The secret to finding dog training time!

One of the most common complaints I get is 'I didn't have time!' to do whatever was needed with the dog.

No time to provide exercise opportunities.
No time to teach a trick.
No time to practice desired class skills that they paid to learn.

And of course the big one - no time to housebreak.

I understand no time. I really do.
I also know I make time for the things that are important to me. I make time to read my paper every day. Very rare are the days when there isn't enough time for me to do that. I almost always check and answer my email. There is time for that. I mention tv and there is a show or two that people always watch. Won't miss!

So one time trick that I use is - train your dog during commercials. You remember those commercial things. People are trying to sell you something and you fast forward through them. Stop fast forwarding through them. Let them roll - hit the mute button and do something else.

Teach your dog a trick. Work on stay. Call them to come three times and give them treats and kisses. Reinforce down. Go out and ring the doorbell and have the dog do what you chose for them to do instead of becoming hysterical idiots barking and jumping at the door.

Then sit down and watch your show again. Then next commercial set - do it again.
There is no hard and fast law that training has to take place in cute twenty minute blocks of time. Incorporate the training time into your day. Into down time, into time already being spent with your dog. Two or three minutes of commercial time is so much better than no time.

Rules is Rules

A woman came to me almost in tears.
She was trying to teach her dog to walk nicely on the leash. Now this is a very challenging skill for many dogs. You don't think of it as a learned piece of knowledge, but it is. Walking sooooo slowly next to us bipeds has to drive them insane - when there is all that big world out there to sniff and chase and enjoy!
She had a very exuberant lab and nothing she did seemed to work.
So she went - smart woman!! - to a dog trainer to show her how to teach her dog.
While it was a good move on her part, it went downhill from there.
The trainer told her first thing you do is hold the leash in your left hand. Well, she had carpel tunnel in her left hand. No can do. No option, trainer explained - if you want to have a dog, you must walk him on your left.
Or what? They explode at a thousand paces???
I mean - there are rules and there are rules.
I often find it amusing that I have to explain to people 'its your dog, your household, you get to chose!'
At my house, dogs are allowed on my furniture. A few lucky ones may share my bed. And when I eat popcorn, they are allowed to beg for me to throw them pieces. Yes! You CAN even feed them people food! Gasp!
BUT - at my house, my dogs do not charge out an opened door.
They do not behave like insane things when the doorbell rings. Those are the things I chose.
When I teach class, I walk dogs on my left. Habit. Conformity. But when I'm walking around my neighborhood, my dogs are most generally on my right. I don't have sidewalks here and I like to be between dog and cars.
Certain things you get to chose. Certain things you can try if what you are doing isn't working for you. What works for one household, one person, one dog, might not work for another.
Here's to the unbending of minds and the flexing of rules!

New puppy/old dog

A typical conversation I have this time of year:
"We just got a new puppy! Our older dog Hates it! They fight all the time! I tell the old dog to quit taking the puppy's toys! I tell the older dog to quit picking on the baby! I try to tell baby everything is going to be fine! Pick him up, shove the old dog away! It's getting worse! How do I make the older dog stop?"

Sigh.

Let's all hold hands, sway to the music and sing together 'dogs are not people. They don't think like people. They don't act like people. We can dress them up and treat them like fur babies all we want and they will still be dogs.'

Strange but true.


I ask "is there blood? Does puppy end up going back for more?"

The answer to these questions are always "no" and "yes".

Then let them settle it themselves. Stay out of it. Don't coddle puppy. Don't demonize older dog. Walk away if possible. If walking away isn't possible, interfere as unbiasedly as you can.


In another post I will talk about alpha dog dynamics - but the short answer is 'don't make things worse by doing what you are doing!'

Magic wands

And shoot - I left mine at home!
I tell people that all the time. I don't think they believe me. After all - Caesar has a magic wand! He comes, he cures, he leaves, life is great and dog is perfect!
Not.
Dogs are not robots. They think. Not like we think - but then, does your child think the same way you do? If they did, would the terrible two's and teens be terrible? Of course not! Because if we all thought alike, you could explain things to them in a way they understood. In a way they would 'get it' without all the drama and angst.
And yet. It happens not.
Dogs are even more that way. What happens in their brains is not what happens in our brains. They mostly do what works for them.
Its easier to pee in the house - just hide it if you don't want the newspaper swatting your backside.
Its fun to jump on people. All kinds of attention from that! Yeah, sometimes daddy plays a little rough when I jump -
but its sure better than not having any attention!
Mailman! He comes - I bark, howl and attack - and he leaves! Every single time! Fun Game! I win every day!!

Doorbell rings - I run to the door and bark. Mommy runs to the door and barks! Excitement for all!!
Open that front door and I get to run! Charge! Chase is on! GREAT game!

My magic wand will not cure any of these behaviors.
But.
They can be cured, fixed, replaced with another behavior you do want doggie to do.
But not by waving a wand.

Old tricks, new dogs

One of the most questions I get asked the most is 'is my dog too old to learn???'. Generally I find out the dog they are asking about is between two and six years old.

Most of the dogs in my beginner class are in that age bracket, for a couple of reasons. One, by then, the owners have figured out 'he's NOT going to outgrow that on his own and I have NO clue what to do about it.' The other thing, that is the age many dogs are turned over to a shelter or re homed. They didn't outgrow whatever behavior drove old family insane and instead of dealing with it, they decided dog was fungible.

When people get a shelter dog, that hasn't been to a foster home, I always tell them, 'if they told you he was housebroken, they are lying. He probably doesn't walk nicely on the leash, and doesn't come when he's called either.' Those three are the top reasons dogs are turned into shelters, not because people 'move' and leave their dogs, not because of aggression. But because they pee in the house, drag their owners, charge out the door, jump on people. Behaviors that can be fixed with some
focus and attention. I signed up a blind in one eye, can barely see out of the other, ten year old miniature poodle yesterday for a beginner class. Mommy wants dog to have fun, learn new tricks, have a great rest of its life. I will do all I can to help with that. I've had a thirteen year old beagle, an eleven year old Brussels Griffon, a nine year old Golden go through my classes. Just like people, older dogs can learn. Even things like Not peeing in your house.
Just give them a chance to prove it.

If its not broke, don't fix it

One question I get asked quite often is 'what do you feel about.....' followed by 'this brand of dog food' or 'pinch collars' or 'electric fences'or puppy pads'. Or whatever they want validation for using.
My opinion on most things is 'if it works for you'.
Usually. Mostly.
I can always tell when someone is going to another local trainer because their ten week old puppy comes in on a pinch collar, or they ask me to help fit them with one. Now, I think a pinch collar has an occasional and specific purpose, but never on a ten week old puppy.

And I don't say 'never' lightly. It teaches the puppy something but its not how to walk on a leash, not how to learn, but only that bad things happen when pinch collar is on.

But I had a very nervous, hyper alpha wanna-be snapping, barking, whining, 2 year old German Shepherd that calmed down for the first time ever within five minutes of putting on a pinch collar. Now we can focus on other behaviors.

Puppy pads. I usually don't like - okay - really dislike - dogs using my floor for a bathroom. However. Its freaking cold here.

If I had a teeny tiny unhousebroken puppy, I'd be putting pads down and not taking them out in the minus six wind chill to pee. While I was blessing the person who thought of them.


Equipment is just that. A tool that can be used for good or evil.

Wait at the door

Doors are VERY exciting places! Who knows what can be on the other side? One thing for sure - its got to be better than what is on This side! Charge!!! Check it OUT!

So. When teaching the 'wait' command - its important to start on a door that creates low excitement. The bedroom door is a good one. Not the front door where all excitement exists.

Put the dog on a leash. Start walking to the door. Tell the dog to 'wait' I use the hand signal of waving my hand in front of their noses. A couple times. Get their attention.
Then I put my hand on the door knob and start to open the door. The second the dog starts to charge the door. I say "whoops whoops!" shut the door, and take a few steps back. We wait till all are calm, then head to the door again.

"wait, wait!" wave hand. Hand on door knob, attempt to open the door......once more with feeling.


The goal is for puppy to wait patiently while I go through first. Sit, stand, right now, I don't care. I just get to go first. If I do, then - yay, puppy! I don't really food treat for 'wait' because getting to go with me at all is a very big Life Reward.
Once they do 'wait' very reliably at the bedroom door, I change up - a different bedroom, then the garage door, or the back door, then the HIGH value door - the one they like to bark at, and charge when you get company.

I do this one in class with a big value door - the one leaving the training center - because its the only one I have - and its amazing how quickly the dogs pick up on it. Within five to ten repetitions they are waiting for me to go first. I do NOT trust a dog's life to a dog's judgement at this point though. Take your time. Your dog's quality of life will depend on it - and their life could.

Dogs out the Door!!

Overall, I'm pretty laid back. Not much bothers me. Dogs on the furniture. Dogs kissing my face. Dogs begging for food. Dogs eating tissues. (Its a dog thing) Holes dug in my back yard.
Just...things you live with when you have dogs.
One thing that does bother me hugely - both at my house and when I go elsewhere is when dogs attack at the door. Either run out the door like escaping prisoners or standing around barking like fools when the bell rings. Geeze, guys, give it a rest!
There are a few things to think about. One is, no matter how cute it is when baby puppy attacks the door and the people there, just project how cute its going to be when he's grown. Even if grown is five pounds sopping wet - do you want to be jumping up and down yelling 'stop it stop it don't!' all your life?? I thought not. So if puppy or grown dog - figure out a different behavior for them to do when the door bell rings or the outside door is opened.
What do you want them to do and 'just quit' is Not the right answer. They have to have another behavior to do to replace the one they are doing. Find a mat for them to sit on, a place for them to go to, a chew toy to bring you, a treat for them to sit quietly for. Something.
Then, just like you did with sit and down, you practice. Put them on a leash so you can step on it, and get some control.
Sit down and watch a movie (and here you thought it was going to be work!!). I like the movies on sci-fi - the end of the world as we know it! Hurricanes! Mutant bugs! Godzilla! Meteors!
But, well, that's just me. And every time the commercial segments come on (and they come on a LOT) you and buddy will practice the behavior you want doggie to do. He sneaks out and rings the doorbell, you grab leash and lead dog to where you want him to do. Give YUMMY treat. (I like to do this when puppy is Very hungry) repeat three or four times until the movie comes back on. Sit down, watch the movie. Do it again next commercial time. For 2 hours. By that time, puppy should hear the door bell and run for the mat, sit there and wag excitedly.
Now this is NOT the end of the teaching. It will still have to be reinforced, but its a very good start.
Tomorrow's post - wait at the door.

Fun-Sized!

As I was doing the mommy/chauffeur thing this morning, I passed a flashing sign that declared Fun-Sized Candy Bars were sold inside!

Now,I just have to wonder who thought up that little gem of a title. 'Fun sized'.
All I have to say is my idea of a really fun sized candy bar would be about a foot long and several inches thick. Lots of chocolate, lots of carmel, lots of FUN! But, no - fun-sized to the manufacturers is teeny and tiny and maybe two bites big. Sigh. Maybe fun for them. Not so fun for me.
Think about what is fun for your dog.
Knocking over the trash?? Jackpot fun! Lots of yummy yummy garbage to eat - and then, after! The folks come in and join the party! Jump up and down! Yell out party slogans! Bend over and grab their share of fun time!! Put it back in the can for another time of fun at a later time!
Socks from the laundry? Grab and go!
Everyone chases! Everyone yells! Fun fun! Tug of war! More fun times! Hide and seek under the bed! Yay!!!
Look at things from the dog's point of view - see what is fun - and then, figure out where I can get one of those foot long candy bars.

Age

People often ask me - 'is my dog too old to learn'...whatever it is that they don't know. Or the sister question, 'is she too old to stop doing'...whatever it is that is driving them insane.

I say an emphatic 'probably not'. I've had many dogs between the ages of three and thirteen in class. One was a thirteen year old beagle who had lived in a kennel all its hunting life and now that it was too old to hunt, and living in a new home, the lady just wanted his focus on her, at least occasionally. Easier said than done, but thanks to a canvas dummy dribbled with deer urine, we managed to achieve attention!
A while back, I had a ten year old golden in class. The lady's new boyfriend didn't like a few of his behaviors. I said 'and we are keeping the boyfriend??' The boyfriend went by the wayside before class was over, but Gorgeous Golden learned some new things that pleased his mommy.
Six year old females appear in class, newly homed, fairly regularly. Well, because that is the age most breeders don't breed past. So, having outlived their usefulness, they are moved on. A lady with a six year old Brussels Griffon told me 'all I want her to do is play!'
We didn't quite achieve playful in eight weeks, but we did achieve interest and tail wag and I hope that play happened not long after.
Of course, ideally, puppy would be well socialized and well trained from the beginning. But. Life happens. So we move on and work with what we have.
Yes, your older dog can be taught new tricks - and you aren't too old to learn a few yourself.
Honest!

Housebreaking 2

Think "the same". The more you do the same in the early days you have your new baby, or your newly adopted older dog, or yes, the dog you've had a while, but just now decided that the peeing/pooping in the house Has To Stop, the faster puppy will learn.
So - feed a high quality food on a schedule. Most dogs prefer to eat once a day. Most puppies need more. Two or three times, depending on how little their stomachs are and how you are. I had a lady tell me once 'it hurts my heart to feed him once a day'. Heaven forbid I should be the cause of anyone's heart hurting! So I said - go for it. Your dog, you get to pick, but deal with the consquences.
So - feed your dog on a schedule, and only leave the food down for about fifteen minutes, give or take a few either way. If we eat it, yay! If we don't - too bad. Food will go down again next feed time! They won't starve to death and they will learn when its dinner time.
Food on a schedule. Water all the time they are up and active. Now that is my personal choice. I will not be responsible for a dog dehydrating and I really think putting the water up and down, up and down, forty hundred times a day will result in just simply Not putting it down at some point and dogs need free access to water. Put the water down and deal with it. Yes, you may pick it up an hour or two before bedtime. You are welcome.
Take puppy out on a schedule. Take puppy out the same door, on the leash,
to the same place using the same words. I tell mine 'hurry up' because that is what I want them to do. I'm all about not standing at the other end of the leash for an hour while they read the newpaper and contemplate their navels. I stand there and say softly "hurry up" and when they do what I want 'yay!". Again, softly - goal is not to make the sphincter clench in alarm. And then when done, a little treat, and play time.
If nothing happens, within a few minutes, we go back inside, and pop back into crate or get tethered to me. Set the kitchen timer and try again in a bit.
Repeat as needed.
Next housebreaking post will include some 'but if what if he.......' questions.

Housebreaking

I am under the personal opinion that more dogs are turned back into the pound because of housebreaking issues than any other. Again, my opinion, but I think lack of available exercise is the second reason. Misconceptions about how a dog 'really' behaves is the third. People idolize 'Old Shep' who never did wrong, never jumped, only barked at bad guys, and never ever ever peed in the house. Mostly he just walked calmly beside them, and then slept twenty-three hours a day. Amazing animal, Old Shep.


Our tiny babies are often more challenging to housebreak than our bigger guys, mostly because they simply get away with it more. Easier to see lab pee than yorkie pee on your carpet. Easier to make shepherd puppy walk outside to his designated spot than to trot out chihuahua pup. Sometimes our bigger puppies wish to please us just a bit more than our teeny tinies.

Crate, tether and eyeball. Those are my three big Magic Wand things for housebreaking. Most - stress the most - puppies will not pee in their crate if they can help it. Some will on purpose, and some don't care if they do or not. Most housebreaking books ignore those quite major issues with the cute phrase "dogs won't pee where they sleep". Sigh. Not true for all.

However, I say, Most won't pee on your shoe - or if they do more than once, its kinda sorta your fault. So tethering - tying the leash to your waistband is a good option. Eyeballing - if I'm in the same room with puppy and not distracted and can see when he squats, this works too.

Keep an eye out for this header. I'll be chatting more about housebreaking soon.

Why??

Why does my dog DO that?
Why does he act that way?
Why is she afraid of men?




Why does he chase squirrels?

Why does she lick all the time?
Why Why Why???

Sometimes when asked 'why' I really and truly try to answer. I have some dog behavior studies in my background and sometimes I Can answer the 'why'.
Sometimes I can't. I don't know everything - a case of the more you learn, the more you realize you don't know.
And sometimes there is no why. Or at least no why that we will ever know. We will never really know the 'why' of a five year old rescue dog. Most generally previous owners are not forthcoming about the real 'why' of turn ins. MOST people take the family pet with them when they move. All those dogs are not the result of people moving and not taking their dog with.
Most are there for a reason the owners don't wish to share.

Unable to housebreak.
Bit the teasing neighbor kid.
Jumped up and knocked over grandma.
Sometimes the answer really and truly is 'because that is what dog's DO' and while that seems to be an unacceptable answer for many people who want 'human dogs' i.e. dogs that act people, or want dogs that are just like 'old Shep' who was the perfect dog and never did anything wrong, most dogs are simply dogs.

We can often, most, many times, change a behavior, teach them another thing to do instead, but often we won't know the Why of the behavior we didn't like.
Learn to deal with it, with pleasure, great humor and much love.