Does your canine need a coach? Now, Asheville Humane Society offers 6-week training courses for your current or newly-adopted pet! AHS is partnering with Pia Silvani, a canine behavior specialist and trainer, to offer weekly classes for your four-legged friend, including Kindergarten Puppy and Canine Manners. Both courses are open to the public.

Kindergarten Puppy will help your 8- to 16-week-old pup with proper socialization, bite inhibition, house training, manners and more. The class meets for 1 hour a week for 6 weeks and is limited to 10 puppies. The first class will be held on Sunday, January 26 at 2 PM (Asheville Humane's Adoption Center, 14 Forever Friend Lane).

Canine Manners will use reward-based training methods to help you bridge the communication gap when teaching your dog basic manners. This 1-hour class (for dogs over the age of 16 weeks) is limited to 8 dogs and will meet once a week for 6 weeks.  The first two Canine Manners classes will be held on Saturday, January 25 at 10 AM or 11:15 AM (Asheville Humane's new Community Center, 1425 Patton Avenue). 

If you sign up for one of these six-week courses, you will receive $15 off by using coupon code "HOLIDAYK9". (Discount is only valid until these three courses sell out.) 

Purchase tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/asheville-humane-society-28683564225

Pia Silvani is an internationally-recognized dog trainer with over 30 years of experience. Previously, Pia was VP of Training and Behavior at St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center where she developed numerous courses focused on positive, reward-based techniques. She also served as the Director of Behavioral Rehabilitation at the ASPCA where she led programs to educate shelter professionals in effective behavior rehabilitation techniques, as well as specialized socialization, enrichment, and shelter protocols.

Image: Asheville Humane Society

Guest Post by Clara Lou

Have you ever tried to pet another dog when you’re playing with your pooch? Your buddy will try to come between you and the other dog to whom you now gave attention. Initially, your buddy will try to push you or the other dog away, but your dog might also end up whining, biting, and attacking you or the other dog.

This kind of behavior suggests that dogs really get jealous when they are not the center of attention. But a more important question is whether the jealousy in dogs is the same as the jealousy we humans feel. Let’s find out.

Understanding Jealousy in Dogs

I believed that the jealousy in dogs is no different than it is in humans until I met a sled dog racer in Canada. He was making his Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies ready for a ride. They all looked cute, and when I maneuvered to pet them the sled dog rider warned me, “You pet one dog and you have to pet them all.” Further, he said, “They get jealous of each other if any one of them gets more of love, affection, food, or anything. They turn into green-eyed monsters.”

This incident made me look deeper into dogs’ jealous behavior.

What I Found

I am going to discuss two different experiments that helps us understand this behavior better. Friederike Range, of the University of Vienna, did an experiment to study jealousy . Two dogs were given the same task to perform, but one gets rewarded while the other does not. Both the dogs were taught a simple trick of ‘shaking hands’. A dog would extend her paw and put it into the person’s hand.

For the experiment, both the dogs with their respective persons in front of them were seated side by side and were instructed to perform handshakes. But only one dog received the treat as a reward -- the other didn’t. You would think the unrewarded dog would react to this unfair distribution of rewards by performing the same tasks and wouldn’t follow his master’s instructions. This is exactly what happened. The unrewarded dog stopped obeying his master’s command and also showed stress signs when his partner dog kept receiving treats.

Many people would believe that this is not jealousy exactly. It might well be the case that the dog who did not get the treats stopped obeying his master simply due to the fact that all unrewarded training tricks and commands tend to disappear because of the learning process which theorists call “extinction.” Very simply, a dog would not perform the task if he won’t get any rewards in return. Do you also think the same? But wait, you might want to read further.

To ensure that the interaction was important rather than the case of frustration and jealousy, a similar experiment was conducted. But this time it was a little bit different. This time the same task was performed on the two dogs with their respective masters in a separate room. Also, they were not being rewarded at all for obeying their master’s instruction of shaking hands.

Under this circumstance, both the dogs did not only present their paws for a longer time but also didn’t show any signs of frustration or annoyance. So, definitely, the motive to perform the trick was not to get a reward. It was jealousy that the other partner was getting rewards for the same task he was doing.

One More Experiment to Understand This Behavior Further

When human beings are involved in different social settings and situations, every aspect of the reward is closely considered to determine the jealousy. Dogs, however, do not see the situation under the same microscope. This can be understood from a similar experiment to the one previously discussed.

Now, again, two dogs sit side by side in front of their respective owners. Both the dogs are instructed to perform a “shake hand” task. This time, both the dogs get treats as rewards but the difference here is one dog gets a very desirable treat, a piece of chicken, and the other one gets a comparatively less desirable treat, a piece of bread.

The outcome was surprising. The response from both the dogs was not affected by the unfair share of rewards, unlike what a human might have done if he were in the place of dogs. Dogs are sensitive to fairness (whether they are being rewarded or not), but not to the equity (the quality of rewards).

The Bottom Line

It can be said that dogs get jealous when they think you have been unfair to them; whether it’s food, love, affection, attention, or anything. Other animals like primates also respond to primary and secondary emotions, but dogs only respond to secondary emotions. If you have any questions or want to share what you feel, please comment. Long may the canines live!

Clara Lou is a co-founder and the marketing head at PetLovesBest. She happens to be an active animal activist in her town who has done a few notable works for the welfare of animals, especially pets. She loves to enjoy writing about pets and animals.

Image: Pixabay.com

Guest Post by John Woods

There could be several reasons to want to change a rescue pup’s name, but the good thing is, changing a dog’s name is easy and dogs are really quick learners.

All you need to do is choose a new name, and be consistent with it. You’ll also need to make sure all your family members are using the name consistently, and usually your dog should have his new name mastered in under a week.

We’re going to look at reasons you might want to change a dog’s name, how to choose one, and how to re-train your dog to understand his new name.

Reasons to Change a Dog’s Name

Here are a few popular reasons you might want to change your dog’s name.

Perhaps you don’t like the name of the dog you’ve adopted. It might be a really strange or long name which takes too long to say or is confusing.

Or maybe you just want to give your dog a new name to match his new start in life.

Perhaps the dog suffered abuse at the hands of previous owners and he has a really negative association with the old name.

Whatever the reason, it’s really simple to rename your dog.

How to Rename an Adopted Dog

Choose a Name

Believe it or not, this is probably the trickiest part of renaming your dog (does that reassure you how easy it’ll be to give your dog a new name?)

Some people try to choose a name as similar as possible to the original name; for example if the old name was “Bruno,” a new similar name might be “Blue.” However, this really isn’t necessary: If you’re going to change the name, you don’t have to keep it similar, you can start from scratch and choose anything you like.

Spend some time getting to know your dog, understand his personality and look out for any unique little quirks in his appearance. This will help in selecting an appropriate name.

There are many places you can draw inspiration from when renaming your dog! You might even look to famous actors or movies to help inspire you.

Teach Your Dog His or Her New Name

1. Make sure everyone knows his new name

The first step in renaming your dog is to make sure that everyone is on board with the new name so that you can be as consistent as possible. Everyone needs to be using the same name or else your dog will become confused if some people are still calling him by the old name and others are using a new name.

2. Have a quiet area to use

When you first get your dog home, spend some time bonding with him, and when you first introduce his name make sure that you are in a quiet area with no distractions.

3. Say his name positively

When you’ve found a quiet area to use, say his name in a happy manner. Continue to say his name over the next few minutes, praising him each time you say it. It’s really important that you always say his name using a positive voice, even more so when he is first learning his name.

Each time your dog hears his name it should be in a positive, happy tone rather than a cross, despairing or scolding manner. This is essential to create a positive association with the name.

4. Use treats

When you teach your dog his new name, it’s very similar to when you teach him any other kind of command. You should use lots of positive reinforcement and give him plenty of attention whenever he responds to his new name.  At the beginning, each time you call his new name you should also give him a treat.

5. Repeat

Each day, take your dog to a quiet area, call him happily by his name, then praise and reward him. It’s important to keep these sessions short so your dog doesn’t become bored. You might even want to do this a few brief times each day until your dog gets the hang of his new name.

6. Try it out

Once you think your dog has grasped his new name, it’s time to put it to the test when he’s not directly looking at you. Call his name, and when he looks over to you or comes to you, respond with praise and a treat.

7. Gradually phase out the treats

Once you’re sure your dog has his new name mastered, you can start to slowly phase out the treats which you give him as a reward to responding to his name.

John Woods is a dog fanatic and has a blog over at all things dogs. He’s a dog trainer who is on a mission to educate 40 million dog owners and lovers on how to care for dogs. 

Image: Pixabay.com

Carolina Mountain Dog recently published a guest post about the pros and cons of invisible dog fences. We have received requests to publish more comprehensive information about such fences. Our intent is to provide information without endorsing training methods or specific products. If we accept a guest post for publication, the post represents the opinion of the writer, not necessarily this blog.

There are often strong opinions, both positive and negative, about invisible dog fences. In order to present additional details about invisible dog fences, we have provided a link to a recent comprehensive article written by a dog behaviorist that appeared in Whole Dog Journal:

https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/2_5/features/Electric-Underground-Fences_5207-1.html

We hope this information is helpful to anyone considering an invisible dog fence.

Guest Post by Victoria Nelson

The usual wood, chain link, or plastic fences used to contain dogs are often difficult to put up and maintain and can be an eyesore. Is an invisible fence, or electronic dog fence, a reasonable alternative?

How the Invisible Dog Fence Works

Unlike a visible physical barrier, an invisible fence is a barrier that cannot be seen by humans but is learned by dogs. An invisible fence has the potential to keep your dog from wandering off or from bolting during a storm and getting lost.

The invisible fence is an electronic wireless “fence” that is installed underground and is controlled by and with a special collar preventing the dog from crossing the boundary of the fence. An invisible fence unit contains the basic unit, small flags for a visual boundary until your dog learns the boundaries of the fence, and the collar for your dog. The high-end systems also include a pet door so that your dog can get inside when it needs to. Only a dog wearing the collar can get in the pet door.

Most invisible fence systems include installation and training. Put the collar on your dog, plant the flags around your property where you want your dog to stay, and turn on the system. Your dog should need minimal training to learn the concept of the invisible fence. It is typically very easy. Most systems offer coverage of a little over a hundred feet in every direction up to three quarters of an acre.

It should be said that the invisible fence system should not be used with dogs that weigh less than five pounds. Make sure the company you buy from has customer service at the appropriate time. The special collar will give your dog a small buzz to distract him if he tries to cross the boundary, or you can just use an audible alert. Most systems have multiple levels of the jolt but even the highest is not harmful to your dog. It is designed not to hurt your dog but rather to just surprise him and train him not to pass the flags.

Pros and Cons of an Invisible Fence

Pros

• Invisible fencing will withstand the rigors of climate and weather, as well as natural events such as floods.
• Will protect your dog from getting lost for any reason, especially when other non-resident dog lovers are walking or hiking with their canines.
• Invisible fencing is often less expensive in areas where traditional fencing is more difficult to install due to terrain.
• Invisible fencing is more adaptable to wooded, hilly or continuously wet terrain. This adaptability extends to the configuration of the fenced area. It can be any shape you want with an electric dog fence.
• Your dog cannot jump or climb over or dig under an invisible fence.

Cons

• You and your dog will need to be trained.
• Some dogs will occasionally break through the electronic barrier.
• Unless you buy a system with a pet door that allows only your dog with collar to use it, other animals can enter the fenced area and your dog cannot get out. It’s worth any extra expense to protect your dog from attacks with a pet door.

Given the terrain, weather conditions, and presence of so many outside dogs, the invisible dog fence appears to be an excellent solution for keeping your dog safe while allowing him freedom on his own territory.

I'm Victoria Nelson, article author and owner of PetsHotSpot website. I have always been passionate about animals. I really enjoy writing about pets, especially when my articles can help people to understand animals better. I hope that you find a lot of useful information and it is been a pleasure for you to read it.

Guest Post by Mary Nielsen

Suppose you have a cat and you want to introduce her to a new dog you are adding to your household. Or what if you already have a dog and you want to introduce him to a new cat? It's a challenge, but it is possible with the right approach.

After learning about jealousy in cats, you may want to prevent jealousy by gently introducing your cat to a new cat in the household. But what if it's a dog? "To fight like cats and dogs" is a tired cliché, but based on truth. It stems from a language barrier. What a cat thinks is a friendly greeting, a dog thinks is an unwarranted expression of dominance. What a dog thinks of as a friendly greeting, a cat thinks is a sign of aggression. The best way to overcome this language barrier is to introduce them as puppy and kitten, while they're so naïve that everything seems new and different. Of course, that's not always possible.

Before You Get Started

If at all possible, get a cat and dog with similar personalities. If the situation is due to a blended family or other cohabitation, this may not be an option. It's preferable to start with animals that have lived with other animals before. The dog should know the commands "sit", "no" and "stay" and be leash-trained. Aggressive animals (even if only in play) will not match well with nervous, shy animals. While it's best to introduce a puppy and a kitten to each other, two elderly animals might be able to quietly tolerate each other. In the case of puppies and kittens, supervise their playtime to make sure they don't hurt themselves.

If possible, let the cat and dog take turns roaming freely about the house while the other visits a friend or family member. This way, they'll know each other by scent when they first meet.

The Pavlovian Method

Your cat will need to be isolated for a while with food, water, litter box and bedding. You may come in to visit, but the dog should stay out. For at least a week, the cat and dog must eat on opposite sides of a solid door. If your dog barks, whines or paws at the door, give him a calm but firm "No!" and move his bowl away from the door. Gradually move the food bowls closer to the door over the week until they're practically eating side by side if not for the door. You can also rub one with a rag and put it near the other's bowl so they can smell it while eating. In time, they'll come to see each other's scent as pleasant.

Face to Face

For their first face to face meeting, there should be a handler for each animal. Pets can pick up on fear and nervousness, so try to keep calm. The dog should be leashed and the cat should have access to her safe space, be that a carrier, kitty condo or space under the bed. Calmly and gently let the cat and dog see and smell each other. Speak in a composed, reassuring voice. If things take a turn for the worse (one or both lunges at the other, for example) the dog can be pulled back on a leash and commanded "No! Sit!" The cat will most likely retreat to someplace safe. Repeat this several times, gradually lengthening the time of the visits.

Never punish a pet for a bad reaction to another. You don't want them to associate the other animal with punishment. Do reward them for good behavior. Some dog breeds that have a high prey instinct (hounds, spaniels and terriers) may never acclimate to a cat's presence. Of course, if the dog is of a toy group (such as a Yorkie or Chihuahua) you may have to tell your cat to play nice! Even if your cat and dog do learn to accept each other, keep food and litter boxes where the one who shouldn't use it can't get to it.

Mary Nielsen founded FelineLiving.net and is a passionate cat lover, blogger, and part-time music teacher. She founded her blog to share her ups and downs of being a pet parent to a bunch of adorable kittens and cats. When she is not playing with them or teaching, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen.

Image: Pixabay

Kim Brophey, a local dog behaviorist/owner of The Dog Door in Asheville with a national reputation, will be appearing at Malaprops Bookstore, 55 Haywood Street in Asheville, on Wednesday, June 13 at 6 PM. She will be discussing her new book, Meet Your Dog, which has received rave reviews. A presentation will be followed by a book signing.

Using cutting-edge research, Brophey has developed a groundbreaking system called L.E.G.S. that allows owners to identify what their dog is struggling with, why, and how they can fix it. Brophey's approach is unlike anything that has been published before and will give dog owners a new understanding of what motivates and affects their dog's behavior. Brophey's innovative technique rethinks the way we categorize dogs, and distills information from over twenty scientific disciplines into four comprehensive elements: learning, environment, genetics, and self. With revolutionary tips for specific dog breeds, her book will change the life of every dog owner and lead to happier human-canine relationships. Asheville Humane Society is the first humane society in the country to be adopting the L.E.G.S. approach.

Her book is available at Malaprops, or through Amazon by clicking on the book cover above.

On Saturday, April 14 from 3 to 5 PM, Kim Brophey will be reading from and signing copies of her new book, Meet Your Dog, at the Asheville Mall Barnes and Noble on South Tunnel Road in Asheville.

Business owner and dog behavior expert Brophey just released this revolutionary new book that will change the way people view dog behavior. Kim is a nationally-recognized, certified animal behaviorist with her own dog behavior business, The Dog Door in Asheville.

In her book Meet Your Dog: The Game-Changing Guide to Understanding Your Dog’s Behavior she reveals her comprehensive framework known as L.E.G.S (Learning, Environment, Genetics, Self) which explains the four aspects of a dog’s behavior. The knowledge in this book can dramatically change how we view and relate to dogs, with the aim of keeping misunderstood dogs out of shelters and in happy homes. Asheville Humane Society will be instituting the L.E.G.S. system this Spring -- the first humane society in the nation to do so.

No dogs allowed at this event, please!

On Thursday, January 25 at 6 PM, Dr. Kathryn Gubista will do a free presentation on science-based dog training.  The presentation will take place in the Lord Auditorium of Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood Street, in downtown Asheville. Humans only, please!

Gubista is an evolutionary biologist, college biology instructor, former zookeeper, author and certified professional dog trainer (CPDT-KA) with Lucky Dog Training Asheville and has over 30 years of dog training and human educating experience. Her training philosophy is based on "The Dog's Perspective."  According to Lucky Dog Training: "Our training philosophy and techniques are based on understanding the biology of dogs coupled with learning theory, and is most similar in approach to dog training as Positive Discipline is to child parenting. By understanding the dog’s perspective, humans learn to communicate with dogs on their level instead of making dogs communicate on the human’s level. This makes dog training practical, easy and rewarding for everyone, especially dogs."

Image: jm1366, freedigitalphotos.net

Asheville Humane Society will hold a free "Beer City Behavior" training talk on Saturday, Sept. 2 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM at Habitat Tavern and Commons 174 Broadway, Asheville. You and your pup are invited to join Asheville Humane Society and learn how to train and entertain your furry friends at the same time!

A two mile walk doesn't tire your dog? Too fearful to play? Elliot Weiner, PhD, CPDT-KA and Asheville Humane Society volunteer will teach and discuss some techniques and games that will make your dog think while also training and entertaining him/her. Mental exercise keeps our dogs from going too far up the arousal scale and making bad decisions. Elliot will teach you and your dog how to think and have fun. Grab a beer, and spend the first hour with him thinking and playing, and stick around for additional questions/play time!

Asheville Humane Society will be holding a free "Beer City Behavior" talk on Saturday, July 29 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Ultimate Ice Cream, 1070 Tunnel Road, Asheville.

Asheville Humane Society will be holding a free "Beer City Behavior" talk on Thursday, July 27 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at New Belgium Brewing, 21 Craven Street, Asheville.

Asheville Humane Society will be holding a free "Beer City Behavior" talk on Tuesday, June 20 from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at Blue Ghost Brewing Company, 125 Underwood Road, Fletcher, NC.

Asheville Humane Society will be holding a free "Beer City Behavior" talk on Saturday, June 17 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM at Pour Taproom, 2 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville, NC.

Most people think dog training is only for puppies, but the fact is an older dog can be trained, too. However, training an older dog does take different techniques and probably more patience.

PetPlace.com shares some useful tips about training an older dog. First you need to understand your dog's background, personality, and ability to learn. Then you can begin training for specific behaviors. According to PetPlace, one of the best ways to train an older dog is to use treats. If you choose a high value treat that you know your dog really loves, it will motivate her to learn a behavior. Another technique that works for many older dogs is clicker training since the dog will associate the sound with what you want her to do.

PetPlace suggests using single word commands because they are easier for a dog to understand and remember. Use hand signals if your dog is hard of hearing or far away from you, but be sure the hand signals are obvious rather than subtle.

For more ideas for training an older dog, read the PetPlace article, "Tips and Techniques for Training an Older Dog."

Image: Dominik, QN, unsplash.com

Asheville Humane Society presents a series of dog behavior talks, free to the public, that take place at local breweries.

On Wednesday, May 3 from 6 to 8 PM, a dog behavior talk will be held at Oskar Blues Brewery, 342 Mountain Industrial Drive, Brevard, NC.

To understand what your dog is feeling, you need to learn how to recognize, read, interpret, and respond appropriately to your dog’s behaviors and communications. This talk with focus on some common behaviors that are either misunderstood, or often missed completely. You will gain a whole new appreciation for how much your dog is trying to tell you and you will be able to grow your relationship and enhance your training exercises!

**Please note, if your dog does not like to be around large groups of people and dogs, please leave them at home where they will be more comfortable. The trainer will be happy to give you some tips and tricks of things you can do in your home to help with any behavior problems.**

We all love our dogs, but every once in a while, they exhibit a behavior that we find undesirable. Before you attempt to correct the behavior, it might be wise to understand its cause.

PetPlace.com provides an excellent "Guide to Behavior Problems in Dogs" that lists many of the most common dog behavior problems, including inappropriate elimination, urine marking, digging, separation anxiety, aggression, chewing, and biting. The guide is set up so that it briefly describes each behavior. Then you can click on the behavior and get a lot more details about the problem.

All of the material is written by veterinarians or other dog behavior specialists. It is easy to read and features specific suggestions and guidance for how to address each behavior problem.

You'll find a link to the primary article here: 
http://www.petplace.com/article/dogs/behavior-training/behavior-problems/guide-to-behavior-problems-in-dogs

Image: Patrisyu, Freedigitalphotos.net

On Saturday, February 25 from 1 to 2:30 PM, Sanctuary Brewing in Hendersonville will host "Puppy 101" from This free talk with an Asheville Humane Society dog behaviorist is going to focus on the stages that puppies go through, how their brains and behavior are developing, and what we can do to help them become a well-socialized adult dog!

The talk will also cover some common socialization misconceptions and helpful training techniques to make the adolescent months more bearable. Puppies are welcome, but if you decide to bring your puppy, please be sure they are up to date on vaccines and de-wormings. If several puppies of similar ages are present, a puppy social will be held! 

Sanctuary Brewing is located at 147 First Avenue East in Hendersonville, NC. For additional details, call 828-595-9956 or email info@sanctuarybrewco.com. 

Image: Vudhikrai, freedigitalphotos.net