About
Hi, I’m Jen Germann, a web designer and dog trainer in Austin Texas. To say I’m enthusiastic about dogs is a serious understatement. If you have a conversation with me, chances are you’ll have to hear about my dogs, my foster dogs, or something cute I saw some dog do. I have several years of experience managing and shaping dog behavior. I started with my own labrador puppy, Sampson, and I’ve never looked back.
When I decided to get my first dog, I thought I was ready. I had read all the books, talked to dog owners/trainers/lovers, and I had been volunteering in animal shelters for years. Still, nothing prepared me for the lovable terror that was my new pup. He was, in a word, a monster. Gone were the days of coming home from work whenever I wanted, having a relaxing dinner, and settling down to a book or a movie. It seemed no number of miles walked, toys destroyed, or bones devoured could wear out this little furry tornado. Yes, I shed many a tear and completely changed my opinion of people who dropped their 9-month old labs off at the shelter, stating they were too much to handle, had too much energy, or were just simply out of control. I used to look down on these people with a snooty, upturned nose, but now I understood how little I really knew.
Fortunately, I stuck with him, and by his third birthday, my little monster puppy had turned into a calm, gentle, mild-mannered best friend. And along the way, I had learned things from him I never learned from any human. I had learned how to “live in the now” and let the future be in the future. The joy and serenity of a long walk replaced the excitement of partying and staying out late. And I learned lessons about influencing behavior that I could even apply to my relationships with people. Probably the most important lesson I learned is that dog training is never black and white. There is not a right or wrong way to do something, but there are certainly methods that work better than others.
Influencing your dog’s behavior is little more than economics. Control the reward, provide the right incentive, and your pooch will be eating out of your hand (sometimes literally!). There’s very little about canine behavior that can’t be influenced by simple, careful management. Don’t want your dog to chew up your belongings? Keep your tempting items out of puppy’s reach. Is she going potty in the house? Give her more opportunity and incentive to go in the right place. With a little planning and a calm demeanor (and sometimes a tasty treat), you can convince your pup that you’re a leader worth following to the ends of the earth.
The purpose and goal of this site is to provide you the reader with tasty morsels of information you can use to manage and influence your dog’s behavior, and lots of resources where you can find more information. This site promotes positive methods to enrich your relationship with your dog. While there are all kinds of ways you can train a dog to do what you want, I just prefer to do it the fun way.
