WRONG type of Conditioning!

Conditioning affects all of us in normal life and as it relates to our dogs.  It is important to understand conditioning and how it works in order to best control it when it comes to our canine companions.

First, let’s get the technical “speak” out of the way and then we can talk in more layman’s terms.

There are different types of conditioning when it comes to behavior.   We normally refer to two types of behavioral conditioning when it comes to our dogs; classical conditioning and operant conditioning.

Classical Conditioning:  Is a form of learning that involves presentation of a neutral stimulus along with a stimulus of some significance.  The neutral stimulus is a stimulus that does not normally affect the behavior of the respondent.  The significant stimulus is a stimulus that evokes a natural response.  Responses elicited by classical conditioning are not maintained by consequences.

Operant Conditioning: is a form of learning during which an individual learns to modify the occurrence and form of its own behavior due to the association with a stimulus.   This is modification of voluntary behavior.  Naturally occurring consequences can reinforce, punish, or extinguish behavior and are not always delivered by people.

In Layman’s Terms:

Classical Conditioning is training with a marker like a certain word or a clicker.  It is pairing something like a treat, with something that in the beginning is

Classical Conditioning

not understood or known by the dog.  By pairing something that the dog would naturally want (the treat) with something that the dog doesn’t really know (the clicker) it conditions the marker (or the clicker) to mean essentially the same thing as the treat after a period of time.  Therefore the marker can be used to reinforce desirable behavior.

Operant Conditioning is the dog learning (sometimes on his own) what is reinforcing and what has negative consequences in his own environment.  This can involve human/dog training or it can be something that is self-learned.

I believe that both of these types of training are important.  I really like classical conditioning because I can better control my dog, his learning and his responses.

But, for the purpose of this article I want to focus on operant conditioning and how it can negatively affect your training without you realizing it.

Often bad behaviors or behavior problems start out small.  For whatever the reason, your dog finds the behavior rewarding.  He may begin barking and he learns that he enjoys the sound of his own voice, or he sees the mailman leave after barking threatening him.

An intact male dog may begin to mark his territory inside the house.

If you notice the behavior in the beginning, it is usually fairly quick to change.  Instead of the behavior being rewarding for the dog, you can change the behavior, or restrict the behavior.

For instance if I have a dog that is constantly looking out the window and barking I am going to restrict his access to that window and if I have a dog marking or urinating in the house I am going to keep him on a leash with me and restrict his access to my house.  At my house these things are privileges that need to be earned.

I am Going to Change Bad Behavior Before it Becomes Habit

But, I do my best to nip bad behavior in the bud the moment I see it.  Even if I think  it is a little cute (begging or tail chasing) I must not encourage the behavior or it will become harder to eventually fix.

I recently had an older client at my house with her 4 year old poodle.  He was barking incessantly.  The problem was that her husband had originally thought it was cute when he barked at the front door and at noises on the TV and rewarded the behavior by encouraging it.

The dog learned that this behavior was appreciated, so he began to show it all of the time.  Soon he was barking when a leaf hit the ground, or when his owners moved the furniture and eventually it wasn’t cute anymore.

However, at this point the behavior had become conditioned.  He had been showing the behavior for so long it has become second nature.

The same is true with allowing your dog to urinate or defecate in your house for a long time.  Instead of being a behavior problem, it becomes a conditioned behavior.

A conditioned behavior is like a habit, whether it be good or bad.  But, habits are hard to change; especially well established habits.

Old habits are hard to break and new habits are hard to form because the behavioral patterns we repeat are imprinted in our neural pathways.

The basal ganglion (in the brain) appears to remember the context that triggers a habit, meaning they can be revived if triggers appear.

This is why it is sooo important to create good habits and change the behavior problems immediately when we see them.

People often ask me “Is he too old to learn”?  to which I vehemently say “NO! Dogs are never too old to learn!”

But learning is much easier if you are not breaking a bad habit!

Which means you can probably teach your 5 year old Chihuahua to “shake” hands a lot faster than you can re-train him not to bark at everything that moves.

What Can You Do?

Condition and Reward Good Behaviors to Form Good Habits!

Make sure that you are conditioning the good behaviors that your dog shows.  Encourage him to lay down, to come when called, to be quiet, and to potty outside.  After a period of time good behaviors are also conditioned.  Wouldn’t it be nice to know that your dog is “conditioned” to come to you when you call him?  But in order to achieve this you have to put in the work and effort to consistently reward it.

In order to achieve conditioning or habit forming, you must be consistent with your reward.  You must also fairly consistently or regularly reward these behaviors.  You can’t condition the behavior and then never reward your dog for it again or the reward and the habit will extinguish or go away!

Remember that many naughty behaviors your dog is showing are self-rewarding.  He doesn’t need you to reward them because he is rewarding himself and so conditioning happens very quickly!

Be very careful what behavior you reward!  You may think, initially that you want your dog or your puppy to bark but I guarantee after a time you will want some quiet and silence on command.  You don’t need to reward barking, most often it is a self-rewarding behavior, and you do want to reward QUIET!

IF Your Dog Has a Bad Habit

Be patient!!!  It is very difficult to change a bad behavior that has developed into a habit!

You must be willing to be almost completely consistent or at least aim for 95% consistency and reaction!

This consistency is what helps to form a new behavior.

Think of your dog as a former drug abuser or someone trying to quit smoking.  Be patient!  Bad habits don’t change overnight.

Don’t give up!  Your dog is worth your time and effort and he needs you to be resilient and patient!

A favorite quote of mine that applies to constant, consistent and positive dog training:

Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.

Don’t settle for the bare minimum or give the least effort you think

you can get away with. If you’re going to do something, do it to the

best of your ability! 

Understanding Conditioning in Dog Training is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

Someone Reluctant to Crate Train?

Recently I have had a few questions about those of you that have crate whiners!

I HATE whining!  I can almost tolerate full out barking before I can tolerate the sound of whining.  I guess it is the pitch and my tendency toward migraines but whining is one of my biggest pet peeves, so I completely understand!

But, it is important to understand crate training from your dog’s stand point before we go much further!

What it’s Like for Your Dog

Most whining and crying comes from our puppies when we try to crate train them.  Understand that they come from a world where they lived with their mom and their littermates in a fairly confined space.  They have never really experienced being all ALONE and it can be kind of scary, at first.

Dogs are den animals, that is true, so acclimating to a crate is somewhat natural for dogs, however they are never “locked” in their dens.  This inability to get our takes some acclimation and the understanding that nothing bad is going to happen to them in this new environment.

Most of our pets are spoiled.  We take our dogs with us and spend lots of time with them, catering to their every need; so they can be taken aback when we lock them up and leave them alone.

Crates are CRITICAL

But, crates are essential to the safety of your dog and your “stuff”.   Read more about why to use a crate and crate games here in my article The Joys of Crate Training.

I will always crate train my dogs.  It makes them easier to travel with, because their home can travel with them, and it helps them with separation anxiety and anxiety at the groomer and the vet hospital.  At some point almost ALL dogs will have to be crated or caged somewhere.  Just last week I had to drop my dog off for x-rays and I know she was put in a kennel to await her turn!

So it is crucial not to give up!  Remember it is normal for your dog to protest and how you deal with these protests will set you up for a lifetime of loud protests if you are not careful!

What Do You Do?

Crate Training will Save you From this Destruction!

First and foremost is to acclimate your puppy or dog to the crate to the best of your ability.

Also play crate games!  The more you can make the crate a fun place the less stress and screaming you are going to get when you leave your or puppy in it!

Good training and the important things in your dog’s life take time!  Don’t just shove your dog in and lock the door and hope he will be okay.  Chances are this would be traumatic for him.

Find an extra great treat, like a sterile cow bone or Kong stuffed with peanut butter or chicken flavor; freeze it and make it a special crate treat.  It must be safe enough to leave with your puppy or dog alone.  So, make sure he can’t get large pieces off of it or shred it.

I never leave a blanket with a dog that is not crate trained.  He could consume it and need abdominal surgery to have it removed.

These special crate treats should ONLY come out when he is in his crate NEVER when he is with you or just around the house.  This makes his crate exciting and him happy to see you leave.  If he has access to the same treat all of the time or at other frequent times it doesn’t make the crate special.

Leave a radio on and make it LOUD.  We live in a world of constant noise and media.  Many of us live in an environment full of noise, the TV, computer, kids screaming, people talking, music playing…but when we leave our dogs alone we leave them in a quiet and sterile environment.  This is not something they are use to and it can be scary alone!  Help them feel like they are in their normal environment by leaving the radio or TV on for them.

Loud background sounds also block the sound of the mailman, delivery man, or other strange noises.  It can also help to calm a puppy in his while you putter around the house and get things done.  But if you leave that puppy alone in his crate and proceed to make noises he can hear, he is more likely to resist vocally!

At night I believe in keeping the crate next to my bed.  I think it is crucial for my dogs to hear that I am right next to them breathing and moving around.  Remember your puppy is use to hearing his littermates, he needs to hear some familiar sounds.  If he stirs in the middle of the night I can hear him and take him outside.  But if he cries, whimpers, or whines when I put him in there I can tap on the side of the crate and tell him to be quiet.  This stops the whimper from escalating to a howl.

Never ever break the cardinal rule!

The cardinal rule, you ask?

Puppies Should Love their Crates!

Don’t Let a Screaming Dog or Puppy Win!

You must teach your dog that in order to get out of his crate he must be quiet!  This is essential!

Dogs are much more strong willed than we are, so if he screams for 2 hours straight and you go to let him out he will object even more adamantly the next time you put him in and 3 or 4 hours will be nothing.

By letting out a dog that is throwing a fit, you are basically saying “YES! Please throw a fit when you want something”.  And you are much more likely to see this behavior anytime he doesn’t want to do something.  He will begin to scream when you leave him alone in the car, or alone in your home, or if he doesn’t want his nails trimmed.  You have taught him that fit throwing and screaming to gets him what he wants.

Instead, you must teach him that being quiet is what you want.  If he wants out of his crate he must be quiet, this teaches him impulse control and that he doesn’t get everything that he wants when he wants it.  Impulse control is fundamental to good dog training.

Tricks

Exhausted dogs and puppies are too tired to scream.  If I have a dog that is a screamer or likely to throw a fit, I will wear him out prior to his crate stay!  Play ball, run him next to your bike, or take him for a hike and as he begins to drift off slip him into his crate.

I have had screaming puppies!  I had a 6 week old puppy that screamed for nearly 4 hours one night but I didn’t let him win.  I lost a night’s sleep, but it was better than losing several nights sleep or worrying about squishing a puppy in my bed!

Your Dog's Crate Should be his Favorite Spot!

Shorter sessions are better.  This makes sense but if you leave a dog for 8 hours that can be hard to adjust.  If however you do 10 minutes when he is exhausted, with a safe chew bone, and end on a happy note you will ease into crate training much easier!   Make sure he is tired before bedtime!

If rapping on the crate doesn’t work to quiet my puppies or being by the bed doesn’t seem to help them feel better, I try moving the crate as far away from my bedroom as possible so they can scream without bothering me.  I can later bring the crate back into my room, but this allows me to get some sleep.

I have even moved crates to my air conditioned office that was located in my garage.  I have let quite a few dogs scream it out.  Once I know they aren’t going to hurt themselves, I let them throw a fit.  This is like a child throwing a tantrum, if you give in it only gets worse.  As long as they are safe, let them learn that fit throwing will get them nowhere.

At some point you may have to let a screaming puppy out to potty and we know you can’t break the cardinal rule…so how do you win?

You make a distracting noise and get ready to praise a quiet puppy.  If you can’t wait for them to fall asleep and then surprise them, then make a strange noise and when they pause run down and reinforce quietness.

But overall make it as positive and fun as you possibly can!  There are going to be some fits, that is normal but how you deal with them is the most important!  Remember you are the stronger smarter animal

Got a Crate Squawker? is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

Does your Dog Stare at what He wants?

The other day I found myself, staring blankly around my kitchen.  I guess I am getting old, because as with numerous other times I had forgotten what I was doing!

As I glanced around trying to get my bearings, my pupils caught the pupils of my oldest dog.  He is 12 and my very, very best friend, dare I say my furry soul mate?  He commonly follows me from room to room and I rarely am capable of completing any task without his help, or so he thinks (and I am afraid I agree)!

As my gaze matched his, I watched him very consciously look very lovingly from me…to the top of our refrigerator.

I giggled a little and acted totally brainless.  As I waited, to see what he would do, he very calmly caught my eyes and even more slowly turned his head to stare at the top of my refrigerator, languishing there for a moment or two before again glancing back to my face.

I must admit I found him completely endearing and totally hilarious.  You see, I keep my dog treats on top of the fridge.  This was his way of calmly, quietly asking for a treat, AND it must work!

I quietly asked him “What do you want” and again he slowly pivoted his head toward his awaiting treats.  By now, since I had engaged him in conversation, he was drooling in apprehension.

This got me to thinking…  As skilled as he was at getting me to deliver a treat (and yes, I admit I did give him one because his request was so quiet, calm and intelligent) I wonder what else he has trained me to do for him!

You see, I think we are the inferior species when it comes to dog training!  I believe they are much, much better trainers than we are! They are more patient, more insistent and less distracted than most of us!  Most of all dogs are incredibly consistent! Could you scream in a crate for 2 hours straight?

Dogs learn very quickly what behaviors we like and what behaviors we don’t and what behaviors get them the most interaction.  What behaviors reward them and what behaviors don’t.  Make no mistake about it; sometimes those are not related.  In fact sometimes dogs choose naughty behavior simply to get some kind of interaction from us because inadvertently we reward them when we don’t mean to!

AND, sometimes naughty, bad, deplorable behaviors are reinforcing!

Whenever I have a behavior problem or a struggle in my dog training, I ask myself “What is my dog getting out of this?”

This is the root to good dog training and understanding dog behavior.

When there is a problem, whether it be a human or dog related problem the person or dog is getting something out of the behavior.

In order to find a solution we must determine what the “payoff” is and if we are looking to change a behavior we must deny the subject the payoff they are use to or that they desire!

Does your Dog Steal?

For instance, I often hear of people who complain that their dogs steal objects, show their owners, and then dash off around the house for a fun game of “cat and mouse”.

The bad behavior: Stealing

The payoff:  The “chase” game, where the owners scream profanities, throw objects, cry and run around chasing the dog, is in fact the dog’s favorite game!  What could be more fun for your dog than a game that you will probably NEVER win (because you simply aren’t quick or agile enough to catch him)?  AND, it is completely interactive!  This is why your dog steals and often shows you the stolen article before darting off.

So, in order to change the bad behavior: Stealing…you must prevent the behavior or change or cease the pay off.   More on this problem in this article “Teaching your Thief to Retrieve” 

It doesn’t matter what the bad behavior is: stealing food, barking, jumping on people, having accidents on the floor, aggression; there is a payoff for your dog.

As the more intellectual animal you need to figure it out and decide how to change the behavior.

My ability to do so has often been the precursor to people saying I am part dog.   In order to conquer dog behavior, you must put yourself in his paws and “Think like a Dog” 

My challenge to you is to observe your world, watch what you are doing with and for your dog and ask yourself who is the better trainer in your home; you or your dog?

Do You End up Chasing Your Dog?

What do You do About it? 

The first step to true change is to acknowledge the problem.

Once you realize how YOU have been trained you can begin the re-training or the reorganization of your relationship with your dog.

Are you “Rewarding the Wrong Behavior”?

My dog, would personally like me to be a human PEZ dispenser!  Like all “animals” he would like to get everything in his life and in his world for free or at the very slightest with the least expelled energy as possible.

I don’t mean to dash everyone’s feelings about dogs, but they don’t care about pleasing you, unless of course in some way it pleases them.

We are all out for ourselves in the end.  The point is to make sure that what pleases you is what positively affects your dog!  Simple as that!

Will my senior dog continue to seek my gaze in the hopes of staring at the things he wants in life?  ABSOULTELY!  Especially since I rewarded him with what he desired the last time he did it, but in the scheme of things I didn’t feel this was a negative behavior.

However, I know that many of you are suffering from some nasty behavior problems and because of that I admonish you, step back and look at the big picture.  Take notes if you have to and make a list of the possible payoffs for your dog and only then can you begin to change that behavior!

Who’s Training Whom at Your House? is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

You Want Your Dog to Stare at You Like You are one of These Cupcakes!

This is part 3 of a 4 part series of teaching your dog how to listen and obey you, without pulling while he is on a leash.  If you didn’t read my first two installments please do so first here: The Premise of the Magical Dog Leash  and The Magical Dog Leash Part 2: Finding Heel 

In my opinion, Drive and Focus are essential to good dog training and leash skills.

For those of you who are not familiar with the terms I first want to break them down for you so that you can understand what I, and others are talking about when we use these words.

Drive: There are several types of “drives” in dog training; play/prey drive and fight/defensive drives.  When I write articles about drive, I am referring to the play/prey drive function that is innate with most dogs.

Most dogs have some kind of play or prey drive.  When they see a small critter running their automatic response is to give chase and play.  Even if they don’t want to chase animals they may pounce, bite and squeak toys!

The nice thing about this “drive” is that you can increase it, decrease it and learn to control it.

If you have a dog with low prey/play drive you can increase it by frustrating him a bit and teaching him to chase toys, tugs, and balls on a string often keeping them a just barely out of reach for a while before allowing him the reward of catching the “prey”.

• Frustration causes an increase in drive whether that drive is for a toy or food motivator.
• Constant playing, food and immediate access to the reward will decrease drive in your dog.

If you have a dog with CRAZY high prey/play drive (like my dogs) you can take it down a few notches and teach them to lower their drive and control themselves in order to play with you and/or you can reward them more often instead of frustrating them.  Instead of teasing, flinging and chasing these dogs need to be taught more obedience in order to harness their play drive!  I don’t need to increase my dogs’ prey drive!

Eventually whether you are increasing or decreasing your dogs drive (perhaps dependent on the situation) you will learn just how to control your dog when he is at

Use Your Dog's Instincts and Toys

his utmost excitable level!

I have people who’s dog have trouble learning to play and they therefore have trouble increasing drive with their dog, if you are in that boat click here.

And for more information on building http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com/blog/building-dogs-drive/and controlling drive click on the words.

I have had people who also argue that there is NO WAY they want to increase their dog’s play or chase drive!  I completely understand what they are saying, they feel like their dog is already out of control, but the point to this is that by playing with your dog in drive you are learning to control his drive and he is learning to control his impulses.  This ability to control his own wants and impulses is crucial.

This will help you when your dog is distracted by neighbors, kids, bunnies, and anything else he might want to chase or play with while you are out walking.

My dogs are very, very high drive dogs, they want to play and chase almost constantly, but the reason I am so successful with dog training is that I learn to control them while they are at their utmost excitable and uncontrollable.  I teach them that in order to get what they want (the game) they must listen to and obey me.  This gives me dogs that, after they learn the terms of playtime, are willing to ignore almost anything in order to get what they want!

When you are on a walk or a hike with your dog, your ultimate goal will be to control him no matter what the conditions and so by playing some games and teaching him to control his urges you are setting yourselves up for success later!

For help teaching your dogs “Drive” please refer to my former articles.  Teaching your dog to Retrieve using his Play Drive, Building Your Dog’s Drive in Preparation for Obedience and Training Your Dog in Drive.

Play and “Drive” teaches you to control the excitement level of your dog and “Focus” will give you control of what your dog is looking at, at any given time.

Teach Your Dog to Stare At You!

Focus: is eye contact and attention.

I teach all of my dogs to give me eye contact on command.  I want them to learn to ignore EVERYTHING else that is going on and give me attention when I ask for it, no matter what.

Not only is this great for distractions on a walk, this is also critical for nervous or shy dogs.  If my dog is fearful of whatever (leaf blower, dog, human, etc.) I can give him the command to give his focus to me and this therefore helps to distress and calm him.  But for this article we will focus on how this helps with the distractions that life provides.

If you are out walking and your dog sees something that excites him (a skateboarder, another dog, a cat, whatever) you can ask him to ignore it by giving you eye contact.  If he is looking at you and giving you his full attention, he can’t look at or pay attention to anything else!

But, this is a foundation that needs a lot of work, time, and praise!  In order for you to be successful in times of distraction you must again build a firm foundation.  I can take my dogs to the dog park and ask them at any given time to come over and give me eye contact and ignore every other dog in the park, even the ones sniffing or jumping on them…that is good control!  And, if they listen to me and give me what I want they can again go and play with their friends.

What You Will Need

• Your dog’s favorite toy
• Yummy soft treats (pea sized or smaller)
• Clicker
• Your dog
• Lots of Patience!

Getting Started

If you are using “drive” training you will mostly be utilizing your dog’s favorite toy.  For “drive” training you don’t need a clicker as the delivery of the toy and your voice are the reward.  It is difficult to click and then quickly deliver your dog’s toy fast enough to build or reinforce drive.   But it is ESSENTIAL to use a marker with your voice so your dog knows what he was doing when he got his toy.  I say “YESSSS” then deliver the toy.

If you are using treats I would recommend using the clicker and your marker word to mark the correct moment that your dog’s eyes reach your pupils.

Using the Toy

Wait Until His PUPILS hit Your Pupils!

Remember that this toy is special and cannot be used or played with at anytime.  This is your toy that you keep hidden and away from your dog until it’s time for training.  It is not special if he has access to it anytime!

• With your dog sitting or standing in front of you hold the ball or toy away from your body, in your palm (not dangling) and keep it completely still.
• Your dog will probably focus on it, jump, bark and do just about anything to get you to throw or activate his ball for him.
• Be patient!  You can win this game if you are patient!
• Stand completely still and keep your eyes focused on his face.
• Eventually he should give up on all other behaviors and he will stare straight at your face because he is completely frustrated that you won’t throw his ball.
• The MOMENT he stares up at you mark that behavior with your marker “YES” or “GOOD” or your clicker and throw his ball or let him jump up and grab it.
• Continue quietly and patiently playing this game.
• He will quickly learn to stare up at you and give you eye contact.
• As he becomes successful add a command “watch me” “watch” or whatever command you desire to let him know what he is doing.  Eventually you will be able to ask for this behavior.

Using Food

• Get some absolutely scrumptious treats and put one in each hand.
• With your dog sitting or standing in front of you show him that you have a treat in each of your hands then bring your hands up to your face but not too close to your eyes.
• Be patient!  Say nothing!
• Your dog will undoubtedly look from one hand to the other and back and forth until he is totally frustrated at which time he will stare at you!
• At the MOMENT his pupils hit yours click and treat!
• Continue doing this until he gets the idea to stare at you intensely, then and only then may you add a command “watch” “watch me” etc.

Cheating

Some people cheat by spitting food or holding the treat close to the eyes in order to force the dog to look at the face.  But, I don’t think your foundation will be as strong! Instead of teaching your dog to stare at your eyes you are teaching him that “face” is enough and it will be harder for you to determine (later) what your dog is really looking at!

But, as always do, what you need to; to make this all work!

Practice, practice, practice!

At first you will begin in a small secluded less distracted area.  As your dog gets better move him out with the kids and the other pets.  Teach him to stare at you no matter what is going on!

Request this behavior often!  Many times I will simply ask for a “stare” from across the room or after my dog has been playing or is playing!  I want to proof this behavior.  You may notice your dog staring at you often, this is a good sign!

Once your dog can do this with more distractions, extend the time that he is able to continue staring.  A one to two second stare down with you is not going to help later while you are out walking!  Teach him to stare at you for a minute or two and then more!

Next, take his favorite toy and swing it in his face.  Tap his muzzle with his toy or food.  Is he able to continue staring at you and not look toward his toy?  If he is not you are not ready!  Continue working until this is possible.

Become the Focus of Your Dogs World!

You should be able to throw his toy/food, rub him with his toy/food,  jump around move your arms back and forth, feed another dog or pet and still he should maintain his stare.

THEN, you will take him outside and go back to square one to teach him yet again that eye contact and focus outside are the same as eye contact and focus inside.  Remember to be patient!  He must again learn in outside surroundings.  He will want to stare at everything else that is going on.

Your ultimate goal is to be able to touch him with food/toys, throw them, swing them and basically do everything you want while he maintains eye contact with you no matter where you are.

As always you will continue to reinforce him for successful attempts and just increase the time and the stimulus as he is triumphant and learns.

As with all good foundation training, this is not QUICK!  This type of training takes time, energy and work on both of your parts.  There will be frustration on both parts as well, but how you deal with this frustration will determine how successful you are later.

There is no QUICK FIX if you want your dog to truly be victorious and listen to you while he is on a leash.

Eventually you will not ask for this all of the time, only when you need it when he is distracted.  But if you build a strong enough foundation with positive reinforcement and he enjoys this training he will give you eye contact and focus by default no matter what is going on.  Meaning he does it because it is FUN, rewarding, and he is USE TO LISTENING TO YOU.

If however you rarely work on this skill or the finding heel skill you will end up with a dog that continues to pull and ignore you!

Teaching Your Dog Drive, Eye Contact and Focus for More Leash Skills is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

I LOVE old Dogs!

Lately I have gotten a lot of questions as to when a dog is too old to learn something new; the answer NEVER!

Not only is your old dog capable of learning, it is crucial for his mind and body to continue to learn.

As our dogs get old, we fall into a rut.  We begin to exercise them less because they can’t keep up and their bodies are arthritic and creaky.  Instead of getting up early and getting ready for a walk, our dogs are happy sleeping in and wandering about the house.

Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Lore Haug says “A lot of old dogs get what I call, “shrinking world” syndrome. Their owners get into a rut with them; they start walking the dog less, they don’t train the dog or teach him tricks.  The dog doesn’t get as much stimulation and enrichment-maybe they stop taking the dog to the dog park-and there is a significant decline in mental and physical challenges.

Sometimes I think our old dogs get depressed and senile simply because we are not providing them with enough stimulation.

My oldest dog is almost 12, has meningitis and has seemed to age several years in the past 6 months. 

In August we went on our last big hike together.  We hiked 2 miles up a mountain with an elevation of 4524 and almost 3 miles straight up when his little body just

Swimming is Great for Joints

gave out.  For many months I had started hiking slower and slower with him, but this time he just couldn’t finish.

He stopped on the hiking trail, laid down lateral (on his side) and refused to get up.  I knew he wasn’t in distress, just old and tired and unable to continue so I sat with him as my husband and my other two dogs finished their hike.   We sat together for over an hour.  I knew if I had petered out he would have sat with me!

But, it was devastating for me, because I knew our days of big, long hikes were over.  I shed some tears with him that day as I rubbed his feet and we reminisced over old times.  In his younger years, he could clear a six foot fence with no problem!

It is my job now, to keep him stimulated!  He may not be able to hike straight up a mountain, but I can still teach him new tricks (yes he can still learn at 12) and I can spruce up some of his old tricks!

Whether you have a puppy or a geriatric dog, it is important to keep them stimulated.  Dogs, like people, need to use their brains in order to keep sharp.

Like puppies, an older dog may have a shorter attention span and take a little longer to learn a new command, but it is never too late for your dog to learn.

Last I heard, some of the agility organizations were going to lower the jumps for senior dogs so that they could continue to compete and do what they love without jarring their joint!

Senior dogs need to learn and get involved in mental stimulation!

Imagine an 80 year old person who never gets out, reads, or really has anything to do but sit or sleep all day.  Humans that are the most active physically and mentally age the best.  Dogs that are physically and mentally stimulated also age with dignity and grace.

Nose Games are Great Fun!

How You Can Help!

• Remember no dog is ever too old to learn!  If your dog’s learning seems a little slower, understand that his attention span may be a little slower.  Get a book on teaching your dog tricks and get started!
• Swimming is one of the best exercises for aging bodies and joints.  If your dog likes to swim, frequent the water and let your dog get some exercise.
• Even if your dog can’t walk very far; take him for a daily walk to stimulate his mind and keep his muscles stimulated.  Muscles atrophy if not used regularly, so help your dog stay as strong as possible for as long as possible.
• Use mentally stimulating toys.  I love putting my senior dog’s food in a Buster Cube and let him wiggle and wobble the toy around to get his food out at night.   This “play” is a lot more stimulating than eating from a sterile bowl.
• Old dogs also like to utilize their noses with games.  Senior dogs often lose some hearing, and their keen sight, but their noses are often still quite capable of finding hidden toys and treats.  So I play lots of nose games to keep them busy during the day read my articles about scent discrimination and more nose games by clicking on the word links.

It doesn’t matter how old your dog is 4 months, 1 year, 3 years, 8 years, or 15 years old he still needs exercise and mental stimulation!  The older he gets the better he gets (like a fine wine) and the more he needs your love and compassion to help him (his body and his mind) age gracefully!

Can Old Dogs Learn New Tricks? is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

All Dogs are Motivated by Food

This is another one of those back to basics posts, but it is really crucial to understand!

In order to use positive reinforcement, you have to find your dog’s motivator or motivators.

You must motivate your dog to listen to you.

If you can’t motivate you are, sadly, left with force and coercion.

Motivation is a term that refers to a process that elicits, controls and sustains certain behaviors.   For instance, if you have not eaten and you are hungry; food may be a motivator.

Coercion is the practice of forcing someone or something to behave in a certain manner by the use of threats or some other form of pressure or force.

Typically in dog training these are the types of training we utilize.  You can motivate your dog to listen by building a relationship and finding his motivators or you can use your physicality and force your dog to comply.

I personally like motivating my dog.  Someday, I may be unable due to illness or injury to force my dog to comply and what would happen then if our relationship was based on force?  Even if I am physically able, I just don’t like force or compulsion.  I think that we “thinking” animals should use our minds to control our animals not our physical force.

You need to find your dog’s motivators if you expect to use your mind (and not your body) to control him!

What motivates YOU?  Money? Foods like chocolate, cookies, coffee?  Video games?  Books?  TV?  Exercise or Games?  Shoes?  What do you reward yourself with?

What if your work decided it would no longer pay you; from now on they would force you to come to work and stay all day working for free?  I am assuming you would be miserable at the very least, not to mention angry and defiant!

Many people respond to my articles by saying their dog doesn’t like toys, treats or food, but you HAVE to find SOMETHING unless you expect to use force!

Just like you need to get to know the child, or the person to find out what motivates them and what to take away should they make a mistake you also need to find out what motivates YOUR particular dog.

Some Common Motivators

• Food
• Treats
• Toys
• Praise
• Affection
• Games

Food

All dogs are motivated by food at some point.  Food is an essential element of life; it is something that is needed by everything that is living.  So at some point food is a motivator.  If you have a fat dog that is totally satiated and not hungry, then food possibly isn’t as much of a motivator as food is for a hungry dog.

So if you have a dog that is difficult to motivate with food, then meal feed your dog cut out all the treats and extras that you give him for no reason and my guess is he will be hungry before its time for breakfast or dinner.

When I have a dog that isn’t particularly food motivated I both use his food for training and make him work for his dinner, or I use really great treats and train before breakfast or dinner!  If your dog is still not hungry, wait until he is!

Treats

Liverwurst

Usually there is some kind of treat that will motivate a hard to treat dog; you just have to find it!

I am not motivated by chocolate (unlike many people) for me, it’s all about Mountain Dew or Cheetos if you know me you would know that.  Get to know your dog and find different types of treats that he likes!

When I use to run agility classes I would make liver treats (first I boil them, then I bake them or dehydrate them until crispy) and the dogs would go NUTS for them.  Even the nervous dog or finicky dog liked my homemade liver treats!

Liverwurst (make sure there is no nutmeg) was another favorite that could get most dogs moving!

Smaller treats make better motivators.  If you are using large amounts, big dog cookies or half a hot dog, your dog will get full and uninterested in treats.  But if you use pea sized or smaller treats your dog stays motivated.  When I trained Service Dogs and had them out at a mall all day, I could make one piece of string cheese last the duration!  Keep it small!

Do some cooking!  Boil or dry some chicken breast and see if that is a good treat!  As of lately for safety and in fear of recalls, I have been making my own dog treats.

But think about it…would you want to work for a stale biscuit or processed dog treat OR would you rather have 100% pure chicken, beef, or liver?

If you are using these things for his food or treats already, then no wonder they are not working to motivate him!

So Many Toys to Choose From!

Toys

My dogs are certainly toy motivated, but that is because I play with them, with their toys!  The first time I ever threw a ball for Fury, my little girl, she looked at me like I was CRAZY.  Even if she wanted to chase it she didn’t know what to do with it!

Tossing a toy, or a ball might not cut it!  You may have to actually TEACH your dog to play!  You will actually have to get involved and play with him also!  Get animated, run with him, keep the toy away from him (this builds his desire for it) and teach him that playing with you is where it is at!

YOU in to be fun and exciting for your dog!  If you do this right YOU become is motivator!

If it’s not working, try harder or try another toy.  A ball might not be exciting for one dog but a squeaky toy might be incredibly fun!

Most dogs will play if you are fun enough to play with and you find what he likes to play with!

Praise

Praise is Crucial to Your Relationship

For most dogs, praise is not enough!  There are very few dogs that simply want to please their owner so much that praise is enough of a motivator.  We all wish we had this dog, but most dogs want to please themselves and must be taught that praise alone is enough to motivate them.

Usually if you pair praise with a treat or a game, the praise eventually becomes more rewarding and reinforcing and eventually enough that you can wean the treats and the games out of the equation.

Dogs should always be praised for a job well done, but rarely is it enough to get them to do something they don’t want, or keep them from doing something they want.

Affection

Again, affection is rarely enough to keep a dog from pulling on the leash or trying to do something he desires.  When you pair it with praise and another motivator affection can become a very strong motivator.

I often pet, kiss and even hug my dogs when they do something I want.  I want them eventually to learn to work for my praise and affection and I want to pair fun games, toys, treats with this affection.  I also want to ask them to do something for me before I give affection.

Games

Games are my dogs’ favorite motivators.  They like their treats, their food, their toys, praise and affection but they LIVE for the games I play with them.

Games have to involve YOU.  And I am not talking about just tossing a toy mundanely every time your dog brings it.  I am talking about running, biting, tugging, intermixed with obedience goofiness and fun!

I might ask my dog to do 3 things or more for me before I run with him and throw his toy.  I tug it, I throw it, I make him release it on command, I praise him and pet him all while we are playing these games together, and sometimes I even add a few food treats to keep it even more interesting.

Making him work for his toys make these games more fun!

Remember when your kids took advantage or you and your stuff.  They may have scratched your car, or flung their dirty shoes all over the house but when THEY WORK for their OWN car or home…things are different.  Working for something gives you a sense of pride when you get it.  I remember my first paycheck and how careful I was spending my own money.

Making your dog work for his games and his rewards makes it more rewarding.

Find your dog’s motivator!!!  Don’t use excuses, set out and find something that works for you and your dog.  If you are lucky and you are a really good trainer you can use all of these things and many more to motivate your dog to do what you want!

Finding Your Dog’s Motivator is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

Imagine Your Dogs HERE

If you didn’t catch my last article “The Premise of the Magical Dog Leash” please read it.  In that article I explain WHY flawed thinking and many people’s approach to leash training hasn’t worked.

If you don’t understand WHY things haven’t worked in the past or the common pit falls you won’t be as successful in teaching your dog the appropriate way!

Now it is time to TEACH your dog appropriate leash skills!

What are Appropriate Leash Skills?

Finding Heel Position: Teaching your dog to find heel position on your left side at the drop of a hat on quiet and clear command.

Drive and Focus:  Teaching your dog to play, find you fun, and give you eye contact on command and while you walk and heel past distractions.

Leash Manners: Teaching your dog how long his leash is and NEVER to pull you!

What You’ll Need

• A Great Attitude
• Really Good Treats
• Treat Bag or Tool Belt
• Clicker
• Your Dog’s Favorite Toy

Getting Started

You will begin teaching your dog about his leash and heel position at home in your house where the distractions are few.

WHY does your dog need to know heel position?

Because this will make your walking more simple, eventually, and more enjoyable for both of you! You can both learn to enjoy your walk together without having to constantly drill obedience.

I don’t always make my dogs walk in heel position, most of the time I let them be dogs and sniff and wander however they are NEVER allowed to pull me and when I tell them to heel (when I see another dog, a car, a bike, a child) I expect them to come into heel position no matter what else is going on; heel past the distraction and then I can release them and they can go on about being a dog.

Doesn’t that image seem easier than pushing, pulling, yanking, coercing, or treating your dog the WHOLE time or during the eventual whole walk or even hike?

Make no mistake, I don’t care if your dog is 8 weeks old or 9 years old, if you are having problems with his leash manners, he’s pulling you, or your using a “training collar” you’d like to wean him from you are going to begin in the same place.

We are building a firm foundation that will weather any storm of a normal, busy, and distracted life later when you take your dog out in the world!

You may begin in two ways:  By teaching him “Drive and Focus” or By teaching him where “Heel” is both will eventually be integrated to work together.

One of my next articles will be on “Drive and Focus” and then “Leash Manners”.

Ask yourself, honestly, does your dog know where “HEEL” is?  If you said “Heel” while standing in your kitchen without your dog on a leash would he have any clue as to what you are talking about?

If you answer NO (like most people) then you need to step back and build this foundation.  There is nothing wrong with this step back in your training it simply will strengthen the training and eventually leash foundation.

I specifically left out the LEASH in your supply list!  I want you to teach your dog by motivating him not by pulling, pushing, yanking or physically manipulating him.

In order to be the most successful, you must know your puppy or your dog well enough to know what he likes.  Would your dog kill for some homemade liver treats?  Or, do you have a dog that would rather play ball all day rather than eating a tempting treat?  Perhaps you have a dog that loves to bite on a tug toy, or another favorite toy?

My dogs love liver AND balls!  So, I would have both in my tool belt and utilize them at different points for the correct behavior.

Ultimately my dogs want to play, so I would lure them with treats and then when they preformed the correct behavior I would probably play a short game of ball or tug with them to encourage them to continue doing what they did and learning.

Now take your dog into that secluded room with his motivators and lure him into heel position.

Heel position when you are standing still is with the neck/shoulder of your forward facing dog lined up with your left leg.

Heel Position

This is where you want your dog to CHOOSE to be while you are out walking him.  Not where you FORCE him to be but where he wants to be.  If he doesn’t want to be there you will spend your entire time pushing, pulling or making him be there or coercing him to want to be there.

Take the treats (did I mention they should be really good) liver or maybe some boiled chicken breast cut up pea sized or smaller and stick them up, on or near your dog’s nose.  Okay maybe not UP but close enough to get a good and happy reaction.

Place your body in front of your dog, next take a step backward with your left leg while leading your dog facing backward and toward your behind; once most of him is behind you use the teat to lure him around in a U shaped turn so that he is now facing the same direction that you are.  Once he is in the approximate heel position; ask him to sit.

For those of you perfectionist or competitors don’t worry about crooked sits or a dog that is not in the perfect spot.  You can correct and clean this up later once your dog has a better understanding of heel.

If he doesn’t know “heel” in the beginning don’t be tempted to tell him what to do or what he is doing until he is successfully doing it.  This is hard for people to understand, but barking commands that mean nothing hinder your dog’s learning.

Once he begins to understand what he is doing and “where” he is landing based on your body then you can begin telling him as he is doing it.  So as he spins that U-turn behind you tell him “heel” while praising and reinforcing with a treat.

If he does something spectacular or seems to be getting it fairly quickly and he likes toys or balls play a little bit with him or jackpot him with bigger or better treats.  Remember this isn’t just about food rewards and boring obedience you have to make yourself and the act of obedience FUN and stimulating.

At my house a treat won’t keep my dogs from looking at another dog or another distraction but a game of ball or tug would work!

You have to be the fun dog owner and build a bond and a relationship with your dog in order for him to listen to you in times of crisis, stress or distraction!

Continue luring your dog with treats into the heel position on your left side.

Once he is proficient at finding the correct spot by flipping around on your left side, it is time to teach him other ways.

This time, with your dog sitting in front of you, you are going to teach him to go around behind you to the right and sit on your left side in heel position.

Now, I compete and sometimes I am asked to finish (meaning have my dog go to heel position) my dog to the left or to the right, so I use two separate commands for each way.  However if you are not competing it is fine to use the same “Heel” command.

If you are using a new command you will have to go back and teach the dog to go around you before giving a command.  However if you are going to use the same command you may give the command while luring your dog around behind you.

With the dog in front of you, facing you and the treat in your right hand show your dog the treat while stepping back with the right leg.  While your dog follows the treat exchange the treat in your right hand to your left hand while you continue to lure your dog into the heel position.  Once your dog has gotten into the correct position ask him to sit then lavish him with praise, treats and fun.

Continue to teach him where heel position is at while using treats, praise and games as a fun reward.

This process may take several days of training and work but once your dog has seemed to grasp the concept help him to find heel from all different positions around you.

He should ideally be able to find heel position from in front of you, behind you, to the left, to the right, facing you, facing away from you and so on.  This will take time and patience!

Next put some speed on his delivery of this command.  The faster he finds and sits in heel position the more fun and rewarding his learning will be.  Once you know he understands you can fade the luring and the regular treats and insist on speed, happiness, and accuracy of his ability to find heel.

You may also begin playing this game all over the house with and without distractions as he is successful.  You may have to back up a bit in your training to teach him that the command is the same with and without distractions!

Ask him at any given time to find heel position; when you are in the kitchen, when he is asleep on his bed, when he is playing with another pet to ensure he understands and enjoys this game!

Then begin taking this game outside to your driveway, backyard then the front yard etc. until he is proficient and nearly perfect at finding his way into heel position!  Again you may have to back up and teach him the basic foundation again in these different environments.

Be patient and be fun!  The future of enjoyable walking is on the line!

The Magical Dog Leash Part 2: Finding Heel is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

Thanks to Wynfield Plantation for the Picture

Gun dog training, specifically, is something I have never really gotten into, being the animal advocate that I am, am not really into hunting (although I am not here to pass judgment on hunters)!  However, I have spent many years working with police and protection dogs so I am not new to desensitizing dogs to gun fire.

It is critical to teach your dog or your puppy correctly when it comes to desensitizing him to noise, especially gunfire.

Dog hearing is much, much better than human hearing!  Did you know the ears of dogs are controlled by at least 18 muscles?  And, upright and curved ears amplify sound.  Humans often use ear protection when they shoot a gun, can you imagine how loud that same sound is for the dog ?

Police dogs and gun dogs are often right beside the gun when it fires and in order to be successful I believe it is best to slowly incorporate gunfire into his life.

I have personally seen and worked with dogs that were traumatized by gunfire or loud sounds and although these dogs can be desensitized to a point, some of them will never be effective working dogs.  It is much better to prevent a problem than it is to set your dog up for failure and then deal with a problem later.

I once worked with a police dog that was purchased due to his high drives sociability and workability; however the police department did not test his gunfire readiness.  Turns out that he detested gunfire!  Gunfire or loud noises sent him running for the car.  As you can imagine no officer wanted a dog they couldn’t trust in a shootout!  Turns out his first owner’s husband had gotten drunk one night and shot a goat right next to him.  The sound of the gun plus the bleating of the goat traumatized him for life.

We worked tirelessly with him, slowly incorporating loud noise and popping sounds into his life and eventually he accepted them to a small degree.  However, if he was startled he would still head for the hills!  He made a lovely pet for the officer that should have noise tested him!

Some dogs just don’t have the nerve to deal with certain things.  My oldest dog who is 12 is skittish of all kinds of things and has been since he was a pup.  He would never make a police or gun dog, his desire is to lay on his dog bed and be adored.  Although I have desensitized him to most things, there is still a handful that he finds completely frightening like guns and the windshield wipers.  Some dogs just aren’t cut out for certain jobs.

I believe genetics have a huge impact on fundamental dog behavior, so if you are looking for a dog that will be good with loud noises make sure his/her mom and dad are successful workers.

If you have a puppy make sure you don’t introduce him to loud noises during his fear stage, usually about 7-12 weeks and if you have a fearful pup it may take longer.  Don’t think you can just “flood” a fearful puppy with excess noise and stimulation, you may just ruin him!

Some puppies and dogs will never bat an eye over loud noises or anything else, but some need to be eased into the idea.  I would rather err on the side of caution than traumatize a dog.

How to Start Your Dog out on the Right Paw?

This can be very Demanding Work!

First, I start out by finding an outdoor gun range.

Next, arm yourself with great treats and your clicker if you are clicker training !

Now, drive close enough to the gun range that you can just begin to hear some of the gun fire with the windows rolled down.  Next, roll the windows up (your dog can still hear the gunfire) and begin treating your dog!  Play and have a good time!

If you see your dog begin to show signs of fear:

• Dilated pupils
• Vocalization
• Ears back
• Tail tucked
• Lips pulled back

Go back further until the signs disappear.

End the session at the furthest point possible that you can both detect gunfire.

Next time move closer and do the same thing bringing treats or even breakfast or dinner to eat in the car while listening to the faint sounds of gunfire.

You want to help your dog associate the gunfire with good things like praise, affection, food, and toys!

If your dog is at all nervous back up and work more slowly.

As your dog accepts and enjoys the sounds over several days you can work your way closer and closer.

Slowly inch your way closer until you can be in the parking lot with the windows up.

Your next goal is parking lot with windows down.

Finally once your dog shows absolutely no signs of stress or apprehension and is no longer even acknowledging any sounds of gunfire, it is time to take your dog out of the car and play some games together!  Play games in the parking lot and feed him!  Make gunfire the most exciting and happy thing that could ever happen!

If you do this slowly and make sure to pair the sound with fun, games and treats you will build a strong foundation that will lead to many years happily working side by side along any distraction!

Preparing Your Gun Dog for Gunfire is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

I don’t like training collars, except the gentle leader, because not only do most rely on compulsion and punishment they are rarely used for “training” like they were intended or as their name implies.

A training collar if utilized should be just that; only used to train or teach a dog something.

BUT, how many times do you see a 4 or 9 year old dog still using a prong collar?

One of the biggest problems is that dog owners have been taught to utilize these collars but instead of just teaching their dogs, they rely on these products constantly to get their dogs to comply with certain behaviors.  AND, the dog knows when the collar is and is not on!

Even though many of these people have been taught by a dog trainer HOW to use these items they are never taught how to wean their dog off of them or how to teach them a different way!

Did I mention I don’t like these collars?  I want to make SURE that everyone knows I NEVER recommend them!  After all, we are a “hands off” dog training system and nothing is more “hands on” than choke chains and prong collars!  So don’t send hate mail!!

Even though this is Disguised it is still a Prong Collar

But, I acknowledge that lots of people use them.  And, since you are most likely alone in your home reading this, you can admit to yourself that you just might be one of them!  I bet a very large percentage of my readers are currently using these products simply because they don’t know what else to do and their dogs are desensitized to anything else!

I use to not allow the dogs in my classes to wear any training collar except a Gentle Leader, then one day I drove past one of my clients who’s dog was sporting a prong collar.  It was a small community so I pulled over to inquire what was going on.  She was horrified and embarrassed but admitted she didn’t know how else to get her dog to listen.  She didn’t want to publicly admit she used the collar in my class and knew I wouldn’t allow it, so she just did her weekly homework with her dog in his usual prong collar.

It was at this moment I realized sometimes the only way I can truly help people change is by teaching them to wean themselves off these compulsion methods they think they need.  Whereas I never wanted her to use the collar again, I had to teach her how not to need it.  The last thing I wanted was for people to be too ashamed to ask for real help, or to go home and yank and pull their dogs into submission.

So it was then I came up with my program.  I promise my clients I can teach them how to never use a prong or choke chain again, and if I can do that for them they give me the collar they once used.  It is an exchange of knowledge and positive reinforcement for the negative compulsion collar and the methods.

Why Do People Use Them?

Because they are easy!

Unfortunately, it doesn’t take a lot of time and training to put on a prong collar and see a difference in a pulling dog.

And, unlike the Gentle Leader and other like head halters most dogs don’t throw a huge temper tantrum when these collars are put on.  Most dogs don’t even whimper or cry, but immediately they recognize that pulling is uncomfortable and not pulling makes the discomfort disappear.

Why Do Trainers Recommend Them?

Puppies and Young Dogs should NEVER need a choke chain or training collar!

Because they are LAZY!  Make no excuses!  There are better ways to teach your dog to respect his leash or not pull, but these methods take brain power, work, timing, and consistency.

Part of me wouldn’t be as irritated if these trainers at least taught their students how to quit using these tools, but again this would take time, work, and consistency.

Almost nothing is as nauseating to me as seeing a big, geriatric dog that has to deal with the pain and irritation of lugging around a pinch collar!

Don’t Judge or Blame!

I know this is a hard one, but most owners don’t want to inflict pain or hurt their dogs despite the ugliness of the collar most people hardly use it.

While it is true that in my career I have seen some truly malicious and cruel “corrections” given to dogs in prong collars, most owners have no desire to be barbaric.  And, those sadistic owners can usually not be reasoned with or educated.  I have to hope that someday they will be caught and prosecuted for their abuse.

Most people just get stuck in a rut or the collar was effective on their “last dog” so they default to using one on this dog.

Some people think that “certain breeds” require these types of collars but I disagree!  Dogs should be trained with your MIND not your body!  How do people think dogs respond to clients in wheelchairs? Rottweiler, Mastiff, Weimaraner, Chihuahua or Shih Tzu it is all the same to me!

How to Make a Change?

Most of these owners would like to change.  No one wants the looks or snippy comments when they see a prong collar but most people don’t know how to change.  You may want to utilize a buckle collar, but you don’t want your arm dislocated or broken on your next walk either!  Don’t laugh it happens!

This is what My Dogs Live for!

First

You must teach your dog the “Game” of positive reinforcement!  You have to teach your dog that he is in control of his environment, to some degree, you control what he has to do to get the reward but he feels like he is in control.

You need to build a foundation of fun and games.  Up until now you have been controlling your dog physically and a pinch collar cannot compare to a buckle collar when it comes to control, so you must teach your dog that there is a reason to listen to you and do what you want.

Don’t over use treats, but learn how to use them !

If your dog likes toys and playing with balls or chasing things and hunting, teach him to work using his normal doggy play drive.

This type of training does take a bit longer, but the foundation is so much more stable than regular compulsion.  I never have to worry about forgetting my dog’s collar because they have been taught not to pull in order to be rewarded with the things they want and their necks are not desensitized.

Dogs that rely on compulsion have become a bit desensitized around their neck.  What would get the attention of a normal dog or puppy no longer phases a dog use to a prong collar.  This makes using a leash and normal buckle collar almost impossible.  Your relationship is based on corrections and physical control.

So teaching your dog the foundation to positive reinforcement, how to play with you and giving him reasons to listen are crucial!  Also, taking toys, treats, and games with you when you take your dog out will also be vital for a time.

Next

The next is to slowly wean yourself and your dog from his training collar.  I would rather tell you to throw the collar away and start over, and in my opinion that would be the best way.  But, I realize that most of you won’t do that since it would take too long and you don ‘t know where to start.  So, I will tell you to do the next best thing.

Like a smoker who promises to quit, make a pact with your dog and pick out a date that you will throw the collar away or at least never use it again and then start to work toward your goal.

Some of the Tricks I Have Used Over the Years?

Dogs are great about associating objects that are totally unrelated.  For some dogs if you pair the old collar with a certain bandana for a period of time the dog will start to associate the bandana with the collar, enabling you to trick your dog into thinking the collar is on later, once you have stopped using it.  You can simply apply the bandana and the dog will undoubtedly stop pulling.

Next get a leash with two clips, or using a long leash feed a round key chain or “O” ring around the handle of your leash and feed onto the ring a clip.  This double clip allows you to clip one to his buckle collar and one to his former training collar.

This will help you to teach him what his normal buckle collar feels like when there is pressure on it and how to learn to respect it.  He needs to learn what is normal and not rely on the pinch or strangulation he is use to!  This does not mean to use the buckle collar to issue “corrections” you should be motivating him not correcting him!

The key is to do your very best to not use the training collar anymore!  If you are going to get drug into traffic or your dog is going to pull you down you still have the option of using the collar you are use to, but don’t use it as a constant crutch!

You should have a tool belt full of treats, toys and fun so your dog should be motivated to pay attention to you versus his normal boredom and pulling to fulfill his own needs.  You should now be the focus of his awareness!

If you are willing to put in some time, get animated, have some fun together and make a pact with your dog I think you will be much happier with the results and the lack of stares and comments and I KNOW your dog will be happier!

Weaning Yourself and Your Dog from Compulsion Dog Training Collars is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

Even back then, I use to see some of my clients (in my head) as he was counseling people.  He would ask a question, they would answer but then try to defend their behavior or their choices.

When given advice, they would often answer… “I tried, that doesn’t work, he won’t like it” and time after time they would try to defend their behavior or convince him to see the superiority in their thinking.

It was usually at about that time that he would interject… “So, how’s that workin’ for ya?”

This simple statement reiterates that the flawed behavior is NOT working and therefore there is a need for true and whole hearted change.

If something is working out efficiently, then there is no need for change.  But, when you are having tribulations you need to break down the actions and determine where things are flawed so that you can make a change.

The definition of insanity, as defined by Albert Einstein, is “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

As a dog trainer, I run into this psychology or “insanity” all of the time.  People want their dog to “change” but they don’t want to exert any effort and they certainly see no need to change their behavior!

I was always happy to realize that it wasn’t just my clients who behave this way; these people were on TV arguing with the renowned doctor and expert that they were seeking advice from!  When I look at it that way, my feathers get a little less ruffled.

I have to admit it is usually people that are dealing with aggression or other severe behavior problems that want to do the most arguing.  I guess because serious behavior problems require the most work and effort, and often take the longest to see suitable results.

The problem is: I don’t have a magic wand.  I can’t come to your house and totally transform your dog for you in one sitting with no effort wielded by you.  It just isn’t possible; in the real non-TV world.

Like any other prevalent behavior that requires strict change; I think sometimes people need to hit their own rock bottom.  The problem with that rock bottom often ends with a bite, exorbitant damage and the ultimate euthanasia of the dog.

I am hoping to save some doggy lives and some people bites by pleading with dog owners who have dogs that are suffering from severe behavior problems to be willing to make some tough changes.

What Can You Do?

• The first step is to admit honestly that you have a problem
• The next step is to determine what you are willing to do about it?

Are you willing to do anything to save your dog?

Or are you unwilling to make proper change?

• The next is to determine WHY or what else is contributing to the ultimate problem
• Change takes total commitment and lots and lots of effort.
• You may need to retry something you gave up on too quickly!
• You have no idea how often I have heard “He doesn’t like it”… or “I put the Gentle Leader on, but he didn’t like it….”  Really?  No dog “likes” it at first; it requires effort to acclimate your dog to it!
• Behavior modification is often a slow and tedious process, and sometimes prevention needs to be inserted into the program by controlling aggressive dogs and keeping bites from having a chance of happening.
• Positive reinforcement, although it may take a longer time build a firm foundation, needs to be used.
• Do not fall prey to the dazzle and dramatization of forceful and barbaric methods of compulsion seen on TV.  Although the behavior may seem to evaporate, I guarantee the TV cameras are not there to see it reappear or see the additional behavior problems it creates!

I recently watched a TV episode where the dog trainer grabbed a trash can lid and a stick and slowly chased the fearful aggressive dog that had been biting people, into a corner and intimidated it until FINALLY it relented in exhaustion (panting and looking frantic) and accepted the trainer’s presence.

Later when the dog growled at the trainer while on leash, he was kicked in the ribs; as the dog trainer explained to rid him of “negative energy”; then he was fashioned with a shock collar and his brain was fried for an additional aggressive behavior.  By the end of the show, of course, the dog had been cured and allowed the trainer (and I am sure we are to assume others) onto his property.

We were shown very little training, actual energy, and follow through that his owners would have to do; as magically he seemed cured of his demons.

But, when the trainer and the camera crews are gone which delivery person or Girl Scout is willing to pick up a sword and shield and chase the unrestrained dog down if he barks in a threatening manner?  And, if they did (not knowing dog behavior like a professional trainer does) wouldn’t they likely be bitten?

Sure, I could chase dogs down and give them a kick to the ribs; but I refuse.  Aggression should not be treated by aggression and not everyone is capable of doing this type of work without getting bitten.  It seems quick and its flashy but it is irresponsible and doesn’t tackle the problem; it usually eventually exacerbates it (as the dog realizes not everyone has follow through or will use aggression) and it creates more problems in the end.  I am surprised more people are not mauled after treating a powerful dog this way!

First I would instruct the owner to fence the yard (preferably wood or other visually impenetrable fence) to safely contain the dog to keep it and people who wander up out of harm’s way.

Dogs, especially aggressive ones, should also be kept inside when owners are gone.  Control cannot be attained while owners are away and total change and breaking the cycle of aggression is imperative!

Behavior modification would be slow but would include the owner desensitizing the dog on leash and giving it something else to do (obedience) when people approach.  The dog would be increasingly rewarded for quiet and nonaggressive behavior.

Visitors would be instructed to toss wonderful treats to the dog when he was quiet and to avoid eye contact.  Speaking to a fearful aggressive dog and petting would be totally avoided in the beginning until it could be determined that both dog and human would be completely safe and acceptant.

Change is a Good Thing with Behavior Modification

Positive reinforcement is not as showy or glamorous to the onlooker but it is so much more effective, humane and safer for everyone!

Ultimately don’t fall for the tricks or the lure of an easy fix!  And, when your dog has a behavior problem commit to true change, don’t just jump to “that doesn’t work or he doesn’t like it” give it a heartfelt try as long as it is not dangerous to anyone involved.   Of course he “doesn’t like it” you are taking him and yourself out of your comfort zones!  This abandonment of comfort and the apprehensiveness it creates is a product of change.

Change isn’t easy, if it was we wouldn’t face it kicking and screaming all of the time…it is uncertain and leads us to feel uneasy, but when you have a sincere problem true change is essential!

“How’s That Workin’ For Ya?” The Need for Change in Dog Training is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog