advice
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Featured Experts:
Tina McCain, CMDT (Georgia Certified Master Dog Behaviorist/Trainer)
Tina has been successfully training dogs for over 30 years. She is a graduate of a Georgia accredited Post Secondary Dog Trainer’s Vocational institute. 
After six years of comprehensive training, Tina graduated in 1998 as a Master Dog Behaviorist / Trainer. Currently, she is one of only three graduates in Georgia with a Master Dog Behaviorist / Trainer certification.
Tina owns Merry Mac Dog Training and Nutrition Center.
Rss
How do I know if my dog is sensitive to certain things like wheat and corn? If he seems fine, do I need to pay attention to that or can I get dog food and treats that are cheaper? Also, does organic matter when it comes to feeding my dog?
Lisa
The most common symptoms of food allergies are: chewing and licking of the feet, chronic ear infections, and scratching/itching.
The most common food ingredients that dogs are allergic to are: corn, wheat and soy.
Even if your dog does not show any allergic symptoms, dogs cannot readily digest corn, wheat or soy. It sits in the stomach and ferments. Sometimes it ferments to the point that it makes the dog nauseas and they throw up a yellow bile. Otherwise the only thing that happens when a dog eats corn, wheat or soy, is that it creates volumes of excess stool.
Corn, wheat and/or soy have relatively no nutritional value for the dog. It is a cheap filler. And remember, most of the lesser quality dog goods only use ingredients that are not fit for human consumption. So it is a useless, low quality ingredient.
Regardless of what you spend on your dry kibble or treats, read your ingredient panels and avoid corn, wheat, soy or any glutens.
As far as “organic”, in most cases organic ingredients are cost prohibitive. Some products have some organic ingredients in them but not all ingredients. At the moment, organic is not as available for our pets as it is for us.
Tina McCain
MerryMac Dog Training & Nutrition Center
Sprayberry Square Shopping Center
2550 Sandy Plains Road NE, Suite 365
Marietta, GA 30066
Phone: 770-579-3865
from, TinaMy yellow lab’s barking is too much! How do I train her to alert us to activity with a bark, but not an ongoing one!
Hi Carolyn,
While we all want our dogs to bark to alert us of someone or something, as you indicated, that is one reason why we might have a dog as a companion. However, we also need to teach them to be “Quiet” when we ask them to.
With reference to barking, I have a three strike rule, I will ask my dog to “Quiet” two times, and if they don’t get quiet by the second request, I make sure I remove the dog from the situation or use other tools in my “toolbox” to help with getting the dog to be “Quiet”.
It is also important for me to know when is the dog barking? (i.e. – when the doorbell rings, outside in the fenced yard, out on a walk, etc.)
In order for me to better respond to the question, as barking is a training opportunity, please give me a call and I would be happy to help further with this behavioral issue.
Tina McCain
MerryMac Dog Training & Nutrition Center
Sprayberry Square Shopping Center
2550 Sandy Plains Road NE, Suite 365
Marietta, GA 30066
Phone: 770-579-3865
from, CarolynRachael C. Barbee, Dog Behaviorist
K-9 Second Chance, 404-421-1680
Rachael graduated from Animal Behavior College in Los Angeles. She shadowed Angie Woods. the Atlanta Dog Whisperer, for five months. She has attended many seminars on dog behavior and psychology with world renowned dog psychologist/behaviorist. She volunteers at shelters working with dogs and doing evaluations and belongs to the Georgia Dog Trainers Forum. Her company, K-9 Second Chance specializes in training and behavior modification.
Does there come a point in time when a dog is too old to train? In other words, can you really teach an old dog new tricks?
Shari
Hi Shari,
ABSOLUTELY!!!
You can teach an old dog new tricks. With a little more patience’s you can teach an old dog how to behave in all situations, obedience commands and tricks. Using rewarding positive techniques your dog will enjoy and want to learn anything you wish to teach them. Never use NEGATIVE punishment. It DOESN’T work and your dog will only learn to fear you.
Give the dog a high valued treat for the behaviors you want. Such as sitting, being quiet etc. Ignore the behaviors you don’t like. Use a “conditional stimulus” to get your dog to do the desired behaviors. Give the dog a command then when he does the desired behavior say yes and treat. If they don’t do the command no reward. After five or so seconds ask for the behavior again.
Senior dogs are happy to learn and need new stimulation. Don’t let creaky joints or gray hair stop you.
Remember they still need to go for a walk daily even if it’s to the end of the block and back. Lying dogs end up lying deep in the ground.
Happy Waggin’,
from, ShariRachael