Children and Puppies: Handling Chasing and Biting

I have several clients right now with young puppies and young children.  It can be a precious mix, especially when the kids are just old enough to be helping feed, walk and train their new family member.  It can be an adorable, fun interaction. That is, until those kids are ready to burn off some energy and start racing around the house or yard with the puppy snapping after them like a furry little alligator. 

"How do we handle this?" the parents want to know.  It partly depends on the age and training level of the puppy, but in general, you begin with management and progress to training.  That's to say, when the puppy is very young your best bet is to manage the situation.  As puppy grows training will play more and more of a role until management is no longer an important part of the picture.

So what is management versus training?  In the case of a puppy chasing, jumping on and biting at children who are playing wildly, management will start with the use of a crate.  When the children are playing quietly they should be taught how to interact properly around the puppy, but all kids have those times where they are over-the-top with energy - this is a time to put the puppy in its crate, along with a stuffed Kong or a safe chew toy.  It's just not fair to expect your children to change their behavior (they are truly being children after all), and it's not fair to ask your puppy to ignore everything instinctual (running, chasing, tackling and biting that squealing human puppy).

As the puppy matures a little and gets some training, it's time to move onto a new phase of management.  Instead of crating your puppy when the kids are being wild, try putting the puppy on a leash and allowing them to watch, but not join in, the craziness.  Try to keep your puppy busy with some easy obedience training (don't forget your treats and clicker), games or toys.  If puppy finds it too frustrating then he or she may not be quite ready to move beyond quiet time in the crate.

Once your puppy can handle things on leash, the next step is allowing the puppy to remain loose while the children play, closely supervised by you.  Use the time to practice some recalls (coming when called).  Give lots of praise for every successful recall - that's a tough exercise!  This is also a great opportunity to work on down-stay or "settle."

Keep things fun and positive, and remember, be sure to set your puppy up for success.  These first few months are setting the stage for the behavior and relationship you get with your puppy over the next 12 or more years.  Take the time to do it right and you will be rewarded many times over!

Why Won't My Dog Listen to Me?

One of a dog owner’s greatest frustrations can be a dog that doesn’t listen to what they are told to do.  You may feel that you spend an endless amount of time calling your dog into the house, trying to keep them from jumping, or attempting to get their attention when you are out for a walk.  Or maybe there are simply times you feel your dog has very selective hearing.

All dogs can be good listeners, but they need the proper guidance and relationship with their owners to achieve this.  If your dog doesn’t listen to you, one of the following is probably the reason.

You aren’t as much fun as whatever your dog is doing.  Many of the occasions when our dogs tune us out are simply because there is something more interesting to do.  If you are trying to call your dog in from the backyard and aren’t getting any response, your dog has probably learned that there is a greater reward in ignoring you – more squirrels to chase, more time to smell the grass, etc.  Plenty of dogs listen well at home, but when they are taken out, to the park or into town, they quickly stop listening to even the simplest commands.  In any of these situations, getting upset or frustrated won’t make your dog any more likely to pay attention.  The only way to get your dog’s attention is to become more interesting than whatever they are currently doing.  Make yourself fun, make yourself interesting, and make yourself exciting!

Fear of punishment.  If you correct your dog for something, you should be confident that you are addressing a behavior that you do not want repeated, and that your dog will associate the correction with that exact behavior, not something else.  For example, if your dog gets out the front door and leads you on an hour long chase through the neighborhood, chances are by the time you catch up to him you will be quite frustrated, if not outright angry.  However, if you punish your dog for finally returning home (or merely allowing themselves to be caught), your dog will associate that correction with the last action they took – coming back.  Because dogs have relatively short attention spans, they cannot make the connection between what you are frustrated with (the bolt out the door that happened an hour ago) and the punishment they are receiving now.  That means that if you correct him when he comes back, next time he won’t want to come when you call him.  Using positive methods instead of punishment based training will ensure you never make a mistake like this.

Your dog hasn’t been formally trained.  Many owners expect their dogs to respond to commands that haven’t ever been officially trained.  You may think your dog knows how to do something, but they may in fact have only gotten lucky in responding properly.  Or maybe they do have a little understanding of what you are asking, but don’t know well enough to be able to perform around distractions, when they are tired or bored or in a different situation.  Our dogs genuinely want to do the right thing, but we need to give them the tools.  If you feel your dog isn’t listening because she’s just being difficult or stubborn, consider that maybe she just doesn’t get it.  The easiest way to fix this problem is to do some formal training: go to a class, get a private lesson from a professional trainer or find a good book.  Educate yourself so you know the right way to teach your dog.

You’re speaking the wrong language – English!  Let’s face it; we are a very ego-centric species.  Without even knowing it we often expect our dogs to act the way we would.  It’s the only way most of us know how to behave.  But when we expect our dogs to understand us or act like us, we are usually asking too much.  If you’ve ever thought of your dog as your child, talked in complete sentences and sort of expected an answer, or felt like your dog was holding a grudge against you, you’re guilty.  Don’t worry – it happens to the best of us.  However, if your dog seems to be ignoring you, maybe it’s just a “language barrier” of sorts.  You speak English and she speaks canine.  And it’s not just about interpreting a bark.  Dogs are very tuned into body language.  They communicate mostly through posture, movement, eye contact…all without a single spoken word.  The next time your dog doesn’t listen to you, consider if she really understands the question.

If your dog is not listening, regardless of why, the best solution may be found through a professional dog trainer.  Good dog trainers don’t just know how to get a dog to sit, they can interpret relationships between dogs and owners and help you learn how to improve them.  That leads to a happy ending for both you and your dog, and lots more listening!

Meeting of the Minds

I had a wonderful meeting this week with Portland's own Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist, Dr. Chris Pachel of Animal Behavior Clinic.  My expectations were high - before leaving Florida, Dr. Lisa Radosta (also a veterinary behaviorist - believe it or not they are two of only about 60 in the country) told me if we were headed to Portland, Oregon that I had to get in touch with Dr. Pachel.  She said he was an incredible behaviorist and an equally positive personality.  I had dealt with him already through a client that we shared, and hadn't been disappointed.

It was a great meeting.  Dr. Pachel is very down-to-earth, which means that even though he has incredible education and experience, he is easy to relate to.  I appreciate his approach to behavior and medicine.  It will be hard to know until we interact more, but I feel like his methods are very similar to mine, which will make it easy to refer my clients when they need his help, as well as to work with referrals of his patients to help them with follow through and moving their dog's behavior in a positive direction.

It's fantastic to know that I have a resource in Dr. Pachel.  For those of you that don't know, his position is why I never refer to myself as a "behaviorist."  Trainers that do are using the word inappropriately, because unlike dog training, there is a medical degree that makes someone officially a "behaviorist."  What's the difference? 

Dog trainers can work on a variety of things, including socializing puppies, house training, obedience training (like teaching sit,down, stay, come, heel, etc.) and changing problem behaviors like jumping up, bolting through doors or barking at squirrels in the yard.  A dog trainer may also choose to handle some behavior cases, if they have the education and experience to do so.  Those may include mild cases of separation anxiety, house training problems in grown dogs, or a dog who is afraid of the vacuum cleaner. Some trainers handle aggression and some don't - if you are looking for help with aggression make sure you find someone who is qualified and who uses positive methods. 

A veterinary behaviorist isn't likely to be much help for acclimating your new puppy to playing well with other puppies, or for teaching your dog to sit for meeting visitors.  But a veterinary behaviorist may be the right resource for a dog that has extreme fears or compulsions, or for a dog that is so intense in guarding his toys that he has bitten family members in the process.  A veterinary behaviorist can rule out medical causes, can create a behavior modification plan that is appropriate for a dog with complex training needs, and can prescribe medication if that is something that will be helpful in the animal's recovery.

We are fortunate to have a veterinary behaviorist in the Northwest, and even luckier that it is someone as caring and personable as Dr. Chris Pachel!                                                                              

Clicker 101 - Part One

Have you heard about clicker training, but don't know what it is?  How it got started?  Why they are used?  What all the fuss is about?  And, hey, are they worth it, or is the clicker just another gizmo you'd be forced to juggle, as if the dog, leash, treats and poop bags weren't enough?!

I'll start with some of the history of clicker training, and what it does, and then (in the interest of brevity, so this post stays short enough for you to read and me to write) I'll go into more detail in follow up posts.  Like how to use a clicker, and common concerns about clicker training.  I'll probably throw in a video at the end, so you can see clicker training in action and decide for yourself what you think of it (though I think trying it with your dog for a few weeks is the best way to give it a true trial).

So, where did clicker training begin? The concept originated around the time of WWII with Marian Kruse and Keller Breland, students of the famous B. F. Skinner.  They used clicker training to teach a wide animals including pigeons, cats and dolphins.  Its use in training marine mammals took off (instead of a click trainers use the high pitched whistle we now associate with Flipper and Shamu, but the concept is the same), but clicker training still hadn't really made it to dogs.

One behavior expert was using clicker training with dogs though, and in 1992 Karen Pryor put on a seminar in San Diego, California that would change the face of dog training forever.  Along with her book, Don't Shoot the Dog, Pryor began to spread awareness of clicker training and the fantastic results it could bring when teaching obedience commands or modifying behavior.

The basic principles of clicker training are quite simple.  The "click," that sound made by the clicker, becomes what is known as a conditioned reinforcer.  It is a sound that initially means nothing to a dog; it is quite literally just a click.  But, after repeated pairings with food rewards, the click begins to take on meaning.  It starts to mean "Yes! You got it right!"  It means food is coming, even if you can't see it yet.  And it means "All done!" that whatever behavior they have been working on is complete.

How does one sound come to mean so much to a dog?  That's where the "conditioned" part of conditioned reinforcer comes in.  Let's use dolphins as an example.  It's one of my favorites, as you know if you've learned clicker training with me.  Training a dolphin offers some unique challenges.  You can't put a choke collar on a dolphin and make it mind.  You can't flip it over and pin it to the ground, exerting your "dominance" over him, the way some famous "trainers" would. (Since we can't express sarcasms well in the written word, let me just insert that here. I do not advocate choke collars or dominating your dog, or any creature for that matter.  Sarcastic sneer noted.)

Dolphins also swim much better than we do, which makes it hard for us to be near them when they are performing tricks.  Training dogs is starting to sound pretty easy, right? Clicker training (or "marker training" - a more general term that can include other types of sounds like the whistle that marine mammal trainers are likely to use) helps with dolphin training in many ways.  First, by giving the dolphins a consistent, easy to recognize cue that means the dolphin has done something right, we improve communication and thus speed up training.  Marking the exact moment a dolphin performs also allows the trainer to reward for increments of behavior, not just the final product. 

Finally, the whistle acts as a bridge (lots of fancy terms this time!).  A bridge (in normal-person language) is a way to increase the amount of time between when the behavior is performed and when the reward is received, without ruining the animal's understanding of why they are being rewarded.  Think of a dolphin learning to jump up and touch a ball suspended 20 feet above the pool. (I have no idea about dolphin training, and it's been a while since I've seen a show, so forgive me if my example is totally inaccurate.)  It would be nearly impossible to get a fish to the dolphin at the exact moment that he touches the ball, since the dolphin is way out in the middle of the pool (and 20 feet in the air!) and the trainer is stuck on their little platform.  If the dolphin doesn't get his fish within a few seconds of performing the behavior, he won't connect the two.  Enter marker training (clicker training if you missed all the bouncing around with terminology)!  Because the dolphin has been conditioned to know that the whistle means a fish is coming, the trainer blows the whistle at the exact moment the dolphin touches the ball and, bingo!  Dolphin makes the connection and learns the new behavior.  And you and your friends pay an arm and a leg to see his show.

What does all this mean for you and your dog?  Clicker training isn't just a gimmick, but an effective method based on scientific learning principles.  Using a clicker allows you to be clear and consistent in your communication about when your dog has done something right, and also allows you to break a behavior into smaller parts as they are learning.  And once your dog is conditioned to the clicker, you can afford more time between the time the dog does a behavior and the time your get the reward to him.

And the Winner Is...

My husband and I had a wonderful time tonight at the Pilgrim Lutheran School fundraising auction and dinner.  Bravo Dog Training raised some money for the school with a dog training basket - full of great toys, treats and more, plus a certificate for either a board and train program or private lessons.  I didn't see the final bid, but I know we raised about $400 for Ethan's school.  Thanks to everyone who bid!

Here's Ethan with me, ready to head out to the auction.  It was a country-western theme, hence the blue jeans.  Yes, I do wear pants other than blue jeans; it has been known to happen.  Once or twice.  Ethan played with the other kids in a babysitting room, so Mom and Dad got to enjoy the night like proper grown ups.  It was a fun event.

Earlier today I had an initial session with a wonderful couple from our church, Cedar Hills United Church of Christ.  They have a very enthusiastic 2-year-old Lab who will be a ton of fun to train.  The family has been through a couple other trainers that they weren't happy with, but after our session today they asked to schedule 6 additional sessions!  I think it will be a good match, and I'm happy that they have found a trainer that can work with them to mold their zealous (okay, cover your ears puppy, obnoxious) Labrador into a model citizen.  Oh, and I'm happy that trainer is me!  I do love the wild and crazy dogs.  It is so much fun to take all that energy and redirect it to positive, useful behaviors.

One problem that we got to work on right away was the dog's habit of darting out the front door and playing a joyous (for the dog, let me be clear. Owners, not-so-joyous) game of catch-me-if-you-can.  Let's be honest, even for an Olympic level sprinter (which no one in this family is, to my knowledge), catching a long-legged 90 lb lean-mean-Labrador-running-machine is hopeless for us bumbling 2 legged humans.  I wrote a piece not long ago on "un-training" a dog to come when called.  Their dog was a good example of this.  The solution?  Going back to square one and training the dog to come using my "hidden food" recall method, teaching "wait" at the front door (and when coming out of the crate, just for extra training opportunities), and a strict ban on any chances to get out the front door until he is fully trained.

Do you know a dog that doesn't come when called?  Even a dog that comes 90% of the time isn't trained well enough - that 10% can be anything from frustrating to fatal.  But it is a fixable problem!

Happy Dog Gone Easter

The Easter bunny was good to us this year. And, after all the fun inside, we took the dogs out to the front yard to find what the Easter bunny had left for them. All across the lawn were brightly colored plastic eggs filled with dog treats. Ethan couldn't resist the fun and helped the dogs find and open the eggs. Happy Easter!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      H                       

How Much is That Doggy in the Window: What to Know When Getting a Dog

Honestly, the biggest problem I see when training dogs (and their owners!) isn't jumping up, running away or housetraining.  By far, the biggest issue is people getting a dog that wasn't a good match for their family. The article Getting a Dog addresses the important qualities to consider before selecting your next dog.

Learn when the perfect time is to bring a new dog into your home, based on your living situation, the time of year and more. Look at the pros and cons of getting a puppy, young adult or senior dog, as well as which is a better match for you - purebred or mixed breed.

Once you've determined that the time is right and you've closely considered what type of dog fits your life, it's time to examine your options of where to get your new dog. Learn more about well-run animal shelters and rescue groups and how to identify and avoid rescue groups that don't act with the dog's best interest at heart. If you decide to purchase a dog from a breeder you'll have lots of research to do, but our Selecting a Good Breeder article will help you ask all the right questions.

Lastly, learn why it is so important NEVER to buy a puppy (or anything else) from a pet store or a backyard breeder.

Once you've read about how to select a dog that's a good match for you and your family, you might find you still need some help. If that's the case, please don't hesitate to ask!  Email me or call me at 503.686.5890. The most important decision you make about your new dog happens before you even bring him/her home!

Why Yawns Are Contagious: Calming Signals in Dogs and How We Can Use Them

We all know that dogs can’t talk (whether or not we care to admit it is another thing altogether).  What they do rely on is body language – lots and lots of body language.  While we might approach a stranger and say, “Hey, I’m new here. It’s nice to meet you,” a dog might walk up to another dog in an arc with a slow, circular wagging tail, its ears back and drop into a butt-up, front down stretch.  They are both ways to express “I’m friendly and mean no harm.”

Calming signals are just what they sound like.  They are behaviors offered by a dog in an attempt to keep a situation calm.  We aren’t completely sure if they are used by one dog solely to calm another dog, solely to calm themselves, or a combination of both.  My feeling is that the latter is true, especially since calming signals are often both offered and returned.  We can help our dogs feel comfortable by learning what their calming signals are and respecting them, and even by responding in kind, repeating their gesture as best we can (tail wagging obviously excluded).

Before getting into what calming signals can be, I want to emphasize that context is important.  Think of how a person telling another “you fool!” can be issued as an insult or an expression of teasing affection.  Context is important, regardless of species.  For example, ears held back on a dog’s head can be a calming signal, a sign of fear, or even just the physical nature of the breed. 

You may or may not notice calming signals with your own dog.  Unless you recently adopted your dog or have a new puppy, chances are your relationship is fairly established.  Your dog may not feel the need to offer these signals on a regular or frequent basis.  Unfortunately we can also extinguish calming signals in our pets, even without intention.  If a dog offers calming signals that are repeatedly ignored or corrected, eventually they will stop trying.  Think about people – if your partner brought you flowers after a fight and you always responded with snide comments about wasting money or stinking up the house, chances are your partner would stop buying flowers – at least for you!  Since we are frequently our dog’s entire world, our response (or lack thereof) to their behavior is critically important.

Calming signals may include:

·         “Look aways” (turning the head to the side, away from the other dog or person)

·         Yawning

·         Sniffing (becoming very interested in not much of anything)

·         Paw raises (raising one of the front paws off the ground)

·         Shake offs (can be a slight shake off or entire body, as if wet)

·         Scratching (like they are itchy – a sudden case of “fleas”)

·         Blinking

·         Lip licking (or nose licking)

·         Moving in an arc (approaching or leaving in a semi-circle, not a direct path)

·         Sitting or lying down

·         Stretching (particularly into a play bow position, though not quite the same behavior)

·         Making a “soft face” – ears back, soft eyes, etc.

There are a few signals that you may want to try, either with your dog or a dog you are just meeting.*  They can help a dog feel more comfortable, and may even be offered back to you.

Blinking is pretty universal between species – go for slow, deliberate blinks (not fast fluttering). Lip licking is also simple to duplicate.  Again, make it slow and obvious. You can actually lick your lips or even just stick your tongue out a few times.  “Look aways” involve turning your head to either side, away from the dog. You may then look back, without making eye contact, then look away again.  A paw lift is a little more difficult (largely since we don’t have paws and walk on two legs, not four).  But if you are feeling daring you can try it with one arm, holding it as if you were imitating a hurt paw. 

You may have figured out now how yawning can be contagious.  Offered as a calming signal between dogs, or even from dog to human (and human to dog), a yawn is much more than feeling sleepy.  It can be offered back and forth, and maybe that's why we feel the urge to yawn when someone near us yawns.

For additional information on calming signals, read On Talking Terms with Dogs by Turid Rugaas.  Rugaas is an internationally acclaimed dog trainer from Norway who has done extensive studies on calming signals in dogs.  You can visit her website at http://www.canis.no/rugaas/index.php .  A good visual example of using calming signals with dogs can be found in KikoPup’s collection of YouTube videos (http://youtu.be/MgnLgHFRJu4 ).  While you’re there check out her other videos – Emily has produced a goldmine of how-to videos on clicker training everything from cool tricks to problem behaviors.

 Video: KikoPup's How To Communicate With Dogs in Their Own Language

* Offering calming signals doesn’t make it safe to approach an aggressive dog.  When in doubt, keep your distance.

Why I Have The Best Job In The World

10. My work is flexible.  I can be returning phone calls at 9 AM in my PJs, then off to the grocery store, then home again before a private lesson.  It allows me to work in doctor's appointments, time with friends and preschool events.

9. I make a comfortable income.  Not long ago I applied to Petsmart for an open dog trainer position.  I thought it would be easier than starting my business over again in a whole new community.  They offered me the job, but for what they would have paid me I'd need to work an entire day to make what I currently bring in for one hour-long private lesson.  I won't buy a luxury vacation home on my income, but it works for us.

8. I get to work with an endless variety of different dogs.  All different breeds, ages, personalities and problems and successes.

7. My dogs get to be part of my day, all the time.  Even better than "take your dog to work day," I get to involve my dogs in my work.

6. My work is varied.  I do marketing, customer service, accounting, continuing education, networking... there's always something different to do.

5. Puppy breath.  Need I say more?

4. I meet wonderful people.  I am welcomed into my client's homes and their lives.  Many of my clients have become close friends and have provided support for me when I've needed it.  It wouldn't be the same without all the amazing clients.

3. I am my own boss.  It's just so cool to be in charge of yourself.

2. My job allows me to be, in some ways, both a stay-at-home mom and a working mom at the same time.  It's always a precarious balance, but I love the way my job lets me be close to my son and to be far more involved in his life than I would be if I spent 8 hours a day in a cubicle somewhere.

1. Dog training is my passion.  I'd do it for free (but sorry guys, the utility companies, the grocery store and the landlord don't feel the same way!).  What more could you ask for in life?

Mary Majchrowski and her son, Ethan at Mount Hood, OR
February, 2012

How Comfy is Your Best Chair?

Photo (c) 2012 Faith Hague

Leo, a Spinone Italiano mix, has learned to behave well when he's in a comfy spot, thanks to resource guarding behavior modification training through Bravo Dog Training (boy, that's a mouthful!).  Resource guarding is a natural behavior that occurs when a dog wants to protect something he finds valuable - like a great sleeping spot or a rawhide bone.  Dogs can resource guard any number of objects, including food, toys, beds, bones and even people.

Changing the behavior is about changing the dog's perception of our approach and interaction when the dog has something he feels is worth guarding.  Contrary to long held beliefs, the best way to stop resouce guarding behavior in dogs is not to challenge the dog and "put him in his place," but to make him see our presence as a good, safe thing.  Does Leo look like he feels safe?

For additional information on resource guarding, check out the January 2011 issue of The Bravo Bark: http://www.mybravodog.com/January_2011.html Thanks to Faith Hague of Camden, Maine for the great photo!

House Training Products: Go or No-Go

Shopping.  A great American pastime. Some women can spend absurd amounts of time and money pawing through the racks in outlet malls or milling about at designer boutiques.  But this woman, this dog training, blue jean wearin', coupon clipping woman, can drain the bank account in only a few very special places.  Yes, bookstores will sink me.  And, now, as the proud mother of a preschooler, a toy store is also a dangerous place to shop. 

But from the time I was old enough to sign a check, my true shopping passion was pet stores.  America is with me on this one.  Recession or not, spending money on our pets continues to grow.  In 2011, that number was $50.84 Billion*.  Gulp.  That's billion, with a B.

So, as any savvy business would do, companies continue to come up with more and more products for our pampered pets.  Some of them are gold - more toys to keep dogs mentally stimulated, and foods with higher quality nutrition that will help our pets live long, healthy lives.  And some just aren't worth the space on the shelf.  Assuming you don't have an absurdly large portion of that $51 Billion in your own personal bank account, it helps to know what products are worth your hard earned money and which can be left to gather dust (or to be purchased by someone who missed out on my blog).

Here are ten of the most popular house training products:

No-go: wee pads.  These things must be a big time money maker for the companies that sell them, but I don't believe in using them to help house train a puppy.  They don't teach a puppy to hold it (to control their bladder and wait until they are taken outside - a skill they will eventually need), and they send the message that pottying inside is okay.

Go: artifical grass mats.  I don't recommend these for every client with a new puppy, but in some situations they can be helpful.  I suggest the plastic turf if a client can't get a very young puppy outside to the grass quickly enough - for example living on the 17th floor of a condo building - and in rare cases where house training has already gone awry.

No-go: dog diapers.  Unless your dog is incontinent (like our senior husky, Timber), leave diapers to the human babies, not the dog babies.

Go: crates.  Using a crate to help house train a puppy (or adult dog) is incredibly helpful.  Although metal wire crates seem to be getting more shelf space these days, I still prefer a solid plastic, airline style crate.

No-go: dog door.  Although a dog door can be a great convenience later in life, I don't recommend them for puppies or dogs that are still being house trained.  House training is about two things: learning where to go and learning to hold it until you get there.  Since dogs with a dog door have free access to their yard, they might not learn to hold it.

Go: baby gates.  Supervision is a critical part of house training.  Baby gates will help keep your dog within site and prevent them from sneaking off to leave a stinky gift in the spare bedroom.

No-go: newspaper. Unless you are buying it to read or clip coupons, don't bring a newspaper home.  The old-school method of whacking a dog on the rear whenever they had an accident in the house is severely flawed methodology.

Go: odor remover.  When cleaning up the inevitable accident, an ordinary household cleaner just won't do the job.  Dogs noses are astronomically more keen than our own.  It takes an enzymatic cleaner to get all the odor up - anything left behind is a billboard for your dog: pee here!

No-go: treats.  You may be surprised to see this on my list.  You thought I was a positive trainer, right?  Well, I am.  And offering your dog treats for going potty in the proper location won't necessarily hurt anything, but I don't think it really helps either.  In my experience, dogs don't seem to make the connection between a bodily function and a food reward.  But don't forget to pour on the praise!

Maybe: the doggy doorbell.  Teaching a dog to ring a bell as a way to ask to be let outside is a fairly new fad, and I'm not against it, but I'm not all for it either.  Owners usually start asking me about teaching their dog to "signal" when their puppy is about 3 to 4 months old - the initial angelic cuteness is wearing off and owners are frustrated with accidents.  "If only my dog would somehow just let me know when she needs to go outside, life would be so much easier!" 

Granted, a dog doorbell (commercially available as either a series of bells hung from the doorknob or an electronic doorbell that has large buttons a dog learns to step on) is preferable to other signals, such as scratching the door or barking, but be aware if you teach your dog a signal: your dog won't be learning to notify you only when they need to go out to eliminate, but will notify you any time they want to go out.  This could include wanting to go chase a squirrel, wanting to sniff the leaves, wanting to graze on the grass... do you see where this is leading?  Take comfort though.  Most puppies really are close to being fully house trained by this point.  It just takes a little more persistence and you'll be there.

*American Pet Products Association, total U.S. pet industry expenditures

Owner "Untrains" Their Dog - Coming When Called

A simple yet frustrating problem: the dog won't come in the house when called.  It's a problem that repeats itself day after day.  Sometimes the dog will come, but often it won't.  Is training with treats the problem?  Does it backfire and create these situations?  A lot of owners think so.

In truth, it's a problem of "untraining" where what an owner does (how they respond to a dog not doing what they are told), actually makes the problem worse.  "Untraining" is the process of reinforcing the bad, unwanted behavior, instead of the good, desired behavior. It goes a little like this:

Owner Untrains Dog, by Mary Majchrowski

Scene: Dog is in the backyard.  Owner is in the house, getting ready for work.  Owner decides it is time for dog to come in the house.

"Dog!" yells Owner. "Dog, it's time to come inside! Come Dog, Come!"

Dog pricks an ear in mock interest.  Dog continues sniffing Very Interesting Leaf.

"Dog!" Owner calls again. "I need to go to work.  Let's Go!  Come on, Dog!"  Owner's voice gets louder and more desperate.  "Not today Dog, I need to get going!"

Dog leaves Very Interesting Leaf and catches a glimpse of Totally Fascinating Squirrel.

"Dog, Come!" yells Owner.

"Squirrel, Run!" barks Dog.

"Dog, Come!" Owner repeats, with a threatening tone.

"Squirrel, squirrel, squirrel," Dog barks.

"Stubborn Dog," Owner mutters, turning back into the house.  Owner goes to the pantry and gets The Box.  Owner returns to back door with The Box.  Dog turns and looks at Owner.  Owner shakes The Box.

"Dog, want a cookie?  Treat, you wanna treat?"  Dog saunters over to Owner and gets a treat from The Box.  Owner grabs the dog's collar and drags Dog into the house. 

"Bad Dog!" Owner exclaims.  "You never do what I say!"

So, there are a few issues with the scene above.  How many can you find?  Let's go through them one by one, with the appropriate responses included.

1. Wrong Way:  Not using a single, trained cue word.  The owner in this case tells the dog come, come on, let's go and many other words.  Right Way: Practice inside the house teaching your dog a single, recognizable cue word, like "come" or "here." Train your dog to understand the cue before you expect them to respond to it, especially in distracting situations like where there are leaves and squirrels.
2. Wrong Way: The treat is offered after the dog has disobeyed.  After repeated failed attempts at calling the dog in, the owner then goes and gets the cookie box. The treat then becomes a reward for not coming when called - the dog will learn "If I ignore my owner long enough, eventually they will go get the cookies!" Right Way: While your dog is learning, set a jar of treats near the back door.  Every time you go to bring your dog inside get a cookie for your dog, then call him or her in.
3. Wrong Way: The owner used the treat as a bribe, not a reward.  By waiting until the dog had refused to come and then luring it in with the promise of food (shaking the cookie box), the owner bribed the dog.  Right Way:  Always pick up the treat before calling your dog.  If they initially get a treat every time they come inside, the dog will learn that they get good things for coming when called.  That is reinforcing good behavior. 
4. Wrong Way: The dog was punished (grabbed by the collar and yelled at) once it finally did come.  The dog will eventually learn to dread responding to the "come" command if punishment is the end result.  Right Way:  Praise your dog when they come to you, even if they didn't come right away, even if you had to chase them around the neighborhood for 20 minutes first.  If the dog ultimately comes to you (or even just allows themselves to be caught), that behavior should be rewarded.  Be the "good guy," even if you are angry.  Dogs connect praise to the last thing they did, like coming to you.

Will Feeding People Food Make Your Dog Beg?

Here's the thing about "people food."  It doesn't exist.  There's no such thing.  Okay, well, obviously there is food that people eat.  But when it comes down to it, food is food.  Chicken is chicken whether it is eaten by a person or a dog.

Therefore, this concept of "If I feed my dog people food she'll learn to beg," can't be entirely true.  But if the ingredients aren't the problem, is it how they are prepared?  If you feed a dog only chicken that comes out of a bag in the form of kibble, will she never beg?  Well, if that were true it would mean that by only being fed kibble its whole life, a dog would not recognize "people food" as something worth begging for.  Not worth it?  If a whole chicken fell on the floor, would a dog walk away, thinking to herself "hmm... not kibble.  Must not be food."?  Not a chance. ("Gulp, that chicken was good!")

But there is an answer.  It's a simple one, in fact.  A dog learns to beg based on where she is fed, not what she is fed. If you eat popcorn on the couch and always toss the dog a few kernels (guilty), she'll sit by the couch and beg every time you eat popcorn.  You'll get those pleading eyes and folded back ears; the "I haven't eaten in months and I've been SO good" look.  If your kids sneak table scraps to the dog, expect some drooling during dinner.

Alright, so why does it matter?  Is people food good for your dog?  Should you change your routine and start offering dinner scraps (or just eliminate the guilt if you already are)?  If "people food" and "dog food" is all just food, are there things that are good for your dog?  Not good for her?  Yes, and you should stay tuned to find out!

 

Ethan and Apple: A Boy and His Dog

Ethan, 4 1/2 years old

Apple, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, 4 1/2 years old

Don't be Cruel

This poor dog is riding in the wrong end of the pick-up truck.  Although it's a beautiful day out (yes, sunny and mild in Portland, Oregon!), dogs should never ride like this in the open back of a truck.  If a dog must be transported in the back, they should be in an airplane-style plastic crate that has been carefully secured to the bed of the truck. 

You may notice from the photo that he is tied with a red and white leash.  In some cases that could be considered an acceptable manner of securing the dog, but the tie down needs to be very short and fixed to the middle of the truck bed, not one side or the other as is the case with this dog.  Tying a dog with a leash that is too long, or too close to the edge of the truck is actually more dangerous than leaving him loose.  If the dog were to jump or fall, he would come up short and could be dragged or repeatedly run over.  Not something for man's best friend!

In most states, including Oregon, transporting a dog this way is actually against the law, generally falling under animal cruelty statutes.  Unfortunately catching people for the offense is difficult, but it can be done.  Hopefully the owners of this handsome dog will come to their senses and let him ride where he should be - shotgun!

Introducing Dogs and Babies, Part Two

Welcome to the world, Alex Nolasco!  Your mom and dad wanted some tips for introducing your dog, Linda, to you for the first time.  They want your meeting to be peaceful, so here are some things they can try:

• Don't feel the need to introduce Linda and Alex the instant Linda comes back to the house.  Let Linda get used to being home, let her smell and hear baby Alex crying and making all the strange noises a little person makes.  Allowing Linda time to take that in before the introduction will make things less stressful and should make the initial meeting of baby and dog less of a "big deal" for your dog.
• Practice "leave it" in as many different situations as you can.  Work on having Linda leave toys, food, trash, sticks, clothes - anything you can pick up and show her, anything she might possibly want.  Work on having Linda "leave it" in all different rooms of the house, outside in the back yard, standing in the kitchen, running down the hall - anywhere and anyway you can imagine.
• Keep the dog & baby times short and sweet.  When you do introduce Linda and Alex, separate them after a minute or less.  The same goes for the next time they meet, and the time after that.  When you do separate them, always take Linda away from the baby, not baby away from Linda.  This is especially important if Linda has gotten overly excited or pushy, or if she is not reacting well.
• Practice "Off," the command that means "4 On The Floor," or don't jump up on anything (people, couches, counters, etc.).  Some people tell their dogs "down" for this, but if you use the command "down" to mean "lie down," then there should be a separate command for not jumping up.
• Practice "Down Stay."  Focus on improving Linda's ability to stay in a down position with greater distance, duration and distractions.  This will be very useful as baby Alex grows, and even now.  Having a dog that you can "park" on a dog bed and know she'll stay put is a great convenience!  Keep it fun and successful for her though, "down stay" can be a boring and frustrating exercise for a dog unless it is taught slowly and with a lot of patience and praise.
• Consider teaching Linda to stay off the couches and beds, if you haven't already.  Boundaries are important to a dog, and knowing that she won't accidentally jump directly onto a sleeping baby that she didn't see is good piece of mind.
• Make sure Linda gets plenty of exercise, mental stimulation and positive training.  Take moments during the day to spend a few minutes throwing the ball, practicing some obedience training, giving her a stuffed Kong, or taking her for a leisurely "sniff all you want to" walk.  This will help keep her in a good frame of mind, and reduce some of the stress she will feel from all the changes at home.  Daddy, this is a good place for you to be involved!
• Don't allow Linda to pick up or play with any of baby Alex's toys, clothes, pacifiers or any other baby things.  Dog toys are for the dog, everything else is for the people.  It's about respect, safety and consistency.
• Practice "Out."  This command means leave the room or the area.  It's pretty useful if your dog is encroaching on your space, begging, or just getting in the way.  It sounds kind of rude, but if she is trained to it well Linda won't be offended, and with a new baby there are just some times that having a dog under your feet is not what you want.

Enjoy your puppy baby Alex!  I hope that you have many wonderful years of a boy and his dog - it's a magical bond that I am excited for you to have.

Introducing Dogs and Babies, Part One

My wonderful friend, Kathy Nolasco, is getting ready to welcome her first child into the world.  Well, her first human child that is.  Kathy is also the proud parent of a beautiful German Shepherd Dog named Linda.  Which is what prompted Kathy to send me a message the other day, the gist of which was "How do we introduce our dog to the baby?"

It's a question I get a lot, at least from those who are expecting, or know someone who is.  So I thought I'd share my answer with everyone.

A little background first.  Kathy and her husband Gerson have a one-year-old female German Shepherd, Linda, from the Dominican Republic (a Dominican Shepherd I tease her).  They are also expecting a baby boy in about 20 days, should he cooperate with his due date.  Kathy has made arrangements for Linda to stay with her parents while she is in the hospital after the baby is born, and they are already planning on bringing baby blankets to Linda so she can smell the baby before she meets him. 

But Linda's already nervous, and the baby hasn't even been born yet.  According to Kathy, Linda is scared of the new baby things in the house, especially the stroller and the swing.  So this is where the training needs to start.  I'll tackle part one - fear of the stroller and swing - in this post, and part two - introducing Linda to the baby - in a later post.

The first rule of training Linda to accept the new baby should be "100% positive."  Because we want the relationship between dog and baby to be a positive one, the training should always be positive too.  We don't want Linda to make any associations between bad things and the new baby.

To teach Linda to accept the baby stroller and swing, get some really yummy treats (PureBites, Natural Balance Rolled Dog Food, Charlee Bears, or Wellness Wellbites).  If she is clicker trained, grab the clicker, but if not, Kathy can tell her "yes" every time she would get a click (for more on clicker training basics see Karen Pryor's website, clickertraining.com. Start out with either the stroller or the baby swing (tackle one before the other - the second time around will be easier). 

Let's say Kathy picks the baby swing.  Have the swing set up, but not activated.  Bring Linda into the room where the swing is, and the instant she looks at (or near) the swing, click (or say "yes!") and give her a treat.  Stand in such a way that Linda needs to look back to get her treat, away from the swing.  When she looks at the swing again, click and treat.  Repeat the exercise a couple more times, then take a big step towards the swing.  Kathy should click and treat for Linda looking at the swing, again, the instant they move towards it.  Do another 3 or 4 rounds, then move closer and closer.  Eventually they should be able to stand right next to the swing.

When Kathy is beside the swing, she should reward Linda for looking at the swing once or twice, but then hold off and see if she'll voluntarily lean towards it, sniff at it or even touch her nose to it.  If she does, definitely click and treat!  Work on getting as much interaction as possible, without resorting to bribing or luring (an example of that would be putting the treat on the swing).  Be patient - it will pay off in many ways!

The first time Kathy moves Linda towards the swing the swing should be turned off, not moving at all.  Once Linda masters the exercise with the swing off, start over with the swing turned on low - bring Linda into the room and click and treat the instant she looks at the swing.  Continue progressing until there are no issues with the swing.  Then it's time to move onto the stroller.

If Linda gets nervous at any point, things have gone a little too fast.  Keep things light and fun.  There don't need to be any commands, and don't force her at any point. This exercise is so effective because Linda is in control - something that goes a long way towards building confidence and eliminating fear.  By rewarding her every time she looks at the baby swing she'll start to have a positive association with the swing.

The Best Gifts for Your Dog

Christmas is a chaotic time of year for most families.  But throughout all the hustle and bustle your dog is still there for you – for a cuddle, for a walk or just for a moment of quiet.  Many people choose to show their love and appreciation for their dogs by getting them a little something for under the tree.  But what makes the best gift for your dog?  You might be surprised at what they would like.

Read the article: http://www.mybravodog.com/gifts.html