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August 08 Ask Doggy Times! Do you have a question for Doggy Times? If so, I am here to help, so ask! I am going to start a new section on this blog site where readers can email me questions about their dogs, and I will answer. If you have a question about behavior problems, training advice, odd behaviors, or just general questions about dogs... I'm here to help. Send your questions to doggytimes@hotmail.com. At least once a week, or maybe twice, one, or two, email question(s) will be featured with an answer. To ask a question, please give some background history about your dog(s) so I can better answer the question. Also don't forget to leave the name of the dog, as well as your name. If you'd rather go by a nickname, that is fine too. Please also include your dog's age, sex, and breed. If your dog is a mixed breed, please include as best you can all the breeds you think he/she is mixed with. After the question has been answered, you will receive a confirmation email to let you know to check this site for your answer. I'm anxious to share my knowledge with you, so what are you waiting for? Ask a question, you have nothing to loose. November 07 Does Dominant Mean Aggressive?The question here is: "Does Dominance Mean or Equal Aggression?" The answer is: No!
A dominant dog is simply a dog whom gets first choice of everything. They do not boss the rest of the pack around. Yet they are so confident, that the rest of the pack naturally wants to follow them. Dominant dogs are assertive, but that doesn't mean they are aggressive. A true dominant dog does not need to be aggressive. They can get their way simply by projecting their confident energy. Dominant dogs will actually try to avoid a fight rather than start one.
In fact, aggressive dogs are usually insecure or fearful. They can seem to feel that their environment is not steady, or untrustworthy. Fearful dogs will lower their bodies, but they would rather flee than fight. When they become cornered they will become aggressive as a means to protect themselves. All a fearful-aggressive dog wants, is to be left alone.
Insecure dogs may become aggressive to show others that they have power. They may even posture themselves to display dominance as a kind of bluff. Or they may act fearful. These dogs are often the most debated in the dog training world. Their ability to act dominant or fearful can be confusing. But the key to spoting an insecure dog is aggression. Insecure dogs tend to use aggression on a more regular basis than dominant dogs, or even fearful dogs.
Aggression, in my experience, doesn't come from dominant dogs too often. For the most part, they seem to be able to defuse a situation in a calm yet assertive way, with out ever threatning with aggression. However, some dominant dogs do use corrections that can appear to be aggression to the untrained eye. Then there are the dominant dogs that are trained to display aggression, such as in K9 officers and guard dogs.
Dominant dogs are very fun and entertaining dogs to work with and train. They are so confident in themselves that they tend to learn quickly, and work harder with eagerness. If you don't establish yourself as the leader in your pack, you may find that your dog will. Dominant dogs are very persistant, and consistent in what they do. If they see you or another dog in your pack as weak, they will take over to ensure survival of the pack. September 07 You Too Can Be A Dog Whisperer
What makes a dog tick?Vol 2: Pack StructureDisclaimer: This series of blog entries is only basic information on how to become a dog whisperer and should not be thought of as a course or qualification. Becoming an occupational dog whisperer takes years of practice and education. Please leave the serious issues of your dog to the professionals. In order to understand what makes a dog tick, you need to look into and learn about pack structure. This is an extremely important step to becoming a dog whisperer. Why, you ask. Because understanding pack structure will help you relate to, and become the leader of, your dog. Or any dog for that matter. Dogs need a pack structure to survive, with out it, they would not function as social creatures. It is crucial for them especially in the wild for their very survival. So in order to understand the pack structure of our domesticated dogs, we must take a detailed look at their ancestors, the wolves. Wolves are incredible animals. Their pack structures are not so different from our own. They have leaders, followers, look outs, hunters, care takers, mothers, and even warriors. Everyone in a wolf pack has a job to do, and if these jobs are not fulfilled, it is dangerous for the pack. Wolves that do not do their jobs well, or even at all, are either killed or banished from the pack. An alpha wolf whom gets too old to lead, for example, will be banished, killed, or forced into a lower ranking position by the next in line for leadership. Cesar Millan says, "There are only two positions in a dog pack, leader or follower." Well, that really depends on how you look at it. You see, it's really not that simple. There are three known different hierchies with in a pack. Triangular, Linear, and Monarchy. The triangular is as so: Dog A is over dog B, dog B is over dog C, and dog C is over dog A, so in that hierchy there is no clear cut leader. Linear is as so: A is over B and B is over C and C is over nothing. The monarchy is as so: A is over B and C, and B and C are equal. So you'd have to observe the pack for a time to understand which of the three structures the pack operates on. These hierchies are relevant to our pet dogs as well. The major difference though, is that humans are a part of a domesticated dog's pack. Whether they know it or not! If there is a triangular hierchy in your home, you may not realize it. You could be over your dog, your dog could be over your spouse, and your spouse could be over you! These hierchies are tough to notice unless you know what to look for. If you have no control over what your spouse does, but your dog does, and you have control over your dog, then expect a triangular hierchy. However, if you have control over both, and they seem equal, then that is a monarchy. And if you have control of your spouse and your dog, but your spouse only has control over your dog, and your dog has control of nothing, then that is a linear hierchy. It can get really complicated as you can probably see, but your dog understands it, so you need to as well. You want your hierchy to be you and your spouse as equal leaders, then kids (if you have ' em) and then your dog(s) at the bottom. That is a linear hierchy that is acceptable in a human society. Don't think, either, that just because the dog is at the bottom, that he isn't happy. Most dogs enjoy being followers with no worries (some people are like that too). As the lowest ranking member of the pack, they will also obey much better, and show you and everyone else more respect. So how do you get there? Easy! Act like a leader! As a leader, you will eat first, sleep and rest in the most comfortable places (furniture), walk in/out the door first, lead the walk, and ignore excited unstable behavior, and reward calm respectable behavior. Leaders are also consistent in both discipline and reward. Every time the dog breaks a rule, he will receive a reprimand. In a wolf pack that could mean a bite, no dinner, banishment, or even death! It is always consistent and the reprimand always equals the crime. The reward for a good submissive wolf is the respect, leadership, and care taking of the leader. Dogs do not know what the leader's rules are until they break them as pups. They actually learn what is acceptable and what is not by testing the waters. So when you get a new puppy, it is important to set up the rules and be consistent with them. When the pup breaks a rule unknowingly, then you should reprimand. Pups learn the rules faster than adult dogs, and those rules become ingrained in the pup for life.. with in reason. That's why it's important to train dogs when they are in their puppy stage. A puppy that mouths people may become a biter when grown up if not taught not to mouth as a puppy, and so on. 5 year old dogs that jump up on people where most likely allowed to, or even encouraged to, jump up as puppies. It might be cute when a puppy does it, but when he grows up.. that's when I'm called out to help make him stop. The fact is, if people established rules with their pups and were consistent with them, people like me wouldn't be needed. Since we are not wolves, and neither are our dogs, we do things a bit different, but it still has an impact on the our dogs. Although, we as humans do kill dogs for "randomly" attacking other humans. Pitt bulls everywhere are an example of this. But if your dog pees in the living room, you won't kill him for it. You might feel like doing so if it is new carpet, but you won't do it. No, we humans are more civilized creatures. We ignore bad behavior and reward good behavior. Or at least we should. Dogs do not understand our anger. When we yell at them, they hear barking. When we coddle them, they hear whimpering. So to become a dog whisperer, you also have to understand their language. The next entry will be about dog language and how we can use it to reprimand and reward. You will learn that hitting a dog is not necessary and actually can make a dog's behavior worse. Next entry: "What makes a dog tick? Vol. 3 Language." August 07 You Too Can Be A Dog WhispererEver watched that t.v. show "The Dog Whisperer" and wonder how he does that? Well, that's what I am going to tell you in this series of blog entries. It takes an extreme amount of patience, will power, determination, and leadership skills. It also takes an understanding of what makes dogs tick. So first, I'll explain that. Disclaimer: This series of blog entries is only basic information on how to become a dog whisperer and should not be thought of as a course or qualification. Becoming an occupational dog whisperer takes years of practice and education. Please leave the serious issues of your dog to the professionals. What Makes A Dog Tick?Vol 1. LearningIn order to be a dog whisperer, you'll need to know what makes a dog tick. How they precieve the world around them, and most importantly, how they react to it and learn. In the wild, dogs and wolves are not natural thinkers or planners in the same sense that we are. They do not plan attacks, or defense. They simply react to the situation according to what their instincts tell them. Now, don't let that statement confuse you, because they do cooperate in attacks and in defense, but they do not plan and stratagize as we do. The same can be said for our beloved pooches. They do not plan out their day, they just react to it. For example, the mail man comes, the dog reacts by barking, and the mail man goes away, and then the dog is satisfied with making the mail man go away. In that scenario, the dog is just reacting. The mail man is sensed by the dog as a threat to territory, so the dog reacts by barking, and the mail man goes on with his route, ignoring the dog. However, the dog sees it as a victory for himself and learns that barking works to get rid of the mail man. The big difference between wolves and dogs in the wild and pet dogs is that pet dogs are taught to think. Sometimes on purpose, and other times by accident. We all know there are those pet dogs out there that wait for their owner to leave and then they go digging through the trash for some yummies, or get into the fridge for a midnight snack. These dogs have learned to do this behavior, not for survival, but for the shear fun and reward of it. They have taught themselves or have even been taught by their owners how to do this. If they learned it on purpose from the owner, then it has become a behavior that is more rewarding than whatever the owner had done to reinforce learning it. Dogs learn by a process called Operant Conditioning. Operant Conditioning is also one of the ways we learn, as a matter of fact, it is the most used way we learn new things on our own. Basically, operant conditioning is a name for learning by trail and error. In other words, the subject repeatedly tries new behaviors to reach a certain goal until that goal is achieved and is reinforced. Example, say a dog is placed inside a metal box and the only way out is by pressing a small button on the side of the box which would open a door and free the dog. The dog will use operant conditioning to get out. First he may try to whine, howl, or bark for someone to let him out. When that fails, he may begin to pant. When that fails, he may circle and pace around the box. When that fails, he may give up and sit down, but when he does, he inadvertanly presses the button by leaning on it. The door opens and the dog is freed. The "goal" is to get out of the box, the "reinforcement" is being freed from the box. So, in this example, the goal and the reinforcement are actually one in the same. The dog tried multiple things to get out of the box, but only one of them worked, and it wasn't the first behavior he tried, and as a matter of fact, it was an accident. But he learned from it. If you continued to place the dog in the box, you would find that the dog would get out of the box faster and faster each time. Why? Because the dog has learned that pushing the button is reinforced with freedom. Therefor, the dog thinks about his plan of action inorder to get out of the box. Wild dogs and wolves also learn by this process, but not to the extent of our pet dogs. Actually, a wolf's brain is 20% larger than a dog's, but like I've mentioned, the majority of their behavior is reaction, not thinking. Probably because they don't need to think as much in the wild as they would have to in civilization. It is important that the reinforcement is something that the subject wants and will work for. Freedom is certainly what motivated us to work to become a country, and to stay a country, as it would be for a dog in a pitch black, totally enclosed box. If the reinforcement makes no difference to the subject, he will not work for it and thus will not be motivated to learn. Operant Conditioning is how dogs learn, but we teach them to think. For example, the dog in the last scenario learned how to get out of the box by operant conditioning. But by repeatedly placing the dog back into the box, the dog learns to think, which inturn helps him decide how to react rather than simply reacting. Make sense? In other words, because we continue to place him in the box, he has to remember how to get out. The second or third time he goes into the box he actually has to think about what he did in order to get out. Here's what he may be thinking (put into human context) when placed back into the box: "Ok, whining and howling didn't work, neither did panting or pacing. As soon as I leaned on that button the door opened, so I wonder what would happen if I push it with my nose?" So we actually teach dogs to think by continuing to place them in certain situations for reinforcement. Try this with your dog at home: You'll need an object that the dog will have to touch some how, a quiet room, and plenty of treats. First, place a treat on the object (while your dog watches) and let your dog get it. When he touches the object, make a clicking sound with your tongue or mouth. (This clicking sound marks the behavior you want to reinforce). Make sure the dog knows you have more treats. Now stand completely still and don't talk. It's especially important to not move the hand with the treats in it because it would be distracting to the dog. Ok, so now that your dog has eaten a treat, he should want another one (if they are good treats) so he will need to figure out how to get it. If your dog already knows some tricks, you may witness your dog go through his entire trick routine to get that treat, but don't move or say a word, not even to correct him. Next your dog may give up and go back to the object to see if he missed any crumbs. The moment he touches the object again (nose, foot, ect) make the clicking noise and give a treat to him. Repeat this until he is reliably going back to the object and looking at you for a treat. You have just taught your dog to problem solve or, in other words, think! In the above excersize, your dog has to think in order to get another treat. He has to figure out how to make you give him that treat. Operant conditioning takes place when he begins trying different behaviors to get the treat. The "goal" is touching the object and the "reinforcement" is the treat. So in this case, the dog has to figure out what the goal is in order to get the reinforcement. The clicking sound you make is a marker signal to tell the dog that he has preformed the desired behavior and will get the reinforcement. Kinda like playing the hot and cold game. If you'd like to experience how dogs learn yourself, you can play a game called "The Training Game." This game takes two people, one to be the trainer, and one to be the dog. The trainer will come up with a simple behavior for the dog to preform. The trainer can not talk to the dog at all and must stand still. The dog will go around the room and preform various behaviors. If the behavior is close to the desired behavior, then the trainer will make a clicking sound, if not, the trainer is quiet. So if the trainer wanted the dog to touch a wall, he'd click when the dog got close to the wall. That tells the dog that he's close to preforming the desired behavior. When the desired behavior is accomplished, the dog is rewarded with applause. Have the dog be the dog again, and see what happens. Did the dog try touching the wall again for a click? This is operant conditioning at work. The previous behavior is tried again because it achieved a reward before. You now have a basic understanding of how dogs learn and learn to think.. but what else makes a dog tick? Find out in Vol 2. Next entry: "What makes a dog tick? Vol. 2 Pack Structure" January 12 Dog Gone!
Ok, so you are sitting at home watching t.v. or enjoying a nice cup of java when all of a sudden the door bell rings. Automatically, you dog starts barking up a storm. You can't think, or concentrate on answering the door, because your dog is going nuts. You finally make it over to the door to answer it and.....boom... your dog bolts out the door past the company and is gone.
How many times has this happened to you? Why do dogs do this? Why would your beloved, pampered, spoiled little dog run away from you?
The answer is simple. You dog is bored to death! On top of that, he/she doesn't see you as the pack leader. Yeah, you and your dog, and your kids, and cats and birds or whatever else lives with you, is a pack to your dog. All packs have leaders, and if your dog is running away, you aren't the leader.
A good leader exercises his/her pack daily. How often do you take your dog for a walk? Once a week, once a month, never? Dogs build energy just like we do. When they can't get rid of it by walking or exercising, they explode with behavior problems. Bored, anxious dogs usually start chewing everything, barking at everything, and go into frenzies around the house. (A frenzy is when a dog runs in circles, or runs around all crazy).
A big back yard is not enough for a dog. Dogs get cabin fever just like we do, they need to go out and explore new places. So take your dog on walks everyday in new places. He's dying to see new places and smell new trees! There's a saying in the dog training world. "A tired dog is a good dog!"
Pack leaders always enter and exit first, submissives second. So if you dog is bolting ahead of you, you are not the pack leader, the dog is. On walks, the dog should be next to or behind you. Pack leaders are always in the lead.
Practice rewarding your dog for behaviors you like, even if you are not prepared for them to happen. Do not reward bad behaviors. Most people inadvertantly reward bad behaviors by giving their dogs attention and/or affection durning the bad behavior. Giving an anxious dog affection, only creates more anxiety. Even repeatedly saying NO to the dog, is only encouraging the dog to do it, because he is getting attention and you aren't really doing anything to stop him. Some people even give up and start petting the dog...OUCH! That sets the behavior and the dog learns to keep doing it, not to stop. Once you start something, you must ride it out to the end. Set a goal and don't stop until you achieve it.
Block your dog if he/she tries to run infront of you at the door, and then move him/her to a specified spot in the house that he/she must sit at when you answer the door. Practice this with family members, by having them ring the bell, and then making the dog sit in the spot. Be firm, don't let the dog give you the "puppy eyes." They will try that. When the dog tries to get up, correct by making some kind of harsh sound, if the dog doesn't stop trying to move out of the spot, go over immediately and put him back in it. Be calm, but assertive. Reward your dog at the end of the exercise with treats and praise for staying in that spot.
Stay consistent and practice every day, and you will substitute running out the door with sitting in a spot when company comes to the door. Practice enough, and the dog will even run to that spot and sit down when the door bell rings! November 17 Leash WoesOk, so you're walking down the street or into the grooming salon/pet store with your dog on a leash in one hand, some kind of drink in the other, and your baby or some kind of paper work in the other. All of a sudden, your dog sees another dog, a cat, squirrel, rabbit, or another person even, and starts pulling you over. Your drink about spills, your paper work goes all over the place, and your baby starts screaming loudly. How embarrassing!
How about this one: You are trying to get your dog to go with you for a simple walk, or put him in the car or a kennel and he decides to turn into a mule and not budge. He may squirm, bark, howl, screech, and pull against you. What do you do? Do you try to drag him along? Do you give up and try again later? Do you scold him?
Well, whatever the situation is.. I'm sure you have had some kind of trouble with your dog and the leash. The bottom line is.. most dogs do not like the leash, especially if you have a dominant dog in your "pack," or if the leash is new to him. Do not drag your dog, do not give up, and do not scold.
There are generally two kinds of problems with the leash when it comes to walking. Either the dog pulls you everywhere, or refuses to go with you. But why?
Dogs are really not complicated thinkers like you and I, no.. they are far simpler. They come into a situation and simply react with out thinking. Back when the wolf was domesticated, they were used to pull carts and help hunters. Wolves came to realize that if they worked together with man, that they would eat more with less effort.. well... less hunting anyway.
All modern dogs have some of that wolf gene in them.. to put it simply. So when they feel tension on the leash, they naturally try to pull against it. Breeds that have been bred specifically to pull have a hightened urge to pull. These breeds include the, Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Pit Bull, Bulldog, Rotts, Mastiffs, and most all of the Working group (AKC). Ok, so add to this urge to pull.. excess energy from being couped up all day, prey drive, cabin fever, and bordem, and you have a witches brew of behavior problems.
Dogs that refuse to go anywhere, have the same problems, only you have to add insecurity and sometimes fear into the mix. Some dogs even learn that if they refuse to go anywhere on a leash, they can control their humans with the behavior. Why? Because the humans give up, get frustrated and become unbalanced (mentally). Some of these dogs are actually dominant dogs telling their people that they are the pack leaders, and not the people.
You see, alpha dogs (pack leaders/dominant) get the best places to lay, they eat before anyone else, they choose which toys they want to play with and initiate the play, and never go around or come to a submissive pack member. They will also claim any space they come into by marking. Does this sound familiar? Then you have a dominant dog.
So what do you do? I'm glad you asked! You simply do all of the stuff I listed in the paragraph above... except for marking.. that wouldn't be pretty. Seriously though, you need to claim your space by blocking your dog from the things he's claiming. A toy, food, a bed, or whatever it may be. Block your pooch from obtaining it. When you feed your dog, make him work for it by sitting first, and always eat before him. Do not let your dog hop up on furniture with out an invitation. If your dog hops in your lap whenever, it could mean he sees you as an equal and not as the leader... this is not good either.
So what does all of this have to do with the leash? EVERYTHING! Really! Dogs refusing to go with you on a leash by squirming and whatnot, are throwing tempertantrums. Give a quick jerk on the leash, let some slack in the leash, and keep moving. Do not let the dog win. Think of it as a two or three year old throwing a huge fit... you don't give up, you keep going. Now, you may punish your child with a time out or a spanking, but don't punish your dog. They don't understand punishment, and sometimes punishment can make the behavior worse. Just stay calm, give a jerk, and keep moving. You are saying to your dog that you are the alpha, and he needs to follow you. Realistically, this won't always work the first time. You have to stick to your guns and stay consistent. Eventually, your dog will give in.
If your dog is pulling, stop moving, or change directions. You are saying to your dog that you are the alpha and he needs to follow you. Your dog will begin to associate pulling with stoping or changing direction, therefor, he will pay more attention to you because he doesn't know what you will do next. Pulling also means your dog is not getting out enough. Dog's like to get out and go places just like you and I. The catch 22 is that your dog is pulling partly because of cabin fever, and lack of exercise, and he has cabin fever and lack of exercise because he pulls and it's difficult to walk him! "But I have such a big back yard for him to run and play in all day!" Yeah, well you can sit at home and buy everything from groceries to car mufflers online, watch t.v. all day, and never leave your house, but you still feel the need to get out of there once in awhile don't you? Same for a dog.
Once your dog sees you as the pack leader (Alpha male/female) you will notice a huge change in his behavior. He will look to you for direction, and you can't let him down, or he may go back to his old behaviors. Dogs like social order. They feel more comfortable in a secure, orderly pack.
But what if my dog isn't a dominant dog and the refusal is do to fear? The same applies. Do not give in to the dog's phobia. If a tragic event happened to your dog on the leash, let it go and your dog will do the same. If there is even a trace of unbalanced energy traveling to your dog through that leash, your dog will feel it, and react to it. It's really that simple. The hardest part is waiting for the dog to give in. Because sometimes, it will take some time.
Once your dog gives in to you on the leash consistently, train him to heel or walk nicely on the leash. That is a whole other entery!
If you are having serious difficulties with your dog, find a trainer nearby to assist you. Most trainers love their jobs and would be pleased to give you advice.
Remember, never get frustrated with your pooch. He won't understand, and it may make the bad behavior worse. Also, remember that dogs are not human, therefor, they do not think the same way we do. So trying to reason with your four legged friend will not work... however, it can be somewhat theraputic for us!
July 18 Canine Good CitizenAhh.. Canine Good Citizen or CGC as it's most commonly known as. The CGC is an award that only well mannered dogs recieve. Any dog can take the test, but they won't pass unless they have some training in basic manners. CGC canidates can take a class if they so choose and then take the test at the end of the class. Taking a class for basic obedience is usually required in some areas before you can take the CGC class.
So why would you bother to have a CGC title awarded to your dog? Simple, it's a great feeling to know that you trained your dog to be well behaved in human society. Plus, you don't have to worry about how your dog will react in public around strangers. On the other hand, if you want your dog to work for a living, then it is recommended and most often required that you and your dog pass the CGC test before getting a working license. For example, if you have a seizure alert dog, you wouldn't want him/her to lunge and pull on the leash in the middle of shopping in a store! Therefor, it's important that the dog has good manners beyond that of basic obedience.
So how does it work you ask? Well, find a training facility in your area that offers CGC classes. Some PETCO stores offer the class. In the class you will learn how to teach a dog to reliably perform the behaviors tested in the AKC CGC Test, including:
Accepting a friendly stanger
Sitting politely for petting
Appearance and grooming
Out for a walk
Walking through a crowd
Sit and Down on command/stay in place
Coming when called
Reaction to another dog
Reaction to distractions
Supervised seperation
Once you and your dog complete the class, you'll understand how to better train your dog and (if you worked hard throughout the class) have a reliably controlable dog. You'll then be given a test by a certified AKC CGC Evaluator. If you pass the test, your dog will be rewarded with the title of Canine Good Citizen. You will also recieve a diploma or certificate to prove you passed the test.
On the first day of class, you must bring proof of payment for the course and proof of current rabies vaccination.
Different Evaluators will teach the class in different ways. Make sure you pick a class that is going to be gentle and positive. Clicker training or Lewer and Reward are the prefered methods of training for teaching a dog commands. They are positive and fun for you and your dog.
To become a AKC CGC Evaluator, you have to have at least two years of training experience. Being a member of a well established training club such as NADOI doesn't hurt either. The NADOI or Nation Association of Dog Obedience Instructors requires you to have seven years of training experience to join. Check with the training facility to learn more about the Evaluator's training experience. If he or she is a member of NADOI, you know they have been doing it for at least seven years. I am in the process of applying for the title of AKC CGC Evaluator.. hopefully my application will be accepted. If it is, I will have to take and pass a test.
So don't think that anyone can be an AKC CGC Evaluator, because it's simply not true. As I've said, you have to know your stuff when it comes to training dogs.
If you have an out of control dog, even after a basic obedience class, then I strongly recommend taking the CGC class. It will help you to refine your dog and teach him/her better manners. Even if you just love working with your dog, this will present a challenge, build your bond, and give you a goal to achieve with your pooch. July 14 Behavior Problem or Training Problem?Is your dog digging, chewing, or destroying things? How about refusing to come to you, bolting out the door, or jumping up on you and your guests?
If you answered yes to any of these, your dog has a training problem not a behavior problem. These problems can usually be fixed simply by consistently training your dog everyday. Digging, chewing, and destroying things usually occur because the dog is bored. However, they can also be signs of seperation anxiety. I will go more into that later.
Training problems occur because the dog simply doesn't know how to act in a human excepted way to any given situation. Therefor, the dog acts out like it would with other dogs in a pack. Jumping up is caused because the dog is trying to lick our lips. The only way for him to reach our lips is to jump. Believe it or not, this is actually a good thing in the dog world, because it signifies that the dog is accepting the guest on his property. When your dog does this to you, he's trying to tell you, "Welcome back! Did you catch a good meal for us? Give me some!" In other words, he thinks you went out hunting, killed and ate some prey, and he wants you to throw some of it up for him to eat! In a pack of wolves or wild dogs, the hunters will often feed the members of the pack left at the den this way. Mostly, the pups. Because we've bred dogs to keep neoteny qualities (puppy qualities) they do this to us throughout their puppy and young adult lives.
Digging is also a training problem rather than a behavior problem. Why? Because it is not a temperament fault, the dog doesn't know not to dig. With training or prevention, this problem can be resolved. This is a common problem in terriers because terriers were bred to be earth dogs. That means they were bred to flush out prey from their burrows. For dogs, digging is a fun activity! It stimulates their minds because there is some problem solving involved. For instance, if a dog is sniffing around the yard and finds some wild onions or walnuts beneath the soil, he has to figure away to get to them to eat them. Therefor, he digs. The reward is that he's figured out the problem and gets the desired object or food. If you have a digger in your home, there are a couple of ways to solve this problem. You can either get a sand box and bury some of his favorite treats in it, and/or make sure he gets plenty of exercise each day. Remember, a tired dog is a good dog!
Chewing is also a training problem. Chewing releaves tension and stress for dogs. If your dog is chewing on things he shouldn't be, it's because he doesn't know better yet. Buy him two or three of his own chew toys that he can chew on whenever he wants, for as long as he wants. Praise him for chewing on just these toys. Make sure that the toys are hard enough that he can't destroy them in one sitting. If you use rawhides to satisfy your dog's chewing needs, then supervise him with it. Some dogs will try to soften the rawhide and swallow it hole, which is a choking hazard. Some people like to use bitter sprays on furniture legs and so on to keep the dog from chewing on those areas. This works with some dogs, but not all.
Ok, so now we've covered some basic training problems. What about behavior problems? Behavior problems are temperament faults. Meaning aggression and food possession. If your dog is growling at you when you pass by him while eating, then he's got a true behavior problem. Behavior problems are not always easily solved. However, establishing dominance (leardership) over your dog will help a lot. Make sure you eat before your dog, and then when you feed him make him work for it by sitting first or laying down. Alpha males and females in a wolf pack always eat first, are infront of the rest of the pack, and they set the rules. If your dog is showing dominant aggression towards you, he doesn't see you as the leader and is trying to enforce his rules.
Seperation anxiety usually occurs because the dog has a strong bond to it's human. When the human leaves, the dog has a kind of panic attack because he's not sure if the human will come back or not. In most cases, serperation anxiety is a training problem, because the dog has learned the bad behavior in place of the acceptable behavior. Seperation anxiety can be very difficult to cure in a dog, but preventing it is pretty easy. If your dog has already developed this problem, then talk with your vet about possible prescriptions that can calm the dog down while your gone. Using medication with a training program is ideal. This is a common problem in spaniels because they tend to bond with their humans very quickly and tightly. To prevent seperation anxiety, distract the dog before you leave with a nicely stuffed kong or an ideally sized bone for your dog. You can also crate the dog and give it a treat. The dog will begin to associate you leaving the house with getting a treat and is less likely to develop seperation anxiety. Crating the dog will prevent the dog from injuring himself during a panic attack.
Some dogs have extreme behavior problems that make them "Red Zone" cases. Meaning, they simply want to kill whatever they don't like. These are the dogs that will attack anyone or anything at anytime. If your dog exhibits this kind of behavior, seek a professional in your area immediately!
On the reverse side of "Red Zone" are the scared dogs. These are the dogs that are scared of everything. This could be because of negative associations as a pup, breeders seperating puppies from the mother and littermates too early, or being crated without being let out since puppyhood. Puppies generally bounce back pretty quick, but if these dogs are not properly socialized before maturity, they are more difficult to rehabilitate. However, many people consider handshyness to be a behavior problem, but this is not the case. Handshyness is a training problem because the dog has learned to be afraid of hands. Dogs are not handshy from birth.
In summary, behavior problems and training problems are different. Training problems occur when the dog doesn't know what the owner wants him to do. He thinks he can do what he wants. Behavior problems are inbred problems that occur as temperament faults. Typical behavior problems are food possession, aggression and timidness. Sometimes, behavior problems and training problems intermingle to form bigger problems. Customized training is appropriate in these situations.
If your dog suffers from true behavior problems, it is a good idea to hire a private trainer to help. Do not attempt to correct the problems yourself, or you could get injured and/or make the problem worse. Leave behavior problems to the professionals. Training problems, on the other hand, can be solved via a trainer or you can buy a book and try yourself. Just make sure you stay consistent so as not to confuse your dog. Frustrated dogs often give up and won't listen at all. Bottom line, trainers are your best bet. Check back after awhile, and I'll tell you how to find a good trainer in your area.
June 13 Training through play?How many of you have ever wondered why your dog won't leave you alone? "All Fido does is nag me to play with him." If you are saying this to yourself or to others, you should take some time to read this blog entery.
Why do dogs like to play, and where does it come from? That question plagues many people, yet the answer is simple. In the wild, canines use play to hone their skills. Playing is a way to sharpen their skills for hunting, fighting, and even for dominance. Wild canines need to play as pups, or they won't be able to survive. So in essence, play is how dogs learn to interact with their surroundings. You can kinda compare this to a little girl who likes to play house, then grows up to be a good mom.
All dogs descend from wolves. When a wolf matures, it hardly, if ever, plays. Through constent breeding, domesticated dogs have kept this playing trait called neoteny. This simply means that domestic dogs have kept the wolf pup play drive. Humans wanted their pet dogs to have some form of play drive, otherwise having a dog would be boring!
In training, play drive is used to motivate the dog to do something for us. In some cases the play drive is stronger than the food drive. So using toys as rewards works better. Some trainers don't believe in using treats at all! After all, rewarding the dog with a toy is far less fattening.
As a matter of fact, most all working dogs (SAR, Police, Drug, etc) never get a treat for their working performance. It's usually always a game of fetch rather than food. When training a dog for that kind of work, trainers look for what's called a "ball drive." Some trainers believe this is a seperate drive from play drive, and others are not so sure there's any difference. But a dog that displays a strong ball drive is a good canidate for that kind of work. These dogs are so focused on playing with a ball that they will do anything for it! They'll hunt a suspect down, rescue some one, or sniff out some drugs just for a game of fetch. It is extremely important for those kinds of dogs to have a strong ball drive, otherwise they may stop working in the middle of a chase!
When playing with your dog, you may notice his butt go up in the air and his front comes down, like a bow. This is called a play bow. This play bow is the body language dogs use to tell people and other animals that they are wanting a game. By play bowing the dog is telling it's human or another animal it's time to play. But it's also saying, "Don't take anything I do after this bow seriously!" You may notice while watching dogs play that they sometimes tend to get a little rough. This is ok. Dogs know that during playtime, nothing they do is for real. It's their way to hone their skills like I mentioned, and scratchs here and there are normal. However, rough play should always be supervised by an adult.
Using the knowledge of how dogs play to our advantage is simple. We know that dogs relieve stress quickly while playing. So by playing with the dog, we can also teach him the skills he needs to survive in our world without boring or stressing him out. Fun and positive training goes much farther than strict and harsh training does. If you try this with your dog, you might find that your dog always wants to learn.. because it's fun.
Remember, dogs can get bored easy. Playing is important for them. They need to play to be healthy happy dogs. Play also helps people to bond with their dogs, and to help dogs bond to other dogs. This creates friendships on both sides that will last a life time. June 09 Ask The Trainer!!!!!Thanks to the two of you that left me feedback about the Toy Contest. That helps me out.
Ok, we are going to try something new. I have had a lot of people contact me online via MSN Messenger. Most of the time, I am busy and can not talk... so.. this Monday June 12th I will be available to answer your questions live via MSN Messenger from 11:00a.m. to 1:00p.m. Central Daylight Time. I will be signed in as doggytimes@hotmail.com. So feel free to sign in and join the chat! You must make me a contact on your messenger to contact me. This will be a good opportunity to share opinions, ideas, or to ask questions about your dogs and my spaces. Best of all, IT'S FREE ADVICE!
I hope to see you all there! June 04 What Is Dog Training Really About?Dog training is all about connecting dogs with their people. The human and dog bond can be a very powerful and beautiful thing. Dog training teaches dogs how to comunicate with people and people how to comunicate with dogs. It achieves this with routine and consistency.
In dog training, consistancy is extremely important. Imagine you are training your dog to go around behind you using a targeting stick, but you keep changing the direction you want the dog to go. When you say the command with out the stick, the dog will be confused and won't know which way to go. However, if you stay consistant and keep the dog going in the same direction he will know how to preform the command correctly. The same applies on a daily walk. If you correct him for pulling once and awhile, but not all the time.. your dog will be confused. It is important to stay consistent and correct him each and every time he pulls.
Routine is great too, and just as important. Dogs thrive on routine. If you establish a routine in which he eats at 5:00 everyday, then he will look forward to that time. He will actually learn that at that specific time of day, he will get to eat. If you forget, he'll remind you somehow. Same applies to training, if you train him everyday at 6:00, he'll look forward to working with you at that specific time. This is good to start, but there are a few commands that should be incorporated into everyday life at random times. Just so he knows that he has to obey when you say so, not just at that specific time. Routine gives a dog a sense of purpose and order. They like to know what to expect through out the day. There are very few dogs out there that actually enjoy suprises! If you have a problem with your dog barking at the mailperson, watch him. You may notice that he knows exactly when to get ready for him to come by. The mail usually runs at the same time each day and your dog has picked up on this routine. He probably feels it is his job to bark at the mailperson until he leaves.. and he always will. If this is a behavior problem you have, I suggest that you stop the mailperson and introduce your dog. When they know eachother, the barking will turn into an excited greeting, and with training... a nice sit for a pat on the head.
Dog training is used in more ways than connecting people and dogs in the home. It also helps dogs learn to help people and people to help dogs! Search and Rescue dogs are taught with training to find and rescue injured and/or lost people. This is extremely rewarding work. Imagine you train a dog for several months or years to find and rescue a person. Your dog is finally ready and a disaster occurs. You are shipped out to the site and your dog bravely goes into the rubble and finds an injured person. Other rescue workers in the area passed over the area several times and did not find that person. Because of your dog and what you've taught him, that injured person survives. With out the help of your dog, that person would have perished. Your eyes well up with joy that you and your dog saved a human beings life.
Dog training is important for several reasons as you can see. Consider training for your dog if you haven't already. It will help you and your dog in so many ways! April 22 Out Of Control Dogs
Is your dog playing "King Of The Couch?"
Is your dog digging in the yard?
 How about chewing up all of your stuff?
Chances are...Your dog is not getting enough Exercise or Discipline, and too much Affection.
All of these are symptoms of boredem. When dogs do not get the exercise they need, they develop behavior problems. Some are just annoying, but most can be destructive.
 Give your dog some Attention! But only praise the behaviors you like. This encourages your pooch to repeat those behaviors.
Walk him everyday! 
If you simply pay attention to the signs and signals your dog gives you everyday, and give him the exercise and discipline he needs... you will find he will be a happier, healthier, well balanced dog. Dogs just need our love and our time. If we take care of their needs, they won't feel the need to behave destructively. Let your dog know that you love him, but you are still the boss. Remember, Exercise..Discipline..then Affection. Don't forget that your dog is still an animal. Animals have needs that differ from humans. Only praise and love on your dog when he is acting in a manner that pleases you, and he will thank you in so many ways. April 13 Crate TrainingSo what is crate training? How can we use it to our advantage? What are the benefits of crate training? These are questions you may ask yourself if you have an indoor dog.
So what is crate training?: Crate training is a tool used to teach dogs several different things. Dogs are naturally den loving animals. They like a small, warm, and confined spaces. A crate is used as a den within your home to give the dog a place of his/her own to call home. The crate is used by the dog for security and privacy. It is good to place the crate in an area where the dog can have access to it at all times, and can still be around the goings ons of the home. The living room is a great place for a crate. The dog can still be around his family, and have some privacy if he likes. The cool thing about crates is that they come in a variety of colors, styles, and sizes. Depending on how deep your pockets are, they even have crates that look like and act like functional furniture!
How can we use crate training to our advantage?: Once the dog is comfortable with using the crate as his home, we can then use it to our advantage. We can use the crate to potty train, secure, and transport the dog. Potty training is much easier to train using crate training. The reason is that since the dog views the crate as his den, he will keep it as clean as he can. Dogs do not like to soil the places they eat or sleep. So to potty train a dog using crate training is quite helpful. You can keep the dog in the crate at night and not have to worry about him pottying in the house. However, puppies that are kept in a crate for too long, will soil their crate. They have to go to the bathroom more often than adult dogs and don't have the developed muscles needed to hold it yet.
What are the benefits of crate training?: There are many benefits of crate training. Dogs that are properly crate trained feel more secure, they have a place to go for privacy, they won't soil in their crate, and can be more easily trained to potty outside. Also dogs can be transported more easily when traveling be car, bus, or airplane and still feel safe and secure. Crates are also great for dog sporting events. They can be kept in their crate while waiting for their turn for show, flyball, swimming, or whatever. Keeping the dog in the crate also frees you up to go and do things you need to do with out the dog in the way when nessicary. The beauty of crate training is that dogs love it! Once they are used to it, you usually only have to tell them once to "load up" or "kennel" and they go and do it. Usining it for travel allows the dog to have his home away from home.
Crate training is a bonus all the way around, but what about those dogs that just don't seem to take to it? Well, those dogs have probably had negative experiences with crates. Chances are that they have not been properly crate trained. Puppy mills generally keep their pups in kennels at all times. The pups learn to soil in their crates because they have no other choice. This creates problems when a person purchases the puppy. This poor puppy doesn't know how to stay clean because he was not properly taught by the mother. The mother is usually kept in the kennel as well, so it is a vicious cycle. Fortunatley, this can be reversed. It takes time and patients, but it is possible to properly crate train a puppy that has had a negative experience with a crate.
So how do you begin crate training your dog? Simple, purchase your choice of crate. Place it in a good spot in the house where the puppy or dog can access it easily and still feel like part of the family when he/she is in it. A corner in the living room or family room with no drafts is a great spot. Once you've found a good spot for your dogs crate, place some bedding and favorite toys in the crate. Leave the door to the crate open and let your dog or puppy enter and exit as he/she so chooses. If you have trouble getting your dog into the crate, break up some cooked hot dog or bologna and place it one piece at a time in the crate. When your dog goes in to get the tastey treat, have him come out and repeat the process. When he gets comfortable with going in the crate, start closing the door when he is in it and reward him with a treat for not freaking out. Leave the door closed for 5 seconds and then let him out. Continue to increase the time the door is closed by 5 seconds after every 10 reps. When your dog gets good at going in the crate for the treat and stays in there for 20 seconds, then pair the behavior with a command. Tell the dog to "load up" or some other command you choose while the dog is entering the crate. Continue the process as discussed with the command. Praise the dog heavily when he begins to enter the crate on command. He should begin to associate going into the crate as a positive experience.
Again, leave the door open while you are home watching t.v. or lounging around so your dog can go in and out as he pleases. Feed your dog in his crate if possible, and this will reinforce his/her instinct to keep it clean. Make sure to wash the bedding weekly. If you have a cuddling breed like a Boston Terrier, then a blanket works well as bedding. Bostons love to cover up under a warm blanket. If there is a blanket laying around in my house, chances are that there is a Boston curled up in it! I can't seem to fold any blankets around here with out a Boston falling out of it!
It is also a good idea to remove your dogs collar or harness when you leave him/her in the crate, especially if it is a wire crate. His tags could get caught in the wires and choke him. When leaving your dog in a crate, make sure it is not for too long at first. You want the crate to stay a positve experience for your dog, one mistake and you may have to start all over.
With time, patience, and training, your dog will love his new home..his crate!
 March 15 Clicker Training, What Is It And How Does It Work?How many people have ever heard of clicker training before? Chances are if you work with dogs at all, you know what it is. But there are many people out there that don't know what it is. They may have heard of it, but can't figure out how clicking a small box will make a dog do anything.
Well, it's simple. Clicker training is a form of Operant Conditioning. For those of you who don't know what Operant Conditioning is, its simply a form of learning in which behavior is strengthened when it's followed by reinforcement and weakend when followed by punishment. However, there really isn't any punishment involved in clicker training, it's all positive reinforcement.
The clicker itself is simply a little box that makes noise when you press down on the metal tab. It is inexpensive and comes in various shapes and sizes. To become important, it is paired with food rewards. In other words, it becomes a secondary reinforcer. The food reward is the primary reinforcer. A secondary reinforcer is a promise of the primary reinforcer. So put simply, you click.. and the dog knows he's getting a treat. To introduce the clicker to your dog, you need to charge it. To do this you simply give the dog a treat and click at the exact same time. The dog will learn that the click means food. To charge the clicker effeciently, you need to click and reward 10 times in a row. The dog doesn't have to do any behaviors to charge the clicker, he simply has to accept the food. It's a good idea to charge the clicker before each training session.
The clicker is important because it marks certain behaviors that the trainer/owner wants to achieve, or reinforce. With out it, it would be difficult to tell the dog exactly what's expected. Timing of the click is incredibly important, however. For example, if you want to teach a dog to beg.. you may start by luring the dog into that position with a treat and then click and reward, called "Assisted" clicker training. When the dog hears the click, he knows he's doing the right behavior and will get the reward, but you have to click and reward at the exact moment the dog goes into that position. That takes practice. You could also wait for the dog to offer the behavior on his own, and then click and reward, called "Pure" clicker training. Clicker training's process of learning is faster than conventional training, and most dogs love the challange.
Here is a game you can try to teach you why clicker training works. This game requires at least two people, but is more fun in a group. It's also a fun party game....
The Training Game
The objective of this game is to have the "dog" act out a behavior that the "trainer" wants with very little communication.
1. Pick someone in your group to be the "dog", and someone else to be the "trainer". Write down a command on a piece of paper while the "dog" is in another room. Fold the paper with the command on it and let everyone see it except for the "dog." Let the "dog" out of the room and tell him to roam the house. In this part of the game, the "trainer" is only allowed to say NO everytime the "dog" doesn't do the behavior. When the dog does something close to the behavior, the "trainer" says nothing. For example: say you want the "dog" to go to the center of the room and spin in circles, any time the "dog" isn't in the center of the room, you say NO. When the "dog" goes into the center of the room, the "trainer" doesn't say anything at all. If the dog is in the center of the room, but not moving in circles, the "trainer" again says NO. This exercise will show that just telling the dog what not to do doesn't work. Chances are that the "dog" will become frustrated and give up.
2. Now the trainer can only use a clicker to encourage the dog. This time no words are spoken by the "trainer" or the "dog." But the "trainer" is allowed to shape the "dog's" behavior into the desired behavior with the clicker. For example: Using the same example in 1, if the "dog" goes into the center of the room, the "trainer" clicks. If the "dog" does anything that's not a part of the finished behavior, the "trainer" does nothing. Eventually the "dog" will get the idea that going into the center of the room and spinning in a circle is the desired behavior. Once the desired behavior is completed, everyone should clap and praise the "dog."
3. The third step is using both NO and the clicker together to get the desired behavior. When the "dog" does anything that's not a part of the finished behavior, then the "trainer" says NO, but if the "dog" does do something in relation to the final behavior, the "trainer" clicks. You will notice that using this method is often the fastest. Again, once the "dog" has completed the desired behavior, everyone should praise him/her.
Make sure to switch roles of "dog" and "trainer" to give everyone a chance to play. Try this game with your friends and family, and please share your experiences with me. I'd like to read the funny stories that come about. I know this game will give you, especially the person playing the dog, a better understanding of how dogs learn and react to commands.
So there you have it. Clicker training is Operant Conditioning at work. So who came up with this idea? Well his name was B. F. Skinner. He wasn't always very popular because of his scientific experiments with dogs. He was known for placing dogs in boxes and watching them try to get out. Each of the boxes had a lever or pedal of some kind that would open the door from the inside. The dog was locked in there until he could figure out on his own how to get out. He first started talking about using a clicker, which he called a "cricket" in 1951. His lab assitant Marian Breland and her first husband, Keller, started using a clicker and the principals of Operant Conditioning to train a variety of animals. They did a lot of work for the U.S. Defense Department involving behaviors performed by dolphins, seagulls, and cats.
Around the same time that Skinner was working on Operant Conditioning, seaquariums were also becoming popular. Marine trainers couldn't train dolphins and killer whales using a leash and collar, so they used Operant Conditioning. Marine trainers use whistles instead of clickers but the principals are the same.
A lady by the name of Karen Pryor, author of Don't Shoot the Dog, was a marine mammal trainer in Hawaii who started out as one of Skinner's graduate assistants. As she describes in her book, she found her training techniques slipping into her interactions with family and friends. Realizing the techniques had applications far beyond seaquariums, she began lecturing to diverse groups interested in animal behavior. In association with dog trainer Gary Wilkes, she brought clicker training to the world of dog training. Clicker-trained dogs are now winning in confirmation, obedience, and agility rings, as well as at hunting and herding trials.
This method is easy to use, and very effective. There is no punishment, so the dog does not have to feel threatend or scared. As many of you have probably found out, just because you punish a dog doesn't mean he'll quit the behavior all together, especailly when your not around. So the objective is to teach your dog what the right thing to do is.. instead of what the wrong thing to do is. This way your dog is less frustrated, and happier. He can practice a behavior that is acceptable, and he won't be confused and do the wrong thing. Like any other method of training, consistency and routine is very important to achieve the desired results.
While clicker training isn't all that difficult for some behaviors, it is still a bit of an art form to be mastered. As with anything, practice makes perfect. If you don't have a lot of experience with training dogs, then don't try to teach your dog advanced behaviors with clicker training or any other method, as this could confuse your dog. Leave the advanced commands to us professionals. However, if you have no experience, clicker training is a realitively easy way to teach your pooch some basic commands and tricks. February 26 Hyper Dogs Ok Odie, settle down! What makes a dog hyperactive? Why do they get this way? Most dogs that are hyper, are not getting enough exercise. A lot of people think if they leave their dog in the back yard for a period of time, that it will get plenty of exercise and won't need to be walked. They are often surprised to find out that infact, their dog is hyperactive when they are around them. The dog is happy to see the owner and goes crazy.
Dogs require, and I don't care what breed you have, a nice 30 to 45 miniute walk everyday, at least. If you practice this, you will find that it will solve some of, if not all of, your dogs behavior problems. Dogs need to walk to be happy and fulfilled. Fish were made to swim, birds were made to fly, and dogs were made to walk. If your dog is just left in the back yard, or house, and doesn't get a regular walk, he/she will become hyper and destructive in some way. Some dogs will escape the back yard and run away, others will dig and chew, others may just become depressed and lay around. Whatever the case, a dog that is not properly exercised, is not a happy dog. Health problems can actually come about because of not getting enough exercise as well.
A big back yard is not adequate for a dog to get proper exercise. To them it's just a big kennel. Dogs are adventerous, courageous, and they are risk takers.. most of the time. Most importantly, they are curious about the world around them. If you do not take them on a walk around the neighborhood or park, they may find ways to go on their own! Dogs have needs like people do.
Please, I beg of you, do not think it is okay to adopt a dog just to chain him up in the yard. Dogs do not deserve this kind of treatment. If you have to tie your dog up, please make it for a short amount of time, and make sure that your dogs collar is not too tight. You should be able to slide two fingers under the collar. If you can't, it is way too tight. I have seen too many instances of collars embedded in the necks of dogs because of careless owners. Please do not be one of these people. That said, hyper dogs are not fulfilled dogs. Sure, after being tied up for long periods of time they may give up, but they are not happy.
Some breeds are bred with high energy levels. This means that they need to stay acitive to be satisfied. Dogs such as Border Collies, Austrailian Shepherds, and Collies need a job or activity to keep them busy. These breeds are smart and can get into trouble easily if they get bored. A high energy dog with behavior problems, is not a good mix. The breeds listed above are often used in agility competitions because they are so full of energy. This enables them to use their unlimited energy in a positive way, making them less likely to have behavior problems.
So remember, if your dog is hyper active, take him/her on a walk every day. If one walk doesn't do it, then try two. Make them 30 to 45 miniutes a piece, and I'm sure you'll see your dog less hyper, and happier. I promise that if you hire a dog trainer to come to your home to solve a behavior problem, he/she will tell you to walk your dog more often to start, and a lot of the time, that may be all it takes. January 30 Bellybands
Do you have a problem with your male dog(s) marking in the house? Some male dogs, especially the little guys, mark indoors so quickly that even if you're vigilant you may not be able to stop them.
Now, there is an answer to all of your male marking problems. It's called the Bellyband. It's a soft, wide cloth belt with a pouch that holds absorbent pads. The band fastens around the dog so if he marks, the pad catches the urine and protects the target. Bellybands can be purchased through pet supply stores and catalogs or can be made fairly easily at home.
To make a bellyband, measure an 18 to 24 inch wide strip of cloth to fit around your dog's middle, leaving a couple of inches extra at each end for finishing. Fold the cloth along its full length into thirds then sew hook and loop fastener strips at each end (hooks at one, loops at the other). Tuck a standard sanitary pad into the fold, wrap the belt comfortably snug where it needs to be around your dog, and fasten the ends together. Check pads frequently and change when soiled.
So there you have it. A contraption that can save your house from smelling like urine. Although, if you do not change the pads as needed, your dogs will be the ones smelling it up. January 26 Doggies Using Litter Boxes? What? Dogs..... using litter boxes like cats? Is that possible? Actually.. YES! It is believe it or not! Now this is great news for those of you who live in an apartment on the second, third, or umpteenth floor!
So, what is litter box training for dogs, and how the heck do you accomplish this feat? Well, that's a good question, I'm glad you asked. Most pet stores now sell the boxes and litter needed to get you started. I recommend using clay litter, shredded newspaper, or any other absorbent material in the box. Dogs really aren't as picky as cats about the material, but you need to be consistant in the material you use so as not to confuse your pooch.
Ok, so now you have your doggy litter box and it's full of some absorbent material. How do you get your dog to use it? It's a good idea to leave the litter a bit dirty to attract you dog back to the litter box. When you see that your dog is giving you the signal that he needs to go out, place him in the litter box instead of letting him out. Key signs that your pooch needs to potty are: lots of sniffing and/or circling. When you have your doggy placed in the litter box, give him the potty command(see blog entry Potty On Command). When he potties in the box, praise him heavily. If he goes out of the box, say no and place him back in the box and praise him for finishing in the box.
Basically, you are training your dog just like you would your cat to potty in the litter box. It's also similar to paper training, only you are using a litter box, and you aren't going to move it outside.
This method works well if you are training a puppy that has not been potty trained yet. If you are training an older dog that knows to potty outside already, you may... no.. WILL have a tougher time, especailly with unaltered males.
If you can not get a litter box for whatever reason, you can also use paper in it's place. Just lay out several layers of newspaper, or specially absorbent paper made for this purpose and follow the steps above. January 09 Troubled DoggiesHow many people out there have a doggy at home who seems depressed? Ok, so maybe you have a dog that's not depressed, but has had a terrible history. Maybe they were abused before you came to the rescue, or maybe not abused but neglected (which is still a form of abuse).
The fact is that even though we don't like to think about it, there are several sad mistreated doggies in the world today. Often times it's because people misunderstand dogs. Dogs need love and attention to thrive. Some think that feeding them is enough. Well it's definitely not.
Whatever your pooches past was, it's time to look towards the future. Most dogs can bounce back quite easlily and quickly with a little love. However, it is possible that their past may haunt them...
That's why you need to evaluate your pooches behavior. When dogs are puppies, they learn about their world. The majority of a pooches fears begin with a bad experience as a pup. Even simple things like a fear of taking a bath most likely started as a puppy. Dogs need socialization and training when they are young. This is very important to raising a well balanced dog.
But what if you adopted your pet as an adult? How do you handle it then? The first thing you need to do is to figure out exactly what it is that scares your dog. Is he afraid of taking a bath, or something that occurs during the bath? To figure this out you need to break down the elements of bath time. Take him outside and play with him with some water. Is he afraid of the water? If not move on to something else. Try putting him in the bath tub. Is he afraid of the tub? Continue to break down the routine of bath time until you figure out what he is afraid of. Then you can isolate the problem and correct it. To do so, you want to reverse his fear into a positive experience. For instance, if he's afraid of the tub, then introduce him to it in a new way. Try sticking him in the tub with no water on and then play with him. Use his favorite toys and treats to show him that the tub is not such a bad place after all. Make sure he is comfortable with this and then add the water. Continue to play with him and give him treats for not freaking out once the water is turned on. It may help to have a partner with you to keep him occupied when you turn on the water. Once he is comfortable enough for you to start bathing him in the tub, do so. Then make it a routine. Give him a bath every day for a few days, then move to once a week, and eventually every two weeks if you like. You want him to get used to the fact that bath time is going to happen, and you want him to look forward to it as well. When you get to this level, you have completed the training. You should now be able to give your pooch a bath without the fear. Don't worry if in the beginning you have to repeat steps, that's ok.
The idea is to make him feel as comfortable as possible while in the tub. Make it a fun activity for him. Stay positive and don't get frustrated or mad at him, this will only make things worse for you. Make sure you go and get him for bath time until it is postive for him, you wouldn't want to call him to something he sees as negative, or he'll be afraid to come to you. This method can be applied to just about any fear, and if you have any trouble contact a local trainer to help or leave me a comment and I will try to help.
Here is the method in steps:
Observe: Observe you dog and figure out exactly what scares her.
Isolate: Isolate the fear.
Reverse: Reverse the fear into a positive experience.
Routine: Make a routine and practice it religiously.
Complete: Complete the behavior w/out the fear. Make certain to keep the dog comfortable. December 13 Potty On Command?
Is it possible to train your dog to potty on command? This sounds crazy. Surely no dog will go potty when told to... right? Actually, you may be suprised to learn that it is possible to train your dog to go potty on command!
This is a great way to help with potty training. So if you are having trouble teaching your dog to potty outside.. then teach him/her to potty on command. All three of my Bostons are trained to potty on command. It's quite helpful. When I let my dogs out, I give the command, they go, and then I'm back in my warm house before you know it!
So you may be thinking that this must be a difficult command to teach.. right? WRONG! This is a very simple command to teach, however, it does take time. So what's the secret? How can you teach your dog(s) to potty on command? Well, like I said, it's simple. Simply say "Go Potty" when your dog begins to potty.
Ok, to clearify... this works best if you can train your dog as a puppy to potty on command. Every dog, I don't care what breed or size, has a pattern they go into before the act of pottying. I'm talking #2 here, not #1. #1 is harder to command than #2, especially in males. It is possible with some neutered males and females, but requires a lot of patience and time. Ok, back to what I was saying... every dog has a pattern they go into before they go #2. Wether it be going in circles in one spot, or sniffing a certain way, they have a pattern. All you have to do is to watch for and learn this pattern. Once you see your dog entering this pattern, simply say "Go Potty" or "Go Poopoo" which ever you prefer. Repeat this every time you let your dog outside to go potty. It will take some time, but your dog will eventually associate you saying "Go Potty" with his/her pattern and he/she will feel the urge to go. Now, this is not always fool proof. Sometimes your pooch may not have to go #2, so don't expect it to work every single time.
Well, there you have it. Training your dog to go potty on command. What ever you do, once your dog has learned the command well.. don't say that command, or the word potty or poopoo while he/she is inside, or you'll have a mess to clean up! September 11 What Is A Target?So, what is targeting? Well, it's a form of luring, but it removes the treat by a step. Targeting teaches your dog to touch his nose to an object. You can use this technique to move your dog or have him interact with someone or something. Anything can be used as a target, but there are 3 main targets trainers use. They are, your hand, a lid to a yogurt container, and a target stick.
Hand Target:
Hold your hand palm-up with a piece of food tucked under your thumb in the center of your palm. Click and treat your dog for sniffing your hand. Keep the food in your hand for six repetitions and then take the food out and repeat, clicking the dog for touching his nose to your palm.
Have your dog follow your hand in all directions while you move around the room. Involve a helper and have your dog target your hand and then your helper's hand for clicks and treats. Lable the behavior of touching his nose to your hand by saying "Touch." Practice this in new places and with new people until your dog is fluent. Don't be afraid to go back to using food for a few repetitions if your dog falls apart around a new distraction.
Lid Target:
Sometimes you will need your dog to move away from you to perform a behavior at a distance. Lid targets are useful for this purpose.
Put the lid in your hand and hold a treat in the center with your thumb. When you dog noses at it, click and treat. Repeat five or six times. Present the lid with no treat and click and treat for sniffing or nose bumping. Lable the behavior by saying "Touch" again just before your dog touches the lid.
Now, put the lid on the floor close by and repeat, clicking your dog at first for moving toward the lid at varying distances until you can send him or her across the room to bump it with his or her nose for a click and treat.
Stick Target:
This type of target is useful for training your dog at a bit of a distance from you. It acts like an extension of your arm. You can make your own target stick out of a short piece of dowel.
Put the end of the stick in the palm of your hand with a treat and click and treat your dog for sniffing or nudging at it with his nose. Gradually work your hand up the stick and only click and treat your dog for touching his nose close to the end away from your hand.
Try putting the stick on the floor and only clicking and treating when your dog touches the ends. Have your dog follow the stick as you walk with him until he's racing to catch the end of it for a click and treat.
Note: If your dog is mouthing at the stick, don't click until he/she does something more desired, like nudging it with his/her nose. Be careful to click only at appropriate touches and ignore all others.
Once your dog has mastered targeting, you can teach him/her several cool tricks!
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Is your dog bouncing around all over the place? 
Is your dog growling and/or barking at everything that passes by the window or fence?
Does your dog lay around and dream all day?
Your dog is begging you to play with him! Your dog is bored to death! All he's trying to do is stay SANE! The result is that he acts insane! He simply has Cabin Fever.
Give him a job to do! 
Play with your dog!
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