Dog trainer getting rave reviews in traveling show

Alex Brooks of Des Plaines stopped short of calling himself a "dog whisperer," but he thinks like a dog, disciplines like a dog, and he says every pet owner should, too.

That is at the core of his message that he is spreading through appearances at suburban libraries, in seminars titled "Training To Be Top Dog."

Brooks runs the Midwest Canine Behavioral & Socialization Center in Des Plaines, where he teaches obedience training and works with dog owners to modify negative behavior.

Over the years, he has trained canine units for local police departments, as well as worked with therapy dogs. He also has trained dogs for movies, notably, "Home Alone 3."

At the Arlington Heights presentation, he demonstrated his training methods with his dog, Twister, a deaf American Bulldog whom he rescued from a shelter, and is one of five rescue dogs he and his family own.

"It's really important to change your mentality, and know the dog is not human," Brooks told the crowd. "So often, we're reprimanding them like humans when it doesn't work that way. You have to treat them like dogs."

To be in that mind-set, he said, pet owners must establish themselves as the "alpha dog," or leader, that the dog, coming from its wolf pack instincts, want to follow.

Brooks added that sudden behavior problems often arise when the dog "is out of balance." In other words, the amount of affection and positive training is not equal to the firm leadership and discipline reinforcement.

"You can change a dog's attitude very quickly, because they don't look back," Brooks added. "With a lot of repetition and consistency, you can change a dog's behavior very quickly."

That resonated with Arlington Heights Village Trustee John Scaletta, who attended the session to learn how to better manage his dog.

"It's amazing, he hit on so many things that were common to all of us," Scaletta said. "But the idea of repetition and consistency made sense to me. You just have to be committed to doing it."

Brooks described his penchant for setting up "bad behavior situations," to reinforce the correct response. For instance, for a dog that continually jumps on visitors to the front door, Brooks invited his neighbor to come over on five successive days, thus he confronted the bad behavior, rather than trying to avoid it.

Audience members questioned him on everything from leash training, to dogs who are aggressive with other dogs, to what type of breed suits a more sedentary lifestyle.

"First and foremost, you want to teach a dog to be calm, and submissive," Brooks said. "Dogs are more of a family member than they ever have been, so it's really important that they respond to commands."

Training to be top dog

Do you have any dog training questions you'd like Alex Brooks to answer? Please send them in an email to cookneighbor@dailyherald.com and put "Top dog" in the subject line. Include your full name and town for it to be considered for possible publication in a future column.

Q: When I come home and walk in the front door my dog is so excited that he jumps on me. How can I stop this behavior?

A: Welcome home! Your dog is happy to see you, whether you have been gone for 30 minutes or all day. Remember that dogs have no concept of time, so even if you have been away for a short time it will seem like forever to your pooch. To begin changing his behavior, begin by saying "NO" in a firm but calm voice as you open your door. Immediately after you say "NO", give him a physical correction of a "bite" which is three or four fingers applied quickly to the side of his neck or chest. This is similar to what his mother would do when he was a puppy. Continue this procedure each time he jumps on you and he will jump less frequently. By being consistent you will see great results. Affection and/or a treat help to reward his good behavior.

Q: My dog pulls me when walking on a leash and sometimes he almost pulls me down to the ground. What can I do to control him?

A: Walking your dog is a good method for bonding with him. It's also one of the best ways to let him know that you are the leader, not the other way around. When you pick up the leash it signals to your dog that it's time for his walk. As you attach the leash, make him sit calmly at the door before you open it. Now, as you open the door, YOU walk out first. This lets him know that you are the leader and he is the follower. As you are walking, don't let him move ahead of you to the end of the leash and pull you along. Keep him in the "Heel" position, on your left side with his ears not past your legs. Walk slowly, maintaining about 12 inches of leash length from his neck. If he begins moving ahead of you, say "Heel" and, at the same time, give a slight tug on the leash bringing him back into position. Don't try to hold him back because this will only make him pull harder. Remember that you pick the pace of the walk, not your dog. Starting with a slow pace will help maintain his calmness. Once your dog is walking properly by your side you can speed up your pace.

Alex Brooks is a master dog trainer and the owner of the Midwest Canine Center in Des Plaines. Call (847) 299-DOGS or visit www.absdt.com.

-- Alex Brooks