Chaser, a border collie who lives in Spartanburg, S.C., knows 1,022 proper nouns, a record that displays unexpected depths of the canine mind.
John W. Pilley, Chaser's owner, bought her as a puppy in 2004 from a local border collie breeder and started to train her for four to five hours a day. He would show her an object, say its name up to 40 times, then hide it and ask her to find it, while repeating the name all the time. She was taught one or two new names a day, with monthly revisions and reinforcement for any names she had forgotten.
It was hard to remember all the names Chase had to learn, so he wrote the name on each toy with indelible marker. In three years, Chaser's vocabulary included 800 cloth animals, 116 balls, 26 Frisbees and a medley of plastic items.
Source
A veterinary study shows that if you're aggressive, you're dog will be, too.
Duh - this just seems like common sense, doesn't it?In a new, year-long University of Pennsylvania survey of dog owners who use confrontational or aversive methods to train aggressive pets, veterinary researchers have found that most of these animals will continue to be aggressive unless training techniques are modified.
Source
This weekend the
Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation is participating in an event in Seattle.
Winterfest 2009 event includes:
• Appearance by Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan
• Singing performance by American Idol Blake Lewis
• Fashion Show
• Talent Competition “Next Dog Star” to compete for the most talented Dog Star in America, kicking off the entire competition in Seattle, Washington
• Vendor booths displaying products and services
• Guest Speakers on Dog Related Topics
Cesar Millan's only 2008 seminar, will take place in Atlanta, GA. on Saturday, December 6th, at 2 PM.
The Seminar will be held at John A. Williams Theatre
at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
Premium tickets, which include a Meet-and-Greet with Cesar after the show, will be on sale for $250.
Regular tickets range from $150 - $25, depending on how far they are from the stage.
The star of the Emmy-nominated hit series Dog Whisperer brings his magic and wisdom about dogs and dog psychology to this unique live special event. Fans of the show and dog lovers alike will be immersed in Cesar's world for three compelling hours, as the best-selling author of Cesar's Way reveals his secrets to happier, healthier relationships between humans and their canine companions.
Details for Cesar's only 2008 Seminar
Although you might be dreading harsh winter weather, it also can bring the blues for pets. According to a study by the veterinary charity People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), similar to humans that suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, one in three dog owners sees a downturn in their pets’ moods during colder and darker months throughout the year.
While humans have the opportunity to vacation in a warmer climate or take prescription medication, the solution for helping your pet can be as simple as providing a high quality diet and regular exercise. Stacy Peardot-Goudy, an award-winning agility trainer and Nature’s Variety Pet Nutrition Council member, suggests these tips to keep your dog or cat healthy this winter:
- Stair work – If you have a house with closed stairs, play fetch by throwing a toy up the stairs and having them run up and back down for a great work-out.
- Rotation Diet – Offering different forms (kibble, canned, raw) and proteins (meat, fish, poultry) such as the Nature’s Variety Rotation Diet, will keep your pet interested in eating and help with better behavior – which can help with being inside more often. Be sure to notice the amount of food you are feeding, since a pet is often less active in winter. By following a rotation diet, you pay more attention to what you are feeding your pet and decrease your chances of over-feeding.
- Obedience routines – Bring out the training books and work with your pet to improve basic skills such as heel work, turns, sit and stay. It will keep your pet mentally activity, which is just as important as physical activity, and increases pet/owner interaction.
- Hide and seek – Create a treasure hunt for your pet around the house by hiding treats in different places. This is an interactive game to get your pet moving and encourage them to explore their surroundings. Utilize your pet’s meal as treats by using kibble or a Nature’s Variety frozen raw medallion and calculate this into your pet’s daily feeding.
- Indoor pools – If you have access to an indoor pool or pet rehabilitation center, swimming is a great physical activity for dogs that is easy on joints. Start with short sessions and build up the duration and intensity of the swims.
Stacy Peardot-Goudy has been involved in the sport of agility since 1988 and has earned hundreds of agility titles along with her canine teammates. She also owns and operates C Spot Win Agility school, hosting training seminars and camps in the US and internationally.
(Thanks, Jill)
Cesar Millan is highly respected for his unique insight into dog psychology and shows us how we can lead our dogs to behave and obey through our own confident energy, body language and positive reinforcement.
In this
Cesar Millan's Mastering Leadership series
, Cesar gives you the tools to understand your dog's instincts, and how use them to develop and reward good behavior. The result is a healthier, more rewarding relationship for both of you.
Volume #1: People Training for Dogs
Cesar explains how your own calm assertiveness can have your dog willingly and happily respecting your command. He shares his persuasive and at times humorous insights on dog (and human) behavior.
Volume #2: Becoming a Pack Leader
Dogs don t relate to us as humans. They relate to us as dogs. By working directly with actual cases in home settings, Cesar illustrates the importance of becoming their dog's pack leader.
Volume #3: Your New Dog: First Day and Beyond
Many people choose a dog based on the breed. Cesar explains how the breed merely represents a set of skills, and that all dog behavior can be improved with proper energy and body language.
At
Cesar Millan | Be the Leader of the Pack, you can purchase the DVD series as part of a special offer which also includes The Illusion Collar and a Bonus DVD: The Essential Toolkit.
SPECIAL OFFER:Special "blog only" coupon code that can be redeemed for $25 off the purchase of the DVD set during the next two-weeks.Place your order at: www.leadlikecesar.com and use coupon code “25off”.
Place the Potty Rock™ in an area you want your dog to use for a designated potty area.
The potty rock is cast with a built in fragrance that is almost irresistible to canines, and makes potty training your dog a quick efficient process.$14.95 at M & B Pet Products