More than Just a Dance
Dancing with your dog might sound fun and easy, but it’s actually the most difficult canine competitive sport to master. Its foundation is in advanced obedience, but the sport also requires learning tricks and complicated choreography, duplicating the choreography during competition, performing the steps accurately and truly enjoying the experience.

The Origins of Canine Musical Freestyle
In the late 1980s, canine musical freestyle began to emerge from pure entertainment and became a serious competitive sport for dogs. In 1993, Joan Tennille, the president and co-founder of the Canine Freestyle Federation (CFF), along with four dog trainers, put together the first canine freestyle demo. Two years later, Tennille founded the CFF, and a new sport was born.

The World Canine Freestyle Organization (WCFO), which came into being in 1999, promotes canine musical freestyle as both a sport and a form of entertainment. As a sport, the WCFO defines and enforces strict guidelines for qualifying, performing and placing. The WCFO organizes qualifying competitions throughout the worlds, although primarily in Europe and the United States.

In 2002, the Musical Dog Sport Association (MDSA) was founded as a resource for beginners, providing training tips, sample choreography, referrals to trainers and a library of reference materials. The MDSA holds titling events, showcases recognition for freestyle teams that perform at hospitals, schools and nursing homes. One of the MDSA’s specialized programs is “The Golden Years,” teams of senior freestyle dogs with senior owners.

Freestyle Performances
A winning freestyle routine is based on an ever-evolving list of moves, but also incorporates new moves and creativity. The foundation for most moves is the “heel” command, and then build from there. Other common moves include:

• Backing in a straight line
• Pivot in place in a heel position on all four sides of you
• Side-step in both directions
• Close-in heelwork sequences in which the dog and handler move together in parallel positions to one another, whether a straight, curved or circular pattern
• Moving heelwork, such as spins, turns, pivots, paws or hands on-moves.
• Close-in moves that connect heelwork sequences together

After your dog masters these moves, it’s up to you to provide the atmosphere, which includes costumes and music. When you select the music, select a song you like that has a strong, steady beat. Make sure you can dance to it!

Your costumes should reflect the music you select and the choreography you perform. Don’t overdress in sequins and tulle; keep your costumes simple and appropriate, and make sure you and your dog can move in them. In the case of Carolyn Scott and Rookie’s Grease performance, they wore black clothes reminiscent of Sandy and Danny’s costumes in the movie.

Canine Musical Freestyle Competitions
Every freestyle organization has its own rules about the required components of a freestyle performance. At each level of competition, a dog must perform a certain set of movements set within a creative dance framework. Think of freestyle as you would ice skating—a certain number of moves are required, but it’s up to the performer to decide how and when to perform each move. The team will receive points for performing the moves, creativity, skill and the interaction between handler and dog.

Will You & Your Dog Enjoy Freestyle?
Any dog with the right skills, temperament and abilities can compete in musical freestyle, but Border Collies and Golden Retrievers are the current champions. Border Collies love having a job and performing it to your exact specifications, and Golden Retrievers simply love to dance! They’re also adept and learning complicated strings of commands, just like their Border Collie brethren. Another qualification for free-styling is your dog’s ability to concentrate: He’ll need to focus on you and your commands for 90 seconds to three minutes.

But even your pug or terrier mix can learn canine musical freestyle. Regardless of a dog’s breeding, if the core skills and interest are there, then your dog can excel in dancing, as long as you’re committed to the sport and all the training involved. You’ll need to be a strong owner with advanced obedience training skills, creativity, choreography skills and the ability to move with a beat.

If you’d like to try freestyle with your dog, remember to be patient and not to push him like a stage mom thrusting her child into the spotlight. If your dog isn’t interested in dance competitions, find another fun activity you both enjoy.

Despite what you may think, crating your dog isn’t cruel! Wild dogs, your dog’s ancestors, lived in dens, where they could sleep safely, raise a family and hide when necessary. Even though your pooch doesn’t have to fend for himself in the wild anymore (thankfully), he’ll still appreciate a safe place to rest. If you crate train your dog correctly, his crate will become his den.

We know it might seem hard at first, but with a little planning and patience, your dog can come to love his crate sooner than you think. As most dogs enjoy having a comfortable refuge where they can “get away” from things, you’ll actually be doing your dog a favor if you engage in proper crate training.

Crate training your dog has a great many benefits, including:

• Helping you housetrain your dog, so he won’t potty where he sleeps.

• Providing your dog a safe, quiet retreat to go to when he’s overwhelmed—or wants to sleep interrupted.

• Confining your dog when you aren’t home, depriving him of the opportunity to destroy the house.

• Training him not to sleep on the bed or on off-limits furniture.

• Giving him the safest place in the car—confined to a crate that is seat-belted in the back seat.

• Preparing him for emergencies, when he might have to be crated for long periods of time during an evacuation.

Teaching your dog to love his crate will not only help him learn the rules of the house, but also make your life a lot easier.

Find the Right Crate

Don’t make the mistake of thinking your dog needs a huge crate. Dens should be small and cozy, just big enough for him to stand up and comfortably turn around in. Although some dogs will destroy blankets and crate pads, give your dog the benefit of the doubt and line the crate with soft bedding and toss in a blankie and his favorite kind of toy.

You can select from several different kinds of crates, each with a specialized purpose:

• Plastic crates are the sturdiest, but also the slowest to disassemble. Designed with solid sides, plastic crates usually have metal “windows” on either side so your dog can see out. The metal gate allows him to see out the front. Plastic crates are the best choices for travel, as they can easily be seat-belted and provide the most protection if you get into an accident.

• Metal crates are made with open latticed sides, so your dog can see out on all sides. This type of crate is not the best choice if your dog is reactive to other dogs while crated. Metal crates disassemble quickly, but they are also the most expensive kind of crate.

• Collapsible crates are made from sturdy fabric or plastic cloth. The framework collapses quickly for fast transport. A great choice for non-destructive dogs, collapsible crates are poor choices for dogs who like to chew fabric.

Crates can be expensive, especially if you have a large-breed puppy who will need larger crates as he grows. Look for crates at thrift stores, garage sales and websites like Amazon.com or craigslist.com.

How to Crate Train Your Dog

Crate training is a process that can take days, weeks or months, depending on your dog’s age, temperament, physical condition and past experiences with crating. To make things flow smoothly, remember to be patient, go slow and refrain from pushing your dog too hard. Make sure your dog associates his crate with pleasant things, like treats, meals, chew treats and toys.

Step One: Introduce the Crate

Select an area of the house where your family spends a lot of time, like the living room or near the kitchen. Add blankets and toys, and leave the gate open so your dog can check it out. If you’re fortunate, your dog might take to the crate right away and need no further training.

Step Two: Throw Him a Crate Party

If your dog shows little interest in the crate, take him to it and give him a treat to get his attention. Then place a couple of treats inside the crate. When he goes inside, reward him with praise, belly rubs and more treats.

Step Three: Serve His Meals in the Crate

When your dog is accustomed to going in and out of his crate on his own, start serving his meals in there. It won’t take him long to run inside when he hears you filling his bowl. If he won’t enter the crate, place his bowl just beyond the gate, and move it further inside until he’s eating comfortably in the crate. The next step is to close the gate while he’s eating. If this scares him at first, leave the gate slightly open until he’s comfortable.

Step Four: Accustom Him to More Time in the Crate

Begin leaving him in his crate for a few minutes after each meal, working up to 10 or 15 minutes. Once your dog is eating his meals regularly in his crate without seeming upset or anxious, teach him to stay in his crate for longer periods of time, even when you aren’t serving him a meal inside. If he whines, barks or acts out, you’re moving too quickly. Back up and reduce the time until he no longer displays unhappy behavior.

Start by tapping the crate and issuing a command, like “crate up.” He won’t know what that means at first, but he’ll learn over time, as long as you’re consistent. Once he’s inside, offer him a chew treat or a stuffed Kong. Close the gate while he’s eating it, and release him when he’s finished.

Over the next few days, increase the amount of time he’s in the crate to about a half hour longer than it takes him to finish the treat. If your dog becomes anxious, sit by the crate and make soothing sounds.

Step Five: Crate Him When You Leave

When your dog shows that he’s comfortable spending longer periods of time in the crate, it’s time to teach him that you don’t have to be home for him to be happy in his crate. At first, crate him, leave the house, do a few quick errands and return within the hour. Slowly lengthen the amount of time you’re gone.

Even if you intend for your dog to sleep in the bedroom, it’s a good idea to train him to sleep overnight in his crate. Follow the same process, beginning about an hour before you go to bed.

Don’t Misuse the Crate!

Don’t confine your dog to his crate for long periods of time. Although the crate is a good tool, spending too long in it can cause your dog to become restless, overweight and bored. The amount of time your dog can remain crated will vary from dog to dog, but generally speaking, don’t crate him for more than eight hours at a time.

When you are housetraining puppies, don’t leave them in the crate for more than a few hours. Puppies under eight weeks old don’t have the capacity to “hold it” for long. If they begin to potty in their crate, it will be extremely difficult to housetrain them later on.

Don’t use the crate as a form of punishment, especially in the early stages of teaching. Your objective is to love his den, not fear it. If your dog misbehaves, confine him to the bathroom or another room.

If you’re trying to quiet down your dog, don’t hit the crate while he’s in it. Loud noises from unidentified sources tend to scare and confuse dogs. If you want to stop his misbehavior in a harmless way, shoot him in the face with water from a spray bottle. He’ll associate the “punishment” with the bottle, not the crate.

Positive-Reinforcement Training

The best way to train your dog is using positive-reinforcement (+R) methods. In this model, you reward your dog when he does something right and ignore him when he doesn’t. You won’t use punishment of any kind.

Rewards
When practicing training, it’s important to use the right rewards. When you start, use all three of the following rewards in tandem, and then eliminate them in the order they are listed until your dog responds to a simple “good boy.”

• Training Treats: When you begin training, use small, tasty, smelly treats specifically marketed as training treats, usually dehydrated liver or chopped up dog food roll. Only give these high-value treats during training, and your dog will pay attention and learn faster.

• Petting: Scratch his ears or chest, rub his belly—whatever he likes best.

• Praise: Praise your dog loudly when he does something right. Tell him what a good dog he is and how smart he is.

If you’re practicing the clicker method of training, click the clicker when you reward him. The goal is the same: to satisfy his need for reward with a simple thank you or pat on the head.

Seven Important Commands

Teach your dog as many commands as you’d like, but make sure he knows these seven important commands, several of which could save his life in an emergency situation. As you teach each command, combine it with the appropriate hand signals.

1. Come: Also known as “recall,” “come” is the single-most important command you can teach your dog. If he bolts or is approaching a dangerous situation, being able to call him back to you could save his life. “Come” is the first command you should teach your dog. Start in the backyard or another enclosed space that isn’t too large. Say “come,” and wait for your dog to return, even if it takes a few minutes. If your dog enjoys fetch, throw a ball for him and say “come” once he’s caught it. Reward him, and then throw the ball again. When he finally does come over to you, give him a high-value treat. Be consistent, and the period of time between when you issue the command and when he returns to you will shorten quickly. When your dog is coming back to you regularly, wean him from the treats and praise him instead. Once he has mastered recall, take him to the dog park and practice there—don’t bring treats or your training will be interrupted by other dogs who’d like a nibble. It’s inadvisable to practice recall on the street or in an unfenced area, so make practice frequently at home or at the park.

Hand signal: Make a arced “come here” motion with your forearm and cupped palm.

2. Look at Me: This command is the foundation of all other training. You’ll teach the dog to make eye contact with you, which will in turn teach him to pay attention to what you want him to do. “Look at me” is easy to teach: simply hold a training treat next to your eye and say “look at me.” He’ll get it right away! Soon he’ll obey this command even when you aren’t holding a treat.

Hand signal: Point to your eye.

3. Sit: Another very basic command, “sit” teaches your dog to sit down on command. To teach “sit,” hold a treat just above your dog’s nose and wait for him to stretch up to eat it. Move the treat away from you and up, which will prompt your dog to sit back to reach it. If your dog backs up to get the treat, practice “sit” near a wall so he can’t back up.

Hand signal: Hold your arm at your side, close to your body, with your open palm facing out. Bend your elbow and bring your hand up to should-height, with your flat palm facing you.

4. Down: Once your dog knows how to sit, teach him to lie on the ground on command. Give him the “sit” command, reward him, and then hold out another treat. Lower it slowly to a spot about a foot in front of him, which should prompt him to lower himself to the ground to get the treat. Make sure his hindquarters remain on the ground.

Hand signal: The reverse of the “sit” hand signal—start with your elbow bent up with your open palm facing out, and then bring your hand and forearm down to a 45-degree angle.

5. Stay: An extension of “sit” and “down,” “stay” teaches your dog to remain in place when he’s sitting or lying down. After you give him the “stay” command, reward him before he can move; stop praising him when he does. Practice “stay” diligently, gradually increasing the amount of time he must remain in position before you release him. Once he sits for at least 30 seconds, move further and further away from him each time you issue the command until he obeys from across the room.

Hand signal: hold your hand out firmly, palm up and facing the dog.

6. Off: “Off” and “down” are two different commands. “Down” means lie down, whereas “off” means get off that person/chair/other animal. When your dog jumps on off-limits furniture, give him the off command and point to the floor. Reward him when he does so, even if he’s not obeying you, but getting off when he feels like it. If he won’t get off the furniture, pull him off and ignore him. When you’re training your dog not to jump on people, gently knee him in the chest or move him aside with your leg or foot (no kicking—just a nudge in the right direction) while you give him the off command. Reward him when he does so. Pull him off and ignore him when he doesn’t.

Hand signal: Bring your hand forward toward the ground, flat palm down.

7. Leave It: Like “come,” this command is essential for all dogs, but especially those that try to chase cats, lunge at other dogs or show too much interest in something yucky they find on the ground. Basically, “leave it” means “stop paying attention to that really interesting thing.” It’s easiest to teach while on a walk. When your dog strays from the sidewalk and tries to walk in the neighbor’s flower bed, tell him “leave it,” gently pull the leash until he’s back on the sidewalk, and then reward him.

Hand signal: Point to the floor.

If your dog enjoys learning these basic commands, try teaching him a few tricks, like “shake,” “sit pretty,” “dance” and “roll over.”

Tips for Successful Training
It’s often said that training dogs is more about training owners. It’s true! If you don’t follow the same rules every time you train, you can’t expect your dog to follow your rules, either. Memorize these tips for training success.

• Reward him instantly. You must reward your dog the very instant he complies with your command; this is called a “marker.” Using the same word, “yes,” will be easy for you to remember, and you can say it quickly, as soon as you see him respond to the command. If you wait to reward him, he may not understand what you’re rewarding him for.

• Be patient and go slow. Only train for five to 10 minutes a day when you begin. Then increase your sessions to twice a day, and then to longer periods of time during each training session.

• Don’t push your dog. If your dog begins to act bored, anxious, restless or belligerent, stop the training session and return to it later.

• Be consistent. You must issue the same command in the same manner every single time you want your dog to do something or he’ll become confused.

• Be firm. Dogs know when you mean it and when you don’t, so mean it! Use strong hand signals and a firm voice and when you issue the commands.

• Train in different areas. If you only train your dog in the backyard, he might think he the rules only apply to that area. Hold you training sessions in different areas of your property so that he understands the rules apply everywhere.

Although you may want to progress to training your dog in public, especially if you are at the end-stage of training him to be nice to strangers and other dogs, it’s best to avoid other people and animals in the early stages of his training. He needs to remain focused on you and the tasks you want him to perform.

A dog’s sense of smell is up to 10,000 times more powerful than a human’s—and it’s also far more discriminating. They can differentiate between thousands of different smells, but are especially suited to finding humans, who constantly shed dead skin cells that can be as unique as a fingerprint to the canine nose.

A Brief History of Search & Rescue Dogs

If you remember Lassie from the 1950s or the iconic St. Bernard with the mini-keg of spirits around his neck, then you’re already somewhat familiar with the roles of SAR dogs. But their history reaches back much further.
The first record of SAR dogs dates back to 1660, in a monastery in the St. Bernard Pass, a well-traveled mountain route through the Alps between Switzerland and Italy. These first dogs, ancestors of the St. Bernards we know today, were originally meant to be guard dogs, but quickly evolved into rescue dogs. By the early 1700s, the monks had trained their dogs to accompany guides through the pass to help people trapped by the snow, most notably 250,000 of Napoleon’s troops.

SAR dogs had an important role during WWI and WWII, when the British, the Germans and the Americans used them to locate wounded and missing soldiers. After WWII, the Swiss Alpine Club began to use SAR dogs to find avalanche victims throughout the Alps. In 1972, the American Rescue Dog Association (ARDA) was founded, bringing together several local groups. Since then, the use of SAR dogs has spread all over the world.

Scenting & Tracking Dogs

SAR dogs usually fall into two categories: air-scenting and trail tracking. Air-scenting dogs work off leash, sniffing the air until they locate the victim. Trailing dogs work on leash, their noses and ears working together to find a scent on the ground. Teams use air-scenting dogs to work areas that have been contaminated by human searchers, and trailing dogs when the scent is weeks old. Some SAR dogs are trained in both methods, usually so that they can work an area that requires both skills.

Within each category, dogs can be of two types: scent discriminating or non-scent discriminating. In the former case, a dog can differentiate between individual humans, which makes him adept at finding someone based on an article of clothing. In the latter, he can only differentiate between humans and other types of smells, which makes these dogs excellent at searching rubble and finding cadavers.

Duties of a Search & Rescue Dog

SAR dogs provide critical assistance in a number of scenarios. Disaster dogs search for victims of mass casualty events, like the aftermath of tsunamis, earthquakes, landslides, avalanches or bombings. Human remains detection (HRD) dogs, also known as cadaver dogs, locate human remains, including those of drowning victims. Missing animal search (MAR) dogs locate missing, injured or trapped animals. Similar to disaster dogs, avalanche dogs use air-scenting and wilderness trailing techniques to locate victims buried beneath the snow. SAR dogs are also used to locate missing children, Alzheimer’s patients and other lost people.

Qualifications for Search & Rescue Dogs

Not any dog can be a SAR dog. Not only must he have the right temperament and necessary tracking abilities, but he must be able to complete a rigorous training program and remain focused for four to eight hours of work at a time. Given the rigor of SAR training and duties, the candidate must be in top physical health with no behavioral issues.

Although any breed of dog can qualify as a SAR dog, some breeds are better suited to the work. Bloodhounds, for example, are the classic archetype of a SAR dog, using their superior sense of smell to track down their quarry. Most scent hounds excel at SAR work, as do German Shepherd Dogs, Belgian Malinois and Golden Retrievers. St. Bernards and Newfoundlands are some of most adept avalanche dogs, and Labrador Retrievers are outstanding cadaver dogs.

Regardless of the breed, a SAR dog must be well socialized and have the correct temperament for the work: focus, high prey drive, motivation, obedience and a genuine interest in performing search and rescue tasks.
Before any dog can undergo SAR training, they must be evaluated to test for those qualities. Ideally, training begins in puppyhood, but slightly older dogs can still give it a try. A SAR dog usually retires at the age of five to ten years, so dogs over three years old probably won’t make the cut.

Search & Rescue Dog Training

Search and rescue dog training is the most complex kind of training a working dog can receive. Unlike other forms of training, which focus on a certain skill, like therapy work, assisting a disabled person or sniffing out bombs, SAR dogs must be trained in a wide range of skills, including advanced obedience, agility, dock jumping, wilderness tracking, scenting and sounding.

Regardless of its complexity, SAR training uses the same basic principles as any other training. The first stage of training is in puppyhood, when handlers teach the pups to fetch a toy if they want a treat. Their subsequent training is focused around the same pattern: command, action, reward.

Building on their basic training, SAR dogs are taught to distinguish between different types of smells and follow the scent through different terrains and weather conditions. At this point, handlers can determine if the dog is scent discriminating or non-scent discriminating, better suited to air-scenting or trail tracking. Often all four types of dog learn the same skills, with focus on their area of specialization.

SAR dogs aren’t the only ones who need training. Their handlers must have certification in CPR and first aid, knowledge of crime scene maintenance, basic survival skills and, of course, dog training and handling abilities. Handlers must commit to daily training sessions, even when the dogs are working.

Search & Rescue Dogs Are Service Dogs

It’s important to remember that SAR dogs are a category of service dog. If you see a SAR dog, assume he’s working and don’t try to pet or engage him. Likewise, if you own a place of business, you must give SAR dogs the same access to your facilities as the dog’s handler.

Modern dog training didn’t begin to evolve until the late 1800s, when the American Kennel Club, founded in 1884, began to implement training standards for basic commands. Unfortunately, these training methods relied heavily on punishment and reward, a system that is no longer accepted by most modern trainers.

Traditional Training

Colonel Konrad Most, a military dog trainer that many people feel is the father of modern traditional dog training, published Training Dogs—A Manual in 1910. William Koehler, another military dog trainer, published The Koehler Method of Dog Training in 1962. Both trainers advocated dominance training, which was intended to show your dog that you are in charge.

Although Most’s practices were the standard for many years, most trainers today find his techniques abusive because they rely upon punishment and dominance. Practitioners of this model often hit and kicked their dogs as a form of “training.”

Koehler’s philosophy was that dogs are able to choose; when they are rewarded, they will repeat the “good” behavior, but when they receive punishment, the “bad” behavior will cease. Koehler advocated “alpha rolling,” which involves rolling the dog onto his back and holding him in place to assert your dominance. Although a few trainers, like Cesar Milan, still practice alpha rolling, it’s not recommended for the average dog owner. Performing the action incorrectly could harm your dog or make him afraid of you.

Unfortunately, Most and Koehler’s training models spread, especially during WWI and WWII, when training military dogs became a priority. It wasn’t until Barbara Woodhouse published “No Bad Dogs” in 1978 that dog training techniques became more humane.

Although Woodhouse’s training model was based on the correct use of a choke chain, her methods were humane as compared to Koehler’s and Most’s. Her book was the first “popular” dog training book, purchased and used by a wide population of dog owners, revolutionized the way people trained their dogs.

Although traditional training methods are still in use, most trainers and behaviorists agree that some form of operant conditioning, like positive reinforcement training, are the most effective.

Operant Conditioning

In 1903, Pavlov conducted his famous bell-and-drool study, showing that animals have a physical response to repeated stimulus, a process he dubbed “operant conditioning.” B.F. Skinner built on Pavlov’s research in the late 1930s, developing a learning model based on stimulus-response.

Operant conditioning training for dogs became widely used in the 1990s, as trainers moved away from the punishment-based training model. Based almost entirely on positive reinforcement techniques, operant conditioning rewards dogs for good behavior and ignores unwanted behavior.

Clicker Training

In the 1940s, bird trainers Marion and Bob Bailey created clicker training, a form of operant conditioning, to train animals for shows and commercials. A decade later, Marineland hired them to train their marine mammals using clicker training, a system that dolphin trainers use to this day.

The basic philosophy behind clicker training is teaching animals to respond to commands when they hear the sound of a clicker. Initially, animals are rewarded with a treat and a click; as the training develops, animals learn to respond to the clicker even if there’s no edible reward.

Because it incorporates Pavlov’s stimulus-response theory and positive reinforcement techniques, clicker training is the most frequently used form of behavior modification with trainers today. It’s simple to perform and reinforce, which makes it a great option for people training their dogs themselves.

Positive Reinforcement Training

Positive reinforcement training, although not popularized until the 1980s, actually began in the 1880s, which Edward Thorndike developed a stimulus-response training model that reinforced good behavior by rewarding the dog.

Around the same time, S.P. Hammond, a writer for Forest and Stream magazine, began advocating positive reinforcement training in his book, Practical Training, the basis of which is that dogs should be rewarded with food when they perform a task correctly.

Although positive reinforcement training was praised by dog trainers at the time, Most’s wartime military training model became the popular training method for almost 50 years. It wasn’t until 1985, when Karen Pryor published Don’t Shoot the Dog: the New Art of Teaching and Training, that positive reinforcement was accepted as the most effective form of training.

Pryor’s book focused on positive reinforcement and shaping behavior, building on the work the Baileys did in the 1940s. She taught dog owners how to clicker-train their dogs and refrain from using punishment, relying instead on positive reinforcement to shape desired behaviors.

Negative Reinforcement Training

Negative reinforcement is not punishment, but the interruption of unwanted behavior by providing a negative stimulus. The idea is not to hurt the dog or inspire fear, but to teach him to associate negative responses with unwanted behaviors. When your dog realizes that bad behavior yields an unpleasant experience, they are more likely not to repeat the behavior.

An example of negative-reinforcement training is making a loud noise or squirting the dog with water when he is engaging in inappropriate behavior, particularly barking. Shaking a soda can filled with pennies is also an effective method.

Negative reinforcement is not a useful training model when used on its own. However, in conjunction with positive reinforcement training, the two methods are a humane, effective method of behavior modification.

21st Century Training Methods

Dog training has developed tremendously over the last century, allowing more dog owners to enjoy better-behaved dogs. But today obedience training is just a stepping stone to greater things, like agility, conformation, rally and therapy or service dog work, all of which rely on positive reinforcement methods.

Although not all dogs will take to formal training, every dog should know a few basic commands, like sit, stay, down, off and come. If you’re just beginning training, start with basic obedience and progress from there if your dog seems to enjoy the work.

If your dog insists on pulling you down the street every time you take him for a walk, weight pulling might be the perfect sport for your and your pup.

What is Weight Pulling?

Weight pulling is a competitive canine sport in which dogs pull a sled or cart loaded with measured weights for a short distance across smooth ground, usually dirt, carpet, grass or snow. The dog is hitched to the sled or cart with a harness designed to spread the weight evenly and minimize risk of injury. Breeders often use weight pulling as one of their criteria for breeding a particular line.

The Origins of Weight Pulling

Dogs have pulled loads for centuries, by cart, wagon and sled, moving cargo from place to place. A modern adaptation of this freighting, weight pulling has now become a competitive sport that promotes the heritage of working dogs. The sport first emerged in the 1970s; in 1984, the International Weight Pulling Association was formed to organize and regulate the sport.

The Best Dog Breeds for Weight Pulling

Just as border collies are the kings of the agility course, large-breed terriers rule the world of weight pulling. However, also like agility, a surprisingly large range of dog breeds are suitable for the sport—even toy poodles and Italian greyhounds!

Before we get on with the rest of the article, here’s a quick list of some of the best dog breeds for weight pulling:

• Akita

• American Bulldog

• American Eskimo Dog

• American Pit Bull Terrier

• American Staffordshire Terrier

• Australian Cattle Dog

• Bernese Mountain Dog

• Blue Heeler

• Border Terrier

• Boston Terrier

• Boxer

• Bull Terrier

• Cane Corso

• Dalmatian

• Doberman Pinschers

• Dogo Argentino

• Dogue De Bordeaux

• Elkhound

• Fox Terrier

• French Bulldog

• Golden Retriever

• Great Dane

• Great Pyrenees

• Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

• Italian Greyhound

• Jack Russell Terrier

• Labrador Retriever

• Leonberger

• Malamute

• Mastiff

• Newfoundland

• Norwegian Elkhound

• Olde English Bulldogge

• Parsons Terrier

• Patterdale Terrier

• Poodle

• Poodle (All Sizes)

• Presa Canario

• Rat Terrier

• Rottweiler

• Saint Bernard

• Samoyed

• Schipperke

• Siberian Husky

• Staffordshire Bull Terrier

• Swiss Mountain Dog

Dogs are separated into classes based on their weight, so your 15-pound Fox Terrier won’t have to go up against a Mastiff.

Benefits of Competitive Weight Pulling

The most obvious benefits of weight pulling relate to health. Regular practice will build your dog’s muscle, strengthen his bones and improve his overall well-being. Because it’s an obedience-based sport that requires skill, focus and training, weight pulling is also great for a dog’s mental health. Finally, as with any activity in which you engage with your dog, it will build your bond and strengthen your relationship.

Misconceptions about Weight Pulling

Given the nature of weight pulling—a dog pulling a heavy load just for sport—it’s easy to assume that the activity is harmful to the dogs, possibly even abusive. After all, dogs are chained to huge weights and made to drag them across the yard…isn’t that sort of activity harmful for his body?

The answer is a resounding “no.” Weight pulling harnesses spread the weight evenly over your dog’s body, building muscle will in turn protect and strengthen the dog’s hip, legs and shoulder muscles. Dogs aren’t “forced” to perform in weight pull; just as with other competitive canine activities, dogs practice weight pulling because they enjoy it.

Weight Pulling Equipment

Although the equipment you’ll need is highly specialized, you won’t need much of it, just a pulling harness and line, weights and a plastic sledge to serve as a cart or sled. The harness has extra padding and spreads low across the dog’s back legs, keeping the weight-bearing area low to the ground. A bar at the back of the harness keeps the straps from squeezing his legs. If you and your dog train for weight pulling competitions, it’s a good idea to obtain access to a steel pulling cart.

Before You Begin Weight Pulling

Just as you would before beginning any new highly physical training routine, make sure your dog is healthy enough to undertake the sport. Once your vet clears him, condition your dog slowly, building his muscle and strength at a pace that seems comfortable for him.

Weight Pulling Training Overview

The first step in training your dog in weight pulling is to teach him to drag things behind him. Empty bleach bottles or milk jugs work great for this. After you fit him into his harness, attach the bottles to it with the harness line. At first your dog might be startled or frightened; feeding him treats will help him feel more comfortable.

Once he’s acclimated to pulling things, attach the sledge and see how he does. He may need a little encouragement to pull on command. Simply walk a few paces, turn and offer him a treat. As he progresses, add small weighted objects to the sledge, like rocks, until he’s pulling cinderblocks—and enjoying it.

How Weight Pulling Competitions Work

Weight pulling competitions consist of dogs pulling a weighted cart for a specified distance, using a rail system or over snow. Dogs are scored by the amount of weight they can pull based on the proportion of their body weight to the pull weight. That’s how a rat terrier can successfully compete with a Newfoundland in the same game!

Remember that even though formal competition is a great way to show off all that hard training, it isn’t absolutely necessary. What matters is that you and your dog are participating in an activity together, one that both of you enjoy.

Canine Anatomy

Dogs are carnivores, and their biology proves it. Their teeth evolved into sharp points so that they could tear and eat meat. Their intestinal tracts are shorter than humans or herbivores, indicating that their systems aren’t good at processing vegetable matter, which takes much longer to digest than meat.

Dogs have complex nutritional needs, which can be met with a meat-based diet. They require high levels of protein and calcium, both of which are found in animal tissue, as well as B12, which isn’t found in many plants. Although plants contain essential amino acids, they aren’t balanced to meet a dog’s biological needs.

Arguments Against a Vegetarian Diet

People select dog food based on different criteria, but the top reason for choosing a vegetarian diet is most likely because the owners are vegetarian or vegan for personal or philosophical reasons.

The problem with this thinking is that while a vegetarian diet has innumerable benefits for the human body, it can be dangerous for canines, who need specific nutrients only found in meat protein.

Another reason for switching to a veggie-only diet might be because of the way cattle and chickens are treated and processed. Stuffed with antibiotics and hormones and fed a diet mainly comprised of corn products, meat and chicken can be unhealthy for dogs and humans alike. Some meat can cause food allergies, infections, cancer and liver and kidney malfunctions.

However, more and more pet food manufacturers are producing dog food made from organic, humanely raised beef and chicken, making meat-based kibble and canned food healthy and safe. Also on the rise are dog foods made from alternative forms of animal tissue, like organic game and fish, which don’t contain the same pollutants as other forms of meat.

Health Benefits of a Dog Vegetarian Diet

The only real benefits to feeding your dog a vegetarian diet are if he has allergies or organ problems that preclude him from digesting meat protein. Both conditions are rare, so you should only feed a vegetarian diet if your vet recommends it.

Most food allergies result from fillers, like corn, wheat and animal byproducts. If your dog is allergic to these ingredients, you can select a food that is made with non-grain binders, like sweet potatoes. If your dog’s allergies persist and your vet recommends a vegetarian diet to alleviate the problem—which, despite popular belief, is actually quite rare—then a vegetarian diet might be the best option for your dog.

The same is true with gastrointestinal issues. If your dog becomes sick or suffers from chronic diarrhea, try different meat-based dog foods until you find one that agrees with him. In extreme cases, his body may not be able to adequately process meat, chicken or game at all, making a vegetarian diet the only option.

Choose the Best Vegetarian Food

If your vet agrees that your dog needs to be on a plant-based diet, it’s essential that you find one that meets all his varied nutritional needs. Although making your dog’s food yourself might be tempting, it’s unlikely that home-cooked meals will contain all the nutrients he needs.

The best options for a healthy vegetarian diet are prepared foods from pet food manufacturers. Premium food will contain various proportions of vegetables, fruit, beans, dairy products, eggs or soy products, as well as supplements to round out your dog’s nutritional needs.

If you do prepare your dog’s diet yourself, make sure you cook the vegetables thoroughly so that your dog’s shorter intestinal tract doesn’t have such a hard time breaking down plant matter. The same is true for soy-based products.

In addition to the vegetables, mix in brown rice, potatoes or sweet potatoes, all of which will work as a binding agent for the vegetables and provide carbohydrates. You must include a source of protein, such as beans, eggs or dairy products. Don’t to forget supplements, which you can find online or at most quality pet supply stores.

Transitioning Your Dog to a Vegetarian Diet

The healthfulness of your dog’s food won’t matter if he refuses to eat it. Many dogs love carrots, green beans, cauliflower, broccoli and other veggies, but some dogs are downright picky about what they eat and may turn up their noses at a diet without meat.

The best way to convince your dog that vegetables are tasty is to gradually transition him to a plant-based diet. Begin by adding small amounts of vegetables or vegetarian kibble to a reduced portion of his regular food, and then gradually adjust the portions until he’s only eating the vegetarian food.

If your dog still refuses to eat vegetables, puree them with chicken broth, which will encourage him to experiment, and add eggs or dairy products to the kibble-vegetable mixture.

If you’ve tried everything and your dog still refuses to eat a vegetarian diet, then you’ll have to accept the fact that he will only eat a meat-based diet. In this case, look for dog food that is made with organic, high-quality ingredients, preferably fewer than ten. Read the labels carefully and make sure the food doesn’t include large quantities of corn, wheat, animal byproducts, preservatives or artificial flavorings.

Maintaining Good Organ Health

Because a vegetarian canine diet can cause liver and kidney problems, you’ll need to take your dog to the vet for regular urine tests. In addition to testing your dog’s urine, your vet should also monitor your dog for any negative results of his new diet.

Even if you don’t feed your dog a vegetarian diet, you can still supplement his regular food with vegetables or give them out as snacks. Peeled baby carrots are popular with most pups, as are green beans and squash.

Dogs are tenacious, agile and strong, and once they are trained, they are able to perform any number of useful tasks. They love to have jobs to do, especially work that harnesses their natural instincts for tracking and catching prey.

With all these attributes, is there any wonder that dogs make exceptional law-enforcement “officers”?

A Brief History of Police Dogs

Dogs have been helping humans fight crime since at least the 1700s, when European police began using bloodhounds to track escaped criminals. During WWI, dog trainers in Germany developed a formal training process for canines that taught them how to perform different military tasks, particularly guard and attack functions.

Over the next few decades, this type of military training evolved into police dog training, which quickly became popular in European law enforcement. In the 1970s, the United States began using police dogs, and today they are common sights in just about every city in the US.

K-9 Jobs & Training

Police dogs, also known as K-9s, are highly trained dogs that assist law-enforcement personnel with various specialized duties. Police dogs traditionally have been used to help patrolling officers with chasing and detaining suspects, but today they can do much more, aiding law-enforcement officers with highly complex tasks such as:

• Patrol Dog: Accompanies officers on patrol to protect the officer and deter criminals; a dog’s presence often makes people think twice about confrontation. Patrol dogs are also trained in attacking and detaining suspects upon command.
• Search: After patrolling, K-9s are most often used for searching out suspects, drugs, evidence, and explosives (work for which their sense of smell and prey drive make them perfectly suited). Dogs can also be trained to search for spent ammunition and recently fired weapons.
• EOD Search: Explosive ordinance detection (EOD) is a fancy way of saying “sniffing out bombs,” a service that has, unfortunately, become in great demand. EOD dogs aren’t only being used in police situations, but also by the airlines and the military.
• Search & Rescue: In addition to looking for survivors of accidents and natural disasters, SAR dogs can aid the police in finding suspects, missing people or objects.
• Cadaver Dog: Another kind of SAR dog, cadaver dogs are trained to find decomposing bodies, even when found buried or in running water.

Essential components of a K-9s training include advanced obedience, endurance, agility, obstacle courses, attack, search, and smell differentiation, as well as specialized training for working in their particular areas of expertise.

Breeds

Although any dog will, in theory, detect and pursue prey, some breeds just aren’t cut out for the rigors of life with a badge. Terriers and dachshunds, while adept at tracking prey, don’t have the physical presence to take down the bad guys; nor do any breeds that are by nature small, docile, or fearful.

A good police dog must be active, intelligent, motivated and physically strong enough to carry out his tasks. Certain breeds have proven themselves to be well-suited for police work, based on their skills, instincts and inherited traits.

• Argentine Dogo: Protects the officer, serves as an attack dog and sniffs out bombs, drugs and food
• Beagle: Sniffs out food, bombs and drugs
• Belgian Malinois: Protects the officer, serves as an attack dog and locates bombs (EODs)
• Bloodhound: Tracks odor-specific ID, locates evidence and sniffs out drugs and bombs
• Boxer: Protects the officer and serves as an attack dog
• Doberman Pinscher: Protects the officer and serves as an attack dog
• Dutch Shepherd: Protects the officer and serves as an attack dog
• German Shepherd: Protects the officer, serves as an attack dog, performs ground-based and air-based tracking and locates bombs (EODs), drugs, evidence, and human remains
• Giant Schnauzer: Protects the officer and serves as an attack dog
• Labrador Retriever: Sniffs out bombs and drugs
• Rottweiler: Protects the officer and serves as an attack dog
• Springer Spaniel: Sniffs out bombs and drugs

Most police dogs were bred to serve and come from long lines of proven pedigrees. Because police dog work originated in Europe, their standards of breeding and training are thought to be more effective.

Handlers

K-9s units work in teams of two: the dog and his handler, the police officer to whom he has been assigned. Only officers with exemplary records are considered for K-9 detail, and a great deal of training is involved before the handler can be certified.

The bond between a K-9 and his partner must be deep: Not only does the dog spend his working life with his partner, but he also lives with him in his home, usually growing as close to him as any other beloved family pet.

Police Dogs Have Special Status

It’s important to remember that K-9s are not regular dogs. Like human law-enforcement officials, K-9s have special status. Just as killing a human officer has more severe penalties, so does harassing or assaulting a police dog. Even if you don’t harm the dog, you could be charged with your state’s equivalent of felony animal cruelty, pay a hefty fine, and serve time in prison.

Police dogs are not pets or family guard dogs. Although retired K-9s can be wonderful animal companions, working police dogs are trained to have a high prey drive and require a much more active lifestyle than a household dog.

As far as rights of entry are concerned, a K-9 is allowed anywhere his handler goes, even restaurants, much like a service dog assisting a person with a disability.

Retirement

A police dog’s career usually lasts about six years. After that, the dog is allowed to retire, most often going to live with the officer, a friend or a family member, and sometimes returning to his breeder for adoption into a home as a family pet.

A K-9’s career can end early if he is injured beyond recovery or becomes too sick to continue to work. If a police dog is killed in action, he is usually given a full police burial, with all the honors normally given to a fine officer killed in the line of duty.

A service animal is not a pet, nor is it a therapy dog. A service dog must assist a person with a physical, sensory, psychiatric, neurological, or other mental disability, which the ADA has recently (March 2011) defined as:

• Impaired vision or hearing
• Restricted movement, such as confinement to a wheelchair
• Biologic conditions, such as heart disease, epilepsy or diabetes
• Psychiatric disabilities like PTSD, associative identity disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or anxiety
• Neurological disabilities, such as autism or Down’s syndrome

The ADA further specifies that animals that provide emotional support, well-being, comfort or companionship do not qualify as service dogs.

Tasks Service Dogs Perform

Service dogs have traditionally served as guide dogs for the blind, but they can actually perform a wide variety of tasks for people with disabilities:

• Alerting people with hearing impairments to sounds, such as the doorbell or the presence of people
• Pulling a wheelchair or retrieving and carrying objects for people with mobility issues
• Providing physical support or assisting with balance and stability
• Alerting people with biological disabilities that an attack might be imminent
• Preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behavior for people with psychiatric or neurological disabilities

Even if the task you require a service dog to perform isn’t specifically listed in the ADA, if the animal has been trained to assist you with a task you cannot perform for yourself, your dog is a service dog.

The “Rights” of Service Dogs

Service dogs have the same rights of entry as do their owners. Under ADA guidelines, business owners cannot refuse to allow a service animal into their places of business. Likewise, landlords cannot refuse accommodation to someone because they require a service animal to live with them.

Business owners may only ask two questions of someone with a service dog:

1.      Is the dog required because of a disability?

2.      What task has the animal been trained to perform?

No member of the public may ask for proof that you have a disability or certification that your dog has been trained, certified or licensed as a service dog. Business owners may not inquire to the nature of the disability, even if isn’t visible, or argue about the qualifications of a service dog.

The only exceptions to this policy are airlines, which are covered by Air Carrier Access Act, and landlords, which are covered by the Fair Housing Act. In both cases, you will need to provide extensive documentation about your disability and your dog’s service, including a letter from a qualified doctor.

Qualifications for Service Dogs

Although the most commonly seen service dogs are retrievers and German shepherds, a service dog may be of any age, size, breed or pedigree.

Guide dog organizations often spend generations breeding lines of service dogs that have proven themselves to be of superior genetics and abilities. However, a shelter mutt that has been trained to perform a task for a disabled person is equally qualified to be a service dog.

Besides being trained to perform tasks for disabled people, the only other qualifications a service dog must have are adherence to general obedience commands and appropriate manners. The service dog must be under the control of its handler at all times, secured on a harness, leash or tether.

There is currently no requirement for service dog certification, but dogs who have excelled in obedience training, therapy work, agility or other specialized activities may be good candidates for service-dog work.

Training Your Own Service Dog

Even though no formal training is required for a dog to be a service animal, your dog should know how to come, sit, stay and heel, among other basic commands. A service dog should have good manners and respond appropriately in any situation.

Teaching your dog basic commands is fairly easy, especially if you use positive reinforcement training techniques. More difficult tasks naturally require more extensive training, such as pulling a wheelchair, retrieving objects, or guiding the visual or hearing impaired. In this case, it’s best to obtain the dog from a service dog training organization, which breeds and trains dogs for complex tasks.

Service Dog Organizations

A number of service dog training organizations work exclusively to ready dogs for co-habitation with people with disabilities.

• Guide Dogs for the Blind: Probably the most widely known service dog training organization, Guide Dogs for the Blind has been training guide dogs since 1964, also making it one of the oldest training organizations.
• The Sam Simon Foundation: This California-based nonprofit not only assists with low-cost veterinary services, but also trains hearing dogs.
• Pro-Train: Serving the United States and Canada, Pro-Train trains guide dogs, hearing dogs, service dogs for people with mobility issues and dogs that assist with autism and seizure response.
• The Delta Society: In addition to training therapy dogs, the Delta Society has established the National Service Dog Resource Center, a web-based service that provides information about service dogs.

For a list of service dog training organizations in your area, click here.

A recent trend in service dog training is matching prison inmates with dogs for their initial training. In these “dogs in jail” programs, prisoners work with shelter dogs that have been identified as potential service dogs.

Once the dogs have demonstrated they are suited to service work and passed basic training, they are often turned over to service dog organizations to complete their specialized training so they can be matched with a handler.

Obtaining a Service Dog

If you elect to purchase a service dog from a professional service dog training organization, you may have a long wait ahead of you. Dogs are carefully screened and individually trained, which takes time and requires dogs of the correct temperament. As such, service dogs are not always immediately available.

A great solution to this problem is to adopt a potential service dog from a local animal shelter. Although you wouldn’t be able to tell by sight alone if the animal is qualified, shelter personnel should be able to direct you to suitable candidates.

Shelter dogs aren’t recommended for people with visual, hearing or biological disabilities, but the appropriate shelter dog can be trained to retrieve, provide balance, pull a wheelchair, or provide emotional support to people with psychiatric or neurological disabilities.

Animal assisted therapy dogs have been trained to visit hospital patients and other chronically ill or developmentally disabled people living in a wide variety of community settings. Spending time with a therapy dog can decrease blood pressure, alleviate depression, relieve stress and encourage children, adults, and seniors to become more interactive with their environments.

According to Dr. Edward Creagan, an oncologist at the Mayo Clinic, “A pet is a medication without side effects that has so many benefits. I can’t always explain it myself, but for years now I’ve seen how instances of having a pet is like an effective drug. It really does help people.”

Although dogs have been providing companionship to the ill and disabled for centuries, in the mid-1900s, animal assisted therapy (AAT) was recognized as an accepted practice that significantly enhanced the patient’s quality of life.

What Makes a Good Therapy Dog?

Any dog of any age, breed, or pedigree can be a therapy dog, but they must possess one important characteristic: a good temperament. They must genuinely enjoy meeting new people and have good manners when they interact with others.

AAT dogs should also follow basic commands, walk nicely on a leash, and tolerate other dogs. They must also react positively to crowds of people reaching at them to pet and handle them.

Dogs are the most commonly seen therapy animals, but cats, horses, birds, and reptiles can also be wonderful sources of comfort and healing to those in need.

Training Qualifications

Although not every AAT group requires training for the dog or its handler, the most well-respected organizations, like Therapy Dogs International and the Delta Society, require dogs to complete an extensive training program. Many SPCAs and humane societies also provide therapy dog and handler training, as well as coordinated opportunities to visit patients.

Although no previous training is usually required, taking your dog through Canine Good Citizen (CGC) classes is excellent groundwork for AAT training classes. You may also want to take a handler training course, which will instruct you and other handler teams how to help your dog succeed as a therapy dog.

What Kind of Facilities Use Therapy Dogs?

When people think of therapy dogs, the first image that might come to mind is of a dog visiting a children’s cancer ward, trying to buoy the spirits of the terminally ill. However, therapy dogs can also help patients of all ages who live in long-term care facilities, at home, or in group homes.

• Hospitals: A basic visit might include a group session with ambulatory patients or visits to private rooms. In addition to visiting patients in a hospital setting, AAT dogs make wonderful visitors at hospices.
• Outpatient Programs: Therapy dogs can also make in-home visits to the elderly and people with disabilities that do not allow them to leave their homes.
• Assisted Living Facilities: Therapy dogs are in high demand at nursing homes, convalescent care facilities, and retirement homes, where patients don’t often have the opportunity for human-animal interaction.
• Mental Health Facilities: At psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and adult-care facilities for people with developmental disabilities, therapy dogs have been known to soothe people with mental challenges, especially autistic people.
• Group Homes: Sick children aren’t the only young people who can benefit from therapy dog visits. At-risk youth and children with developmental disabilities can learn compassion from their interactions with visiting dogs.
• Shelters: A recent development is using dogs to soothe anxious disaster-relief shelter evacuees, as well as people staying in other types of shelters, including women’s, family, and homeless shelters.

The best way to select a venue for therapy work is to work with an organization that manages the process. One of the unfortunate necessities of working with animals is that insurance must be in place should the worst happen; the facilities themselves may have a policy against therapy visits from animals not registered with an AAT organization.

Other Programs for AAT Dogs

In addition to the traditional work of visiting the needy, therapy dogs are also perfect for a few programs that benefit children.

Although dogs can’t read—not even therapy dogs!—they can be read to, which is exactly what many reading libraries offer. In programs like the Delta Society’s “Reading Paws,” children spend fifteen to sixty minutes reading a book to a participating canine. These programs not only help children improve their reading skills, but also build their self-esteem and public-speaking abilities. You may also be able to find a canine literacy program for adults.

AAT dogs are excellent demonstration dogs for presentations at elementary schools, where they can help teach children how to properly handle and care for a dog. They can also teach children lessons about people with disabilities, namely that they are people, too, and deserve the same respect and compassion as anyone else.

Therapy Dogs & Service Dogs

It’s important to note that therapy dogs are not service animals. According to recent amendments made to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal is a dog or small pony trained to provide a specific service for a person with a disability. Service animals have the same rights as humans in that they must, by law, be allowed to accompany their owners everywhere, even into restaurants and onto airplanes.

Therapy animals, however, have no such special privileges. They might be trained to provide comfort and ease, but unless you are also a person with a disability who requires a service dog, your therapy dog is not guaranteed admittance into any business and is not covered by the ADA.

Would Your Dog Be a Good Therapy Dog?

If are interested in finding out whether or not your dog would be good at AAT, the Delta Society’s Pet Partners program screens dogs and handlers in order to ensure they’re both good fits for therapy work.

But even if your dog has the right temperament, he still may not be cut out for therapy work. If he doesn’t enjoy the work, don’t force him to do it. Therapy work should be fun for everyone, but especially your dog. If he doesn’t greet patients with a wagging tail and a smiling face, he’s probably not having a good time.

If your dog enjoys training and other structured activities but isn’t interested in animal assisted therapy, you might consider enrolling him in a canine good citizenship program, advanced obedience classes, agility, or games-based training, like flyball or freestyle.