Training a Dog versus Teaching a Dog

 

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To train a dog is to have a dog physically doing something. 

In comparison, teaching a dog is showing a dog what you mean.

Training a dog is the physical part of teamwork. 

While teaching a dog is the mental part of teamwork. 

Example 

When we teach a dog to fetch;

First we teach the dog what the ball is, by showing the dog the ball and naming it. 

Therefore, we are focusing on mental education. The dog is watching and learning without doing anything physical. 

Even if the dog is jumping up and down or sitting watching us.  We are Teaching the dog. 

Compare that to this….

Next, we train the dog to move and do what we ask. 

We toss the ball and tell the dog to go fetch. We and the dog are focusing on the physical education. 

We toss the ball. We are using a physical movement. 

The dog runs after the ball, a physical movement. 

Therefore 

To train a dog is to have a dog physically doing something. 

In comparison, teaching a dog is showing a dog what you mean.

Training a dog is the physical part of teamwork and teaching is the mental aspect.  

Amber

Founder and author 

Family Disaster Dogs 

Toby in memory of my husband Rick 

Fire Danger Spring Cleanup Can Start a Wildfire

 

Fire Warning Mowing and Weed Whacking Can Start a Wildfire

As a former volunteer fire fighter and K9 search and rescue team leader, I would like to let all of my readers know that in the windy dry weather conditions we are experiencing across the United States there is a danger to doing spring yard cleanup.

I want to ask everyone to Please try to do your best to prevent a fire so that you and neighbors do not have to evacuate or lose everything.  

 

As I write this article, we are experiencing an extremely windy low humidity day with very dry conditions due to less rain this spring season.  It’s perfect wildfire weather and there are many out of control fires burning in several states. 

Our county is under a Red Flag Fire Alert - meaning the possibility of a wild fire starting is much more likely due to the weather.  We are also under a Burn Ban - meaning Do Not Burn anything until further notice. 

We were going to do yard work today, rake or blow leaves, weed whack and mow for spring cleanup but I decided to follow my own instinct and experience to wait for a better day. 

I came inside to write this article instead.  Here are a few facts that may help you prevent a fire from starting.  

Please be careful outside. 

Yes, it is spring cleanup time of the year but mowing dry grass can potentially start a fire, especially during hot dry and extremely windy conditions like we have in many parts of the country.  

Fire Hazard:

Dry grass, especially when tall and "cured" (brown and brittle), is a significant fire hazard. 

Ignition:

These sparks can easily ignite dry grass, especially if the grass is very dry and the conditions are hot and windy. 

Sparks:

Lawn mowers and weed whackers, yard tractors and 4 wheelers can generate sparks from the engine, exhaust system, or when the blade or a metal part strikes rocks or other hard objects. 

Other Fire Hazards:

Besides yard equipment like weed eaters, even chainsaws, and vehicles parked in dry grass can also pose a fire risk. 

Additionally, camp fires and recreational fire pits should not be used. 

Prevention:

• To reduce the risk of fire, it's important to: 

Mow during cooler hours: Early morning is generally the safest time to mow. 

Avoid windy or dry conditions: Do not mow when the weather is excessively dry or windy. 

Keep grass short: Trim grass and weeds to a height of 3" or less, especially within 100 feet of buildings or fences. 

Be cautious with yard equipment: Follow manufacturer's safety guidelines and be aware of potential fire hazards. 

Check for fire restrictions: Be aware of any fire restrictions or bans in your area.

Stay safe everyone and keep your dogs close! 

To prepare for evacuation please read my short but very helpful book here.   It’s free on kindle unlimited and audible. A paperback is available for a small fee to cover publishing on paper. 

Be Prepared with Your Dog

 Click here to go to the Bug-out page and list 

My Puppy Can Find Me Book by Amber Higgins

 My Puppy Can Find Me by Amber Higgins

Artwork by UK cartoonist Helen King ( Scotty's Cartoons )

Available on Audible, Kindle Unlimited and paperback  click the blue text

and you can email me for an Author's signed copy on the contact page in the page menu above

Read the 260 Free articles Here and Learn about How Amazing Dogs Are

Learn How Your Dogs Can Help You!

 

Read the articles on this blog,,,

                                 There's a list of over 260 posts below 

Mantrailing Bloodhound History

Bloodhound History

My Sammy 1 yr old Bloodhound Mantrailer
all rights reserved Amber Higgins

Not long ago, the bloodhound was the only breed in the USA that was a Mantrailing dog. Which is a trailing type of hunting dog that is used for find living human beings who are on the move and not animals.

A Mantrailing dog follows the person's scent as the person moves and leaves a trail of scent. The dogs will go anywhere the person or scent has gone until the end of the trail or they find the person. Many times the person may no longer be living but the bloodhound will find the body because of the scent trail the person created. If a recently deceased body is moved the bloodhound will continue to follow the scent.

Other breeds are and were known as tracking dogs. And, the bloodhound was the only breed of dog that was allowed to be used to prove a person’s identity in a court of law.

Photo by A. Higgins all rights reserved

The phrase Mantrailing was first used by bloodhound handlers because the breed was used to trail people. Over time training standards and methods developed to be used to train newcomers how-to handle the breed. In the past, the breed was rarely only a pet and not long ago there were not many breeders across the USA, we as breeders either worked to find missing persons or to preserve the breed in the show ring. The breed was then considered a rare breed.

Here in America, the breed was first used to find runaway criminals and yes, runaway slaves back when the breed came with our founding fathers to build the USA. When Search and Rescue became an organized volunteer effort, the bloodhound and other breeds were used as search dogs.

Today in the USA, the incredible nose and stamina of the bloodhound continues to be used for “Mantrailing” with police and trained volunteer Search and Rescue teams.

In the last decade the breed has become more popular as a pet, although they are difficult to train in obedience and manners, and often are called stubborn because of the determination that has been bred into the breed to continue on a trail to find a missing person.

They really are not stubborn but very willing to please when they are not following their nose which they often do constantly because a good mantrailing dog is bred to do just that.

Photo A. Higgins-all rights reserved

Pictured above is my bloodhound Gus who I rescued last year after him and brother Sam were abandoned during very cold weather. They are young and still growing in these pictures

The bloodhound will follow a scent off a high mountain rock wall, up a train track even with a train coming at them because they are so focused on the scent its as if they are wearing blinders blocking out the surroundings.

The breed gets lost easily which is rather ironic because they find person but will get lost themselves. For this reason it’s always recommended to keep them leashed because once they find a scent they like to follow, away they go and many do not back track and find their way home. They will run for miles and finally when they stop they do not know where they are.

The name bloodhound is often thought to be given to the breed because they track or follow a blood trail. This is not true. The dogs are actually named a bloodhound because they were one of the first breeds of dogs that had a pedigree, Therefore it was a blue blooded hound or purebred.

The bloodhound was originally bred in a monastery in Belgium for over 700 years and the monks kept a pedigree of the dogs they bred, those dogs were called Saint Herbert Hounds. Back then the dogs were solid white. 

When explorers and travelers found the monastery, the monks would often give a pair of hounds to the travelers to take back to their own countries.

Consequently, the white hounds were considered quite sacred coming from the monks. When the dogs arrived in the other countries they were bred with local hounds and they lost their white coats. Slowly over time the breed became black and tans, liver and red in color. They also became known as the Bloodhound because they were a pure blooded hound.

If you would like to learn more about mantrailing, have a look at my books on the book page, I hope you enjoyed this post.

Happy trails to you in the new year, 

Amber Higgins

Founder and author of Family Disaster Dogs

Planning to Take your Pet on Vacation or Holiday with You

 I want to share this great guide and article with you, in case, you plan to take your dogs on holiday with you. 

Dogs are family, so spending holidays with them can have positive mutual benefits. This is further explored in the guide, 29+ important reasons to take your dog on your family holiday.

It shares some of the interesting discussions, such as:

• Mutual benefits (for the person and the dog) when taking dogs on a holiday

• Best pet-friendly places in the UK to explore when spending holidays with dogs for our friends in the UK and others who plan to visit the UK.

This guide also explores many insights and studies which elaborate on the reasons for wanting to get a dog. Found in the piece is a study from the Canine Behavior and Research team at Dog Trust that reported 48.2% of current owners and 69.7% of potential owners considered having a dog to facilitate their exercise. 

You can read the full version here:

https://www.dogfriendlycottages.co.uk/benefits-of-pets-on-holiday/index.html

The Fundamentals of Keeping Your Dog in Good Health

 Giving your dog the happy and healthy life they deserve is your number one job as a pet owner, there’s no doubt about that. But wanting to do that and actually making it happen are two different things. We’re going to talk today about how to get the basics of looking after your dog right and how to maintain their good health. So if that’s something you want to get better at, read on now.

Choose a Vet You Trust and Attend Regular Checkups

First of all, you should take the time to search for a vet whose services you can trust. When you’ve done that, you can make sure that you’re able to put their health in safe hands when it comes to checking for problems and finding the right treatments when they’re not feeling well. You’ll also need to take them to regular checkups so any issues can be spotted early.

Be There to Give Love and Attention

It’s important that you’re there to give your dog love and attention because that’s what they crave more than anything else from their owners. If you’re not there to spend enough time with them, they might become depressed or start to experience separation anxiety. That’s why people should only get dogs if they have enough time to be around them.

Find the Products That Help You

Finding the products that are going to help you keep your dog happy and healthy is something else you’ll need to think about. There’s no shortage of great pet supplies out there, covering everything from healthy dog food to treats, toys and everything else in between. You’ll also need to find a comfortable and supportive bed that they can relax in.

Image Source - CC0 License

Provide Them with the Levels of Daily Exercise They Need

Making sure that they get the amount of daily exercise they need is obviously something that’s very important as well. If they’re not getting that exercise, they can take out their energy in other ways. For example, some dogs might develop behavioral problems or become destructive in the home, and that’s probably not what you want to happen. So make sure that you give them the exercise they need according to their size, breed and age.

Balance Treats with a Healthy Weight

Finally, you should make sure that you’re keeping an eye on the weight of your dog. If they’re gaining too much weight it could be because you’re feeding them too much, giving them too much human food from the dinner table to giving them treats. Although you’ll want to offer them treats now and then, that has to be balanced with maintaining a healthy weight.

As you can see, there are plenty of things you need to get right and focus on if you’re going to give your dog the happy and healthy life they need. It’s really important that you get the basics and fundamentals right before you start thinking about anything else. So work on each of the categories we’ve talked about above.

How to Move On from Losing a Pet

 Losing a pet is never an easy thing, especially when they are members of the family. It can be very difficult to move on from this loss and get back into your normal routine. However, if you're having trouble moving on, there are some things that may help make it easier.

Photo by Johann from Pexels

#1 Accepting the loss

The first step is to accept the fact that your pet is gone. It's hard, but it's important to remember that they are no longer with us. This doesn't mean you have to forget about them, but rather that you need to come to terms with their death.

It may help to talk about your pet with others who understand what you're going through. There are also support groups available for those who lose a pet. This can be a great way to share memories and get advice from others who have been in the same situation.

In addition, writing about your pet can be a great way to help process the loss. This could be in the form of a letter, journal entry, or blog post. Finally, talk about your pet with others who understand what you're going through.

#2 Explaining what happened to kids

If you have children, it's essential to talk to them about what happened. They may not understand why their pet is gone, and they may be scared. So it's important to answer any questions they have and let them know that their pet is in a better place.

It can be helpful to find a book or video that talks about loss so your child can learn more about what happened—letting them know that their pet is in a better place. One of the best ways to help move on from losing a pet is by helping your child remember all the good times they had together. This could involve making a photo album or scrapbook, writing down memories, buying one of the many pet caskets available for a proper funeral or even creating a memorial garden.

For some, memories can make it harder to move on from losing a pet. If you're having trouble with this step, consider getting rid of your pet's things and keeping only the items that are truly important. This could be something like an old toy or blanket they loved playing with before they passed away. 

Having these belongings may just remind you too much of all the good times you had together and make moving forward tricky for people who have lost a pet. One way to help get past this stage is by creating new happy memories with other family members and friends without your pet around.

#3 Give yourself time and space

It's important to remember that you don't have to rush the healing process. Grieving for a pet can take time, and there is no right or wrong way to do it. It's okay to be sad and feel like your life is turned upside down.

In addition, try not to overload yourself with work or other commitments in the early stages of grieving. This may just make things harder for you. Instead, focus on taking care of yourself and doing things that make you happy.

If possible, try to avoid placing blame on yourself for what happened. It's natural to go over what we could have done differently, but this won't help anything. Pet loss is a difficult thing to cope with, and it's normal for it to take time. 

#4 Moving on

It's okay to still think about your pet. They will always be in your heart, and they can help you remember them by keeping their things around the house or visiting the place where they passed away. Remember that this doesn't mean you don't love them anymore, but rather that you're trying to move on from losing a pet so life can get back to normal again. You may feel guilty for forgetting about your pet too quickly, but know that everyone heals at different rates, and there is no "right" way of doing things when moving on after losing a loved one. 

For some people, having something physical like an urn or memorial garden can be helpful during this stage of recovery. This could keep memories alive even if we aren't thinking about them all the time. Also, remember that it's okay to cry and be sad when you think of your pet. They were a massive part of your life, and there will always be a hole in your heart that they used to fill.

#5 Getting a new pet after losing one

It's okay to think about getting a new pet after losing one but know that this isn't for everyone. Some people feel like they need another animal in their life right away, while others may not be ready for a long time. If you do decide to get a new pet, take your time in picking out the perfect one and make sure it's the right decision for you. It can be helpful to go through an adoption agency or visit multiple shelters before making your choice.

While it won't replace the pet you lost, a new furry friend can help with the healing process and provide lots of love and happiness. Just make sure to give yourself plenty of time before taking on such a big responsibility. In addition, don't forget to talk about your old pet with the new one. They may not understand what happened, but it can be a great way to help keep their memory alive.

It's okay to still think about your pet, and there is no right or wrong way of moving on after losing them. Getting a new pet can be helpful for some people, but make sure it's the right decision for you before taking such a big step. memorial garden

There are many different ways to help move on from losing a pet, but the most important thing is that you don't try to do it alone. Lean on your friends and family for support during this difficult time. They will be there to help you get through it. Pet loss is never easy, but you will eventually start feeling better with time and patience.

Season's Greetings from Family Disaster Dogs 2021

 Card created on Adobe Spark..all rights reserved

Now on Audible- The Family Disaster Dogs and Evacuate with Your Dogs Help Books

 Now on Audible 

Hear the lessons while you train your dog!

Listen anywhere! 

Best of all, as a new Release preview, I'm giving you the books for Free to hear and download to your audible account on any device. If you do not have audibles click here to get a Free Trial on Audible to Listen to the Family Disaster Dogs Book  

Please share this page with friends and family so others can learn how dogs are willing to help us. Thank you 

 

If you Do Not use Amazon and would like a paperback or ebook copy of any of my books listed below. Contact me to buy one directly from the author and I will mail the books to you. Thank you!

⬇⬇ click the blue titles to go to Amazon Book Page

Available in Paperback, Kindle (free) and Audible (free) Free offers are for a limited time, visit the page soon. 

The Family Disaster Book  

Evacuate with Your Dogs Help

Both are available as Kindle and Paperback...

click the book cover above for more info 

I'm available for speaking at retail outlets, pet rescues, shelters, community groups and events at no cost to the group or event. I advertise, set-up and promote your cause, business or event. Contact me at contact@familydisasterdogs.com

Remember the Fallen and Honoring Our Troops-Memorial Day 2021

Memorial Day 2021

Stay Safe out there this Memorial Day as Covid19 restrictions ease.

Remember the heroes who give their lives so other like us live!

Thank You for your service keeping us safe.

God Bless our troops past and present.

From all of us at FamilyDisasterDogs.com

 

My Puppy Finds Santa 2020