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Training Tips
Training Tips
An ongoing series of informational entries
An ongoing series of informational entries
Training Tip: Puppy Biting!
New puppy owners always ask “how do I stop him from biting?” Short answer: you don’t. Instead, we manage it. And truth be told, we are managing the human’s behavior as much as the puppy’s behavior.
There are certain situations that can increase a puppy’s biting behavior. For example, if you are playing tug with your puppy then you are teaching her to grab onto something with her teeth, hold on, and pull back. Puppies can’t really discern the difference between a tug toy, your sleeve, or your bare hand. Having sharp puppy teeth grab onto your thumb, dig in, and pull back is not a fun experience. My advice is to stop all tugging behaviors right away. An alternative would be to use a Flirt Pole. This is a fun game and it creates distance between your hands and the puppy’s teeth. You can Google it. Flirt Pole. (Note: if you bought this puppy to be on the World Team in Agility, then you know how to manage the tugging games.)
Another situation that can increase a puppy’s biting behavior is hunger. While puppies are still young, they should be fed three times a day. Similar to a human infant, puppies need frequent small meals throughout the day because their digestive system cannot process large meals. When puppies are hungry, they tend to become very bitey.
Along the same vein, as puppies grow their need for calories increases. They need to be fed more kibble at 16 weeks old than they were fed at 8 weeks. This need for more calories can also cause the puppy to bite. They are hungry!
A very effective way to teach bite inhibition is to hand feed the puppy one of their meals each day. I typically do this for their breakfast. I scoop up a handful of kibble and let them eat out of my hand until all the food is gone. Yes, it’s messy but it is very effective in teaching the puppy to respect your hand. Here is a link that demonstrates this: https://youtu.be/aE0m9Q8m-wo
In my Puppy Kindergarten classes, I’ll oftentimes have the owners give their puppy a handful of kibble just before we start training. This can satisfy any excessive hunger and reduce biting while we go through our training exercises.
One more thing. If you have small children who run around the house and excite the puppy resulting in biting, buy the children some rubber boots that cover their lower legs. Have them wear the boots anytime they are around the puppy. So, if the puppy gets excited and bites, the puppy is biting the rubber boot and not your child’s ankles.
That’s it for today’s Training Tip. Call Colorado Springs Dog Training Center to enroll your puppy into our puppy kindergarten class to put him on the right path of becoming an Exceptional Companion Dog.
Call 719-499-8294
Training Tip: Puppy Socialization.
Let’s start with an explanation of what socialization means. Think of the five senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. A puppy needs to be gently exposed to lots of new and novel things that can be processed by the five senses. New things to see, new sounds to hear, different smells and tastes, and different things to feel like different surfaces to walk on.
Dogs live with humans and to live confidently and peacefully they need to be well socialized. Dr. Ian Dunbar says that a puppy should meet 100 new people in 100 days.
There is a critical period in the development of a puppy when the puppy needs to get as many of these socialization experiences as possible. This critical period is typically between 6 and 12 weeks. Scientists vary on defining the age range, some say it even goes to 16 weeks.
Studies have shown that during this critical period these early experiences are actually hard wired into the brain. Memories are created that last a lifetime. If the puppy isn’t adequately socialized during this period, if often results in a dog who is fearful, aggressive, growls at people, or worse.
Breeders are very aware of this critical period and do a good job ensuring their puppies get as many socialization experiences as possible before going to their new homes. New owners are usually coached as to what they need to do with the puppy regarding continued socialization. Ignoring this coaching can have a long-term negative effect on a dog’s life and will not contribute to a peaceful homelife.
New puppies must be managed very carefully. On the one hand we need to provide a wide range of experiences for the puppy, and on the other hand we must be mindful of their safety, vaccinations, and overall well-being. So much of this socialization can be done in the safety of your home and yard. It’s important to talk to your vet and keep current on the puppy’s vaccinations.
So go have fun with your new little one and introduce them to their new world! As soon as they are eligible, enroll them in a puppy kindergarten class.
That’s it for today’s Training Tip. Call Colorado Springs Dog Training Center to enroll your puppy into our puppy kindergarten class to put him on the right path of becoming an Exceptional Companion Dog.
Call 719-499-8294
Training Tip: Loose Leash Walking
Of all the long-term behavior issues, Loose Leash Walking is near the top of the list. Every day I see people being pulled by their dog down the sidewalk or through a park.
More often than not, the dog is most likely an adolescent… somewhere between the ages of 5- 20 months old. They are young, athletic, and full of exuberance.
Let’s look a little deeper into this problem. Dogs typically pull because they want to go somewhere, greet someone, or because they see something interesting. They are paying little attention to the person on the other end of their leash. Their behavior appears to lack self-control and impulse control.
The owner is frustrated, exhausted, and dealing with a range of emotions! This dog went to puppy classes and obedience classes and he acts like he’s never been trained at all!
Well, there is some underlying truth to all of this.
What you probably don’t know is that, in general, the canine brain is not fully developed until a dog is approximately 18 months old. Hormones, the limbic system and the pre-frontal cortex are constantly changing during a dog’s adolescence. The limbic system is the part of the brain that’s responsible for behavioral and emotional responses and the pre-frontal cortex manages impulse control. So the dog is learning what you want them to do, it’s just that they are dealing with a constantly changing biological state and sometimes biology overwhelms behavior. Think of a 16 year old boy who just got his driver’s license, he knows the rules but then there’s that biology.
The dog is overwhelmed by his own biology and inability to control his impulses. This lack of self-control plays out when he is out for a walk with his owner. There is lots of pulling and lunging. He’s acting like he’s never been trained at all.
So what can you do? First and foremost, keep training. Stay enrolled in training classes, practice leash walking outdoors where there are few distractions, and learn the proper techniques to employ when your dog pulls. There is no magic solution, just time and patience.
Most importantly you need to understand that a dog’s adolescence is a very difficult time for you and the dog. Be consistent, be kind, and provide the dog with the structure he needs to be successful in the future.
That’s it for today’s Training Tip. Call Colorado Springs Dog Training Center to enroll your dog into one of our excellent training classes to help him become an Exceptional Companion Dog.
Call 719-499-8294
Training Tip: the Recall or Coming When Called
The recall is one of the most important skills a dog can have. We want a reliable recall so the dog comes directly to us. To build a reliable recall this behavior needs to be trained then reinforced regularly. You may reinforce with treats or lots of happy praise.
Unfortunately, when we call our dogs it typically results in us taking away their freedom. We bring them in the house, we put them in the car, or we attach the leash. This isn’t always reinforcing for the dog and could result in the dog delaying their response to our call, moving very slowing towards us, or suddenly discovering the most interesting smell that totally consumes their attention and they forget all about the recall.
Since we want the recall to be a reinforcing event, occasionally practice calling your dog to you, give them a treat and praise, then release them back to what they were doing. This is a basic check-in exercise. It is great for hikes and walks. Your dog will be doubly reinforced! They get a treat from you and they get to go back to whatever they were doing. How great is that?
We never want to call our dogs with a stern voice. Would you want to get near someone who is angry? I wouldn’t. Instead, use your happy, high-pitched silly voice to call them to you. Dogs do what is reinforcing! So, if they don’t find you to be very reinforcing, they will look for reinforcement elsewhere.
Most importantly, when your dog comes to you, gently put your hand in the collar as you deliver the treat. We want the dog to learn that when we touch the collar good things happen.
Nothing is perfect. A reliable recall takes training and practice. This is one skill you should practice throughout the lifetime of the dog. It is that important.
That’s it for today. Call Colorado Springs Dog Training Center to enroll your dog into one of our excellent training classes to help him become an Exceptional Companion Dog. Call 719-499-8294
Training Tip: Distance is your friend.
Top trainers across the country successfully use the distance technique when working with clients and their dogs. Some dogs tend to react rather than respond to certain triggers in the environment. Reactions appear to be emotional, whereas responses appear to be more thoughtful.
Creating distance between a dog who is reacting to a stimulus (trigger) and the stimulus itself reduces or removes the tension in a situation.
• A stimulus or trigger might be people riding bicycles, squirrels, other dogs, deer, or approaching people.
• The reaction could be anything from fear to aggression such as lunging, barking, pulling, hiding, or trying to get away.
• Lowering the tension by increasing distance gives the dog the ability to respond rather than react to a trigger in the environment.
• Creating distance from a trigger gives the dog the space and time to think.
Distance from the trigger can be reduced when the dog exhibits a calm and relaxed body.
• Creating distance at the first signs of reactivity or stress gives the dog the space he needs to regroup and assess a situation.
• Read your dog’s body language carefully. The dog will tell you when he’s ready to move closer.
• Do not reduce distance to the trigger if the dog is displaying signs of stress such as yawning, lip licking, whale eye, stiffness of muscles and posture, leaning (forward or backward), pulling, or hard stares.
• Instead, look for calming signals: sniffing the ground, parallel movement (walking parallel to the stimulus), a loose leash, a balanced posture (not leaning forward or away), head turns or body turns away from the stimulus.
• The calmer you are the calmer the dog will be.
Teaching a dog to respond rather than react to triggers takes time and patience. Give the dog the time he or she needs. Remember, distance is your friend.
Training Tip: Barking
Barking is a method of communication for a dog. Before we judge the dog’s behavior, we must first listen to what the dog is telling us.
To understand why a dog is barking, look at his body language.
- What is it telling you?
- Is the dog afraid, frustrated, or just plain excited? Are his hackles up or is he wiggling with excitement?
- When the hackles are up, barking means “Go away!” When the dog wiggles with excitement, barking means “Come on in!”
Look around at the environment. What stimuli are in the surrounding area? Kids, bicycles, squirrels, deer, cats, the letter carrier or garbage truck? These can be triggers for barking.
- Is there a particular area of the house or yard where the barking is a problem?
- Is there a particular time of day when the barking occurs?
The easiest and first step to control barking is environmental management.
Environmental Management ideas:
- Only let the dog in the backyard when you are home and can interrupt (redirect) undesirable or untimely barking. Bring the dog in the house for treats or give the dog a bone to keep his mouth busy chewing rather than barking.
- Create special play times during the day when you and your dog go into the backyard to play. The dog can fetch toys, play with other dogs, or just run around the yard.
- Barking during these play sessions is allowed and possibly encouraged.
- Get it out of his system! Do this before you leave for work to tire the dog; it might help him nap for several hours.
- End the play session with you and your dog going back into the house together with lots of praise and petting.
Dogs sometimes bark at things outside the windows of your home (children, bicycles, other dogs, squirrels, etc.) There are several ways to manage this.
- Use baby gates to limit your dog to rooms in the house that do not have access to windows facing the street.
- Put opaque window film on the lower portion of the window so the dog can’t see out.
- Keep the dog in another room when guests arrive, UPS arrives, or the garbage trucks come to your street.
- Give the dog a Kong stuffed with treats to keep him entertained.
In addition to management, training can also help. Barking can be put on a cue or can be reduced by teaching other behaviors in place of barking.
Training Tip: Moving slowly
Moving slowly with your dog has several advantages. It gives the dog time to process the surrounding environment without overreacting, it contributes to loose-leash walking, and it increases the dog’s focus on the owner. This technique produces results quickly… in minutes, not sessions.
Many owners find this technique difficult to employ. Oftentimes owners are moving forward without even looking at their dog or they might have been told to speed up in an obedience class. Either way, much of the focus here is to instruct owners to slow down and pay attention to their dog.
If the owner is moving too quickly, the dog doesn’t have time to think nor does the owner have time to read their dog. Slowing down gives the owner time to read their dog’s body language. Is the dog showing signs of stress such as panting, lip licking, moon eye, whining, a furrowed brow, or sides of the mouth pulled back tightly? Is the dog showing signs of aggression such as facing another dog directly and staring, a closed mouth, ears pointing forward, stiff body and leaning forward? These signs are important information for the owner and could be missed if moving too quickly.
Moving slowly is imperative when working with a reactive or fearful dog. When working with a reactive dog who “goes over threshold,” it is critical to the dog’s success to slow things down. Moving slowly in a big box store or other retail establishment gives a dog time to process the sounds, smells, lights, and activity.
Eventually, a dog will indicate when he is ready to increase the pace by his (relaxed) behavior. The owner doesn’t decide this, the dog does. Give the dog the opportunity to learn at his own speed.
Moving slowly tends to minimize a tight leash. The owner can reinforce the dog for maintaining a left- or right-side position and can reinforce for smaller increments of forward movement.
When moving slowing, it is easier for the dog to focus on the owner. The dog is able to process the environment and still focus on the owner.
Take advantage of all the positive things that can result from moving slowly. Give your dog the opportunity to learn and grow at his own pace.
Training Tip: Right side heeling
When I ask students to work the dog on their right side, gasps fill the room. Why are we so brainwashed into believing that dogs should only work on the left side? Do you know how it started? Let’s look at history.
One of the origins of this practice comes from hunting dogs. Most people are right-handed so weapons (spears, swords, knives, guns) were typically carried in the right hand. Putting the dog on the left side allowed the handler to use his right hand to move the weapon unimpeded without impacting the dog.
Guide dogs are trained to work on the left side, mainly to establish consistency for the handler. A blind handler must have a consistent place for the dog, and the dog must always know where to be. Program trained service dogs of all types are typically trained to work on the left side.
Training police dogs and counter-terrorism dogs is handler-specific. If the officer is right-handed then the weapon is carried on the right side so the dog is trained to work on the left side. If the officer is left-handed then the weapon is carried on their left side and the dog is trained to work on the right side.
In Calgary, Alberta, the city ordinance is that dogs walk on the right. This prevents dogs from coming face-to-face with each other when walking on park walkways. In Agility, dogs must be able to work on both sides of the handler. Competition obedience dogs do traditional left-side heeling.
When moving with your dog in public settings, the position of the dog is determined by the surrounding environment and what is best for the dog.
• While on a busy street, walking your dog on the left side works fine if you are walking against the flow of traffic. You are between the dog and moving vehicles.
• When walking with the flow of traffic, put the dog on your right side to lessen exposure to moving vehicles.
• Situational awareness and being able to move with your dog on either side can contribute to a successful outing, particularly in crowded spaces.
Introducing the dog to right side heeling initially requires a high rate of reinforcement. Once the dog understands the concept, a verbal cue can be added and reinforcers can be reduced. This should happen within a few sessions.
Regarding a verbal cue, the right side of the handler is a position just like the left. Assign a separate verbal cue for each side. Here are some examples for the left side position: heel, here, close, or place. For the right side position some people use: side, right, or post. Select words that work for you. Our goal is to give clear instructions to the dog.
Take advantage of opportunities to practice working your dog on both sides. Be patient, be consistent, and have fun!