A common call that I get is from folks who have dogs with fear issues that have turned into aggressive outbursts. Much like the elderly Peekapoo I have a date with tomorrow. When vets and groomers start commenting about the teeth and growling is usually about the time I get a call.

The other side of the coin is when the fear turns into avoidance and flight, rather than fight. An extreme example of this is a case from last year where the owner had never even been able to sit in the same with the dog… the poor thing would bolt. The owner rescued a dog that was known to have fear issues and wanted to help the dog and love her back to confidence.

What happened was her sharing of affection in those moments of fear and anxiety actually made the fear worse! The poor dog would run and hide and nearly any noise… tail tucked between her legs…

When the dog is experiencing fearful reactions of a non aggressive nature, just ignore and act like nothing has happened… no “oh poor fido”… you must be a brave and strong leader in order to restore your dogs confidence.

IF you are having a problem with your fearful dog, then make sure you get in touch with me so we can set up a consultation to get you and your dog back on track! I handle a wide range of dog behavior problems that typical dog trainers don’t have any idea how to help you with! That where a behaviorist such as myself comes into play.

Call me now at 864-248-6472

I am at home in Greenville, SC but have numerous clients in the Hendersonville, Asheville and Highlands areas of North Carolina.

~Jason “Greenville’s Dog Whisperer”

They say “The Dog Trainer said to put my dog to sleep for aggression”…

I have been actively seeking the most serious and bizarre dog behavior problems for rehabilitation for nearly the past 10 years as a profession. In that time, I have heard countless stories from my grateful clients that have seen great results with my methods. They had thought everything was hopeless due to one misinformed dog trainer who was afraid of seriously threatening behavior.

If the dog training “expert” that you hire has suggested that your dog should be “put down” due behavior problems, it time to call in a bonafied dog behaviorist like me, Jason Miller. Dog trainers are taught about training familiar behavior through repetition. Often using some sort of modified Pavlovian conditioning… usually the tool of choice for most trainers are clickers and treats.

The reality is, these methods only create limited behaviors linked to words that humans can understand. Examples are “sit, stay, down, come heel” and these commands are simply ways for us humans to get the dog to do what we want. Training though, does NOT focus on the dogs natural needs or instincts.

Imagine a dog trainer arriving with a bag of treats and clicker only to be met by and aggressive, challenging English Mastiff weighing in at nearly 200lbs! Now image that this big dog could care less about your little clicking noise and treats because YOU are now his lunch! Many seriously troubled dogs are NOT food motivated so trying to trade food for wanted behaviors is a loosing battle in many cases.

Now image that you could communicate in the dogs natural methods. This is what a Dog Behaviorist does… but not all dog behaviorists are the same! The most effective behaviorists are the ones who eat, sleep and breathe pack mentality similar to famed behaviorist Cesar Millan. Many people call us “Dog Whisperers” because we can arrive at your home and within mere minutes have evaluated the situation and be influencing totally different behaviors in your dog.

NEXT and most important is that a qualified Behaviorist has the ability to TEACH YOU how to communicate with your dogs in a natural way that harnesses your body language and energy. This is why I come to my clients homes to help correct these problems. I can see what the dog is trying to communicate and help the owners understand and communicate BACK. By teaching through example, my clients learn the basics of dog psychology and pack mentality.

I often arrive to aggressive greetings that send trainers running for the hills. There is one very well known local trainer right here in Greenville, SC that has told nearly a dozen people that they should put their dog down for aggression. Thankfully a lot of his clients find me after that… but I do have to wonder how many take the poor advice!

Dog are NOT throw away! The practice of euthanasia to deal with our own human ignorance of dog behavior is a practice that should not be allowed in 2011 heading into 2012. Yet everyday there is a dog trainer telling unknowing clients that they should kill their dog! Veterinarians are guilty of the same suggestion as are some groomers and other dog “professionals.”

My advice to dog trainers and vets who do not understand canine fear, aggression and other behaviors is this. Please find a local dog whisperer who has the real life experience to help your clients when “training” doesn’t work. Rather then suggest a horrid end to an already troubled home, have them call me or some other behaviorist who specializes in pack mentality.

This is a very dangerous occupation so there are not very many people willing to intervene when things go bad. In fact there are very few of us servicing the United States that my travels have me helping families in much of the southeast including Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Since there are so few of us, I also travel anywhere in the United States where my clients need me.

Euthanasia for the sake of not wanting to deal with our dogs behavior problems is NOT an answer. If you think it is then I encourage you to read THIS blog post entitled: Animal Shelter Realities… Adopt don’t shop

If you are in need of help for your serious dog behavior problems then give me call. I am Jason Miller and you can reach me at 864-248-6472

There are many fine schools who do a fantastic job of teaching dogs all the commands of obedience training. They will have your dog staying and retrieving things in an amazing fashion. You will see your dog behaving like a perfect pooch under the trainers guidance. This training can be very important for you and your dog. Nothing beats a well trained dog who will respect you and listen to you. I have nothing but respect for top notch training facilities.

Here is the thing… obedience training will not help respect and behavior issues. Once you get home, if you do not understand the leadership mentality you will see a quick return to the old behaviors.

That is where I come in. While training is important, until you understand the natural pack relationship that you dog needs in order to respect you, no amount of training will help.

If you are ready to have a better relationship with your dog then go ahead and give me a call, we can see if you qualify for a behavior consultation to get your dogs attitude back on track. Even if you have spent thousands on “training”… there is hope for your dog. Call me…  864-248-6472

Greenville
Dog Trainer | Greenville
Dog Training | Dog
Training

Wouldn’t it be great if there were one simple thing you could do with your dog to help improve all aspects of your life together?

What if there were a “magic bullet” to help you start getting problem behaviors under control?

Good news! There is magic in walking your dog! By taking the time everyday to just walk your dog properly, you can begin growing closer to your dog than you imagined possible. Something as simple as the walk can make or break the relationship you have with your dog.

What do you think of when I say to walk your dog? Do think “well I walk him up the corner to pee a few times a day.” Maybe you think… “I walk her for 10 minutes when I get home.” You might even say… “I have a 10 acre back yard and my dogs roam free!”

If that is the kind of thing you think when I talk about walking your dog, then take a minute to read this short report and apply what you learn here.

A dog is an animal that was born to walk. Fish were born to swim… birds were born to fly… and dogs were born to walk. In a natural environment devoid of humans, dogs will travel miles for food and water. Since dogs are pack animals, they will naturally follow a strong pack leader who can guide them and keep them in line. Their pack leader is fair and assertive and they will follow him for miles and miles a day. This behavior can be observed in wolf packs and packs of wild dogs.

It is important that you understand that your dog is a pack animal. Let’s take a short tour of your dogs view of psychology… As your dog sees the world there are two social positions… Pack leader and then those who follow the pack leader. Just like in the human world, not every dog is cut out to be the leader. Most dogs are not cut out to be a pack leader; they would rather follow a strong assertive leader.

Your daily walk with your dog is the foundation of your relationship. It is a primal bonding experience that helps you grow closer to your dog while providing needed exercise to help keep your dog balanced. The more high energy your dog is the longer your need to walk them. A five minute walk will simply not cut it. That big back yard is just a big kennel in your dogs eyes… it will not replace the walk.

Knowing that your dog is a pack animal who will either lead or follow… ask yourself these questions… When you are walking who is in front? Who goes out the door first? Who decides where to go? If you answered “my dog” to any of these questions then guess what…. You are your dogs follower.

If you walk your dog and he pulls you up the road… he is the leader. If she runs out the door pulling you along… she is the pack leader. This is where most people’s problems begin. The dog walks them… therefore the human is the follower. This is just simple dog psychology.

To keep your dog balanced you must be the pack leader all the time. On your walks, the ideal position for your dog to be walking is beside you or behind you. Do not allow them to walk in front of you and pull you up the road. Walking in front means leader in the dogs mind. She is not allowed to walk in front you. As a strong pack leader you will no longer allow it. She may fuss and fight… but do not pay it any attention. That will just be her trying to manipulate you in the way she always has. Practice this over and over and over… Your dog needs a leader.

The walk is the most important part of a dog’s life next to food. The bond between pack leader and the pack happens during the walk. With the big breeds (pit bulls, rottweilers, etc) you MUST be the leader in that dogs mind for the safety of everyone.

How to walk your dog… first of all… NEVER EVER allow your dog to exit the house first. EVERY door is yours to walk thru first… you are the leader. It is an important psychological barrier to the world of dogs.

Get your leash…. always wait until your dog is calm and seated before putting the leash on. Once you are leashed up practice walking thru the door FIRST. If she gets it wrong do it again and again. Never lose your temper…. every dog will just think u are crazy. Dogs won’t listen to mad. If you get frustrated just chill and try the next day.

Make this a daily ritual and you will be pleased with the results. First thing in the morning go walk your dog… I suggest a minimum of 30 minutes a day using a brisk pace. If your dog has a high energy level then extend this to 45 minutes to and hour. Who knows… the walk might even do YOU some good!

As a responsible dog owner it is your job to fulfill your dogs most basic primal needs. When humans bring dogs into our cramped indoor lives we often fail to fulfill their basic needs. If this seems inconvenient to you… just imagine how your dog must feel. He has a deep primal need to migrate and bond with a strong pack leader. Since you have chosen to have a dog in your life that leader is YOU. Fulfilling your dogs most basic needs will get you on your way to having that rewarding close relationship you really want with your dog.

If you need help getting your dogs behavior under control, I can help. Just use the navigation menu to the left.

1. Be sure that your dog is in good health, has all their shots and is spayed or neutered. If you dog is ill or not fixed then skip the dog park.
2. Walk your dog before entering the park! The dog park is never to replace exercise. If you arrived at the park by car then walk your dog briskly for 30 minutes or so before you go in. This will help use up some energy so you don’t take an excited dog into the park.
3. The dog park is not a place to “get a break” from your dog. You must take full responsibility for your dogs behavior and be aware of what she is doing 100% of the time.
4. Make sure your dog is in a submissive calm state of mind. Unstable energy will certainly attract a fight. If your dog is aggressive, fearful, weak or excited then you are asking for trouble at the dog park.
5. If your dogs social skills are in question, or if you are not yet established as your dogs pack leader, or if she is skittish or charges at other dogs, then you should arrange a way to socialize your dog in a more controlled manner. Try smaller meetings with a friend who has a dog or two.

Servicing Ft. Campbell, oak grove, hopkinsville and many other areas on the Kentucky side as well as Clarksville, Nashville and other surrounding areas of Tennessee