RoantheRed

Roan (pronounced Rowan) is a 20 month old male Pom/Klee/Border/Heeler/Lab/Amstaff Alex runs the blog! I go by they/he pronouns. I am a learning professional dog trainer! Here I will chronicle my training journey with Roan, as a professional dog trainer-in-training, as well as other dog- or service dog-related musings.

[ainawgsd]

Merle Modifiers-Tweed

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I met this dog at a firework show in 2022. It is by far the most interesting pattern I’ve ever seen! But is it a brindle and merle displayed together (is that even possible?), or possibly a tweed pattern instead?

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Small things infuriate me to no end.

An exotic pet oriented TikTok account commenting on how their fennec fox sleeps all day and plays all night “for some reason.”

Me: They’re nocturnal, are they not?

Them: No, fennec foxes are usually awake during the day, she just usually goes crazy at like 3 in the morning 🤪

🤦‍♂️

They are in fact primarily nocturnal in order to avoid the intense desert heat during the day. Their ears not only help to release excess body heat, but are incredible at helping them find and locate prey in the dark…

If you’re gonna keep a wild animal as a pet, AT LEAST know the basic facts about that animal!

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We all know doodles. Golden doodles, labradoodles, aussie doodles, oh my! They’re all the rage right now! But what if I told you that there is a new breed, with all of the good qualities of the doodles and none of the bad??

Introducing the German Water Retriever (GWR)!

They come in three sizes: standard, miniature, and toy! A common concern among doodle owners is there is never a size guarantee; your beloved miniature golden doodle puppy may end up weighing 50lbs as an adult! Not to worry with the GWR, each of the three sizes has a weight guarantee: toy sized will only get up to 17lbs, minis will be 26-31lbs, and for those who like big dogs, the standard German Water Retriever can reach between 44 and 71lbs!

They are often hypoallergenic! Dog allergies stem from proteins in dog dander or saliva. GWR have a unique curly coat that sheds only minimally and they tend to produce fewer allergens than other breeds! While many doodles often sport a hypoallergenic title, there is no guarantee that they will be hypoallergenic—and many end up producing just as many allergens as any other breed.

They are incredibly intelligent! As retrievers, these dogs are known for their drive to work. However, they are also incredibly versatile and eager to please and have been taught everything from circus tricks to personal protection! These additional talents prove that the GWR is more intelligent than golden or Labrador retrievers—and therefore more intelligent than their golden or labradoodle offspring.

They make great family dogs! Speaking of labs and goldens, it is relatively common knowledge that retrievers can make excellent family pets. German Water Retrievers are specifically bred to have a stable temperament, which means when you add a GWR to your family you can be sure that you are getting a quality bred dog who will suit your family perfectly. Their athleticism means they’re ready to keep up with kids or join you for any adventure, while their stable temperament give them an off switch for relaxation time.

Their coat! While doodle coats tend to vary drastically from dense and curly to fine and fluffy, GWR always have a dense, curly coat that grows continuously. This coat can be worn in any style! Love the fluffy faced look of doodles? You wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a GWR and a doodle! Looking for something easy to maintain? Shave them short: no brushing needed! Want to test your creativity? Have fun with funky hairdos and dyed fur! This breed is among the most popular for creative grooming!

They come with health guarantees! Some doodles do, some don’t. GWR breeders health test generations back and breed only the healthiest dogs. The test results are displayed online in the OFA database for prospective puppy purchasers to confirm for themselves!

They come in many different colors! While they don’t come in merle like an aussiedoodle could, they come in everything from white to red to brown to black and so many shades in between! There are also some color patterns they can come in as well, such as phantom, silver, or parti if registered under the United Kennel Club!

Interested in owning a German Water Retriever? Wondering how this seemingly amazing breed has remained so rare? That is because these incredible dogs actually have a secret code name among those who breed and own them. If you want to find more information on this breed, you will have to search for them by this code name: the Poodle!

Support reputable breeders: adopt or shop responsibly!

I think it’s so funny how so many people spend thousands of dollars on poodle mixes just because they don’t want a poodle. In reality, most of the desired traits of doodles come from the poodle side of the family! I’m all for a rebrand.

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Dog Training Fundamentals: Markers

What is a marker? A marker is a specific cue that tells your dog that whatever behavior they were performing was the right choice! They work by creating a correlation between rewards and the marker cue. The dog begins to get excited upon hearing the marker in the same way that they would get excited if you actually showed them the reward! This enables the trainer to tell a dog, "You did great! A reward is coming!" without actually needing the reward in hand. A marker should be a brief, specific cue that is easy to understand and easy for the trainer or handler to replicate. It should ALWAYS be followed by some form of reward. My goal in training is never to remove rewards completely, but to help the dog understand that good behavior will ALWAYS be rewarded, even if not immediately.

A clicker is a common marker choice. Clickers can be purchased online or in most pet stores. Because clickers make the same sound every time, it makes it easy for people beginning to use markers to use it effectively. Many people find it faster to click a clicker than to verbally mark as well, which can help make sure you are accurately marking good behaviors. Using a clicker eliminates any tone changes in your voice that may confuse a dog when using a verbal marker. However, it is recommended that you also condition your dog to a verbal or physical marker in addition to a clicker for everyday use, just in case you have forgotten or misplaced your clicker.

Verbal markers are also common among trainers and owner-trainers alike. "Yes!", "Nice!", "Good!", and "Thanks!" are all good choices. Make sure that whatever cue you use is short and sweet. For example, "Good boy!" is okay, but "Good!" is even better. This will make the cue easy for you to repeat quickly when your dog does well and easier for your dog to understand. When beginning to use a verbal marker, it is important to try to use the same tone of voice every time you use it. If you are using a word you use in daily life, try marking with it only in a high pitched, excited voice. This will make it easier for your dog to differentiate their marker from everyday conversation.

Some dogs perform better for physical cues. When training deaf or hearing-impaired dogs, many owners opt to use a thumbs-up as a marker cue. And for deaf-blind dogs? A nose boop is effective! Other examples of markers may be a mouth click, tongue pop, or even a snap of your fingers. As long as it is the same sound or gesture every time, it will be effective!

Loading a Marker

...is a strategy used to add value to the marker cue. It is especially helpful when working with puppies (imprint that cue just like their name!) or when beginning to use a marker. The procedure is simple: get your dog's attention, use your marker, and immediately follow with a treat, toy, or attention. When loading your marker, reward your dog no matter how they respond to it, whether they get excited or walk away. With repetition, your dog will begin to anticipate the reward after the sound! Test how well your marker has been loaded by using it without getting your dog's attention first. If they immediately look at you or come running for their reward, you know you've done your job!

Stay tuned to learn how to use your newly taught marker cue to teach your dog everything from basic manners to advanced tricks!

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The other day at work I had a customer come in with a little dog. I work near the door and greet everyone as they come in, and I ask every dog owner the two questions:

Is that a service dog?

What task are they trained to perform?

This owner told me that yes, their dog is a service dog; but when I asked about tasks, they hesitated for a moment (I assume to find the correct word) before replying, “comfort.” I politely informed the owner that comfort is not a trained task accepted by the ADA and asked that they remove the dog before shopping. They hesitated again and asked, “What if I bring in the paperwork? My vet told me that if [the dog] helps with my anxiety, I can get them registered online.”

Service dog owners cringe! I feel so awful for this owner to have been led astray by a trusted pet professional. It is very disheartening to hear of veterinarians giving out advice like this and leading people to the very scam sites that the ADA warns people against.

If you are not familiar with service dog laws, there are a few things wrong with this scenario. One is that comfort, emotional support, or “just being there for a person” are not acceptable tasks. A dog does not need to be trained to comfort their owner or provide emotional support. Some individuals, myself included, have tasks that can look very similar to emotional support, such as pressure therapy (where the dog uses their body weight to ground their handler) or licking an owner’s face to bring them out of an episode and back to reality. The difference is that these dogs have spent hours and hours learning how to do these tasks flawlessly in any environment. The handler (or trainer) put in hours and sometimes even years of work to make sure the dog is comfortable and confident in performing these tasks in the exact same way every time. It is the training that makes a service dog. Emotional support animals can be an invaluable support for owners at home (which is why they have housing rights that pets do not), but they are not required to be trained in the same way as service dogs are. Another problem: paperwork! There is no federally accepted paperwork or registry to certify a service dog. ALL WEBSITES OR COMPANIES CLAIMING TO MAKE YOUR PET A SERVICE ANIMAL SO YOU CAN BRING THEM WITH YOU IN PUBLIC ARE SCAMS! If the dog is not properly task trained, a business has every right to remove it, whether the owner shows paperwork or not. If your dog truly does help with your anxiety or other disabling mental health concerns, talk to your therapist, psychiatrist, or other mental health professional about whether or not training that dog as a service dog will be valuable to you. Do not trust veterinarians, pet store employees, groomers, etc. on whether or not your dog qualifies as a service dog—many are unaware of the laws themselves.

So how did I handle this situation? I informed the owner that there is no paperwork to certify a service dog, and offered them some information and a link to the ADA Service Animal FAQ to better understand the law. They thanked me for the information and left to put the dog in their vehicle. When they returned to check out after shopping, they thanked me again. They told me that I was right, and they were wrong, and that I should stay strong and confident in correcting people in the future (I was shaking when I confronted them before—interactions with pet owners are not always so friendly, and I have had more than one person tell me to “just call the cops then!”).

I have a feeling this interaction will stick with me for a long time, in a good way! I hope that others are inspired to ask those two questions and help to keep service dogs and their handlers safe. Thank you to those who ask me at the door, “Is that a service dog?” I always feel safer to know that staff care about preventing untrained pets from entering non-pet friendly stores. As a handler, I never know how a pet will react to my service dog. I have heard so many horror stories of people having their lifelines attacked in stores where they should be safe. The more people utilize their rights and ask those two questions, the more likely they are to prevent these attacks altogether. Even for friendly pets, distracting a service dog by approaching, sniffing, or barking at them can be just as dangerous for the handler if the service dog is to miss a cue or alert. Owners allowing staff to pet their dogs can invite the staff to do the same to service dogs. Cooing at or petting a service dog is also very disruptive to their work, and most service dog handlers do not allow people to pet their dogs in public. It can confuse the dog, who is supposed to have their sole focus on the handler.

For more information, please visit the ADA’s Service Animal FAQ (linked!).

The ADA Home Page provides access to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for businesses and State and local governments, techn

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Students standing up to leave at the sound of the school bell is a conditioned response. They have learned that when that bell rings, they are able to leave the classroom and have some free time, which is very reinforcing for most students. This response ends up backfiring on the teacher if they need the students to stay a few minutes late. That conditioned response is so strong that the students will struggle to stay seated and calm. They will also struggle to learn during that time, because they are using a lot of mental energy to fight the conditioned response.

Conditioned responses can be changed. One way is by providing an even stronger reinforcer. If the class is playing a fun game and the bell rings before they can finish, students are much more likely to stay behind and ignore the bell in order to continue playing the game. In a different scenario, teacher could tell the class that they will pass out candy as soon as the lesson is finished as a reward for remaining after class. The students that like candy stay behind in order to get that reward.

Alternately, the teacher could use a form of punishment. What do you think the students would do if, as soon as the bell rings, the teacher tells them that any student who does not remain to finish the lesson will get extra homework that evening? Some students will decide that they do not want the extra homework and stay seated. This group of students will likely still struggle to stay still and on task during this time, because the desire to leave is still there—they’re too focused on listening for the OK to leave to learn! For other students, this threat may not outweigh the reinforcement of leaving at all. They hardly even consider the extra homework because they do strongly want to leave. Later when they actually have to complete the punishment homework, how do you think they are feeling? Odds are, they’re cursing the teacher for assigning the homework, rather than themselves for leaving early and earning extra homework as a consequence. This emotional response can actually increase the students’ desire to leave at the bell in order to get away from the mean teacher that assigns extra homework.

Punishment CAN work; however, because it teaches the learner what NOT to do rather than what they SHOULD do, it is much more likely to increase different behaviors or cause new behaviors to be selected in response, which are not always beneficial to the teacher. While studies are still being done on the negatives and fallouts of using positive punishment, one thing is for sure: positive reinforcement, when used correctly, is incredibly effective at changing the underlying emotions behind conditioned responses. The students who were reinforced saw staying after the bell as fun! The students who were punished still see staying after the bell as boring or undesirable, but they learned that leaving at the bell (when risk of a punisher is present) is even worse.