Keeping Training Interesting

Q: We’ve recently graduated from a basic obedience course and are wondering: Are there any additional skills/challenges we can work on during over the holidays before we join Intermediate Obedience? We want to keep it (training) fresh, interesting and fun for Tucker (and us)!

A: Thanks for your question! To keep training fun and interesting, try introducing "motivators" into your training routine. Pick something that Tucker really likes and find ways to incorporate it when you train.

For example, if Tucker loves to play ball, begin training as usual; after a few commands "surprise" him with a ball you have hidden in your pocket as a reward. Use the ball as a reward between commands, getting him really, really excited by playing with him and using lots of voice motivation. Then (this is the important part), take the ball away WHILE HE IS STILL REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT. Continue training as usual. You will soon see Tucker really get excited about his training sessions since he knows there will soon be a great reward coming his way.

In addition to making your training sessions fun, make them more challenging by adding additional distractions and time to Tucker's stay commands. Remember to move forward in your training in small steps and use lots of praise to reward the behaviours you want to encourage.

On Leash Aggression Q&A

Q: How do I deal with on-leash aggression between two dogs?

A: First and foremost, if you are experiencing any problems with on-leash aggression, seek the advice of a Certified Trainer. For the safety of your dog (as well as any unwitting four-legged bystanders) please address this issue as soon as possible. Many owners hope that the problem will resolve itself over time; however, left un-checked most on-leash aggression will escalate - what started as a “bark and lunge” habit can easily turn into a full-scale dog-on-dog attack. In the meantime, here are a few tips that can help while you are working through this problem:

-Safety first! If you know your dog is not going to behave well when meeting other dogs give yourself and your pooch lots of space. Don’t force your dog into an unpleasant experience! The more negative interactions your dog has with other dogs, the more the behaviour becomes re-enforced, making it that much tougher to work through.

-Take a basic obedience course with your dog. A dog that follows your commands is a dog that will give you his/her attention when it counts. Learning to work with your dog will also increase your skills and confidence as his/her handler. Plus, your dog will be learning to work in a safe environment around other dogs- no bad behaviour allowed!

-Practice a non-confrontational behavioural modification program, such as “Nothing In Life is Free”. Living with your dog in this way puts you at the head of the pack; the leader’s word goes! Gaining your dog’s respect by being his/her alpha makes it easier for you to work with - and control! - your dog when it counts.

Training Q&A- November

My lab used to be great at playing ball off-leash. Lately, last several weeks to a month, she runs off with the ball around our bushes or car, anywhere to get away and play the come-get-me game. Initially we would just wait for her to get bored and finally return the ball or to drop it; unfortunately she has gotten worse and is almost impossible to catch. We've stopped playing her favourite game unless we're in a gated park.

Any ideas on how I can stop her from running away from us?

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This is a great question and one I frequently hear. First and foremost, get back to playing your game... but have your girl on a long line (a 20- to 30-foot “leash”)! A leash is always your first line of defense in dealing with situations like this- it gives you back the ability to control the situation.

Use her favourite game of ball in a training scenario: Have your dog on the long line, give a series of commands, and then throw the ball as a reward when she has earned it (i.e. she does the commands with no need for correction). When she retrieves the ball, tell her to "Bring It!" (this will be her retrieval command). Using the long line, you’re guaranteed to get her to you. Reel her in like a fish, and praise her for bringing the ball to you- "Good Girl! Good Bring It!"

As with all recall work, repetition is key here- once you see that your dog is responding consistently without much need for motivation from you, it's time to try it *without* handling the long line- but my hint here is to simply drop the long line, rather than take it right off. That way, if she decides to play "keep away" you'll be able to easily get a hold of the end of the long line and get her to you... And remember, if she does decide to play keep away, you will know that she's not ready for the freedom of being totally off-leash! Keep at it and have fun!

Why a Trained Dog is a Happy Dog

I was recently talking with a family member about dog training, and she shared with me something another trainer had told her: that a dog that is 100 percent trained is a dog whose spirit is broken. While I could not disagree with this statement more, it got me thinking- what exactly is a “trained” dog?

Like most ideas related to our dogs, if you ask five trainers the same question, you’ll get five different answers. To me, a trained dog is one that has been taught the expectations of her household. The rules will differ from house to house- some dogs are allowed on the furniture and some dogs aren’t; some dogs are allowed to give sloppy kisses and some aren’t- but whatever the expectations are, the trained dog meets them. She works hard to please her pack, and is rewarded with positive feedback and praise for her good behaviour. Her people are happy and so, in turn, is she. The trained dog is a happy dog.

Why a happy dog? First let’s consider the untrained dog’s life. Through no fault of her own she has failed to learn the rules of her pack. Instead of positive interactions with her people she is scolded and yelled at. But “getting into trouble” still gets her attention. She jumps up and nips at her people’s hands. She shreds the couch. She destroys the backyard. As she becomes more of a nuisance her pack wants less to do with her, and she gets ignored as well as yelled at. She spends more and more time alone, missing out on opportunities to learn better behaviour. She is lonely and confused. This is not a happy dog.

Compare that to the trained dog’s life. The trained dog has learned the rules of her house and what is expected from her. Life is full of loving voices and hands-on attention. She earns treats and toys and walks as “payment” for her good behaviour. She spends lots of time with her family because they enjoy being with her. She has an active social life; because of her good manners she gets to go for car rides, to the park, to the beach, maybe even invited along with her people to dinner parties. This is a happy dog.

As for a “100 percent trained” dog, what does that statement mean- that the dog is never able to think for herself? That would indeed be a dog whose spirit is broken! There will always be (and should be) an inherent “doggy-ness” about our pets; that’s why we love them. There will come a time (or times) when our dogs will make their own decisions, whether or not they coincide with our well-taught rules. After all, these are not robots we’re talking about, these are living, breathing, thinking beings. Even the most consistent, well-trained, obedient dog may decide that a particular squirrel is just too good to let pass. As I write this, I’m thinking of my own dog who recently decided that- even though she knows better- a piece of cheese left unattended on the coffee table was just too good an opportunity to let slide. My response when I came back into the room and caught her in the act? A firm NO, said at the same time as I ducked my head so she couldn’t see me laugh. She is, after all, still her own dog and has a way of reminding me of that every now and then.

We all know that the trained dog isn’t born that way. What our dogs see as acceptable behaviour and what we see as acceptable behaviour is rarely (if ever) the same. So it’s up to us to step into our roles as leaders and determine what the rules for our pack are going to be. Our dog’s happiness (and our own) depends on it.

Next Issue:

What Every Happy Dog Should Know


Christine Reynard
Downtown Dogs
604.435.5505
www.downtowndogs.ca
christine@downtowndogs.ca