CONFINEMENT. Confine the dog in a small space – either a crate, play pen, or a very small area of a room. If your dog is not in this space, then the ONLY other option is that they are with you and in your sight (preferably on a leash). In most cases, dogs do not want to soil their living space. The size of the space will grow as they mature. It can also be helpful to feed them in this space.
CONSISTENCY. Consistency with water and feeding on a schedule and taking the dog outside on a regular basis. When you take the dog out, use a word that you will use every time they go outside. They are outside for a purpose. Stay with them until they “go” and reward with a treat and verbal praise. Come back inside and follow Step 1. If they didn’t “go,” it’s still back to Step 1 until you take them out again.
CARING. Caring that your dog will have every opportunity to succeed. That means that you will feel successful! Understand that you are not being cruel by providing either of the first two steps. It could mean the difference of housebreaking taking two weeks versus two months (or longer).
Look for additional housebreaking tips in future posts!
Some of the best rehabilitation for a dog happens in the presence of other dogs. They learn from each other and to us mere humans it appears to be in very subtle ways. This could be not-so-good if it’s like how some teenagers “help” other teenagers learn new behaviors! But, good behaviors can also be shared.
I live in the high desert on a fenced acre of property that is like an off-leash park. It is, however, dirt, gravel, and natural desert terrain and is slightly terraced. I recently had a Great Dane here that had lived in a neighborhood and was accustomed to walking on sand or grass. Walking up or down hills had not been his experience.
Here is this 120-pound dog afraid of stepping off of the patio because of his tender feet. He was like a little girl trying to gain stability while walking around in her mother’s high heels! As we’d walk around and climb the gentle slopes of the yard, it was apparent that what Schlappie lacked was more than toughened paw pads. He lacked confidence in his body and ability to control it as he maintained his balance.
I couldn’t help him with that but the other dogs could. He would do his best to keep up with them. It was obvious that he wanted to be like the other kids on the playground. I think I heard them call him Chief Tenderfoot. What was I to do? “Kids” can be cruel.
He would step from patio to dog bed to dirt to patio and then contemplate the best next step to get inside without ever leaving a cushion or the flat consistent surface.
I’d take all the dogs on a walk around the property every morning and evening and watch as Schlappie began to walk a little quicker but more than that, he was gaining confidence. THEN, one evening, it happened! Confidence shift for Schlappie! He took off galloping like a horse – around and around he went. It was a thing of beauty to watch his awareness of freedom and trust in his long legs to get him where he wanted to go.
Schlappie is now ready to help other dogs and to tell his story of how in just two weeks of rehab he lost his nickname and gained self-confidence.
Obedience training and positive structure will help to build confidence in your dog. The more confident and clear you are with your expectations – the more confidence you’ll bring to them. Watch how the dogs do it. . .it’s a beautiful thing!
Oh how I wish I could answer that. We observe, we study, we listen, we assume, and sometimes we cry or laugh until tears are running down our cheeks.
I was training a black lab, Maxi-B, who was having issues with being timid. She seemed to be hardwired this way. She was adopted as a pup and had no known traumas. She was in a very playful mood this particular day and heeling nicely but with a bit of a spring in her four-pawed step.
The visual I’d like you to get is that there was nothing smooth or simultaneous about her gait. I think that goofy is a good word for her enthusiasm.
I was thrilled because she seemed to be making progress with briefly letting go of her timid nature. If a dog can express being pleased with herself – she was pleased.
Labs in particular are good at maintaining a semblance of control and somehow staying in a perfect heel while their body wiggles with motion (and perhaps emotion).
I stopped and she sat but with a bit of an extra twist of the hips. Then, I said “down” and she looked up at me and began to move and wiggle like she was dying to let me in on some secret but wasn’t supposed to say anything!
Have you ever told a child to do something and they know they are supposed to do it and will do it but they say “okay, but I want to show you something first?” It’s an obvious diversion for a child.
Could that be the case for a dog? I think so. I think that she was feeling so good and so confident that the girl would rather just have danced a bit. So, I let her and then like a good trainer made sure that she followed through with the command.
She made me laugh, and I think that on this particular day, Maxi-B laughed too.
My answer to that question – it depends. I don’t allow my dogs on the furniture because there would be no room left for a human. If you have dogs with aggressive or dominant tendencies, I would suggest that they not be allowed on the furniture.
If through training and behavior modification they have a change of attitude, then you may allow them on the furniture but by invitation only. This also applies to allowing them to sleep with you. It’s YOUR bed and you might allow them on it and you might not.
Consistency is extremely important while your dog is being trained. It is also important to give them a place (bed or crate) where they can be a part of the family. Remember, when a new puppy or adult dog comes into your home, they need to be shown that they are living with you and that there are rules and guidelines that they must abide by.
You won’t hurt their feelings. It’s quite the opposite. By expecting and demonstrating mutual respect, you can share your home with your canine companion and maintain peace in the kingdom.
As a dog trainer and behaviorist, I would like to openly admit that my favorite at-home command is “whatever.” It’s beyond reason how quickly my dogs learned to respect the power of the word “whatever.”
If I say it with a slight 1980’s Valley-girl tone, they are happy to respond. I find it particularly beneficial to use this command when all five of them are at the door waiting to come in and I am attempting to limit the entry to two of them.
As they are lined up at the door, I may say “Zoe and Moby, stay! Olive and Negev, ok.” As Zoe starts to move, I ask her politely if her name is Olive? She will sheepishly back off. Okay, so it doesn’t happen exactly like that.
As I select who may enter and who may not, I will – with much authority – release all of them with the respect-gaining “whatever” command. It always works! This is really taking dog training to another level, so I advise that you proceed with caution when incorporating this strict form of structure in your own home.
Do not attempt to use the “whatever” command without proper instruction and guidance from a professional dog trainer. Results may vary. =)
