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DO instead of DON'T

12/5/2017

DO instead of DON’T

Dogs are born with behavior traits that don’t fit so well into our human lifestyle…..like biting, chewing, urine marking, barking, jumping and humping. Punishing a dog for these natural behaviors pretty much goes against the whole idea of having a loving companion pet relationship. However, we CAN reduce unwanted behavior with prevention and management and we CAN replace naughtiness with socially acceptable behavior and good manners.

Teaching a dog what you DO want:

Enables the dog to earn rewards instead of receiving punishment or having rewards withheld.
Has much more physical clarity to the dog than getting him to stop doing something that might simply be an emotional reaction like barking or jumping up.
Will cement your dog’s trust in you and prevent him from becoming sneaky to avoid punishment.
Does not require you to become increasingly harsher with your punishment if the dog feels it is worth getting punished.
Can be used to calm a dog that is exhibiting over-aroused behavior. In my experience, over-aroused behavior such as barking, nipping, lunging, and jumping, is the most common challenge of dog owners.

How to DO it

Step ONE:

Decide what you DO want: sit, lie down, to go crate, touch nose to palm of your hand, etc.
Train your dog to do this behavior consistently and reliably with a high rate of reinforcement.
Gradually introduce distractions.

Step TWO:

Identify what you DON’T want: barking, jumping, lunging, etc.
When, or just before your dog initiates the unwanted behavior, cue him to DO the replacement behavior and reward generously.
Be consistent and persistent.
Always plan ahead so you have something for your dog to do to divert him away from unwanted behavior.

Over time, and after many repetitions of getting rewarded for what you DO want, your dog will start offering these behaviors instead of those behaviors that you DON’T want.

What you invest in training today will give you a lifetime of enjoyment with your dog.

Best to you and yours,

Janine

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"Will I always have to _______?"

9/26/2017

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One of the most common questions that I get asked while coaching a dog owner through training steps is, "Will I always have to __________?"

I get that. We all want results and we want them NOW. It probably doesn't help that we've seen a few television shows or infomercials that show dogs quickly transformed by magical, whispery techniques. I once asked one of these personalities - one using modern, science-based training methods - what she liked least about the edited version of her sessions. It was the amount of time and important steps that were deleted from the show. Steps that are very necessary for building a relationship that allows owners to work with their dogs in very challenging situations. Steps that have the dog practicing being good - and being rewarded - in easy situations before being put in challenging situations

But what about the shows that don't do much editing from start to finish? Well, intimidating a dog with imposed control - especially with scary or painful devices - can have side effects and definitely WILL break down your relationship. Trust goes out the door and the dog hesitates to offer any good behavior for fear of making the wrong choice. He also must be supervised and told what to do instead of intrinsically offering good choices through his impulse control.

So what is my answer to my training clients? Everybody, humans and dogs, need to learn the easy stuff first. They need to feel good about succeeding and then move on to more challenging tasks. This will create a desire to be challenged instead of a fear of being challenged.

I would ask right back:

"When you had to take your puppy out every two hours for the first two weeks did you think you would be doing that forever?"

"When you held onto your child's bicycle seat and ran alongside her did you think you'd be doing that forever?"

"When you started your online educational course did you think you would stay on Page One forever?"

Dog relationships are built with trust, patience, practice, and consistency. The more you do this the faster you will get to your goals.

Find a good trainer!

Love and hugs to you and your dogs.

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Crate Training from Association of Professional Dog Trainers

8/26/2017

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I would like to share this position statement from APDT as my clients, fellow trainers, and I have reaped many benefits from having crate trained dogs. I highlighted one sentence below in purple that I would like to comment on in the event that it might be interpreted that dogs with anxiety should not be crate trained. Certainly, with the help of a certified trainer, one can address the anxiety AND start some very simple exercises involving the crate.

And now I present the following cut and paste from APDT.com:

The following statement reflects the opinion of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers.

The Association of Professional Dog Trainers recommends the use of crates for puppies and dogs as a short-term training tool and as safety equipment throughout the dog’s life.

Crates are a valuable tool for house training, as well as for managing the environment so dogs avoid developing problem behaviors such as destructive chewing and counter-surfing. Crates also provide safe restraint in the car, and make it easier to travel with your dog by providing short-term confinement options in a hotel or anywhere else you might visit. Crate training also helps minimize stress during times of emergency, while boarding in a kennel or while spending a night at the vet clinic. When introduced properly, a crate becomes a safe place that many dogs seek out when they need a break from a hectic home environment.

Introduce dogs to the crate gradually and make sure that it’s a pleasant experience. It is important to choose a crate of appropriate size and adjust confinement times as the dog matures in order to build long term success. Avoid using the crate as punishment, and avoid crating a dog who is experiencing anxiety, whether that anxiety stems from the confinement itself, separation from a loved one, or from environmental factors like a thunderstorm or other dogs.

The APDT does not recommend the use of crates as a confinement tool for extended periods – this is a tool best used in conjunction with a comprehensive training and socialization program guided by a professional dog trainer. To find a trainer in your area visit the APDT trainer search page.

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Calm gives rise to calm

8/7/2017

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I've spent a lot of time observing how dogs interact. When hanging out together they definitely do not have continuous vocal conversation like humans do. In fact, about the only time they are vocal is when excitement levels rise, like when they are frustrated, playing energetically, guarding something, confused, or seeking attention.

When a human chatters with a dog the same thing happens. "Good girl" or "atta boy" elicits a tail wag or butt wiggle. We love that during training sessions. The dog does something great, the human gives copious praise and the dog dances about. We especially love when we call out gleefully to our dogs and they come charging to us from afar.

Causing this excitement can also work against us in many ways. If we are looking for calm, well-mannered, or sedentary behavior in our dogs it may be detrimental to call out "who's here?" when the doorbell rings - especially if you have a dog that jumps on guests or barks at them incessantly. We probably won't get our anxious dog to settle down at the veterinarian's office by squeaking out "it's okay" over and over again. I have repeatedly seen dog-reactive dogs being pulled back by their leashes and getting barraged with high-pitched, "Oh, that dog doesn't want to say hello to you" or some other statement that has no value or meaning to the dog. And the more that the human speaks the harder the dog pulls.

If you want a calm dog, act calmly.

xoxoxoxo
Janine

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Hierarchy of Behavior Change

7/9/2017

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I love when I board and train dogs because I get to have far more control of the dog's learning environment than when I am training a dog in its own home or teaching a group class. For the most part, this means I can reach my training goals more quickly. But, no matter what amount of training the dog gets, an owner still needs to understand the concepts since "trained" is never a static word in the world of dog behavior. Even the best service dogs and police dogs need continual schooling and refresher sessions in all the wonderful things they do.

Several people have sent me this article. It is fabulous, with a very modern approach to training (I am so glad that we keep improving). Perhaps it is too trainer-y for most, but take a look. Under the first listing, "Commits to using the most positive, least intrusive training methods," is the hierarchy of behavior change. This is a guideline to the general steps in creating a successful outcome with the least amount of emotional stress on the dog. The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers also has a position statement on the application of the Humane Hierarchy, a similar series of steps that keep training more positive and less intrusive.

I have expounded on these below for ease of understanding:

1. "Medical, nutritional, physical"
A dog that is in physical pain, cranky from a metabolic or hormonal disorder, is too hot, too cold or overly hungry is going to have a difficult time learning or may be displaying behavior that cannot be changed by any of the steps below. When in doubt, vet it out.

2. "Antecedent arrangement"
An antecedent is a thing or event that existed before the behavior occurred. This would be referring to the environment in which the dog is acting or reacting. Learning is difficult with lots of distractions so you would want to set up your dog's learning environment accordingly. In some aspects of dog training we use the word "trigger." Like during a thunderstorm the antecedent triggers a dog to hide under the bed. When a squirrel runs across the property it triggers a dog to get excited. Professional trainers are very attuned to the all the things in the environment that are possible causes for a dog's behavior. They will ask you many questions about this if dealing with behavioral challenges.

3. "Positive reinforcement"
Well, of course, you say! It's the current buzz word of the dog training community! But positive reinforcement is only positive if the dog perceives it as being reinforcing. Each dog has its own value system for reinforcement and that needs to be assessed (and possibly manipulated) before training begins. Most humans expect dogs to want to work for affection but, sadly, this works for a low percentage of dogs. In competition and working dogs, where we need precise and reliable behavior, we use food, toys, and play as rewards. But, if we are giving this stuff away free, all day long to our dogs, it probably won't be something they want to work for.

4. "Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior"
This basically means that you will ignore unwanted behavior (barking, jumping, pawing, lunging) while rewarding something else. It is frequently termed "give the dog something TO DO instead of telling it what NOT to do." If you want the dog to do a specific behavior like sit or lie down, you will need to teach it to do this reliably in a quiet learning atmosphere before using it as an alternative behavior.

5. "Extinction, negative reinforcement, negative punishment"
Extinction is making sure the dog receives no rewards for undesirable behavior. A dog who jumps on you may find the act of jumping and touching your body very rewarding. That same dog may interpret you pushing him down or yelling at him as rewarding because he is at least getting your attention. Identifying what is rewarding and not rewarding is an important skill for professional dog trainers.

Negative reinforcement is when you remove something to reinforce behavior. This could simply be an act of holding onto a dog's collar until he settles down before releasing him to greet a person or dog. Another example of this would be putting slight tension on your dog's collar when you want to change directions during a walk. When he yields to the pressure you release the tension.

Negative punishment is when you take something away to stop behavior. When a puppy jumps against his exercise pen or baby gate as you approach him, you can immediately turn around and walk the other way. Keep repeating and the pup soon learns that jumping on the pen causes you - the thing he really wants - to go away.

6. "Positive punishment"
Notice how this is in its own level - the last one - within the hierarchy? That is because positive punishment has a higher chance of fallout or side effects. It can create distrust in your dog. It can be more damaging if incorrectly used than any of the other types of reinforcement or punishment listed above. Positive punishment is when you add something to the environment to stop future occurrences of that behavior. It could be something uncomfortable or painful to the dog, or a sound that startles the dog into stopping what he is doing. It does not always invoke fear or stress; it could be simply stepping in front of the door each time it is opened to stop the dog from attempting to dart out. When the dog starts anticipating that you will step in front of the door, and no longer gets out of his bed when you open the door, positive punishment has occurred.

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Paying it forward - free email support

6/24/2017

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So many people have been kind and generous to me in my times of need. I would like to pay it forward to those who are, for whatever reason, unable to hire a trainer at this time. During the month of July I am offering a free email assessment and support to those who need help. Please fill out this Behavior Questionnaire and type "Pay it forward" in the promotion code box on the last page. I will email you back a confirmation that I have read your questionnaire and we will start working on a training program.

While it is best to work with you and your dog in person, much can be accomplished through email.

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DO instead of DON'T

"Will I always have to _______?"

Crate Training from Association of Professional Dog Trainers

Calm gives rise to calm

Hierarchy of Behavior Change

Paying it forward - free email support

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