A dog’s temperament is essentially the dog’s general attitude toward people and other animals, and is a result of both inherited and environmental factors. Temperament testing in dogs is most commonly conducted for breeders and rescue organizations, but it can be interesting for any dog owner.
For instance, the Bernese mountain dog temperament is loyal, affectionate, and often cuddles with their owners. The golden retriever is known for retrieving things and being friendly.
Over-vaccinating dogs is a growing concern for owners. You want what’s best for your pet, so it’s natural for you to question what’s right for their health. More recent research suggests that the annual revaccination of dogs is unnecessary, and could actually expose our pets to a greater risk of adverse effects.
If you are worried about over-vaccinating your dog, a titer test can help. It provides evidence as to whether your pet still has antibodies against a specific disease from previous vaccination. Make sure you educate yourself about this process.
If the titer is abnormally high, your dog has an infection that needs to be treated immediately. Titer testing can be used to determine the effectiveness of a vaccine or the presence of any natural immunity towards disease.
A law in many US cities and towns that says people must keep their dogs on a leash when they are outside their homes
Many dog owners believe checking the state laws for leash laws is enough, but in many cases individual cities or counties will have their own laws. You can get more information at this website:
http://www.animallaw.info/topic/table-state-dog-leash-laws
Whether you're training your dog yourself or taking them to obedience classes, teaching them these basic commands should start the day they come home with you. These are also the foundation in any good training program.
Practice often, and give generous praise as your dog succeeds!
A FREE phone consultation is available for all dogs.
We do appointments by scheduling only as we are not open to the public. No dog is permitted on our property without undergoing a complete behavior assessment and temperament test.
“Hi Dillon, After conferring with Nicholas, I can confidently give the following opinion of the effect of your training: We adopted a 4 year old Doberman from our local animal shelter, where he was described as “smiling" and not aggressive with other shelter dogs. Within a few weeks in our house his true personality emerged; while he was happy to go on walks, he was very aggressive with approaching dogs. Three times he snapped at a family member who came into my son's room or approached my son unexpectedly. He also bit me twice resulting in stitches. The veterinarian recommended returning him to the animal shelter, having him euthanized or administering a high dose of a sedative daily. At that point, I contacted Dillon of Full Potential K-9 to come to my son's apartment and do a behavioral evaluation. The "smiling" trait, he said, was actually an aggressive expression in certain cases, but he felt that the Doberman was one he could work with. Dillon picked the dog up at my son's apartment and worked with him for 4 weeks in a board and train situation. During that time, Dillon sent texts, pictures, and videos to describe progress and lingering problems. Now the dog is off sedatives, much friendlier to visitors, and obeys commands well on walks and in public. Dillon was realistic, though, about the Doberman needing to be my son's only dog. So, in summary, Dillon has an accurate eye for evaluating and correcting canine behavior and is honest in telling us what problems still remain. The photos of our dog at Dillon's home look like he is having fun there and is treated as a member of the family, so I would definitely send our dog back for further training or boarding as needed.”