As we continue our series on finding the right dog for you, we next want to look at a dog type that we see a lot in our training practice: working dogs. 

Below, you'll see a video from our head trainer, Brandon, talking about working dogs, Belgian Malinois in particular, and what you  need to consider before bringing a working dog into your family.

Like Brandon said in the video, before getting a working dog, consider the following: 

1. Require a ton of attention: 24 hour/7 day a week  
2. They require work and structure
3. They will probably nip or bite (depending on the breed)
4. For training:  you will need to find a working dog trainer. These dogs have special training requirements that necessitate a trainer who is experienced in working dog's specific needs and drives.
5. If you don't have a job for these dogs to do - they will create their own job, and most of the time, you will not like what they choose! (i.e. destructive tendencies within your house)

Still interested in a working dog? Reach out to us and we will help guide you through the process.

In our last post, we introduced some of the challenges that come with dog adoption during the holidays. In an effort to mitigate some of these common problems that families face, we are kicking off our new blog series aimed at helping you choose the right dog for your family and lifestyle. 

With 340 recognized dog breeds, there is no way that the average person could read through traits and characteristics for every single dog breed out there (and still have time for their day job!). So how can you make sure that you are choosing the absolute best fit for your family and your lifestyle without an exhaustive crash course on dog breeds? 

Well, that's why we are here! To narrow your search a bit, we are going to break these 340 recognized dog breeds into seven overall categories. After taking a look at each of these  categories, our hope is that you can narrow in on one or two categories that fit your family and lifestyle best. Once you have made your decision on the type of dog that will fit your family and lifestyle, our goal is to give you a much easier path to choosing the right breed for you!

Terriers

Terriers, which were bred to hunt and kill vermin, are described as fiesty and energetic. Depending on the breed of terrier, there's a fairly wide range of sizes, from small (13 pounds) to medium-to-large in size (70 pounds). According to the AKC Group, prospective owners should know that terriers make great pets, but they do require determination on the part of the owner because they can be stubborn; have high energy levels, and require special grooming (known as “stripping”) to maintain a characteristic appearance.

​Terrier Breeds You May Know:

• Bull Terrier
• Scottish Terrier
• West Highland White Terrier

​Full Terrier Breed List
​

Sporting
​
Sporting breeds are known as being alert, active dogs who are generally likable, agreeable companions. Sporting dogs were originally bred to work closely with humans to assist in hunting and gathering food. This category is generally medium-sized and includes four different sub-categories: spaniels, pointers, retrievers and terriers. Common among all of these subsets is the need regular exercise, engaging exercise. 

Sporting Breeds You May Know:

• Labrador Retriever
• German Shorthaired Pointer
• Cocker Spaniel

​​Full Sporting Breed List

Hounds 

The common attribute that links the hound breed is their ability to hunt. Beyond that, though, attributes vary pretty significantly across each breed within the hound group. Some are known for their sense of smell, others by their stamina, others are known for their distinctive howl. If hounds are of interest to you, check out this AKC page that allows you to toggle between attributes that you'd like in your dog. 

Breeds You May Know:

• Bloodhound
• Dachshund
• Greyhound 

​​Full Hound Breed List

Non-Sporting

Next, we have our non-sporting group of dogs... and they vary even more than our hound group. AKC says it best when they say non-sporting dogs have two things in common: wet noses and four legs. Beyond that, it is tough to group this category of dogs on defined attributes. Non-Sporting dogs are a diverse group of breeds with varying sizes, coats, personalities and overall appearance. Like the hound above, visit the AKC website for a full list of breeds and attributes.

Non-Sporting Breeds You May Know:

• Bulldog
• Dalmatian
• Poodle

​Full Non-Sporting Breed List
​

Working

Working dogs are best known for their need to have a 'job' to do. They are quick to learn, intelligent, strong, watchful, and alert, and they are happiest when they have a job that they can do. Jobs can range from pulling a sled to simply carrying a backpack during a walk. These dogs make wonderful, protective companions and are usually larger in size. For those interested in this type of dog, beware that they will typically need a higher than average need for exercise, higher than average required time for training and socialization and, depending on the breed, are not typically best suited for first-time dog owners. 
​
Working Breeds You May Know:

• Boxer
• Great Dane
• Rottweiler

​Full Working Breed List

Ho, ho, ho, the Holiday Season is here! And, you know what that means, it's time to think about getting gifts for your family and friends.

For some of you, one of your gifts under the tree just might be a new puppy. But before you visit your local shelter and fall in love with a dog, it is important to take a quick step back and ensure that you are able to find a dog that will be a fit for your family and your lifestyle.

Shelters around the country see huge surges of surrendered dogs during the holidays. According to the ​ASPCA’s National Rehoming Survey, pet problems are the most common reason that owners rehome their pet, accounting for 47% of rehomed dogs. Pet problems were defined as problematic behaviors, aggressive behaviors, grew larger than expected, or health problems owner couldn’t handle. 

A large majority of these issues stem from a few common themes, which are not due to any sort of negligence or lack of foresight from new owners. 

A few of these common challenges include:

• Not knowing what type of dog you are actually getting (due to lack of education from the shelter or a general lack of knowledge on the dog's background)
• Lack of knowledge on your dog's breed and common traits or behaviors to expect 
• An inability to properly incorporate the dog into a family's lifestyle due to increased behavioral or exercise/attention needs
• Unforeseen expenses in trying to rehab behavior challenges

Although there are certainly instances where a dog just isn't the right fit for a family, and unfortunately, tough choices need to be made, there are times where it can certainly be mitigated. By taking the correct steps to educate yourself on commons breeds and traits, you are much more likely to successfully incorporate a dog into your home. Pet adoption is a beautiful, wonderful thing, but it can lead to a lot of stress and sadness when things don't go as planned and is hard on both your family and your dog. 

So, if you're still hanging in here after all this sad talk and still interested in getting a new dog this holiday season,  we're here to help. Being in this business for 20 years, we have seen it all and want to make sure we are providing all dogs with their best chance of success.

​Knowing that, we are kicking off our December series! Keep an eye out as we launch our blog series aimed at helping you to successfully choose a breed that will be a good fit for your family and your lifestyle. And, if along the way you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out!

Want to see something fun? We put our 5 elements of prey drive blog series post into a super fun format! If you want to use our 5 elements of prey drive blog posts for your daily training, this is the best way to do it! 

Click below to access this printable PDF.

-Welcome back to the next installment of our prey drive series!

As you'll recall, first, we talked about the importance of prey drives and how understanding your dog's innate drives can help tremendously in your training. Next, we taught you some of the physical manifestations of prey drives, and how to tell when your dog's prey drive is engaged. Then we furthered the prey drive conversation by giving you some of the different elements of prey drives so that you could classify what particular drives your dog engages in. 

Now that you have identified some of the common drives your dog exhibits on a regular basis, what's next? Well, now that you have some of that background information at your disposal, we'd now like to arm you with some actionable next steps. 

We'll first give you a brief refresher on what each of the elements of prey drive are and how to identify them within your dog. Next we will give you two different actions - maximizing that drive and then engaging it. 

Maximize It
One of the common misconceptions of prey drive is that it is something you should look to 'squash' or eliminate from your dog's behavior. Although there are certain elements and behaviors that you should look to control, that does not mean that you should try to eliminate a dog's drives all together. This is simply not possible. If you do not provide your dog with an outlet for the inherent, intrinsic drives that have been conditioned by long- term breeding, your dog will find an outlet elsewhere - and unfortunately, you'll likely not like the outlet they choose. 

Giving your dog a way to maximize and utilize their inherent prey drives allows them an outlet of your choosing. This gives you the control of choosing when prey drives can be engaged and how. Below, we give you some guidance on how to maximize prey drives based on the typical behaviors your dog exhibits.

Engage It
Next - we look at ways to engage these inherent drives and, SPOILER ALERT, most of them are super fun! These are controlled games that you can play with your dog that will allow them an outlet for their drives that, again, you can control and manage.

By continuing to engage with your dog's inherent drives in a controlled manner, you are not only managing their behavior, but you are also helping them to live more fulfilled, happy lives. 

​The Search

​Identify It
Your dog is constantly looking at ever single passing object. A squirrel, a ball, another dog, anything! Or, whenever you take your dog on a walk, they will get easily distracted sniffing the air or the ground, catching a scent that they feel compelled to follow.

Maximize It
Does this sound like your dog? Find a job that allows your dog to use this skill to their advantage. Dogs who have been trained in search and rescue, or even bomb detection, use this innate drive of "the search" to enable them to complete these difficult tasks. 

How to Engage It
Take your dog to an area with visual distractions. Work with them on maintaining eye contact with you even when faced with distractions. Reward their efforts.

​The Stalk

Identify It
Once your dog sees an object of interest - it's over. They get that tunnel vision and their sole focus is on tracking that object. Your dog will hunch down, exert themselves against their leash and pull with all of their might to get to that object. 

Maximize It
Sound familiar? Find them a job that allows them to use this skill to their advantage. Breeds like Australian Shepherds have been bred specifically to maximize their ability to "stalk" so they can herd sheep or cattle.

How to Engage It
Hide & Seek! Playing games, like hide & seek, allows your dog to practice their search & stalk skills. This gives your dog a fun job to do while also satisfying their innate drives.

​The Chase

Identify It
Your dog LOVES to run after anything and everything. Frisbees, balls, cars, you name it, they chase it. They love a good game of fetch and just cannot get enough. They just want to run, run run.

Maximize It
If this sounds like your dog - then find them a job that allows them to use this skill to their advantage. Breeds like Huskies have been used as working dogs throughout history to pull heavy loads of supplies for miles at a time.  These dogs use their "chase" drive to sustain this level of intense exercise.

How to Engage It
Engage in activities aimed at simulating "the chase": Using a flirt pole (a long pole, pipe or stick with a rope attached), tie a toy as a lure to the end of the rope. Drag the lure slowly and stop occasionally. The slow pursuit helps your dog learn to focus.

​The Grab

Identify It
Unlike the dog above, your dog has almost no interest in fetch. They might retrieve the ball and bring it back once or twice, but what they really want is to go and grab that ball or toy and keep it for themselves. You'll find your dog has trouble giving up their toys after they have retrieved them.

Maximize It
Games like fetch are a go-to for many pet owners, but for dogs who are highly motivated by "grab & take down" drives, you might need a better way to engage with your dog. Games like controlled tug of war allow you to engage your dog in an activity they enjoy - while also satisfying these drives. As an added bonus, you can incorporate training exercises into your game by practicing commands like drop it & leave it.

How to Engage It
For dogs that need a bit more engagement, you can incorporate a treat ball into your fetch game. Using a ball that allows you to put treats inside, reward your dog for bringing the ball back to you.  When they start to associate the ball with the treat, they will be much more motivated to bring the ball back.  

​The Take Down
Identify It
Similarly to the description above, your dog wants to grab that toy and rip it to shreds. They are the ones who are taking their toys and tossing them back and forth in their mouths. They enjoy the act of playing with their prey or toy after they have caught it. 

Maximize It
As we said in the description above, games like fetch are a go-to for many pet owners. When you have a dog who seems to get immediately bored, or refuses to give you back the toy after you throw it, it can definitely be a bit frustrating. It might lead you to think that your dog just might not like to play. What you have to remember is that all dogs have different drives and different needs based on their breeding. Although regular fetch might not be a game that engages them, there are ways to take your fetch game to the next level that might capture their interest. Learn more below!

How to Engage It
Play "fetch" with a ball on a string! It seems simple, but it can really add a layer of fun that you wouldn't expect. First, it allows you to maintain a bit of control - they can't take the ball and run, they can only have the ball if you allow them to. Next, it provide an added level of engagement for your dog that will engage their "take down" drive. The "prey-like" movement of having the ball move slowly across the ground will give them that added level of engagement that dogs like them need. 

Now that you've seen the five elements of prey drive in action and learned how to maximize and engage them, you are that much closer to creating fun and engaging training for your dog. 

Next up - we will share a super fun print out of the 5 Elements of Prey Drive that you will be sure to love!

Missed some of the posts in our Series? No problem! Here are the last few below:

• Prey Drive Series Part 1 
• Prey Drive Series Part 2
• Prey Drive Series Part 3

​

Welcome back to the next installment of our prey drive series!

First, we talked about the importance of prey drives and how understanding your dog's innate drives can help tremendously in your training. Next, we taught you some of the physical manifestations of prey drives, and how to tell when your dog's prey drive is engaged. 

Now, it's time for a pop quiz (We know, you didn't come here thinking you'd be taking a quiz, but we promise, this won't be too hard). 

Check out this video below. This is one of our Simply Obedient K9 dogs, Mila, a German Shepherd/Belgian Tervuren mix. She is clearly very interested in those unsuspecting geese. But how can you tell her prey drive is engaged? (this is the quiz part). 

​Now that you've learned about how to spot the physical manifestations of prey drive, this should be a walk in the park (well, unless there are any geese around). 

You can see that Mila's eyes are locked on those geese, her ears are perked up and she's sniffing the ground. 

But there's even more to it then that! (Sorry, looks like we didn't give you a fair chance to ace that quiz). 

Looking at Mila, there are quite a few other visible physical manifestations of her drive that aren't included within the list we had in our last post. She is pulling on her leash, doing everything in her power to get to those geese. It's almost like she has tunnel vision, nothing else around her matters besides getting to the geese.

Keeping this example in mind, we wanted to show you some of the other elements of prey drive that will help tremendously in understanding your dog and his/her behaviors. It will also work wonders in training your dog, because it will help you to create fun and engaging training sessions that are tailored to your dog's inherent drives.

The 5 Elements of Prey Drive
Read through the prey drives listed below - which of these describe your dog? 

1. ​The Search: Your dog is constantly looking at every single passing object. A squirrel, a ball, another dog, anything! Or, whenever you take your dog on a walk, they get easily distracted sniffing the air or the ground, catching a scent that they feel compelled to follow.
   
   
2. The Stalk: Once your dog sees an object of interest - it's over. They get that tunnel vision and their sole focus is on tracking that object. Like Mila in the video above, your dog will hunch down, exert themselves against their leash and pull with all of their might to get to that object. 
   
   
3. The Chase: Your dog LOVES to run after anything and everything. Frisbees, balls, cars, you name it, they chase it. They love a good game of fetch and just cannot get enough. They just want to run, run run.
   
   
4. The Grab: Unlike the dog above, your dog has almost no interest in fetch. They might retrieve the ball and bring it back once or twice, but what they really want is to go and grab that ball or toy and keep it for themselves. You'll find your dog has trouble giving up their toys after they have retrieved them.
   
   
5. The Take Down: Similar to the description above, your dog wants to grab that toy and rip it to shreds. They are the ones who are taking their toys and tossing them back and forth in their mouths. They enjoy the act of playing with their prey or toy after they have caught it. 

Do any of those descriptions sound familiar? Your dog may exhibit one or all of these traits, although most dogs have elements of their prey drives that have become more pronounced over time due to selective breeding (ex: think Shepherds for herding). 

In our next post in the series, we will take a look at how to use these 5 elements of prey drive for fun, engaging training sessions for your dog.


Missed our first couple of posts in the series? Check them out below: 

• Prey Drive Series Part 1 
• Prey Drive Series Part 2

In our last post, we introduced how learning more about your dog's inherent biological drives can help you to better understand and train your dog.

The first step toward understanding when your dog's prey drive is engaged is knowing how to identify the common physical signs.

So how do you spot typical manifestations of your dog's prey drive? Prey drives start with basic body changes such as:
​

• Sniffing the ground
• Ears perking up
• Spinning in circles
• Chasing moving objects such as leaves or cars
• Sniffing the air 
• Eyes locking onto objects

These six physical signs indicate the onset of prey drive building, and are all things dogs often do to begin hunting (which is the basic foundation of prey drive: to hunt and eat). Since we have domesticated dogs, we often neglect these basic, natural instincts. But, the good news is that once we learn the basics of working with our dog’s prey drives, we can tap into them and use them for training.

And the best part - it will also allow our dogs the time to fulfill their most primal instincts in a healthy, controlled, fun way.

Tune in for part 3 of our Prey Drive Series to learn more about the 5 elements of prey drive!

Prey drive is something we talk about quite a bit in our training method, so we figure an introduction might be in order. 

​We think that Robert Cabral says it best when he describes prey drives & their impact on not just training your dog, but also understanding them and their behaviors: 

Drives are the unconscious, biological impulses that carry out important vital functions. They display in a physical manifestation of the dog's personality and energy. Although inherent, these drives can be compounded by environment with good or bad handling techniques. It is important to recognize drive traits in order to control and develop, or inhibit the manifestations of dangerous or undesirable ones. You cannot properly train or understand a dog without understanding the drives that make him a dog. Without these drives, the dog is merely a stuffed animal that barks and moves.

Over the course of our Prey Drive Series, we plan to give you the ins and outs of understanding your dog's innate drives. We will take a look at how to spot the physical signs that indicate that your dog's prey drive is engaged, what the 6 common prey drive responses are, how to engage your dog in training games that are fun AND a valuable outlet for some of your dog's natural instincts, and a whole lot more.

So stay tuned and subscribe: you'll be on your way to understanding your pet a whole lot better than you did before!