"STUBBORN DOG?" TRY ANOTHER WAY

 Before I went to graduate school, I worked with severely handicapped adults. As part of my job there,  I went to a seminar entitled "Try Another Way." The presenter was Marc Gold, an educator who worked with developmentally disabled clients and individuals with multiple handicaps. His idea was that if people weren't learning, it was up to the teacher to figure out a way to help them learn; it wasn't due to the incompetence of the student, but of an inability of the teacher to figure out a way to teach the material .He gave these workshops back in the 1970's and his methods were new at that time.  He died in 1980 but his ideas live on.

I often get phone calls from people saying their dog is "stubborn," that he doesn't "listen" to them. Miriam Webster lists the definition of stubborn  as "...refusing to change your ideas or to stop doing something."  I don't know about changing a dog's ideas, but if your dog isn't doing what you want, rather than consider him "stubborn" ( I prefer to call such a dog "persistent," anyway), it's more helpful to look at what he's doing from a behavioral point of view.   Rather than worrying about your dog being "dominant" or whether you're "alpha,"   just teach the behavior you want.    Besides, I doubt dogs really stay up at night plotting Machiavellian ways to take over us or the world; when they're barging through a door ahead of you, it's not because they're being dominant, they just want out the door, they're really not thinking of you at all.

 If your dog's not learning what you want him to learn, instead of labeling him as stubborn, take a step back and observe what's going on.  What exactly is the dog doing? When does he do it? What happens when he does it? What happens right before he does it? How often does he do it? What's he getting out of it, what's the payoff?  These questions will help you more in the long run than a label.  When I do this, usually what I find out is that the dog really doesn't know what he's supposed to do, and dogs being dogs, he's doing  something that we consider obnoxious but which he considers great fun. In that case, it can be matter of showing people how to be clear and consistent in how to get and maintain the behavior we want.

 Learning theory and behavior modification are the best ways to change behavior in dogs, and we  are beginning to learn more about the behaviors we can't usually see, such as brain function, through the use of  fMRI. Obviously, we have to take into account the dog's genetic and physiological make-up--they don't know what words mean unless they've been taught, they can't read, they emphasize scent and body language more than we do, they have smaller brains, different breeds may have different characteristics, etc. -- so  we have certain parameters we need to follow.

But what if the owner is doing what generally works with most dogs, and this particular dog just doesn't seem to be getting it?  When that happens, it's easy to get frustrated with the dog and ourselves.  Since dogs are so tuned into our emotions, they sense this, and the whole process can turn sour.  Instead,  we need to come up with a plan, and that usually involves flexibility on our part. The basics of "Try Another Way"  was to think about new methods to teach a concept. I  might need to break the behavior down into smaller chunks to make it easier for the dog to grasp, something called behavior analysis. I might need to think of a unique way to get the behavior, maybe something that is better suited to the dog. Maybe the reward I'm offering isn't as strong as the rewards the dog is getting for doing the behavior. Maybe something the dog has learned previously is interfering with the dog's learning now, either because what he's doing is such a habit (such as jumping up), or due to something else, maybe an internal response such as anxiety, fear, etc.  One thing to keep in mind is that the reason a behavior initially started, and the variables maintaining it, don't necessarily have to be the same.

Whatever the reason, it helps to remember that the dog isn't really "out to get you" or being "defiant."  He's probably just being a dog; and you're being a human, and our methods of communicating aren't the same. Maybe the dog thinks we're the ones being stubborn,  that we're just not getting it. Take some time out and  watch him get enjoyment out of doing silly doggy stuff, and remember why you wanted a dog in the first place. Then, call a trainer if you need some guidance to get your relationship on track.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

We've all heard that statement.  The more we do something,

 the better we tend to get at doing it, whatever "it" is.  

Want to run faster?  Don't go out and run slow for hours, 

throw in some interval training to work those fast twitch muscles.

  Want to learn to play piano?  What's the way to Carnegie Hall? 

 Practice, practice... 

 There's even research to help explain why this is 

the case--http://blog.brewire-your-brain-for-better-performance. 

 Our brain neurons are continually rewiring themselves, and  

what we do most of the  time   becomes the path of least resistance.  

In dog training, most of what we want to accomplish with our dogs is NOT what they naturally want to do. Jumping up, sniffing, barking, stealing food and items, these are all behaviors that come naturally and are precisely the types of behaviors we want to change.  That's one reason why it's easier to start with a puppy IF you start from the beginning to teach the puppy what behaviors you want and reward the pup for doing those rather than doing other behaviors.  It's very important to show a dog what you *want* rather than just punish what you don't want.  I always tell people, that if you just stop the behavior, even momentarily, there's often 10 other obnoxious behaviors your dog can do instead that you don't want either.  Rather than try to punish all of them, it's better to show and reward some behaviors that you do want.

If you acquire an older dog who may already have some bad habits, this doesn't mean that you're out of luck.  Dogs are situational, and don't generalize easily in most cases, so use this to your advantage. The dog doesn't know what rules apply at *your* house, so take time to show the dog from the beginning what you want.  You may have to overcome more "baggage" than with a puppy, but the principle is the same.  Instead of lunging and grabbing something, teach sit.  Same with greeting behavior.  In fact, if your dog learns only one thing, a default SIT tops the list.    

In working with an older dog, think about how many times that dog has probably jumped up in his life. Probably 1000's of times. So, you want this new behavior to become a habit. It's going to take practice.  Lots of practice.  Muscle memory takes time to become automatic.  There is some research to suggest that it can take at least 66 days for people to form new habits.: http://www.spring.org.uk/2009/09/how-long-to-form-a-habit.php  I'd argue that it takes longer for dogs, and even the article above admits people vary in how long it takes to form new habits.  Don't despair, though, if you're dealing with an out-of-control dog.  Once you begin to work with your dog, and the two of you develop a system for communicating, you'll find your dog becoming a willing partner rather than seeming to always be at cross purposes.  And if you need some help, call in a trainer!  Trainers can often show you how to get what you want quicker and with less frustration than when you're going it alone.  

After taking a prolonged summer vacation, the blog is back!  Stay tuned for more...

JUNK WALKS

     There's a saying among runners training for a race, "don't do 'junk miles.' " While the term generates controversy among runners--with various blogs proclaiming that there are no such thing are "junk miles," that all miles are worthwhile, the term as I am using it here is just going out with no particular goal in mind, resulting in wasted energy, bad technique and perhaps injury.  The same thing can apply to walking our dogs on leash, especially puppies.

    What do we often do when we get a pup and first start taking the pup for a walk? Once we get the pup actually walking on the leash, which is no big deal for some and a completely  foreign concept to others,  we often don't mind if she pulls ahead of us and we follow her. In fact, I've read some books that suggest that we do this at first to get the pup used to the leash.  It's not the way I do it, but to each his own.

   Each interaction we have with a puppy is a learning experience for the puppy.  So when you get a pup, think about what this behavior is going to be like when the pup is grown.   I've even had complaints from Yorkie owners about their dogs pulling, so it's not just a matter of size. The easiest way to keep a pup from constantly pulling at the leash is to never let the behavior start to become a habit.

There are a number of techniques for teaching leash-walking, and I tend to use about all of them at one time or another.  I also do a couple of what I call "pre-leash walking" games, so when I do put the leash on the puppy, she's already practiced following me and thinks it's a fun thing to do.  On those first few months of puppy-walking, one of your main goals is to not let the puppy start pulling.  Often by the time I get a call from someone about their dog pulling them around, the dog's been practicing this behavior for months or maybe years. Just think about how many hours of practice the dog has of doing it wrong?  Then consider how many hours it's going to take to get them to stop. It's an ingrained habit, and we all know how hard it is to unlearn bad habits.

I have had some people ask me if their dogs can ever pull or sniff while on the leash. What I suggest is that #1, you decide when this will be and #2, put a word to these actions.  If you want to let the dog sniff, etc, put a word to it when you want to allow them to do it, and then when you want to resume regular leash-walking behavior, use your leash-walking word.  In the beginning, the dog won't have a clue what these words mean, but if you are consistent, the dog will learn the difference, and you will then have put those behaviors on verbal control

This doesn't mean you can't enjoy walking with your dog; in fact,  if you start right from the beginning, the walk will be even more enjoyable.  So go out and take your dog for a walk, you both will benefit from the exercise and mental stimulation.  Oh, and don't walk along while talking on your cell phone, you can't expect your dog to pay attention to what you're doing if you're not paying at least some attention to her.

ALL THINGS ARE  EDIBLE UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE, CANINES 1:01

EAT FIRST, ASK QUESTIONS LATER, CANINES 1:02

Recent handiwork generously provided by a
golden retriever named Violet

    If dogs had a Bible,  these would be on the first page. Dogs are scavengers more than they are hunters, and everything is fair game to them.  

It's not only puppies who are known for eating  all sorts of items, any vet can probably rattle off a litany of things they have had to surgically remove from a dog's stomach. VPI, the Vetrinary Pet Insurance company even has a "Hambone Award" for the most unusual  ingestion claim
( http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/20/living/unusual-dog-stories-mnn ). I once knew a ridgeback who ate an entire windowsill while the owners were at work.. My golden retriever Rimshot was almost legendary in the things he ate over the years, everything from a computer mouse to boxes of herbal tea, to a 5 pound bird treat mix  of seed, dried peppers, and chilies, which made yard poop patrol much more interesting.  He also once got into a bag of organic plant fertilizer, and the fact that he threw most of it up hours later didn't deter him from trying to eat it again.  Once he  nearly died from eating some mushrooms growing in the yard, try keeping those things from popping up in wet humid weather!

      Don't assume your dog will grow out of this habit:  Some do, some don't.  Retrievers, being such oral dogs, are often the worst chewers. My dog Coach didn't chew items so much as devour them, more than once I found myself pulling a whole sock out of his throat, he was very quick at ingesting all sorts of cloth.
 
 Dogs don't seem to learn from their gastronomic misadventures, so it is up to us to try to make sure they don't eat something that's going to make them sick--or worse.

    There are  products you can use to put on various household items, such as Bitter Apple and Bitter Lime that are supposed to taste bad to dogs and keep them from chewing.  They work for most dogs and are worth trying, but there's always going to be  one or two dogs who view them as condiments.

     One way to stop a dog from eating something is to teach a good, solid "Leave it!" command.  I like to teach Leave it in two parts.  First as a prerequisite,  I  to teach them a self-control game such as  "It's Yer Choice" game or Doggy Zen (see my previous blog, for more information).   After doing this--and it only needs to be a session or two-- I will start working on Leave it.

     Besides "Leave it!" you need a "Give" or "Out" command so that your dog  will willingly give up the object he's chewing.  I generally like to do this as an object exchange, I offer them a treat and they give me the object.  They learn this lesson quite well. My sheltie   finds things to bring to me, hoping I'll "buy" them from her.  That's a much easier problem to solve than stealing, and at least shows understanding of the concept..

     Supervision is important, as is "puppy proofing" your house.  You wouldn't let an 18 month old toddler wander around without supervision, the same things goes for puppies and known chewers.  You can have different doggy items around for them to chew, but eventually, the dog is going to move on to chew something else. Your dog will often start out   happily munching on a nylabone right next to your wooden furniture leg.  Then he gets an idea, and  decides to move over to that wooden leg.  Hm, that's a different taste experience, but it's still good, so the bone is traded in for the table leg.  If you observe something like that happening,stop the dog ( a good, loud "Aaa!" often works) and use the "Chew this, not that" approach  of substitution.                                                                                                    


     Sometimes despite our best efforts things get chewed up.    If you find evidence of chewing after the fact, it does no good to punish the dog for it, he won't understand why.  

   
      If the dog has eaten something that can be harmful and is not an irritant, you can induce vomiting by giving hydrogen peroxide (3%, the kind you get at a pharmacy). The dosage is 1 teaspoon for every10 pounds of body weight.  For more information on how and when you should do this, check out this link: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/03/15/how-and-when-to-induce-vomiting-in-pets.aspx . If your vet is not available, you can call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435. There is a charge for this service, but if you need it, you need it. Your local animal emergency center (if there is one available where you live) may be able to give you information as well if it is after business hours for your vet.
 
A little prevention is worth a pound of cure.  Hope this helps, and if your dog does chew something, don't panic, it's amazing what they can eat and still live to tell about it.  Rimshot would be proud of them.
 

Rosetree Rimshot's Honor CGC
6/18/1994 - 1/12/2004

TIS THE SEASON....FOR PUPPIES! Part 2

OK, now you've brought home your adorable, furry bundle of joy .

 You may not realize it, but these first few weeks are your best opportunity for raising a dog you can live with.  Ideally you've prepared by investing in a crate, numerous toys, a way to keep the pup from roaming all through your house, and have set aside some time to spend with your puppy.  I know we all have busy lives these days, but a little time spent now will pay off later.  Besides, why get a pup if you don't have time for one?  It's not fair to you or the pup.  You want to be consistent and fair, and set limits now while the puppy is young enough to just accept that certain things just are the way they are.  There are other things I do with young pups as well since I want them to be performance dogs, but these rules are a good start.

Rule #1:  Consistency and structure make a pup feel secure. Don't just put food in your dog's dish and walk away, have her earn some of it by doing what you want. It'll help her learn how to learn, that there's a give-and-take, she does something, you do something. Just establish in your mind what behaviors you're looking for and reward them.  Be consistent.

Rule #2: Control the pup's environment; Freedom must be earned.   Just like you childproof your house when you have a toddler, you want to puppy proof your house to some extent when you have a pup.  There's no reason for your puppy to have the run of the house unsupervised until she's older and has demonstrated she is housebroken and not likely to chew on everything in sight.  Use baby gates or an x-pen to confine your pup to a small, safe area in your house.

You know puppies  like to chew so  try to keep unsafe items away from the pup. If she does grab something she shouldn't--and she will--try the object exchange method.  Offer her something yummy in return.  Don't chase her around the house yelling; that's a fun game and teaches her to run from you.  Once she learns that you're willing to trade something really tasty for what she's got, she'll give it up.

Rule #3: Don't let the pup have accidents.  Believe it or not, the best way to teach the pup to potty where you want her to is to make sure she doesn't go anywhere else. The more mistakes she makes, the more confusing it is for her. Even if you clean up the spot, my belief is that dogs can still smell it, and when they go by that spot again and they have to potty, they smell it and figure they went there once so they'll go there again.  I try to take out a new puppy at least every hour but you'll also need to take her out after she eats, after she's been playing, after she wakes up from a nap, and any time you're in doubt and you think she might have to go.  So, you'll be going out a lot but it's worth it in the long run and hey, we all need exercise.
   
Once you're outside, as soon as the pup starts to go, put a word to it. Doesn't matter what--dogs don't know English, or any other language for that matter. Dogs learn by association so you want to pair the word with the occurrence. Over time, they will learn to go on command. This can be a godsend when traveling or in bad weather. Trust me, standing out in sub-freezing temperatures while your dog is searching for the "right" spot to potty gets old, fast.
     After your pup has gone to the bathroom, it's time for a party!  Praise, perhaps a treat, it's cause for a celebration. Since housebreaking seems to be such a problem for so many people, it really is a festive occasion. If your neighbors think you're wacky, well, let them.  It'll also help keep you humble.

Rule #4:  Make sit a default behavior.  A sitting dog can't be jumping up.  Start from day 1 asking your dog to sit before being petted.  Ask everyone who meets your pup to wait for the pup to sit.  Whenever your pup *does* sit instead of jumping up, acknowledge that, either through giving the pup a treat, praise, using a toy as a reward, some way to let you know you're proud of what she's done.  You want to make "sitting for attention" a habit.  One caveat here--it's easy to accidentally reward the pup for hopping once then sitting, or conversely, sitting then immediately hopping up.  Timing is crucial. For a detailed video on teaching your dog to sit please see Dr. Sophia Yin's video at this link: http://drsophiayin.com/resources/video_full/teaching-a-dog-to-sit-politely-rather-than-jump .  You don't have to tell the dog to sit at this point, you want to *get the behavior*.  If your dog decides to do something else besides sit that's calm, such as standing or lying down, that is acceptable also.  You want to reward appropriate greeting behavior. This takes some effort on you and your family's part because who can resist a cute little puppy jumping on you for attention?  The problem comes in several months down the road when the pup's not so cute nor cuddly and the pup doesn't understand why jumping up no longer gets the same reaction.

Rule #5:  Leash your dog to you for part of the day.  This helps with bonding and with supervision. Your pup can't get into too much trouble because you are always with her.  You can begin to work on getting her to follow you both on and off leash by using treats.

Rule #6:  Make sure you leave your puppy alone in her crate for a brief time every day.  This will help prevent separation anxiety. If they had their choice, dogs would be with you 24/7, but that isn't practical. Even if you work out of your home, you need to teach the pup that there are times when you aren't going to be around, what if you had to be gone for an extended period?

 Get your puppy used to spending time alone in her crate.  Put her in the crate with a toy and a Kong filled with some peanut butter or something else for her to nibble on . Put the peanut butter Kong in the freezer so it'll last longer. If you need more tips on what to put in a Kong (peanut butter is high calorie), we have a video discussing that on our Utube channel.   Don't let her out as a reward for barking or whining but obviously if your pup is panicking, then this advice doesn't apply.  There are ways to help your pup get used to being in a crate such as crate games.   You can also get a product from your vet called DAP,  a product containing a  pheromone that may help calm the pup.  As for how long a dog should be in a crate, a general rule of thumb for puppies is their age in months plus 1.

Rule #7:  Expose your puppy to diversity.  This means different people, different dogs, different places, different surfaces, children if you don't have any.  Often people will adopt an older dog and say the dog "must have been abused" because the dog seems fearful of certain things.  While this may be the case, it can also be that the dog just wasn't exposed to those things and as dogs get older, they fear what they don't know.  Ian Dunbar( http://www.siriuspup.com/) says that your puppy should be exposed to 100 people by the time your pup is 3 months old. Many of us may not be able to make this deadline, but you should make an effort to expose your pup to as many people as you can.

Rule #8:  Handle your puppy all over every day. For the rest of your dog's life, she will need to be handled and may need to be restrained at times.  So, get her used to it now by touching her paws, looking in her mouth, grooming, etc.  If she gets upset, just be matter-of-fact and don't get upset or worried, if you act calm she'll calm down. Don't start telling her it's ok, this makes it sound like you mean it is ok for her to be upset, plus it's not ok really, but it's not a big deal. Did your mother ever tell you to do something "because I said so?"  You can take that attitude with your pup, she just has to do it because you said so, and if you act self-assured, she will.  You can smear some canned squeeze cheese on her mouth or a little bit of peanut butter to help matters, but if you hold her and she squirms, and you're not hurting her, your release after she does calm down is also a reward. Once you've made your point and she has settled down, don't keep doing it over and over, this is best done no more than once or twice a day, over a period of time until it becomes routine, it's not something to drill on.  For some people, if a pup resists, they seem to want to take it on with a "make my day" attitude. You're not Clint Eastwood and it's not necessary to make it into a battle, you want to establish trust, not fear. You want her to trust that you're asking her to do something that may seem scary,but you have a good reason, and it can help establish the tone of the relationship.

Rule #9:  Eat this, not that.  All puppies chew and mouth things-- they have to, they don't have hands.
Keep plenty of chew toys on hand and when your pup starts to chew on something she shouldn't, hand her something appropriate instead.

Rule #10: Train your puppy. Puppies can quickly learn to sit, lie down, begin leash walking, and to "settle."  Teach coming when called through games and by using treats, and never call your dog to you and then punish it or yell at it.

Rule #11:  Play with your puppy.  By this time if you've stuck it out with these rules, having a puppy might seem like a job, not fun at all. Enjoy your puppy for what she is, another creature with a different life experience. Wonder at  her new look at the world and how she lives in the present in a way we never can. Before you know it, her muzzle will turn gray and her steps will slow,
and it will be time for you to say good-bye.

There's lots of good information out there, and I hope these rules help get you started as well.
Ian Dunbar has a free puppy ebook that you can download from his website at http://www.dogstardaily.com/free-downloads .
Sophia Yin also has videos and books on her website, http://drsophiayin.com/ .
Susan Garrett's " It's Yer Choice Game"  is invaluable for helping to teach puppies self control. You can find more information on her site at http://susangarrettdogagility.com/ .
My friend Susan Eldred also has a very good puppy book and she can be contacted at http://fascinatingscent.com/books/puppy-training-book .

For help with your new puppy, or any other questions, you may contact me through www.rosetreedogtraining.com

TIS THE SEASON....FOR PUPPIES!
Part 1

     Every year many people get puppies for Christmas or around the Christmas season.  Then about summer or fall, shelters and rescue groups get an influx of adolescent dogs who started out as adorable Christmas puppies then grew into rambunctious adolescents who are no longer as cute and cuddly and are now jumping up on people,  barking, pulling their owners down the street when leashwalked, or have begun to show signs of aggression or anxiety when around strange people or dogs.  None of these behaviors are unpredictable, so what can we do from the beginning to stop them from becoming habits?

      Puppies are learning from you from the very day you bring them home. There's a lot of good information on the web about puppy raising and some not so good.  I'm just going to go through what I think are the main things to emphasize from the day you bring your puppy home over a few blogs.  More practical information will be in Part 2.
   

   The world of a newborn puppy is different from ours. Unlike human infants, puppies come into the world blind and deaf with scent and touch being the way they first interact with the world.    At around 2 weeks of age, their eyes begin to open up; at around 17 days, the ear canals open.  By around 3 weeks, they are starting to respond to sounds and trying to walk.  For more information about early developmental milestones, you can visit this link:
http://www.care.com/pet-care-puppy-care-stages-newborn-to-48-weeks-p1017-q14574.html

       Think about the dog's point of view.   What do dogs like to do?
Eat, bark,sniff, eat,chew,eat, dig, eat, play, eat, roll, you get the idea.














Dogs want what they want when they want it.    Let's face it, they're all about immediate gratification.
             

     We talk a lot about dogs being pack animals.  There's a lot more research on dogs now than there used to be, and the idea of a hierarchical dog pack along the lines of a dictatorship or military leadership structure is no longer the prevailing image.  Even wolf biologists have changed their notion of pack behavior.  The original studies took place among captive wolves who were living in areas where space was limited and there was no escape.  Wolf packs are made up of families, and rank has more to do with age and the ability of the animals to get along in social unit.  It's a loose group of related individuals; the size and membership can change over time.

     Feral dogs may travel together, but again, it's a loose knit group, there's not one "alpha" dog barking orders at the subordinates, with the subordinates rushing to obey.  Instant obedience is not necessary or a requirement.  What does seem important is the desire to be part of a group, which we have strengthened through selective breeding.  And that's why we can train dogs; they  have a social need to be part of a group and their flexibility makes them adaptable.  

 .                    

     When  you bring your new puppy home, you and your family become the pup's new social group.  Most of the pup's natural behaviors are exactly the ones we humans tend to want to avoid.  The pup sees food on the kitchen table, he jumps up for it; he wants attention, he jumps up on the human to get it. He has to go to the bathroom, he goes, doesn't matter whether it's on your new carpet, in fact, they seem to prefer carpet to pee on.   Household objects from the dog's point of view are  for eating, chewing, rolling on, lying on, or peeing on, and these activities for a particular object are not mutually exclusive.  It's up to us to show them what behaviors they need to get along in our household. A young  puppy is perfectly willing to go along with us, as long as we show him what it is we want and make it worth his while to do it.  How to do this, and incorporate it into your daily routine, will be the subject of Part 2.