Imagine Life with a Well-Behaved Dog: A 3-Step Positive Dog-Training Program

INTRODUCTION

ABOUT THE BOOK, ME, AND MY DOG

My Background

I grew up in Minnesota and had a childhood affinity with dogs on the farm and a natural ease with them. I discovered that I had a knack for teaching and for soothing animals. When I am training a dog, we become connected, and it shows. I can teach you how to have that connection.

As a vet tech, I became known for being good with the dogs who were difficult to handle because I had a way of calming them. My training as a vet tech and at Guide Dogs for the Blind, combined with my natural abilities with and love for dogs and all animals, helped me create my own dog-training business, which developed into the Web site.

My experience with GDB meant a lot because I was able to actually see what dogs can accomplish and how they help people, even saving lives.

One of the dogs I helped train saved someone’s life. She was starting to cross an intersection when a car ran a red light. It would have hit her if her guide dog had not pulled her back to the curb, just as he had been trained to do. It was wonderful to hear how my training efforts helped. Guide Dogs for the Blind is an outstanding organization that offers guide dogs for the visually impaired at no cost.

Starting My Own Training Business

Over the years, I discovered a passion for obedience training and behavior modification and eventually started my own dog-training business. I enjoy the one-on-one contact with people and helping them learn how to communicate better with their dogs. It is very rewarding to help improve people’s lives by teaching them how to have happy, successful relationships with their dog. I hear the word Wow a lot on our first sessions when they witness what their dog is capable of so quickly.

Before working with me, a lot of my clients had enrolled their dog in other training programs only to get their dog home and not know how to follow up with the training. It is common for a dog to listen only to the person who actually does the obedience with him, so once the trainer is gone, the dog doesn’t listen to his guardian. While this method does train the dog, it can fail at home if the guardian doesn’t learn—and use—the proper methods of reinforcing the training.

My training methods are unique, because I actually have most of the dog handling done by the guardians and not me. I teach them what to do. This creates a stronger bond between the dog and the guardian and the confidence to follow through when I’m not there. We also discuss dog behavior, dog body language, human psychology, and other tips that help them to understand their dogs better. The combination of learning technique and a little dog vs. human psychology are the winning components to having a well-behaved dog!

Many people contact me through my Web site because they sense they can trust me. They often tell me that they feel secure and competent in every aspect of their life except how to manage their dog’s behavior, and they are embarrassed that they can’t resolve it. They feel (correctly) that I won’t judge them. I know that I learn better when someone explains something well to me and provides me with encouragement and motivation, so that is how I’ve learned to teach too.

webDogTrainer.com Is Born

Prior to writing this book I formed the webDogTrainer Web site; it has been very gratifying to see my methods help people from all over have success and the dog they always wanted. It has given me valuable information on what kinds of help people need with their dogs and made me realize how training through words can help a lot of people. People often just need a little support to get them through a difficult phase with their dog or quick tips to help resolve problem behaviors.

The Book

I’ve taken everything I’ve learned from my years as a dog trainer and from answering questions from people about their dogs to create this book. Offering the ability to ask me a personal question about your own dog and situation just makes this process even more successful. My hope is that this book becomes an important resource for teaching people how to have a great life with their dog and for keeping more dogs in their forever homes.

About My Dog

To the below is a photo of my sweet dog Fax, along with the two other big joys in my life, my sons, Eliot and Oliver. The funny thing is, dog training actually prepared me to be a good mother. Understanding how calm, clear, consistent expectations mixed with positive rewards turns out to be good for kids and dogs.

I adopted Fax through German Shepherd Rescue and he turned from an unwanted problem dog into a happy, well-behaved pet who became a therapy dog and even helped me train other dogs. Rescuing dogs is my mission and Fax is a clear example of how good training can save a dog’s life.

Overview

Does this sound familiar? Your dog jumps on everyone who enters your house; you dread another walk where your dog pulls you down the road. You stand in front of the dog-training section at the bookstore and feel overwhelmed. All you want is serenity at home, but these books are intimidating, filled with theories like operant and classical conditioning.

Wait! There’s hope. Imagine Life with a Well-Behaved Dog is straightforward and encouraging, and you can actually contact me if you have questions. This is exactly what you need.

This combined book and innovative online training program can change the way you communicate with your dog. Because each dog’s situation is unique, webDogTrainer.com complements the book so you can communicate directly with me about your own dog. Often, one personalized tip solves a behavior problem quickly. Therefore, offering the positive, one-on-one training program in print and then being able to connect personally with me results in a combination that can be particularly successful.

If you are thinking of adopting a new dog, this book includes tips on adopting an adult or puppy as well as where to adopt. Additionally, I can help you pick the right dog for your family.

Imagine Life with a Well-Behaved Dog contains all the information you need to make your dog happy, confident, secure, and able to understand and follow rules. It teaches you how to train your dog.

The program’s success is the result of combining human psychology, dog psychology, and techniques in an uncomplicated way. You’ll learn how to understand your dog’s natural behavior, identify the effect of your own actions, establish personal training goals, and progress through beginning obedience to advanced off-leash training. Along the way, you will also learn how to fix or prevent common behavior problems.

Imagine Life with a Well-Behaved Dog is a user-friendly, motivating, practical guide for all people who are thinking of adopting a dog, already have a dog, or work with dogs and are not looking to win a title competition but just want to have a harmonious life with their dog. I hope to put you at ease, show the most efficient, successful way of training, and motivate you to succeed. The program is designed to help you understand your dog. I donate a portion of proceeds to charities that share my passion for helping dogs.

WebDogTrainer.com has given me extensive information on what people really require to succeed with their dog. The program is unique in helping people understand the stages of training. I’ve discovered most people have three main problems:

They aren’t communicating their needs properly to their dog.

Their dog’s specific energy needs are not being met.

They are making small mistakes that have a big impact on the dog’s behavior.

Certain sections focus on specific age ranges of dogs, particular limitations, or problem behaviors that are not applicable to all households.

The Online Personal Advice

Want to contact me? You can! I want to help you and your dog by offering my personal guidance, encouragement, and motivation to you individually, through my Web site. Use the promotional code IMAGINE at www.webDogTrainer.com, where you can easily log in and ask me questions. Whether you have a particular dog behavior issue or could use motivation, I am here for you if you need it.

I look forward to connecting with you on my site!

Your Dog Loves Who You Are

My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am.

Anonymous

Everyone has days where everything just seems to go wrong. Days filled with so much stress from work, deadlines, laundry, traffic, housecleaning, and errands that we feel like we might melt under the pressure. Days where you do something for everyone else and don’t have enough hours in the day.

Need someone to just love you for you? People with dogs have already discovered the secret. This beautiful creature will love you no matter what. Your dog doesn’t care what kind of car you drive, how messy your house is, how much money you have, how smart or good-looking you are, or what you do for a living. All your dog sees is someone he loves and wants to make happy. Your dog thinks you are perfect, even if you aren’t.

I asked a group of people who have dogs the following question: What does your dog mean to you? How does he enhance your life? Here are some of their responses:

Knowing you have someone who’s waiting for you and will express with every bone in his cute little body how much he missed you! (Even if it was just a trip down to the mailbox!)

My dog brings hope and joy into my life, and a sense of purpose well beyond just going through the motions of life and making a living. From taking good care of her, I have started to take better care of myself. I have gotten more in touch with my spiritual side. It is no wonder that dogs are used so successfully in therapy.

She makes me smile, makes me feel better when I am down, makes me laugh, and sometimes just makes me get up out of bed when I don’t want to. She is my soul mate and my best friend.

My senior has been through a lot of life changes and emotional times with me. She has always been there for me, knew when I was upset and would be close, lick my face, and cuddle. And she loves me no matter what. If I’m sick, she stays close but won’t bother me. She definitely knows when I’m down or upset and tries her hardest to make it all better.

Walking in the door at the end of a long day at work and them being so happy to see me makes my life whole.

My dog is someone I can tell everything to and he won’t blab. If I am in a bad mood he still loves me. Thinks I am a much bigger and better person than I am.

A considerate cuddling partner for nighttime TV watching.

Love your dog back by learning how to communicate with him so he can just love you without complications. A well-behaved dog gets to spend more time with you because he is more of a part of your life; he gets to live indoors with you, go on camping trips, to friend’s houses, and to outdoor events. Dogs who are not trained well generally stay home alone more.

Make the decision to put in the effort. Take your dog for a walk and experience the joy of life through his eyes. Then come home and give him a body massage and recognize how much happiness your dog brings to your life.

After reading this book you’ll have the skills needed to really understand your dog, meet his needs, communicate your needs, and truly experience the joy of sharing your life with this beautiful creature. Imagine life with a well-behaved dog.

The Wondrous Dog

Dogs have been trained to do all sorts of extraordinary things, which demands even more of our respect for this spectacular creature. They perform important services for humans and have saved many lives when trained in emergency response and during war. Dogs help police as special K9 officers, are the eyes for the blind, the ears for the deaf, and the assistant for the