Category: Dog Training Tips

Fear of training or training by fear?

Like it or not we are animals. Buried deep down in our core, there are hardwired behaviors in place to ensure that we survive as a Kingdom and a Species. These behaviors may express themselves differently as you make your way up the taxonomic tree, but even as you reach the top (or most general) level of the scale and arrive at Life itself, the root of these behaviors exists and percolates all the way down the tree.

While it may be speculation to say the all living things experience fear in one way or another, I don’t think that I would get much argument to say that all animals experience it in their own way. Many animals (including humans) have come to recognize fear across species and in turn rely on another seemingly innate behavior to control their environment, intimidation.

Animals use intimidation to gain access to resources and also to resolve conflict without actually having to engage in risky behaviors like fighting. But as humans we are unique in that our reasoning ability allows us to use fear in much more manipulative ways than others in the animal kingdom.

I would venture to say that most of you have at one time in your life experienced intimidation as both intimidator and intimidated. As humans we realize both the power of it and the potential for abuse. But when it comes to training our dogs we seem to forget that intimidation for all its forms is not the same as teaching.

I would be lying if I told you that I have never used intimidation as a tool with any of the dogs I’ve ever owned. But the older I get and the more educated in the ways of behavior and training, the less and less I use it; and it is always a tool of last resort or a result of me losing my temper.

The crux of the matter is this, although intimidation can be effective at getting a dog to stop an unwanted behavior, it can be destructive to trust between you and your dog and furthermore it is not instructive; it teaches your dog nothing.

For instance although yelling at your dog for chewing on your Manolo Blahnnicks MAY get him to stop chewing (at least while you are in the room), it doesn’t teach him the most important thing, what things ARE acceptable to chew on. Surely you are not insisting that the dog give up chewing altogether (if you are then you should not have a dog in the first place)? 

Too often I see people yelling at their dogs for behaviors that to a dog are PERFECTLY normal and acceptable. And to make matters worse they don’t follow through with instruction as to what is acceptable.

Look we all get mad and slip up and use intimidation from time to time; after all we are animals. But as humans we need to take an active role in the training or our dogs so that intimidation is a slip up on our part, not our main method of communication.

Cheers,

Kevin, Jackie, Gavin, Annie, Tosha, Elbee

2 comments - Posted by Kevin Myers at 6:39 PM - Categories: Behavior | Dog Training Tips | Dogs | Dominance in Dogs | Fearful Dogs | Training

Getting Into The Training Zone

What is the zone?

To a batter in baseball, sometimes the ball seems as large as a basketball— to a Mason laying stone, every stone he reaches for is the right one— and to a trainer working with an animal, sometimes it feels like you both speak the same language. Although originally a sports term, "being in the zone" is something that I think we have all experienced at one time or another. It is that place where everything seems to come effortlessly; a place where time is slowed, our thinking is crystal, and our actions are second nature.

The psychology of getting into the zone is a multimillion (if not billion) dollar industry and it reaches across all areas of endeavor. Sports psychologists are paid millions of dollars every year to help athletes attain this Zen like state. A quick search of "how do I get into the zone" on Google yields 317,000,000 hits for books, articles, websites, psychologists, videos, and other resources about the subject. I definitely think it is a worthwhile subject of study for us as trainers, and I'd like to share some practical things that we can do as dog trainers to help us attain this state more often.

Have a plan for the unplanned.

The best trainers know that although we often have plan for "formal" training sessions, having a plan for our impromptu sessions is also key. In reality a training "event" can last only a few seconds, knowing exactly what you are going to do when your dog jumps on you, prevents reaction on your part. Instead you will start to notice the subtle cues that precede your dog jumping up and will be able to act as if you knew it was coming (because you did).

Avoid being hyper focused on the dog.

I know this sounds like a contradiction but hear me out. Sometimes we get so locked into the dog, analyzing their body language and actions, that we forget that they are reacting to us. Be aware of your own body language and movement— remember that even the slightest change in our body posture or gestures can be a huge difference to an animal that discerns tiny movements for a living.

Hand in hand with being aware of our body language is being aware of our emotional state. While I don't agree with Cesar Milan that dogs sense energy vibrations; I do believe that they can see tension in our bodies and that they can smell changes in our body odor given off by the chemicals produced by emotions. We all feel tense, angry, and frustrated at times and avoiding training during those times will lead to more times in the zone.

Visualize your weak points as well as your good.

Many people think that visualizing anything negative is counter-productive but I strongly disagree. I have always been a person that is quick to anger. It is something that I work on constantly as I try and develop new habits to replace my old ones, but it is not something I will accomplish overnight. I have found that by visualizing unwanted responses as well as wanted responses, I am better able to deal with them; and by having more positive outcomes with these frustrating situations, both dog and trainer become reinforced and begin to trust in each other as partners.

Above all, realize that the zone is not reached by chance.

Being in the zone is not something that happens by accident, it is the result of being prepared both physically and mentally for the challenges you face when training. Through thoughtful and deliberate preparation on our part, the training zone will be reached more and more often and both we and our dogs will be the better for it.

We would love to hear your stories of training success. Tell us how you prepare to get into the training zone.

Cheers

Kevin, Jackie, Gavin, Annie, Tosha, Elbee 

5 comments - Posted by Kevin Myers at 12:52 PM - Categories: Behavior | Dog Training Tips | Dogs | Training

Training Tips: Why Won't My Dog Come When Called?

This past week I read an excellent article on Karen Pryor's web site, http://www.clickertraining.com. The article was written by Rebecca Lynch and was entitled Poisoned Cues: The Case of the Stubborn Dog. It reminds us to first look at factors other than a dog being stubborn, when a behavior breaks down. With Spring in the air and warmer weather upon us, we will need to use the cue/command perhaps most often poisoned by us as owners— getting our dogs to come when called.

What's in it for me?
Dogs are always looking at things from the perspective of "what's in it for me?", and for many dogs the answer to that question is "nothing good" when it comes to responding to recall. Sure they get called (mostly at the same times everyday) for good things like food, walks, or perhaps a game of ball. But for many dogs, responding to recalls are more likely to make good things end instead of happen. If you were to keep a list of pro's and con's (from your dog's point of view) for responding to "Lassie come", chances are your list would look something like this:

Pros:

• Got food (but many times this has the additional cues of time and words like dinner or food or eat)
• Went for a walk (again cues of time and words like walk and presence of leash or walking shoes)
• Got a treat (again many times your voice has changed in pitch and has become a predictor of a treat coming)

Cons:

• Got my nails trimmed
• Got a bath
• Got patted on the head (yes some dogs put up with this but many do not like it)
• Got toweled off
• Went to the vets
• Had to stop chasing
• Had to stop smelling
• Had to stop playing
• Had to come inside
• Had to get up from comfortable spot
• Got scolded
• Had to stop sniffing other dogs butt
• Had to stop eating grass

It doesn't take an advanced degree in mathematics to get the point , coming when called has simply come to mean an end to fun and interesting activity— and the dog gets nothing good in return.

What needs to change?
To get our recall back we simply need to change our dogs perception of what is likely to happen when they do respond to recall. By combining treats with real life rewards we can set up a win/win situation for both us and our dogs and strengthen the recall response.

What are some ways I can build a good recall in my dog?
For instance setup a doggie play date with a friend in a controlled area. Let your dog know that you have treats (high value ones to start) and go out for the play date. When your chances for success are high (before your dog becomes too distracted, or after he is no longer so distracted) call you dog to come. If your dog comes treat them with the high value treat and your best good dog voice; and then let the dog go right back to playing (the real life reward). Do this several times over the first session, each time make sure that your dog is not so into his play session that he has no chance of responding when you call. End the session on a cheerful note when the dogs are played out and reward the same for coming to you when you end the session as the first time he responded to your call. In addition any time your dog takes a break in the play session and comes over to check in on their own, a reward is called for. Over time, as the recall becomes stronger, you can fade the food rewards but you want to make sure that you always keep the real life rewards so that the dog feels at least that they have a chance of a good outcome when they come when called.

There are dozens of everyday situations that can be setup to take advantage of training like I just described. By planning training situations like this and stacking the odds in our (and the dog's) favor, we build up the recall with each success. By changing the ratio of good things vs. bad things in favor of the good, your dog will start to become more responsive to recall and thus better your chances of getting a recall when the safety of your dog and others depend on it.

Cheers

Kevin, Jackie, Gavin, Annie, Tosha, Elbee

7 comments - Posted by Kevin Myers at 5:57 PM - Categories: Behavior | Dog Safety | Dog Training Tips | Dogs | Play | Training | Treats

Training Tips: Messy Pockets – Capturing Good Behavior In Dogs

Questions answered in this article:

• Why are the pockets of some trainers so messy?

• What are some good habits of effective dog trainers?

• What does it mean to “capture” a behavior?

• What are the tools/skills that I need in order to capture a behavior?

• Why is capturing a behavior so powerful?

• What are some behaviors that can be captured?

• Is capturing the same as bribing?

• Where can I learn more about dog training?

Messy Pockets = Tidy Behaviors
If you were to go through the various pant, jacket, shirt, and other assorted pockets of the average positive reinforcement trainer, chances are you would come away with a very messy hand. It’s all there; from kibble to carrots, cheese cubes to carob chips, liver snaps to hot dog slivers. So what’s with the untidy mess? Are trainers just a bunch of slobs or is there a method to their madness?

Good Trainers Seize The Moment
One thing that good trainers know is that opportunities to train & reinforce good behavior present themselves all the time– but if you’re unprepared to take advantage of them, they don’t do you or your dog any good.

For instance one of the many problem behaviors that people complain about is that their dog is not paying attention to them when they go for a walk. But how many times do they “pay” their dog for attention? One of the easiest ways to get your dog to “check in” when out for a walk is to pay for it. If you have a pocket full of treats, and are paying attention yourself, then you can pay your dog for their attention. This works really well and is so simple to do. Any time you notice your dog checking in with you mark the behavior with a sound (a click or simple yes) this lets the dog know that what they just did earned a reward, then treat them and let the walk resume. Your dog will quickly learn that even though there are many fun things to do out on a walk, checking in with you is worthwhile too.

Dog Behavior Captured – Film At Eleven
This kind of training is called “capturing” and it is a very powerful weapon in the trainer’s arsenal. Capturing simply means that the dog offered a behavior all by itself with no prompting, coercion, or pressure by the trainer. The tools needed to capture a behavior are simple and portable. You provide the treats to pay for the behavior, the attention to observe the behavior, the sound & timing to mark and reward the behavior when it is offered. Capturing can be used to teach tons of useful behaviors, some behaviors you might capture include:

• Sitting

• Laying down

• Sitting to greet

• Sitting to eat

• Barking ceased

• Any behavior that you want your dog to repeat in a given situation

Capturing is Stress Free
One of the reasons that capturing is so powerful is that for the most part, it is a totally stress free way of training. The dog is figuring out on its own that a certain behavior in a certain situation seems to pay off handsomely for them. I’m sure everyone reading this article has had light bulb moment where they have learned something in this manner. Although I can only speculate how the dog feels about it, I know in us humans it’s a great feeling. On the other hand, have you ever been taught something where the instructor had to physically place or coax you in the correct position? Hitting a baseball, leaning to dance, yoga positions? Even though you know the instructor is doing this for your benefit, there still may be a bit of uneasiness and awkwardness about the situation. I can imagine that our dogs feel something akin to this when the pressure is on to learn.

Capturing Is Not Bribing
Many opponents of treat based training feel that treats are a bribe. This is just not the case in capturing. For a treat to be a bribe, it must be given before the behavior is offered. In this case, it’s the exact opposite. The dog is rewarded (or paid if you will) only after you’ve been presented with a behavior your looking for.

And finally, the simple fact that the dog is learns that by interacting with you it’s able to change its environment for the better. And frankly isn’t that what it’s all about?

Where Can I Learn More About Training?
This list of books can help you on your way to establishing good training practices for both you and your dog:

• The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson - If dogs are ever required to come with an owners manual, this book should be it.

• The Other End Of The Leash by Patricia McConnell - Excellent book on the differences in communication between humans and dogs.

• Don't Shoot The Dog! by Karen Pryor - Great book on behavioral training.

• How to Teach o New Dog Old Tricks by Dr. Ian Dunbar - Dr. Dunbar is the founder of Association of Pet Dog Trainers, a veterinarian, animal behaviorist, and one of the premiere authors on the subject of dog training.

• Play Together, Stay Together - by Karen London & Patricia McConnell - Happy and Healthy Play Between People and Dogs

• The Dog Whisperer by Paul Owens - No this is not Cesar Milan. A Compassionate, Nonviolent Approach to Dog Training

• Dog-Friendly Dog Training by Andrea Arden - Humane, user-friendly and dog-friendly training methods.

• The Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller - Use reward to obtain and reinforce the behavior you want.

• How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves by Dr. Sophia Yin - Another good book on getting humans to see things from the dogs point of view.

• On Talking Terms With Dogs - Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas - This is not a book on training but on canine body language.

• How To Be The Leader of The Pack by Patricia McConnell - Booklet on providing love without spoiling, and setting rules without trying to intimidate.

• Clicker Training For Dogs by Karen Pryor - Introduction to clicker training -- positive reinforcement based on operant conditioning.

As always we welcome your comments and suggestions about this article. Let's learn from each other.

Cheers

Kevin, Jackie, Gavin, Annie, Tosha, Elbee

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5 comments - Posted by Kevin Myers at 8:00 PM - Categories: Dog Training Tips | Dogs | Training