Thurs. Aug. 27, 2009 - If you're reading this you may notice there is a gap of about a year and 7 months since the last entry.  My husband's sudden death in Feb was a life changing event and I have not been involved in training dogs since that time.  However, eventually I started to work with my own dog Trip again and now I have something I would like to share about that.

Teach your dog to retrieve -WHY?  What I would like to address today is the problem of how to meet our dogs' need for exercise when our own life circumstances or external circumstances such as the weather make that difficult.  One solution is teaching puppies to retrieve.

If your dog likes to retrieve you can exercise him or her almost any time, anywhere!

I don't know how I would have made it through the past year as far as taking care of Trip, if I had not been able to give him some tongue-hanging out exercise through retrieving.  Days when I barely had the energy to get out of bed, I would make myself go out into the backyard a couple of times a day and throw his ball for an arbitrary number of times - usually about 20.  There were times I was physically sick when I would just sit and toss his ball or rubber toys from the couch I was sitting on.  Likewise this summer as we have experienced heat waves lasting for weeks at a time with temperatures over 100 degrees, and a knee problem limited my walking, our indoor retrieving games made the difference between a dog that would have been crazy/wild with pent up energy and a dog that still got his exercise needs met.

Probably almost any dog can be taught to enjoy retrieving but it is always best to start when the dog is a pup, when playfulness is at its peak.  Other trainers may have more fool proof regimens but I began with Trip simply by tossing soft toys a few feet away and encouraging him to return to me - calling "puppy-puppy," patting my hands on the floor, running backwards away from him, etc.  Then I bought a small puppy size red rubber ball that he could comfortably hold in his mouth and I tossed the ball into small spaces such as his crate or our hall bathroom where he had to come back by me to get out. The second I got the ball back I tossed it for him again - getting to chase the ball/toy again is the dog's reward for returning to you and timing is important - give that reinforcement immediately! 

 The first problem -dropping the ball -I encountered was that Trip would chase after his ball, pick it up in his mouth, but then drop it before coming all the way back.  If at this point you get up to go get the ball, the dog will quickly succeed in training YOU to retrieve for him.

Instead you have to patiently wait.  If the dog loves the game, he will usually go pick up the ball again to try to entice you to play.  If he brings it a little closer, you can reach out for the ball and throw it.  But now you have to gradually raise your criteria (this can take several days) and require the dog to bring the ball closer and closer before you will reach out for it.

Teaching the Hold - Now you can begin to teach the dog "the Hold."  Purchase a plastic dumbbell or something equivalent for this.  Clicker training is great for teaching the hold because the click tells the dog he is being rewarded for holding the dumbbell and not just for spitting it out.  However you can also teach this without a clicker.

Begin by teasing the dog a bit with the dumbbell until he reaches out to grab it with his teeth and the second he does, Click or say YES, then take the dumbbell and reward the dog with a treat.  Now repeat, but delay the click/yes by a second or two.  (If your dog is hesitant to open her mouth to take the dumbbell, you can teach her to open her mouth on cue by using a spoon and a can of dog food.  Each time you hold up a tiny spoonful of food, say "Take It."  Do this about 40 times.  Then tell her to Take It as you pop the dumbbell in her mouth - remove it immediately and follow up with a spoon of food). 

When your dog will open her mouth to take the dumbbell, proceed as follows:

Dog holds dumbbell for one or two seconds- Click/say YES- Say Out- catch dumbbell as dog spits it out-reinforce with treat.

Dog holds dumbbell for three seconds- repeat above sequence.  Dog holds dumbbell for 4 seconds, etc.

It may take two or more sessions before the dog will hold the dumbbell for 5-10 seconds. When the dog will do this, you can stop clicking/saying yes.  Instead give the cue "Hold" as the dog takes the dumbbell.  Before the dog spits it out, tell the dog "Out." 

Final step- Take It:  Now when you throw a ball or toy and your dog chases after it, just as he is about to grab it, say "Take It."  Do this consistently and soon you will be able to send your dog out after an object by throwing it and giving him the cue "Take it" (or if you prefer you can say "Fetch").

Now you should have a dog who will run out to grab whatever you throw for him to fetch, take it in his mouth, return to you and hold it until you tell him to "Out" or "Drop It."  Even dogs who aren't born retrievers will learn to love retrieving as a means to an end - mental and physical stimulation, play time and interaction with you!  And you can be a couch potato and still give your dog the exercise he needs! For me an added bonus is that rain or shine Trip races out to fetch the newspaper every morning!

Fri. Feb. 1 2008- Houston, TX - It's been an extremely interesting week training Trip with some ups and downs but mostly ups -and guess whose fault the downs were? (Hint-remember the dog is always perfect at being a dog!).

So based on what I have been learning with Trip, here are a few tips:

Recall/COME-If you have done your foundation work to for Come (making sure something good always happens when your dog comes when called), and yet your adolescent dog is starting to act like he would rather test what will happen if he DOESN'T come when you call him, use something that is very high value to him and hide it on your person.  For Trip, that is his red Kong ball--it is his favorite toy and I don't think even a pork chop can compete with it.   For your dog though, it might be a bite of pork chop.  So call your dog and if he doesn't come, let him see what you had for him and then let him see you put it away.  Wait a few minutes, and when he isn't watching you, get the ball or food again, hide it, then give him another chance-call him and if he comes produce the surprise and throw his ball or give him his extraordinary treat.  Let him learn that when you call him, he just might be rewarded with his very favorite thing. 

Tues. Jan. 29, 2008 - Houston, TX-A Good Baby Gate-We often recommend using baby gates as part of a management plan to our clients. While my grandchildren were here during the holidays I needed a new (pressure mounted) baby gate with a door, so I sifted through reviews and buyer’s guides, etc. to try to make a good choice. I ended up getting one my daughter had recommended that was used at her children’s day care center. I have been very pleased with it, so here is the info:

• The First Years Hands Free Gate
  Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC
• I also got: The First Years Hands Free Gate Extension
  Sold by: target.com
 

Mon. Jan.28, 2008 - Houston, TX - Puppy and Dog Training Videos- Although watching a video is not a substitute for group classes or private lessons, it can offer reliable guidance about raising your puppy or dog and reinforce what you will learn in training classes.  Be sure to read the customer reviews on the Amazon sites!  

 "New Puppy! Now What?"  http://www.amazon.com/New-Puppy-Now-What/dp/B000GFMBI8

Will help you navigate the perils of puppyhood with a sense of humor. The clear instructions, stunning visuals and gentle, light-hearted approach make it easy for you to learn how to conquer the common challenges of puppyhood and beyond. 

And for your adult dog: 

 Train Your Dog - The Positive Gentle Method   http://www.amazon.com/Train-Your-Dog-Positive-Gentle/dp/B00008O0VO

Starring: Nicole Wilde, Laura Bourhenne

Learn how you can get results in a short time, using praise and treats. A truly interactive DVD, which reveals many of the best-kept secrets of positive dog training. Two top Los Angeles trainers guide you step by step, through simple, gentle techniques that produce amazing results. You'll learn training without ever laying a hand on your dog. Master the magic of clicker training, used for movie animals. Discover easy fixes for common behavior problems, and much more. Your dog will learn all basic and other essential commands. Watch progression in real time. See puppies as well as adult dogs among the 20 different dog breeds featured: Beagle, Yellow Lab, Golden Retriever, Jack Russell Terrier, Malamute, Boxer, Poodle. Most of the dogs have not had previous training.

Thurs. Jan. 24, 2008 -  Houston, TX - Cesar Millan's Way vs. Training with Positive Reinforcement-  My clients sometimes ask me what I think of Cesar Milan.  On the personal side, I think that Mr. Milan is charming, well intentioned, genuinely cares about dogs, has enough experience interacting with dogs to feel very comfortable around them, and uses a training approach that makes for good television. However, the following links explain why many professional dog trainers take issue with many of the training methods portrayed by the popular Dog Whisperer TV series: http://4pawsuniversity.com/dogpsychology.htm

To read about a position statement by The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB)  on punishment-based training: http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/aahatknt/issues/2008-01-23.html#0

Sun. Jan. 20, 2008 - Houston, TX- Training Stay Using Premack Principle-

Although the holidays are over, I'm still playing catch up!  There are many training issues I could write about that I have been involved with over the past few months with either my client dogs or my own dogs, but today I would like to focus on just one of the basic obedience behaviors I am working on with the Tripster regarding his "Stay" training. 

I taught Stay to my German Shepherds without using food rewards.  That was many years ago.  If you don't motivate a dog to perform a behavior by using positive reinforcement, the only other way to motivate is through the use of punishment or negative reinforcement.  In their case I gave verbal and physical reprimands for breaking the Stay.  That worked, although it was not much fun for my dogs.  Fortunately, after they learned to Stay, I was able to switch tactics and give them praise and an occasional cookie for their good behavior. 
Now that most professional trainers know more about how to train with positive techniques, we tend to use food rewards to teach and reinforce the Stay-those rewards are given while the dog is doing the Stay (not after releasing the dog) since that is the behavior we want to reinforce.

However, there is another technique that can be also be used to train Stay:  What I have just started doing with Trip is to put him on Stay, release him with my verbal cue "OK-Break" and then immediately toss a ball or toy for him to chase/fetch.  The latter is his favorite activity.  His other favorite activity is tugging, so sometimes when he returns his toy to me, we play Tug.   (Tip: A great toy for this exercise is a Hollee ball with a smaller squeaky toy inserted inside it.)  Although this sequence may seem at first blush to be rewarding the dog for ending the stay rather than for holding it, it is actually utilizing the Premack Principle,  i.e. performing the Stay is the dog's gateway to doing something else he really wants to do: 

Trip quickly learned that holding his Stay predicted being released to play his favorite games, and he became much more willing to perform his otherwise boring Stays.   However, this also resulted in having to work through another training problem.  He became so aroused if we tugged that he lost calmness and focus and began jumping up to get his toy or to mouth at me.  This created the opportunity to work on taking him from a highly aroused state back down to a calmer state. Calming down became a condition for continuing to play. 

Mon. Oct. 22, 07- Houston, TX - How to Add Either a Verbal or a Hand Signal to Your Dog's Bag of Tricks -Once your dog will respond to either a verbal or hand signal, you can teach the other by having the new signal precede the old one by a second or two.  Soon the dog will begin to anticipate, ie. he will see the new signal as predicting the older signal.  So it would go like this:  Dog sees you give a hand signal for Drop (new unknown signal) followed by hearing the familiar verbal cue.  Soon he sees the hand signal, knows the verbal will come next, and anticipates by dropping before you give the verbal signal.  Or it can work vice -versa, dog learns hears the verbal cue for a behavior such as "Come", then sees hand signal, after some repetitions of this sequence dog will come on a hand signal alone.  The important point is that in order for the dog to learn the new hand or verbal cue, it should be given a few seconds before the older known signal. 

Sun Oct 21, 07 - Houston, TX -Sometimes I Forget What I Know -In this case, it was how to use a technique called "Shaping by Approximation" to solve a training problem.  The problem is that Trip's herding instincts often interfere with learning the retrieving skills I want to teach and train. He runs after a ball or toy, brings it part of the way back and drops it, then runs several feet away and assumes a stalking position.  HE had been training ME to go pick up the item and throw it for him again!  Finally I remembered shaping basics and I began to ignore any balls or toys that were not returned to my lap or hand.  Now he is much improved about returning the thrown balls and toys to my hand.  In addition, I will be practicing a technique (as more foundation work for the retrieve) that I got reminded about last night which is to start with him on leash, toss a pocket with treats in it, then run back and encourage him to Come, take the pocket and reward him with a treat from the pocket.

Thurs Oct 18, 07 - Houston, TX - When the Training Doesn't Go Well -"Don't be a quitter" is not always the best advice!  One day last week I decided to work on Stays with Trip who is now 7 mo. old. Since he has been doing a Sit-Stay for awhile with gradually added increased duration and distance my plan was to begin to add mild distractions.  However, as soon as I placed him on a Down and gave the hand signal to Stay, he popped up - and that happened over and over again.  At one point I thought perhaps he was confusing the hand signal for Stay with the hand signal for Sit.  After trying everything I could think of to solve the problem, I began to feel increasingly frustrated, and when I looked at Trip it was obvious from his facial expression and body language that he wasn't having fun either.  I knew I should stop the training session, but I found it very hard to let it go without solving the problem.  Still, when I could feel frustration turning to anger (what was going through my mind was something like, "I'm supposed to be a competent trainer, Border collies are supposed to be the Einsteins of the canine world, but I can't get even get him to hold his Down-Stay!")  I finally did what I should have done sooner and called it a day.

I will probably never know all the reasons that Trip and I had those problems, although I can guess a few.   One thing that may have contributed was that he had been sick and throwing up the night before and was still not completely recovered.  I also wasn't feeling well. The important point here is that sometimes people and dogs have off days and if you feel like you are hitting a brick wall, the best thing to do is back off and take a break rather than pushing it until you are tempted to  take out your bad feelings on the dog.  Since we are the larger brained animals, if the dog isn't living up to our expectations, guess whose fault it is?  There is an adage that goes,  "the dog is always perfect at being a dog." 

Next day when Trip and I were both fresh I tried again and I was able to do everything with him that I had tried to do the day before, this time with no problems. 

Mon Oct 15,07 -  Houston, TX  

Training for Distractions

I have run into a very interesting training challenge with Trip that is a rather more intense version of what most dog owners encounter when they take their dogs out and about and the dogs become too excited or distracted to pay attention to obedience cues/commands. 

This is a key issue for dogs that are going to be doing competition obedience because the biggest challenge isn’t usually teaching a new exercise, even advanced ones such as retrieving over jumps, etc., but rather preparing the dog to perform and do the things he knows how to do in highly distracting and sometimes stressful environments.

Let me start this story by murdering a metaphor and saying that a Border collie is a bit of "a horse of different color" from most other dogs, in that the Border collie tends to be mesmerized by motion.

So, yesterday I had taken Trip out for a walk and when we passed by our neighborhood club's playing fields, there was quite a crowd of spectators there watching kids playing little league baseball in one area and soccer in an adjacent area;  lots of kids were running around the periphery and some of those were also tossing footballs to each other.  As we approached the playing fields I ceased to exist for Trip.  He began to pull on leash, didn't respond to his name, nor did he respond when I told him to Sit.  At one point he did drop into a Down without being told - but far from being relaxed, he had assumed his "stalking" down position.   All of my attempts to regain his attention using food and gentle leash tugs, goosing him, playing tug, changing pace and direction, making noises and trying to get him to chase me, etc. failed.  Even using his squeaky toy and bringing out his ball didn't work their usual magic. 

After realizing that regaining his attention under the circumstances was a lost cause, I followed the usual prescribed solution of backing up and away, putting more distance between the dog and the distraction.  However, even in the farthest reaches of the parking lot with the kids and crowds barely in sight, he just wasn't interested in anything I had to offer, especially my food.  I felt like the proverbial chopped liver and this dog wasn't having any.

There was nothing left to do but withdraw from the field in defeat, and go home to ponder what to do next.  With my Shepherds, part of my plan would have been to just stay there long enough, or to keep going back to similar situations time after time, to let them habituate to the new exciting environment until it was old hat.  With Trip, I could tell that rather than habituating to that environment, letting him continue to ignore me while watching the fast moving kids and balls in his stalking mode would only fuel his obsession. I think he could have stayed there for hours and nothing would have changed and if we went back the next day it would only be more of the same.

I also know that some trainers believe the only solution for this kind of problem is to put a prong collar on the dog and give him some hard corrections.  The way I see it, gaining his attention in that way would not be in keeping with kind of relationship I am trying to build with Trip- one in which I motivate him to WANT to work with me, which is a very different mind set from "Do it or else I'll hurt you!"

So that brings me to what happened today.  I took Trip out intending to exercise him on a nearby tennis court by throwing his ball for him to chase, but when we got there the courts were locked up.  However, on the nearby lawn, there were about 7 kids, approximately 11-12 years old, playing football.  So, seeing a similar but somewhat dialed down situation from the one of the day before, I decided to try once again to put Trip through his paces.  This time, although he was still obviously fascinated by watching the kids, he was able to respond to his name, to cues to Sit and hand target and to walk on a loose leash, etc.  Here are the things that I did differently that accounts for his different response:

1. I had him wear his head halter which tends to calm him and help him pay better attention.

2. I BEGAN by working with him at a distance far removed from the kids.

3. Next - and this is key- as we moved closer to the kids, I got his attention on me by using a ball in motion - I tossed the ball from hand to hand and in the air, then caught it.  When he began to watch me and the ball, I involved him in play, tossing or rolling the ball to him as well.

4. I got the idea to adapt a technique I use for reactive dogs to the problem at hand with Trip,  which was to use the car to create somewhat of a mental barrier between Trip and the kids.  I placed Trip in the front seat next to me, and parked at a closer distance to the kids.  Then I began playing with the ball in motion again, sometimes clicking and treating Trip for watching me, sometimes letting play itself be his reward. 

5. I also messed around with his feet and paws in an "I'm Gonna Get You!" game to get and keep his attention. 

After a short while, to my delight, Trip was totally focused on interacting and playing with me and was ignoring the kids.  At that point, I got him out of the car and was able to play with him and keep him engaged with me only a short distance from the kids.  Now I just have to practice more of this with him about a hundred million times and we should be all set -- I'll have a dog that can work with me even in the presence of exciting distractions!

Sat Sept. 29, 07 - Houston, TX

Recall work-Earlier this week I took Trip out to an enclosed ball field and practiced calling him to Come off leash.  My husband and I had done this the previous week but we had balls and toys with us and Trip is so ball obsessed that he hung pretty close, preferring to interact with us than to go off exploring on his own.  I wanted to see if he would still want to stick close and interact with me even if I didn't have toys to tempt him.  I was very pleased to see that although he did go off to explore the edges of the field, he came running back to me every time I called him. 

But earlier today, right in the backyard, he decided that he didn't want to come inside when Joel called him - and he also didn't come when I called him- he was still having too much fun playing outside.  At 6 1/2 months old he is beginning to show signs of adolescent independence.  The first thing I did was walk him down, then I took him by the collar and the scruff as I looked him dead in the eye and repeated in a stern tone, "COME."  I walked backward, still holding on and giving him little tugs, until I got to where I had called him from.  Then I released him to Go Play again and I gave him another chance to obey by calling him again.  And again, no dice, the little dickens decided he would rather NOT come at that particular moment.  This time, rather than walking him down (which could lead to him running from me and avoiding me), I decided to go inside and get the long line.  I went back out, told him to Sit which he did, and attached it.  Then I gave him permission to go play, before calling him to Come once again. When he didn't choose to come, I took the end of the long line, and gave some gentle tugs as I repeated COME.  It took one more repetition of this before he did decide to Come the first time I called him, at which point I whipped out a hidden jar of jar of baby chicken and gave him some licks.  The next time he came when I called I gave him a bite of cooked hot dog. The next time he came when I called, I whipped out a hidden toy and played tug with him.  Then I repeated this a couple of times with him once again off leash.  I am glad I am getting a chance to initially work this out in the safety of our own backyard with my stick and carrot approach.  Of course when the distracting temptations are greater (for example the chance to chase after a squirrel, etc.) I will have to once again be ready to show him that Coming when called is always the better choice!

Sat. Sept 22, 07 Competition Obedience Fronts & Finishes - Houston, TX

I'm now beginning training for Fronts and Finishes - some foundation stuff for Competition Obedience, namely straight sits/lining up in side/heel position, and the swing/military finish (dog goes from front position to side/heel position). 

1) Had success beginning to teach him to use chutes to walk in for straight fronts and sits, using a contraption made from PVC pipe (picture a squared off letter U - the handler stands facing and with toes almost touching the bottom of a letter U shape, with another  UPSIDE down letter U shape on his/her left side).   Anyway, the dog is guided by the chutes to walk/run into the open letter U facing the handler and is in perfect front position, then does a military/swing finish and ends up in perfect side/heel position. To help Trip begin to notice the chute guidelines, I started placing some pieces of food in a center line down the middle of his chute pathway- that got his head down so he would notice the chutes and he began coming in perfectly straight.  Then as he got more practice coming in straight I was able to eliminate the food on the floor - he already is trained to Sit and look up at my face. After he learns to  come in from a straight angle and do a straight sit, I will begin to to have him come in from side angled approaches and also add the side finish which will help him learn to sit straight in heel position.

2) In addition, I began clicker training Trip to move away from the touch of a dowel stick; that went pretty slow and will take awhile.  Problems: At 6 mo. old he is still such a puppy that he wanted to mouth the stick, so I distracted him with the baby food chicken  I was using as a food treat reward.  Other problem was that he was doing things besides just moving away from the stick (turning his head, etc.) that made it harder for him to know exactly what he was being clicked for - but he will catch on eventually.

Fri. Sept. 7, 07 - Houston, TX

I just finished reading an excellent new book - Puppy’s First Steps, Faculty of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Edited by Nicholas Dodman, BVMS with Lawrence Lindner, MA (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007, $24.95).  Since dog owners are exposed to a wide range of opinions from peers and the internet, which are frequently based on misinformation, this book’s strong point is that the information it provides is firmly rooted in scientific research and clinical studies. One area where this scientific approach is particularly helpful is sifting through advice about how to feed dogs.  Regarding the growing popularity of do-it-yourself raw and home cooked diets, the position of the authors is that nutrition is an exact science, and that it is extremely important to get it right.  In an extensive discussion of the widespread beliefs about the merits claimed for these diets, versus the possible problems associated with them, they warn that feeding raw and preparing meals at home from recipes obtained from sources other than a board-certified veterinary nutritionist can be quite risky.  Serious illnesses can be caused by bacterial contamination with raw food, and by nutrition deficiencies from not mixing the right foods in precisely the right proportions.  To those who say that wolves and dogs in the wild are able to manage their own diets, the authors point out that dogs in the wild rarely manage to have the long and healthy lives that people want for their pets.  Guidelines on how to pick and choose among the many commercial foods available were also included in this section.  Among other things, the authors caution to look for the “Statement of Nutritional Adequacy” found on the bag to make sure it says that “AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) animal feeding tests” were used, rather than that the food was formulated to meet an AAFCO profile, which means it has not actually been subjected to the same rigorous testing indicated by the former statement. 

I also found good information here about how to determine if you should feed a puppy regular or large breed puppy food.  I always wondered what the dividing line was, regarding the size of puppies who should be on each kind of food, and also what the differences were between the two foods.  The Tufts’ vets advice is to use the large breed food for puppies that will mature to weigh 50 lbs. or more.  And here is a quote about what the difference is:

“Large breed puppy foods have the same high concentration of nutrients as other puppy foods, but they are different in two important ways.

1. They have lower calorie density.

2.  They have carefully controlled calcium levels.

Fewer calories means the (large size) puppy will reach adult size more gradually, which is desirable…”

The text goes on to explain that it is being fed too much calcium rather than too little that most often causes problems for large size dogs. Since my BC puppy Trip looks like he is going to be on the large end of the BC size bell curve, I decided to switch him to the large breed puppy food when he turned 5 mo. old.

Tues. Sept 4, 07- Houston, TX

Over the weekend I got the idea of using baby food chicken (that comes in a jar) as a food lure for heeling.  Rather than hold a food treat in my hand, I simply dipped the index finger of my left hand into the baby food and let Trip nose/target my finger; when I wanted to reward him, I let him lick the food off my finger.  Also, instead of carrying the glass jar around, and perhaps dropping and breaking it, or contaminating the entire jar with his saliva, I spooned some food from the jar into a 1/4 size plastic measuring cup with handle and carried that around in my right hand. One big advantage of this technique is that you can reward your dog frequently without overloading him with treats!

Tues. Aug. 25, 2007 - Houston, TX

So what I am working on with Trip today is "waiting at the door" instead of bolting outside as described on the Pup/Basic 1 page on this web site.  We did this on leash.  I began by having him Wait at inside bedroom and bathroom doors .  He caught on quickly and then we practiced at the back door and the front door.  Now that he is 5 1/2 months old his brain suddenly seems mature enough for him to be learning new obedience behaviors very quickly.  (Two days ago he suddenly caught on to ringing his "poochie bells" to let us know when he has to go outside). I also started working on having him stay in a certain designated place a few feet from the front door when the door bell rings.  This will take longer to train.  Trip will need more practice than he gets just by waiting for the occasional visitor so we will have to do "set ups" and I will be enlisting my husband's help to ring the doorbell. I found out when we did it today that having my husband ring the front door bell is also a good way to set up loose leash walking practice since hearing the bell makes Trip very excited and inspires him to try to pull on leash as we walk to the door.  Other things we worked on today were fast sits and drops, sits and drops with a hand signal, making turns to the right in place and in heel position, and "take it, hold and out" for the retrieve.

The first year anniversary of my Holly girl's passing is fast approaching and I am not yet fully over grieving for her or for my dear Monty who we put to sleep only 12 weeks and a day ago.  Two nights ago I had a magical dream about my two beloved German Shepherds.  I saw a large number of geese flying overhead and had the feeling that Holly and Monty were among them and that if I called out loud enough and they heard me they would come.  I began calling them both by name as loud as I could, and as I was calling, sure enough two of the geese dropped away from the others and began circling overhead.  I kept calling and they flew down to me and  as they walked toward me, the first one shook off the goose feathers and it was Holly and right behind Monty came and shook off his goose covering too.  I was so happy to see them my heart just swelled with love, and then I woke up, and felt a mixture of happiness and sadness. The only clue I have about where this dream came from is that I had been thinking what a long way I have to go in training a reliable recall with puppy Trip, to get him to the same level of bonding and trust I had after so many years with Holly and Monty.

Sat. August 11, 07 - Houston, TX

Sit VS. Sit-Stay?

A question sometimes argued among dog trainers is whether dogs should be taught that Sit means "maintain your sit until I release you" thus making teaching a separate Stay cue unnecessary; in recent years it has become increasingly common to teach Sit in this way. However, there was a time when everyone taught a Stay separately from the Sit and Down and I think there were good reasons to do so that still apply.

Teaching that Sit means hold your position until released may work fine for professional and competition obedience trainers who are basically the only ones who work their own dogs.  But for the average pet owner and for trainers like me, who have other family members who regularly interact with the dog, walk the dog, etc. here is what happens in real life:  People who are not dog trainers tell their dogs to Sit for one reason or another –maybe because the dog is jumping up or maybe to give it a treat or maybe just to show someone else that the dog knows how to Sit.  Then they go on about their business without bothering to give a formal release, so of course the dog self-releases.  I see these scenarios played out all the time- when I visit friends in their homes who have pet dogs, when I see people with their dogs out and about in the neighborhood or at Petsmart and PetCo stores, etc.  So now, if the dog’s main trainer says “Sit” and expects the dog to hold that Sit (essentially do a Stay and not self-release), the dog has to learn this: Sit means one thing when some people say it and something else entirely when someone else says it.

Now,  it is true that dogs are capable of learning that when the context is different and the person giving the cue is different, etc. the same word can have  a different meaning.  But this is much harder and more ambiguous for the dog to learn than teaching the dog a separate Stay behavior/cue. 

Most pet owners are simply not going to be consistent enough (outside of classes in real life) to always enforce their dogs holding their position after they have told them to Sit, or to remember to always release their dogs, but on the other hand, if they tell their dogs to Stay, they are far more likely both to enforce the dog remaining in position and to remember to release the dog.  For that reason,  I believe instructors do pet owners a real disservice if they don’t recognize this is the case, and teach Stay as a separate exercise.  I also believe that teaching Stay as a separate exercise makes it more simple and less stressful to learn for most competition dogs.  

Tues. August 7,07-Houston TX

When I first started my Blog, I thought I would be writing more frequently, but between the final illness of my beloved German Shepherd Monty and taking care of a new puppy I have had less time to write than I had thought I would.

Loose Leash Walking Game: Last night I invented a new LLW game to play with the Tripster, my almost 5 mo. old Border collie pup. Well, they say there is nothing new under the sun so maybe someone else has already thought of this, but so far I have not heard of it before. Although (walking to) the Goodie Bowl Game is similar, I had much better luck with my new version.
First, I am at the point with his training where he will walk on a loose leash until he is excited, usually by seeing a person or another dog he wants to greet, and then he starts to lunge and pull. What I have been doing is not allowing him to greet until he stops pulling but that has been slow going, mentally speaking. I wanted a way to practice LLW that would really help my puppy to get the idea more quickly that pulling on leash was not going to get him where he wanted to go, while giving him practice in impulse/self-control.
So, tonight I put him on leash and alternated throwing toys and treats, which he wanted to run and grab, just like when we play the Cookie Toss Game off leash (on Pup/Basic 1 page see Come/Recall Games).  I began with a brand new plush squeaky toy he was very excited about. Of course as long as he pulled toward the toy or treat, I froze in place. As soon as he let up and there was a bit of slack in the leash, I clicked and started moving forward. I did not feed him a treat following the click-his reinforcement was getting to move forward toward the toy or treat. When he pulled, I stopped again. He very quickly began to offer a Sit following his pause, so I clicked that and moved forward. If he had not offered the sit, I would have just continued to click for slack in the leash. Next he started to sit and orient toward me, so I started clicking that. But again, if he would not have done that, I would have continued to just click for slack in the leash. I was very pleased with his progress and intend to keep playing.

Thunderstorm Anxiety:  Last week something  unfortunate happened to Trip, our new Border collie puppy. My husband, Joel, had taken him out for his walk and a tremendous clap of thunder hit right next to them while they were still on our front walk.  It scared both of them  and really left Trip spooked.  Before this nothing at all has fazed him-he was not at all noise or sound sensitive but after this incident he came into the house and ran under the bed. That afternoon he went around with his ears pinned back and acted wary of every little household noise and on the next two walks we took, he acted spooked by every noise and by mild rumblings of thunder.  So now I have my work cut out for me to help my puppy overcome his fear reaction to storms before it turns into an entrenched phobia.  Here is my plan:

• I have ordered a CD of thunderstorm sounds so that I can help desensitize & counter-condition Trip to the sound of Thunder, beginning by playing the CD at a volume low enough to keep from triggering his anxiety, while pairing the sounds with wonderful treats.

• I have ordered a DAP collar and DAP plug in diffuser.  DAP stands for Dog Appeasing Pheromone-by mimicking the pheromone that mother dogs produce, it appears to calm dogs who are feeling fearful, stressed, excited or reactive.

• I have ordered TFLN Homeopathic Anxiety Remedy (which is administered in liquid drops) to relieve his anxiety if necessary during storms.

My goals during storms will be to 1) help him remain as relaxed as possible, 2) to distract him from his fear, and 3) to help him to begin associating storms with nice things going on such as play and treats.  Although it is OK to cuddle a fearful dog, it is important to resist the urge to baby or to reassure him in an overly sympathetic tone of voice.   The best way to help a fearful dog is to remain relaxed and model calmness for him, and to communicate with him in an upbeat cheerful tone so that he will see there is really nothing to worry about. If your dog is willing to play and accept treats, by all means keep him distracted from his fear by playing with him and feeding him.  During the most recent mild storm, I played Tug and retrieve games with Trip in our bedroom and also stuffed one piece of boiled chicken at a time in a Kong for him to work at getting out. In a more severe storm, if necessary to help him keep calm, I will take him into my walk-in closet and play with him there.

Control Unleashed-Great book:  I am currently reading a wonderful new book  named “Control Unleashed” by Leslie McDevitt.  Here what a quote about it from Dogwise : Learn how to turn stress to confidence and distraction to focus using methods that are 110% positive. Leslie McDevitt's versatile Control Unleashed program is designed to help "dogs with issues" learn how to relax, focus, and work off-leash reliably in either stimulating or stressful situations.  Although the author is a behavior consultant who does a lot of work with dogs who are involved in agility, this book is not just for training dogs with issues-it is very helpful for any trainer who wants to improve their dog’s attention, focus, confidence, and self-control. Yesterday I used techniques described in the book to work on two issues with Trip-the way he pulls on leash whenever he is close to people he wants to greet, and the way (since being frightened by the nearby thunderclap a few days ago) he has started to bark reactively at unfamiliar shapes and people passing in the distance-in one short afternoon I started to see very positive results!  I can’t recommend this book highly enough!

Check it Out-Technique to Reduce Fear/Reactivity/Aggression: Prior to Trip's bad fright with the thunderclap, he has always been a self-confident little puppy, extremely outgoing and friendly, and he had never shown any signs of being noise or sound sensitive or fearful at all.  However, following his thunderclap scare, I soon realized that I had more than a storm problem on my hands when I took Trip with me to Petsmart and he spooked at things that had not bothered him on previous store outings.  For example, he was frightened by the sound of someone stacking boxes, and by light reflections on glass doors.  Then even at home he was bothered by light reflections and patterns on the ceiling and by anything that appeared new or unfamiliar.  For example, he barked at a hat on a coffee table and a large bowl I had placed on a counter. What was even worse was that he began to bark at unfamiliar people when he spotted them at a distance, as if they too were simply more strange objects.   This is a problem I definitely want to nip in the bud, before it mushrooms into general reactivity toward other people and animals.

The main thing I am doing right now to help Trip overcome his sudden reactivity to unfamiliar sights and people is very similar to what trainer Leslie McDevitt in her book "Control Unleashed" calls the “Look at That” game.  This game is about giving your dog clicks and treats simply for looking at people, dogs, objects, etc. that might otherwise set off a fit of arousal and barking.  The goal of this game is to train an automatic response in your dog-so that when he sees a person, dog, etc. instead of staring and becoming aroused, he automatically orients back to you. The end result is that he learns self control and to stay relaxed around his triggers.  Here’s how:

First, take your dog out and about: Rather than letting Trip spend day after day not leaving our own home and yard, I am taking care to get him out every day, not only on his regular potty walks, but also to different places where he will see lots of people. We got to parks, out for ice cream, to shopping malls, etc.  You don’t have to stay out for long periods of time, only 10-15 minutes is long enough.  What is important is regular exposure to people, dogs, (whatever your dog’s arousal triggers may happen to be) and that means getting out once a day whenever possible.   Also, for this game to work, you need to set your dog  up to succeed.  At leash initially , before setting out, be sure that your dog hungry and use really good treats. For example, I got some chicken on sale and boiled it and cut it up for treats.  

Second, go to places where you can safely control your dog and keep him calm.  Although Trip is very friendly to people I do take care to set him up for success by not overwhelming him with more stimulation than he is currently ready to handle.  If your dog is very fearful, you will need to go to places that are low key enough that he will not feel too overwhelmed to eat his treats.  If he is highly reactive/aggressive you need to choose places where you can position yourself far enough from other people or dogs that he is able to remain calm.   For those of you with more fearful or aggressive dogs, controlling the environment can be as simple as keeping your dog with you inside of your car (with the A/C running in hot weather).  

Third, Observe your dog – I watch Trip closely so that I see the moment he notices any people or objects that might arouse him.

Fourth, the very second that your dog spots or glances at person, dog, animal or object, give him a Click & Treat.  This is the heart of what makes this technique work.  Don’t be late with your click-timing is crucial!  Right now your dog looks at people or other dogs or animals because she or he may be wary and suspicious,  or worried and fearful, or even just interested and excited.  Giving the dog clicks and treats for looking allows and even rewards him for his natural tendency to check out the environment, yet can interrupt possible reactive or aggressive responses while conditioning the dog to associate the sight of people, other dogs, etc. with good things so that he will eventually relax more around them.  In addition by encouraging the dog to orient and look back to you when he spots a trigger, you are training your dog to pay more attention to you! 

So here is how this has been working out so far with Trip:

We take Trip out with us as often as possible- to go get ice cream at Baskin Robbins, and on other various excusions. When Joel needed some art supplies, we took Trip along with us to the Willow Brook Mall.  Let me describe what happened there:

The art supply store was in a busy shopping mall area so there was a lot of both car and foot traffic and people coming in and out of the store were carrying things like boards, large canvasses, etc. There were also families with kids going in and out of adjacent stores, people of all sexes, colors, ages, dressed in different ways, lots of people wearing hats.  First some women came out of the store and as he glanced at them, I said “Check it out” and gave him a click and treat.  I repeated the C&Ts every time he spotted and glanced at anyone (or anything) that he might alert to.  This mall happened to have benches outside some of the stores, so I took him and sat on an empty bench.  We just watched people going by - when he would first notice them they would be at different distances, depending on where their cars were parked or which store they were exiting from.  I just kept giving him clicks & treats every time he looked at anyone.  What I found remarkable was that he quickly got calm and started orienting toward me as soon as he heard the click.   Since it was a hot day, I decided to continue the process from the car with the A/C going.  This was also a good place to work on his behavior because he is also likely to alarm bark as he sees people from the car - again we saw all sorts of people carrying all sorts of packages; some were walking far away but others walked right next to the car.  Even then Trip was able to stay relaxed and attentive to my clicks and treats rather than going into a barking fit.

Subsequently, when I took him for his potty walk that evening, he saw a man and two little kids on bikes and started to bark but I immediately clicked and since he was already aroused, I stuck the treat right under his nose to get him to orient back toward me.  The next time he saw a workman across the street by his truck, all I had to do was click and he turned to me for his chicken! 

What I loved about this technique is the simplicity!  All I had to do was be calm and cheerful and observe him so that I knew when he noticed someone and I could click that.   I was surprised at what good results I got in such a short period of time just by doing this seemingly simple thing!

Summing up:

• Click & Treat for calmly looking at strangers or other dogs.

• C&T for looking at you.

• C&T for self-calming behaviors such as looking or turning away from his triggers.

• C&T for any appropriate desirable responses.

Wed. July 11, 07-Houston, TX

Animal Behavior Associates: Husband and wife team Dr. Dan Estep and Dr. Suzanne Hetts have a wonderful web site where you can sign up for their free monthly newsletter which I highly recommend.  The topics for July are: Dog Piece-Crating Correctly; Cat Piece-Carl's Water Fetish; Their Piece-Taking the Emotions Out of Behavior. 

Tues. June 27, 07-Houston, TX

Confessions of a Dog Trainer-How Having a Puppy is Keeping Me Humble-Let Me Count the Ways!

1. What I tell my clients: "Do not let your puppy/dog escape out the door; until you have trained your dog not to bolt out the door, as a safety precaution always bring him to the door on leash."

What I actually did: I went to answer the doorbell to take a delivery and my puppy bolted out the door!  At least I knew not to chase him-instead I called to him merrily, "Puppy-Puppy" as I banged my hand against the box that had just been delivered and turned around to let him see me run inside the house, which as I hoped made him come chasing after me.

2. What I tell my clients: "Be sure to puppy-proof your house; until your dog has house manners, he should either be confined or under your watchful eye at all times.

What I actually did: I was drinking coffee and reading the morning paper when I suddenly noticed a silence signifying my puppy had finished his own breakfast and was probably up to no good-sure enough I caught him chewing on a houseplant in the dining room.  I promptly returned him to his crate where he threw up all his breakfast and then I spent the better part of the day worrying about him, finding out if the houseplant was poisonous (it wasn't but it still upset his stomach), cleaning up the mess, talking to the vet, making a special trip to the vet, etc.  The houseplant is now outside where it should have been in the first place.

3. What I tell my clients: Part of establishing the right relationship depends on learning to be a benevolent leader-part of being a leader depends on controlling the resources-part of controlling the resources means not allowing the dog free access to all the toys all the time.

What I actually do: My puppy's toys are at this moment scattered all over the house.  However, I do pick up a couple of  his favorites that only come out when he and I play together.

4. What I tell my clients: Do not allow your dog to jump on people.  Use the leash to check jumping up and proactively teach the dog to sit politely for petting.

What I actually do:  When someone asks if they can pet my puppy, I say, "Sure, but he has to sit first. " So far so good.  My puppy Sits very nicely and the person, who more often than not is a child, comes up and pets him-at which point he jumps up and the child laughs in delight.   However, in my defense I will add that I am doing practice sessions with family and friends who follow my instructions to back away the second he jumps up and he is getting much better about sitting politely for petting.

 

Well, I could go on but this is obviously enough to show that the I am a member in good standing of the "Do as I say and not as I do" school of thought!

Fri. June 22, 07-Houston, TX

Puppy Play-When you have a new puppy, one of the best things you can do to build the right relationship is to play the right games in the right way.  When I got my Border collie puppy Trip, my two initial priorities were to socialize him to the max and to play with him.  There is a wonderful description of how to play with puppies in a book I reviewed for the Association of Pet Dog Trainers called "Building Blocks for Performance" by Bobbi Anderson.  Although the book is geared toward people who plan to participate in performance sports such as agility, competitive obedience or herding trials, the play tips apply to anyone who wants to build a great relationship with his/her puppy. I have been able to see how playing with Trip paid off when I took him out this week for some socialization to a couple of training facilities; in spite of being in a new exciting environment with other dogs around, Trip was still able to pay attention to me, play with me, and follow my cues to give eye contact, to Sit, Down, and to walk nicely on a loose leash.   If I had not been playing with him in ways that fostered a strong relationship, he probably would have been more likely, in the presence of other new and exciting dogs, to find me very dull and blow me off.

Here are some of my tips for how to get the most out of playing with your puppy:

Puppy play tends to fall into chase games, tug games, retrieve games, and roughhousing.  None of these activities are inherently good or bad-it all depends on how you play them!

Chase games: Instead of chasing after your puppy, encourage him to chase and come to you by running away from him.  When he catches you, reward him with a tasty treat or a game of Tug.

Tug Games: Many people fear playing Tug believing that it increases aggression.  If your dog is not aggressive, you don't have to worry about playing Tug as long as you play by the rules.  The main rules are that you start and stop the game and any time puppy/dog teeth touch human skin the game stops.  You also need to teach your dog to release the tug object on your verbal cue when you say "Out" or "Give." Initially teach this with object exchanges, offering a treat right under his nose as you say, "Out."  Later when he has learned to Out in exchange for a treat, try suddenly releasing your pull pressure as you point the finger of your opposite hand at his nose and say "Out."  Tug is a great way to give a dog some exercise.  One caveat though, this is generally not a good game for children to play with dogs because they don't have the necessity maturity to teach and play by the above rules.

Retrieve games: This is another way to give your dog some exercise, even in the house.  If your dog will chase after an object but not come back with it, try getting him to chase you, or use two objects, such as two balls or two squeaky toys.  When he picks up the first, call "Puppy Puppy" in a happy voice as your bounce or squeak the second toy.  If he returns with his prize, don't grab it away.  Instead pet and praise him and do an object exchange or tease him a bit with a second toy and throw that toy when he drops the first.

Roughhousing:  Think of this in terms of getting your dog used to being handled.  In spite of the name, it is very important to keep it GENTLE!  Roll on the floor with your puppy and tumble around; encourage her to jump into your lap (this is OK when you give permission with a cue such as "Paws Up"), gently grab her paws and her tail and stroke her sides.  Play with her ears and look inside her mouth and then give her a treat.

Restraint and Teaching Settle by "Cradling": The Houston Chronicle comes through again with a column by Dr. Michael Fox with an excellent description of how to use restraint to teach a dog to settle down.  I used this technique on my puppy Trip to train him to accept being brushed and combed and having his nails clipped: Hold the puppy and gently restrain him in a cradling position in your arms as you talk to him in a soothing tone.  As he struggles, hold him securely but don't squeeze or crush him too hard.  As he begins to relax and stop struggling, loosen your hold. When he is quiet, praise and release him.

Tues. May 29, 07-Houston-RAISING TRIP

On Monday May 21, 2007 about 6:30 we picked up our new puppy Trip at Houston Intercontinental Airport and another life adventure began!

Journal Notes: First Night Together-I was amazed that the Tripster (formerly known at his  breeder's as the “Screaming Demon”) didn’t cry even once!  This was all the more remarkable because as often happens, I had to be up with Monty in the middle of the night.  Monty is an old man who can no longer completely control his sphincters. But even with some lights on and being able to hear our movements, etc. Trip was quiet!!!

I promised Michelle that I wouldn’t spoil him, but Joel is another story.  This morning Trip stood on  his little hind legs in his pen and looked longingly at Joel and Joel caved.  While he was cuddling him, I told him he gets a couple of free passes like that, but then he has to get with the program and not pick up Trip if he is either crying or jumping up!

My biggest single concern about bringing a new puppy into our home is how I would handle the keeping the puppy safe from Monty (our 12 year old senior German Shepherd Dog now very weak from spinal arthritis) and keeping Monty from being bothered and stressed by the puppy.

Steps to Introducing Trip & Monty and Helping Them Get Along

Goals:

To Prevent fights and aggressive displays.

For Monty and Trip to feel relaxed and safe (not anxous and worried) around one another.

For Monty and Trip to tolerate and eventually like each other.

Initial intro was done down the street rather than in our home.  Like most German Shepherd Dogs,  Monty has instincts to protect his home territory and I did not want his first reaction to Trip to be regarding him as an intruder on his turf.  Trip was in his crate and Monty, who was on leash, got clicks and treats for peacefully sniffing at him in the crate.  Once home, we held Trip, face away from Monty, and let Monty sniff him, giving more clicks and treats. 

Separation and Supervision

It would not be safe to give Monty and Trip full access to one another. In addition to safety issues , even if Monty were a younger and more mellow dog, giving Trip unlimited access to his company before he had a chance to firmly bond with us would result in our puppy forming his primary bond with the other dog. 

Management system: 

When Monty is loose inside the house, the puppy is either:

• With one of us on leash

• In his Ex Pen or in his crate

When the puppy is loose in the house (after he has done his potty duties) then Monty is:

• In our bedroom behind a closed door or baby gate (Monty is too weak and stiff to get in and out of a crate anymore.)

• Outside in the back yard

Note: This separation is especially important during meal time, if the dogs are chewing their bones, and when the puppy is playing with toys.

Habituation—The gradual process of habituation can work to promote peaceful mutual acceptance between a new dog and an older one if you keep interactions calm, relaxed and positive.

Positive Reinforcement for desirable behavior:  Whenever Monty is close by the puppy, for example when we walk the puppy by Monty or when he is lying down close to the puppy’s ex pen, we give Monty positive attention, praise, petting, clicks & treats for being calm.  The puppy gets the same positive treatment for his calm, deferential but non fearful behavior around Monty.

Promoting Pack Relationship:  The dogs have been walked side by side up and down the driveway on leash, with praise, clicks & treats for good behavior. (Monty can only walk a short way and the puppy still has to be protected from contact/exposure to strange dogs and so is not yet going on longer walks).

Outcome to date: Because his age has affected his temperament and tolerance and because of their size difference, I would never trust Monty to be unsupervised around the puppy.  However, it was very gratifying that when we accidentally allowed the puppy to get closer to Monty than we had intended on a walk, and the puppy stumbled into him, Monty was startled but did not snap or show any aggression whatsoever!  Although he is too old to enjoy playing with a puppy he seems to find the Tripster very interesting to watch.   For his part, Trip is being a model of deportment around Monty, in part I believe because his wonderful breeder took care to give him exposure to her older dogs so that he would learn to mind his manners around his elders.

Potty Training: To learn more about click here: HouseTraining

Trip’s breeder started potty training him by using crate training, the ex pen, and a litter box.  I saw videos of him and the other puppies using the litter box when they were indoors at the breeder’s. This can come in very handy at night since a young puppy can use the litter box in his ex pen instead of having to be taken outside.  Trip’s litter box at our house is a plastic under the bed storage box I bought at Target and filled, per the breeder’s instructions, with newspaper shredded lengthwise.  However, since he has been with us, I have never seen him use it.  Instead he waits until we can take him outside to do his doggy business so I may be eliminating the litter box any day now.

So far potty training has been a breeze.  He spent the first night in his ex pen with his litter box inside the pen, and he may have used it.  However, from then on he has slept in his crate.  Before he goes to bed we take him out back for one last time, then he goes into his crate for the night.  Since he was 9 weeks old when we got him, apparently he was old enough to make it through the night.  In the morning he gives us a wake up call by yelping once or twice.  He then gets quiet because he has learned he only comes out of his crate when he is quiet.  I go pick him up and he wiggles all over and gives me kisses.  I have been carrying him outside and then putting him down and telling him to “Hurry Up” since that is the verbal cue his breeder used.  I don’t play with him until he takes care of business.  Inside again we play for awhile, then he goes back in his crate for breakfast. About half an hour after breakfast I take him outside again and he does what a good dog should.  Then he can be free to play in whatever area we are in—either the kitchen while we eat or the bedroom as we get ready for the day.

Journal notes: First Morning-This morning I got up early and brought Monty outside first.  Trip woke up and sat in his pen but didn’t cry.  Then I put Monty up and got Trip (and his potty box) and let him play in our big bathroom while I washed my face and brushed my teeth and Joel shaved.  Next I put him in our big crate with some water and his breakfast which he didn’t eat.  Made our coffee and breakfast, then got him out and hand fed him and he ate all of his breakfast.  I kept him on a long leash with me in the kitchen while we read the paper and drank coffee.  I kept him on a leash so that he wouldn’t go up to Monty who was lying down close by.  Meanwhile he played with us and his chew toys.  When I want to let Trip loose to explore, I confine Monty in our bedroom. Last night he peed out in the yard but other than that, I haven’t seen him pee or use his box—but no signs of accidents either so I am guessing that he did.  I brought him out for quite awhile again but didn’t see him squat.  It's raining here this morning but if it lets up we will spend some time letting him explore the yard later.

What comes next?  Right now if he is in his ex pen or crate, Trip alerts us that he needs to go out by giving one or two short yelps.  However, he now needs to learn how to alert us when he is loose in the house that he needs to go outside.  In order to teach him to alert us by going to the back door, I am going to stop carrying him outside.  Instead I will lead him as he walks by himself to the backdoor and when we get there I will say, “Wanna go out--Outside” and open the door for him.  With enough repetitions he should learn to go to the back door when he needs to go outside.

Socialization: To learn more about the process of socialization click here: Socialization

May 22: First day in new home.  Met a man with a beard in our home who came to fix Joel’s computer. Surfaces: Walked on tile floors, carpet, cement, grass, pea gravel decking and large pebbles in flower beds. 

May 23: Took a ride to nearby shopping center and in front of Babies R Us met one mom and little boy about 4 yrs. old, mom and dad and another little boy about 3 years old, and a group of 3 children of various ages.

May 24: In front yard watched yard crew working across the street.  That evening went to visit my son, his wife, our soon to be 3 year old grandson and their 1 year old black Lab Lucy.

May 25: Had first vet visit, met vet, receptionist and male vet tech. I got a diet coke at a McDonald’s drive-through window so he experienced that happening and hopefully won’t bark every time I stop for fast food the way Monty does.

Sat May 26: Went to a plant nursery-exposed him to street traffic, carts, and he met various strangers.

Sun May 27: Today we drove to an area where people have acreage and keep horses and we happened across a place where there were some very small donkeys (not much bigger than miniature horses) and two regular size horses.   It was interesting to watch Trip’s reaction. He didn’t bark or try to approach them too closely (I had him on leash on the other side of a fence).  He looked a bit subdued, but he didn't try to run away or tremble or anything. I feed  him some of his lunch right there in the grass while the horses snorted and even ran around a bit.  Then we drove on a little way until we came across a small Farmers’ Market.  He got to meet several people who all cooed over him and gave him lots of positive attention, including some men in baseball caps.

*Next week's main goal will be to have some play dates with other vaccinated friendly pups and dogs.

Introduction to Bath Tub:  I first scattered some tiny pieces of freeze dried liver and turkey hot dogs around the empty tub.  Then I  took off my shoes and sat on the edge of the tub with my legs and feet inside and called Trip.  He came running and stood up on his hind legs to peer into the tub.  I lifted him up and put him inside.  He eagerly sniffed around and ate his treats. Then I lifted him out again.  He has already been exposed to the sound of low/gently running water in the tub while he is playing in the bedroom and in the bathroom.  However, the first time I put him into some water, I will run the water before putting him in and it will be just a puddle and I will continue to feed  him a few treats.   By the time I am ready to bathe him in the tub he should think of it as a fun place and not be fearful at all.

Chewing

The key again is management and supervision.  Generally Trip only gets the run of the entire house if we are interacting and playing together.  Otherwise if he is out of his pen he is in a closed room with one of us.  If I am folding laundry in the bedroom, he can be loose in the bedroom where I can keep an eye on him.  When he has grabbed a slipper or a towel I can quickly give him an instructive reprimand-NO-followed by redirecting his attention and offering him a toy as I say “here, chew your toy."  When he started to nibble at the fringe of the carpet, I quickly sprayed the carpet with Bitter Apple which is sold in most pet stores.

In addition you can be proactive about teaching a puppy what is OK to chew--here is way to do that using a clicker game suggested by Trip's breeder, Michelle Weese:

• Put out a toy and a shoe. Have the two items several feet apart.

• When your pup goes to the toy, click and treat the pup above the toy. When you are training an animal, where you deliver the treat at does make an impression on it. They gravitate to where you feed!

• If the pup goes to the shoe, don't click or treat, simply walk over to the toy and stand until the pup goes near the toy again.

• If your pup tries to pick up the shoe, place your foot onto the shoe and hold it in place, taking away some of the fun of the taboo item. 

• Face away from the shoe and towards the toy. Removing the shoe strings before you start will help it not become a tug toy. Do not speak to or correct the puppy in any way. Remember, this is a clicker training game.

• You can add another toy that the pup is allowed to play with to the training area, but don't add another shoe or other "taboo" item until the pup has zero interest in the shoe.

• Make sure you have the BEST treats available for this game! You will be competing with a stinky ole shoe!  Every pup’s favorite thing!

• You will want to use a shoe that isn't one you are going to stress over if the pup mouths it some.

Favorite Toys and Chew Bones

Kong Balls

Octopus Tug Toy from Clean Run

AKC Large Mallard Duck with squeaker

Petstages toys-especially the cool teethers that can by frozen

Smoked Ham Bone

Flexible Gummybones from Nylabone

Ruffian rubber squeaker toys

Tues May 29-Journal notes

Was up about 4 a.m. with Monty and this time Trip did wake up so I brought him out to potty after Monty.  Monty could barely stand or walk and I wanted to get some Rimadyl into his system which meant he needed some food in his stomach.  I moistened his kibble, sprinkled it with freeze dried liver dust and hand fed him.  Then both dogs went back to sleep until they both needed out to potty again around 7.  Monty then joined Joel in the bedroom and slept late.

Here is how Trip's morning went:  When he finished his potty duties I preceded him into the house and called him to Come saying "Puppy-Puppy"--when he came I whipped out a braided sheepskin toy I had hidden behind my back and played tug with him.  The point was to reward him for coming but not to teach him to depend on seeing a toy to come running.  Then I hand fed him his breakfast, having him either make eye contact (Look) or Sit for each bite of food.  When he began offering me a Wave, I added that to the behavior mix.  After breakfast we played a few minutes, went outside again where he promptly took care of business.  I then gave him his hambone and a couple of other chew toys to play with while I made coffee and had breakfast.  When he looked sleepy he went back in his crate for his morning nap.

Building the Relationship

It is important to understand that training is always going on anytime we are with our puppies. However, most people don't have the luxury of working at home as my husband and I do.  In addition our children are grown so we no longer have the demands on our time of caring for them.  If someone doesn't have time for a morning routine such as what I described above, the puppy can always be fed his breakfast in his crate.  Still, whenever possible, it is always a good idea to hand-feed at least one of your puppy's daily meals by hand during the first two weeks he is with you. 

Hand-feeding promotes bonding and teaches the puppy in a very concrete way who "butters his bread."  It can also be used to practice some of the behaviors  that I want to teach anyway.  Or another way to look at this is that I will be feeding my puppy his meal during a 10 minute training session-instead of using treat rewards I will be rewarding his behaviors with his dinner--eliminating the problem of too many calories or treats spoiling his appetite. 

Goal-Prevent Food Bowl Guarding by starting with some hand-feeding and by sometimes holding the bowl in my lap as my puppy eats.  Other times if he is eating from his bowl, I will walk by and drop in a special yummy treat so he will learn to welcome having me approach his bowl.  I will try to have other  family members do the same.

Cuddling and Handling-This comes naturally--I love to pick Trip up and cuddle him and let him give me puppy kisses!  I also make a point of handling his ears, tail, and especially his paws, touching his nails. He is so flexible and trusting that is is easy for me to roll him over.  I scratch his chest and give him belly rubs.  What is not as natural is making sure that some other people get a chance to do this too but doing that before he is 12 weeks old is the best insurance against having him develop undue sensitivity to being touched and handled.

Corrections-Goal is to teach Trip what is acceptable behavior and what is not, without diminishing his confidence or his trust in me.  I want him to respect me but also to always feel safe in my presence. Anger is totally inappropriate with a dog or puppy--because their behavior is almost totally a product of genetics and training that is beyond their control.  However, the only way Trip can learn what I want is by my giving him feedback on his behavior either while it is occurring or within one to two seconds afterward--timing is crucial for clear communication with a dog. And so is tone of voice.  Trip can't speak English although eventually he will build up quite a vocabulary of words/verbal cues that he can understand.  I need to communicate by my tone of voice whether I am pleased or displeased with an action of his.  Because I am never actually angry at him, it is easy for me to switch from a firm disapproving tone when he starts to grab my slipper to one rapturous with delight when he drops it and accepts the chewy bone I offer in its stead.

Teaching Respect--Trip is already learning that he has to earn his privileges.  He has to Sit before he can come out of his crate.  I plan to start asking for eye contact before beginning to play Tug.  Soon I will require him to Sit before opening the door to go out.   

Controlling Toys--Part of teaching Trip to respect me is by using my power to control the resources he values such as toys.  Rather than letting him have free access to all of his favorite toys, by picking them up and using them for interactive play sessions with me--he is learning to look to me for fun and special good times.  Playing with me becomes fun and special.  Of course he does get free access to some chewy bones and toys at all times.

Problem Prevention-Encouraging Independence:

One area of early training that I believe is both very important and very overlooked is teaching a dog to tolerate situations involving being alone and being confined in different environments.  I am very aware of this because I now have a old dog who is losing sphincter control and who sometimes needs to be kept separated from both our young grandchildren and from the new puppy.  Our old dog Monty and Joel and I would all be having a much easier time right now if Monty had been acclimated to being alone for short periods of time when he was a young puppy--but I adopted Monty as a young adult and he already had some issues that indicated he was not properly socialized as a puppy.  Although I have worked with him and he has come a long way, he still has some of these problems. 

Here are some situations that Monty does not tolerate well and that will cause him to whine and bark continuously:

Being confined in the backyard if one of us is not outside with him.

Being confined in our bedroom if one of us is not outside with him.

Being confined in any room with the door closed.

Being left in his crate alone in an unfamiliar place.

Although I expect Trip to grow up to be a very social mellow dog there are times when it may be necessary or convenient to confine him, for example if he should have a temporary bout of vomiting or diarrhea.  Therefore I am beginning to train him now to be comfortable in his crate, no matter which room it is in.  Later I will also start training him to stay alone loose in the yard for short periods of time, initially keeping a close watch on him from a hidden place inside.   I will do the same about training him to spend occasional nights sleeping on his bed in our bathroom (where there are easy to clean tile floors) and to be alone for short periods of time in different rooms in the house with the door closed.

Obedience Training-Trip will learn the basic exercises and skills described on this web site--see Puppy and Basic 1 Lessons. Eventually he will also learn the more advanced Open and Utility exercises.

Retrieving Tip: Throw a toy into what I call a box canyon situation such as a large crate or small bathroom, etc.  When the puppy goes after the toy and turns to run with it--there is only way out--straight to you.  Play retrieve games with a variety of objects. Encourage a good hold by playing Tug.  Later teach the pup to drop/out the object by using the method described in the Puppy-Basic 1 lessons.

What About Tug?  Many people believe that playing Tug can cause a dog to become aggressive.  It's true that Tug is not a good game to play with aggressive dogs, neither is it a good game for children to play with puppies and dogs.  However, every competition obedience and agility trainer I know plays Tug with their sports/performance dogs!  Tug can not only help release pent up energy, give your dog some exercise, be a way for the two of you to enjoy some interactive play, and be used to reward your dog for good behavior, it can also even help your dog learn self-control IF you play by the rules (read about Tug rules on the Pup-Basic 1 page).

Fri. May 18, 2007-Houston, TX

Mosquito control and Heartworm Preventative-Houston has been enjoying some unusually mild and pleasant spring weather the past few days and things are shaping up for a glorious weekend.  The only "fly in the ointment" seems to actually be the mosquitoes that are already out in full force as you may notice whenever the breeze stops blowing and the air is still.   Our son has tried out one of the expensive mosquito machines but since it didn't do all that was claimed, he returned it.  Meanwhile we are getting the yard ready for our new puppy by using a can of spray that connects to our hose--we have found this method rids our backyard of most mosquitoes for a few weeks at a time. Of course our new puppy will be on monthly heart worm preventative (heart worms are spread by mosquitoes) just as our older dog Monty is.

How to Play Follow the Leader With Your Dog

Most problem behaviors including those of pushy puppies and dogs who have not learned their manners have little to do with having an inherently "dominant" temperament and even less to do with true dominance aggression.  Contrary to what you may have heard, if your puppy or dog starts to race out the door ahead of you, that doesn't mean he is laying the groundwork for taking over the household or challenging you for alpha status--sometimes  a cigar is just a cigar and it is far more likely he is just doing what comes naturally to an untrained dog, namely releasing some of his pent up energy and rushing to get where he wants to be in the fastest possible way.  However, if he body slams you as he rushes with single minded exuberance out the door or knocks your visiting great aunt on her keester, he is not behaving in what we humans consider a polite and respectful manner.  It is your job as his owner and teacher to help your dog develop the self-control and good manners that will make him or her a welcome addition to the family.   As the bigger brained animal and the one who is responsible for your dog's safety and welfare, it is important that you take a leadership position in your relationship.  However, by far the best way to accomplish this is not through physical bullying but by incorporating a gentle training approach/regimen I will be using with my own puppy that some trainers call "Nothing In Life Is Free" or the "No Free Lunch Program" and that I call "Follow the Leader."

Meanwhile, heed some advice from the May 9, 07 Animal Behavior Associates May 9, 2007 newsletter, published by Dr. Suzanne Hetts and Dr. Dan Estep--here is some of what they have to say about dominance myths and the resulting force based training methods they have fostered:

"Intimidation techniques that are often part of the "dominance" mythology can also work - temporarily at least - with some dogs to suppress behavior. That doesn't mean intimidation is appropriate or the best way to solve a problem. It just means that the dog is more afraid of the person doing the intimidating than he is motivated to perform the unwanted behavior. And intimidation comes at a cost, which includes the risk of being bitten, when the dog attempts to defend himself or decides he's had enough of someone grabbing him and throwing him to the ground in a so- called "alpha roll". It's quite easy for dogs that have been man- handled in this way to decide that anyone reaching toward them quickly is going to do the same thing so they bite to prevent it. Then they get labeled as "dominant dogs" when in reality they are reacting defensively. Intimidation can CAUSE aggression problems."

Friday, May 11, 2007 - Houston, TX

Where Should Your Dog Sleep?  Last night the Houston area had severe thunderstorms and lightening--the sort of night that can frighten "both men and beasts" but my German Shepherd Dog Monty was asleep safe and sound in his bed next to mine.  Soon our new Border collie puppy Trip will be joining him and sleeping in his own crate in our bedroom.

I am now only a week away from bringing Trip home and I am following my own good advice to clients--I am formulating a management plan to ensure that life with our puppy starts off on the right foot.  The first question is where will the puppy live?  Although I am a somewhat of a stickler in my personal need for a clean, neat and orderly home, our dog will live inside.  I am fortunate enough to work at home, but my plan will be very similar to what I would design for those who work outside the home.  It will consist of keeping our puppy under my watchful eye when I am home, and safely and happily confined when I'm not, until the time comes when his house manners are reliable.  The crate and ex pen that I ordered via the internet are ready and waiting for his arrival--see April entry about using these training aids below:

Monday, April 16, 2007 - Houston, TX

If all goes well, I will be getting a new puppy of my own about mid May.  Between now and then I will be writing about what I will doing to prepare for the puppy and then later about raising the puppy to be a healthy self-confident adult dog.  Some care and training tips will apply to dogs of any age.  Let's start with Home Alone Training.

Your Home-Alone Dog

When you are home, you can speed along you dog’s housetraining by keeping her with you on her leash--attach it to your belt or loop it around your wrist. But whether on or off leash, when you are home, she should be under your watchful eye at all times and not allowed to roam free out of sight until the day comes when you know she is trained enough to be trustworthy.  When she is right under your eye, if she starts to make a mistake,  you are right there to give her an instructive reprimand; if she starts to jump on the furniture, you can say "Off, go to your mat," and lead her to her mat.  If she starts to grab a shirt to chew, you can say "No--drop it, here chew your toy" as you hand her a chewy toy, and if she starts to go potty, you can say--No--outside" as you take her to the door and outside. Even more important, you can reinforce her with praise and sometimes a treat for doing the right thing!

Home Alone Training--Using Crates and Ex Pens

Every dog should be crate trained (see Crate Training).  Soon you will be able to leave your dog in her crate for up to three hours if necessary.  That means you can take trips to the grocery store, movies, etc. knowing that your dog and your home are both safe.
However, to avoid over-crating your dog if you have to leave her alone for long hours while you work, you should also train her to be alone in the house, again starting in a safe space, such as one of the bathrooms before giving her the run of the entire house. Another way to create a safe space is by using an Exercise Pen (Ex Pen) that you can order via the internet.  These are (usually) 8 panel metal pens that fold up like a suitcase.  Easy to move from room to room or outdoors, they can be set up in a circular or rectangular configuration.  They come in various heights and the taller ones are available with a door.  Begin by putting her the safe space when you are home to supervise.  Provide a mat for her and use a puppy gate to contain her and then follow the same general idea as crate training. Begin by leaving her there only a short while, perhaps while you shave or another family member puts on make up, etc.  Give her a chewy toy or stuffed Kong to occupy herself, then come back and take it away from her before releasing her from the room.  What you want is for her to wish you would stay away longer, so repeat this a few times.  Next step is to begin to go in and out while she is occupied with her Kong, and gradually lengthen the time you are gone.  Again, you do this on weekends and evenings when you are home, until you feel you can safely leave her alone, beginning with short test periods of only a few minutes and working up to longer times.

The Backyard

Many of my clients seek my help because while they are at work, their dogs are getting into trouble when left alone in the backyard.  Although some of these same clients have successfully crate trained their dogs, they never took the next step and proactively trained the dogs to be alone in a safe space in the house, then in the rest of the house, and then in the backyard.  Instead they just put the dog in the yard and hoped for the best.

Start with management-Whether training a puppy or trying to change already established habits, you are going to need a good management plan.  Your first goal should be to never let your dog practice the behaviors you are trying to change.  To train the young pup or to turn around a dog that is already being destructive, initially you will have to bite the bullet and stop letting the dog spend time outside alone and unsupervised—because every time your dog successfully digs or chews something when you aren’t around to prevent or stop that behavior, he gets immediate positive reinforcement that will keep that behavior strong.  And forget about punishment after the fact—almost everyone tries that and if it worked they wouldn’t need to call in a dog trainer.   Likewise, if you depend on some kind of booby trap to punish the dog in your absence, but don’t teach the dog what you want her to do INSTEAD of chewing the siding on the house or digging up your shrubs, the punishment will tend to increase his stress while doing nothing to relieve the anxiety, boredom and pent up energy that are driving the destructive behavior—ergo he will probably get very creative about finding new ways to continue it.

Be proactive-What works best is a proactive positive approach—go out with your dog so that you can praise her for good behavior and so that you will be on the spot to interrupt her with an instructive reprimand when she starts to make a mistake.  The first part of the instructive reprimand should be an interrupter—“Hey--Stop that!” followed immediately by telling and showing her in an upbeat cheerful way what you want her to do instead: “Here, chew your toy”—or “Come dig in your pit.”

Digging Pits-Pit?  Doesn’t your home-alone dog have her own digging pit where it is OK for her to satisfy her natural instinct to dig?  If not, no wonder she is excavating your yard!  Get busy as soon as the weather allows and make one for her.  Teach her to use it by burying a couple of toys and chewy bones  in the sand (try smoked or stuffed sterile bones), then call her over and start digging with her.  Praise her for digging in her pit.  Now, Keep training her to be alone in the yard in baby steps.  Stay with her and putter around or read a book while she chews her stuffed Kong or plays with her Buster Cube.  Now she is learning to occupy herself while your attention seems to be elsewhere.  Praise her for her good behavior.  The first time you step in the house and leave her outside alone, make sure she has an interesting interactive toy to keep her occupied, then return before she can get bored, praise her, and bring her back inside.

After your dog is able to stay alone in the house or yard without being destructive, you should continue to provide him with a variety of interactive toys to keep his mind occupied.  If he is going to stay outside when the weather is hot, don’t forget to put out a plastic kiddy pool where he can play and cool off.  

When you get home, remember the dog trainer’s maxim “tired dogs are good dogs” and be sure to give him some tongue hanging out exercise. Then let him spend the evening and night inside as part of the family because dogs are social pack animals and after a day alone, the last thing your dog needs is any more isolation.  

Interactive toys help satisfy your dog’s needs to use his mind, to chew and to forage.  Some can be used to feed your dog part or all of his meals.  Here is a list of my favorite tough toys that can be found at local pet stores or order them online and see what they look at: www.jbpet.com

Home Alone Toys (if you don't know what any of these are,just google them).

Kongs, Kong balls and hard rubber balls.

Nylabones & Gummybones

Buster Cubes (interactive treat toy)

Busy Buddies (interactive treat toys)

Ruffian type rubber Squeaker toys

Hol-ee Roller Balls-I put one of those little small ruffian dinosaurs inside to make it even more interesting.

Toys & Bones Requiring Supervision or Interaction:

Smoked bones, Sterile bones, and Frozen bones available at specialty pet stores that carry frozen raw diets

Teaser Balls (hard plastic), Jolly Balls (rubber balls with handle) and Soft Flex Clutch/Gripper Balls

AKC cloth squeaky animal toys

Donkey Tail Tug

Rhino Rope Toys from Nylabone

Animal Cloth puzzles—I Cube, Cagey Cube, Animal Puzzles, etc. (dogs love to dissect—you can stuff any of these with any variety of other smaller toys)

Inside or Outside—Where Should Your Dog Live?

Dogs develop their personalities more fully and bond more deeply with their owners when they are allowed to be part of your family and your every day life.  While most dogs enjoy some time outdoors, or may stay outside while you work, they become lonely and unhappy if they live a 24/7 life of isolation in the backyard.  Many people, especially those with big dogs, sometimes take for granted that dogs should live outside because that is the way that their own families always lived with dogs.  However, if there is one thing that professional pet dog trainers currently agree about, it is that dogs should live indoors: Living exclusively as an outside dog almost guarantees behavior problems such as excessive barking, digging and chewing that are directly related to loneliness and boredom.  In contrast, dogs that live inside the house stay relatively clean and don't ruin the backyard.   They won't ruin your home either with proper management and training.  It’s not size, but training and manners that make the difference in whether a dog can live unobtrusively in the house.

How to Convert the Outside Dog to an Inside Dog

Since you got your dog for his companionship, do your best to structure your life together so that he can be the companion he was meant to be!   If you have been keeping your dog as an outside dog, try giving him a bath, and bringing him back in the house.  Here’s how:

1.     Begin by crate training the dog.  The crate is a handy management tool for house-training and time outs, and it can also double as a bed or a den for the dog where he can retreat when he needs some quiet time to himself. (See Crate Training Handout). 

2.     Bring the dog inside on leash and walk him around for a bit every day. Then use this tip: “Wait for him to calm down, give a treat, then bring him out again. Repeat this several times in a row or as long as necessary until the dog begins to act calmer when you bring him inside.  When he comes in and acts calm, let him stay for awhile as a real life reward. “  Ian Dunbar-P. 81, Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks.

3.     Begin bringing him inside to sleep in his crate on evenings and weekends when you are home to supervise.  First give the dog some exercise to release pent up energy (remember that “A tired dog is a good dog”), then bring him inside on leash and take him to his crate and remove his leash.  Have a stuffed Kong and a sterilized bone in the crate to occupy him. In the morning, attach his leash again to bring him outside.

4.     One more management tool that you may want to consider is a tether.  The tether is a short leash or steel cable (about 3 -4 ft) with a hook at either end  so you can attach one end to the dog's collar and the other to a hook in a baseboard.  Another way to make a temporary tether is to just use a short leash and put the loop end under the leg of a heavy piece of furniture.   The tether can be used to teach the dog to settle down while keeping her out of trouble.  This is a good tool to use when training an outside dog to be an inside dog.  The dog can be tethered in the kitchen/den while you eat and wash dishes and watch TV, etc.  However, the tether can only be safely used in your presence--you should never leave a dog out of your sight on a tether. 

5.     Gradually extend the time the dog is allowed inside; have him remain on leash next to family members while they do homework or watch TV.

6.     Allow the dog off leash but do not give him free run of the house yet; continue to keep him contained in one room where family members can keep an eye on him.

Note: For those of you who will not allow your dog to live in the house under any circumstances, at least consider allowing your dog to sleep in the house, in a crate or bed near your bed.  Spending these 8 hours in your bedroom can help alleviate some of your dog's loneliness.  

Make a plan to meet your dog’s real needs for exercise, companionship and mental stimulation.  Enrich the back yard environment with a kiddy pool and a digging pit.  Provide your dog with interactive toys such as Buster cubes and stuffed kongs.  Hide biscuits and chewy bones around the yard so that he can forage for them.  Schedule regular walks and outings to places like PetsMart to change his routine.  Schedule regular training sessions to give his brain a work out and to meet his emotional needs for companionship.

Monday, March 26, 2007 - Houston, TX

Houston takes special pride in being a "can do" kind of place but there is no reason to take pride in the state of our city animal shelter which is under-funded and understaffed.  The physical structure is also in dire need of replacement.  Hell hole is not too strong a word to describe the place, although a new director seems to be trying to improve things now and an organization called Friends of BARC (Bureau of Animal Regulation and Control) is also working to promote better treatment and an adoption program.  The Houston Chronicle should also be commended for bringing the situation at BARC to public attention. 

Wed. Feb 14, 2007 Happy Valentine's Day -- Houston, TX

Love at a Glance

In her newest book, "FOR THE LOVE OF A DOG," author and certified applied animal behaviorist Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., recounts that after noticing that lovers tend to gaze into each other's eyes, a researcher set up a study to see if this could work in reverse.  Consenting study subjects were asked to make prolonged eye-contact for two minutes, and sure enough they reported developing feelings of attachment to each other.  But what does this have to do with training dogs? 

It so happens that as a dog trainer, one of the first training exercises I teach my client dogs is to make eye contact with me and with their owner on cue, and to maintain it until given a release signal.   So here's an intriguing question: Could this gazing into each other's eyes be part of the reason that I have never met a client dog I didn't like, and that I also tend to quickly develop feelings of affection and bonding to these dogs by the time our first session has ended?   In addition to its usefulness as an attention exercise, could this special eye contact training also act to deepen the bond between owner and dog? 

If you want to test this out for yourself, click on the Watch me/Look exercise in Lesson 1 on the Pup/Basic 1 page of this web site, and try it with your own dog.  One caveat - don't try staring at either a human stranger or a strange dog as both are likely to interpret any unsolicited staring as a threat!

More Recommended Reading for Dog Lovers: "Pack of Two: The Intricate Bond Between People and Dogs" by Caroline Knapp.   This book with its beautiful prose generated great reviews from the NY Times, the Wall Street Journal and The Chicago Tribune.  Published in 1998 it's a timeless story of how coming to love an adopted shelter dog helped the author, a recovering alcoholic, survive the death of her parents and remain sober as she discovered her own nurturing self.

Sat. Feb 3, 2007 - Houston, TX

Dogs that Smell Bad Are Telling You Something - For Your Dog's Sake, Pay Attention

Today in the Houston Chronicle, the Animal Doctor, Dr. Michael Fox, says that an animal who smells bad even after a bath is not well and needs a thorough veterinary evaluation.  The most common causes of bad odor in dogs are skin problems, teeth and gum problems, and ear infections. Doggy odor is something I have some first-hand experience with because in the past our German Shepherd Dog, Monty, has at times carried around his own characteristic and distinctly unpleasant Monty smell.  We had him evaluated early on and tests showed that he had a hypothyroid condition that predisposed him to skin and coat problems manifested by a combination of dry and greasy skin accompanied by flaky dandruff and frequent skin infections.  The first step was getting him on a thyroid supplement plus treating the infections with either antibiotics if skin scrapings indicated they were bacterial in origin, or with Gentamicin with Lotrimin when they were yeast infections.  However Monty continued to have skin problems until we did one more thing and for some time now he has been sweet smelling and infection free.  What brought about the change?  Apparently a change in diet.  We switched him from his former food to a premium kibble called "Ultra" that we buy at Petsmart and I started adding supplements of Lipiderm capsules (which provide extra Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids) and Vit. E capsules which I coat with some Cheese Whiz and a couple of dollops of low fat yogurt.  I feed him twice a day and also give him a few healthy table scraps with his supper (approximately 1 or 2 Tblsp.).  Monty is now a happy camper. 

Sat. Jan 27, 2007-Houston, TX

Transporting Dogs in Pick-Up Trucks

Today in a syndicated column carried by the Houston Chronicle (  http://www.chron.com/ ) Dr. Michael Fox known as "the animal doctor" wrote the following about transporting dogs in the bed of pick up trucks, a subject important not only to dog owners but also to all of us who value road safety:

"Those on the road with dogs unsecured in the backs of their trucks put other drivers at risk, as well as their dogs...Every state should pass vehicular and road-safety laws to make it a moving violation to have an unsecured dog in the back of a pickup. And there should be severe penalties for having a secured dog in the back of a truck in the pelting rain and in subzero temperatures, as I have witnessed from Maine to Minnesota."

Most experts agree that the safest way to transport a dog in the back of a pick-up truck is in carefully tied down crate.

Rainy Day Games for Dogs

While many our northern neighbors continue to experience sub zero temperatures and snow, it's merely cool and wet here in Houston. Below are some good games you can play with your dog when the weather keeps you indoors that are also great for older dogs with limited physical abilities:

Game 1: Run and hide- I played this with my 11 yr. old GSD Monty while my husband tried to football.  This is an old tried and true game we all play with puppies but it's is also perfect for older dogs who can still get around the house. Run and hide around a corner, behind the bed or a chair or the back of a door, etc. then call the dog in a high happy voice--Puppy Puppy Puppy—when dog finds you, act excited, play and give a great treat. Monty was chasing me around the house with this game and I could barely manage to hide behind before he caught sight of me— when he “found” me. He had the happiest look on his face!

Game 2: Play Ball - I placed Monty on a Down, sat a few feet in front of him, and rolled his red rubber ball to him hard and fast. When he grabbed it with his mouth, I signaled him to Stay, moved toward him, told him to Out, then moved back into position a few feet away from him and repeated the sequence. This is a variation on a game I used to play with my GSD Holly—she would push the ball back to me with her nose but Monty has never been able to resist grabbing the ball with his mouth and he enjoys this version better. His face showed the same kind of intensity he used to show when retrieving.

Game 3: Go Find-Place your dog on a Stay while you hide biscuits around the house, then tell him "Go Find."  This allows the dog to use his foraging instincts.  Start teaching this game by making it easy and hiding the biscuits in sight, then gradually progress to out of sight hiding spots.

Game 4: Find Mine (Scent Discrimination Exercise)-This is essentially the same exercise used in the Utility obedience ring.  exercise and it requires your dog to use his brain and his nose.  The object is for the dog to find the one article that has your scent on it from a pile of similar articles on the floor.  Being able to retrieve on cue is a prerequisite for this advanced skill.  Scent articles can be ordered from dog catalogs or you can make your own set of leather articles by using something such old baby shoes.  Begin teaching this by sending your dog to retrieve one article that you have rubbed between your hands and smeared with a tiny bit of cheese whiz.  Then add an unscented article close by and repeat, sending your dog after the scented article.  Gradually increase the number of articles and then eliminate the cheese on the one with your scent.  Do not reprimand your dog in any way for mistakes and be sure to reward with praise and treats for every correct choice.

Game 5: Cookie Toss - This is a good game to encourage your dog to Come when called.  Take your dog gently by the collar and make sure he sees you as you toss a treat several feet in front of him.  Release his collar as tell him to "Get It!"  As soon as he gets his treat, call him to "Come" and when he returns to you, feed him another treat. 

Game 6: Tug - Some people fear that playing Tug will make dogs aggressive.  If your dog does not have aggression problems and if you make sure you play with the right rules, (see Lesson 3 - Take It & Tug in  Pup & Basic 1 Lessons ) Tug can give your dog much needed exercise and actually increase the dog's self control, while giving you another way to reward him for complying with your cues/commands.

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Dog and Puppy Training
San Antonio, TX
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