By Janet McAfee
Do you ever wish Sparkey would stop jumping up on your guests? Would you like your dog to do tricks like the dogs you see perform at competitions? Does your dog become anxious when you leave the house? Meet Sandy Miller, a Coachella Valley dog trainer who once trained dogs of the rich and famous in Hollywood. Sandy works with dogs and their owners on many training challenges including digging, dog-child adjustment issues, fence jumping, car sickness, excessive barking, and more.
Sandy Miller has over 40 years of experience in her field and has trained over 10,000 dogs. She always loved animals and thought about becoming a veterinarian. Then Sandy got a job managing a pet hotel in West Los Angeles. The pet hotel’s owner was also a dog trainer. George challenged Sandy to train a 6 month old Labrador, and with George as her mentor Sandy found she had a knack for this work. She launched a dog training business, previously known as The Tender Tutor, when she spent $7.95 to make a flyer and distributed it to local vets and groomers.
Her very first call came from actress Liza Minelli who sought help with a mix breed rescue dog she had brought back from Mexico. Sandy was understandably excited about having a celebrity’s dog as her first trainee. Her client base grew to include the pooches of notable Hollywood folks Michael Caine, Mel Brooks, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, Olivia Newton John, Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner, Jaclyn Smith, and Tina Sinatra. Sandy trained the English Sheepdog in the Katherine Hepburn movie, “Olly Olly Oxen Free.” She trained a group of dogs that appeared in a Mae West film.
Pongo, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier owned by Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft, was one of her most challenging cases. “He was physically a very strong dog, and he would dig up everything. He’d pull these huge banana trees out by the roots. Mel and Anne worked with me, but Pongo usually got the best of us all!” Finally Sandy determined the dog was bored and developed some alternative activities.
Sandy describes her style, “Back then I was the only one going to homes to train. I’m very quiet and low key. When I go into the home, the dog immediately knows I’m the alpha. I don’t know what it is I exude, but it’s there.” I have witnessed Sandy’s rapport with dogs and believe that she has an innate gift to relate to these animals. “Positive reinforcement and praise enhances the dog’s confidence. No negative or inhumane devices are used. Understanding the needs of my human clients is also of utmost importance. I work with the whole family so even children can handle the dog.”
Does she train the dog or the owner? While the dog and his behavior are changed, it’s really the human who gets trained. Sandy explains, “The owner has to follow up and do the work for the training to be successful. Sometimes people are challenging to train because getting a new dog can be like getting a new job or becoming a first time parent.” Sandy describes dogs as like children, going through the “terrible 2’s” of puppyhood prior to 6 months of age, turning into rebellious teenagers between 6 months to a year….stages that can be shortened with proper training.
Sandy Miller supports the efforts to find homes for homeless animals. “I first got involved with rescue when I met Lindi Biggi (President of Loving All Animals) and trained her dogs. I help with issues early on to ensure the rescue dog’s adoption goes well.” She networks homeless dogs on-line and facilitates her clients adopting from a rescue organization or shelter.
Sandy offers advice for house training, a major issue particularly with a puppy. “People do not understand how to house train. They smack the dog or stick his face in it’s feces which is not the best way. It’s best to set up a schedule and take the dog outside at set times and reward with a treat when they potty outside. If they have an accident inside, ignore it, otherwise you’re unintentionally drawing attention to bad behavior. For more difficult situations, hook them to a short leash and attach to your belt or waist. You can also hook the leash under the leg of a table and the dog won’t go in its immediate space inside the home.”
Easy methods to correct behavior include the use of a spray water bottle. Sandy also likes the “Pet Corrector” spray canister that helps correct problem barking and jumping up, but advises owners to keep the canister hidden before use or it loses its value.
An obedience trained dog is a happy dog. Sandy explains, “If it’s done right, the dog absolutely loves it. He gets the attention he wants, he knows where he stands, and he knows the rules. It’s just like with humans. We all want to know where we stand, and we all want attention. Animals need the same guidance as children. When you train correctly and consistently, they know those things, and they love you all the more for it.”
Contact Sandy Miller at (760) 360-4085 or at tendertutor@msn.com. She is pictured here with her rescue Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Churchill. Training dogs the “tender” way increases the loving bond between the dog and his human.
