Dogs Playing Together: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

Guest post by Nancy Frensley, CPDT,CAP2, CNWI, CGC Evaluator, Senior Behavior and Training Manager, Berkeley Humane

One of first things adopters from Berkeley Humane want to do is take their dogs to a dog park. It’s easy to assume that all dogs both want to play with other dogs and have the right temperament and social skills to do so. However, everyone will benefit by considering a few things before beginning this particular adventure.

Pixie and Cinnamon chase a friend. Photo by Pär Winzell.

Until puppies reach maturity, between the ages of eighteen months and two years, most of them enjoy playing with other dogs. Good dog play can teach young dogs valuable lessons. Play enhances bite inhibition, develops communication skills, and maintains friendly responses to other dogs. As they mature, most dogs become less universal in their desire to play.

Even though some parts of each puppy’s play style are inherited, each of them goes through distinct developmental periods during the first two years of life in which social and play styles are formed. Puppies (under four months) can be very rude but are generally tolerated by adult dogs as well as their human parents. Between the ages of about five and eighteen months, almost all puppies start to push their boundaries with both people and their own kind. In addition, puppies experience distinct “fear periods” during this time of their lives. Unsupervised play as well as harsh corrections can cause pups to develop fear as well as the inappropriate play styles of chasing, body slamming and persistent wrestling; styles that can lead to aggression problems.

Photo by Pär Winzell

Most dogs reach full maturity at about two years. After that, they are less likely to engage in play with dogs they don’t already know and may become more reserved with people as well. Most are content, at this point, to play with previously established dog friends. Sometimes, they lose their desire to play with dogs entirely. Dogs adopted as adults have often had limited social exposure and may never enjoy playing with other dogs.

From the very first day, you should carefully monitor all your dog’s playtimes. By supervising, you can shape your dog’s play style for the rest of his life. The most important part of supervision is being able to recognize when play is appropriate and when it is not. The second most important part is being able to interrupt questionable or inappropriate play and call your dog away before it goes bad.

There are three kinds of dog play—good, questionable, and totally inappropriate. Here’s how to tell them apart:

Good dog play.

You don’t need to interrupt this play. The dogs are monitoring themselves.

• Healthy play is balanced. There is a lot of give-and- take. Both dogs are clearly having fun. 
• Dogs have loose, relaxed bodies, and their movements are silly and inefficient-looking.
• Chase games exhibit a sense of sharing. But, if one dog is being chased into hiding or is becoming defensive, interrupt the play.
• Both dogs are making friendly play gestures. These include play bows, turning and hitting with the hips and both dogs stopping when things get too rough.

Questionable dog play.

You should always interrupt this play before it goes too far. Any of the following behaviors can lead to a fight.

• Wrestling can be appropriate but is questionable and should be interrupted if more than two dogs are involved, or if one dog is always on the bottom.
• Tug-of- war if one or both dogs become possessive.
• Stalking postures. These postures are not play behavior. A stalking posture is significantly different from play bow and is often the first stage of a body slam.

Rude and totally inappropriate dog play.

This “play” is not play at all; it is aggressive behavior and must always be stopped. After you intervene you have a good opportunity to play one-on- one with your dog while he settles down. Rude behaviors are:

• Neck biting and collar grabbing.
• Excessive barking and harassing another dog. Rude puppies often do this relentlessly at adult dogs that do not want to play.
• Body slamming. This is only fun for the slammer.
• Pinning. Bull breeds do this routinely, but others do it, too.
• Mounting other dogs. Both males and females do this and it is almost guaranteed to start a fight.
• Snapping. A dog that is scared or aggravated may snap; so may a dog that is guarding a toy or a bone.
• Standing in a “T” position (head over another dog’s shoulders). This is never play; it is always a challenge. Don’t let it happen at all.
• Ganging up. Two or more dogs ganging up on one.
• General over-arousal, resulting in a case of the crazies, growlies, or snappies.

If you cannot call your dog away quickly and effectively as soon as play becomes questionable use a long line (20’-30’) and practice calling your dog with rewards every day. Once you call your dog away from play, give him time to calm down before releasing him to play again. If your dog has gotten into a scuffle, stop all interactions with other dogs for the remainder of the outing.

It’s everyone’s responsibility to supervise their dogs to keep play friendly.

Photo by Pär Winzell

If you have questions about your dog's behavior, please feel free to email training@berkeleyhumane.org. Learn more about Berkeley Humane's training approach, led by post author Nancy Frensley, and peruse our list of upcoming classes under Nancy's expert guidance.

Going Home: Riley and Cameron

While treats, toys, and fuzzy blankets might not be at the top of Maslow's hierarchy of canine needs, there's no denying that it can be fun and rewarding to spoil our pets. 

When adopter Yue Lin got in touch with us on our Facebook page, she showed us an adorable new way to honor her Berkeley Humane-adopted dogs:  

Riley and Cameron are both from Berkeley Humane and recently got their own pillows:) 

We had some questions about these awesome crafts, and Yue obliged us:

Dear Berkeley Humane, I got the pillows at Crafty Wonderland on a recent trip to Portland. They are made locally by an artist. Well, I just couldn't resist:). Thanks again for all you guys do! Riley and Cameron are the stars of our home. Here they are on a typical day:)

That's a special pair of dogs that deserves a special set of pillows, Yue! Thank you for this glimpse of the happy life you share with Riley and Cameron.


Looking for your own dog to spoil? From puppies to adults, we have a variety of personalities available for adoption right now. Come visit us Friday through Sunday, 11-5.

Going Home: Lola

Welcome to Woof Wednesday! This week we bring you an update on Lola (formerly Cordy), who was scooped up by Lauren and Nick towards the end of 2015.  

Although she quickly bonded with new squeaky toys, Lola was a bit too nervous to venture outside during her first weekend. Thanks to some patience and gentle coaxing, she has now adjusted nicely!

“We've been able to take her for an hour long walk in the morning and evening, usually with a stop at the dog park so she can run off some of her lingering puppy energy. We've been keeping a close eye on her interactions, but so far she seems to get along well with any dog willing to run REALLY REALLY FAST and tussle. We've ecstatic with her progress-we even got her to jump in the water for a bit on a long walk on the Bay Trail.”

"We think Lola is happy with her new life as well "

Thanks to Lauren and Nick for your awesome update! We hope you and Lola continue to have more great adventures together!

If you’re interested in adopting a dog, check out our available dogs here. Adoption hours are Friday through Sunday, 11am to 5pm. 

Thinking ahead to Valentine's Day? #SkipTheRoses and give your loved ones the gift of helping adoptable cats and dogs! Check it out here and donate to see your name on our Honor Wall!

Going Home: Dahlia

Happy Woof Wednesday, everyone! Today we are back with a special story about Dahlia, who was formerly named Diamond. Not only did she become a precious part of her family, but she also helps her foster brother get used to life with a loving family.


Dahlia is the perfect role model for her foster brother. She is a quick learner, obedient, and makes sure to take care of her foster brother. Let us see what her family, Catherine, says:

"Hello, I adopted Diamond about six months ago from you and wanted to update you! She's huge now! And her ears popped up lol. We are fostering through OAS and PALS and she adores her foster brother. His name is Dancer and we changed Diamond's name to Dahlia. She is definitely a mellow dog and very very smart. She can get hyper but once I break out the treats she falls right into her obedience training. She loves walks and hikes, but has yet to understand the Heel command. She even loves taking baths lol! She was a devil child in the beginning when it came to biting, but since we got her foster brother she rarely bites anymore, except him. They wrestle and play constantly!”


What a cute and understanding dog! In the picture above, we can see Dahlia and Dancer proudly facing the camera.

In the right picture, we see these two happily playing with each other.

We thank YOU Catherine, not only for adopting, but also for taking part in a foster program. The dogs have received tons of love from your family. By participating in the program, we know that Dancer will have a higher chance of getting adopted in the future.

Even if one is unable to adopt, fostering is always another choice. Fostering helps the dogs learn how to live with a family, and helps them get comfortable in that environment.

If you are interested in our foster program in any way, please check out our link here!

Going Home: Henry

Ready to put a little woof in your Wednesday?

Today we'd like to share the adoption story of Henry, formerly named Giles. The pictures his adopters shared with us show a smiling, happy dog who was excited to be with them from the first car ride home!

Henry on his way to his new home

Henry's adopters, Jose and Berenice, had this to say about welcoming Henry into their home:

Giles new name is Henry after Henry Ford. My boyfriend is a huge fan of Mustangs that he decided to change Giles name to Henry. He responds to Henry very well. Henry has adapted to his new home since the first day. He has hes section of our pack yard where he goes potty. He enjoys his walks in the mornings and at night. Henry has learned to do a hand shake and he behaves very well with my 2yr old niece and 8yr old nephew and is very gentle with her.

Thanks for checking on Henry!

Jazlyn and Henry

Our 1st selfie with Henry

Henry!

We're so pleased to learn how happily Henry has fit into your lives, Jose and Berenice. Thank you for the update! 

If you're looking to add some woof to your home, take a look at our adoptable animals.  To make sure your dog is as gentle with children as Henry, keep an eye on our dog training classes, where we occasionally run a "dogs and children" class. 

Going Home: Carmenere

Happy Woof Wednesday! Before we put on our party hats to celebrate the new year, we want to check in on a charming little pup who found a home for the holidays.

Adopter and Berkeley Humane volunteer Moi shared an adorable picture and update with us:


thanks for the docs and check in. it was really hard to stop playing with her long enough to write this email. no new name yet, but we should have it narrowed down soon. she had the last of her meds yesterday and i think i heard the last of the kennel cough this morning. but will call up if i'm wrong. she's already learned to sit! we're getting her outside every couple hours and only a few accidents in the house so far. not bad for a wee one. she's been cozying up to the many beds she has around the house and even the crate we've decked out for her, but her favorite's the queen sized one that doubles as play area. she's a great pup and i hope we'll make her as happy as she does us.

here's a photo of her tuckered out from play-

Carmenere looks like one happy dog, Moi. Since she shares a name with a grape, we hope she ages like fine wine! Thank you for the update.


If searching for the perfect pet is on your list of resolutions, check out our adoptable dogs and cats!

Going Home: Emma

Welcome to a Christmas edition of Woof Wednesday! This week features Emma (formerly Kendra) who was a volunteer favorite here at Berkeley Humane! 

Emma charmed everyone with her sweetness and now has found a lovely home of her own with Jennifer R., who happens to be a hospital intern with Berkeley Humane. 

It looks like Emma has settled in quite nicely to her new home and is ready to celebrate the holidays! 

“Kendra is embracing the lazy Saturday of cuddles and Netflix.”

Thank you for the update, Jennifer!

You can check out our adoptable dogs here. Our shelter is closed on Friday, Dec. 25, but re-opens for adoptions Saturday and Sunday.

Going Home: Rocky

Happy Woof Wednesday, animal lovers! Or perhaps we should say, Happy "Worf" Wednesday, because this week we're celebrating the adoption of a winsome little pup called Worf, who is now rocking his new moniker "Rocky."

The dog formerly known as Worf.

Adopter Maria shared a cheerful update with us: sounds like Rocky is getting nice and comfortable in his new home! Says Maria: 

"[Worf] ended up being the perfect fur baby for me and I'm so happy I adopted him! His new name is Rocky and he's settling in really well! He is already potty trained and he doesn't do anything he's not supposed to. He's really sweet and friendly to all humans and dogs!" 

Rocky, cuddling champion.

She finished with this question:

I was wondering if you have any idea on his background? I know most of the dogs are usually strays, but I thought it didn't hurt to ask.

Thanks for the update, Maria! We thought many people might be curious about where Berkeley Humane's adoptable animals come from, so we decided to ask Sherry Liu, the Marketing and Individual Giving Manager, to shed some light on the subject. 

Q&A with Sherry:

Where do the animals at Berkeley Humane come from? 

We partner with municipal shelters across the entire East Bay, as far north as Martinez, as far south as Fremont, and we go to Stockton as well. Since municipal shelters generally provide animal control, and must accept any kind of surrenders, for any reason, at any time, our ability to intake our animals from them help alleviate their overcrowding.

How much do you know about the animals' histories before they make it to Berkeley Humane?

Some animals are surrendered to municipal shelters by their guardians, whereas other animals are strays found on public streets. The length of time an animal spends at a municipal shelter before coming into our care also varies. This means the amount of information passed on to the municipal shelter, as well as the information passed on by them to us, can vary widely. Often we learn more about the animals we intake through behavior assessments and medical examinations than we receive from the source shelter.

Does Berkeley Humane accept animals directly? 

We do not. Independent humane societies like us generally do not accept direct public surrenders.

What's the farthest away an animal has ever come?

Since the amount of information provided to us can be spotty, it’s difficult to say. However, it’s with regularity that we take in animals from Fremont and Stockton.

Any particularly memorable animal intake stories?

Plenty. However, it is often most gratifying when we’re able to take in an animal who has a medical need. They are often overlooked and the last ones to find loving homes, if it happens at all. Being able to provide medical care that shortens an animal’s stay in the shelter system from many months—sometimes years—to just a few weeks, and being able to help the animals who need it most means a lot to us.

Thank you, Sherry! Every year, Berkeley Humane helps hundreds of dogs to find loving new homes, and each has their own unique story. To read more heart-warming and tail-wagging happy endings, check back each Wednesday for a  new Going Home post. 

Adopted a pet from Berkeley Humane and have your own update to share? Whether it was last week or 5 years ago, we'd love to hear from you! Share your story and pet pictures on our Facebook page!

Going Home: Mischa

Welcome back to Woof Wednesday, everyone! Today we are introducing a loving adopter/adoptee pair who cannot stand to leave each others' side for more than a moment.

Mischa used to be named Marianne Favro after a NBC newscaster as part of a Berkeley Humane and NBC collaboration (a partnership we are happy to say will return for 2016's Bark and Meow Around the Block celebration). Let's see how this special dog is doing with her new family!

 

"She is doing great! We are attached by the hip - today I had to leave her in her crate for 3 hours and it was the longest 3 hours of my life... She did great though. I left a Kong, a bone, and one of her favorite new stuffed animals, Possum, in the crate with her.

Now we are in the backyard and she is still working on her bone! I took her on a long run this morning and we were both exhausted after.

I left a message for a check up visit at the Montclair Veterinary Hospital today. I will also call tomorrow.

I am unable to take her to the basic obedience class on Thursday unfortunately because I work late those nights. Would you suggest I find a basic obedience class elsewhere that works better with my schedule? I would love to get her into training as soon as possible!"

 

Thank you, Maya, for sharing with us and providing so many toys for Mischa! This bundle of energy is definitely having the time of her life.

A check up is always a good idea to keep your dog healthy. As for basic obedience class, there are indeed other training classes outside of Berkeley Humane though we offer a tremendous range of classes. See our impressive list of training class options here or get in touch with our certified trainer to talk about other options!

Indoor Activities To Entertain Your Dog Through Winter!

Now that it’s colder, the days are shorter, and the weather is (hopefully) getting wetter, it isn’t always as easy to take your dog out for all the exercise and activity it needs. If you’ve got a very active or young dog, this can be a big challenge. We’ve rounded up some ideas to keep your dog exercised and entertained while you keep your sanity!

The Usual Suspects: Tug and keep-away are games most of you probably play with your dogs. These can easily take place indoors and provide an outlet for all that energy as long as you play safely!

New Tricks: Most people know that teaching your dog new tricks is a great way to keep them entertained while bonding with them. But, you can add a more physical aspect to trick training by teaching them tricks like balancing on their hind legs, climbing over a bench, crawling through some chairs, or my favorite: helping you clean up their toys! These tricks will do more to tire them out physically, and can add a lot to their repertoire. We frequently offer tricks and special skills classes right here at Berkeley Humane!

DIY Treat Puzzles: Mental exercise is just as important for our pups as physical exercise, and treat puzzles can get expensive. You can easily make these with cardboard boxes or plastic water bottles and some tape! You can make them as complicated or as simple as you like (by putting a box inside of a box, using packing tape instead of scotch tape, etc…). You can fill these with any sort of treat your dog enjoys.

Nosework/Scent Games: You can use your dog's powerful nose and desire for food to activate his brain and body to search around your home for treats. You can start by playing the “Which Hand” game, which essentially is just holding a treat in one hand and letting your dog figure out which hand is holding the treat. There are many resources online for getting started: here’s an example of what nosework can look like! This game can be more mental than physical, but mental stimulation is just as important for many dogs as physical exercise. At Berkeley Humane, our certified professional trainer offers real scent work classes! Check out our Introduction to Nosework and Introduction to Odor training classes.

Flirt Pole: These are essentially giant cat toys for dogs! You can order one of these online or make one yourself - just don’t use elastic for the rope part; it can snap back and really hurt. These work great to tire dogs out and you can replace the toy on the end over and over with whatever you want.

Hide and Go Seek: You can hide yourself somewhere in your house and once you release your dog from a wait cue, it will come find you! If your dog is having some trouble, it can help to have some tasty high value treats hidden away in your pocket to get them started. After about 20-30 minutes of this, my high-energy young cattle dog is usually content to gnaw on some bones and relax. You can also do this with your dogs favorite toys!

Stairway Games: This is an option for adult dogs with a lot of energy that have stopped growing and developing in their joints and bones. If you’ve got some stairs inside and your dog is in good enough shape, you can incorporate them into a lot of other indoor activities. Playing fetch on the stairs and teaching them tricks that involve going up and down stairs is a great way to tire our your pup! For the least impact on their joints and better safety, you should start at the bottom of the steps. Don’t rush your dog as they come down the steps, as this could cause a fall or injury.

Take a Class: We offer a variety of classes here that will pep up your skills and get that puppy working! From nose work and performance tricks, to rally obedience and leash manners, there truly is something for everyone! Check out a full list of all our classes at www.berkeleyhumane.org/_classes to winterize your dog.

Going Home: Poco Loco

Welcome to Woof Wednesday, animal lovers! There's nothing more satisfying than seeing an adopted animal relax with their new family. Poco Loco, our pooch of the week, is no exception. From his glamour shots to candid snaps at home, Poco Loco is clearly a dog with some personality. Just look at that face!

Adopter Sarah shared some update photos and quotes from Poco Loco himself. It looks like he's living up to his name and a little crazy in love with his new pad. What a beautiful smile! 

"Hi my name is Poco Loco and I found my forever home today." -Poco Loco

"Look at me I'm already crate training and loving it!!!"-Poco Loco 

Thank you for the update, Sarah, and for giving this playful spirit the tools he needs to thrive in his new home.

If you’re interested in learning more about training your new puppy or teaching an old dog some new tricks, Berkeley Humane offers several behavior classes for pups and their people. Check them out and see if one of them is right for you!

Going Home: Macey

Welcome to another edition of Woof Wednesday! There’s nothing quite like bringing a furry companion into your life, and we love to bring you stories about our adoptees finding their perfect match. 

We received a wonderful message from Jacob later on the very same day he met his new pal Macey that makes for a lovely little update. 

Jacob came into Berkeley Humane back in August with lots of questions and later left with sweet Macey. By the end of the day he reported that she already couldn’t bear to leave him for anything more than a few seconds!

“Just wanted to say thank you to the entire staff for being so lovely and answering all of my questions so thoroughly and patiently. Macey already can't leave my side for more than a few seconds! This is a very surreal experience for me for a variety of reasons but I can only imagine the same is true for her. Thank you for introducing me to this wonderful, weird, quirky, funny girl!”

Sounds like these two are off to a fantastic start. Congratulations on your new partner in crime, Jacob!

If you would like to make a furry addition to your family, please come by during adoption hours, Friday - Sunday, 11am - 5pm. Feel free to bring all your questions — our knowledgeable staff will help guide you to the right choices for you and your household!

Going Home: Jackson

Once again, Woof Wednesday is back! As the temperature turns cold, remember to keep warm! Meanwhile, Jackson (who went by the name Jerboa during his time at Berkeley Humane) is definitely helping his new family keep warm. Nothing is like cuddling with a bundle of joy.

We love to hear about the pleasant surprises a dog can bring. Dogs will be dogs, and they will offer us plenty of laughs and happiness. Who could resist such a cute dog?

Let us see how Jackson adapts to his new family. Below, Rachel will show us how playful and loving he can be. Be prepared to have your heart melt!

"Things are going great! We decided to call him Jackson, and he has already added so much to our home!

The introduction between Jackson and our roommates' dogs went better than we even imagined- they are dying to play together, but for now since he still has kennel cough we are keeping them apart.

We love him so much, and feel so grateful that we found him. I'm attaching a few pictures so you can see how our family is coming together.

Also, we intend to sign up for the basic training course that starts in October, so you can look forward to seeing him then, as well!"

A few months after this initial communication, we got back in touch with Jackson's family to ask about health, training, and more. Rachel had even more wonderful things to say!

"His kennel cough cleared up easily, and as it did we got to know more of his personality. He's definitely got the spirit of a puppy in him - all cuddles and energy when we come home and always eager to play. Other things we've discovered about him in the past few months:

• He loves stuffed animals- he always has to have one near him or in his mouth if he's walking around the house.
  
• He's afraid of the dark. He doesn't like to walk at night so we put a bike light on his collar so that he can go outside with his own nightlight when he has to.
  
• He's very eager to please and easy to train. We've been taking the introductory class at Berkeley Humane and he takes to the commands and directions really well.
  
• He loves to cuddle and if you'll let him he will press as much of his body against you as possible at all times in all positions.

We were able to successfully introduce him to our roommates' dog, and although they have since bought their own place and moved out, he loved playing with their rescue pittie Maggie- their favorite game was running in concentric circles together around the yard as fast as they could.

We are just so happy that we ended up at the adoption fair that day, and at the right time to meet Jackson and take him home. He has brought so much joy to us and we can't imagine our family without him."

 
Sounds like Rachel was fated to adopt Jackson! She and her husband have been giving Jackson all the love in the world. We can tell that Jackson has become an important member of the family.

If you would like to meet your fated match, feel free to drop by during adoption hours Friday-Sunday from 11am-5pm.

Check out Berkeley Humane's training classes (maybe your dog can learn alongside Jackson!) and sign up here!

Going Home: Lil'Lady

Welcome to Woof Wednesday, dear reader! As you know from our long-standing feature of Going Home posts, we love nothing more than catching up with those families that adopt animals from us. Hearing how an animal settles in and becomes a real member of the family is so rewarding!

And sometimes you get a response that is so thorough and shows so much concern and effort that we just have to feature it. Not only to celebrate Lil’Lady (formerly known as Mocha) and her fantastic family but also for all you people who are considering bringing a new dog into your lives but wonder what that process might look like. 

Below you can read Anastasia’s report of adopting a big, high energy dog and integrating her into the daily goings-on of her family. Because Anastasia also asks our staff for advice, we consulted with our resident dog behavior expert, Nancy, and we have included her answer here. Settle in for a good read!

“[…]I'm happy to say Lil'Lady has continued to adjust well here and is becoming part of the pack =) 

Lady and Big Boy have become great pals, hanging out in the back yard together either lounging around,sniffing and exploring the yard, or chasing each other and wrestling. Lady's energy level is perfect for Big Boy (who has a lot himself!). She actually tires him out! They are eating their meals together, taking walks on a split leash and hangout indoors and outdoors together very nicely. We have also started using Lil'Lady's feeding times to train her. So, instead of feeding her out of her bowl we are hand feeding her while training (we are working on the following: sit, stand, down, watch, leave it, off, here). She is better at some than others, and still figuring out the more tricky ones (like stand and here), but overall has caught on quickly. Her watch and leave it are particularly nice. 

She is still taking some time meeting new people, usually barking at a friend who is visiting the house or a neighbor making noise in their yard. She has gotten used to Davi's mother visiting (as well has her elderly dog) which is wonderful since we see her often. Most of the time though, when there are visitors, Lady happily relaxes in her kennel. Oh, right, she has gotten used to her crate which has been awesome. She is happy to go in, and of course happy to come out =) 

As for the fish tank, she is still very interested and sometimes putting her paws on the counter top to get a closer look, but she no longer tries to jump on the counter or sit staring intensely as she did before. She is also responding to "off" more quickly when she is putting paws on the counter. This has turned into grabbing food off the table/counters too, so "off" is becoming very handy =) She actually pulled  a pizza box off the counter last weekend which was a surprise my younger daughter - but luckily we salvaged most of it without too much trouble =) 

I think overall, Lil'Lady has become much more comfortable here, showing more of her sweet personality, and the more mischievous one too =) And as for the kids, they feel very comfortable with Lady, and she with them. Lady does well listening to them as well as she does to us, which I'm very 
happy for. 

Thank you again for checking in! We are considering signing her up for lessons soon, although I'm not sure how she'd do in a class setting since she still seems to lose interest in treats when we are on walks. So I imagine being in a class with lots of other dogs and people might make her too anxious to care about treats or listening to us . . . any thoughts on this?  […]” 

How is that for a investing in your new dog, eh? Anastasia, you and your family are an amazing example for everyone. We are so grateful for your continuing effort to make Lil’Lady live up to her potential and we are sure she feels very lucky to be in your home. 

With regards to your question about bringing an energetic and easily distracted dog to a training class, we asked Nancy Frensley, Berkeley Humane's highly experienced dog behaviorist and trainer, and this is what she says: 

“Here is what I tell everyone who has doubts about their dogs being able to function in a class setting.

The purpose of Basic and Small Dog Basic Obedience is to help you get your dog started on a path that will build confidence and increase functionality.  Our trainers are experienced and helpful.  Any of them can help you learn to motivate your dog.  At first, your dog might feel a little overwhelmed in the class setting but we have techniques that manage that.  You go home with routines to practice and, through those, your dog becomes more confident and habituates to the class setting and many other situations that have proved overwhelming.

Training builds not only confidence but increases your dog’s trust in you as a protector and teacher.  It also increases the adopter’s confidence in handling and coaching their dogs.  You can’t go wrong trying a class.  Some of our late evening classes are small and well suited to the under-confident and less motivated dogs.” 

There you have it! A good training class will teach both you and your dog and coach you how to work together in situations that may be challenging for you. 

For more information on our Basic and Small Dog Basic Obedience classes, look here. If you have questions that you want to ask of Berkeley Humane’s behaviorists, you can do so here. We encourage everyone to reach out with any questions or concerns they may have.