WRONG type of Conditioning!

Conditioning affects all of us in normal life and as it relates to our dogs.  It is important to understand conditioning and how it works in order to best control it when it comes to our canine companions.

First, let’s get the technical “speak” out of the way and then we can talk in more layman’s terms.

There are different types of conditioning when it comes to behavior.   We normally refer to two types of behavioral conditioning when it comes to our dogs; classical conditioning and operant conditioning.

Classical Conditioning:  Is a form of learning that involves presentation of a neutral stimulus along with a stimulus of some significance.  The neutral stimulus is a stimulus that does not normally affect the behavior of the respondent.  The significant stimulus is a stimulus that evokes a natural response.  Responses elicited by classical conditioning are not maintained by consequences.

Operant Conditioning: is a form of learning during which an individual learns to modify the occurrence and form of its own behavior due to the association with a stimulus.   This is modification of voluntary behavior.  Naturally occurring consequences can reinforce, punish, or extinguish behavior and are not always delivered by people.

In Layman’s Terms:

Classical Conditioning is training with a marker like a certain word or a clicker.  It is pairing something like a treat, with something that in the beginning is

Classical Conditioning

not understood or known by the dog.  By pairing something that the dog would naturally want (the treat) with something that the dog doesn’t really know (the clicker) it conditions the marker (or the clicker) to mean essentially the same thing as the treat after a period of time.  Therefore the marker can be used to reinforce desirable behavior.

Operant Conditioning is the dog learning (sometimes on his own) what is reinforcing and what has negative consequences in his own environment.  This can involve human/dog training or it can be something that is self-learned.

I believe that both of these types of training are important.  I really like classical conditioning because I can better control my dog, his learning and his responses.

But, for the purpose of this article I want to focus on operant conditioning and how it can negatively affect your training without you realizing it.

Often bad behaviors or behavior problems start out small.  For whatever the reason, your dog finds the behavior rewarding.  He may begin barking and he learns that he enjoys the sound of his own voice, or he sees the mailman leave after barking threatening him.

An intact male dog may begin to mark his territory inside the house.

If you notice the behavior in the beginning, it is usually fairly quick to change.  Instead of the behavior being rewarding for the dog, you can change the behavior, or restrict the behavior.

For instance if I have a dog that is constantly looking out the window and barking I am going to restrict his access to that window and if I have a dog marking or urinating in the house I am going to keep him on a leash with me and restrict his access to my house.  At my house these things are privileges that need to be earned.

I am Going to Change Bad Behavior Before it Becomes Habit

But, I do my best to nip bad behavior in the bud the moment I see it.  Even if I think  it is a little cute (begging or tail chasing) I must not encourage the behavior or it will become harder to eventually fix.

I recently had an older client at my house with her 4 year old poodle.  He was barking incessantly.  The problem was that her husband had originally thought it was cute when he barked at the front door and at noises on the TV and rewarded the behavior by encouraging it.

The dog learned that this behavior was appreciated, so he began to show it all of the time.  Soon he was barking when a leaf hit the ground, or when his owners moved the furniture and eventually it wasn’t cute anymore.

However, at this point the behavior had become conditioned.  He had been showing the behavior for so long it has become second nature.

The same is true with allowing your dog to urinate or defecate in your house for a long time.  Instead of being a behavior problem, it becomes a conditioned behavior.

A conditioned behavior is like a habit, whether it be good or bad.  But, habits are hard to change; especially well established habits.

Old habits are hard to break and new habits are hard to form because the behavioral patterns we repeat are imprinted in our neural pathways.

The basal ganglion (in the brain) appears to remember the context that triggers a habit, meaning they can be revived if triggers appear.

This is why it is sooo important to create good habits and change the behavior problems immediately when we see them.

People often ask me “Is he too old to learn”?  to which I vehemently say “NO! Dogs are never too old to learn!”

But learning is much easier if you are not breaking a bad habit!

Which means you can probably teach your 5 year old Chihuahua to “shake” hands a lot faster than you can re-train him not to bark at everything that moves.

What Can You Do?

Condition and Reward Good Behaviors to Form Good Habits!

Make sure that you are conditioning the good behaviors that your dog shows.  Encourage him to lay down, to come when called, to be quiet, and to potty outside.  After a period of time good behaviors are also conditioned.  Wouldn’t it be nice to know that your dog is “conditioned” to come to you when you call him?  But in order to achieve this you have to put in the work and effort to consistently reward it.

In order to achieve conditioning or habit forming, you must be consistent with your reward.  You must also fairly consistently or regularly reward these behaviors.  You can’t condition the behavior and then never reward your dog for it again or the reward and the habit will extinguish or go away!

Remember that many naughty behaviors your dog is showing are self-rewarding.  He doesn’t need you to reward them because he is rewarding himself and so conditioning happens very quickly!

Be very careful what behavior you reward!  You may think, initially that you want your dog or your puppy to bark but I guarantee after a time you will want some quiet and silence on command.  You don’t need to reward barking, most often it is a self-rewarding behavior, and you do want to reward QUIET!

IF Your Dog Has a Bad Habit

Be patient!!!  It is very difficult to change a bad behavior that has developed into a habit!

You must be willing to be almost completely consistent or at least aim for 95% consistency and reaction!

This consistency is what helps to form a new behavior.

Think of your dog as a former drug abuser or someone trying to quit smoking.  Be patient!  Bad habits don’t change overnight.

Don’t give up!  Your dog is worth your time and effort and he needs you to be resilient and patient!

A favorite quote of mine that applies to constant, consistent and positive dog training:

Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.

Don’t settle for the bare minimum or give the least effort you think

you can get away with. If you’re going to do something, do it to the

best of your ability! 

Understanding Conditioning in Dog Training is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

I have recently mentioned my resurgence into the dog obedience and trialing world.

The first time I trialed and showed, I was egged on by my client who challenged me and my dog to an “obedience dare” to see who could title their dog first.  I REALLY, REALLY didn’t want to, but I had help to get her ready for her competitions and she wanted company IN and around the show ring.

I never wanted to trial my dog or get titles, I never cared and was terrified of competition and getting up in front of people.  But the irony of the situation is that the trainer she left me for fashioned herself as a competition training aficionado.

I happily admit I took her up on her dare and not only did I title first, I beat her former trainer   But, for me its not about the competition it is about spending time not only training with my dog but also the short time spent in the ring together!

I intend to get as many titles on my little girl “Fury” as I can!  It is my challenge to myself!

And, my favorite obedience sport, you ask?

Rally Obedience!

Some of the Signs Used

I am proud to admit she got #1 blue ribbon her first time out of the gate with a score of 99 pts!  I let the leash get tight once!  Above is our first place run!

For those of you who aren’t familiar, let me educate you!

Rally Obedience was created by Charles Kramer.

Unlike regular obedience where you must wait for the judge to call out instructions you proceed around a course of designated stations with the dog in heel position.  The course consists of 10-20 signs (depending on the level of advancement) and the signs instruct the team as to what directive to complete.

And, distinct from other obedience sports are allowed and even encouraged to praise and talk to their dogs throughout the course!

THAT is my #1 reason for loving Rally!  Most obedience sports are very cold and absent in the relationship between the dog and the owner/handler.  I personally like to at least be able to praise my dog when he/she does something phenomenal and to keep him/her motivated and happy.

I understand that you should not be able to use training collars, issue corrections, or give treats but I emphatically admit that dogs deserve praise for a job well done!  And, in Rally you can praise, talk to and even clap for your dog when he does something right!

Since I don’t have a judge barking directions at me, I can also relax and stumble about the course on my own without having to worry about listening to someone else.  This allows me to block out everything else that is going on around me.

Fun had by All

And, IT’S FUN!

Even if you don’t compete…Rally obedience is just fun!  And the obedience behind it is functional!  I love the fact that by working on the simple commands on the signs like: Stop (dog should sit) Take one step halt (dog sits) Two steps halt (dog sits) Three steps halt (dog sits) and  Call Dog Front Finish Left halt (dog should come and sit in front then go to heel position and sit on the left side).

And, it’s FAST you are usually in the ring for less than 2-3 minutes!

This is a great sport to get started in with your dog!  It is my favorite way to start!

Look it up online.  Many organizations offer Rally Obedience AKC, APDT, UKC and several others!  You don’t even have to have a pure breed to get out there and have some fun!  You can find more information here.

If you are “on the fence” about competing go to a show and watch, it is so much fun!

A Word of Caution

To those of you who may end up being “die-hard” obedience competitors; be careful about getting use to lots of praise and using your hands and hand signals.  Even if though these are allowed in Rally you don’t want to get into too many bad habits that will be hard to drop when you eventually work your way up or onto another obedience sport!  Do as little and as quiet as possible!

I truly believe that this will strengthen the bond between you and your dog, even if you don’t want to compete, check out the signs and train like you are a competitor!

My Favorite Dog Obedience Sport is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

Someone Reluctant to Crate Train?

Recently I have had a few questions about those of you that have crate whiners!

I HATE whining!  I can almost tolerate full out barking before I can tolerate the sound of whining.  I guess it is the pitch and my tendency toward migraines but whining is one of my biggest pet peeves, so I completely understand!

But, it is important to understand crate training from your dog’s stand point before we go much further!

What it’s Like for Your Dog

Most whining and crying comes from our puppies when we try to crate train them.  Understand that they come from a world where they lived with their mom and their littermates in a fairly confined space.  They have never really experienced being all ALONE and it can be kind of scary, at first.

Dogs are den animals, that is true, so acclimating to a crate is somewhat natural for dogs, however they are never “locked” in their dens.  This inability to get our takes some acclimation and the understanding that nothing bad is going to happen to them in this new environment.

Most of our pets are spoiled.  We take our dogs with us and spend lots of time with them, catering to their every need; so they can be taken aback when we lock them up and leave them alone.

Crates are CRITICAL

But, crates are essential to the safety of your dog and your “stuff”.   Read more about why to use a crate and crate games here in my article The Joys of Crate Training.

I will always crate train my dogs.  It makes them easier to travel with, because their home can travel with them, and it helps them with separation anxiety and anxiety at the groomer and the vet hospital.  At some point almost ALL dogs will have to be crated or caged somewhere.  Just last week I had to drop my dog off for x-rays and I know she was put in a kennel to await her turn!

So it is crucial not to give up!  Remember it is normal for your dog to protest and how you deal with these protests will set you up for a lifetime of loud protests if you are not careful!

What Do You Do?

Crate Training will Save you From this Destruction!

First and foremost is to acclimate your puppy or dog to the crate to the best of your ability.

Also play crate games!  The more you can make the crate a fun place the less stress and screaming you are going to get when you leave your or puppy in it!

Good training and the important things in your dog’s life take time!  Don’t just shove your dog in and lock the door and hope he will be okay.  Chances are this would be traumatic for him.

Find an extra great treat, like a sterile cow bone or Kong stuffed with peanut butter or chicken flavor; freeze it and make it a special crate treat.  It must be safe enough to leave with your puppy or dog alone.  So, make sure he can’t get large pieces off of it or shred it.

I never leave a blanket with a dog that is not crate trained.  He could consume it and need abdominal surgery to have it removed.

These special crate treats should ONLY come out when he is in his crate NEVER when he is with you or just around the house.  This makes his crate exciting and him happy to see you leave.  If he has access to the same treat all of the time or at other frequent times it doesn’t make the crate special.

Leave a radio on and make it LOUD.  We live in a world of constant noise and media.  Many of us live in an environment full of noise, the TV, computer, kids screaming, people talking, music playing…but when we leave our dogs alone we leave them in a quiet and sterile environment.  This is not something they are use to and it can be scary alone!  Help them feel like they are in their normal environment by leaving the radio or TV on for them.

Loud background sounds also block the sound of the mailman, delivery man, or other strange noises.  It can also help to calm a puppy in his while you putter around the house and get things done.  But if you leave that puppy alone in his crate and proceed to make noises he can hear, he is more likely to resist vocally!

At night I believe in keeping the crate next to my bed.  I think it is crucial for my dogs to hear that I am right next to them breathing and moving around.  Remember your puppy is use to hearing his littermates, he needs to hear some familiar sounds.  If he stirs in the middle of the night I can hear him and take him outside.  But if he cries, whimpers, or whines when I put him in there I can tap on the side of the crate and tell him to be quiet.  This stops the whimper from escalating to a howl.

Never ever break the cardinal rule!

The cardinal rule, you ask?

Puppies Should Love their Crates!

Don’t Let a Screaming Dog or Puppy Win!

You must teach your dog that in order to get out of his crate he must be quiet!  This is essential!

Dogs are much more strong willed than we are, so if he screams for 2 hours straight and you go to let him out he will object even more adamantly the next time you put him in and 3 or 4 hours will be nothing.

By letting out a dog that is throwing a fit, you are basically saying “YES! Please throw a fit when you want something”.  And you are much more likely to see this behavior anytime he doesn’t want to do something.  He will begin to scream when you leave him alone in the car, or alone in your home, or if he doesn’t want his nails trimmed.  You have taught him that fit throwing and screaming to gets him what he wants.

Instead, you must teach him that being quiet is what you want.  If he wants out of his crate he must be quiet, this teaches him impulse control and that he doesn’t get everything that he wants when he wants it.  Impulse control is fundamental to good dog training.

Tricks

Exhausted dogs and puppies are too tired to scream.  If I have a dog that is a screamer or likely to throw a fit, I will wear him out prior to his crate stay!  Play ball, run him next to your bike, or take him for a hike and as he begins to drift off slip him into his crate.

I have had screaming puppies!  I had a 6 week old puppy that screamed for nearly 4 hours one night but I didn’t let him win.  I lost a night’s sleep, but it was better than losing several nights sleep or worrying about squishing a puppy in my bed!

Your Dog's Crate Should be his Favorite Spot!

Shorter sessions are better.  This makes sense but if you leave a dog for 8 hours that can be hard to adjust.  If however you do 10 minutes when he is exhausted, with a safe chew bone, and end on a happy note you will ease into crate training much easier!   Make sure he is tired before bedtime!

If rapping on the crate doesn’t work to quiet my puppies or being by the bed doesn’t seem to help them feel better, I try moving the crate as far away from my bedroom as possible so they can scream without bothering me.  I can later bring the crate back into my room, but this allows me to get some sleep.

I have even moved crates to my air conditioned office that was located in my garage.  I have let quite a few dogs scream it out.  Once I know they aren’t going to hurt themselves, I let them throw a fit.  This is like a child throwing a tantrum, if you give in it only gets worse.  As long as they are safe, let them learn that fit throwing will get them nowhere.

At some point you may have to let a screaming puppy out to potty and we know you can’t break the cardinal rule…so how do you win?

You make a distracting noise and get ready to praise a quiet puppy.  If you can’t wait for them to fall asleep and then surprise them, then make a strange noise and when they pause run down and reinforce quietness.

But overall make it as positive and fun as you possibly can!  There are going to be some fits, that is normal but how you deal with them is the most important!  Remember you are the stronger smarter animal

Got a Crate Squawker? is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

Puppies are a True Joy!

So you are thinking of getting a puppy?

Nothing is more exciting than adding a new life to your family structure, but you want to make sure you get the pup of your dreams and not one that gives you nightmares, right?

We can help give you some food for thought when it comes to new puppies!

Puppies are super fun, but they take a substantial amount of time and training!

#1 Time

Puppies need to go outside regularly; experts say you should take your dog’s age by month and add one to decide how often he needs to go outside and go potty.  So if you have an 8 week old puppy that = two months, + 1: so your puppy should go out at least every 3 hours during the day!

Do you have the time to stay home with a puppy and let him out every 2-3 hours or would you prefer an older puppy or adult dog?

#2 Temperament

Temperament is my main focus when I am looking for a new dog.  It is desperately hard to judge a little tiny puppy.  Those of us that compete in different dog trials know that puppies about 7 months are much easier to judge than those that are super young.  There are so many factors when it comes to temperament.

I look at mom and dad.  If I can’t hug or kiss mommy and daddy dog…I probably don’t want a puppy from them.  Even if I want a “protective” dog, I still want a social dog and yes you can have both!

The majority of puppies that I see with aggression problems came from an adult dog with aggression issues!

Even if the puppy is cute or seems social, or you feel sorry for him don’t take a puppy that came from an aggressive parent.  If the adult dog has to be locked up when you come this is a serious RED FLAG!

Do You Want a Busy Puppy?

#3 Activity Level

Different breeds and different dogs require different kinds of commitments.  Let’s face it; all puppies require an immense amount of time and commitment, but some puppies require even more.

Was the breed you are looking at bred to work all day long?

Some lines of Labrador Retrievers, Border Collies, Aussies, German Shepherd Dogs and even Golden Retrievers can be bred to work all day.

Active breeds need lots of exercise and mental stimulation and if the dog is bred from “working or field lines” you can guarantee the effort needed will be multiplied.

And, don’t think just because you get a small dog that Chihuahuas, Poodles, or Jack Russells are easy to live with!

#4 Purebred or Mix

Are you looking for a purebred or a mixed breed puppy?  Rescues can still be a wonderful source for not only mixed breeds but also purebred puppies!   Even if you are looking for a certain breed contact the local rescue to find out if they have puppies and which breeders to avoid!

#5 Health

I am a firm believer that mixed breed dogs are healthier than purebred dogs!  But, mixed breeds can still have health problems.

There are some breeds that are known to only live to 8 years old.

Some dogs have a high likelihood of cancer, heart disease, and other disorders.

If you get some different breeds narrowed down, talk to your vet!  We use to talk, at the vet clinic, that a person would have to be a doctor to afford some breeds of dog!  Your vet will be honest with you!

# 6 Training

Not all dogs are created equal!  Some dogs are much more difficult to train than others and some dogs are not recommended for first time dog owners.  If you want to herd cattle, don’t get a Maltese!

Figure out what you want to accomplish with your new dog and find an appropriate match.  Some dog are good hikers and some dogs would peter out after 10 minutes or scrape their skin tender on a rock.

If you have high hopes or aspirations find a breed that fits your needs!

Do you Want a Dog this Size?

#7 Size

Do you want a small dog or big dog?

Although small dogs eat less; sometimes they take more effort, exercise and training than a big dog!  Little dogs can be quite a challenge to potty train and to train in general!

# 8 Coat

Do you want to have to groom your dog every three weeks or do you want a wash and wear dog?  Grooming can be quite expensive and some dogs require it at least every three weeks!

Can you handle having dog fur on your food, in your car, on your sofa and on your body constantly?

#9 Male or Female

There are great things about both sexes!  I think my favorite is neutered males, if you neuter them early (about 16 weeks is ideal for me)!

Think about if you have other dogs in the house.

Females often have a difficult time adjusting to other females, and intact males will fight with other intact males.

Do your research and if you have other dogs see how they do with friend’s puppies!

The Top 8Things to Consider Before Adding a Puppy to Your Household is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

•  Running through a box tunnel
•  Dancing on her hind legs
• Jumping through a hoop
• Shaking a paw
• And, belly crawling across the floor

You can watch the video here:

It’s impressive, right?

But did you also notice the SILENT commands that Wayne and Annie are using?

For example, when you break it down, you’ll see that to perform the ‘box tunnel trick’, Wayne has trained Annie to:

1. 1.    Leave him
2. 2.    Run to the box
3. 3.    Go THROUGH the box
4. 4.    And return to him

… The commands have been stacked, so that when Wayne says ‘Go To Your Box’ – Annie automatically translates this into FOUR COMMANDS!

And while Wayne still needs to give Annie the ‘Down’ command before he gives the ‘Crawl’ command, if he continues training, it won’t be long before Annie understands that to ‘Crawl’ she must first ‘Down’…

… And Wayne will be able to just say ‘Crawl’.

So now I imagine you’re wondering, “How do I train MY dog to perform tricks like this, with stacked commands?”

It’s far easier than you think…   But you need to start with the basics.

Wayne and Annie began their training using my ‘Hands Off’ Dog Training Course  which taught them both two important lessons:

First, Wayne learned how to train Annie to do ANYTHING by discovering how SHE learned!  

And second, through her training sessions with Wayne, Annie learned HOW to learn!

… So once Wayne understood how to communicate with Annie, and Annie understood how to learn from her Dad, they became an unstoppable team!

Wayne was able to toss aside my training program (gently of course , get creative, and dream up his own trick routines for Annie!

And Annie has been loving every minute of it (as you can see by watching the video), learning new commands and tricks as fast as Wayne can teach them.

So again, start with the basics.

Learn to communicate with your dog effectively.  And teach your dog how to learn.  My ‘Hands Off’ Training Course offers you a step-by-step blueprint, with daily lessons for doing exactly this, so if you don’t already have a copy, I recommend you get one.

Because if you follow this program, and commit to daily training…

… It’s not unreasonable to expect that YOUR dog could be performing basic tricks like dance, shake a paw, roll over, and more, in as little as four weeks.

Until next time, happy training!

–Chet 

P.S.  Oops, I almost forgot:  If you’re a student of my ‘Hands Off’ Training Program and you have a success story or video that you’d like to show off, please send me an email at stars@thedogtrainingsecret.com  I’d love to hear your story, too…

[Video] See Trick Dog ‘Annie’ Perform Her Favorites! is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

Is This Your Dog?

I work with a lot of clients and most of them suffer from this syndrome.  Their dog does something wrong and they shout “NO” or “BAD DOG” at the top of their lungs but the dog barely acknowledges his owner’s presence much less his anger.

When pressed or called the dog runs around the house as if he is deaf and can’t be caught.

An angry game of dart and evade ensues until the dog owner is exhausted and the dog finally gives up.  At this point there is usually some aggression on the part of the dog owner and so everyone loses!

Does Your Dog Respect the NO command?

For many the answer is “no”.

Why?

You can Only use the NO command if You Catch Your Dog Misbehaving NEVER AFTERWARD!

People overuse the NO command almost more than any other command.  The second most overused command would probably be COME.

When you overuse a command, it begins to lose its meaning!

People say it “No! NO!  Bad Dog!” but nothing really happens.  They don’t make the dog listen, and so therefore the dog learns that these words mean nothing.

The bad thing is eventually the owner gets angry enough to have some follow through but at this point the dog is no longer associating the initial behavior with the reprimand.

The owner hunts the dog down and reprimands him, but leaves the dog totally confused.  You can never reprimand a dog AFTER the behavior, he simply won’t understand!

The only thing the dog really learns is that his owner is scary sometimes and then tries to avoid him when he sees his level of anger escalate.

This avoidance, exacerbates the problem and makes it even worse!  The owner gets angrier and the dog continues to try and avoid and evade his infuriated owner!

You see, dogs aren’t capable of reasoning like we humans are.  A human would say to himself “Gosh, mom is REALLY mad and I am going to have to deal with her sooner or later…sooner will be less agonizing than later.  I am liable to get in more trouble if I don’t come or listen now!”

But a dog doesn’t realize that EVENTUALLY he is going to have to come to you or surrender.  He thinks he can stay away from you forever, or at least until your mood changes.  He doesn’t realize that his behavior is the reason for your rage and with each passing moment it gets worse.

What Do You Do?

First understand from your dog’s point of view and learn to control your anger and your emotions!  We are the “thinking” and “reasoning” animal, we should always be in control of our emotions when it comes to our dogs!  Patience really is a virtue in dog ownership!

Next, change the word or the command.

If your dog totally ignores “NO!” then STOP USING IT and adopt a different command!

I once read a book where the author recommended that a dog’s name be changed if he had had bad experiences from its use or he ignored it completely.  Although I think this is a little extreme in most cases, I also understand that if a command means nothing or something bad when it should be good, it should be changed.

At my house I say Nein (nine) when my dogs do something horrifying and they have been taught to respect this word.

Originally I picked a word that wasn’t normally in my vocabulary.  I didn’t go around shouting “NEIN” in my real world.

So in order to find this word in my regular vocabulary, I had to be pretty frustrated.  I wasn’t going to use it haphazardly or too often.  I was truly irritated when I used this command.

That DOES NOT mean that my anger was going to drive me to hitting or compulsion.  I believe there is never a reason to raise your hand to your dog or use excessive physical force.

What it did mean was that I was willing to go to my dog to change the behavior.  At my house I usually only use this command for aggression; teeth touching me or another animal in my house and so if I use this command I am going to come to you to make sure your behavior stops.

This reliability in the command or word means that my dogs respect the word when they hear it and they immediately STOP showing the behavior in question.

When I trained Service Dogs we had to use the word “Phooey” for the same reason!

“NO” is too easy to use too often, misuse, overuse and often there is no follow up.

Dog training is about consistency!  If you give a command you need to enforce it somehow, whether that is the SIT command or the NO or NEIN or the COME command. If you give a command you need to be capable and willing to change the behavior in question!

Don’t get lazy!  The best way to make sure your dog respects you, listens when you tell him to stop and comes when he is called…is to train with him at least EVERY DAY!  Then listening to you becomes a well-conditioned behavior and he is more likely to do it even during times of stress and excitement!

Do You Own “No! No! Bad Dog”? is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

Does your Dog Stare at what He wants?

The other day I found myself, staring blankly around my kitchen.  I guess I am getting old, because as with numerous other times I had forgotten what I was doing!

As I glanced around trying to get my bearings, my pupils caught the pupils of my oldest dog.  He is 12 and my very, very best friend, dare I say my furry soul mate?  He commonly follows me from room to room and I rarely am capable of completing any task without his help, or so he thinks (and I am afraid I agree)!

As my gaze matched his, I watched him very consciously look very lovingly from me…to the top of our refrigerator.

I giggled a little and acted totally brainless.  As I waited, to see what he would do, he very calmly caught my eyes and even more slowly turned his head to stare at the top of my refrigerator, languishing there for a moment or two before again glancing back to my face.

I must admit I found him completely endearing and totally hilarious.  You see, I keep my dog treats on top of the fridge.  This was his way of calmly, quietly asking for a treat, AND it must work!

I quietly asked him “What do you want” and again he slowly pivoted his head toward his awaiting treats.  By now, since I had engaged him in conversation, he was drooling in apprehension.

This got me to thinking…  As skilled as he was at getting me to deliver a treat (and yes, I admit I did give him one because his request was so quiet, calm and intelligent) I wonder what else he has trained me to do for him!

You see, I think we are the inferior species when it comes to dog training!  I believe they are much, much better trainers than we are! They are more patient, more insistent and less distracted than most of us!  Most of all dogs are incredibly consistent! Could you scream in a crate for 2 hours straight?

Dogs learn very quickly what behaviors we like and what behaviors we don’t and what behaviors get them the most interaction.  What behaviors reward them and what behaviors don’t.  Make no mistake about it; sometimes those are not related.  In fact sometimes dogs choose naughty behavior simply to get some kind of interaction from us because inadvertently we reward them when we don’t mean to!

AND, sometimes naughty, bad, deplorable behaviors are reinforcing!

Whenever I have a behavior problem or a struggle in my dog training, I ask myself “What is my dog getting out of this?”

This is the root to good dog training and understanding dog behavior.

When there is a problem, whether it be a human or dog related problem the person or dog is getting something out of the behavior.

In order to find a solution we must determine what the “payoff” is and if we are looking to change a behavior we must deny the subject the payoff they are use to or that they desire!

Does your Dog Steal?

For instance, I often hear of people who complain that their dogs steal objects, show their owners, and then dash off around the house for a fun game of “cat and mouse”.

The bad behavior: Stealing

The payoff:  The “chase” game, where the owners scream profanities, throw objects, cry and run around chasing the dog, is in fact the dog’s favorite game!  What could be more fun for your dog than a game that you will probably NEVER win (because you simply aren’t quick or agile enough to catch him)?  AND, it is completely interactive!  This is why your dog steals and often shows you the stolen article before darting off.

So, in order to change the bad behavior: Stealing…you must prevent the behavior or change or cease the pay off.   More on this problem in this article “Teaching your Thief to Retrieve” 

It doesn’t matter what the bad behavior is: stealing food, barking, jumping on people, having accidents on the floor, aggression; there is a payoff for your dog.

As the more intellectual animal you need to figure it out and decide how to change the behavior.

My ability to do so has often been the precursor to people saying I am part dog.   In order to conquer dog behavior, you must put yourself in his paws and “Think like a Dog” 

My challenge to you is to observe your world, watch what you are doing with and for your dog and ask yourself who is the better trainer in your home; you or your dog?

Do You End up Chasing Your Dog?

What do You do About it? 

The first step to true change is to acknowledge the problem.

Once you realize how YOU have been trained you can begin the re-training or the reorganization of your relationship with your dog.

Are you “Rewarding the Wrong Behavior”?

My dog, would personally like me to be a human PEZ dispenser!  Like all “animals” he would like to get everything in his life and in his world for free or at the very slightest with the least expelled energy as possible.

I don’t mean to dash everyone’s feelings about dogs, but they don’t care about pleasing you, unless of course in some way it pleases them.

We are all out for ourselves in the end.  The point is to make sure that what pleases you is what positively affects your dog!  Simple as that!

Will my senior dog continue to seek my gaze in the hopes of staring at the things he wants in life?  ABSOULTELY!  Especially since I rewarded him with what he desired the last time he did it, but in the scheme of things I didn’t feel this was a negative behavior.

However, I know that many of you are suffering from some nasty behavior problems and because of that I admonish you, step back and look at the big picture.  Take notes if you have to and make a list of the possible payoffs for your dog and only then can you begin to change that behavior!

Who’s Training Whom at Your House? is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

I giggle when I look back at my dog training videos and my articles because to me EVERYTHING is critical!  Teaching your dog to leave it, crate training, leash training everything is vital to you and your dog.  And, to be honest, it really is.  All dog training and the victory over behavior problems ensures that you keep your dog and that you both remain happy.

BUT, the #1 most important obedience command for EVERY dog is the recall or come command.

Does Your Dog Come When Called?

So what happens if your dog is off leash, he sees a bunny or a deer and goes chasing after it?  Will he leave that distraction and come to you when you call him?  What if there is a car coming?

Recently a good friend lost his world champion obedience dog because he was chasing deer and blindsided by a car.  I am still devastated for them both.  It can certainly happen to anyone who’s dog is off leash, and I can only hope and train hard and pray it never happens to me or my dogs.

What Can You Do?

Are you FUN to Come to?

You HAVE to train, train, train for a good recall!  This is not something to let slack or ignore, this is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing you will ever do!  Your dog’s life may sometime depend on this exact command!

NEVER, ever call your dog when he is in trouble, your mad or if you are going to do something bad to him!  His name and the word “come” should never mean something bad.  So if he is in trouble go and get him.  If you are going to crate him or trim his nails, go to him, but do not call him.

You never want your dog’s name or come to = something bad or even slightly negative.  Imagine your dog and the bunnies…if “COME” means sometimes he goes in his crate, then there is NO WAY he is leaving those bunnies to come to you!

Would you come to YOU if you were mad or sounded that angry?

The word COME should equal FUN, FOOD, and PARTIES!

Does your dog drop everything and run to you when he hears the cookie jar rattle?  When you whisper “cookie” would he wake up from a dead sleep to rush to your side?  Why is it that he listens so well to the rattle of the treat bag or a word that means treat?

Because with 100% reliability you are going to give him a treat!  How often do you get into the dog biscuits but then don’t give him one?  Or ask him if he wants a cookie only to give him nothing?  Chances are you don’t.  Chances are you reward him and so he is familiar with the reward that is tied to the sound or the word.  If these things were not paired with something good or a treat, he would stop coming and they would stop being meaningful cues.

You must make sure that your command to “come” = something meaningful and good almost 100%  of the time!

Pair the word come with treats, with games and with jackpots of chicken breast and other wonderful things.  Don’t call your dog and then take for granted the fact that he actually came to you.  And, just know that your praise is never going to be as exciting or as motivating as a scuttling or taunting squirrel.  However the knowledge that FOR SURE you are going to be rewarded and you might get some chicken breast is often worth the gamble for your dog!

Being Fun and Training Equals a Fast Recall!

Look at it from his perspective and stop comparing him to “Lassie”.  Dogs want to fulfill their own needs, what is important is to pair what he likes with what you want!

My favorite way to teach my dog to come is to play hide and seek at home.  Games are FUN!  I don’t care if you are 80 or 20 or if you do or don’t have kids at home.  You need to PLAY with your dog in order to teach him you are fun!  Just like you play with your children or grandchildren; sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone because it is important for the dog or the child!

Have someone (your spouse, friend or your child) hold your dog’s collar as you tease him with some treats and dash away to hide.  First hide in easy to find places and as he gets better you can truly “hide” and make him find you behind doors, in his crate or other silly places.  As you call him praise him, this is critical even though you can’t see him coming you must assume that he is scampering after you so continue your praise.

“Fury COME, good girl, good girl, Come, good girl” until she gets to me.

“Fury COME!”  just isn’t motivating or exciting and she is likely to get bored and stop coming.  I have to motivate her to me and make it FUN!  The teasing and dashing is also important.  Just showing your dog a treat and sauntering off, is boring.

Which would you prefer?  Now which would you prefer if you were 5?  Remember your dog has the mentality of a child and needs fun and games!

Once he is finding you with exhilarating excitement in your home, all over your home, in funny places (yes I think dogs have a sense of humor), it is time to move this game outside.

Get a long line of 25 or 50 feet and play the same game; dashing behind trees and bushes.  Hide up inside trees or underneath things like your car; make this game the most fun thing your dog has ever done!    This imprinting of FUN, FUN, FUN along with reliable treats means your dog will be more likely to automatically leave the bunny, squirrel or deer to rush to your side when you call him!

It isn’t enough to teach this or play this once or twice, you MUST continue to play this game throughout your dog’s life.  Once it is imprinted and he is enjoying it, you can play it less but play it occasionally to keep it sharp and reliable.  If you notice him not coming to you when called go back to making it FUN and playing!

What Notto Do?

Don't Call Him if He won't Come!

Don’t call your dog when he is in trouble or you’re going to do something negative to him.  I know I said it before but it begs to be repeated!  This will RUIN this command’s reliability!

Don’t be boring!  If you are boring your dog is less likely to listen!!  Dogs often mirror our behavior so the more excited and animated you are the more likely your dog will be to listen and enjoy himself.  Even if it is out of your comfort zone, get animated and have fun!

NEVER, EVER call your dog if you think he won’t come and you have no physical control of him (unless it is an emergency).

If your dog ignores you don’t give him the opportunity to ignore your commands!  This goes for any command but especially the COME command.  If your dog ignores you and doesn’t come, this means the command means NOTHING to your dog and nothing happens to him to make him come.

The more often you call him and he ignores you, the more the command loses its meaning and the less likely he is to ever come.

Instead, put him on a leash and work on the command by playing games OR at least put him on a leash so that if he ignores you, you can then make him listen by reeling him in!

You may have to slowly work on the command so that he listens off leash in a safe area like your yard, or a fenced in area.  When he doesn’t listen go to him, clip on the leash and encourage him to listen to you by restricting his ability to run away and by encouraging him with treats, toys and fun.

It is much easier to teach him this is fun, than to rely on force!

As always have as much fun as possible, this is what bonds you to your dog and your dog to you!  But work hard so that, if that moment comes and your dog’s life hangs in the balance he has a desire to play and to please you and leave any distraction behind!

Teaching Your Dog to Come When Called, No Matter What! is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

Thank you to fortunate K9 for the picture

I do my very best to write for the masses.  I try to keep up on comments on my blog and the problems that plague dog owners around the world.

I write articles on basic commands like teaching your dog about the leash to finding your dog’s  motivator.  I also write intermediate articles for those looking for more of a challenge and advanced obedience.  We even talk about games and aggression.   Occasionally I even direct my articles to others in my field or those aspiring for such a career.

I even shoot short informative videos to show you how to train your own dog in your own time in the Dog Training Secrets Video Vault here www.dogtrainingvideovault.com

But I suppose I don’t hit all the questions that everyone needs answered.

However I get  A LOT of duplicate questions about the same behavior.

Utilize Our Resources!

Did you know I have almost 20 years experience working with animals?  I have worked with everything from police dogs, to service dogs from the disabled to large cats!  I have a glowing career I am quite proud of!

So, first I am here to encourage you to use our resources for yourself and the well being of your dog and to help those you know friends and family having questions.

• Read our blog!  There are articles posted twice weekly and these articles are also posted to Facebook and Twitter.
  

  Our Training is built on Play and Games to make it More Fun for you Both!

• When you click on the highlighted words in the body of the article it will take you to related articles!
• Search our blog.  If you have questions or problems or are suffering from a doggy behavior problem do a search in the search box in the upper left hand side of our blog.  You can search for anything from barking to nose games.  This is a great and free resource.
• We are constantly doing research to improve our techniques and keep up with the latest information in the field, which we often publish for you!
• We are honest and our training is simple, based on play, and always positive and fun!
• Join us on Facebook!  If you like our page at TheDogTrainingSecret.com it will automatically load not only the new training articles for each week, it will also post to your page interesting articles about dog’s health, dogs in the news and free dog offers!
• Share our posts to your wall so that your friends and family can get the free help that might help them improve their relationship with their dog and keep them from relinquishing ownership.  You never know when one article of hope can change lives!
• I also recommend that you join us in the Video Vault.  As with our dog training blog new videos are uploaded each week and can help you with everything from nail trims and just how to do them to leash training, barking and digging!  Watching a video can clear up any question on how-to and you can always go back and review!

The Obedience we All Aspire to!

So, here is my challenge to you.  Join us on Facebook and request an article or video to be shot reviewing a problem you and your dog are having that you don’t see already discussed and I will do my best to tackle your questions!

I write many articles and shoot many videos in advance that are waiting in the wings to be published so, please give me time and keep your eyes posted on your wall to look for the articles you have requested!

Go to Facebook, like our page, and bring on the work load!

Interactive Dog Training is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog

You Want Your Dog to Stare at You Like You are one of These Cupcakes!

This is part 3 of a 4 part series of teaching your dog how to listen and obey you, without pulling while he is on a leash.  If you didn’t read my first two installments please do so first here: The Premise of the Magical Dog Leash  and The Magical Dog Leash Part 2: Finding Heel 

In my opinion, Drive and Focus are essential to good dog training and leash skills.

For those of you who are not familiar with the terms I first want to break them down for you so that you can understand what I, and others are talking about when we use these words.

Drive: There are several types of “drives” in dog training; play/prey drive and fight/defensive drives.  When I write articles about drive, I am referring to the play/prey drive function that is innate with most dogs.

Most dogs have some kind of play or prey drive.  When they see a small critter running their automatic response is to give chase and play.  Even if they don’t want to chase animals they may pounce, bite and squeak toys!

The nice thing about this “drive” is that you can increase it, decrease it and learn to control it.

If you have a dog with low prey/play drive you can increase it by frustrating him a bit and teaching him to chase toys, tugs, and balls on a string often keeping them a just barely out of reach for a while before allowing him the reward of catching the “prey”.

• Frustration causes an increase in drive whether that drive is for a toy or food motivator.
• Constant playing, food and immediate access to the reward will decrease drive in your dog.

If you have a dog with CRAZY high prey/play drive (like my dogs) you can take it down a few notches and teach them to lower their drive and control themselves in order to play with you and/or you can reward them more often instead of frustrating them.  Instead of teasing, flinging and chasing these dogs need to be taught more obedience in order to harness their play drive!  I don’t need to increase my dogs’ prey drive!

Eventually whether you are increasing or decreasing your dogs drive (perhaps dependent on the situation) you will learn just how to control your dog when he is at

Use Your Dog's Instincts and Toys

his utmost excitable level!

I have people who’s dog have trouble learning to play and they therefore have trouble increasing drive with their dog, if you are in that boat click here.

And for more information on building http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com/blog/building-dogs-drive/and controlling drive click on the words.

I have had people who also argue that there is NO WAY they want to increase their dog’s play or chase drive!  I completely understand what they are saying, they feel like their dog is already out of control, but the point to this is that by playing with your dog in drive you are learning to control his drive and he is learning to control his impulses.  This ability to control his own wants and impulses is crucial.

This will help you when your dog is distracted by neighbors, kids, bunnies, and anything else he might want to chase or play with while you are out walking.

My dogs are very, very high drive dogs, they want to play and chase almost constantly, but the reason I am so successful with dog training is that I learn to control them while they are at their utmost excitable and uncontrollable.  I teach them that in order to get what they want (the game) they must listen to and obey me.  This gives me dogs that, after they learn the terms of playtime, are willing to ignore almost anything in order to get what they want!

When you are on a walk or a hike with your dog, your ultimate goal will be to control him no matter what the conditions and so by playing some games and teaching him to control his urges you are setting yourselves up for success later!

For help teaching your dogs “Drive” please refer to my former articles.  Teaching your dog to Retrieve using his Play Drive, Building Your Dog’s Drive in Preparation for Obedience and Training Your Dog in Drive.

Play and “Drive” teaches you to control the excitement level of your dog and “Focus” will give you control of what your dog is looking at, at any given time.

Teach Your Dog to Stare At You!

Focus: is eye contact and attention.

I teach all of my dogs to give me eye contact on command.  I want them to learn to ignore EVERYTHING else that is going on and give me attention when I ask for it, no matter what.

Not only is this great for distractions on a walk, this is also critical for nervous or shy dogs.  If my dog is fearful of whatever (leaf blower, dog, human, etc.) I can give him the command to give his focus to me and this therefore helps to distress and calm him.  But for this article we will focus on how this helps with the distractions that life provides.

If you are out walking and your dog sees something that excites him (a skateboarder, another dog, a cat, whatever) you can ask him to ignore it by giving you eye contact.  If he is looking at you and giving you his full attention, he can’t look at or pay attention to anything else!

But, this is a foundation that needs a lot of work, time, and praise!  In order for you to be successful in times of distraction you must again build a firm foundation.  I can take my dogs to the dog park and ask them at any given time to come over and give me eye contact and ignore every other dog in the park, even the ones sniffing or jumping on them…that is good control!  And, if they listen to me and give me what I want they can again go and play with their friends.

What You Will Need

• Your dog’s favorite toy
• Yummy soft treats (pea sized or smaller)
• Clicker
• Your dog
• Lots of Patience!

Getting Started

If you are using “drive” training you will mostly be utilizing your dog’s favorite toy.  For “drive” training you don’t need a clicker as the delivery of the toy and your voice are the reward.  It is difficult to click and then quickly deliver your dog’s toy fast enough to build or reinforce drive.   But it is ESSENTIAL to use a marker with your voice so your dog knows what he was doing when he got his toy.  I say “YESSSS” then deliver the toy.

If you are using treats I would recommend using the clicker and your marker word to mark the correct moment that your dog’s eyes reach your pupils.

Using the Toy

Wait Until His PUPILS hit Your Pupils!

Remember that this toy is special and cannot be used or played with at anytime.  This is your toy that you keep hidden and away from your dog until it’s time for training.  It is not special if he has access to it anytime!

• With your dog sitting or standing in front of you hold the ball or toy away from your body, in your palm (not dangling) and keep it completely still.
• Your dog will probably focus on it, jump, bark and do just about anything to get you to throw or activate his ball for him.
• Be patient!  You can win this game if you are patient!
• Stand completely still and keep your eyes focused on his face.
• Eventually he should give up on all other behaviors and he will stare straight at your face because he is completely frustrated that you won’t throw his ball.
• The MOMENT he stares up at you mark that behavior with your marker “YES” or “GOOD” or your clicker and throw his ball or let him jump up and grab it.
• Continue quietly and patiently playing this game.
• He will quickly learn to stare up at you and give you eye contact.
• As he becomes successful add a command “watch me” “watch” or whatever command you desire to let him know what he is doing.  Eventually you will be able to ask for this behavior.

Using Food

• Get some absolutely scrumptious treats and put one in each hand.
• With your dog sitting or standing in front of you show him that you have a treat in each of your hands then bring your hands up to your face but not too close to your eyes.
• Be patient!  Say nothing!
• Your dog will undoubtedly look from one hand to the other and back and forth until he is totally frustrated at which time he will stare at you!
• At the MOMENT his pupils hit yours click and treat!
• Continue doing this until he gets the idea to stare at you intensely, then and only then may you add a command “watch” “watch me” etc.

Cheating

Some people cheat by spitting food or holding the treat close to the eyes in order to force the dog to look at the face.  But, I don’t think your foundation will be as strong! Instead of teaching your dog to stare at your eyes you are teaching him that “face” is enough and it will be harder for you to determine (later) what your dog is really looking at!

But, as always do, what you need to; to make this all work!

Practice, practice, practice!

At first you will begin in a small secluded less distracted area.  As your dog gets better move him out with the kids and the other pets.  Teach him to stare at you no matter what is going on!

Request this behavior often!  Many times I will simply ask for a “stare” from across the room or after my dog has been playing or is playing!  I want to proof this behavior.  You may notice your dog staring at you often, this is a good sign!

Once your dog can do this with more distractions, extend the time that he is able to continue staring.  A one to two second stare down with you is not going to help later while you are out walking!  Teach him to stare at you for a minute or two and then more!

Next, take his favorite toy and swing it in his face.  Tap his muzzle with his toy or food.  Is he able to continue staring at you and not look toward his toy?  If he is not you are not ready!  Continue working until this is possible.

Become the Focus of Your Dogs World!

You should be able to throw his toy/food, rub him with his toy/food,  jump around move your arms back and forth, feed another dog or pet and still he should maintain his stare.

THEN, you will take him outside and go back to square one to teach him yet again that eye contact and focus outside are the same as eye contact and focus inside.  Remember to be patient!  He must again learn in outside surroundings.  He will want to stare at everything else that is going on.

Your ultimate goal is to be able to touch him with food/toys, throw them, swing them and basically do everything you want while he maintains eye contact with you no matter where you are.

As always you will continue to reinforce him for successful attempts and just increase the time and the stimulus as he is triumphant and learns.

As with all good foundation training, this is not QUICK!  This type of training takes time, energy and work on both of your parts.  There will be frustration on both parts as well, but how you deal with this frustration will determine how successful you are later.

There is no QUICK FIX if you want your dog to truly be victorious and listen to you while he is on a leash.

Eventually you will not ask for this all of the time, only when you need it when he is distracted.  But if you build a strong enough foundation with positive reinforcement and he enjoys this training he will give you eye contact and focus by default no matter what is going on.  Meaning he does it because it is FUN, rewarding, and he is USE TO LISTENING TO YOU.

If however you rarely work on this skill or the finding heel skill you will end up with a dog that continues to pull and ignore you!

Teaching Your Dog Drive, Eye Contact and Focus for More Leash Skills is a post from: Dog Obedience Training Blog