Transcript for DTS002 PUPS Podcast – WFH with dogs with Ms Debra Sim, CPDT-KA.
Published Date: 7th June 2020
Host: Dexter Sim, PUPS Dog Training
Guest: Debra Sim, CPDT-KA
Transcript for the Podcast:
Hey, what's up! Welcome to PUPS Podcast - Train Your Dog. PUPS promote positive interaction with animals. Train your dog to be an Obedience Companion for Life. You can find us at PUPS.COM.SG, PUPS SG. And you can also find us in Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, with the handler of PUPS SG. Our guess for today is Debra Sim. She's a Certified Professional Dog Trainer with the CCPDT and she is a Certified WMA Dog Agility Instructor. Debra is both an Agility and Obedience Judges and she has been invited to charge in the USDDA International Dog Agility Sanctioned Trial in both the local and international scene. She has been invited to judge in K.L. and Penang in Malaysia and the Philippines. As a Pioneer in the Dog Agility Scene, Debra has showcase one of the children's variety program in Kids Central and she has been organizing numerous International workshop and seminar including the Pets Day Out event, Just For Fun Dog Sports matches, ANF Great Outdoor Challenges, Yio Chu Kang National Day Observant Ceremony Flyball Demo, the First Flygility Demo, Robinson Walk Pets Fashion Show -cum Slam Dunk demo, 30-seconds Paw to Fame Challenge, finding a star dog Sharpie by the name boo in one of the motion picture One Last Dance screen in 2006 under the Sundance Film Festival.
Dexter: Let’s give a warm welcome to Debra. Hi Debra,
Debra: Hi Dexter, thanks for having me.
Dexter: So thank you, Debra, for joining us today. So today’s topic would be working from home with dogs so what is your take on that.
Debra: Well now that we were in the Circuit Breaker working from home all dogs will see us most of the time and that's good right there will be very happy to see us and then gets get lots of attention from us but then again it's been 2 months and your dogs may be getting so used to you being at home they may feel a little bit of anxiety when you leave the house so we need to give some time to the dogs to learn to have a quiet time with themselves away from us as much as we can train the dog at this Circuit Breaker Period. So when we plan to go out to get our groceries or collect our food deliveries we may want to consider putting a dog into a crate for that so that they can settle down and wait for us to comeback or we could teach them that going away is a good thing will be back for them and they will learn to feel less anxious like that.
Dexter: Thanks for the Insight right so what do you think is what must we do in order to train our dogs to be, to be able to do well in this circuit breaker and what the what are the tips that you can give to a listener.
Debra: Well, the first thing first, if your dog already crates train is a lot easier, If not you have to start crate training your dog. If you do not have the crate, you could place a mat and to teach him to settle in that mat, and I know put some nice toys and treats for you to have while he's at the mat for a long period of time. Basic training can just be done in the living room all you need to do is teach your dog to settle in that mat and to give lots of treats for settling there and lying there and read somebody language for example when the dog is relaxed lying down or is having a sign breathing is trying to you know just relax and chill you can reward that when you see the dog breathing and just blowing his nose out.
Dexter: So is there any other tips?
Debra: So once you who trained the dog on us to settle down into the crate or mat we could teach your dog to offer this behaviour and alternate times or random times now requesting it to go to the mat according to the crate to settle down and place the dog there comfortably to sleep perhaps you could just read a book while you're watching TV and dog lie down to relax and keep him wanting or being in that position or in that crate or in the Mat. and one more thing before you leave the house, do some games with your dogs. Play the dogs get a game of tug of war or maybe a couple of easy trick training just to keep the dog enthusiastic and made the dog work out a little bit maybe take the dog out for a walk in around the house around the Garden or downstairs now just to the dog active and then after that after returning home than leave the house before you go out.
Dexter: Given in this situation where we are fully reinforcing the dog back home so in terms of the reward do you have any tips or do we use some high value treats or for example as good as the kibble to continue to motivate the dogs?
Debra: Basically home environment everything is controlled, a low-value treat is good enough they will be very excited with any treats that you give them they also want your attention is one of the valuable rewards for the dog but you have to teach you thought that this attention is only given on certain period of time and not all the time. So right now treats training is not much of a help with this one when it comes to teaching a dog to settle down and be away from you is just like a latchkey child but it doesn't have to be alone when everybody's out and learn to be independent so this is what we should be focusing on to train a dog to settle down and leave the house and maybe only when you return home you know I just have to lean down you can give the dog some treats and rewarding attention just like that.
Dexter: So given this COVID-19 situation and there is there isn't any scientific substantial evidence to show that our dogs are affected by a coronavirus. What is your take in taking our dog for daily walks doing long walks and things like that to continue to stimulate them?
Debra: I think we should continue to bring our dogs out for walks and exercise because exercise is known to be about the instrument system for us humans are believed it would also do so for Animals especially older dog Senior Dogs they need the exercise as we got some immune as long as you're feeding them a good nutrition in that way it may help to get out the dogs immune system defenses them and coronavirus actually in history has already a long history with dogs dogs have been adapted to this disease and they are pretty immune to it but then again this is a new virus so we are not very sure what's going on but whatever it is as long as a we do the same thing and I'll keep a safe distance away from the other dog that is also for our own protection and also to walk in perhaps a cleaner environment like that you know what that's a jogging path or anything that you feel it's clean for dogs and avoid any other dog feces that he could pick up on this way so be very careful about that also clean up their adult during your walk said that will help to protect everybody and as well.
Dexter: So having again as we are in this circuit breaker in all we are going to have a lot of time with our dogs and what do you recommend for us to continue to provide the necessary about not interfering in our day-to-day work what do you think about that?
Debra: what is actually the best time especially during your home office where you're sitting down to do your work. Teach your dog to just settle down instead of jumping on you and getting attention. If the dog is able to just sit on your underneath your feet in our and settle down and sleep give them lots of attention when they doing that jumping on you trying to get your attention to them away and I'll put them into a crate and let them learn to settle there or close his door and leave them outside but if they stop barking for attention. That's why we have a problem especially when you stay alone. If a family member, you may actually get them to get the dog’s attention and to learn them to settle by our sides. That depends on, on your home environment training and if you are staying alone, crate training is ideal because that's the way to get the dog control and dog will learn to love his crate.
Dexter: As you know we are going to be released from our circuit breaker form 2nd of June right what other thing or what the situation will you foresee having all our dogs so close to us during these two months, what is the repercussion, what is the suggestion you have, so our listeners can learn and prepare themselves as they exit to work on a daily basis.
Debra: I foresee that because you been home for most of the time and dog get most of your attention and if you never train the anxiety issue the dog separation anxiety increase and there may be constant barking and screaming because they were anxious that you were leaving the house or you're not around so that is one course of concern consequence of which you may encounter especially for a dog that has this kind of separation anxiety issues so that's why I training this. During this period of time is important just make a mental note when you got time to teach the dog to stay away from you to learn to have their own timeouts and they can actually just played out on their own just give them a nice little corner to rest and relax and chill by giving them treats or toys to let them play on your own stuff like that and then when you leave the house and I'll just do not be too anxious and call them and tell them that you're leaving but instead just to you know just put them into the crates or just leave the house and just get out of the house with the mask and your keys and your bags and stuff like you're normally blowing out as usual and perhaps maybe if you want to assist more you may want to dress up like you're going out in only like you're going to offer to work you know stuff like that just to get the dog know visually as well that you are going to leave for a long time.
Dexter: This is a very good suggestion Debra, and I think that we need to be able to set up the situation to which to learn our dog to get ready for the exit circuit breaker because we need to really predict you know and to be able to provide the solution in order before we really exit the circuit breaker. Awesome we want to thank Debra for spending that available time over this podcast helping us with dogs working from home.
And Debra again is our Chief instructor and she can be found PUPS.COM.SG. PUPS as in P.U.P.S and she also can be found in Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and with the handle of PUPS SG right and once again thank you for staying, listening to us and be safe and have fun right and be positive. See you again soon.
Sponsorship: This Show is brought to you by PUPS Dog Training.
Our Guest Ms Debra Sim, CPDT-KA, help us to understand the situation with Coronavirus and Pets. How we can help our dog to keep comfortable with our dogs at home.