Dogs Are Pack Animals…Right?

In an article by Jean Donaldson she addresses the question – are dogs pack animals?  Studies show they may not be as pack oriented as we typically profess them to be.  She concludes with this:

“If we are to support our contention that dogs are pack animals, we will need to account for these many populations where dogs, in the absence of the glue of human confinement and husbandry, simply do their own thing.”

Here’s the complete article: Are Dogs Pack Animals?

What Pets Can Teach Us About Marriage

Not being married, I would change or add to the title:  What Pets Can Teach Us About Marriage and Relationships.  I didn’t write the article, but liked it enough to share it.

What Pets Can Teach Us About Marriage (Relationships)

Bark! Bark! Bark! What Are They Saying?

Guess what?  Dogs bark.  This isn’t the first time you have heard it from me.  This post is another segment in why dogs bark.  Here’s the scenario:

You are walking down the street with your dog on a leash and working on having your dog heel.  Your dog spots another dog in the distance and starts barking (and barking and barking).  What is your dog saying?

Your dog’s bark could be saying:

“Look a dog!  Hi dog!  I’m a dog!  Come here dog.  We can play!”  Or…

“Oh no a dog!  A big dog!  A little dog!  I don’t like how that dog looks or smells.  I need to get that dog – now before he gets me (us)!”  Or…

“Look a dog!  Get me outta’ here!  That dog just said he doesn’t like me and to prepare to defend myself. Run!”

There is so much more than just a bark happening in these moments.  Some dogs have more obvious triggers than others, and it takes time in learning those triggers and if your dog is being assertive and dominant, passive and frightened, or just wants to have fun.

To those on the other end of the leash, it appears that when our dog sees a dog it goes crazy for no reason and we either panic or get embarrassed.  I have a vocal dog, so I have to tell people, “sorry, he’s vocal.”  It seems like common courtesy to apologize for our dogs barking.  Seldom do humans apologize for being overly vocal.  Granted a barking dog can be annoying but for them it is not without purpose.

Observe and learn from your dog, watch their body language, and while you can’t remove their ability to communicate, you can keep them from escalating into panic mode.  You can acknowledge what they are saying and they should trust and respect your request for them to be quiet.

Do Dogs Really Want To Please Us?

It is often said by dog lovers and advocates that our dogs just want to please us. All they want is for us to be happy and happy with them. There is a lot more to it than this.

I consider myself to be a practical trainer/behaviorist. I do what I do because of my love for animals with my focus being on the understanding and ever-growing knowledge of canine behavior. Personally, my dogs live a grand life. They have nice beds, they respond to commands, they are all now to a stage of wanting to please me. Why?  Because they know me, and I know them.   It can take years to create this type of relationship. It is worth it.

Pleasing humans is not inherent in a dog’s psyche. Being a member of a pack is. They don’t walk down the street and see a human and think, “oh, there’s a human being, I want them to be pleased with me.” In fact, the opposite may be true!  They may have learned that humans are good and will give them food and affection, or they may have a negative association.

Much as it is with humans, respect of a dog is earned. I like to think the feelings are mutual – they respect me, and I respect them. Gaining a dog’s respect only happens when they know you and what to expect from you (this goes both ways).

Now, back to the question…do dogs really want to please us? Yes. Why? They want food, AND they do enjoy our attention and affection and all of the other experiences we share with them.

You may have a dog that has no interest in pleasing you.  Some dogs act as though they just don’t care what we think and there is not an ounce of the need-to-please in their body. You can’t train that into them. You can accept their nature and look for ways to connect with them using their natural drive and instinct.

So, whether your dog appears to only want to please you or it never does; it is important to understand what makes them who they are and to be patient with the process.

What’s In Your Collar?

There are so many options when it comes to purchasing a collar for your dog. Should you use a harness? What type of harness is best? If using a collar, is the flat nylon style adequate? Some trainers will only train using a prong/pinch (or power steering collar, as I call them). My personal
favorite is the Martingale-style training collar.

Let’s face it, dog training is dog training when it comes to basic commands. It’s what happens when the leash and collar come off that is the true test. A lot of dogs go into their training mode when a specific collar is used for training versus the one used for a walk. They quickly learn what is expected depending on their “jewelry.”  Much like a service or search and rescue dog knows it’s working when wearing a vest.  Dogs are smart!  We train them well (or they train us well).  =)

I make certain that any dog I work with knows their commands regardless of their collar or harness. The collar and leash are tools. The end result is not that your dog responds nicely during the 15 – 20 minutes of training, but rather they listen, respect, and want to please you when training is done. Training becomes a way of life. Aren’t we always teaching others how to treat us!

After the basics, I suggest switching to a 15 – 20 foot leash to perfect “stay.” It’s also beneficial for teaching them to “come” and for distance learning. Too often, after puppy class, the leash and training are set aside until the dog does something not so pleasing to the human. I can assure you, the dog is always great at being a dog and not so great at thinking like a human.  It takes (a lot) of time and consistency to create a mutually respectful relationship with your dog.

As a side note, I have seen too many dogs who were broken (for lack of a better word) by harsh training using a prong collar. Not every dog is the same, and it’s important to be willing to try different tools to see what works for your dog. If a trainer/behaviorist only does it one way, I’d find another trainer. No two dogs are the same any more than two humans.

I am happy to answer any questions you have, and if you live in the Palm Springs area, I would love the opportunity to work with you and your fur family.

Dog Versus Instinct

Usually when we think of a dog and its instincts, we don’t think in the context of us (dog) versus them (instinct).  A dog may never be truly separated from its instincts, however, it may have to grow into them.

While working with puppies, particularly male puppies, it is interesting to observe their response to their instincts particularly as it pertains to their developing hormones.   Until the hormones align with maturity, it is as if their instincts work against them.  Some males never lift their leg and others…well, could use a father figure saying something like, “son, never pee into the wind.” In the case of some male pups, it would be, “son, lift the other leg.”

I watched as a six-month-old ALL-MALE pup, sniffed a place where another dog had gone, and rather than lifting the leg next to the targeted rock, lifted the wrong leg. Too funny. I, of course, would never laugh at the dog.

I had him out for socialization, and as he focused on the scent where another dog had marked, he began to mark. What was so entertaining, is he doesn’t yet know to ration his urine so he went freely as he was walking away! Another time, he looked down as he was mid-stream and the urine hit his chin. He jumped with a startled expression as if to ask, “who just sprayed me and why?”

He will get his brain soon and his body will mature and the hormones will stabilize. Until then, I will enjoy the maturing process of this beautiful (when he is sleeping) boy.

How To Keep Your Dog In The Yard

The secret to keeping your dog safely in the yard is to build a fence!  I wish it were easier than that.  When we move into a home, it is very clear to us that this is our house and this is our yard.  Dogs don’t.  They learn where they live, but for the most part, a yard is a yard is a yard.

Some dog breeds have less of a prey drive and are more connected to the needs and wants of their human pack.  They may never even consider wandering off unless it is to follow you.  Others, appear to go deaf and experience a sudden loss of memory when instinct or wanderlust kicks in.  Dogs can be taught the boundary of a yard, but even the best trained dog may run after a foot-loose rabbit. (Can’t you just hear their, “woo-hoo – got me a wabbit!   Yard?  Boundary?  Give me a second!”)

It is very important to continually reinforce their recall (coming to you) because if, or should I say when they take off, they will respond to your call.   At that moment, their response to “come” is more important than the fact they left the yard.

Don’t ask me how I know this!  =)

Do Dogs Have Feelings?

The subject of dogs and what it is they feel will forever be a topic of interest to us dog advocates. I don’t think I would treat them any differently if I were to find out they had no “feelings” in the sense that we humans do.

A feeling can be like the weather in Seattle. If you don’t like it, wait an hour and it will be different! This is certainly true if our feelings are based on emotion alone. Living with humans, dogs are exposed to our fickle behaviors and moods whether or not they understand or join us in them.

I know when I have asked a client to confine (crate or kennel or keep a leash on their dog) they wonder if it will hurt their dog’s feelings. On behalf of all the dogs I love, NO! We don’t worry about hurting an infant’s feelings if we don’t let them run free and out of our sight before they are trustworthy.

I do believe dogs have feelings, and the rest is my life study.  For instance, I came home from a training session to find that my dogs were frantically going through the phone book looking for a florist so they could send me flowers for my upcoming birthday. You can see their disappointment in my walking in on the surprise. I’d say they have feelings…

I think Melody needs glasses!

Dogs Don’t Have Accidents

I hear people refer to a dog’s behavior as an “accident.”  Dogs don’t have accidents.  Certainly not in the way humans do.

As I walked to my car today and noticed yet another they-had-to-know-they-did-this door ding, I said my characteristic “dog gone it!”  Whatever that means.  Having just said the word dog,  I couldn’t help but think about how different we humans are from  animals.

Dogs, like other animals, live in the moment.  They may be territorial, possessive, aggressive, and any or all of the characteristics that could make them excellent door-dingers; however, it’s not something they would do.  If a dog wants you to know they are feeling threatened, irritated, or any number of expressions, it will be in your presence and applicable to that moment.  They aren’t capable of being passive-aggressive.

Living in the moment may not be so great all of the time; however, it would help to lessen those “accidents” we humans may participate in on a daily basis; i.e., forgetting where we put something, hitting someone’s car because we weren’t paying attention, over-reacting to a situation because of something that happened earlier in the day, etc.

I am coining a new phrase – “WWMDD?”  That’s – “What Would My Dog Do?”  I don’t know that it will help me find the keys I can’t find because I was thinking of something else when I set them down; but, if asked often enough, it may help to keep me in the moment and maybe a little less serious.

Accidents do happen (as they say); however maybe if we asked ourselves WWMDD, they would happen a little less often.

If your dog has mentioned you need behavioral modification or you experience mis-placed aggression, send me an email.  I’m happy to help.  I’m better at understanding dogs, but I do fairly well with humans.

How Long Does It Take To Train A Dog?

It only takes seconds to train a dog.  Really.  Because your dog is constantly observing and responding to you, you are always training them.  What you are training them is the question.  If you provide little to no structure and are inconsistent with what you expect of them, you will receive little to no respect and inconsistent behavior from them.

Some clients admit to having in the past had dogs they never had to train.  The difference was in the dog.  Some dogs want to please us more than others, and it appears they need no training.  They do; however, they are just plain easy!  Unfortunately (or fortunately), not all dogs are created equal.  We make the mistake of labeling a dog that was easy “good” and a difficult dog as “bad.”  They are both good dogs – let’s just say one is more challenging than the other.

So, how long does it take to train your dog?  It could be a lifetime.  Sure, with consistent expectations from you, you will get into a good flow of life where there is peace in the kingdom.  However, and that is a big HOWEVER, they will always and forever be a dog going through cycles of development and may need you to “remind” them of what they know.  I am here to remind you.  =)