Tag: dog

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Training your new puppy

Bringing a new puppy into the household is always an exciting and fun time.  Everyone wants to play with, cuddle and hold the little ball of fur.  The last thing on the minds of most new puppy owners is training the new addition, but it is important that puppy training and socialization begin as early as possible.

Socializing a new puppy is a vital part of any training program, and it is important for socialization to begin early.  The window for socialization is very short and a puppy that is not properly socialized to people, dogs and other animals by the time he or she is four months old often never develops the socialization he or she needs to become a good canine citizen.

Learning how to interact with other dogs is something that normally would occur between littermates.  However, since most dogs are removed from their mothers so soon, this littermate socialization often does not finish properly. 

One vital lesson puppies learn from their littermates and from the mother dog is how to bite and how not to bite.  Puppies naturally roughhouse with each other and their thick skin protects them from most bites.  However, when one puppy bites too hard, the other puppies, or the mother dog, quickly reprimand him, often by holding him by the scruff of his neck until he submits.

The best way to socialize your puppy is to have it play with lots of other puppies.  It is also fine for the puppy to play with a few adult dogs, as long as they are friendly and well socialized.  Many communities have puppy playschool and puppy kindergarten classes.  These classes can be a great way to socialize any puppy and for handler and puppy alike to learn some basic obedience skills.

When socializing puppies, it is best to let them play on their own and work out their own issues when it comes to appropriate roughness of play.  The only time the owners should step in is if one puppy is hurting another, or if a serious fight breaks out. Other than that the owners should simply stand back and watch their puppies interact.

While this socialization is taking place, the pack hierarchy should quickly become apparent.  There will be some puppies who are ultra submissive, rolling on their backs and baring their throats at the slightest provocation.  Other puppies in the class will be dominant, ordering the other puppies around and telling them what to do.  Watching the puppies play, and determining what type of personality traits your puppy has, will be very valuable in determining the best way to proceed with more advanced training.

As the socialization process proceeds, of course, it will be necessary to introduce the puppy to all sorts of humans as well as all sorts of puppies.  Fortunately, the puppy kindergarten class makes this process quite easy, since every puppy gets to interact with every human.  It is important that the puppy be exposed to men, and women, old people and children.  Dogs do not see every human as the same.  To a dog, a man and a woman are completely different animals.

It is also important to introduce the puppy to a variety of other animals, especially in a multi pet household.  Introducing the puppy to friendly cats is important, as are introductions to other animals the puppy may encounter, such as rabbits, guinea pigs and the like.  If your household contains a more exotic creature, it is important to introduce the puppy to it as early as possible, but to do it in a way that is safe for both animals.

It is often best to start by introducing the puppy to the smell of the other animal.  This can be easily accomplished by placing a piece of the animals bedding, like a towel or bed liner, near where the puppy sleeps.  Once the puppy is accustomed to the smell of the other creature, he or she is much more likely to accept the animal as just another member o the family.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Using rewards and positive reinforcement to train your dog

Training dogs using positive reinforcement and reward training has long been recognized as both highly effective for the owner and a positive experience for the dog.  Positive reinforcement training is so important that it is the only method used to train dangerous animals like lions and tigers for work in tourist educational establishments and in the movie and television industry.  Proponents of positive reinforcement swear by the effectiveness of their techniques and it is true that the vast majority of dogs respond well to these training methods.

One reason that positive reinforcement training is so effective is that is uses rewards to teach the dog what is expected of it.  When the dog performs the desired behaviour, he is provided with a reward, most often in the form of a food treat, but it could be a scratch behind the ears, a rub under the chin or a pat on the head as well.  The important thing is that the dog is rewarded consistently for doing the right thing.

Reward training has become increasingly popular in recent years, but chances are some sort of reward training between humans and dogs has been going on for hundreds if not thousands of years.

When understanding what makes reward training so effective, some knowledge of the history of humans and dogs is very helpful.  The earliest dogs were probably wolf pups that were tamed and used by early humans for protection from predators, as alarm systems and later for guarding and herding livestock.  It is possible that the wolf pups that made the best companions were the most easily trained, or it is possible that these early dogs were orphaned or abandoned wolf pups.  Whatever their origin, there is little doubt today that the vast variety of dogs we see today have their origin in the humble wolf.

Wolf packs, like packs of wild dogs, operate on a strict pack hierarchy. Since wolf and dog packs hunt as a group, this type of hierarchy, and the cooperation it brings, is essential to the survival of the species.  Every dog in the pack knows his or her place in the pack and except in the event of death or injury, the hierarchy, once established, rarely changes.

Every dog, therefore, is hard wired by nature to look to the pack leader for guidance.  The basis of all good dog training, including reward based training, is for the handler to set him or herself up as the pack leader.  The pack leader is more than just the dominant dog, or the one who tells all the subordinates what to do.  More importantly, the pack leader provides leadership and protection and his or her leadership is vital to the success and survival of the pack.

It is important for the dog to see itself as part of a pack, to recognize the human as the leader of that pack and to respect his or her authority.  Some dogs are much easier to dominate than others.  If you watch a group of puppies playing for a little while, you will quickly recognize the dominant and submissive personalities. 

A dog with a more submissive personality will generally be easier to train using positive reinforcement, since he or she will not want to challenge the handler for leadership.  Even dominant dogs, however, respond very well to positive reinforcement.  There are, in fact, few dogs that do not respond well to positive reinforcement, also known as reward training.

Positive reinforcement is also the best way to retrain a dog that has behaviour problems, especially one that has been abused in the past. Getting the respect and trust of an abused dog can be very difficult and positive reinforcement is better than any other training method at creating this important bond.

No matter what type of dog you are working with, chances are it can be helped with positive reinforcement training methods.  Based training methods on respect and trust, rather than on intimidation and fear, is the best way to get the most from any dog.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Training your dog not to chase cars

One of the most serious, and unfortunately most common, problem behaviours among dogs is that of chasing cars.  Dogs must be trained as early as possible that chasing cars is not acceptable.  That is because dogs that chase cars eventually become dogs that catch cars and car plus dog always equals big trouble.

There are many reasons that dogs chase cars.  For one thing, chasing moving objects is an ingrained, instinctual behavior that can never be completely removed.  Chasing behaviours however can and should be controlled through a combination of good training and supervision.

Some dogs are more apt to chase cars, bikes, joggers, cats and other dogs than are others.  Dogs that have a high prey drive, including breeds that have been bred for hunting, are particularly susceptible to the thrill of the chase. Herding breeds are also apt to chase cars, attempt to herd the neighbour’s children, or express other undesired traits of their breeding.

One reason that many dogs chase cars in particular is that they have learned to associate cars with good time and fun things.  Most dogs love to ride in the car and when they see a car they may try to chase it down for a ride.

No matter what your dog’s motivation for chasing cars, however, it is important to curb this dangerous behaviour as quickly as possible.  Training the dog not to chase cars starts with teaching the dog the meaning of the “Off” command.   The “Off” command is one of the basic tenets of obedience and it must be mastered by every dog.

Teaching the dog to stay where he is, even if interesting, exciting things are happening elsewhere, is very important to all aspects of dog training.  In the world of professional dog training, this is sometimes referred to as distraction training.  Distraction training is very important and it is applicable to teaching the dog not to chase cars.

Teaching this important lesson is not something you will be able to do on your own.  You will need at least one other person – a volunteer who will slowly drive by and tempt your car with his bright, shiny object.  You will stand with your dog on his lead as the volunteer drives by.  Having the volunteer drive your own car can provide an even greater temptation, since dogs are able to distinguish one car from another.  If your car is the one that provides his rides, it is likely to be the most tempting object in the world.

When your friend drives by, either in your car or his, watch your dog’s reaction carefully.  If he begins to jump up or move away, repeat the “Off” command and quickly return your dog to the sitting position.  If he remains where he is, be sure to give him lavish amounts of praise and perhaps a treat or two.

Repeat this process many times over the course of a few days.  Once your dog is reliably remaining seated when your friend drives by, start lengthening the distance between yourself and your dog.  A long, retractable lead works great for this process.  Slowly lengthen the distance between you and your dog, while still making sure you have control.

Even after your dog is trained to not chase cars, however, it is important to not leave him out off the lead unsupervised.  Leaving a dog unattended, except for within a properly and securely fenced in garden, is simply asking for trouble.  Dogs are unpredictable, and it is always possible that the chase instinct could kick in at exactly the wrong moment.  The best strategy is to confine the dog when you cannot supervise him.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Training your dog not to chase people, bicycles, joggers, etc

Dogs by nature are predatory animals, and all predatory animals share the motivation to chase fleeing objects.  While this may be a natural instinct, it is not appropriate when those fleeing objects are joggers, bicyclists or the Postman.

Training the dog not to chase people and bicycles is an important thing to do and it is best to start that training as early as possible.  Starting when the dog is still small and non-threatening is important, particularly with breeds that grow very large, or with breeds that have a reputation for being very aggressive.  Many people respond to being chased by a dog, especially a large dog, with understandable fear and it is best for yourself and your dog that he be trained not to chase before he reaches a threatening size.

Some dogs are easier to train away from chasing than others.  Breeds that have been used for hunting or herding often retain much more of their chasing instincts than other types of dogs, for instance.

No matter what breed of dog you are working with, however, it is important to not allow him off the lead until his chasing behavior has been curbed.  Allowing an untrained dog off the lead is dangerous, irresponsible and illegal.

Before you expose your dog to a situation where he will want to chase someone or something, be sure to train him in a safe, controlled area like a fenced in garden.  It is important for the dog to be able to focus and concentrate on you and for him to understand what behaviour you want.  The dog must be given the opportunity to repeatedly perform the behaviour you want while in this controlled setting.

The training session should be started indoors in the dog’s home.  The dog should be put on a lead and the owner and the dog should stand at one end of a hallway or a room.  The owner then waves a tennis ball in front of the dog but does not allow him to touch it.  After that, the tennis ball is rolled to the other end of the hallway or the room, and the command “Off” is used to tell the dog not to chase the ball.  If the dog starts out after the ball, use the command “Off” once again and give a firm tug on the lead.

When doing this type of training, it is vital that the dog not be allowed to touch the ball.  If he actually reaches the ball, he may think that “Off” means to get the ball.  This exercise should be repeated several times, until the dog has learned the meaning of the “Off” command.  When the dog responds correctly by not chasing the ball, he should be rewarded with a special treat.

After the dog seems to understand his new game, move to another room and try the same thing.  Repeat the exercise in several rooms of the house, in the garage, etc.  After the dog has seemingly mastered the game and learned the meaning of the “Off” command, you can work with him without the lead, but still only in a safe area like your own home or a fenced in garden.  It may take some time for the dog to fully master control of his chasing instinct and it is important not to rush the process, or to leave the dog off leash until you are sure he is fully trained.

To test the training in the real world, enlist the assistance of a friend to pose as a jogger.  It is important that the dog does not see and recognize this person; he has to assume that it is a stranger in order for the test to be valid.  Stand with the dog on his lead and have your friend jog by a couple of times while you do the “Off” exercise.  If the dog does as he is asked, be sure to provide lots of praise and treats.  If he starts after the “jogger”, give a firm reminder by tugging on the leash.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Dog training – keeping your dog motivated

Keeping the attention of a dog while training is not always easy.  Dogs can be easily distracted, and it is important to not allow the training sessions to be sabotaged by boredom. Making training fun for the dog and the human alike is vital to creating a happy, well adjusted and well trained dog.

Providing random positive stimuli during the day is a great way to keep the interest of the dog.  Doing things the dog enjoys, like walking in the park, riding in the car and playing with other dogs, is a great way to keep the dog’s attention and reward him for small successes. 

For instance, in order to reward the dog for coming to you, ask the dog to come to you, without giving any clues about a walk, a car ride, or other treats.  After the dog has come to you and obediently sat down, attach the lead and start the reward.  This can be either the aforementioned walk in the park, ride in the car, or anything else the dog likes to do. 

Providing some kind of reward, whether a treat, a special outing, or just a scratch behind the ears, every time the dog does something you want, is a great way to keep your dog motivated.  If the dog knows something great is going to happen every time he obeys your command, he will be motivated to please you every time.

Distraction training

When training any dog, it is important to not let distractions disrupt the training.  The dog must be taught to ignore distractions, such as other people, other dogs, other animals and loud noises, and focus on what is being taught.  These types of distractions can even be used as rewards when training the dog to come when called.

For instance, if your dog enjoys playing with other dogs whether in a local dog park or with the neighbour’s dogs, let him play freely with those other dogs.  Then go into the park or garden and call your dog.  When he comes to you, provide lots of praise, treats and other rewards, then immediately allow the dog to go back to playing with his friends.  Repeat this several times and praise the dog each time he comes to you.  The dog will quickly learn that coming to you means good things (treats and praise) and not bad ones (being taken away from the park).

If the dog does not master this particular type of training right away, try not to get discouraged.  So called distraction training is one of the most difficult things to teach.  Dogs are naturally social animals, and breaking away from the pack is one of the most difficult things you can ask your dog to do.  Most dogs will be understandably reluctant to leave their canine companions, but it is important to persist.

Training the dog to come to you may require some creativity on your part at first.  For instance, waving a favorite toy, or a lure, is a great way to get your dog’s attention and put the focus back on you.  If your dog has been clicker trained, a quick click can be a good motivator as well.

Once the dog begins to get the hang of coming when called, you can begin to reduce and eliminate the visual cues and focus on getting the dog to respond to your voice alone.  It is important that the dog respond to voice commands alone, since you will not always have the availability of a toy or other lure.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Training your puppy – eliminating biting behaviors

Bringing home a new puppy is always an exciting time.  Introducing the new puppy to the family should be fun for both yourself and your puppy.  One of the first challenges, however, to the excitement of the new puppy, is curbing inappropriate puppy behaviors.

Preventing biting and mouthing

Biting and mouthing is a common activity for many young puppies and dogs.  Puppies naturally bite and mouth each other when playing with siblings and they extend this behavior to their human companions.  While other puppies have thick skin, however, humans do not, so it is important to teach your puppy what is appropriate and what is not, when it comes to using those sharp teeth.

The first part of training the puppy is to inhibit the biting reflex.  Biting might be cute and harmless with a 5 pound puppy, but it is neither cute nor harmless when that dog has grown to adulthood.  Therefore, puppies should be taught to control their bit before they reach the age of four months.  Puppies normally learn to inhibit their bite from their mothers and their littermates, but since they are taken away from their mothers so young, many never learn this important lesson.  It is therefore up to the humans in the puppy’s life to teach this lesson.

One great way to inhibit the biting reflex is to allow the puppy to play and socialize with other puppies and socialized older dogs.  Puppies love to tumble, roll and play with each other and when puppies play they bite each other constantly.  This is the best way for puppies to learn to control themselves when they bite.  If one puppy becomes too rough when playing, the rest of the group will punish him for that inappropriate behavior. Through this type of socialization, the puppy will learn to control his biting reflex.

Proper socialization has other benefits as well, including teaching the dog to not be fearful of other dogs and to work off their excess energy.  Puppies that are allowed to play with other puppies learn important socialization skills generally learn to become better members of their human family.  Puppies that get less socialization can be more destructive, more hyperactive and exhibit other problem behaviors.

In addition, lack of socialization in puppies often causes fearful and aggressive behaviors to develop.  Dogs often react aggressively to new situations, especially if they are not properly socialized.  In order for a dog to become a member of the community as well as the household, it should be socialized to other people, especially children.  Dogs make a distinction between their owners and other people and between children and adults.  It is important, therefore, to introduce the puppy to both children and adults.

The best time to socialize a puppy to young children is when it is still very young, generally when it is four months old or younger.  One reason for this is that mothers of young children may be understandably reluctant to allow their children to approach large dogs or older puppies.  This is especially true with large breed dogs, or with breeds of dogs that have a reputation for aggressive behavior.

Using trust to prevent biting

Teaching your puppy to trust and respect you is a very effective way to prevent biting.  Gaining the trust and respect of your dog is the basis for all dog training and for correcting problem behaviors.

It is important to never hit or slap the puppy, either during training or any other time.  Physical punishment is the surest way to erode the trust and respect that must form the basis of an effective training program.  Reprimanding a dog will not stop him from biting – it will simply scare and confuse him.

Training a puppy not to bite is a vital part of any puppy training program.  Biting behaviors that are not corrected will only get worse and what seemed like harmless behavior in a puppy can quickly escalate to dangerous, destructive behavior in an adult dog.