Previously, I posted about Puppies Behind Bars. The newly elected Senator Franken has introduced legislation for hundreds of service dogs to be trained to alter the lives of wounded U.S. Veterans. For more information and/or to show your support, go to the fetchdog ad in the column to the right.
While there is more information available than you could possible want to know about house training, it is still the number one concern of my clients. The challenge for most people is moving beyond the memory of their previous experience when, “we house trained our last dog in five days and never used a crate.”
No one quite remembers how they did it, but only that it was easy. Some suffer or rather are blessed with memory loss regarding the time it took to get their new pup to “go” outside. I’m not sure why it seems so different now than it used to. Perhaps dogs resided outside more than inside, maybe you were more patient, or let’s face it – the previous dog may have just been a quick learner!
You will get the new pup housetrained much faster if you immediately get on a consistent schedule with food, potty breaks, and confinement (crate or small space) and supervision. Consider it a learning experience and welcome the new-and-improved process. It works!
If you have any questions about a proven system of house training and/or crate training, contact me or check out the ebook to the right.
Get the answer to your dog training question from the one who knows – a dog!
This post is dedicated to Melody. She came up with the idea that I respond to questions from the humans and she respond to questions from the dogs. I guess she’s right. Dogs would have a different perspective on training and behavior modification than most humans.
Melody is a rescue dog from a puppy mill where she brought a lot of Yorkie’s into the world. If any dog deserves the right to speak, it’s her. So, if your dog has a question regarding you (their human), training and/or behavior modification, use the box to the right.
Melody does a fine introduction in the video. . .
When you are looking for a dog trainer or behaviorist, you are most likely interested in the end result. Let’s face it – training is training. Sit is sit, stay is stay regardless of the method used. I think it is important to give thought to the process used to get to that end result.
Think of it personally. If there is something you want to learn or you want to teach someone else, doesn’t it feel better to have them learn it out of respect and positive reinforcement than by fear or pain?
Why do some archaic technique if a more gentle approach works? A happy, respectful dog sits just as nicely as one who submits out of fear of feeling what’s coming next. There may be a lot of “but what about’s” in your mind right now. Like, what about if they are aggressive? What if the dog is extremely stubborn?
I have found that a lot of people run out of patience long before their dog is responding in the way they want. Anger and frustration are not success-guaranteed training tools. If you find yourself losing patience, end the session with the dog complying end on a positive note and begin again later.
If you are having difficulty with a specific behavior, please contact me using the box to the right. (Melody shares this space with me!)
The first training session people have with their new dog is teaching it to sit. It’s a proud moment indeed. When teaching this basic command, the human is usually facing the dog. The dog begins to think in order to sit you must be facing them. The next step is standing with them at your side as you say, “sit.”
Once they know the command, it doesn’t matter where you are standing relative to them. When out on a walk, having your dog sit next to you as you stop is very important. If they are sitting, they aren’t going any where else! The desired response is for a dog to learn to sit immediately upon your stopping. Can or will they sit in an instant?
I encourage clients to walk slow, stop, and wait a couple of seconds before asking the dog to sit. Give the dog an opportunity to realize, “Oh, we’ve stopped (or at least one of us has) and this is when I sit.” Maybe they aren’t going through all of that, but it’s not necessary to halt quickly and correct your dog into a sit without first teaching them what’s expected and giving them the opportunity to do it. Walk, stop, give them a second to respond, then ask them to sit. Only ask once. Then you may “assist” them in sitting. Praise!
Some dogs will learn instantly to sit when you stop walking. Others, have to wait for the word to absorb into their brains while the information slowly travels down the spine to their hind quarters where the action takes place.
I’ll relate it this way. . .you walk into someone’s home and they tell you to sit down. As you are starting to sit, they sharply repeat, “SIT, SIT, SIT!” Wouldn’t you look at them and say, “give me a second.” I think I’ve heard a few dogs mumble something similar.
With a Great Dane, sitting is a process! Are they sitting quickly? Yes, for them. It takes a second for the entire body to get the message and respond. So, will your dog learn to sit in an instant? Maybe. If, however, they need a few seconds to engage, you don’t need to repeat the command. Say it, mean it, praise for the response and see if that’s not fast enough.
Not all dogs can swim. It may seem obvious that short-legged, heavy-bodied dogs may not be natural swimmers; however, I’ve known more than a few labs who weren’t either. If they’re a natural at it, you’ll know by their willingness to let go of the death grip they have on the stairs or you as you take them in the pool.
To teach a dog to swim, take them in much like you would a child. Support them under their belly by letting them lay across your arms. Start out by stopping at the first step and praising them. Take it slow as you move further into the pool.
Turn them so they are facing the steps and let them go. Be at their side and very close to the steps so they can feel safe and learn that this is the way to get out of the pool. Also, if you are in front of them you are more likely to get clawed if they head for you rather than the landing. If they use their front legs but are unstable in their hips or in kicking their hind legs, lift up under them to bring stability and see if they start to get the hang of using their back legs.
Take them out several times and if it’s going well, take them further away from the steps each time. If they absolutely hate it, praise them as they get out and try later if it’s something you want to continue. It may take several swim lessons before they are willing to get in and out on their own.
This short video clip is of Harley, a 1.5-year-old Yorkie who had never been in a pool and hates bath time. He was a natural and was soon jumping from the side of the pool onto our rafts. I think he preferred that mode of movement through the water, but he did excellent at his first swim lesson.
Happy 4th of July!
This is the day when we celebrate by making a lot of noise! Dogs, on the other hand, may panic and do anything to try to escape our celebration. Remember to be extra mindful of your dog(s) and to bring them inside if possible. Also, leaving a TV or radio on for background noise can be beneficial. However, for some dogs, it’s the sound combined with the vibration of the fireworks, so a little background noise won’t come close to calming them.
We have a day off on July 4th, and July 5th is the busiest day of the year for animal control and shelters. Be safe, have fun, and keep your eye on Fido! I witnessed firsthand the tragedy of someone leaving their dog alone, outside on the 4th of July. It brings up the question – is a microchip enough?
Separation anxiety manifests itself in varying degrees. The symptoms can be very subtle and escalate quickly if not addressed. I do believe that some dogs suffer from post-traumatic stress as well. Combine the two, and you may come home to something like this. These photos show the pure panic of a dog who was lost after the passing of the other dog in the family.
Emotional instability in dogs is as real as it is in humans. They don’t have words for what they are feeling – nor do we. It’s important to understand their behavior from a dog’s perspective and to treat them accordingly. There is a trigger, a memory, a perceived fear, that can be extremely challenging to pinpoint (if we ever can).
Here’s a great article from the Humane Society regarding Separation Anxiety. If you have any questions or are concerned your dog is demonstrating symptoms of either separation anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, please contact me for assistance.
Here’s how the introduction might start:
It’s a surprise meeting as they look into each other’s eyes. . .
They slowly move to touch one another. . .
What happened next was far more fun for the dog than the cat.*
Here’s information on Dog and Cat Introductions.
*No kitties were mistreated in the taking of these photos!
I was sitting outside tonight as it finally cooled down. I was snacking on some nuts and had one of my dogs with me. It’s good to spend time with your dogs individually as they each have different personalities. It’s easy to miss the differences if they are always viewed as a pack.
As I snacked on almonds, my curious dog was anxiously awaiting my either dropping one or voluntaringly giving her one. I gave her an almond. One, small, dry almond and she acted like it was the best treat she ever received. She took it and ran off with her tail-a-waggin’. She set it down, sniffed it, and then slowly picked it up and chewed.
An almond. She brought me to the moment. Watching her savor this treat reminded me of how simple a “treat” can be. I gave her a few more as I slowed down my eating so that I too could enjoy every bite. Want to live in the moment and enjoy every “treat” life gives you. . .learn from your dog.
