Having trouble reading this email? View it on our website.

In This Issue

Easter Weekend!

Easter weekend is April 10th-12th this year. We've still got room for your dogs, so call now to reserve a spot! 

Don't forget:
Our office will be closed to customers on Easter Sunday (April 12th).

No chocolate for the puppies!

Facebook Users!
Become a Fan of DogBoy's Facebook Page and get 20% off boarding in the month of April!

Share the wealth!

Click here to forward this email to up to 5 friends at once.

DogBoy's Unleashes New Website!

Our website recently got a facelift - come on by and check it out! There are also some new additions to the site, including:

A new Virtual Tour, with new pictures!
Doggirl's Blog is now easier to find
Interactive map with directions to the Airport via SH130!
Coming soon: seminar and workshop listings for our Training & Wellness Center

Our thanks go out to Melissa Ek of Ek Media for her hard work and creativity.  If you are looking for a wonderful web designer, we highly recommend her!

Mighty Texas Dog Walk

Just a reminder: this year's Mighty Texas Dog Walk will be THIS SATURDAY,  April 11th! The walk begins at 9:00 a.m. on the Congress Avenue Bridge.

We will be near the Starbucks booth giving away free bananas and DogBoy's bandanas on a first-come-first-serve basis!  Remember that each dog needs to have his or her own human walking them. Save $5 by registering in advance!

Check out the Texas Hearing & Service Dogs' website for more info! 
Hope to see you there!

Alpha Rolling

This article is reprinted from the website The Well Healed Hound, with permission from the author:

A Word About "Alpha Rolling": DON'T!

There was a time, several years ago when the "alpha roll" was in vogue in the training world. Some owners and trainers viewed the "roll" as the ultimate expression of dominance and the antidote to extreme behavior issues. It was a form of "correction" that even found its way into some very popular training books. Instead of being reserved for the most serious of situations, it began to be employed as a quick way to extinguish unwanted behaviors. Sometimes it would be an expression of anger or frustration by an owner or trainer.

It wasn't long before trainers and behaviorists began seeing the backlash of these "corrections".

First of all, anger and frustration are never expressions of "alpha". When we approach our dogs in this state of mind we appear hostile and out of control. An "alpha" embodies leadership, stability, clarity, firmness and fairness.

Alpha rolling is dangerous to you and your dog. It can cause irreparable damage to your relationship. If your dog is dominant aggressive, an alpha roll can increase their level of aggression. If your dog tends to be submissive, you risk making it truly fearful. A truly fearful dog that has lost trust in its owner can become a biter. It can escalate dangerous behaviors.

In the natural world, canines will only initiate an alpha roll as a last resort. In a conflict it is the last move. It gives the animal that has been forced down on its back one last chance to surrender or die.

When we attempt to assert ourselves as alpha over our dog by initiating this action we are, in its mind, threatening to kill it. You are not only asking it to submit to you, but to the possibility of death. The dog does not perceive this as a bluff and will fight if it thinks it has a chance of preserving its life. A person who initiates this action had better be certain that they could physically overcome the animal.

It can take months of dedicated work to rehabilitate a dog that has been "rolled". No matter what the issue is, I cannot think of a situation where a "roll" is appropriate.  

www.thewellhealedhound.com

Managing Your Dog’s Stress During Thunderstorms

Many dogs are fearful of loud noises, such as gunshots, fireworks and thunder. We can probably expect more of the latter as we enter Spring and Summer, but there are some things we can do - and some things to avoid - to help ease our dogs' stress about storms:

During a storm:

To desensitize your dog to the sound (not to be done during a storm):

A dog who is generally stressful and lacking confidence in various situations may benefit from training, proper socialization, and a diet change.
 

Dog Places We Love

Visit these locally owned businesses in your area and tell 'em DogBoy's sent you!

Training Success Story - Layla & Royal Trujillo

Trish Trujillo said goodbye to her beloved 13-year old Rhodesian Ridgeback last year, but she knew she couldn’t be without a dog, particularly a Ridgeback, for long. In August, she went to a local Ridgeback rescue, and was quickly befriended by Royal. The handsome boy jumped up to join her on a bench, rested his head on her lap, and sealed his fate as the newest addition to her home. Trish had planned to get only one dog, so she assumed her family would be complete with Royal... but before she left the rescue ranch that day, another Ridgeback caught her eye. A pretty girl named Layla put on a show for Trish, who couldn’t get the goofy girl out of her head, and the next week Layla joined the family as well.

Royal bonded quickly with Trish, but would growl and show his teeth when anyone else would come into his space, and was food aggressive with everyone but Trish. Layla was independent, but also playful and silly, always trying to engage Royal in playtime, though he never would comply.

Trish discovered soon after adopting the dogs that Royal was very sick. He’d had a tumor on his intestine, which caused severe and life-threatening internal bleeding.  It was during Royal’s illness that we really got to know Trish and her pups at DogBoy’s. Layla became a regular during our daycare days, which gave Royal the time and space he needed to recuperate. Once Royal was on the mend, he started coming in for daycare as well, and soon afterward Trish began enrolling in our training classes. Trish wanted to strengthen the bond between herself and her pups.

Layla needed structure, so Trish decided to start training with her. The two have already taken Level 1 Obedience, and Canine Good Citizen, and are currently taking Leash Walking/Recall and Out ‘n About. They are also signed up for our Level 2 Obedience class beginning this week, and Search and Rescue class starting later this month. Trish began seeing a difference in Layla from their first class, Level 1 Obedience, and continues to see growth with their subsequent training. Layla used to pull a lot and was very reactive while walking on leash, but during the course of her Leash Walking class she has become much calmer on leash, which is very helpful when walking two large dogs! During a recent Out ‘n About class in San Gabriel Park, Layla’s recall was perfect - she came to Trish every time she was called, passing a nearby squirrel who would have commanded her attention in the past.

Royal came to Trish with some training already, though he’s always been fearful. Before Royal’s illness was treated, his fear sometimes manifested itself in aggressive ways. Now that he’s feeling better, Royal allows more people - and dogs - to enter his space.  Because Royal is fearful, Trish has paced his training more slowly than Layla’s.  He and Trish recently started a Level 1 Obedience class, and he spent much of the first class backing up and hiding behind his owner. By the second week, however, he was excited and ready for his treats, and now enjoys coming to class.

Taking cues from their training, Trish implemented changes in the household. The dogs now work for what they want (meals, treats, attention), teaching them to respect Trish and focus on her as their provider. Feeding time varies, not when the dogs demand it. Each dog gets individual time with Trish, so they don’t depend on each other more than on Trish or on themselves. This one-on-one time also allows Trish to address Royal and Layla’s individual needs.

The work, commitment, and love Trish has put into her relationships with her dogs is evident. It has helped build confidence, alleviate behavioral issues, and strengthen the bonds between them. Royal is Trish’s loving companion - a calming, happy presence in her life. Layla - whose behaviors were once annoying and destructive - is now Trish’s constant source of laughter, and she relishes the attention from Trish that she never used to seek. Trish likes to stress that no matter how much you think you know, “never think you know everything about your dog. There’s always more to learn.  And never underestimate how smart your dogs are.”