Check back here every week for new tips, hints and secrets!
It’s a Pack Thing!
Insider Training Tips and Secrets
It’s All A Balancing Act!
August 23, 2010
Too much or too little will result in imbalance, whether with dogs or humans. Aggression or misbehaviour problems in dogs are often the result of either abuse or overindulgence. Both extremes can produce the same thing and may result in a dog that is anxious, fearful, antisocial, obnoxious, or aggressive. Spoiled dogs have an inflated view of their importance and privileges, and abused dogs live their lives in fear and constant stress, which makes them more likely to lash out at a potential or perceived threat where there is none. We owners should make an effort to keep a balance between affection and incorporating boundaries in our dogs’ daily routines!Hurry Up and Wait!
August 9, 2010
Clients typically ask me how long it will take for their dog to master a certain behaviour, or stop doing an unwanted activity. Unfortunately, trainers don’t carry a crystal ball that tells us the time-frame each dog will require to achieve the success we want, so the answer is, “It will take as long as it takes!” It’s the same as a child learning to walk—when a baby tries to take those very first few steps, she is probably not going to sail effortlessly across the living room floor without taking a little tumble after a step or two, and the process of a child learning to walk successfully is going to take as long as it takes. In fact, when working with dogs, sometimes slowing down our physical movements and rate/amount of speech can actually speed up the training process, because the dog can then relax and not feel pressured to deliver the results on our typically compressed human time schedules. As I explain to clients, if you’re mentally or physically rushed while trying to elicit a particular behaviour from your dog and act like you only have five minutes, it could take all day. If you’re relaxed, calm, and act like you have all day, it may take only five minutes.Switch To Decaf—You’ll Be Glad You Did!
July 12, 2010
I think of the testosterone circulating through a male dog’s body as the equivalent of non-stop cups of espresso coffee. Male dogs that have not been neutered can operate on a whole different level of crazy than male dogs that have had the surgery. Think of it this way: male dogs that have testosterone coursing through their system have an unassailable drive to find a female to mate with, and not being able to do so can leave them feeling hugely frustrated. This frustration manifests itself in unwanted behaviours such as mounting (humping), urine-marking, running away from home, and increased aggression. In addition, unneutered, or “intact,” males run a much higher risk for diseases such as testicular tumours, hernias, and prostate disease. Insisting that a male dog remain intact is essentially the same as if someone made you drink 10 cups of espresso in a row and then forced you to sit quietly in a chair for several hours without moving, talking, reacting, or fidgeting. By taking away the testosterone hormone from a male dog’s body, it’s like switching him from drinking espressos to drinking decaf, and allows him to finally relax and just enjoy being a dog.So Glad YOU Feel Better--Now I'M Homeless!!
June 28, 2010
An acquaintance, who is an aspiring dog trainer, has five small dogs--let’s call them Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, & Rudolf. Rudolf and Dancer fight frequently, and the fights have been violent enough to require repeated trips to the vet. “Susan,” the owner, has, in her own words, “tried everything” to get them to stop fighting. However, Rudolf is allowed to be a bully and frequently picks on Dancer. Susan does not intervene at the first sign of Rudolf exhibiting obnoxious, bullying behaviour, and tries to fix it with armchair leadership. Instead of striving to be a composed, confident leader and going over to address the situation and physically separate the dogs with a body block or redirection before low-level behaviour escalates into aggression, Susan ignores Rudolf’s early signals of bullying. When Rudolf’s behaviour does escalate and result in a scuffle, Susan indulges her human frustration with outbursts of impatience and screaming. While I happened to be visiting the home talking with Susan, Rudolf kept body-blocking Dancer from receiving affection from the humans, and gave signals that one schooled in dog body-language would recognize as possible precursors to a fight. Rudolf then escalated to growling and posturing at Dancer, and Susan literally stopped mid-sentence and screamed, ”Rudolph!” at the top of her lungs. It was so loud it actually made me jump. Shortly after that episode, Rudolf, the dog Susan thought was the source of the pack’s imbalance, was surrendered back to a shelter and made homeless. Even though our initial human reaction to dogs behaving badly may be to want to curse, scream, shout, or hurt them physically, it is not a method that will correct and improve their behaviour, or let them know what it is we want them to do.Take Your Dog To Work!
June 21, 2010
June 25th is this year's Take Your Dog to Work Day! Make an effort to bring your best furry friend with you to work this Friday! According to Pet Sitters International, studies have shown that allowing dogs in the workplace increases productivity and creativity, decreases absenteeism, and improves co-worker relationships. Visit the event web site, Take Your Dog, to find more details, download their Action Kit, and participate in the annual fun photo contest! Cesar Millan also offers some tips for creating a cohesive Office Pack and achieving and maintaining harmony in the workplace.Drive Friendly — Be Considerate And Share The Road!
June 7, 2010
If you’re out walking your dog and another dog and owner come your way, be considerate and try to “Share the road!” We are lucky to live near four different walking paths just down the street where our dogs can run off leash, with a stone wall on one side and a deep canal on the other. The other day, an owner walking her dog headed right towards us and the path we were on, despite having the choice of three other equally appropriate walking paths. She let her dog off leash, and I immediately had to leash our two in the interest of safety and courtesy to the other dog and owner. As it turns out, all dogs were friendly and eager to meet each other, but one never knows the disposition and temperament of other dogs, or whether an owner is practicing training techniques at any given time. I would have greatly appreciated it if she had chosen another path with her dog, allowing all of us to relax, enjoy our walk, and wave from across the canal in a relaxed greeting!I Heart JBPet.com!
May 24, 2010
If you’re looking for supplies for your dog or cat and enjoy shopping on line, you can find a lot of products at Petsmart, Amazon, and Doctors Foster and Smith. One website I recently found and now prefer, however, has a huge selection of the same products you’d find at more well-known stores but at much lower prices—check it out! JBPet.comPet Poetry?!?
May 10, 2010
I’m thinking of having a plaque made to hang outside our front door, with a little poem along the lines of,Our dogs are friendly
But still kind of shy
Don't talk to them just yet,
But look Mom in the eye!
My sister and her husband came for a visit two weeks ago and, knowing they were going to be here a full week, I wanted the introduction between them and our three rescue dogs to be smooth, unintimidating, and as comfortable as possible (not that they’re intimidating people; our dogs just can take a little while to warm up to visitors). I asked both Angie and Ted to walk through the door after me and basically ignore our dogs without talking to them, looking at them, or trying to pet them. After a while, Sadie and Tasha came up and took their time to sniff and get to know the visitors. After a few minutes of no pressure from the two new people, Sadie and Tasha warmed up quickly and let Angie and Ted pet and greet them, and were comfortable with them in the house for the rest of the week. When we communicate with dogs in a fashion that they view as polite and considerate, it can go a long way towards relaxing them quickly.
Can You Ear Me Now?!
April 19, 2010
I think of living with our three dogs as living with three expressive, intelligent, mute souls. Since dogs are not able to speak in human language, they use virtually all of their body parts to communicate with us and with each other. You can learn to decipher some of your dog’s body language, and thereby his emotional and psychological state, by observing changes his ears, eyes, mouth, tail, fur, and overall posture, and these changes speak volumes. When interacting with your dog, watch his body language carefully. If you reach to pet or hug him and he responds with averted eyes, a yawn, a lick of the lips, freezing up, sniffing the ground, or scratching himself, do him a huge favour: say “Ok!” and just walk away. He will heave a huge sigh of relief (and probably take a “shake break”), realizing that you just deciphered his signals and can understand his “language,” which will go a huge way towards nurturing the trust between the two of you. While we owners can’t possibly hope to decipher every single instance of dog body language, as they can be so quick and so subtle, there are some common signal dogs use that can let us know when they are feeling uncomfortable, fearful, or ready to defend themselves. Turid Rugaas, a pioneer in the field of canine body language, has listed these signals on her webpage. It’s a fascinating topic and worth checking out!Too Much Cute Could Cost You Loot!
April 12, 2010
Keep in mind when bringing a new dog home, especially a puppy, that behaviours you find cute in the beginning can become just the opposite once the dog reaches her full size. A fluffy little St. Bernard puppy that likes to jump up for attention, chew on your fingers, or run into your legs will grow into a 100-pound missile if you don't redirect those activities when the puppy is small. While family members may put up with such rambunctious behaviour and find it amusing, guests visiting your home who find themselves flat on their backs with a St. Bernard giving their face a bath may not be so understanding. In addition, a dog that gets big enough to destroy objects or injure people will undoubtedly incur expenses you never planned on!Don’t Struggle—Just Be!
March 29, 2010
Effective pack leaders don’t struggle to achieve or maintain leadership; they just live their lives. If a dog sees or senses a leader struggling, it can cause him to panic, because in the animal kingdom, struggling equates to weakness, and a weak leader can threaten the survival of the pack. Dogs do not regard anger, frustration, nervousness, guilt, coddling, or being tense as a source of leadership, and will not follow such energy regardless of our intentions, good or bad. Our dogs derive the most comfort and sense of security when their leaders project an air of being relaxed and confident, even if we’re not always sure what our next move is going to be!Don't Be (or Give) A Jerk!
March 15, 2010
If you have taught your dog how to sit and are practicing that behaviour while working with him on a leash, wait a few seconds for him to process the command and then respond properly, especially if you are working in an area with a lot of distractions. It is imperative that the dog know what the word "Sit" means, because just saying it doesn't let him know what action he should take unless you have first taught him what the word means. (If I asked you in German, "Aufstehen!" would you know what to do unless I had taught you that Aufstehen means "stand up"?) If your dog doesn't immediately sit, and his eyes and head drift off to one side, reposition your body so that you are squarely facing him, and walk half a step to a step forward into his space. That will usually get him to look up at you to see what you're doing, at which time you can calmly repeat, "Sit," and wait again for him to comply. If you ask your dog to sit and get no response, do not jerk or pull up on the leash. If I told you "Aufstehen!" and you did not respond, would it help you understand what I wanted if I just said nothing and reached over and smacked you in the head? It would be more helpful if I stood squarely in front of you and placed my palm facing upwards and raised it a few inches. We should treat our dogs with the same respect, fairness, and patience.Yours, Mime, and Ours?!?
March 8, 2010
See how much you can communicate without using words. Dogs use body language, position, energy, and touch to communicate with each other. A true top-dog uses mental control (not physical domination) to earn respect and willing compliance from lower-ranking individuals. We can learn from this and give our dogs a chance to read our body language and intentions to figure out what we want them to do. A prime example is in the allocation of space: if you want your dog not to rush to the front door and block you when a visitor rings the doorbell, don’t stand behind the dog yelling and tugging at his collar, body, or leash. Instead, pretend you’re a soccer player: the door is the goal, you’re the goalie, and your dog is the opposing team. That means that in order to “reclaim” your access to the door, you will get between the dog and the door, face the dog, and silently move your body forward with small shuffling steps to get the dog’s body out of the space you want. It can be as much space as you desire; a two-foot, five-foot, or 10-foot square that you claim as your property, for as long as you deem necessary. Once the dog has given you that space, follow up with a happy “Yes! Good job!” to let him know that’s what you wanted!It Takes A Village!
March 1, 2010
Make sure all your family members, friends, and visitors to your home abide by your established rules when interacting with your dog. If you have decided that you don’t want your 150-pound Great Dane jumping on people and would rather have her sit instead for attention, don’t allow well-meaning friends to ignore your wishes and say, “Oh, I don’t mind the jumping, it’s ok!” Informing people who interact with your dog about your house rules also means monitoring how they interact with your dog. If a person engages your dog in a rough, intimidating, or teasing manner in the name of “play” or makes your dog uncomfortable, it is your job as leader to intervene, protect your dog, and inform others that that is not how they should interact with your dog and that they are not permitted to treat your family member that way. Leaving your dog to fend for himself, or encouraging or ignoring unwanted human behavior will only serve to confuse the dog, reduce his trust in you, and possibly engender in him a fear and mistrust of humans. This could eventually result in a fearful lunge or defensive bite when the dog tries to protect himself and defend his personal space because he feels you aren’t doing it for him. Our dogs have the right to decide how much space they are comfortable with, and the right to be left in peace, especially around strangers.Take a Shake Break!
February 8, 2010
Start observing how often your dog shakes after an interaction! Whenever dogs need a “reset button” to calm or restabilize their internal emotions, they will shake themselves off. When dogs are playing or wrestling, for example, this action, known as a “calming gesture,” also serves to tell the other dog, “Ok, quick break, let’s take five,” and prevents their play activity from escalating into something more serious. Dogs will frequently shake after basically any new or unfamiliar encounter with another dog, human, or situation. Each time our Husky-mix Tasha alerts us that someone is at the door, as soon as we ask her to sit, tell her “Thank you!” open the door, speak to the visitor, then close the door again, Tasha will shake and then go lie down to relax. It has become so predictable with both her and her sister Sadie that we’ve been able to put “Shake!” on cue, which really helps during brushing and grooming sessions!And I’m Not Your Granny’s Fondue Pot!
January 18, 2010
Remember going to grandmother’s house as a kid, where she would pull out her fancy china, best linens, fondue pot, and special crystal to celebrate your visits? (In our case, our grandmother had a closet where she stored the gifts she got from her five itinerant military sons. My uncles and father routinely brought back beautiful gifts such as pearls and a silk kimono from Japan, linens from Europe, and souvenirs from all over, all of which she permanently kept safe in the closet and declared “just too pretty to use!”) Problems arise in today’s households whenever dog owners treat their furry family members like the ignored fondue pot that occasionally gets pulled out to use only when THEY feel like it. Dogs don’t understand being ignored for long periods of time, and a persistent lack of interaction with their family members actually makes it harder for the owners to accomplish any sort of successful training with their dog. Clients who force their dogs to live outside often call me complaining that their dog “always gets too excited, and jumps on us every time we go outside.” That’s because the poor dog is longing to be included into his human pack, and every time a family member goes outside to feed or interact with him, the dog gets overly excited because that person is as intoxicating as a trip to Disneyland! If a dog gets to hang out with his family and sleep inside the house on a daily basis, he won’t become nearly as excited and hyper when humans do appear!I’m Not A Toaster!
January 3, 2010
A dog that is psychologically “balanced” is totally calm, relaxed and content within his body. Every dog needs his own period of time to learn and to become balanced; it’s not something that can be rushed, and not something that happens automatically when you bring a new dog home and want to “plug” him into the family—dogs are not appliances. Make sure your dog is calm before introducing him to any experience out of the ordinary such as a visit to the pet store, veterinarian, or dog park. The best way to achieve that is through a nice long walk to relax him physically and mentally; that will result in less stress, resistance, and nervousness—for him and for you!Violence and Intimidation Are Not The Training Answer!
December 21, 2009
I have had several prospective clients call me looking for a new trainer because they were unhappy with the “training” methods they were subjected to while attending classes conducted by a local kennel. Some of the reported methods of “correction” at this facility included: hitting a dog on the head with a metal food bowl because the dog didn’t do as requested—that’s not training, that’s abuse. Hanging a dog from the end of his leash such that he is suspended in the air and choking—that’s not training, that’s abuse. Telling students to bring in items they wish their dogs to leave alone so that they can “set them up to fail” by rebuking them harshly when they investigate the items—that’s not training; that’s abuse. Instructing students to “alpha roll” the dogs onto their backs in order to “establish dominance” as Lesson One—that’s not training, that’s abuse. Using a prong-collar on a fearful, shy dog as the first "corrective" method of leash training—that’s not training, that’s abuse.While I in no way claim to be the All-Knowing, Infallible Training Goddess of the Universe, I recognize cruelty and abuse when I see and hear about them. The methods outlined above, which were widely used 40 years ago, have been found to be not only abusive, but also ineffective. Here’s why: a study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania revealed that employing “old-school” dominance-based techniques “does little to correct improper behavior and can elicit aggressive responses.”
If owners attempted to “punish” unwanted behavior out of a dog (rather than making the effort to catch and reward the behaviors they did like), they would have to make sure they corrected the dog every time he misbehaved, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or else the dog would view the punishment as inconsistent and random. Dogs then learn quickly that they can get away with what we consider bad behavior whenever we’re out of the house because they aren’t being "punished" for their actions, which in turn reinforces behavior we don’t want.
Studies have proven that using punishment-based “training” results in learned helplessness, meaning that a dog will just give up and comply in order to make the pain or abuse stop. Dogs subjected to this method become apathetic, slow to learn, lethargic, fearful of offering behaviors, and "behaviourally flat." Many people (especially advocates of these outdated, confrontational methods) confuse a dog’s giving up with success; they assert that the dog is no longer "misbehaving," which must mean that he has been “trained.” What they don’t realize is that the unwanted behavior may have been inhibited in that instance at that moment, but that the dog is very likely to react with aggression when reprimanded harshly in a similar situation in the future.
If you find a trainer using abusive methods who says, “Don’t worry, this works great!” remember that just because something works doesn't mean it’s the best or most humane way. Can a dentist extract a tooth without using novocaine? Yes. Is it humane? No. Is there a better way? Yes. Do your dog a favor and find a trainer who uses positive reinforcement methods rather than physical punishment, intimidation, and dominance. To quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “If our peace is our goal, then our means must be peaceful.”
This Is Not The Golden Corral!
December 7, 2009
Dogs that are allowed to “free feed” (when their food bowls are left down all day for them to access whenever they want) often exhibit more behavior problems than dogs that have set mealtimes every day. Giving your dog regularly scheduled mealtimes is beneficial and will HeLP you as the leader in at least three different ways: Health, Leadership, and Potty Training. Health: If you know how much your dog typically eats at each meal, you can detect possible medical issues earlier if you notice either an increase or a decrease in his appetite. Unless your veterinarian has advised otherwise, dogs, like humans, benefit from having their food divided into at least two meals per day to aid digestion rather than overloading the digestive system with one large meal a day. Leadership: If your dog is allowed to free-feed, you have given away a leadership “bargaining chip.” That's because your dog will not see you as the keeper of resources if he is allowed to eat whenever he wants without having to give you something first. Asking your dog to sit or wait calmly before each meal is a small “job” he can do to earn the “salary” of a meal. Potty Training: Especially with young dogs, knowing exactly when your dog has eaten a meal will mean that he will need to go to the bathroom 15-20 minutes afterwards. It’s the basic principle of, “What goes in, must come out!” Taking your dog to an outside potty spot and gently encouraging him with a cue word such as “Potty!” or “Toilet!” will tell him exactly where he has to go—following this up with praise and affection when he’s done his business will let him know he’s done what you wanted!If It Ain't Broke...!
November 30, 2009
Dogs do what works; they don’t engage in particular behaviors just to be obnoxious or annoying, believe it or not! If your dog has discovered that jumping up and putting his paws on your chest will result in a) getting your attention and b) getting you to pet him, he will keep doing it because it works. If you decide you don’t want this behavior and give your dog an incompatible, alternate action to perform instead (like sitting) which will result in the dog a) getting your attention and b) getting you to pet your him, your dog’s habit of jumping up to get your attention will result in extinction, meaning that he will no longer attempt that behavior because it no longer gets him the result he wants, whereas sitting gets him what he wants: your attention and praise. If your dog learns that he can’t rely on a daily walk to drain his energy, but that chewing on soft, expensive leather shoes or digging a 10-foot hole in the back yard will help relieve his boredom and give him a release for his energy and something to alleviate the mind-numbing boredom, he will keep doing it because it works.Rules Rule!
November 23, 2009
In nature, a pack leader makes the rules and sticks to them rather than capriciously changing them from day to day. The rules for the family dog should be consistent—there should be the same results for the same behavior, from all family members, all the time. If you decide you do not want your dog to bark at the cat, decide how you want to correct and redirect that behavior, and make sure all family members take the same action, each and every time: each instance of unwanted behavior must be corrected consistently every time and in the same way.Balance Me Before You Train Me!
November 9, 2009
While most new clients call me in a panic saying their dog needs “training,” what they usually mean is their dog needs behavior modification. While “obedience training” serves to add desired behaviors (sit, stay, come, heel) to a psychologically balanced dog’s repertoire, behavior modification serves to remove unwanted behaviors (jumping, barking, digging, eating the cat) by establishing leadership. Obedience training should be attempted only after a dog has achieved psychological stability and is receptive and submissive to the human pack leader. While balance and leadership are achieved using a consistent series of steps on a daily basis throughout the dog’s life, obedience training is an activity that should take place a few times a week in short 5-10 minute sessions. A popular training method is clicker training. Using the small, hand-held clicker device provides a neutral, consistent indicator of success for the dog, meaning that it tells the dog “Good job!” the same way every time without ambiguity or emotional variance. It serves to alleviate any tension that may occur between dog and trainer, and allows the dog to work on his own, respond to his environment, and make choices on his own. The learning process is more relaxed. When learning happens in a relaxed way, the lessons are retained more quickly and smoothly.Tell Me What You Want!
October 11, 2009
Although I tell clients that their overall discipline philosophy should be the Nancy Reagan approach—Just Say No!—to behaviors they don’t like, in actual practice, it is important not to constantly just say the word No! when giving a dog a correction. The reason for that is because if your dog is barking at the front door or chewing on a shoe or chasing the kitty, yelling “NO!” serves only to interrupt the behavior temporarily and inform the dog of what you want him not to do, without telling him what you want him to do. Think of an opposite or alternative action you would like your dog to take, and use that word instead. If your dog is barking at the door, walk up to him (remember, "armchair leadership" doesn’t work), say “Quiet,” or whatever word you choose, and then ask him to do an alternate, incompatible behavior such as sit, go to your bed, or lie down, then praise him when he does. Just make sure the dog knows the meaning of the command you give and has done it successfully in the past, otherwise it’s not fair and won’t make sense to him.The Name Game!
September 21, 2009
Start naming everything your dogs commonly do and encounter in order to create a conversation using words like “Outside,” “Inside,” “Dinner,” “Water,” etc. You can even do it with fun behaviors you catch them doing and want them to repeat on cue—you’ll be surprised at how just saying a particular word at the moment your dog is doing something “cute” will stick with them enough that, after a few times, you can then say the cue word and get the behavior! You can cue natural behaviours your dog does on his own to create fun tricks. Start watching for behaviours your dog does naturally that you think are cute, and if it’s something you can predict is going to happen, give a cue word right before the behavior occurs. Our two dogs have little habits they do that we’ve trained them to exhibit on cue: when Sadie lies down on her side, she'll often rub her paws over her nose; I started giving her the cue, “Say your prayers!” in a happy, upbeat voice, and now she does it on command! Our other dog, Tasha, will lie on her back and paw the air with both front feet when she wants a tummy rub, and I’ve started telling her, “Go swimming!” It may take a while for them to catch on, but it’s a fun thing to try!It’s The Leash You Can Do!
September 7, 2009
The best leash to use when walking your dog is either a nylon or leather 4- or 5- foot leash. This type of leash will help you stay in control of your dog during the walk and enable you to keep him close by your side as well as extend the leash enough to let him have freedom to sniff and go to the bathroom when you decide he can. If you have a dog that pulls, using a traditional harness will actually encourage him to pull more due to a dog’s innate oppositional reflex. This also applies to using an extendable “flexi-leash”: when a dog is consistently allowed to drag his owner down the street without having to pay attention to where the owner wants to go, this communicates to him that he is leading the walk and that his owner is simply along for the ride and fulfilling the role of Official Leash Holder. The flexi-leash also encourages pulling, since a dog will learn over time that if he pulls forward just a bit on the leash, he can keep going farther and farther forward!'Splain It to Me Gently!
August 17, 2009
Leadership does not mean shouting, hitting, kicking, or rubbing a dog’s nose in excrement; pack leaders never hit, kick, slap, or physically abuse their subordinates, and neither should we. It makes no sense to a dog and only serves to instill confusion, fear, distrust, and sometimes aggression. It is our job as human "pack leaders" to explain to our dogs exactly what behavior we want or don't want using a form of communication the dog can understand. Pack leaders do correct with touch, but it is consistent, painless, non-emotional, and over with quickly.Be A Fair Enforcer!
August 2, 2009
Corrections and discipline can be enforced ONLY at the time of the “infraction”—we cannot correct a dog’s misbehavior after the fact, and we must be specific. Dogs live in the moment and do not understand why they would be yelled at or physically abused three hours after chewing up a shoe, since they do not make the connection between the correction and the ruined shoe. It’s a myth that dogs experience the emotion of guilt—they don’t, according to a recent scientific study. Although a dog may look "guilty” when being yelled at, scolded, or punished, this is simply a reaction to us throwing a tantrum, and the canine body language you would see (head down, turning the nose away, blinking rapidly, yawning, licking lips, ears down, urinating) is their attempt to send us “calming signals” to do just that—calm down. If you were to walk up to your dog at this very moment and begin scolding him out of the blue for nothing, he would have exactly the same physical reaction as if he were being scolded for something he did several minutes or hours before—it would make no sense and leave him confused, scared, and less ready to trust you (so don’t do it—it would be mean). When you do correct your dog, be specific about what behavior is being addressed. Here’s an example to illustrate why we have to be specific: I witnessed a friend’s large six-month-old Great Dane enjoying a swim in their pool, which was completely fine. A small child got into the pool, and the over-excited puppy paddled over to the child to play. The child began to panic, screamed, scared the dog, and the dog tried frantically to swim away from the screaming child, and ended up accidentally scratching her with his nails in the process. The dog’s owner came over, dragged “Hamlet” from the water, shouted, “Bad dog!!” and promptly sequestered him in another section of the yard without any further interaction. The dog at that point was left completely confused and wondering, “What exactly did I do wrong? Jump INTO the pool? Get OUT of the pool? Swim towards the kid? Swim away from the kid? Fetch the ball in the pool?” The owner should have made sure to monitor the situation and remain with both the child and the dog in the pool until she was sure Hamlet comprehended the concept of being gentle and calm around the child.Happy Happy Joy Joy!
July 20, 2009
When human beings are extremely happy or thrilled to bits, it’s not unusual for us to get excited and jump up and down. We mistakenly transfer this concept when we assume that the same behavior in a dog automatically means he is feeling happy. Dogs are what we would define as “happy” or “content” when they are in a calm, polite state, which means they are psychologically balanced. Even though it may look like happiness to us, excitement, jumping, and panting in a dog does not necessarily equal happiness—it just means they’re excited. Calm obedience in a dog means they are feeling relaxed, safe, and secure. We humans experience this “calm, obedient” state when we are reading a book or sitting in a lecture, church, or concert hall.A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste!
July 13, 2009
While it’s important that we make the big, day-to-day decisions for our dogs, such as when to eat, how much to eat, when and where to walk, when and how to play, and so on, they also need to have the opportunity to think for themselves, make decisions for themselves, and choose what behavior they will pursue based on what the consequences will be. For example, a dog should develop enough self-discipline to weigh the options of whether to be nice to the family cat or eat the family cat, and know that being nice to the cat will result in positive reinforcement like praise and possibly treats from the pack leader, whereas eating the cat will result in admonishments, negative punishment (a training term, meaning “the removal of something the dog likes,” like human attention), and an unhappy pack leader. It is especially tempting to coddle dogs who may have had difficult histories or illnesses in the past, because that’s how we nurture human beings back to health, but too much protection, indulgence, and affection will produce a dog that is allowed to get away with whatever he wants with no consequences. As I told a recent client who had a gorgeous Doberman Pinscher that had had a rough start in life, even though the dog survived some shaky times in the past, she’s now a beautiful, healthy, strong, amazing girl. The dog is not obsessing about what happened when she was three months old, and she’s certainly psychologically strong enough to begin following some basic rules and boundaries and learning to be polite. Don't let your dog hold past illnesses or difficulties over your head—it would be the same thing as me milking my immobilization after the shoulder surgery I had last summer to repair a torn rotator cuff: my husband was amazing at taking care of me, cooking meals, taking care of the dogs and cats, running the household, and fulfilling all our other obligations. It would be selfish of me and somewhat manipulative to demand that he still do all those things for me even though I’m now healthy enough to do things for myself, and that’s how we can look at it with our dogs—they won’t ever learn to make decisions for themselves if they’re not challenged to think for themselves and make choices based on what the consequences will be.Are You Positive About Reinforcement?
July 6, 2009
Here’s an experiment: try to become mindful of how often you give your dog affection, treats, and positive attention. Start noticing when you’re petting or hugging your dog, and keep this in mind: every time we give a dog affection, we are reinforcing the behavior that came immediately before it. This means that if your dog is barking and you pet him, you have just communicated to him that barking is a good thing, and petting is his reward, or positive reinforcement. If your dog lunges at another dog and you give him a biscuit to try and calm him down, you have just communicated that lunging is good and a biscuit is his reward. Never give a dog affection or positive reinforcement if his mind is in an unstable state. If you pet or reward a dog when he is nervous, afraid, aggressive, hyper, or anxious, you are reinforcing and nurturing a negative state of mind or behavior and telling him it’s OK to behave that way.Walk This Way!
June 22, 2009
The way a leader can properly “lead” on the daily walk is by following a consistent series of steps every time. The walk actually begins before you ever leave the house—by that I mean, your internal attitude or intention should be to make sure you’re in charge of the walk—don’t race out the door while planning a thousand other things you need to accomplish—be living in the moment and strive to be mindfully present with your dog. I usually envision something like, “I’m a decisive pack leader. We are going on a walk, migrating as a pack, and are off to hunt wildebeest,” because our dogs can feel whether or not I’m walking with them or distracted by my own daily concerns. Step one of the walk should be to make sure your dog comes to you and is in a calm state when you attach the leash. There should be no jumping, barking or biting, and you should not have to chase your dog to attach a leash. This may take several repetitions before the dog understands what he is required to do. The second step is to have the dog wait quietly in front of the door while you open it—the dog should not dart out in front of you, but should respectfully wait to let you exit the house first and then follow. Have your dog wait calmly while you close the front door, and make sure to repeat the process when you come back into the house.Be The Master of My Domain!
June 15, 2009
If a dog has a phobia about something or someone, it’s often because the dog feels the owner has not taken charge of his “universe” and is therefore worried about every unfamiliar encounter or object. Until you demonstrate that you are the pack leader, your dog won’t trust you enough to let go of his fears and obsessions. Once a dog sees that the human is in control, he will relax and not feel he has to assume a dominant or fearful way of being.Be An Oprah, Not An Adolf!
June 1, 2009
We should be leaders in the way that Oprah Winfrey is a leader, rather than being cruel, impatient dictating leaders (like Hitler). Both are leaders, but one supports, directs, and earns respect by using firmness, kindness and respect, and one just demands compliance by using brutality and malevolence, with often devastating results. Leaders lead and expect pack members to follow. Dogs fall into confusion and insecurity when left to make all the decisions for themselves. When an alpha wolf wakes up in the morning and rouses the rest of the pack, he decides exactly where they’re going, what they’re going to hunt for food, and when they’re going to eat. It’s not a democracy—he doesn’t stroll amidst pack members mulling, “I’m thinking, antelope for breakfast today—any objections?” And dogs actually derive a sense of security from having those decisions made for them—it’s like lifting a hugely heavy mantle of responsibility from their shoulders and not forcing them to face the world all by themselves.Beat Feet, But Mind The Heat!
May 18, 2009
While it’s an excellent idea to take your dog on a daily morning walk, be mindful of El Paso’s rapidly climbing temperatures before you venture outside. While all dogs are susceptible to heat stroke in high temperatures, many breeds are particularly vulnerable: dogs with thick and/or long coats; dogs that are dark in color; and dogs with short noses like pugs, boxers, and Boston terriers, as they can overheat quite easily. Observe your dog carefully when outside, and if you notice any of the early signs of heat exhaustion (heavy panting, rapid breathing, salivation, fatigue, unsteady gait, muscle tremors, and staggering while walking), be sure to find shade or head home quickly so your dog can cool down. Also be aware that a hot pavement can cause major pain to your dog’s unprotected paw pads. If you suspect the street you’re on might be a little hot, slip off one shoe and place your bare foot on the pavement for a few seconds to see whether it feels overly warm. Check out this webpage that provides further helpful information about walking, hiking, and driving with your dog in the summertime.How Low Can You Go?
May 4, 2009
I want to challenge you to communicate with your dog in the most calm and quiet way possible. Think about interacting with your dog using a sliding scale of intensity ranging from one to ten — try to keep the scale fluid and have varying degrees of interaction rather than always communicating at one particular level of intensity and volume. For example, if your dog is in the kitchen and you would like him to exit, try communicating at a Level One—silently. Use your body language, perhaps pointing an arm in the direction you would like your dog to go, before attempting to get the behavior you want using a verbal command. If the physical cue doesn’t work, ramp up your communication to Level Two or Three—calmly and firmly say “Out” as you give the physical/pointing-arm cue. If that doesn’t work, try a Level Four: walk towards your dog and shuffle him out of the kitchen as you say “Out” a little more firmly. Keep ramping up the cues, physically and verbally, ONE level at a time, until you get the desired response. While using this technique is not practical in emergency or time-sensitive situations, try experimenting with your body language and verbal tone in situations that aren’t critical and in which you aren’t in a hurry—you’ll be surprised at how your dog starts to watch you and want to interact with you to deduce your requests! This also challenges a dog psychologically to use his brain to work out what is being asked, and makes him feel good when he can figure it out rather than being yelled at daily for basic requests. We should all have a “range” in our tool-box of communication rather than just reacting at Level Eight every time we want our dogs to do something—good leaders don’t react, they respond. The more we say, the less they listen, and conversely, the less we say, the more they listen!Reason #810...
April 20, 2009
... to keep your dog adequately exercised, mentally stimulated, and psychologically challenged so that boredom and frustration won't come out through inappropriate behavior:
You've been warned. >;-)