Dog Digging

Is your dog digging holes in your yard? Instead of getting angry and frustrated lets look into why your dog is digging and go over some easy ways to stop it.


Here's my newest video - Dog Digging: How to Stop a Dog From Digging.

Dogs dig for 3 big reasons:
1. Boredom - Your dog is out in the yard with nothing to do and he's finding something that he enjoys to pass the time.

2. Lack of exercise - He's got energy and it's always coming out one of two ways: constructively or destructively. If you don't provide enough constructive outlets for his energy he will find something destructive, like digging to China.

3. Lack of supervision - You can only correct behaviors you can see and witness first hand. Your dog is out in the yard creating repetitions and forming habits and you want to make sure they are the ones you want.

Ok, we know your dog is digging holes in your yard and we now know why he's doing it so how about some treatment plans.

1. Supervise 1:38 - An obvious one but needs to be said. Don't leave your dog unattended in the yard for too long. You need to be out there teaching him right from wrong.

2. Exercise More 1:58 - If your dog is digging holes in your yard he's telling you he's got excess energy, so give him some good ways to release it. Up your exercise with him.

3. Give Him Something to Do Out There 2:10 - Don't expect your dog is running laps. If you don't give him something cool to do, he'll find something and it may include trying to digging. Put out some new toys and bones before you let him out or throw a handful of his dry food into the grass and let him spend some time looking for it.

4. Let Him Dig 2:40 - Pick a corner of your yard and build him a digging pit filled with loose dirt or sand. Then encourage him to dig there by burying some fun things for him to find, like bones, toys or stuffed Kongs.

Digging is a common problem but is pretty easy to treat. Just follow the above tips and everyone will be able to enjoy your nice, hole free back yard.

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Pit Bull Training

Pit bulls get a bad rap from the media and the misinformed public so it's our jobs at pit bull owners to train them right.

Check out this video on pit bull training I just shot with my best doggie buddy, Hayely

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAXyRjzqUqM

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Scared Dogs

If you've got a scared, shy or fearful dog you need to be careful how you work with them. Check out this short video I did about how to work with a scared or fearful dog.

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Book Review: Canine Body Language by Brenda Aloff

Canine Body Language by Brenda Aloff is one the best books for anyone interested in learning about dog communication and behavior. Check out this quick video review I just shot:

If you're interested in learning how you can become a dog trainer yourself check out the FernDog Trainer academy at www.makedogsyourlife.com

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Becoming a Dog Trainer

There's nothing better than getting up every day and looking forward to a long day of work. Sound impossible? Well, it's not if you find a career you love.

For me this was not an easy thing to do. I've had five very different careers in my life as I kept experimenting to see what I was good at and enjoyed doing. My journey finally ended five years ago when I decided to give dog training a try. From the moment I began it became clear to me that this would be my last career stop.

Now I truly enjoy every day of work and realized how many years I had wasted doing jobs I didn't like. I'll never get those years back and life is way too short to spend any of it doing something you don't really like doing.

What I've learned is that if you're passionate about what you're doing not only will you enjoy it, but you will be much more successful than if you were in a job you merely tolerated. If you love what you do, you'll give 100% to make it work and will be able to persevere through the difficult times.

So I'm yelling at you to FIND WHAT YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT AND PURSUE IT IN SOME WAY AS A CAREER! Once you do, you'll be surprised how much more fun life can be.

If you're like me and dogs are your thing, then a career as a dog trainer might be a perfect fit. If that's so, the big question on your mind will be, "how do I become a dog trainer?"

I recently shot a video that answers that very question. Click to view:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PacbcR6OU-U&feature=plcp

When you begin working as a dog trainer the first thing you'll realize is that there is no one way to train a dog - it's not a one size fits all kind of thing. Different things work for different people with different dogs in very different situations. The same is true of learning to become a dog trainer. There's a wide variety of ways to learn the tricks of the trade and there is no one best way. Do some research and figure out what's the best path for you.

I do have one big recommendation though: don't only learn about dogs - there's much more that goes in to creating a long term, successful dog training business. All the dog knowledge in the world won't help you pay the bills if you don't know how to run a business and market yourself. These are important things to learn and way too many dog trainers take them for granted or don't want to be bothered with it and that is a fatal mistake. Figuring out how to do this stuff will be the difference between success and failure.

Learning and implementing these skills has been the big reason that I've been able to create a profitable dog training business in a relatively short amount of time.

So get out there, find your passion and take the necessary steps to get into a career that you love. Once you do, you'll see that life is always good. I always say, "Every day with a dog is a good day."

For more information how my online certification to becoming a successful dog trainer go to http://makedogsyourlife.com

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The FernBlog Has Moved!

I've finnally decided to integrate my blog into my website so I will no longer be posting on this Blogger account. To keep following my blog goto www.ferndogtraining.com and subscribe.

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Should You Get Your Dog Microchipped?

This past weekend Hurricane Irene caused chaos up and down the East Coast of the United States. Houses were destroyed and many families were displaced in the storm. I was lucky enough to escape the wrath of Irene with minimal damage, but others were not so fortunate. People were forced to flee their own homes as they crumbled around them or flood waters washed them away. Many dogs and cats were lost in the midst of the pandemonium of survival.

As I read these stories, I look down at my own dog, Hayley, and wonder if we were separated in the storm would we find each other? That’s a hard question to ponder and no one likes to think about the worst case scenario but if you’re prepared and the worst happens, you will be glad you made the appropriate preparations.

Forget something as catastrophic as a hurricane, what if your dog just ran from the house or slipped his collar and took off. How would you be able to get him back? What precautions do you have in place in case the worst happens? Without any way to identify your dog, how would anyone know he was yours?

That’s where microchipping comes in. Although microchipping in pets is nothing new, many owners are still unsure of what it really is and if they should really bother.

How it works
Microchips are injected into the animal just under the skin, usually between the shoulder blades. It doesn’t hurt the dog (it feels like a typical injection) and has no real side effects. Each microchip is identified by a separate and unique number that can be read by a scanner when it’s hovered over the dog. Almost all vets and shelters have these scanners are able to quickly read the microchip that has been placed in a dog.

If your dog is ever separated from you and picked up by the local shelter the first thing they will do is scan him to see if he’s been chipped. Then they can look up your information in the microchip database to get your contact info and reunite you with your furry best friend.

It’s kind of like an insurance policy in that you will most likely never need it, but if you do it will prove to invaluable. However, unlike insurance polices microchipping will only cost you about $50. Well worth it, in my opinion.

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