Introducing OSCAR!!

The pack have a new member - 10 month old Oscar, A black Lab mix with a little Springer Spaniel!

Oscar, re-homed to us here at CrystalDogs, has bonded well with most of the pack...Monty the Gt Dane is still a little unsure as Oscar loves to try to play with him - fascinated by his sheer size and slobbery chops!

It took a few hours to get PeterPan to accept Oscar into the pack, we have not had a male younger than PeterP here for a couple of years as PeterP was so aggressive to other younger males. Well PeterP was muzzled to begin with as he relapsed into red zone, I had to step-up my Pack Leader energy and followed Cesar's Way to introduce a new dog to PeterP and then later to the rest of the pack.

We began with much walking exercise - just PeterP and Oscar together, then some supervised discipline time around the home, PeterP relaxed and peace was restored. Now PeterP, I am sure, thinks Oscar is "so cool" as Oscar is a young, high energy dog - he needs more exercise than the rest of the pack and PeterP gets to go along too!!

Oscar did not react to PeterP's aggression in any way - he was not aggressive in response to PeterP's lunging attacks .... I think I have the dog I need now - as Cesar talks of too - we get the dogs we need not necessarily the ones we want! I need a dog to work with me to help balance other dogs - welcome Oscar my "Rehab Assistant"!

Oscar has settled into our routine very well, from day one he began to learn how to rest from the pack! It is strange though having a pup around the place again ..... things go missing .... socks and the empty dog food cans in the trash bin are favourites!

More on Oscar coming soon as we are now a pack of 14 dogs!

Pack Member helps dog with shorter legs!

This week at the seaside the tide is quite high, there is just enough beach to walk along! While out on our pack walk we had to climb over a few rocks to get to a stretch of sand, once across I realised Sadie, the tiniest of the Jack Russels, was stuck on the other side - too short to jump over!

Just as I was thinking "oh no, I shall have to climb back over the rocks to lift her over" ......... Max the Dobey ran off, jumped the rocks and caught up with Sadie, he did not stop he kept on running with Sadie now following him. He found a way round the rocks and led her safely back onto the beach where we all were waiting and watching in amazement!

Way to go Max - he went and rescued his little pack mate and showed her the way. Max completely lived up to his rank of "would-be-alpha" dog - leading the way!! The amazing part is how all this was communicated between the dogs and I in "energy" alone - no vocal from the dogs or me, pure energy told Max to run to help Sadie join us - now that is true pack team work.

Remember our dogs are reading us all the time - they know what we are doing through our energy and body language! Energy truly is the inter-species language as Cesar Millan tells us.

Just as well Max accepts me as his Pack Leader .... else I'm not sure what he would have the rest of the pack doing all day - or maybe I do .... I think they would be running the beaches chasing sea birds all day, stopping occasionally to eat fresh fish washed up on the beach!

It's a Dog's Life at the beach!

Happy "Cesar" Christmas!!

Finally a chance for everyone including us "Brits" to learn from Cesar Millan, without having to live in the USA and be on The Dog Whisperer!






I highly recommend this for all owners and handlers... Cesar trains humans...us the people!

Extra News below so make sure you read on to the end of this post!

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After completing each section of the course work (at your own pace), you take a brief quiz. It's that easy, and it's fun! As a special added feature, Cesar's Pack is an online community forum where you can ask questions and communicate with other dog lovers and Pack Leaders. Cesar's Ambassadors are also there to help guide you through the course and try to answer your dog behavior questions.
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Sessions With Cesar makes a great holiday gift for that "dog person" in your life!

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Join In...Join The Pack...Be The Pack Leader!

Bringing home a puppy...but not a "dog"?

Hello Jen and Welcome - a reply to comment question:

My first question would have to be "why would one not want to treat a dog as a dog"? Even my smallest Chihuahua mix Jack is proud to be "dog", dogs love to be dogs they are not fulfilled being surrogate humans! You should see little Jack running the countryside covered in mud with a feather in his mouth - his entire body language says “proud dog” - he would not want to be “carried around” and “pampered”...he is a dog!

Dogs are pack animals it's in their DNA, so why not be their leader this is nature's way? Being the Pack Leader does not mean we cannot have our dogs as companions or have to change everything - actually it is a very straight forward philosophy and I get to share affection - my pack get loads of affection, but it comes as a reward for being my followers and this makes it even more special to my dogs - they have earned their place in the pack, this is the ultimate reward for any dog!

So what is it about the pack leader way that you do not like or want to follow? What is your dog if not a dog?
Brining a powerful breed such as a Rottweiller into a family ....pack....without following exercise and discipline is a risky method, if the dog is naturally lower ranked "happy go lucky" then with training alone you may have a great family dog BUT if the dog is a social climber then behaviour may become a problem which later requires rehab!

Anyone can become their dog's Pack Leader - anytime - any dog age - this is because dogs live in the now and always prefer to live in the most natural of environments which is a pack.

I know if I was going to bring in a puppy to this pack I would follow Cesar's ways in his book "A Member of the Family" - a friend of mine Greet, in the Netherlands, has just followed this book to bring a Chihuahua pup at 7 wks old into her pack of 14 dogs with great success.

So the only other advice I could give you would be to have one dog as the higher ranked member of the pack - the "alpha", though please note this may well inspire fighting between them as the pup matures! I would also protect the smaller dog from puppy play in case of injury from a heavier boned puppy.

Train the pup from day one with other dogs, socialization is key in as many different environments/contexts as you possibly can. Try to avoid any bad habits developing by having at least some rules from day one. Walking both dogs together would help to create a bond, as would feeding them near each other but not allowing them to go to each other's bowls and balancing your attention between both dogs!

If you can manage to follow a little dog psychology it may well help you raise your pup without him suffering fears and obsessions - don’t reinforce fearful instinct/mind with affection, redirect him if he is becoming fixated on something - prevention is far better than cure!

If you are not following any discipline then you are likely to get more primal behaviour - behaviour which can carry risks and become unwanted later when it is no longer cute! If your current dog is a balanced dog then the positive power of the pack may well transfer to the puppy, if not then behaviour problems can double!

Not everyone wants to be or can be the pack leader , there is always room for compromise but personally I just love the calm energy of my pack now, you can see the contented dogs at walk, rest and play - it's a dog's life. If I cannot convince you to see you dogs as dogs, then all I can do is wish you luck with your new puppy and hope all goes well for you and that you go on to control your Rottie pup through obedience training.

I love to be my pack's Dog Whisperer! I still humanize my dogs for fun between humans only, they are all still my "babies" - my family, but never directly with/to them or in any emotional interaction as I respect their right to be my pack ... my dogs first.

Balance means I can be a dog lover and a Pack Leader.

Don't Be The Boss...Be The Pack Leader!!

When we switched philosophies to being the Pack Leader, not the "Boss", the changes in my pack are truly inspiring - they are with me...they will follow me and they are not all obedience trained! Here are some of my "key differences" between boss and leader:

To be a boss is "human hierarchy" - Bosses make demands, issue orders and expect staff to do exactly as they are instructed - between humans we can have this structure as we understand the rules, but for a dog "a boss" is not a leader, rather they are someone who gives commands and believes that a dog should obey the boss's demands always BUT

• Sometimes dogs refuse to obey the boss..."oh how I remember this one!!"
  
• Dogs have various ranks, while they may not be the boss as you the human are, a high ranked dog can still be the leader of the pack and that can over-rule a boss..."Eddie was the leader of the pack here!"
  
• Middle ranked dogs can feel insecure in such a structure as bosses have various ranks below them, like middle management, with middle ranked dogs = fighting between dogs over status/rank. While lower ranked dogs can feel insecure - Dogs can feel over-powered by a boss and behave fearfully or overly-submissive even using learned helplessness. "3 male Terriers would competitively fight...and fight!"
• Dogs cannot be bribed or negotiated with - a tactic used by some bosses. "Often Max would refuse a piece of food if there was something else he was focused on!"
• A dog does not follow a boss, they may do as they are told but this is not the same as following naturally out of respect, more likely through training obedience or for a "pay rise" which means a dog will only do something for a treat!! Or they do as told out of fear of consequences such as "being ignored" or "time-out" - human psychology dogs do not understand. "I put Alfie outside once as a consequence for not recalling - he just curled up on the bench and went to sleep quite content!"

Being a Pack Leader is dog, not human, psychology = successful communication between species. A Pack Leader is a rank and status a dog respects, the consistent structure and pack dynamics are those a dog understands - so we have follower dogs who respect us and want to please their leader - they want to work for their leader and place in the pack! Dogs do not follow unstable leaders - they only follow calm assertive leaders, to rant at a dog, use angry/frustrated energy or use physical force then these are actions of a boss or a weak leader which dogs do not respect and will not follow unless made to = back to being more of a boss again!

• Pack Leaders claim the alpha, highest rank/status, we have equal ranked follower dogs - we do not acknowledge any dog ranks in our packs = no fights!!
  
• Pack Leaders use calm assertive energy not physical dominance or aggression, "dominant type" dogs become follower dogs no longer acting-out dominance over the pack.
  
• We don't need commands, energy alone can have our dogs following our lead. Our dogs behave with calm submission with "no touch no talk no eye contact".
  
• We can give out verbal "commands" or physical signals (body language) - once we have taught them we can use them to direct and redirect our dogs, not to boss them around!
  
• Our dogs follow us out of respect - we do not bribe them or ask them to do things, the power of positive projection "energy" is a language our dogs understand.
  
• We communicate with clear and consistent rules, boundaries and limits - Discipline.
  
• We understand the need for "exercise first", we don't shower our dogs with affection first, our dogs earn their affection = natural dog pack psychology and behaviour.


• Human Leader with Follower Dog creates a bond of trust, fulfills our dogs need for the natural structure they understand and need.

I believe we should all be our dogs pack leaders, benevolent leaders not the boss!

Peace returns to our lives, chaos gone - balance achieved between people and dogs Cesar's Way! As I said at the start - "inspirational" this is also a great word to describe Cesar Millan - the original, genuine Pack Leader! Make being the "boss" old school, "Be The Pack Leader" - use energy not so many human words ...get in tune with your instincts, avoid humanising dogs and too much human analysis to solve dog behaviour problems over-complicates - So keep it simple, work with nature not against it and live in the now - dogs do!

Stay Calm Assertive - Stay balanced

Pack Leading = Contented Canine Companions!

Good Brush - Good Dog!!

The key here is to change a dogs association with the combination of human and the brush.

This method helps fearful dogs to recover mental and physical stability.

First after exercise, some real energy draining exercise, wait until your dog is truly calm submissive - relaxed body (not tense) and relaxed mind (not focused). Have some treats at the ready or prepare your voice for some gentle praise. Put a leash on your dog so that you have control, we don't want your dog running off to hide now! Sit down or having the dog standing on a table if they are really small, so you can make good warm eye contact. Hold the brush as far away from your dog as you can without letting go of the leash, preferably far enough away that your dog does not show a negative reaction! No talk and No Touch just encouraging yet confident eye contact.

Reward only calm submissive behaviour and mind. You are communicating to your dog this is a good thing - the brush being held by the human!

Gradually, - slowly and this is key, bring the brush closer to your dog, only moving the brush ever closer as your dog does not react negatively. Reward as you go - only for calm submissive behaviour. If your dog carries out unwanted behaviour then go back a step to when they did not act-out but do not give up now else once again they win the context! Keep going until you have the brush touching your dog and reward - as ever only reward calm submissive behaviour...I can't say this one enough as to praise anything else is to reinforce acting-out around the brush! If you do need to break this up into different sessions then always end a session on a positive note - so you still win the context!

Keep exercises short at first, building up to being able to groom your dog using any tool, this is systematic desensitisation and it works! Soon you may well have a dog who loves to be groomed - still having problems then Email me for personal advice.

Believe it or not but I did have to do this with my Gt Dane some 5 years ago who was fearful of the brush! Monty's sheer size made me more wary of a bite and I lost my confidence a little, so I used this approach instead!

Cesar's Way - dogs prefer to return to balance, aggressive behaviour is insecure behaviour, rehabilitation of the behaviour will change their response enabling recovery to begin!

Once again though - consult with a "Pro" if you can - maybe try thinking of it this way - would you expect to learn how to be a top singer without a vocal coach, the same is true for grooming or any other canine behaviour = contact a dog psychologist who can help you to understand your dog and teach you how to achieve balance between owners and dogs.

Cesar's Way - It works when we work it - Stay Calm Assertive

Grooming Gremlin!

This is the name of an episode of the Dog Whisperer Show with Cesar Millan, Season 1, and also the nickname of our Chihuahua mix Jack, who way back was just this - a complete nightmare to groom he truly transformed into a Gremlin!

Jack would snarl and "air bite" whenever I came near him with a brush and as for scissors...then his growl sounded worse than one from Max the Dobey! Small Jack may be but is size only, he is a naturally high ranked dog who given the opportunity will dominate others! This was Jack dominating me, only alpha dogs get to choose who they groom and when/how they do it, Jack thinking he was higher ranked than me was warning me off.

Another reason dogs can become "grooming gremlins" is through fear - they are afraid as they have been hurt before (not deliberately but hair snagged with a comb for example or their mind reads the human's energy which may be over assertive) or they may simply have a general fearful/nervous nature, so they growl/bark basically to protest the grooming/vocalize their fear and it works - the owner stops and begins backing away so "hey" the dog knows this behaviour works to keep human from grooming them so guess what? They keep on doing it!

Either way a dog wins the context so they keep on repeating the unwanted behaviour and aggression indicates insecure dog (unstable mind) who needs our help.

With Jack the rehab began with me establishing myself as his Pack Leader, I would not allow any dominance posturing from this little dog, though he could look cute! Once I made a decision to groom him I had to check first that my energy was completely calm and assertive because any hesitation on my part would mean Jack would win again! Well he snarled, he yapped, he escalated his protest trying to bite me (and managed one time) but I did not back down, eventually he submitted to the grooming and to this day is no longer a gremlin - just ask the Dog Groomer!!

For Jack this process is part of discipline - after exercise and before affection = Jack is calm submissive before and during grooming..... sometimes he falls asleep!

Of course I am a professional - so folks don't try this at home unless you are very experienced with your dog who respects you as Pack Leader first - check out Cesar's Way or consult with a behaviourist first as such behaviour can be a symtom of many other underlying problems! IMPORTANT POINT - Any dog of course who seems to suffer pain when grooming 9aggression can be a reaction to physical pain) should consult with their vet first so the dog be checked-out first in case there is a medical expalantaion.

Remember Jack's top tip - growl and my owner stays away!! - So owners don't hesitate - be calm, be confident, be assertive = Be the Pack Leader and then you can groom whenever you wish! Remember too my top tip - If in doubt have your dog wear a muzzle as to get to practice reactive, unwanted, aggressive responses means the dog gets to practice the behaviour so they just get better at it - get in a pro to help you rehab and Stay Safe.

Another way to help a dog who is afraid of the brush/scissors coming up next.