"Nothing is better then seeing a dog and a human be one. When you give a dog trust, they will open a world you can only dream of". Rayner Pacheco
On a Monday morning I meet Canine Behaviorist Rayner Pacheco, walking from the train station on a disgusting morning full of rain... We meet in a coffee shop and he tells me something that made me think. He told me a riddle, he said, "if you can take a train ten times and then have to run a few more, what are you?". I never got the answer but it made me think. This guy is nuts!!!
As we sit Ray looked tired, after a busy weekend he felt like it was time to soon call it quits, Then saying na' I'll be ok. I'm not that old YET!!!
Two days before this interview I went on a training session with him and saw him in action. A dog that had insecurity issues as he put it. He spoke with the client for about two hours to make sure they got him, and that he got all the information so he can put everything together and work properly. "The one thing I realize I see all of the time with most trainers, they don't spend time with the client. It's all about time and money now a days, I can't work like that". As I see him gain trust with this Pitt-bull terrier. I saw a dog from a scared thing running from Ray, to now taking treats, and letting Ray pet his belly. He asked me, "come closer to me and pet him, I want you to feel something special". The owner looking on and saying, "I've never seen him like this, Thank You". Ray saying we aren't done yet we are just getting started. Mind you it took an hour for him to get to this state. When we left the woman say how much, Ray said no money, I looked in shock and wrote down that question as into why didn't you except money. The woman gave Ray a great big hug and said you are a very special person. Thank You for helping my family.
Now back to the one on one, as I turn on the tape, I started the questions.
Matt; Hey Ray!
Ray; hey man!! How r u feeling?
Matt; I'm good, very happy to sit here with someone they call a "legend",
Ray; now let me stop you there. I'm not a hero or a legend. I'm just someone that helps everyone.
Matt; that is something I wanted to ask you. Why did you become a dog trainer? Did u have a love for dogs before? What is it about this career you love.
Ray; well, I use to be apart of ComputerAssistance.com before I entered dog training, I fixed a computer of an instructor that came out of a school of dog training, and he didn't know how to pay me. So I said teach me that, and I'll fix your computer for life. We had a deal and the rest is history.
Matt; there is a lot of talk going around about you, that your not this and that. What is your response on that.
Ray; I don't like to talk about that much. That whole convocation came up because my ex-fiancé, her friend, wanted to bury me. She wanted my business, and wanted me to brake. She did it. She made a whole website about me which made so many people turn on me, mind you I had health issues going on. Laura, yes I understand her part because she was defending her friend, but at the same time you made it an agenda. She contacted me the day before I was leaving to PA, and she said, I want you to take down everything of my friend as far as pictures of her and her animals. I said no! Those animals are mine to. I did more for them and her than anyone. We went back and forth and there she sent a mass email to everyone saying shit about me. I didn't reply much because I didn't want to deal with it.
Matt; that nuts. All that started because of bad blood?
Ray; yeah, sucks to say but yeah.. I never did anything to hurt anyone, yet I helped her out when she has a foster dog, and she thanked me to here and high heaven. I lost so many friends, and it's sad because these are people that when others talked bad about I defended them. When I needed them, I was alone.
Matt; you had and still have a big reputation, did that help?
Ray; yeah it did. Many people that I helped said, we are with Ray no matter what. Many people that I helped turned their back on me. Even many people in rescue groups.
Matt; who are you still helping an who aren't you helping anymore?
Ray; I don't help many rescues anymore. I'm kinda staying away from it. But I still help a good handful here in NY, and a bunch more around the U.S.
Matt; you had a big standing with ZFF (Zani's Furry Friends), are they on the help list.
Ray; no!
Matt; why?
Ray; I don't want to get into it, but long story short. I stood up for them to many times, I helped Gisella so much. And don't get me wrong she did the same for me to. She introduced me to so many people, I started working in the rescue world because of one of her dogs, I worked hard for her. Me and her were close till things went down for me and I needed her, no where to be found. It's fucked up but hell, the saying you never know who your real friends are till you're on the wall and have only a breathe to take. You will know who saves you and who lets you die. Even the people around her. I help one person Inparticular and she kept sending me emails on how much of a BFF I was and all, then it was like a personal agenda she had on me. One person I can say is standing behind me is Cheri Chang. Back in the day we were like batman and robin, and till this day we still are. Many other people are still with me even those that worked with me are defending me.
Matt; as I read much of the site, it's like Laura is following your every move.
Ray; yeah, she is a stalker. I mean really everything there is like my whole life, much of it is fabricated.
Matt; I can see that, even your twitter is here, now what is your personal accounts here.
Ray; Facebook is one, twitter is the other. I mean I'm an open book, I don't hide anything. I post pictures of my sessions on instagram and Facebook. I talk about my days and all. I love being normal. Honestly I'm human, I'm not a celebrity for her to keep my every move. Hundreds of people do the wrong things, why me. It speaks a hundred words about her. She doesn't have anything on me as far as my work. I have many people that can vouch for that.
Matt; what about your family?
Ray; what about them!
Matt; did your family find out about all this?
Ray; yeah, they did. My uncle wanted to kill me. When everyone found out certain family members stayed behind me through it. My cousins are still behind me 100% my dad and mom just came around, so I have a good support system. I just need to keep my nose clean.
Matt; so now what's going on with you?
Ray; well I'm still working, I have the website completed which it will be live soon, I have a few more things is the works, and also I have a fundraiser that I'm going to be holding for a few rescues..
Matt; awesome!!, I want to touch a bit about the way things started for you. I also understand that you are a father! Can we talk about that a bit.
Ray; I don't want to, I don't want to talk about my daughter or her mom. Her mom is doing her career and not many people know about our daughter. I want to keep it that way for respect and protection reasons. As for how I started, thank you Ramune. She was my first dog I ever had as a client. Her owners are wonderful people. From there I met a dog named Jada, she was tough but if it wasn't for me having a great support system with her foster then she would have been killed.
Matt; was jada from the NYCACC?
Ray; yes, when Kat got her, Jada was badly evaluated. CACC never give proper evals at all, I understand why they have so many dogs going in and out they do their best.
Matt; have you done evaluations for the CACC before?
Ray; only for rescue groups when they ask me to because they want to make sure the dog can be in different situations, or see what kind of situations the dog can be in.
Matt; there was something about you taking about 50 dogs one time and did a big operation on that! Can you explain?
Ray; well that was suppose to be a hush hush thing. We worked with many people in there and got many dogs adopted out. That's all I can say about that.
Matt; can you talk about your bring up? Do you still go back home and hang with the same crew?
Ray; well, I wasn't great, but then wasn't the worst child. My family did the best for me and my brother. I was homeless for three months when I was 20 because my mom kicked me out (that's along story) I went to the Covernite house and I did everything from the ground up. I worked hard went to school and did what I could to make money. When I was younger I did a lot of bad things (which I won't discuss) and I didn't want my little girl being in harms way. I struggled and made it out to where I am today.
Matt; why won't you talk about much of the past?
Ray; because I took an oath, I won't ever brake that. I did what I did that's it. It dies with me.
Matt; deep!!!!
Matt; What about your health issues?
Ray; well I'm ok, I guess.
Matt; you had or are still fighting something big! Are you ok if we talk about that?
Ray; sure, I have lung cancer that's it! I mean nothing really big to touch on, it's sad to speak about it. I was nervous to even tell my family, I'm ok now. I had surgery to get it out. But I'm not in the clear yet, I have along way to go.
Matt; when did you decide to come back?
Ray; once I got cleared, I started to meet up with my old team and we went from there. I took it easy.
Matt; there is a dog named Remy that you have helped? Are you still helping her.
Ray; yeah - its funny because the way we met was unfortunate. Remy had a bad incident. I hate that it happened.
Matt; do you mind talking about it a bit.
Ray; no, I'm sorry. I have much love and respect for that family. They treat me like I'm apart of their family, I can't talk about that. I'm sorry dude. Nothing against you or this interview but, I can't do that to them.
Matt; now back to your site, how many years did it take to make?
Ray; it took a long time to get into it, I don't like websites. I think it's not the right way to promote yourself. I told myself if I ever made it - it will be something great to go on. I want to make it user friendly and also make sure it has much information on there. I'm also push the language barrier, I'm putting different languages on there for everyone to understand everything.
Matt; awesome! Now, from the talk around. You are getting a center together! Is this true?
Ray; yeah,! It's hard to explain because it's in 2nd stage now. I'm hoping it's up and running by the end of this year!!
Matt; now Ray, we all know that being a dog trainer has its ups and downs, can you talk a bit about yours.
Ray; well. I wouldn't say it like that, but it takes a toll on you. I don't have any friends, I don't have a relationship. My life is pretty much on hold right now, I would love to go out and just live like a 27 years old but, I'm not. I made a choice. I choose to be a dog trainer, I don't have to be. I love my career and the different places I see and the people I meet. Hell I wouldn't have met a woman that I really fell in love with. I fucked all that up because of my job. I want a family someday, I would love to wake up and play with my kids and not have to look at the clock. I missed so much of my life. I hate coming home to an empty house. It's not healthy. I contemplated killing myself once because I just couldn't take it. I took massive amounts of pills for a week, and I woke up all the time. This happened when all this bad stuff started to happen, I felt alone and I didn't want this anymore. I mean jay-z was right success sucks because many people will try to take you down. I didn't know what to do. I had no one to talk to. I was so hurt. When me and my ex split, I started cutting myself. I got help for it. I'm ok now I went through it and I'm passed it.
Matt; why kill yourself?
Ray; I was so hurt, why live if I couldn't get up and do my job. Or why live if I didn't have anyone next to me telling me everything is going to be ok.
Matt; why are you still here?
Ray; I had a moment were I just realize, I'm so stupid. Why kill myself, it's so crazy. I know that I can bounce back from this! I have in the past. I kept reading books of motivation, and I got the strength to start my life over and do it right. I go to places by myself and I don't feel weird about it. I do many things alone. I mean I don't care anymore. I like doing things like that. I think many movie theater employees know me by name. I see many midnight showings it's fun.
Matt; your a strong person!
Ray; no I'm just human. We all go threw it. Getting past it doesn't make you a stronger person. It just grounds you. Back then I thought I was invincible, now I realize I'm only human
Matt; ray I want to thank you for this. I know we could talk for hours but this was short, is there anything you want to say to end this interview?
Ray; I think, all I can say is, I'm only human, I'm not a superhero or anything great. I'm just a human being. I love my work, I hope one day I can be really happy, I hope one day I can just be... If there is one thing I can share of my experience, is to just understand that success doesn't mean you got it all. You have to always remember that you can't handle everything in the world, you are only one person. Try to always make sure you never forget where you came from.
"Appreciate life in every moment, because you only have one. It should not be lived like its your last, it should be lived like it's your first". Rayner Pacheco
Monday, June 4, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The Truth about Aggression, Pack Leader, Alpha Dog Behavior
The word ‘aggression’ has different meanings and is used in many different ways. But in the dog world we use it when a dog is in a bad state of mind, example; a dog that is aggressive to everyone.
Aggression in the dog world is considered “an intent to harm” human or animal. It is shown by body language, bark, growl or flight (lunging towards object). There are many theories to how aggression is started, but one that we can all agree on is that it is not a genetic form in a dog. Aggression is a man-made behavior and is something we in the animal community should take very seriously.
When a dog is aggressive you want to pinpoint the reasons. A dog can come from an abusive household, or there is not sufficient exercise - therefore there is no release of energy. It can also come from a trauma from another dog, or from a person who trains the dog to be aggressive. Just like fear, aggression is another issue that is difficult to train out of a dog. It is important to deal with it promptly before it becomes is uncontrollable. A professional should be consulted before you or others may be hurt.
Dog trainers and animal behaviorists have something called the “breed standard”, meaning certain breeds such as bully breeds or terriers already have a “predisposition.” This hurts many popular breeds like the Pit bull Terrier, or Bull Terrier, because these two breeds are very high energy and can be prone to bad behavior. Bad behavior can be prevented by working your dog mentally and physically.
In the animal world there is no such thing as a breed standard. Every dog has a different personality and any dog can be aggressive if there is no structure, rules or boundaries. By creating structure, rules and boundaries to every dog, you will have an overall good dog and also one who listens and is trustworthy around other dogs and humans. By not creating structure, rules and boundaries you will have a frustrated dog because there is no release for their energy, therefore the dog will misbehave both on or off-leash.
If you have more than one dog in your house, you have a pack. Therefore you must follow pack rules. Some trainers and behaviorists don't follow these rules because they believe in what is called ‘Alpha Dog Behavior’.
The meaning of alpha dog does not mean a pack leader. An alpha dog is a dominant dog; whether it is male or female. This term is often used figuratively. If you have an alpha dog, you have a dog that will show dominant behavior. There are many professionals who think this is ok; in actuality, it is not because it is only showing how to be dominant and aggressive. Pack leaders are those who guide others to safety or proper behavior. Pack rules are simple-don't dominate your pack by putting yourself in an alpha position as this will only cause aggressive behavior among the pack. There needs to be calm leadership, which will, in turn guide them to behave.
Ultimately, being a pack leader means to guide your pack, not dominate them. Any form of aggression can escalate, so it is important to consult a professional when you are beyond your level of comfort.
Rayner Pacheco Canine behaviorist T-trainers
Aggression in the dog world is considered “an intent to harm” human or animal. It is shown by body language, bark, growl or flight (lunging towards object). There are many theories to how aggression is started, but one that we can all agree on is that it is not a genetic form in a dog. Aggression is a man-made behavior and is something we in the animal community should take very seriously.
When a dog is aggressive you want to pinpoint the reasons. A dog can come from an abusive household, or there is not sufficient exercise - therefore there is no release of energy. It can also come from a trauma from another dog, or from a person who trains the dog to be aggressive. Just like fear, aggression is another issue that is difficult to train out of a dog. It is important to deal with it promptly before it becomes is uncontrollable. A professional should be consulted before you or others may be hurt.
Dog trainers and animal behaviorists have something called the “breed standard”, meaning certain breeds such as bully breeds or terriers already have a “predisposition.” This hurts many popular breeds like the Pit bull Terrier, or Bull Terrier, because these two breeds are very high energy and can be prone to bad behavior. Bad behavior can be prevented by working your dog mentally and physically.
In the animal world there is no such thing as a breed standard. Every dog has a different personality and any dog can be aggressive if there is no structure, rules or boundaries. By creating structure, rules and boundaries to every dog, you will have an overall good dog and also one who listens and is trustworthy around other dogs and humans. By not creating structure, rules and boundaries you will have a frustrated dog because there is no release for their energy, therefore the dog will misbehave both on or off-leash.
If you have more than one dog in your house, you have a pack. Therefore you must follow pack rules. Some trainers and behaviorists don't follow these rules because they believe in what is called ‘Alpha Dog Behavior’.
The meaning of alpha dog does not mean a pack leader. An alpha dog is a dominant dog; whether it is male or female. This term is often used figuratively. If you have an alpha dog, you have a dog that will show dominant behavior. There are many professionals who think this is ok; in actuality, it is not because it is only showing how to be dominant and aggressive. Pack leaders are those who guide others to safety or proper behavior. Pack rules are simple-don't dominate your pack by putting yourself in an alpha position as this will only cause aggressive behavior among the pack. There needs to be calm leadership, which will, in turn guide them to behave.
Ultimately, being a pack leader means to guide your pack, not dominate them. Any form of aggression can escalate, so it is important to consult a professional when you are beyond your level of comfort.
Rayner Pacheco Canine behaviorist T-trainers
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Shelter Dogs;
Each year more than 10,000 pets are left in city shelters and more than 50,000 are abandoned. City shelters like Animal Care and Control are places where most pets don't make it out.
There many reasons why dogs don’t get out; because they aren’t well enough or because they don’t pass something called a “SAFER” test. A SAFER test is done to rate the temperament of the dog so it can be determined whether or not they can go into an adopted home, or to a rescue group. Shelter volunteers put down notes for each dog to know how they were with them and this increases the hope for a dog to get rescued.
The SAFER test is not always accurate, of the large amount of dogs being brought to the shelter, they can only do a test one time, and one time only (unless it is requested by a rescue to reevaluate the dog again). The purpose of this article is not to criticize the city shelters, but to bring awareness of how to properly evaluate a dog, and to know the right words to use and how to use them when evaluating a dog. Every day I get asked by rescue groups to evaluate dogs for them. When I arrive I look at the SAFER test to see why they have the behavior notes.
First impressions are important, if they are lunging or barking at the cage. Remember, oftentimes they are just scared. Shelters are loud and extremely stressful - just imagine yourself going into a place you are not sure of, you will also act very insecure.
Dogs are taken out of the cage and walked to a room where they are evaluated. There, a handler can determine the dog's behavior. Many times, a dog will not show any type of bad behavior, or will show bad behavior because of the level of frustration or insecurity. Many dogs fail tests and therefore get put to sleep, maybe unnecessarily.
I have developed a system that can help rescue groups, or handlers/volunteers to help the dog be better evaluated, it will show the real temperament of the dog. I have used this system many times and have helped place many dogs into great homes. But it must be done with a professional dog trainer or behaviorist.
• When seeing a dog, remember to ask for the Evaluation card. There are different tests done, so please ask to see the person who evaluated the dog and so you can ask them questions: how was the dog when leaving the cage, what state was the dog in when getting into the room? Remember when a person is handling the leash they are holding it very tight, so a dog can pick up on everything.
• Make sure that the evaluation room has a hook, this way you can place the leash there, the less you're holding on to the leash the better, the evaluation will run smoother.
You always want to be calm when you’re entering the room where the dogs are, you don’t want to enter with any kind of emotion the dog will read it and play on that. When approaching the cage, remember to not go in a challenging way. Face sideways and show that you’re not confrontational - stay relaxed and let the dog come to you. If the dog is barking right off the bat, do not take the dog out of the cage, this will be the wrong moment for you to anything. Remember, dogs in the shelter do not get daily activities. They have alot of pent up energy. It will take time for the dog to calm down. Once the dog is calm, you put on the leash. Remember to have the leash up high close to the ears not down on the neck. You will lose control if the collar is not placed properly. Always remember that how you are in the beginning of the walk is will pave the way for the rest of the evaluation, so if you don’t show that you’re in control of the situation then you will have a problem.
Once the dog is out, start with a walk, again remember that you have to show control but also understand that the dog is very energetic, so make sure you’re strong and ready for it. Once out the door, use the rule the first 2-4 minutes the dog must use the bathroom before using any commands. This way you will have the dog's attention. Once the walk is done and you're inside, take the dog right to the evaluation room. This is where a trainer or behaviorist will take over, but that doesn’t mean you cannot watch or assist. It is my belief that you would rather see it with your own eyes rather than hear it second hand. If you’re doing the test yourself then here are a few steps to take.
• Bring the dog into the evaluation room, and clip the leash on the hook.
• Do the regular pinches you would normally do, but make sure they aren’t for too long or the dog can feel insecure and react. We don’t want a bite to happen.
• Make sure you have a fake baby toy with you, one that cries is perfect. Bring is close to the dog and make the toy touch the dog just like a child would normally touch a dog. If the dog licks too much, or wants to play with it or other then you know your answer as far as if the dog can be with a child. I have done the child test this way and it has worked many times. Many dogs have been placed at homes where they have children.
• When performing evaluations, you must make sure you have a handler that works for the shelter there. This way if you need help you have it.
A “SAFER” test must be done three times in order for you to know if a dog is adoptable and where can the dog be placed. This rule is ignored because of lack of time, which is why I ask you bring a professional with you to conduct a test with you.
The best way to know if a dog is aggressive or has other behavior issues is by doing it right. We as animal activists must always do things in threes when it comes to evaluations and they must be done right. 99% of the dogs in the shelter are written off as aggressive or fearful but yet they are not evaluated properly. Many people in the shelter system are doing the best they can, but it is also up to us to make sure we can help them. We complain that the shelter system is flawed, but yet not many people help the shelter system. My best advice is if you want to help, make sure you do it properly. In the end we are the voice of the animals and they need us to help them.
Rayner Pacheco Canine behaviorist
T-Trainers
There many reasons why dogs don’t get out; because they aren’t well enough or because they don’t pass something called a “SAFER” test. A SAFER test is done to rate the temperament of the dog so it can be determined whether or not they can go into an adopted home, or to a rescue group. Shelter volunteers put down notes for each dog to know how they were with them and this increases the hope for a dog to get rescued.
The SAFER test is not always accurate, of the large amount of dogs being brought to the shelter, they can only do a test one time, and one time only (unless it is requested by a rescue to reevaluate the dog again). The purpose of this article is not to criticize the city shelters, but to bring awareness of how to properly evaluate a dog, and to know the right words to use and how to use them when evaluating a dog. Every day I get asked by rescue groups to evaluate dogs for them. When I arrive I look at the SAFER test to see why they have the behavior notes.
First impressions are important, if they are lunging or barking at the cage. Remember, oftentimes they are just scared. Shelters are loud and extremely stressful - just imagine yourself going into a place you are not sure of, you will also act very insecure.
Dogs are taken out of the cage and walked to a room where they are evaluated. There, a handler can determine the dog's behavior. Many times, a dog will not show any type of bad behavior, or will show bad behavior because of the level of frustration or insecurity. Many dogs fail tests and therefore get put to sleep, maybe unnecessarily.
I have developed a system that can help rescue groups, or handlers/volunteers to help the dog be better evaluated, it will show the real temperament of the dog. I have used this system many times and have helped place many dogs into great homes. But it must be done with a professional dog trainer or behaviorist.
• When seeing a dog, remember to ask for the Evaluation card. There are different tests done, so please ask to see the person who evaluated the dog and so you can ask them questions: how was the dog when leaving the cage, what state was the dog in when getting into the room? Remember when a person is handling the leash they are holding it very tight, so a dog can pick up on everything.
• Make sure that the evaluation room has a hook, this way you can place the leash there, the less you're holding on to the leash the better, the evaluation will run smoother.
You always want to be calm when you’re entering the room where the dogs are, you don’t want to enter with any kind of emotion the dog will read it and play on that. When approaching the cage, remember to not go in a challenging way. Face sideways and show that you’re not confrontational - stay relaxed and let the dog come to you. If the dog is barking right off the bat, do not take the dog out of the cage, this will be the wrong moment for you to anything. Remember, dogs in the shelter do not get daily activities. They have alot of pent up energy. It will take time for the dog to calm down. Once the dog is calm, you put on the leash. Remember to have the leash up high close to the ears not down on the neck. You will lose control if the collar is not placed properly. Always remember that how you are in the beginning of the walk is will pave the way for the rest of the evaluation, so if you don’t show that you’re in control of the situation then you will have a problem.
Once the dog is out, start with a walk, again remember that you have to show control but also understand that the dog is very energetic, so make sure you’re strong and ready for it. Once out the door, use the rule the first 2-4 minutes the dog must use the bathroom before using any commands. This way you will have the dog's attention. Once the walk is done and you're inside, take the dog right to the evaluation room. This is where a trainer or behaviorist will take over, but that doesn’t mean you cannot watch or assist. It is my belief that you would rather see it with your own eyes rather than hear it second hand. If you’re doing the test yourself then here are a few steps to take.
• Bring the dog into the evaluation room, and clip the leash on the hook.
• Do the regular pinches you would normally do, but make sure they aren’t for too long or the dog can feel insecure and react. We don’t want a bite to happen.
• Make sure you have a fake baby toy with you, one that cries is perfect. Bring is close to the dog and make the toy touch the dog just like a child would normally touch a dog. If the dog licks too much, or wants to play with it or other then you know your answer as far as if the dog can be with a child. I have done the child test this way and it has worked many times. Many dogs have been placed at homes where they have children.
• When performing evaluations, you must make sure you have a handler that works for the shelter there. This way if you need help you have it.
A “SAFER” test must be done three times in order for you to know if a dog is adoptable and where can the dog be placed. This rule is ignored because of lack of time, which is why I ask you bring a professional with you to conduct a test with you.
The best way to know if a dog is aggressive or has other behavior issues is by doing it right. We as animal activists must always do things in threes when it comes to evaluations and they must be done right. 99% of the dogs in the shelter are written off as aggressive or fearful but yet they are not evaluated properly. Many people in the shelter system are doing the best they can, but it is also up to us to make sure we can help them. We complain that the shelter system is flawed, but yet not many people help the shelter system. My best advice is if you want to help, make sure you do it properly. In the end we are the voice of the animals and they need us to help them.
Rayner Pacheco Canine behaviorist
T-Trainers
Saturday, February 4, 2012
The Truth about Fear Aggression;
There many dog trainers or veterinarians who use the word 'fear aggression' for dogs who bite out of fear. In reality there is no such word for this behavior.
Here is the meaning of Fear; a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. So with aggression, the meaning is completely different, putting the two words together will only make a diagnosis that will turn a fearful dog into an aggressive dog.
Dogs that are afraid of anything tend to give reactions; body language is a good sign of knowing when a dog can bite. When having a dog with fear issues, you must know why the dog has it. Many shelter or rescue dogs come with 'baggage'. If the issue is greater than can be managed comfortably, it is best to reach out to a behaviorist.
Fear issues can easily become red zone cases. For instance, a fearful dog can bite someone not because it is aggressive, but because it is unsure of a situation. A fearful dog might urinate; we call that submissive peeing.
Fear issue cases can lead to an aggressive moment by going through several stages. The first stage is insecurity, then the dog can become stressed because of the level of insecurity, from that stress it can become frustration, then that frustration can lead to AGGRESSION. This is why most people use the term fear aggression because they don’t know the stage breakdown. So, how do you stop this insecure behavior from becoming aggression - well here is how!
• You need to learn to gain the trust of your dog by approaching calmly, never approaching the dog front first. Slowly go to your dog and kneel down to his/her side and this will show the dog you’re non-confrontational.
• Remember, everything is convocation to a dog from how you approach, to how you hold the leash. Once you’re down to a neutral level just be patient. Let the dog go in a down or in sitting position, from there you extend your hand or use treats to show that you’re not going to hurt him/her.
• Once the dog is in a calmer state, show the leash. It is important to remain calm because you don't want the dog to run from you, then necessitating repeating the stages. Remember to be consistent.
• If your dog is accepting the leash and is walking well, you then present a treat, this time use a different treat than when leashing up. Begin to walk and remember to relax the leash. If the dog seems agitated when you put on the leash, just relax, remember if you start to act negatively it will lead it to the leash becoming a negative association to the dog. Just relax and let the dog go through what I call motions.. once that happens then you will be fine, the dog will calm down and then you start with the walk…
Now I’m sure many of you will ask, “well my dog will snap at me or is starting to growl when I approach with the leash or if I even just approach the dog”. That’s a sign of a frustrated dog, very insecure and nervous. At this point give the dog space and let the dog come to you…
Dogs that have fear issues don’t need to be on medications, they can overcome these issues with just you being patient and showing trust…
If you need additional help, please contact a professional. Remember every dog is different, not all dogs require the same training. Once you know the root of the problem you will better be able to solve it.
Rayner Pacheco Canine behaviorist
T-Trainers
Here is the meaning of Fear; a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. So with aggression, the meaning is completely different, putting the two words together will only make a diagnosis that will turn a fearful dog into an aggressive dog.
Dogs that are afraid of anything tend to give reactions; body language is a good sign of knowing when a dog can bite. When having a dog with fear issues, you must know why the dog has it. Many shelter or rescue dogs come with 'baggage'. If the issue is greater than can be managed comfortably, it is best to reach out to a behaviorist.
Fear issues can easily become red zone cases. For instance, a fearful dog can bite someone not because it is aggressive, but because it is unsure of a situation. A fearful dog might urinate; we call that submissive peeing.
Fear issue cases can lead to an aggressive moment by going through several stages. The first stage is insecurity, then the dog can become stressed because of the level of insecurity, from that stress it can become frustration, then that frustration can lead to AGGRESSION. This is why most people use the term fear aggression because they don’t know the stage breakdown. So, how do you stop this insecure behavior from becoming aggression - well here is how!
• You need to learn to gain the trust of your dog by approaching calmly, never approaching the dog front first. Slowly go to your dog and kneel down to his/her side and this will show the dog you’re non-confrontational.
• Remember, everything is convocation to a dog from how you approach, to how you hold the leash. Once you’re down to a neutral level just be patient. Let the dog go in a down or in sitting position, from there you extend your hand or use treats to show that you’re not going to hurt him/her.
• Once the dog is in a calmer state, show the leash. It is important to remain calm because you don't want the dog to run from you, then necessitating repeating the stages. Remember to be consistent.
• If your dog is accepting the leash and is walking well, you then present a treat, this time use a different treat than when leashing up. Begin to walk and remember to relax the leash. If the dog seems agitated when you put on the leash, just relax, remember if you start to act negatively it will lead it to the leash becoming a negative association to the dog. Just relax and let the dog go through what I call motions.. once that happens then you will be fine, the dog will calm down and then you start with the walk…
Now I’m sure many of you will ask, “well my dog will snap at me or is starting to growl when I approach with the leash or if I even just approach the dog”. That’s a sign of a frustrated dog, very insecure and nervous. At this point give the dog space and let the dog come to you…
Dogs that have fear issues don’t need to be on medications, they can overcome these issues with just you being patient and showing trust…
If you need additional help, please contact a professional. Remember every dog is different, not all dogs require the same training. Once you know the root of the problem you will better be able to solve it.
Rayner Pacheco Canine behaviorist
T-Trainers
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Home Rules.... T-Trainers help a couple and there two dogs
Here is T-Trainers Ray And Kat showing a couple how to work with there dogs...
were in the middle of the show so watch and see.....
Friday, January 1, 2010
Omg!!!! What do I do?
all dogs show no fear in reality, but in some cases you have those that will show something else, Fear, Nervious behavior,....
There are many ways to stop this type of behavior, but many ways will requior for you to use tools that you don't have, and spending money on trainers to take them to boot camp something doesnt do the trick,
So with research I have developed a way to stop surtin fear issues, some nervious issues...
some examples are hiding when they hear loud noises, that is nervious behavior, they will shart to shake and sometimes howl, but here is a good way,
start by first getting you dog to come to you, if that doesn't work, try applying a leash on a taking the dog out, (use treats if nessary) once the dog is out, use a distraction, sometimes doing training, sometimes playing ball at home, while the noise is still going they are doing some activity to redirect there mind......
Fear is something that a different type of method will need depending on what type it can be, this is were you use calm behavior in your part, every dog looks for there owner to help them in everyway, if you giuld them through everything and anything they will reward you with a big lick,
if you need more assistance with these or any other behavior issues please dont' work at it alone, call a behaviorist or trainer to help you with your dog.......
There are many ways to stop this type of behavior, but many ways will requior for you to use tools that you don't have, and spending money on trainers to take them to boot camp something doesnt do the trick,
So with research I have developed a way to stop surtin fear issues, some nervious issues...
some examples are hiding when they hear loud noises, that is nervious behavior, they will shart to shake and sometimes howl, but here is a good way,
start by first getting you dog to come to you, if that doesn't work, try applying a leash on a taking the dog out, (use treats if nessary) once the dog is out, use a distraction, sometimes doing training, sometimes playing ball at home, while the noise is still going they are doing some activity to redirect there mind......
Fear is something that a different type of method will need depending on what type it can be, this is were you use calm behavior in your part, every dog looks for there owner to help them in everyway, if you giuld them through everything and anything they will reward you with a big lick,
if you need more assistance with these or any other behavior issues please dont' work at it alone, call a behaviorist or trainer to help you with your dog.......
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
My Puppy, oh My Puppy
For every owner there is either a adopted dog, or A PUPPY..
At times we need to show puppy love a control, the little training that a dog can get is important for there growing lives….
Now for training for a puppy, Classes were there is puppy play is a great way to start anything, but before that, the vet needs to make sure they give you the ok for them to play amongst the group…
When getting the puppy home make sure you have the following items..
1) Crate
2) Wee-wee pads
3) Flat-line collar.
4) Treats
5) 6FT leash
Potty Training….
When showing a puppy were to go you must have much pactients,
Make sure you use the rule of 2-4 meaning, every 2-4 hours depending on the month of the puppy you apply on the leash and walk the puppy to the wee-wee pads, add a command ex. “go pee-pee” or “go poopy”. Once the puppy has gone and done it’s business you praise them for that. Make sure your using soft treats not hard biscuits, or kibble. If the puppy doesn’t go within the first couple of mins, then you place puppy into the crate, wait for about 2 mins then repeat the exercise. Your puppy will start to understand what the commands are once used several times,
Rule of thumb: make sure that you keep the wee-wee pads on the same spot, if anything make sure you use a mesh rug on the bottom of the wee-wee pads so it can stay in place.
When is it the right time for my puppy to start to walk outside?
Once the puppy has an OK!! From a vet, then he or she can start to walk with a collar and leash outside… Take your puppy to a grassy area, this will be like taking him or her to a wee-wee pad cause it’s soft, say command for puppy to do it’s business,
Rule of Thumb: before your puppy goes outside (after it has gotten all of it’s shots) make sure you work on some basic commands ex: sit, stay, heal
When should I see a trainer for help?
Remember not all trainers will be right in there word on training, please make sure you research your trainer, try to build a relationship with your trainer, remember they will be on call for any questions. A trainer will never tell you let’s wait till your puppy is able to play with other dogs, the work starts right away, from everything basic.. Remember you want to be able to work with your puppy right away, if not they you will never have control of your dog, even if you are able to do it down the line, it will not be the same..
When should I neuter or spay my puppy?
This question is always played with, some vets might say to fix your dog once it has gone threw a curtain period of time.. For females you wait for there first heat, for males it’s about 8 or 9 months..
Some vets will tell you it can happen after it’s final shots..
To be quite honest with you, it depends on breed. Some large breeds you might need to wait till there first heat or 8-9 months, some not..
Little breeds again it will depend…
The reason is cause some breeds need to mature so they can live a long healthy life, some really can be ok with just doing it right away, ex: some pit bulls need to go into maturity for them to live a healthy life, or not to have complications. It happens; it’s a genetic problem… Some breeds like a Shiba Izu really can get fixed right away.
When should I allow my puppy to just be a puppy?
Really good question, in reality you want to not have your puppy get on the couches, or our beds, or really be by the eating table. They should only be on the couch or on the bed when we say ok, not cause they want to just be and it’s a cute thing, remember everything is a cute thing cause they are puppies, but you will regret it in the end…
What kind of commands should I use?
When working with a trainer they will tell you “make sure tonight you work on commands you want to have your puppy learn”, this way everyone is on the same page, it would be wrong if everyone is on different pages then you will have a confused puppy.
Puppy classes
When a dog is ready to play with others, it’s good to take them to puppy play classes, this way you can monitor them in how they play, make sure your have your trainer there with you, so you know what is play and what to do if it’s escalating, it’s a good thing to show them how to play nice not ruff..
Well This is it for what you would need to know..
Remember a puppy is still a dog, you need to show affection last, exercise and discipline always comes first…
Rayner Pacheco BCCAB
T-trainers Dog Trainers, LLC
1(646)707-2050
At times we need to show puppy love a control, the little training that a dog can get is important for there growing lives….
Now for training for a puppy, Classes were there is puppy play is a great way to start anything, but before that, the vet needs to make sure they give you the ok for them to play amongst the group…
When getting the puppy home make sure you have the following items..
1) Crate
2) Wee-wee pads
3) Flat-line collar.
4) Treats
5) 6FT leash
Potty Training….
When showing a puppy were to go you must have much pactients,
Make sure you use the rule of 2-4 meaning, every 2-4 hours depending on the month of the puppy you apply on the leash and walk the puppy to the wee-wee pads, add a command ex. “go pee-pee” or “go poopy”. Once the puppy has gone and done it’s business you praise them for that. Make sure your using soft treats not hard biscuits, or kibble. If the puppy doesn’t go within the first couple of mins, then you place puppy into the crate, wait for about 2 mins then repeat the exercise. Your puppy will start to understand what the commands are once used several times,
Rule of thumb: make sure that you keep the wee-wee pads on the same spot, if anything make sure you use a mesh rug on the bottom of the wee-wee pads so it can stay in place.
When is it the right time for my puppy to start to walk outside?
Once the puppy has an OK!! From a vet, then he or she can start to walk with a collar and leash outside… Take your puppy to a grassy area, this will be like taking him or her to a wee-wee pad cause it’s soft, say command for puppy to do it’s business,
Rule of Thumb: before your puppy goes outside (after it has gotten all of it’s shots) make sure you work on some basic commands ex: sit, stay, heal
When should I see a trainer for help?
Remember not all trainers will be right in there word on training, please make sure you research your trainer, try to build a relationship with your trainer, remember they will be on call for any questions. A trainer will never tell you let’s wait till your puppy is able to play with other dogs, the work starts right away, from everything basic.. Remember you want to be able to work with your puppy right away, if not they you will never have control of your dog, even if you are able to do it down the line, it will not be the same..
When should I neuter or spay my puppy?
This question is always played with, some vets might say to fix your dog once it has gone threw a curtain period of time.. For females you wait for there first heat, for males it’s about 8 or 9 months..
Some vets will tell you it can happen after it’s final shots..
To be quite honest with you, it depends on breed. Some large breeds you might need to wait till there first heat or 8-9 months, some not..
Little breeds again it will depend…
The reason is cause some breeds need to mature so they can live a long healthy life, some really can be ok with just doing it right away, ex: some pit bulls need to go into maturity for them to live a healthy life, or not to have complications. It happens; it’s a genetic problem… Some breeds like a Shiba Izu really can get fixed right away.
When should I allow my puppy to just be a puppy?
Really good question, in reality you want to not have your puppy get on the couches, or our beds, or really be by the eating table. They should only be on the couch or on the bed when we say ok, not cause they want to just be and it’s a cute thing, remember everything is a cute thing cause they are puppies, but you will regret it in the end…
What kind of commands should I use?
When working with a trainer they will tell you “make sure tonight you work on commands you want to have your puppy learn”, this way everyone is on the same page, it would be wrong if everyone is on different pages then you will have a confused puppy.
Puppy classes
When a dog is ready to play with others, it’s good to take them to puppy play classes, this way you can monitor them in how they play, make sure your have your trainer there with you, so you know what is play and what to do if it’s escalating, it’s a good thing to show them how to play nice not ruff..
Well This is it for what you would need to know..
Remember a puppy is still a dog, you need to show affection last, exercise and discipline always comes first…
Rayner Pacheco BCCAB
T-trainers Dog Trainers, LLC
1(646)707-2050
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