruel to force an animal to do something you've never properly defined to him.  Correctional collars all say the same thing to me, that the owner has lost control of the dog and doesn't know what else to do.  Dogs take work, you need to invest time to work through things with them just like a child but with a far shorter attention span haha. Until the dog has been taught an alternate response he can't be expected to act appropriately.

How you communicate with your dog and the body language that you use all lead up to the response you get from your dog.  If you have a bond built on trust and set your dog up to be confident and respectful they'll be relaxed and well adjusted.  Force, pain, or intimidation will never help build a relationship of respect from any dog at any age.

As Fido's owner it's your sole responsibility to make sure your dog is happy, healthy, and safe in the community.  And that's where socialization comes in!
Socializing your pet is always crucial for any breed to ensure they remain accepting and comfortable with new animals, places, sounds, smells, and all different situations.  The more situations a dog is exposed to when he or she is young (after being vaccinated by your local Vetrinarian), the more relaxed they will be in the future.
-Mallery Bosworth, Owner/Master Trainer, ABCDT.

People call all the time asking us if we offer classes on how to teach your dog to protect the house.  I don't offer this service here at Happy Paws for a few reasons that I will typically relay to the caller.

It is true that many people get a dog in order to feel more comfortable knowing that if someone breaks in, Fido's going to intervene.
All dogs are territorial by nature and when that territory is threatened they will defend it, regardless of training.

In my opinion teaching a dog to attack on cue is a pretty horrible idea.  First of all, you don't want to teach a dog to aggress toward other people especially when this same dog is recognized as the family pet.  The chances of your dog biting and attacking one of your family members is much higher than to attack a criminal. A canine who's been taught protection training has a job, he's not a family pet.  Family and a dog who's been taught to attack, don't mix.
Think about it, dogs who are taught to attack and take down criminals typically work for the police or the military.  Those dogs are trained to be furry weapons.  The rules are different for a dog such as that.  They have a close working relationship with their master who has also been properly trained.  Their handlers are taught what signs of stress to look for in their dogs, how to properly take care of them, and they become a team.  This relationship is forged through years of daily work, constant practice, diligent handling, and a solid background of extensive training for the life of the canine. 
However, this dog will not live the life of a normal dog who can play fetch with the kids in the backyard.  If he attacks when he hasn't been asked to he is put down.
No second chances.  Remember, this isn't a pet, it's a weapon and they cannot run the risk of him acting out of turn a second time.

Would you put your dog down if he attacked someone after the very first time or try and rationalize it and continue allowing the dog to be a risk to your home and community.Would an owner do the same thing? Probably not, because we love them and that is the reason a family dog should remain a family dog.

The number one reason I don't teach protection training is because to pass the heavy weight of that training to the client in hopes they will be able to handle it is simply asking too much.  Turning over that control to an inexperienced handler would bring significant risk. What if a client doesn't  keep up with the training on a daily basis? The expectations for a dog with this extensive training are much higher and non negotiable the owner and dog must be fully committed one hundred percent of the time.
One thing is true of most American families, we're busy, very busy and because of this it's not always convenient to practice to keep Fido sharp.  For a normal dog this doesn't carry such a burden but for a dog with protection training? It can be the difference between life and death.

Our daily lives take precedence over our pet's schedules.  This is why K9 police officers take on the responsibility entailed with this training on as a full time job to avoid anyone getting hurt.

To this I often hear "Well my friend's dog is well trained and hasn't hurt anyone"....well allow me to point out the dog hasn't hurt anyone "yet" and that doesn't mean it won't.

But why do you want your dog to protect the house in the first place? If a burglar breaks into your home, your dog, by nature will protect it's territory not training needed...but let's say for a second you have done the protection training.  Burglar breaks in, dog attacks him, burglar flees the house.  Most of the time, the burglar gets away, and if he does, if he makes one finger outside your front door your dog can be put down.  It is rare that a dog attack renders an intruder unable to leave the premises, which you need to keep in mind because, suddenly, the least of your worries is euthanizing your dog.

A burglar can sue you for the attack and win.  Because of your dog's illustrious educational background he will be viewed by the court as a dangerous weapon and ordered to be put down. 
Not to mention the burglar probably won more money in court than he could have ever stolen from your house.

Contrary to what you might think, no matter how friendly your dog is, they will know the difference between a guest and an intruder.  They're not just going to show your unwanted guest where the television is and call it a night.  They will do what comes naturally and defend the house.  Without the specialized training your dog will be safer for your family and the community you live in.

Stay informed!

-Mallery Bosworth, owner/trainer

Why positive obedience based training methods?

This question may be one of the most crucial to answer when searching for a dog trainer for your dog or puppy.  My first response is the obvious one, because it works, but this alone is no reason to conclude that this is the right method of training for you.  

In my professional opinion there is nothing more important in training than an owner being able to successfully communicate with his or her dog.  Afterall, if you cannot tell your dog what you expect from him, how is he to know what he needs to do to meet your expectations?  What sets positive obedience training apart when it comes to bridging the communication gap is that you do not have to force the dog into doing what you ask.  Why is this important?  When we force an animal to do what we ask, we are not teaching him to work with us, but rather that if he does not there are negative consequences.  This is a very old school of thought.  Training a dog to listen to you or else they receive a punishment creates fear of a negative reaction rather than a partnership. 

Through luring, shaping, marking, and patience your dog will learn to earn a reward, be it a toy, treat, affection, or a combination of all of these things.  Your dog will be motivated to work for you based on his eagerness to receive a reward.  This does not mean that your dog is fed treats until his stomach can touch the ground mind you, but finding your dog's "currency" is an intergral part in training him.  Why should you do this?  Think of it this way, you go to work, put in a forty hour week then go to pick up your paycheck but there isn't one for you.  Would you still want to put in a forty hour week with no payoff at the end of it? Of course not.  Your dog works much the same way, if we reward the behaviors we like, we increase the likelihood the dog will offer this behavior again dramatically.  

During the formative stages of a behavior motivating your dog with the tone of your voice, treats, and toys gives your dog a positive reason to work with you, it's his paycheck.  Through positive obedience training you can bridge the gap of communication between you and build a stronger bond than you could otherwise have done with negative reinforcement techniques.

Gone are they days when Fido was whacked with a newspaper when he made a mess in the house! Many people would have done just that, partly because it released THEIR anger and frustration on the assailant known as Fido, and partly because no other option was known.  But thanks to an innovative training methodology staying in the past is just plain silly.

Praise your dog for what you like, dog offers what you like again, simple right?

Rewarding your dog and reveling in his successes will offer you the opportunity to fully appreciate your dog and become best friends.

-Mallery Chabot, ABCDT.

  Over the years I've gotten tons of calls from clients insisting that their dog is "spiteful", and that the poor behavior choices they made were to get back at their owner for being gone, not paying attention to them, reprimanding them, etc.

  Because of this, I thought it might be best to address this line of thinking and put all fears and concerns like this, to bed.

  Truth be told, it's not in your dog's genetic make up to offer behaviors simply out of spite.  As humans, we all too often assume our dog understands exactly what he's doing, as if he's a 10 year old child drawing with crayons on a wall after being told not to.  We "humanize" our dogs to the point where we truly believe Fido knew full well that it was not allowed to go to the bathroom in the house or chew on your designer chair, but because we left for work instead of staying home to play tug, he must have been mad and done it to get back at us. 

  I can assure you that this is not the case, afterall, your dog is not a human and does not have the cognitive skills to procure such a conclusion. Even a dog with separation anxiety isn't destroying things or eliminating while you're gone because he's mad you left, he does those things because he does not understand you will be returning, and that while you're gone that he is safe. But that's another topic entirely.

  Let's put it in perspective.  Your dog only has the ability to remember something for 5-7 seconds, total.  That is his entire memory retention threshold, and this includes the genius dogs out there.  He isn't able to plan and plot against you, because he couldn't remember what he may have been upset about long enough to do so.  That's why during training classes we focus on making things routine and consistent.  Habits will then be solidified and we as our dog's primary caretakers will have set boundaries and practiced cues to guide our dogs successfully.

  Unlike children, if you put your dog in time out he's not contemplating his bad behavior so that at a later point he won't repeat the same mistakes, he's just sitting in time out doing his doggie thing, wagging his tail, sniffing around, looking over the baby gate (if you have one).

But hey, this is good news! If your dog is incapable of remembering for an extended period of time, then he is more than capable of learning alternative behaviors, because he's not holding a grudge.

Your dog is willing and ready to please you, to learn from you, and to be your loving companion. 

What more could you ask for?

-Mallery Chabot, ABCDT.