Think You Have What it Takes?

Whenever I am out dog training or I meet people in a social setting they say they have always wanted to be or would like to be a dog trainer like me!  Whereas this is flattering I often wonder if people really realize what it takes to truly be a professional dog trainer!

I do not lead a glamorous life!

Some days I wish I could dress up, have long nails and wear jewelry, but alas…clothes get stained and ripped, nails are torn off, and I have had jewelry ripped off my neck by boisterous dogs.  And I have been bitten more times than I would like to admit; some being my fault and others blocking more serious damage.

I have one dog trainer friend that was disemboweled by a dog and another whose arm was broken by a dog that ran to the end of his leash!  Dog training is not always full of walks, snuggles and roses!

And, unless you import and train personal protection dogs or police dogs, it can sometimes be difficult to find your niche and actually make money in this business.

BUT, this article is not to discourage.  I actually welcome fresh faces who are willing to learn and dedicate their lives to improving the lives of dogs and their families.  We need as many kind and compassionate dog trainers out there as possible!

I do have some advice!

First:  Read as much as possible!  I have tons of books and read as many books on dog training as I can get my hands on!  You are never too old to learn and never think you are too good or have been doing it so long that you don’t need to.  Reading and studying helps to sculpt you into a fantastic trainer.

Second:  Find someone who will give you hands on teaching skills!  The only way to learn to work with a multitude of dogs and different breeds, styles and temperaments is to work with them and get some experience.  Most of us start out understudying under a senior or experienced trainer and that is a great way to get your feet wet.

I remember working 12 hour days and then volunteering to help with training classes for another 4 hours 4 days a week, but it was all worth it!

Third:  Volunteer at an animal shelter.  Spend as much time working with the dogs in a shelter and doing as much hands on training, talking with people and getting involved in all things shelter related as possible.

Be prepared!!  Working in a shelter will help to toughen your skin for the real world and you will see things that will affect you for the rest of your life, but it will make you a better trainer and a better person!  Trust me; there are things that you can only learn from working on the front lines of the war!

Fourth:  Try to get a job in “the field” if not training, then try to get a job at a veterinary clinic, groomer or an animal boarding facility.  All of this “hands on” work gives you more experience handling dogs and will be helpful in building your skills.  I have done all of the above and wouldn’t change any of my experiences for the world!

Yikes! But this Has Taught me Major Respect for the Power of a Dog!

Fifth:  Get into a bite suit!  Yes I said it, and yes it is probably controversial, but I think that any good dog trainer should spend at least a little bit of time in a bite suit with a tough and well trained police dog.

You can never really understand what it is like to be bitten by a dog until you are bitten by a dog.  The fear, the respect and the amount of damage that a dog can do in the fraction of an instant will all be installed into your mind and your soul instantaneously and in a fairly safe environment.

Dogs can exert 2,000 pounds of pressure per square inch with their teeth and until you are on the receiving end of that kind of bite and pressure you really can’t understand what it is like.

So before you recommend that an owner “alpha roll”, use a prong collar, or get into the face of an aggressive dog you should feel what it might be like if that dog decided to bite or imagine if he mauled his owner.   This is only ONE of the reasons I would never recommend such types of training!

Before you blame a pet parent or a child or expect someone to live with a dog that has bitten, you should feel what a bite is really like and how terrifying it must be for the average person.

This new found respect of dogs and all 42 of their shining teeth will also help you not to get too cocky or put yourself at a detrimental risk of a bite.
It also prepares you for WHEN you will be bitten for real.  We all get bitten at some point and watching a dog go through the motions of aggression from the safety of a bite suit will help you recognize when the point of no return comes and just what a dog looks like right before he bites you and how you can safely handle yourself.  I have scars up and down my arms and legs, but I have luckily not needed stitches as of yet!  My first bite was to the face!

Sixth:  Before you recommend a philosophy or a piece of equipment to someone else or their dog, make sure you would do it to your dog or to yourself!  Before you recommend an e-collar or shock collar (which I never would) strap it on YOUR NECK and use it on an upper level.  Don’t put it on level one and put it in your hand, experience it from the dog’s perspective!  I could never alpha roll or strangle my dogs and again, that is just one reason I would never recommend it to someone else!

Finally:  Find your compassion for people too.  Most of us get into this business because we love animals but in reality it is the PEOPLE you work for.  Don’t be the kind of trainer that places blame, focuses on the past and what problems the owners may have created, or thinks that EVERYTHING is fixable (most things are controllable to some degree but not all things are fixable).

Sometimes people need honesty, kindness and comfort when they make difficult decisions and it is my opinion that this is part of my job and undoubtedly the hardest part of my job.

It is not my job to blame, even though some people do crazy things, most often it is simply because they are ignorant and don’t know how to deal with problems.  The fact that these clients are coming to us dog trainers affirms the fact that they are making the right steps toward change.

I absolutely HATE when people blame aggression on other people and “how the dog was raised”.  Although it is true to some very small degree, it is absolutely not constructive to place blame and good people often end up with aggressive dogs due to no fault of their own!

Be the kind of dog trainer who helps them learn how to deal with such a dog, if they so choose, and not the one who blames them or makes unrealistic promises!  And don’t bring other peoples problems home with you or you will become one the many who gets burnt out fast!

Being a dog trainer isn’t always easy and it certainly isn’t always fun!  I can train just about any dog to do just about anything, but being a dog trainer means working with the people and the families that request your help and helping them to find success without you!  I want my clients to become dog trainers in their own right!

If you are looking for wealth and glamour you are in the wrong business; but if you are looking to get your hands dirty, don’t mind having your clothes ruined, fingernails ripped off, incurring the occasional bite, love dogs AND PEOPLE you might just have what it takes to make it in this field!

So You Want to Be a Dog Trainer is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

Both of these Dogs came from a Shelter and became Marvelous Service Dogs!

I have often been asked to share my secrets to picking a good adult dog from the shelter, especially since I have spent most of my career scouring shelters to find would-be Assistance Dogs for people with disabilities, and so I thought I would share some of my secrets because it is adopt a shelter dog month!  I have literally taken hundreds of dogs out of shelters!

I love adult dogs because I basically know that what I see is what I get.  Getting a puppy is a tossup as to what the pup will grow up to be size and personality, but with an adult you can already see what size and basically what temperament the dog has!

The first thing to realize is that we might all be searching for something a little bit different in a dog.  When I was looking for Assistance Dogs I was looking for a certain age, size and temperament.  Breed was not necessarily a concern and mixes were always welcome.  Mixed breeds are often more healthy structurally because they are not over bred like some of the more popular breeds of dog.  But I understand that some people will be looking for something breed specific or even mix specific.

Knowledge about the breed or the mixed breed you are looking at can help you determine things about their sociability, their likelihood to be good with other animals, exercise needs and other specific traits the breed was bred for.  This information can be helpful when looking to add a new family member to your pack!

It really doesn’t matter to me whether I was looking at a Pit Bull or a Chihuahua; I was looking for the same thing behaviorally and temperamentally.  I wanted a dog that would be a good, loving companion and a good working dog.

I didn’t want a dog that was aloof or indifferent to human companionship!  Some dogs when left outside and not raised with people get what we use to call “Backyard Dog Syndrome” where they cared more about their environment and everything else that was going on rather than the person in the room with them.  I personally was not interested in these dogs although I am not saying that some of them would not make appropriate pets for the right person.

Shelter Dogs Can Make Perfect Pets

My biggest rule was not to get involved emotionally.  I could not keep nor save them all and I went to the shelter knowing that they might not have the right dog and that day and I could be coming home dog-less.  There is no reason to feel like you MUST take a dog from one shelter on one specific day, it may take some searching to find the right companion for you!  Do not feel pressured by anyone.  Rash decisions can lead to future unhappiness for you and the dog you might be pressured into choosing.

Do not take your children, at least not the first time.  If you find a dog you are interested in you can bring the kids back to the shelter, but children often fall in love at the mere sight of a dog and you don’t want to adopt a dog on looks alone or a dog that is not right for your family.

When walking through the shelter I am looking for the dog who wants to come up and interact with me.  For my purposes, I was not interested in the dogs hiding in the back of the kennel or those who would not get up.  I didn’t’ care if the dog jumped up on the kennel door as long as he wasn’t barking aggressively or staring at me in challenge.

I would next put my hand up to the door (NOT in the kennel!) and move it from side to side and up and down.  I wanted a dog that would follow my hand and want to interact with me.  It was okay if he was a little timid at the sight of my hand as long as he was still willing to follow it and want to interrelate with me.  I was also watching the tail; I wanted a low side to side tail wag, not a tucked tail or one that was high and straight on the back (unless this was due to breed).  I did not take out dogs that were exceedingly scared or those that showed aggression.

The other pointer I would recommend if you are not in the dog profession, is finding a shelter that does temperament testing.  I know that this is very controversial!  Temperament testing in shelters is quite the heated debate, but most people who adopt from shelters are first time dog owners and they need all the help they can get!

Temperament tests usually run the dogs through a series of normal tests so that the tester or shelter can get a better idea about what homes to place their dogs in.  There is physical manipulation of the dog like checking his teeth and some irritation so that aggression and a lack of bite inhibition can be identified.  The dogs are also given toys, treats, chewies and food and then they are then taken away to see if the dog has possession aggression issues.

There are many naysayers that adamantly protest temperament tests; however I would not want my 4 year old toddler to be the unfamiliar guinea pig to see if the new dog would allow someone to take away his “treasure” or to try and take away a stolen Barbie doll or your child’s toy.

People will say that the child should never be left alone with the dog and I tenaciously agree, however I know that accidents happen and dogs steal Barbie when mom or dad’s head is turned and sometimes kids chase down and take stuff away from dogs.  Although there is no guarantee and an adult tester depicts what a dog would do with a child, I would want a dog that at least tested with no signs of aggression.  THEN I would still not allow dog and child to play together unattended or even without the new dog on a leash!

In my opinion, these tests can be invaluable at finding the right home for the right dog and at the moment I am not talking about temperament tests and euthanasia that would be a whole different article that I don’t really want to get into   When you take euthanasia out of the equation, temperament tests can simply give vital information to the shelter staff and the prospective family.

I never took a dog from a shelter that I did not temperament test!

Some other simple tests are taking the new prospective family member into a room and ignoring him for a short time to see if he is really interested in YOU or his environment.  I want a dog that wants to be with me, not one I have to bribe to pay attention to me.  Some would say this test isn’t really fair, but a truly friendly dog will want nothing else to do than to be petted and crawl into your lap.

I never cared if the dog jumped on me because dogs can be trained to stay off of people, but I wanted a social and loving dog.  I once had a nervous German Shepherd Dog inch over to me sit on my feet and put his head in my lap; I was in love!

Not all dogs like to be petted, some dogs will actually turn around and shoot you a look as if to say “Don’t touch Me!”  Some dogs will shake their bodies after being petted as if to shake off the cooties you just gave them.  I was only interested in the dogs who enjoyed and searched for more petting.  Again nuzzling and jumping up on me to be with me with not only accepted it was encouraged when I was searching for a dog.

As long as I was feeling comfortable and there were no signs of aggression I would also checked their teeth several times in a row to see if they were tolerant of unwelcomed touch; since no one likes their lips being lifted up 4 or 5 times.

Save a Life Adopt a Dog from a Shelter!

In general, when I was looking for a potential working Service Dog I used most of the Assess-A-Pet guides for temperament testing with some extra tweaks of my own!  You can find more information in this book Successful Dog Adoption from Sue Sternberg.

The most important thing is to not do things you are not comfortable doing or putting yourself at risk for a bite.  If the shelter does not temperament test you can probably employ the help of an experienced, good local dog trainer to help you in your search.

The other secret is that sick dogs obviously don’t test effectively.  Sometimes dogs in the shelter are sick with upper respiratory infections and so their temperament tests are ineffective.  I have on occasion tested a dog that tested marvelously then got the dog home only to find out he was sick with an infection.  Keep that in mind if your new family pet is sick when he gets home you might have to keep an extra careful eye on him as he acclimates to family and your other pets.

AND, it is my experience that it takes a dog about a month to settle into your life.  The first few weeks are the “honeymoon stage” when the dog is on his best behavior and he is trying to figure out you and your lifestyle.  Keep an eye out;  some of his behaviors might change after this initial bonding period.  Make sure you are working on obedience and bonding while setting rules and playing games together.

As with any dog or puppy always make sure your other pets and children are safe and never left alone with a new dog or even a new puppy!  As your new family member adapts enjoy each other and have fun together and you may very well find your new furry soul mate!

How to Pick a Shelter Dog is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

Practice Makes Perfect and Requires Actual Effort!

People always ask me how I, as a professional dog trainer, make dog training look so easy and how can they can improve their techniques?

I came up with what I believe to be the 5 most important reasons people have difficulty training their dog to work effectively for them.

These are the 5 Most Important Dog Training Mistakes to Avoid, in what I believe to be the most important order.

#5  Lack of Practice or Effort

I have said it before (sometimes I feel like I talk about the same things) but I say it again because it is soooo important!

Practice is crucial!  Your dog WILL NOT learn at obedience class once a week.  I use to tell all my dog obedience students this on the first night of class, and YES most were appalled that I would admit it

Your dog learns through repetition and training AT HOME!  If you are not making a point to work your dog daily or several times a day or week, you will not reap the benefits of a well trained dog!!

My dogs will drop on a hand signal or a verbal command (if they can hear it) at more than 50 yards away, even on a crowded beach!  The reason my dogs are so impressive and attentive is not because I am a dog trainer…it is because I practice and I teach them daily.

These daily lessons get them use to listening to me and they listen in times of stress simply by default.  That is…they are soooo use to doing it at home, that when I add distraction and they hear my voice it is their default to just do what I say, when I say it!

But, if they are not use to listening to me daily; if they don’t have 95% obedience around the house and the yard they will never listen in a crowd of dogs and people!

So simply put, practice, practice, practice!!  Get out there and work on your obedience and having fun together, then add more advanced obedience to your curriculum as you are more and more successful!  Dog training takes actually activity and effort!!

#4 Poor Timing

Good Timing is Essential to Good Learning

Timing is essential in dog training!  Poor timing means you are rewarding the wrong behavior.  If I click and treat my dog the instant BEFORE or AFTER he sits, he does not understand that SIT is what I want.  He thinks that I want the behavior he is performing the moment the clicker goes off!

Practice your timing on your husband, or human kids and see if you have good timing and they understand what you want!  If the humans in your life are having trouble understanding what you want, chances are your canine is set up for failure!  For help check out our previous blog,  A Clever Exercise to Try Tonight.

Incorrect timing just sends the wrong message and prolongs your dog’s ability to learn accurately.  Don’t get me wrong, even I click too early or too late sometimes; it is inevitable!  But you must understand and do your very best to click at the right moment so that your dog can excel!

#3 Rewarding the Wrong Behavior

Along those lines, are you rewarding the wrong behavior?  Does it feel like your dog is training YOU?

Does your dog demand for you to feed him, throw his ball, or do anything else to fulfill his needs?

If you not only allow him to bark at you and then you do what he wants you are telling him that is exactly what you want!  It is as if you are saying PLEASE bark in my face when you want something.

Not only does poor timing affect your ultimate dog training goals, but simply inadvertently giving in to your dog sends a very specific message!

Do you pet your dog when he paws at you, nudges you, or puts his face in your lap?  If you do, you are encouraging the behavior!

When you see a negative behavior rear its ugly head in your home, ask yourself “What does my dog get out of this behavior?” and then try and change the reward he is getting, whether you are giving it to him or he is rewarding himself!

#2  Inconsistency

Inconsistency Leads to Frustration!

How often does a behavior bother you at one time but not at another?

Is it a problem when your dog jumps on you ALL of the time, or do you allow it occasionally; say when you come home and he has missed you or when you are not dressed up?

Is your whole family on board with keeping your dog off of the furniture, or does one member of the family let the dog in the bed or on the couch when you are gone?

Do you make your dog listen to your commands sometimes but not others?  Sometimes he sits, sometimes he doesn’t and sometimes he gets in trouble for not listening but not all the time!

If you allow some behaviors some of the time, if some of your dog’s family members allow some naughty behaviors with them, and if you don’t reinforce obedience commands the FIRST time you give them; you are setting your dog up for horrible failure!

Your dog does not know when you are dressed up; when he can and can’t jump on you!

Your dog has difficulty understanding I can get in the bed or on the sofa when “dad” is gone.

And, your dog should know with assuredly when he is giving ONE command you are serious about his compliance ALWAYS.

This being said DO NOT give a command you cannot reinforce!  If your dog isn’t likely to come when called or sit at 20 yards away, off leash…don’t tell him to!  By telling him to do something and him choosing to ignore you, you are ruining his obedience.  Put him on a leash and work on certain scenarios while he is under your direct control!

#1 He is Intimidated and Scared by the Threat of Physical Pain and Punishment

Too Scared to Learn Effectively

Although most people think that physical correction and punishment solidify behavior and increase their likelihood of not happening again studies show that this is not the case.

Not only is punishment not effective for learning, because it comes AFTER the fact it is also not conducive to learning!

Fear inhibits learning.  What is your biggest fear?  Now imagine yourself; locked in a coffin, covered in spiders, or falling off of a skyscraper…could you LEARN something new while dealing with your fear?   Chances are your ability to learn a new skill would be seriously affected.   During this stress could you listen to and comply to given instructions even if you knew how to do it?  I probably couldn’t!

Your dog is probably terrified when he incurs a beating, and compulsion  and even if it is during or after he has jumped on you, chances are he doesn’t understand the intricacies of why you just lost your temper.  In his mind, he is simply excited to see you and wants to be closer to you!

It is not popular, but thankfully a recent reader admitted to the occasional hitting, and yelling at her dog.  She also admitted that although she hit him, he still never seemed to learn.  She wanted to learn a new way to interact and train her dog.

I applaud her for admitting to something that most of us would never admit to, even if it is true sometimes.

So, I was able to hopefully shed some light on why this happens.  Number one, we have already discussed: Punishment is not successful at teaching behavior or the lack thereof.  And, fear reduces the ability to learn and listen.

The other aspect of physical manipulation, punishment and pain is that under these conditions animals are not willing to TRY to learn for fear of failure and ultimate pain and punishment.

It may not make sense to you, but I implore you to put yourself in your dog’s paws.

You have a boss that speaks another language and you don’t understand your job requirements.  Every time you make a mistake, you get hit in the face.  Now add a little inconsistency, sometimes you get hit in the face after a behavior and sometimes you don’t.  He also yells at you A LOT.  So when he tries to teach you something new and starts yelling…do you try a number of likely behaviors or do you just shut down in fear and brace for the inevitable beating?

I shut down the minute someone yells at me.  The quickest way to get me to be quiet, shrink into myself, and focus on anything BUT you, is to yell at me.  I HATE yelling and temper tantrums (from humans) I expect them to some degree from dogs!

Your dog needs to be comfortable to show you a variety of behaviors and know with assuredly that there will be no pain or terror if he chooses the wrong path.  This confidence allows your dog to feel safe with you and know that there will be no horrifying experiences when working with you.  Probably the worst that will happen is that you will take his toys and treats away for a while, or deny him access to you (his favorite person) or you will better control his behavior using a leash the next time.

Dogs using positive reinforcement are not only willing but they are excited to show a gamut of diverse behaviors when they are trying to learn something new.  There is NO FEAR of failure.  It is much easier to train a dog that is willing and excited to learn than to train a dog that is afraid of making a mistake.

But, the minute a true cross word, angry face, cross eye, or actual hitting/kicking or the like enters the equation their willingness to learn declines and you see signs of fear and sadness.

This is why it is so important that you be in a good mood, have had a good day, know what behavior you are working on and work together as a team to be successful.  As soon as you start getting frustrated, recognize your limits and stop training before things escalate past a point of no return.  Always end training on a good note!

As humans say, “We can forgive but we can never forget”.  Your dog feels the same, except he is so much more likely to forgive wholeheartedly but when you get mad and start to act the same way you did in the past when you were mad, he can’t ever forget.

First thing to do is put your hands down and vow never to use them again.

Some Rehabilitation and the Building of Trust may be needed!

Second is to figure out WHY something is making you so mad you revert to violence

Third is to figure out how to change that scenario by teaching your dog using positive reinforcement what you want and expect from him.

You may have to brush up on your clicker training; and I will yet again plug Karen Pryor and Gary Wilkes!

Dog psychology, operant conditioning, and positive reinforcement  goes a lot farther at building your relationship and trust than yelling, screaming, hitting, kicking and beating ever will!

I always go back to when I worked with big cats.  If I hit, kicked, corrected with a painful collar when working with these large cats…I would probably either be dead or missing some digits and or body parts!  Because I use my mind and not my brawn while I worked with them, we practiced, we had good timing, we tried desperately not to reward the wrong behaviors, and we were consistent with ourselves and anyone else who would be allowed into our inner sanctum.

If you are a reformed punishment, or physical type trainer and you are looking for success….you must go back to square one and build your relationship together.  Start over and teach him to trust you.  YOU are in control of your emotions and you know when you are reaching a point that you need to stop if you get frustrated.  But hopefully as you change your style and you dog recognizes how your relationship has changed he will be more willing to learn and make mistakes and build a strong relationship together!

Make an effort to avoid all of the intricacies of the list I have just made.  Study them, then click on the links provided that will give you more intricate information about the information in the subheadings.

Knowledge is power!  If you can already admit you might have started off on the wrong paw, you are already placing yourself on the road to recovery and building a lasting relationship with your dog and awesome obedience!!

The Top 5 Most Important Dog Training Mistakes to Avoid is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

Working with a Cheetah! How's that for training experience!!

I love to read!  When I was a baby I got a vaccination that almost took my life.  I am sure my mother was terrified.  I have some memories of lying on the couch very sick.  My mother would read to me for hours, and at that time (before DVDs or VHS…ahhh I hate aging myself) Disney movies came on record.

I would sit and listen to a movie over and over until I had basically memorized it. In some ways I am grateful for all of my experiences they have shaped me and who I am as an adult.  Because of that one shot, my immune system was never quite able to fight off infection and I did get and still get every flu bug that goes around. I grew up loving reading.   Reading was my way to escape into another world and to learn about…well, anything I was interested in at the time.  My mother did not allow video games, and TV was restricted

This love of reading followed me to college when I double majored one being in English.  I still love English Literature (I know I am a nerd).  But, in many ways these are all the reasons you are reading this article right now.  If I grew up playing video games, I probably wouldn’t be writing or reading to entertain myself.

I am able to learn by reading, and I have hundreds of books lining a book shelf to prove it.  I enjoy reading and breaking things down; highlighting important points for further study.

Part of the beginning of my successful dog training career came from reading just about every dog training book I could get my hands on.  Almost 20 years ago it was difficult to find any kind of dog training on VHS or to see anything visually that wasn’t learned at a class or a seminar.

Much of my learning took place at night reading one book and then another.

My FAVORITE Book!

I remember when Karen Pryor came out with “Don’t Shoot the Dog” such a remarkable ground breaking book. I still read it for fun occasionally (party animal that I am).  I recommend that book to anyone who has a dog, is a mother, works with people…well, ANYONE really!

But not everyone likes to read.  My husband (bless his heart) admits that if it is not a popup picture book he is probably not interested in reading it.  I am not sure he has read a book since high school and/or Navy Training and he was forced to do so.  I can say these things because I know he is not going to read this ha ha ha

Don’t get me wrong, he is a smart guy and was E8 Senior Chief Engineer on a destroyer in the Navy.  He actually has much better recall on most factual things than I do; he can tell you each step or how a bill becomes law, the capitals of the states, and all kinds of bizarre history facts.  I pretend to remember these things too, unless put on the spot.

So what happens to those of you who might learn better from a hands on approach to dog training, and other things?

We are introducing instructional dog training videos!  Me and my furry kids have been hitting the grass (no pun intended) and shooting some videos that tackle some of the most basic, and some of the most difficult dog training problems.

Although it is hard for me to keep things to a short minimum while writing or taping (I like hearing myself my husband says), most of the videos are a short 2 to 3 minutes long.

2 to 3 minutes may not seem like long, but it is enough to help you visualize the problem and how to fix it!

It may be difficult to imagine working a dog in “drive”, but it only takes a minute or two to show you how to begin developing drive to utilize your dogs instincts in your obedience training program.  Drive and Focus are two of my favorite aspects about good, competition style obedience.  Often the things I have written articles about, I have also shot instructional videos to help you achieve these goals.

Come Join Us!

We also tackle some of your questions and some of the basic needs everyone has with their dog.

I know, too that there are many readers from around the world, and these videos will help to break down the language barrier for anyone who might struggle.  Visually seeing how to do things will be enough to help you with your dog’s training, problems, or level of exercise and entertainment.

So come check them out at the Dog Training Secret Video Vault and utilize these tips to further your relationship with your dog and your dog training skills.  We guarantee you will enjoy them and you will see a rapid change in your dogs obedience and attitude toward you and training!

The Dog Training Secret’s New Video Vault is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

Slightly Intimidating!

I have 2  Belgian Malinois and a Dutch Shepherd so it should be no surprise to those of you who are familiar with dog breeds and working dogs that I enjoy protection sports.  PLEASE!  Don’t send hate mail, although all viewpoints are welcome, I do not adhere to the barbaric practices that have formerly been known throughout the sports!

I got involved in police dog training and protection sports almost 15 years ago.  I was training Service Dogs fulltime for a nonprofit organization when I got the opportunity to get drawn into the world of protection dogs and I couldn’t resist!  I have always had the opportunity to work with trainers that were positive reinforcement based.

I think if I had, had to learn by using shock collars and “choking dogs out” I would have opted not to learn that part of the business.  But, I was lucky to be taught using good, kind, positive methods.  The men and people that I have worked with would rather have not trained a dog in the sport than to have forced a dog into the sport or to have used barbaric methods to train.

It is exhilarating work; and some of my most favorite times and memories have been spent in a bite suit!

Most often, I don’t talk about this type of training or these sports because they are so often misunderstood and people get so emotional about the training.  But I would NEVER subject my dogs to any type of training I am not comfortable with, and you would never know my dogs are trained by seeing them or coming to my home.  I have some of these kindest, most welcoming dogs you could ever meet!

But, I must admit to it and bring it up in this article so that I can share some information with you that only solidified my interpretation and the way that I train!

I love seminars and continuing my education when it comes to all facets of dog training.  I take every opportunity to travel and go to as many as time and finances will allow.  And, recently I had the opportunity to go to a 4 day seminar with all of my dogs based in the protection sports and given by a world renowned dog trainer/handler.

Even if I do not subscribe to all the training aids and all the many ways people train, I believe that I can learn something from everyone.  Even if that “something” is…I will NEVER do that!  Educating myself about the inter-workings of other sports and from other trainers makes me a better, more well rounded dog trainer.  I am confident in what I will do and what I will and will not allowed to be done with and to my dogs.

If you regularly read my articles you will know that I am a positive reinforcement trainer.  I am a convert actually, because I was taught to train dogs (almost 20 years ago) using prong collars and compulsion.  At 18 I really didn’t know any better, although I quickly changed my tune when I was introduced to my first clicker and Karen Pryor!

I don’t like compulsion or what other people call “corrections” at least not the physical kind.  I don’t think a person should have to use their brawn to get an animal to do something for them.  I think that humans can use their minds to get animals to want to perform for them!

I can’t say that this particular trainer/handler is as immersed in positive reinforcement training as I am!  But, I will say that he kept saying “Corrections make dogs crazy!”

Now, he is not from this country.  Most world renowned protection sports trainers aren’t, so I suppose there is room for translation.  But I think he knew exactly what he was saying.  At one time, he was “pro” making the dog crazy but all others he was against it.

Let me explain:

Object Located in the Woods

In one of the sports in question, the dog is sent into the woods to find a missing object with his nose.  Once the dog locates the object he must continually bark at the object until his handler comes to his side.  He is not to bite at or move the object, just stand there barking intensely for as long as it takes for his handler to get to him.

In this situation the trainer wants the dog to be crazy (intensely focused on the item) so that he doesn’t lose interest, grab the item, or go looking for his handler.  So, I found it very interesting that he encouraged physical correction around the item to build the intensity and focus from the dog.  The physical correction (pain) from the handler and the frustration, really does make the dog “crazy” and actually makes the dogs want the item MORE.

Now, please understand I will never be doing this or recommending this type of training.  I don’t own police dogs and I have no need for this type of training.  I am also aware that this type of training won’t work this way for ALL dogs.  Some dogs will have their spirit or their feelings broken.  But, the dogs in question are very “hard” naturally intense dogs.  Their instincts and genetics give them this fight drive.

How Does This Apply to the Average Dog Owner?

I realized that normal people sometimes get these “hard”, determined, and intense dogs that challenge them and have a lot of fight drive.  They are not of the “pleasing people for the sheer joy of it” kind of dogs.  They may be big or small; it is more about attitude and temperament than size or breed.  And, most of these dogs are NOT police dogs!!

But, corrections and physical pain actually lead to MORE FRUSTRATION and the heightening or the building of the behavior that most people DON’T want!  People think a well timed leash correction or some physical pain will actually stop a behavior, but I am here to tell you I watched time and time again that, that type of response only escalated the intensity and the aggressiveness of the behavior!

Calm responses and positively reinforcing good behavior leads to more good behavior.  I have never seen positive reinforcement lead to rage, frustration, or biting.  Positive reinforcement leads to thinking and problem solving and those behaviors are not conducive to rage and the intensity that it brings.

I have always said, “Aggression leads to aggression”.  A friend of mine use to say “Aggression is the first resource of the incompetent”, meaning a thinking animal or person doesn’t need aggression to deal with any situation.

Don’t get me wrong, most of the seminar was about using positive reinforcement, toys, treats, biting and other reinforcement to get the dogs to do what we wanted.  Most of the time when he said, “Corrections make dogs crazy!” he meant it in a bad way and didn’t want the person to use physicality to manipulate the dog; I had just never seen corrections used intentionally like that to frustrate a dog to make him more aggressive and intense!

So take it from me and use your brain to get your dog to do what you want it to, otherwise you may be creating an uncontrollable monster with physical pain and corrections!  Just another reason to get that clicker and start clicking!

Just Another Reason NOT to use Compulsion in Dog Training! is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

As a long time dog trainer, this has to be one of my favorite games and homework to give to my new clicker training clients.  I learned this game from Karen Pryor at a dog training seminar many years ago.  People have misconceptions about dog training and often it is easier for them (or so they think) to physically manipulate their dogs into complying.  It is hard to get an impatient person to wait for their dog to sit or lay down without giving a command, putting their hands on their dog, or even luring their dog into the position.

However, most people will not grab their dogs and throw them into the box (thankfully).  And, this task is especially good for nervous or shy dogs that would not regularly explore unknown things in their environment.

Take a large cardboard box (this is a great time of year where most people have boxes laying around) and cut the sides down if you have a smaller dog. Put the box on the floor and get your treats and clicker ready.

Treat from your hand, when I was looking through other videos on the internet people were throwing the treats at their dogs.  Stay close to your dog and hand him a treat for a correct response.

It Might Not Look Quite Like This at First!

• Click and treat every time your dog looks at the box, steps towards it or even in it.
• Click and treat even if he didn’t “mean” to touch the box.
• If he is cautious be patient and get excited about the box, don’t worry about over treating.
• If he is not looking at or moving toward the box simply shift your position or walk around the box yourself.
• Once your dog is familiar with the game and realizes it has something to do with the new box, click and treat every time he even touches the box.
• Reward him for stepping in or on, chewing on, or pushing the box with paws or nose.
• Next only reward a new behavior associated with the box.

Begin shaping a behavior depending on what your dog has been doing with the box i.e. if your dog is chewing on the box, will he pick it up?  If he is pushing it with his nose, will he push with his feet?

Now that he understands the game you can come up with some criteria; do you want him to sit, or lay down in it?  Would you like him to tip it over on top of himself?  Do you want him to carry it over to you? Or do you want him to do the hokey pokey with it; put his right paw in, take his right paw out…  The sky is the limit, but depends on the behaviors he is willing to show you.

When he gets close to the behavior you are aiming for give him a Jackpot (several treats or a better treat).

End on a good note and have a good time!

Take the box out tomorrow and see what your dog has retained and if you can shape a new behavior!

Fun with a Box is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

One of the questions that dog owners have with regard to training their dog is whether to hire a dog trainer or to train their dogs themselves.

There could be number of reasons why many people think that hiring a dog trainer for puppy training is more effective than self training. It could be that you do not have any time for puppy training or that you do not know where to start and how to go about puppy potty training. These are just some of the reasons why people hire a dog trainer for puppy training.

More Than Just Dog Training?

However, what many people do not understand is the fact that dog training or puppy training is not just about getting your dog to obey a few commands. It is rather about establishing a good relationship with your dog and about understanding your dog better so that you can tell them things in a way that they would understand and listen.

So in this context, you will not be able to establish good relationship with your dog unless and until you spend time with your dog and interact with your dog. This cannot be done by sending your dog for an expensive training.

Having said this, you should not be looking for a dog trainer rather a good dog training system that will help you with your puppy potty training, out of control barking training, etc…

Moreover, it is important to understand that dogs are very boundary-conscious pets. When you send your pet to a trainer it will get confused with regard to its own boundaries as well as the owner. They should first identify you as the owner. It is very likely to get confused when you send it to a new trainer in a new place.

Sending your dog to a trainer will also result in inconsistency. You and your dog trainer will not relate to the dog in the same way. For your dog trainer, your dog is just is job but for you it is your pet and it is almost like your family member. This will result in inconsistency.

If you cannot find time to spend with your pet then it is best not to own a pet. If you have time to spend with your pet, then you will as well be able to train your pet which is one of the best things for your pet.

You need not be an experienced dog trainer to deal with your dog effectively. All your pet requires is care and little patience and what you need is the right dog training manual that will help you with step by step training process.

Check out our Dog Training Program and Get the
Satisfaction of Having A Well Behaved Dog That You’re Responsible For!

Should You Train Your Dog Yourself Or Use a Trainer? is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

courtesy of www.clickertraining.com

Have you tried training your dog to do tricks and just when you think you are making some progress, your dog suddenly decides it does not want to obey your cue?  Maybe you think your dog just does not have what it takes or is just being stubborn.  Read this article to find out why you may be spoiling your clicker training success.

Poisoned Cues: The Case of the Stubborn Dog

by Rebecca Lynch, 4/1/10, Karen Pryor’s clickertraining.com

When I arrived at my client’s house last week, she was very excited to show me how well her dog Missy was doing with hand targeting. “Watch this!” Megan said as she gathered her clicker and treats. Missy was at full attention in front of her. Megan gave the cue, “touch,” and presented her hand. Missy took one look at her hand, ducked her head, and sat down to scratch. Megan tried again. Missy began sniffing the ground. Megan’s face dropped. “We’ve been practicing all week for you. Missy knows how to touch. Why is she being so stubborn?”

Was Missy being stubborn?

She had been excited to participate in the training up until the moment she heard the cue. She was fully focused on Megan and anxiously awaiting the opportunity to perform. But the moment she was given the cue, she changed her mind. And although scratching and sniffing seemed to Megan an act of defiance, I knew that Missy was actually giving stress signals. Missy was worried about touching Megan’s hand. Why was Missy worried? Just the week before, Missy was running from across the room to place her nose in Megan’s hand. What had happened?

Read the rest of Rebecca’s article.

Do you have a stubborn dog? is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

Using clicker training and rewards, Karen soon has Misha running and playing with all sorts of toys!

Watch as an old dog learns a new trick!

by Karen Pryor on 12/21/2009

You’d think that all dogs just love to play with toys, but its not true. Some dogs are scared of toys. With these dogs you have to teach them to play again.

Karen Pryor’s harelquin poodle, Misha, (that we talked about previously) is one. Misha’s late canine house mate Twitchett ruled the toy kingdom at home and rarely let poor Misha get in his fair share of fun and games. So, toys haven’t held much interest for Misha and can sometimes really scare him.

Read the rest of Karen’s article on overcoming a dog’s fear of toys here.

A Dog's Fear of Toys is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

I like that Karen not only took a look at the dogs behavior but examined herself which often times is the root of the problem. Us not the DOG!  Certainly worth the read and could be applied to almost any dog training situation.

A Scaredy-cat Dog

By Karen Pryor on 12/08/2009

Dealing with fear

I’ve had a lot of dogs in my life, Labradors and poodles and Great Danes and Border terriers, a Weimaraner, a collie, a golden, and a great mutt named Goulash. But I never had a fearful dog—until the current Dog-in-Residence, Misha, my German spotted poodle. He’s ten years old now, and still panics at every sudden sound or strange sight. If a new person or a new piece of furniture comes into the house, Misha has to lift his leg somewhere. If I’m too preoccupied by work, or, God forbid, annoyed with Misha, he vomits and has diarrhea, usually on the dining room rug, which of course makes me more annoyed.

Read the rest of Karen’s article on dealing with scared dogs here.

Dog Who's Afraid of Everything? is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog