BKLN Manners. Kate Naito

      B K L N MANNERSTM

      CompanionHouse Books™ is an imprint of Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd.

      Project Team

      Vice President-Content: Christopher Reggio

      Editor: Amy Deputato

      Copy Editor: Laura Taylor

      Design: Mary Ann Kahn

      Copyright © 2018 by Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd.

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Fox Chapel Publishers, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

      ISBN 978-1-62187-125-5

      eBook ISBN 978-1-62187176-7

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Names: Naito, Kate, author.

      Title: BKLN manners : positive training solutions for your unruly urban dog /

      by Kate Naito, CPDT-KA.

      Description: Mount Joy, PA : CompanionHouse Books, [2018] | Includes index. |

      Identifiers: LCCN 2017052685 (print) | LCCN 2017059370 (ebook) | ISBN

      9781621871767 (ebook) | ISBN 9781621871255 (softcover)

      Subjects: LCSH: Dogs--Training.

      Classification: LCC SF431 (ebook) | LCC SF431 .N35 2018 (print) | DDC

      636.7/0835--dc23

      LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017052685

      This book has been published with the intent to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter within. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author and publisher expressly disclaim any responsibility for any errors, omissions, or adverse effects arising from the use or application of the information contained herein. The techniques and suggestions are used at the reader’s discretion and are not to be considered a substitute for veterinary care or personal dog training advice. If you suspect a medical or behavioral problem, contact your veterinarian or a qualified dog trainer.

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      Preface

      About BKLN MannersTM

      As a dog trainer in Brooklyn, New York, I’ve learned that diversity is not limited to people. The dogs I work with every day run the gamut: snorting French Bulldogs, athletic Border Collies, rescue dogs from nearly every continent, designer dogs like Maltipoos to Puggles, blind and deaf dogs, and the list goes on. While these dogs may appear quite different, there is a common theme among them. When their owners contact me for help, nearly every request emphasizes the word stop. “Max needs to stop pulling.” “I want Molly to stop eating garbage on the street.” “I wish Sam would stop barking at noises in my building’s hallway.” And, being an urban dweller, I understand these very normal human concerns. None of us wants to get complaints because the dog’s barking has been waking up the neighbors, and you can extract a half-eaten bagel from your dog’s slimy jaws only so many times before losing it.

      Prior to becoming a trainer, I was that exasperated owner bemoaning my dog’s out-of-control barking and embarrassing leash-walking habits. My dog Batman, a then-young Chihuahua mix, had the typical vociferous Chihuahua reaction whenever our doorbell (or even the neighbor’s) rang, and he spent most of our walks practicing for the Iditarod, doing his best to drag me down the street. I tried using the methods of training I’d grown up with, which emphasized being a confident leader to my dog and “correcting” him when necessary. However, I wasn’t actually feeling self-assured in my leadership abilities, and both my dog and I became confused and frustrated, eventually giving up on training because it seemed that only certain people had the necessary character to handle a dog properly—and I wasn’t one of them.

      Daily walks had become so full of miserable leash corrections that the mere sight of the leash sent my poor pup into hiding under the bed. I felt terrible. It wasn’t until I took a leash manners class with Sarah Westcott, founder of Doggie Academy, that I realized I could replace Batman’s rude behaviors with polite ones without using punishment. I remember the fourth and final class, during which the dog-and-handler duos walked around a city block full of the usual obstacles: bags of garbage awaiting pickup, discarded pizza crusts, workmen smoking on their breaks, kids whizzing by on scooters. The entire time, Batman only had eyes for me. There were no leash corrections, no harsh words, but rather the occasional treat for polite walking and gentle cues to tell my dog to leave those obstacles alone. Even better than the loose leash walking itself was the new appreciation I had for my dog. We were communicating and walking together as a team rather than fighting each other. Those four classes changed everything.

      Shortly thereafter, I pursued a career in dog training with Sarah as my mentor, and together we’ve worked to adapt tried-and-true positive training techniques to the unique needs of our busy urban clientele. So as you leave your apartment, cringing because your dog is howling like a maniac, or as you get dragged from one shrub to the next on your walks, remember that I was once there, too. And now I’m here to help.

      Many dogs have learned basic obedience but still have trouble in their daily lives with barking at noises, jumping on people, walking on leash, and engaging in naughty behavior when left alone. Learning the basics is useless if you can’t apply those skills to real-life situations, so I developed a group class at the Brooklyn Dog Training Center called BKLN Manners™ in 2016. As both a class and a book, BKLN Manners™ aims to teach you a few simple behaviors and give you the tools to practice them methodically so that ultimately your dog will be able to remain calm and polite even when faced with the perpetual distractions our urban environment throws at us. With consistency and practice, it’s possible that your dog can greet strangers without jumping into their arms, walk through a crowded farmers’ market on a loose leash, or accompany you to an outdoor café without stealing anyone’s sandwich.

      Introduction

      It’s a Mad World

      Every dog trainer has certain clients she’ll never forget. Pogo, the aptly named Goldendoodle puppy who came to his new Brooklyn family fully equipped with an internal trampoline, still stands out. When guests came through the front door, Pogo introduced himself with WWE body-slams and turned their sleeves into fishnet from all his playful biting. When the family left for work, Pogo took to howling and thrashing so intensely in his crate that neighbors above, below, and on both sides were complaining. His leash-walking acrobatics entertained passersby with a free Cirque du Soleil performance, though sometimes he took a break to help rid the Brooklyn