Learn what its like to train a high energy dog.
I would like to introduce you to Libby.
She was a dog who was picked up on the streets in California as a 5 month old, and wound up in a local shelter. She was scheduled to be PTS. Considered unadoptable because of a cosmetic deformity.
Because of her wonderful personality, a rescue organization pulled her from the shelter, and put her into a foster home to evaluate her, to help her find permanent home.
Within 2 months, she found herself in 5 different foster homes, and halfway across the country.
Everyone who spent a little time with her, found her to be a wonderful, sweet, fun dog. Anyone who spent a lot of time with her found her to be quite a handful. Sometimes normally friendly dogs, would become aggressive towards her, and even attack her, because of her very high energy, and inappropriate behavior.
Each time she went to another foster home, her anxiety behaviors got worse. All this by 7 months old.
At the same time there were several different dogs I was considering for adoption to add to my family. After deciding that 2 of the dogs would find new owners much more easily, I decided on 'Sailor' (Libby's name at the time).
I guess I thought I needed a project, or a challenge. HAH!
After completing her journey across the country I picked Libby up from the airport in NJ. On the way home, a 5 hour drive, Libby sat politely on the back seat, and slept most of the way home. She didn't even get car sick. I thought, maybe they were exaggerating about her behavior. I forgotten, I had only spent a little time with her.
What I soon found, is that they were NOT exaggerating. They actually softened the rough edges quite a bit. They also, either never fully evaluated her, or had just left out a few of the details.
I think, all of the above.
"High energy" was definitely NOT a descriptive enough term for this dog. And she had extremely high prey/chase drive towards other animals (cats, squirrels, chickens). This behavior tends to go along with high energy dogs.
Severe restraint issues, found by attempting to cut nails, and submissive urination, was surely known. Several days after adopting her, we had to have 2 stitches removed from her spay incision. It took 5 people to restrain her. She was only 27 pounds at that time.
She was quite a handful. But she was, and is, the sweetest, happiest dog you would ever want to meet. But her enthusiasm for attention is sometimes a little hard to handle.
Libby is 3 years old now and tips the scales around 40 pounds.
She is very smart, and learns quickly. But is one to really keep on top of, since she can learn the bad stuff just as easily as the good stuff.
But she has come a long way.
And she has brought me a long way... to discovering new ways to tire her out! The old adage "a tired dog is a happy dog"... should really be... a tired dog equals a happy owner.
In more ways than one!
1. No chewed up stuff.
2. No barking and whining.
3. No hot laps, banking off sofa, walls and cabinets
4. No dragging me down the street.
and on...
and on...
100. I have lost 25 pounds!
I am a happy dog owner... and I own a happy dog!
Now we are training her to pass a Canine Good Citizen Test combined with the Therapy Dog International test.
She has already passed her Temperament Test (TT) given by the American Temperament Test Society.
I would like her to become a therapy dog in a children's hospital. I think she would really enjoy that too.
She also enjoys weightpulling and has started agility training. All of these things helps vent her everlasting energy supply. Maybe your dog would enjoy some of these things too!
If you would like to join a class to learn how to work with high energy dogs, or what it takes to earn a Canine Good Citizen test or become a therapy dog, and even participate in teaching her please, .
If you are interested in adopting a dog and want information about choosing the right dog for you, please contact us. We occasionally schedule mini seminars at local shelters, to help you make the best choice for the addition of your new family member.
Canine Good Citizen - CGC
Therapy Dogs International - TDI
Any dog can be trained to pass this test. The requirements are not that difficult, and are skills that would be ideal for all pet dogs to have.
All breeds and mixes can take this test and earn the title.
The CGC test is also part of the Therapy Dogs International test. So if you are ever considering doing therapy work with your dog, the CGC would be a requirement, since it is about 80% of the TDI test.
We offer a canine good citizen class that is intended to help you prepare for the test. The only requirements for this class are that the dog has basic skills of sit, down, and walking in a loose leash. We help you train the rest.
This class will also include the requirements for the therapy dog portions of the test if you should choose to take it and will consist of an extra week of class.
At the end of the classes we will have an official test scheduled.
Currently scheduled tests in the New York area will be listed here as they become available.
Temperament Test - TT (American Temperament Test Society, Inc.)
For more information on the requirements of this test, please see...
The website includes a breed statistics page, which lists the pass/fail percentages and the number of that dogs breed that were tested in a given year.
Because of breed-specific dog legislation and negative publicity associated with many breeds of dogs, temperament testing has assumed an important role for today's dog fancier. The ATTS Temperament Test provides breeders a means for evaluating temperament and gives pet owners insight into their dog's behavior. It can have an impact on breeding programs and in educating owners about their dog's behavioral strengths and weaknesses as well as providing a positive influence on dog legislation.
We will be having ATTS temperament tests available yearly starting in 2009. Tests in the New York area will be listed here, or you can check the atts website.
