Category : Manners

Teach Your Dog to Beg

“What?” You say….shouldn’t I be writing about how to get your dog NOT to beg?  Well, you would think so but often times in dog training you have to approach things from a different angle in order to be successful quickly.

My dog training background comes mostly from training Service Dogs for adults and children with disabilities.  I was lucky that when I got started at an early age training dogs there was also a local prison that was training dogs for disabled individuals, working with the men and the dogs was truly a blessing and it changed my life.  From that time on, I have done all that I can to continue to work with Service Dogs and the disabled even starting my own nonprofit organization.

When you train a Service Dog for someone with a disability, you quickly realize that physical force is out of the question, trainers can force the dogs to complete tasks but the disabled individual would not be able to use the same techniques, so you learn to use positive reinforcement to sculpt a dog to do all sorts of tasks and you even learn to train your dog to do some things that you will later never ask for again.

One of the first things I teach my dogs is how to beg.  I start with a positive reinforcement game, which means when you do what I want you to do you get rewarded for your behavior.  I ignore bad behavior, and only reward the things I like and I don’t use any real commands, I wait to see what behaviors my dog is willing to offer me.

When I first start this game off, I reward my new dog or puppy for sitting patiently.  Each time my pup sits he gets a treat and praise, and if he continues to sit I continue to feed and praise him for his patience, because I don’t want a dog that bounces right up after a task.  If he jumps on me I turn my back or ignore him, if he wanders away I wait until he returns and sits; but if he lays down I jackpot him.

Jackpots are larger treats (normally I use pea sized or smaller) or better treats.  Sometimes I stuff a tool belt full of mediocre treats i.e. normal dog treats in one side and awesome treats i.e. chicken or cheese in the other side.

When my pup does something average but good, I reward with mediocre small treats, but if he completes a difficult task or one I really want to focus on I give the better higher value reward.  This tells him YES that is the behavior I want to see from you.  Dog training is about chaining behavior together, starting out small and then little by little requiring more and more.

Sit is the first and easiest thing to get a dog to do reliably.  But, I like a dog that lays down and stays there most of the time.  In my house, if in doubt lay down!  So I shape and reward that behavior first and foremost.  My pups learn from the moment they come home that laying down is where I want them.

I teach my dogs from an early age or straight out of the shelter if they want ANYTHING they must lay down in order to get it.  I want them

to think they control their environment to some degree, so this is how I teach them to beg.  If they want my ice cream cone, my hot dog, my affection, whatever the scenario they must lay down in order to have a shot at it.  This behavior also transfers to other people in other situations if my dogs wander across a 3 year old eating an ice cream cone they aren’t gone to knock the kid down and run off with the prize, they are simply going to lay down at the toddler’s feet and wait to be rewarded.  It is a great system!

In the beginning,  I carry lots of treats with me so that I can reward the behavior right away going back to the scenario with the toddler I would give my puppy a treat and lots of praise and he would think “YES, they have to give me what I want”.  This would cement the idea and ensure that he follows the same behavior pattern time and time again.

Then, I begin to fade the treats and provide my dogs with constant praise for a job well down and treats on occasion.

Finally,  the clincher is if you like this behavior (and I do) I continue to reward my dogs randomly and on special occasions for the rest of their lives for adhering to this plan.  I like to recognize a job well done and most people may never notice a dog calmly laying at their feet for attention or food but I like this calm, kind behavior.

But, if you don’t like this behavior in general and don’t want your dog to even lay down and beg, then you totally extinguish ever giving your dog a treat again while you are eating or while anyone else is eating.  Your dog has already built the foundation for calm behavior and laying down so he will eventually stop begging but will likely to some degree still show acceptable behavior.  He may even vacate the area and lay somewhere else.

Because I have trained and worked with Service Dogs for so long I have taught my dogs to lay down under the table while we eat, this way they can’t see me and I can’t see them so there is no way for them to sit and beg and this system works at our house.

Sometimes even teaching a behavior you don’t want and then never asking for it again is an extremely effective way to teach your dog not to do something.  I guarantee you this works on a variety of behaviors!  And, this is a much happier more fun way to train than using force!  Good luck and have fun training!

Puppies 101

My dogs are getting older, one is 10 and the other is 8 and I realized at the beginning of this year as I trained for a 5 mile race (not a 5k) I had no dog to train or run with because my dogs are too old to run so far, so I recently got a puppy.  Actually I picked her up on Sunday!  I forgot just how much work and effort a new little life is,  but it reminds me of the importance of setting your puppies up for success in the very beginning of life.

Before Your Puppy Comes Home

• Puppy proof your house!!!  You would baby proof your house if you had a toddler or a baby over, why would you not puppy proof things!  Pick up shoes and expensive items, put things in safe places, and make sure medications and cleaners are out of reach.
• Get a toy box for your baby and stock it FULL of a variety of items.  Puppies are tactile like babies they like to play with numerous types of toys so give them an opportunity to explore their environment the only way they can, with their mouths and teeth!  This will help them not use their teeth on you
• Buy a crate for crate training, one that will grow with your puppy as he grows.  If you are unable to come home and let your puppy out every few hours, specify a space i.e. kitchen, laundry room, bathroom for your puppy until he gains bladder control and can be crated for longer periods of time.

Potty Training

• I have had her for three days and at 8 weeks we have yet to have an accident around the house or anywhere else!
• Potty training for a puppy of 8 weeks is all about ME it isn’t even about her.  She is too young to be expected to hold her bladder for long or to alert me to her needs so it is my responsibility to get her outside about every 2 hours and after naps or eating or drinking or raucous play.  I have to monitor her food and water intake and gauge how often she will need to relieve herself.
• When she is outside, I keep her on a leash so that I can watch where she is going and what she is doing and how much volume is coming out.  Sometimes she gets distracted and I have to get her up and move her around in order to change her mind set.   Often she would rather pounce and play and put her mouth on everything instead of going potty, so I just move around the yard until she gets the idea and then I bring her inside when she is finished.

Setting Up for Success Around the House

• From the moment she stepped into this house she has been on a leash.  Keeping her on a long leash or long line prevents her from sneaking away and having an accident and it also keeps her from doing all kinds of other naughty behaviors.
• Although she has been great with the kids ages 2 to 15, when she does get out of control and wants to bite pants or hands and legs, I already have her on a leash and can prevent her from continuing these naughty behaviors.   I can redirect her energy toward her toys and interact with her in a healthy way.
• Having her on a leash also prevents her from chewing things that she shouldn’t  or things that might be dangerous for her.  Her leash is either attached to me or attached to a heavy piece of furniture (8ft leash or long line) in the room I am in, so I notice the moment her sharp little teeth grab something they shouldn’t have grabbed.  It also prevents her from grabbing naughty objects (underwear ha ha) and dashing around the house evading apprehension.  This evasion game is a favorite for most dogs but by keeping her under control and close she doesn’t even realize this game exists.
• This also helps with early training, it is never too early to begin training.  Keeping your dog on a leash and close to you gives him the manners he needs early in life to make a good pet and this keeps him from establishing problem behaviors that need to be fixed at a later date.  If she is on a leash, I am not going to let her, chase the cat, grab food from the table, jump up on me etc.  Doesn’t it make more sense to teach your pup correct principles from the start?  Don’t WAIT till there is a problem, curb the problems from ever rearing their ugly heads!

Socialization

• I have a very short period of time to socialize her to as many people and things as possible before she starts to form opinions about everything on her own.  Puppies who are not socialized early are dealt such a disservice.  Puppies and children are capable of learning and experiencing more while they are young, if you wait too long the window of opportunity closes and it becomes a much more difficult process.
• Get your puppy out and start socializing.  Keep in mind that your puppy is not safe from diseases until they are 16 weeks or so and have received their last set of boosters and the rabies vaccination so do not socialize in unknown or uncontrolled areas or with unknown dogs!
• You can, however, start socializing your puppy with sociable dogs that you know and you know are well vaccinated.  Not all dogs like puppies, puppies can be quite irritating to older and geriatric dogs so use caution and set up play dates with dogs that are known to be good with puppies.
• Start socializing your pup with all shapes, sizes, ages and colors of people.  Puppies need to be introduced to all varieties of people, especially children and people who might be interpreted as different.  This early socialization forms a strong foundation for your dog as it grows to be accepting of people from all walks of life.  They should get use to seeing people with hats on and people who limp etc. so they accept differences in people as normal.
• It is also essential to get them use to a variety of noises and environmental challenges.  I often like to sit outside of my local Wal-Mart with my pup on my lap so they can watch people and carts coming and going and get use to the normal sounds and spice of life.

This early socialization is crucial to a well rounded out going dog!

You have a lot of work to do, and so do I!  Get your puppy out and set him up for success.  It is our responsibility as doggy parents to make certain that we are setting our dogs up for becoming the best pets possible!  Dogs are and investment in not only money but also time, effort and emotional bonding, we owe it to ourselves and to them to give them the skills they need to thrive.

Exercise the Crucial Element

Probably the second most important facet in dog training is exercise.  Those of you who are getting use to my writing know that I think the number one most important point of good dog training is mental stimulation, but the next most important is exercise!  When I trained police dogs, I often had them run next to my bicycle or scooter until they were exhausted.  They needed the physical exercise to calm their minds and spirits.

Most all dogs and people can benefit to adding to their exercise regimen, unless of course they have a heart condition.  Exercise lowers our blood pressure, can uplift our moods, and can even decrease our chances for developing certain diseases.  These benefits are also obtainable to your dog.

A tired dog is a good dog!!  This is probably my favorite quote, and the truest statement in dealing with your dog.  There are many ways to attain a tired dog, but exercise is a fairly easy way to get what you want.

Almost 100% without a doubt when I do a behavior consult with someone having difficulty with their dog, I recommend increasing the amount of exercise their dog is getting.  Dogs without exercise and mental stimulation begin to rot mentally and that leads to a lot of naughtiness and problem behaviors.  Dogs that have jobs and work all day for their people or those that get a lot of exercise are much less likely to suffer from behavior problems.  Exercise is also helpful for almost all behavior problems, it very rarely increases problems.

Imagine taking a room full of small children locking them up and not giving them any exercise or allowing them to play or to mentally stimulate themselves; they would go insane and they would drive YOU insane.  The more exercise, learning and structure our children get the happier they are and less they likely they are to get into trouble.  Your dog has the same requirements, but most people buy a dog and expect it to take care of its own needs.  Dogs require stimulation and exercise to be happy.

Almost all dogs can benefit from exercise; fat dogs, old dogs, young dogs, skinny dogs, puppies can all benefit from an exercise program.  You may have to cater an exercise program to fit your dog’s needs but in any case most dogs need some way to rid themselves of excess steam.

The joy of exercise is that it comes in all forms; hiking, biking, swimming, walking, running, skijoring, retrieving, games, weight pulling, drafting and numerous others all qualify as good forms of exercise.  If you do it right, you and your dog will never tire of a boring routine.

• Just take caution with puppies and geriatric dogs.  Puppies of medium to large breeds should not exercise on hard ground or pull weights until they are at least 2 years old, extra large breeds like Rottweilers and Great Danes should wait until they are 3 or until their vet says it is safe.  Excessive exercise on growing dogs can cause the breakdown of cartilage and bones and can cause dysplasia and arthritis.  Young dogs and puppies must be exercised on soft ground.  Geriatric dogs should be allowed to lightly exercise to build muscles and flexibility which can also help with arthritis.

The majority of people who have dogs that are suffering from behavior problems have adult dogs between the ages of 1-5 and this is the time when exercise is at its most important!  Adult dogs should be exercised at a minimum of 3 times a day, morning, afternoon and evening.  Adding exercise will help to decrease your dog’s boredom and increase his success of becoming a good pet.

“I don’t have time to exercise my dog!”

“My dog has a big back yard to run in he doesn’t need exercise”

I have heard all of the excuses!  Your dog is an investment not only in money but also in time and companionship.  Your dog has needs and sometimes you have to inconvenience yourself in order to ensure success and happiness for your dog.  Get up early if you have to, or go to bed later but make sure you are devoting the time he needs to his success as a good companion and friend.

Dog’s don’t “run laps” on their own, very rarely do dogs utilize a big back yard as a means to exercise and run out their energy.  Even with the biggest back yard or acres to run he needs someone else to help him and encourage him to exercise.  He is not going to set his own exercise goals, you have to do that for him.

If you sincerely want to give your dog a shot at being a good pet and pleasing you, you need to give him sufficient exercise.  Not only will his body benefit from the payback of exercise, but he will be spending time with you listening to your voice and hopefully working on obedience and your bond as he exercises and becomes weary.

Let him run next to a bike, take him swimming, have him pull a tire; whatever you decide that is appropriate for his breed, age, size and his abilities allow him to blow off steam in a constructive manner and you will see the benefits through his behavior in a few short days!

Achieving a Higher Level of Reliable Obedience

If you have ever taken an obedience class with your dog, and actually done your homework, you will remember and notice that for that period of time (usually 6 to 8 weeks) your dog begins to listen to you faster and his obedience improved.  But weeks after the class is over, his skills begin to wan and the dynamics of life before class take over and it seems as if he never completed an obedience class.

WHY?

It’s simple if you think about it; if you practice something together you are better at it, the more practice and time you devote to something the better you get at it.  However, once you stop practicing and working on something, often, the more things go back to the way things were and you forget what you had once learned.

Are You Smarter Than a 5^th Grader?

Most of us have either watched this show on TV or at least know the concept; adults (sometimes even doctors, lawyers and Yale graduates) are asked simple questions along the lines of the curriculum that we learned in and up to the 5^th grade.  Most of us learned these things a number of years ago, but how much do we truly remember?  To have a child in school and needing help with homework is sometimes humbling!

Without practice or applying our knowledge, we often forget what we have learned.  The same is true of your dog!  If you don’t make obedience and training a part of your daily lives together, you and your dog will slip back into the same patterns of life that lead you to frustration and into obedience class.

But, often instead of understanding that dogs, too, forget and slip back into previous habits, we often blame them, think they didn’t learn or that they are being obstinate and refusing to comply, when really they are probably reverting back to what they knew and know best which is the dynamics of your household “before” obedience class.

What to Do?

Set a goal

• Sit down as a family and come up with a plan.  What is going wrong in your current relationship with your dog?  Come up with a plan to address your issues and stick with it!  Consistency is the key to good dog obedience so everyone must be on board.

Take a Class

• You may need to take a class or re-take a basic class if things have deteriorated severely.  A class leads to accountability and homework.  A class often coerces people to make time to work with their dogs.
• I have been training dog professionally for almost 17 years and I still take obedience classes (I just don’t admit I am a trainer).

Compete

• I HATE competition!  I hated competition as a child and I continue to hate it to this day.  I also hate getting up in front of people.  Ironically, I can lecture to a convention center full of people about dog obedience and behavior, but I hate that competitive feeling and being put on display.  However, I often make myself face my fears and compete anyway.
• Competition takes a high level of practice and work, and the more time I spend with my dog the more he learns to listen to me in all facets of life.   Although I hate the feeling of the final competition (I am getting better ha ha) I LOVE the time we spend together preparing for our moment, and I also love our numerous blue ribbons!

Find a hobby you can both enjoy

• You can take classes for advanced obedience, tracking (nose work), clicker training, games, agility, or weight puling, sledding and skijoring.
• You can even play control games together.
• Invite your friends and family to get together and play doggie games and have your own competition.   You can also find dog board games online like Funagle and Do You Mind by Darfinc©.
• Buy a book and teach your dog as many tricks and commands as you can then have a party to show off your new skills!

To my clients I am known as the “fun” trainer.  I have been training dogs for almost 17 years and have seen all kinds of methods and I have taken my years of experience and knowledge and I have sculpted them into a program where I focus on games and fun ways to achieve my obedience goals.  I do this so that my dog enjoys his training but most of all I do it so that “I” enjoy training and working with my dog.  Fun does not mean there is a lack of skill or that my dogs are sloppy, it just means that my goal is to have a high level of performance and we both enjoy ourselves. The more things I can teach my dog, the happier we both are!  Even if I am just teaching him tricks, he is listening and learning and enjoying himself, and I am ending up with another skill to show off to my friends.

I try and make a point to spend time with my dog and invite him to join me as often as possible.  If I go hiking, biking or to the beach, I want to include him in my plans.  I enjoy teaching him new things and watching him enjoy life and excel at obedience.  It is a joy to have a well trained companion.

Every time you work with your dog in a fun and positive manner and you work together towards a common goal, you are solidifying your place in your furry pack and your dog is learning to have fun listening to you.  The more fun you have together, the more time you will find to spend together and you build a bond of respect that will last a lifetime.  So get out there and spend some fun time together as you reestablish your bond and your dog learns to listen to your every command!

A Good Walk is Hard to Beat

There are fewer joys in life greater than a good walk; add a well behaved dog to that equation and in my opinion you have pure perfection!  I have the great honor of training and walking 5 Weimaraners twice a week.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are full of exhilaration and exercise, I tell my friends I am Weimar-running or doing Weimar-obics.  Although it is a job for me (thank goodness for wonderful clients who rescue dogs) it is an opportunity for me to get outside, enjoy the weather and beat some of my stress.

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PBS Series: “Through a dog’s eyes”

Coming to PBS on April 21, watch this heartwarming series on the impact that service dogs have made on the lives of those they serve.

Video: Through a dog’s eyes

By Daniela Caride, Publisher, www.thedailytail.com

The PBS series “Through a Dog’s Eyes” will surely be wonderful. With premier scheduled for April 21 at 8 p.m. E.T., the series follows the journey of service dogs and the people whose lives they change.

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Valor Dog of the Year

Seems like there’s an award for just about everything these days.  Even our dogs can get in on the action.  The award for Valor Dog of the Year has been announced.

Dogs recognized for their acts of valor

ohmidog.com, published 3/16/10

The Humane Society of the United States has announced the Valor Dog of the Year” – Kenai, a Bernese mountain dog mix from Erie, Colo.,who awakened her owner to alert him to a carbon monoxide leak in the vacation home where he, six other adults, two children, and three dogs were sleeping.

The awards celebrate the human-animal bond by honoring dogs who have exhibited an extraordinary sense of courage or resolve by heroically helping a person in need.

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Misconceptions about Shelter Dogs

While many people want to purchase a new puppy from a good breeder, there is an alternative for those who don’t want to fork out the big bucks just to get a great pet.  Consider a shelter dog.  Many of these dogs are just waiting for someone like you to come along and rescue them, and they are more than ready, willing, and eager to provide you all the love and companionship you could possibly want!

Common Misconceptions about Shelter Dogs

by RenewTrients March 15, 2010 10:25 am

Is Your Dog Right for You?

If you are thinking about getting a dog, or perhaps adding another one to your household, you might want to read this article to see if you have done your homework on figuring out just what type of dog is really right for you and the best methods for training your dogs to fit in with your lifestyle.

An Un-Tapped Resource

by Marie Finnegan, January 17, 2010

Dog Star Daily

As dog trainers we regularly see people who have chosen to add a dog to their home that isn’t always the best match for them. Our job is to teach them how to live together in spite of the challenges a mismatch may bring with it. Most of the time we can help, but sometimes sadly the dog ends up in rescue instead, despite our best efforts.

What I don’t understand is why more people don’t ask trainers their opinion in finding the right dog for them. We see and work with more breeds and shelter dogs regularly than they will ever meet in a lifetime. Some of us even live with multiple breeds in our own homes. Not to mention the fact that dog trainers know about dog behavior and breed traits because it is our job to know this information.

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Lessons We Can Learn From Our Dogs

Dogs are so forgiving, so eager to please.  They can be trained to behave with manners that would make anyone proud.  What if we were more like them?  Here’s an article from CBS’s Bob Schieffer, with a whimsical look at how much better off we might be if we took a few lessons from our dogs.

Bob Schieffer Says Humans Would Be Better Off If We Let Dogs Be Our Teachers Read the rest of this entry »