Newsletter
Shady Mountain Howl 

Issue #9, January 2026

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Pet of the Month

Bear is pet of the month.
     He is a 2-year-old Golden Retriever. I confess...I just adopted him this past November. Over the past 3 months he has excelled in his training and loves to learn. In fact, he tells me what he wants through a button pushing language. He knows 4 buttons - Bear, Treat, Training and Scratches. (He learned these buttons in 3 days of training!) He chooses scratches and training a LOT. He loves being hugged, kissed and scratches.
        Hopefully, we make it into the show ring this year. We've been working on Rally and Obedience. At this point he prefers to work off leash, but begrudgingly also does an OK job on lead.

To follow the activities of all our guests, view our Current Guest page or check out our Facebook page.

Howling On This Month

     We're in the midst of winter and it's been brrr, COLD! And, lots of snow this year, too.
     Our #k9guests, can go in and out as they please. Inside the temperature is kept at 72 degrees year-round. Any warmer and the dogs would be overheated. Many of our guests prefer to remain outside in the cold. This can sometimes be disconcerting for us humans, but they have coats on all the time. In some cases, I have to lock a dog inside if they don't have a thick coat. It's not their preference but dogs often don't reason what will keep them healthy.
     Regardless of the weather, dogs that are signed up for hikes still go out on hikes. Dogs signed up for training still get their daily training lessons, though often indoors. Dogs being prepared to show this year must still get their show prep lessons.

Note: Next month, February 10-19, we will be closed.

List of features in this month's Shady Mountain Howl:

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Training Tips

Stop Jumping Up
I'm keeping this posted as it is one of the most annoying and common behavior problems

Training a Dog Who Was Previously Trained Using an Electronic Collar

List of Local Pet Rescue Organizations

Are you looking for a new pet? Are you needing help with an animal that you found? There are several local organizations that can help.

Trick Training

It may be cold outside but here's some fun tricks you can train inside.

Pet Product Review

Kong Wobbler

Training Tips
​Stop Jumping Up!
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Stop your dog from jumping on you! 4 Easy Steps You Can Do Today.

Introduction: Did you know that jumping on people is the biggest behavior complaint of pet parents? Jumping up is the most common behavior problem but has the fastest means of being cured, too. While prevention is always worth a pound of cure, you can easily stop your dog from jumping on you and others by using an aversive sound or merely by changing a few habits.

Four on the FloorFour legs on the floor are always better than two, as the other two might be on you.

As a professional pet trainer I see that the most common behavior problem are dogs who jump up on people. While it can be endearing to the pet parent, i.e. “he’s just welcoming me home” (as the dog jumps up and licks their face), it can be catastrophic for others. Elderly parents or young children can be knocked down. People can get their legs and arms scratched from long toenails. Sometimes, if the aim is just right, a wet nose or tongue can go right into someone’s mouth! And here’s one that I have experienced on more than one occasion – I am putting on the dog’s harness and they jump up, the top of their head connecting with my chin!

Here’s What We'll Discuss:

• How to recognize if your dog has a jumping up problem.
• Why does your dog jump up?
• Actions you can take to prevent your dog from jumping up on you and others.
• Turning the inappropriate behavior into a welcome sit and smile.
• 
  

Does My Dog Have a Jumping Up Problem?

If your dog is airborne more than being grounded that’s an obvious sign that your dog has a jumping up problem. But not all dogs are as blatant as the dog that’s constantly popping upward. Some may only jump up in greeting, while others do so to get attention. Basically, if your dog jumps up on you at all, it’s a problem. Maybe not always, as you may enjoy energetic greetings or having your dog jump into your lap as you sit on the couch, but dogs don’t understand gray areas very well. They understand always or never.

Why Does My Dog Jump Up?

Jumping up is a learned behavior. This means that your dog has learned that they get attention from you when they jump on you. Should a dog be starved for attention, any attention (even if you are using cross words, or contorting your body to get away from your dog as they jump around you), is still attention. When their feet touch you, they win!

If you’re conversing with a neighbor and your dog gets bored waiting, a simple jump up will return your attention to the fact that there’s an impatient dog at your feet. Your conversation abruptly ends and off you go, wherever your dog takes you. Your dog won! And, they’ll do it again.

Actions You Can Begin Today

For such an annoying problem there’s some easy solutions. Here’s a list:
1.Place a can of condensed air near every door or carry a small can with you for on-the-go use. When your dog begins to jump up, press the trigger. The hissing noise is aversive so your dog will stop jumping up. Note: Do not spray in their face. It’s the noise that counts, not the air movement.
2.Place 15 pennies in a small tin can. Put them near any doors and carry one with you. When your dog jumps up, shake the can. The jingling sound is aversive, and your dog will stop jumping up. Note: No need to shake the can in your dog’s face, though. It’s the sound that counts.
3.If you are being observant of your dog in a situation when they’re likely to jump up, step away before your dog can land on you. The point to jumping up is for those front feet to land on you. If they don’t your dog will gradually diminish this behavior as it was not successful. While this technique will work well for you, your family and houseguests will not be as on-board with it, so use one of the above techniques for those situations.
4.Have your dog wear a harness and leash when indoors. Note: Don’t do this one if your dog tends to chew their harness or leash. When you go to the door to greet someone, step on the leash so your dog cannot jump up.

Turning the bad into good

To learn what not to do, your dog needs to also learn what they should do.

First, never give your dog any attention unless they first sit. And be consistent with this. Don’t just expect it sometimes, but also when you return home after work or school. Expect this prior to giving your dog a meal or allowing them to go through a door. This should become a default behavior – automatic.

Second, if your dog already has a jumping up issue, redirect their attention to a sit after you use the aversive noise or step away to prevent them from landing on you. This helps them learn what they should do to attain your attention.

Third, when you see your dog sit and smile, be sure to give them lots of attention! Your dog will repeat this behavior when there’s a positive outcome.

Do you have any suggestions for keep a dog from jumping up on people? Please let us know. If it has produced a positive result, we’d like to hear about it. Also, if you have any other subjects you'd like to read about, let me know.


 

Training Tricks

             It's cold outside, but that doesn't mean your dog should stop learning new behaviors. Here's some fun tricks to teach indoors:
Twirl  
      This trick is easily taught using the Come and Targeting cues. Where some dogs will immediately learn the entire trick, others may require a breakdown of the behavior. Approaching the trick in small parts will ensure success.

1. Cue your dog to come to you.
2. Before they arrive, target your dog at their nose level, turning their head to the left about a quarter of the way around a circle.
3. Mark with a click and give the treat via your target hand.
4. Repeat 3 or 4 times as the repetition creates a full understanding of what you want.
5. Add the word, Twirl, as you give the visual cue with your target hand, training your dog to respond via visual or verbal cues.

        As your dog begins to respond faster, make them move halfway around a circle using your target hand before your reward marker and treat. Be sure to target this behavior as your dog is still moving toward you and not attempting it after they arrive at your feet and sit.
Once your dog understands to go halfway around, the full circle will occur shortly after. Be sure that you praise your dogs throughout their endeavor to understand what you want from them. This maintains a positive attitude and keeps it enjoyable.
            When the behavior is easily done when cued, you can add some other criteria to it for variety. For example, you can teach your dog to twirl in either direction or to twirl multiple times, quickly. Dogs can also learn to twirl while standing on their hind legs. Poodle breeds are natural at this one.

Shake 
           This is the most common trick pet parents’ attempt. It is easy for some dogs, but not for all. It should not be attempted if your dog has a habit of garnering your attention by pawing at your leg. Wait until that behavior is extinguished before training your dog to shake on cue.
            First, make certain you use the same hand for the cue and the same paw for picking up. When your dog understands the trick very well you can change to using the other hand and cue for the other front paw.

1. Cue your dog to sit in front of you.
2. Target your dog’s head to the side opposite the paw you are cuing your dog to lift. The target must remain near your dog’s nose and not above their head.
3. As your dog’s head turns the front paw on the other side will lift slightly as the dog’s weight moves to the other side.
4. Touch the back of your dog’s lifting paw, gently, then mark with a click and give your dog the treat.

Note: Do not lift the paw and shake it. You need to shape the behavior, not force it.
            Each time you practice the Shake, do not mark the behavior until your dog lifts their paw a little bit more. When their paw has reached chest height, begin using the verbal cue, Shake, when you offer the visual cue with your target hand.
            There are many ways you can turn the Shake into a more complex behavior, but first ensure your dog has a good understanding of the basic exercise and readily lifts their paw on cue.
            Here are a few suggestions:

• Train your dog to shake with either front paw, but also back paw.
• Train your dog to shake with you at a distance, by gradually increasing your distance with each successful shake response.
• Train your dog to come when called, but lift their foot on the way, appearing to limp.
• Train your dog to wave by pulling your hand away a bit so their paw cannot land on your hand as they attempt to shake. Praise and reward your dog for the first miss of your hand and then gradually add shake motion to form a wave of 4-5 paw lift movements.

Crawl   
        Your dog must first understand the Down/Stay prior to attempting the Crawl trick, as the first step is a Down/Stay. It should also be built upon very slowly, step-by-step. Once your dog knows to remain down, they can go from one paw forward to several in little time. When your dog understands Crawl, you can then train your dog to crawl through tunnels, or other tight spaces.

1. Cue your dog to down/stay.
2. Put your target hand (treat within) and poke at the floor directly in front of your dog.
3. Your dog will reach for the treat with their muzzle. Click and give your dog the treat in your target hand.
4. Repeat three times.
5. The next step is to place your target on the floor a few inches in front of your dog.
6. When you see your dog reaching out with a paw, click and reward.\
7. Here are the segments to accomplish for a full Crawl trick:

1. One paw forward
2. Each paw forward
3. Both front paws forward and pulling their bodies forward.
4. Bring the target forward a bit more for your dog’s back end to scoot forward after their front.

        Gradually increase the distance your dog moves with each successful exercise. When your dog can crawl forward a foot, or more, begin adding distance from them when cueing the behavior. This can be done with all the tricks you train your dog. When you can increase your distance, you can also decrease the use of the target and turn the cue into a simple hand movement.

Training a Dog Who Was Previously Trained with an Electronic Collar

                There are many ways to train dogs. You can count on them learning something along the way. The difference being will they learn to fear training or be motivated to perform as cued. In other words, when your dog sees their leash, will they come closer to you or head for the hills?
                Not every dog is super sensitive. Some can withstand the use of aversive training methods and come out the other end well trained, albeit not feeling secure or enthusiastic about training sessions. Others will panic, shut down, or perform out of fear.
                There’s a reason that trainers who use electronic collars stay in business. They deliver results for their customers. The dog will sit, heel, lie down and come on cue. It will work off leash like a robot – stiff, stoic emotionless. But inside, that dog is drowning. They fear the result if they’re wrong. They fear the anger of their handler if they don’t perform perfectly.
                Fear has a way of turning into aggression or complete melting down. Dogs who tend to have assertive personalities may turn to aggression, whereas dogs who tend to be less assertive will shut down. This is why some dog breeds, such as working dogs, can handle the use of assertive training tools and methods. These breeds include German Shepherds, Rottweilers, and Belgian Malinois. These breeds are often used in the line of duty for military and police departments. It can take a lot of force to break the will of these breeds. Many enjoy the work so much that it overshadows the methods used to attain it. Then again, some of that work includes bringing down humans. Is that their psychological release after all?
                Those who train military and police dogs have used these methods for hundreds of years. Sporting dog trainers the same. They believe that through inflicting pain and discomfort they achieve the perfect robot working dog.
                Sadly, those trainers who use aversive tools and methods also use them on other breeds, such as Golden Retrievers, Spaniels, Poodles, Border Collies, Doodles, and other typical pet breeds. These dogs do not handle this type of training approach well. And what happens when they’re sent off to a “Balanced Trainer?” They return as dog robots and it works for a short while, but inside they are disturbed. Their pet parents don’t realize this. All they see is their robot dog. Later, the disturbance shows itself.
                Each dog varies in how they handle this psychological damage. Some lose trust altogether. Some try to escape anything that appears to be a training session. Some learn that their pet parent is not as assertive as the trainer. They gradually gain the upper hand and control them through growling. It can be subtle, or it can be sudden, but it will happen.
                If the dog trained through abuse is worked with positive reinforcement, they can overcome some of the psychological damage. The Balanced Trainer, who claims to be “balanced” because they’ll use any training tool, plus positive reinforcement, will dampen some of the damage done as they move from discomfort and pain to praise and rewards. Yet, the damage is still present, just not as obvious to the oblivious Balanced Trainer, or the pet parent who cannot recognize their dog’s psychological pain.
                Positive reinforcement trainers are also well educated in canine psychology. It’s the only way they can be effective trainers using scientific behavior methods. This education also teaches them to recognize a dog’s inner psychological pain. They have the ability to “read” the dog and create a training approach that enhances their behavior.
                There’s still a lot of deep psychological pain to undo when working with a dog who has been abused by another trainer. In fact, all the damage may never be undone. A positive trainer understands this and accepts their canine students’ insecurities and shortcomings; never forcing them to a place they aren’t ready to go.
                Here’s a few examples of behavior in dogs who have experienced aversive methods:

1. They run away from you when seeing their collar, harness or leash.
2. They growl when they see the training equipment.
3. They crouch down in fear when they see the training equipment.
4. Their tails go between their legs when they see their training equipment.
5. They hold their heads low and avert their eyes when they see their training equipment.
6. Their ears droop as they look at you.
7. They sit and turn their heads away from you.
8. They tremble.
9. They back up and growl.
10. They jump on you and attempt to push away as they do so.

Here’s the difference with dogs who are receiving positive reinforcement training methods:

1. They wiggle with excitement.
2. They whine excitedly.
3. Their ears perk forward and eyes watch you.
4. When they hear their name they focus on you awaiting a cue.
5. Out of the blue they perform something they’ve learned.
6. They are watching and always ready to perform.
7. They prance and wag their tails. Many dogs grin with happiness.
8. They put their own heads into the harness.
9. They grab their leash and bring it to you.
10. They are happy, relaxed and non-aggressive.

It can be challenging to turn those frowns upside down, but over time a positive trainer can teach a dog to enjoy learning. It’s a matter of first understanding why the dog is fearful or distrustful, then earning their trust through positive association exercises.
              

 

List of Local Pet Rescue Organizations

If you have decided to adopt a pet please check out the below links. To the left is Layla, who was rescued by one of these organizations and adopted by Stephanie Carter. Layla spent a lot of time at SMPR and enjoyed her training hikes. She also enjoyed socializing with some of our other guests. She passed away this past May and we'll miss her terribly. But, she is proof that you can find a forever companion at a humane society or rescue organization.

Almost Home Animal Rescue
Amherst Humane Society
Lynchburg Humane Society
Pet Finder
Alpha Paw
Rescue Me

Are you looking for the perfect indoor/outdoor bed for your pet? Try a Kuranda bed! These beds withstand the most rugged dogs. They come in a large variety of sizes and neutral colors.
Click link below to order one for your dog.

Kuranda Dog Beds

Pet Product Review

Kong Wobbler

      The KONG Wobbler™ is an action-packed toy that is a mentally stimulating food dispenser. The KONG shaped toy sits upright until nudged by the dog's paw or nose, dispensing tasty rewards as it wobbles, spins and rolls. The unpredictable movement stimulates natural instincts keeping even the most seasoned users challenged. The KONG Wobbler™ can also be used as an alternative to a dog bowl to help extend mealtime while providing exercise for your dog. Trying to get your dog to lose a few unwanted pounds? The KONG Wobbler™ is a great way to keep dogs moving while making them work for their food. Unscrews for easy filling and cleaning. Use the large Wobbler™ for medium to large-sized dogs.
     I have been using these for years. Dogs love them and they are nearly indestructible. If your dog will chew anything, be sure to remove this from their reach when they're done. Some dogs can unscrew the top and then chew it to the point where you cannot screw the top back on.