When two or more dogs play together, it’s important to watch the dogs in case playing turns into serious behavior. These two dogs in the video below are playing well together under the watchful eye of their owner and Lee county dog trainer, Helen Verte Schwarzmann, CTC. One of the important qualities in good play in dogs and puppies is how they move when running. In this video, for the most part, Emilie the Dobiermann is running around the Everglades {Read More}
Training Dogs With R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
August 26, 2017 By
What does an alligator training video, a video of polite poochies, and Fort Myers Board-and-Train Dog Training have in common? One video demonstrates how well alligators can be trained via humane-based training. Yes, alligators. Positive reinforcement training is used to train alligators, from handling to eliciting sperm from the primitive beasts. And might you notice two things in particular. One happens towards the end of the video at 5-1/2 minutes. The alligators are lined up, the selected one has moved {Read More}
Behavior Management
August 19, 2017 By
While you’re training good behavior, or when you are not able to control your dog’s behavior, then you’ll need to manage it. If your dog surfs the counters and grabs what he can, for example, manage this situation by keeping the counters free of enticement. When your dog does get something from the counter, it’s a reward to him for his efforts as a counter surfer. When you come home to a clean counter and nothing chewed up, it’s a {Read More}
An Easy On-and-Off Clip for Dog Tags
August 13, 2017 By
I change tags on my dogs’ collars a lot. Every time I change their collars, I change the tag. I also put a tag on every board-and-train that comes into my dog training program. The thing about changing tags is the split rings that come with them are very hard to put on and take off collars, and to swap out tags! So I took some time to find an alternative. Here’s a short video on my journey and the {Read More}
Dobermann Swayze Loading Up Into My F-150 Truck
July 28, 2017 By
I am training a gorgeous and huge rescued and adopted Dobermann, Swayze, for a client. Swayze needs to work in distracting environments, which means I have to get him into my truck for travel. Swayze’s a wonderful passenger. He hangs out in the back seat watching the world go by as I drive us to our destination. The challenge wasn’t the drive over there. The challenge was getting this big boy into my truck before we hit the road. About {Read More}
How Housetraining Is Like A Mystery Novel
June 28, 2017 By
Find out how much fun it is to train with food and games and our cast of characters. Become a client of Outsmarting Dogs! We never use pain to train. We outsmart dogs instead! Helen Verte Schwarzmann Contact me Certified in Training and Counseling Certified Pet Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed Certified Trick Dog Instructor AKC Canine Good Citizen/CGC and STAR Puppy Trainer and Evaluator Your Board-and-Train Dog Trainer for Fort Myers, Lee county, Naples, Collier county, and southwest Florida
Mini Aussie’s Board-And-Train Graduation Video
June 25, 2017 By
Here is a condensed and musical version of our latest 4-week board-and-train’s graduation video, Mini Aussie, Smokey. She is four months old and a little dynamo! Check out the skateboard technique towards the end. Beautiful! This is our Emilie, all of our board-and-train’s BFF, posing with Li’l Smokey. Find out how much fun it is to train with food and games and our cast of characters. Become a client of Outsmarting Dogs! We never use pain to train. We outsmart {Read More}
Girls Just Want To Have Fun
June 15, 2017 By
Smokey. Smokey is a 17-week-old mini Aussie who’s board-and-training with us. Her daring enthusiasm is matched by her persistence to get what she wants. This is the kind of pup we love at Outsmarting Dogs. (OK, we love all pups.) With our delicious and motivating training food and solid training plans, she is fast on her way to being a bright star. Smokey’s favorite non-food reinforcement is our recent staff-and-family addition, beautiful Emilie the Dobermann. Smokey loves to play chase {Read More}
Dogs Who Say Please
June 4, 2017 By
Dogs who learn behaviors via humane, reward-based training will communicate by offering behaviors for attention or a cookie. What a brilliant mind of a dog to use what she’s learned to ask for something. Dogs who offer behaviors, in essence are saying, “Please.” “I just saw you give that puppy a cookie for pooping in the yard. I can do all this. Please may I have a cookie, too?” That was my 9-year-old Australian Shepherd, Bunny, saying please. For a {Read More}
Training A Dog To Think
May 31, 2017 By
Training dogs with food results in a well behaved, fun dog, who uses her smarts to think herself through a lifetime of possibilities. Reward-based trained dogs offer behaviors for the possibility of a reward while dogs trained with pain-based methods, respond to commands out of fear of a painful reprimand. Dogs trained with pain do not offer behaviors. But a dog trained with food results in a dog who thinks and who then uses her skill of learning to fearlessly {Read More}
