Ask yourself this: When you call your dog, does it come to you or just give you that “whatever” look? When on walks, are you the pack leader or are you being pulled, trying to keep up with your sprinting pooch?

If you and your dog are not seeing eye-to-eye, maybe it is time you decide to get your little one trained.

Toledo’s PET (Prevent, Educate, Training) Bull Project will be holding a dog training clinic July 30 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Navarre Park.

According to Cindy Reinsel, founder of the PET Bull Project, the group is hoping to get dog owners out to the park in order to become better owners.

From left to right, Carol Humberger with Gianna, Cody Currier with  Boomer, Marc Reinsel with Buster,  and Megan Reinsel with Bailey, a Sheltie-mix is the only non-pitbull in the group. (Press photo by Ken Grosjean)

“We are not a rescue or a 501(c)3,” Reinsel said. “We are doing everything for free. We will teach basic tips on how to make your dog a better canine citizen.”

Reinsel started the project because she is a dog lover at heart. She wanted to get her favorite breed, the American Pit Bull Terrier, the chance it deserves.

“We are out there to say we want to be there for pit bulls and their owners and to show that the dogs can be good canine citizens and they can advocate for their breed. We have five certified trainers donating their time to the community to help with the project.”

Reinsel, who owns “Bleu,” an American Pit Bull Terrier as well as an English Terrier and a spaniel mix, said pit bulls are a very much misunderstood and maligned breed.

“I love that they are so dedicated and loyal,” Reinsel said. “They are people pleasers. That is why people turn them into fighters. They just want to please their people. It is very sad. Pits are just as good at snuggling and kissing as they are fighting. If pits get into the wrong hands, that is bad news. They all deserve a chance.”

Open to all breeds

Reinsel said that although her organization is hoping to put pit bulls in a much better light, the dog training at Navarre Park is open to all breeds of dogs.

“All dogs can bite,” Reinsel said. “Yes, if pit bulls bite they are going to hurt you and hang on. They are determined. The trick is, you don’t put your dog in a situation where that can happen. That goes with any breed.”

Reinsel said the general public also needs to be aware of a strange dog’s body language and to not just rush up to pet a dog.

“The training will help make people more aware of what they are seeing from the dog,” she said. “If we can save one person from being bit, we have done our jobs. We teach people how to read the dog’s body language. We advocate for spaying and neutering. You are responsible for the type of dog you have. You have to let the dog know you are the alpha dog and they will know that you are in charge. If you let your dog know that you are strong enough to take care of them, they will follow you.”

Carol Humberger, owner of A Promised Friend, LLC, a dog training facility in Oregon, agrees.

“Too many people think of dogs as everybody’s friend. The majority of dogs should not be approached,” Humberger said. “You have to be able to let your dog make up its mind to come up to people. The problem is many people try to get too intimate with a dog they do not know and that is not fair to the dog. You don’t want people coming into your personal space if you do not know them. It is a wonder we do not have more bites reported.”

Humberger, who will be one of the trainers at Navarre Park, has been training dogs for 20 years. She currently owns 10 dogs: two German Shepherds, two Doberman Pinschers, two Vizsla, an English Pointer, an Irish Setter, a pit bull and a dachshund.

She is the proud owner of the first pit bull puppy ever released from the Lucas County Dog Pound. According to Humberger, Tom Skeldon, the former Lucas County Dog Warden routinely put dogs 3 months old and over down because they were pit bulls. With help from Planned Pethood, Humberger was able to save her now 16-month-old pit. “I worked with Planned Pethood’s foster home with the puppy and ended up adopting her at 3 months old,” Humberger said. “She was so sweet and docile. ‘Gianna’ goes to a lot of the classes with me.”

Humberger said it is the dog’s personality, not its breed that determines if it will be more aggressive or docile.

“I believe pits are like any other dog,” she said. “They are all born with a personality that is not breed-specific. They are no more aggressive than any other breed.”

The free dog training at Navarre will include teaching leash walking skills and how to get your dog to come when called. Other basics include teaching a dog not to jump on people and how to sit and lay down on command.

“What most people do wrong is that they are not communicating well with their dog,” she explained. “They talk to them and expect that the dog understands English. The dog needs to be taught how to live in a human household and what is expected of it. It is like we are putting them on a reality game show called ‘Life with Humans.’ You need to build a relationship with the dog, not just want to fix a problem.”

Humberger is also working on a special project with Reinsel. The PET Bull Project currently has 25 kids from the inner city learning about dogs and how to take care of them at the Boys and Girls Club on Detroit Ave.

According to Reinsel, the six-week course teaches middle school-aged children how to treat a dog humanely and how to stay away from dog fighting. The group is hoping to start another class soon.

For more information on the PET Bull Project as well as upcoming classes, go the group’s Facebook page, Toledo’s PET Bull Project.

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