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Learn about the day to day life of a successful private dog trainer in Chicago, IL. Gain insight into the challenges of being a trainer as well as tips to help you with your dog.
January 2008 - Posts
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 Did you know it is better to practice short training sessions and stop when your dog still wants more? This strategy will keep training interesting and you will avoid over training. I have always known this, but this was reinforced even more when I did sheep herding with my dogs three summers ago. I am always trying to add more skills to my training repetoire, and thought my two Collies and Shetland Sheepdog would enjoy the experience. My wife Cassy and I got up at 5am to avoid the traffic and drove 90 minutes to our weekly training sessions at the sheep herding farm.
I am glad the trainer, Shannon Wolfe, (I love that name!) informed me ahead of time that sessions could last anywhere from 15-60 minutes, or else I would have been surprised. The first time each session with my dogs lasted about 20 minutes before Shannon cut us off. "That's enough!" What? I was told that it is critical that the dogs WANT to work. If you get them to a point where they are either tired or bored, it is counter productive. You want each dog to be able to work for long  periods of time and if you over burden them at the beginning it can make it harder to motivate them later on. This was evident as each week my dogs got more and more excited as we drove up the long driveway to the farm. Their energy remained at a high level throughout the entire sessions as Shannon allowed us to work longer each week. You can use a similar strategy when you are working with your dog. It is important to do really short sessions throughout the day, and use "Life Rewards" see my post about Using Too Many Treats for suggestions on Life Rewards. The overall strategy is to keep your dog interested. You want your dog to be SO excited that you ask him to do something that he hears you say, "Down", for instance, and he does it quickly because it means that "the game has started". On the other hand, an overtrained dog might say, "Come here? Again, are you kidding me? I am tired!" Have the mindset that your dog is so lucky to be training and make it into a game. Use toys, treats, petting and belly rubs as rewards. Make it FUN! "Sit Oh, good boy! Come over here . . . .Nice! Down! . . .. Great job! (Treat) "Ready? Want to play some more? Down, Stay . . . . Good . . . Good. . .OK (Treat)." "We are done, thank you." Then, take a short break and call your dog: "Come!" As you do more practice, your dog will anticipate all of the fun during training and will be so excited to do more work! One of the major benefits of this strategy of doing really short sessions is that your dog will be "on the clock" anticipating when you will call him again. This is more like a working dog lifestyle and he will be more tired and content then a dog that is trained for 15 minutes in one stretch and then is bored the rest of the day and left to entertain himself. One really smart strategy is to use a "jackpot" at the end of the training session when your dog does something spectacular (faster sit, faster come when called, more downs in a row without a treat, a long stay next to a bouncing tennis ball, etc.) and give a long-lasting reward such as a mac and cheese stuffed frozen Kong! Yummy and long-lasting. How do you keep your dog interested? Share your experiences with the community! Now I want to hear what you have to say. It is so much more fun if you take part in the conversation. If you are not a member, all you need to do is Join.
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 This is always a concern with dog guardians. Over-treating can lead to an overweight dog or intestinal difficulties if your dog is especially sensitive. Here are some tips to get your worries under control and avoid over-treating your pooch.
Calorie Bowl
This is a term that I coined in my dog training videos. This is a strategy that you can implement instantly and use daily. - Portion out your dog's daily food intake into a bowl. For instance, let's assume your dog gets two cups of dry food per day.
- Instead of the full two cups, put 1.5 cups of food into the bowl and .5 cups of high quality treats (see Treat Suggestions below)
- Throughout the day, grab handfuls of the contents of the Calorie Bowl and do short training sessions with your dog, or put portions of the food into Kongs or other stuffable toys
- At the end of the day, if there is any food left, put the rest into your dog's bowl
Use "Life Rewards"
Now that you are using the Calorie Bowl, you can also incorporate "Life Rewards" into your routine. Life rewards consist of using a variety of rewards throughout the day that you would provide for your dog anyway. If you shift your thinking a bit, you can do quick training sessions before all good things and your dog will benefit from more training. Here are some suggestions for using Life Rewards with your dog. Don't forget a mentally stimulated dog is a happy dog! - Toys. If your dog loves toys, put them away until you are doing training sessions. If you keep them out all the time, your dog can quickly become bored with them and then they are less interesting and rewarding.
- A game of tug. Dogs that love to play tug can be rewarded with this activity. Do a quick training session, play a game of tug, ask for a "drop", do more training and then reward with another quick game of tug. Put the toy away when you are done so it is interesting the next time you use it as a reward.
- Walk. Do a quick training session before you take your pooch for a walk.
- Chew Toys. Giving your dog an occasional chew toy? Do a 5-minute session before he gets his chewtoy.
- Frisbee. If your dog loves to play Frisbee or chase a tennis ball or other toy, do training while you are playing. Suggestions include Drop, Sit, Down, Stay, Come, and Stop. Ask for more behaviors each time you throw the toy.
- Running. Dogs love movement. While you are walking your dog, reward him with running or other fast movements when he performs behaviors that you ask for. For example, walk a bit, ask for a Sit, say, "Yes" and then run a bit, ask for a Stop and gently put the brakes on. Say, "Easy" walk slowly while you give praise, "Good, good, good" and then run a bit more. See my Intermediate Leash Walking Video for step-by-step instructions.
Treat Suggestions
When you are using treats, you should only use high-quality treats. "Treat" does not mean junk food. Avoid food coloring, sugar and by-products. I use mainly meat-based treats and other high-quality food items and use very small treats. As long as your dog's system can handle the food item, you can be very creative with your food offerings. If you are not sure if your dog can handle something, give a small quantity for a few days in a row with no other changes in his diet and monitor his ability to digest the new treat. Sometimes it can take awhile for a dog to get used to something, so be patient. Also, read my post about dog safety that contains information about dangerous foods. Premium treats may seem more expensive, but usually if you calculate the cost they can be similar in price to the unhealthy well-advertised treats with the cute names and shapes that make them look like bacon, sausages or other meat products. Use small pieces of the high-quality treats and they will last a long time. 
You can use a variety of food items including dried liver, pasta, cheese (not every dog can process dairy), sweet potato treats, steamed chicken, dried chicken, venison jerkey, duck meat, lunchmeat (watch the salt), oyster crackers, peanut butter, etc.
As mentioned above, stuffing Kongs can be a wonderful way of making food and treats last longer and provide more mental stimulation. My new favorite Kong stuffing recipe: - Pasta
- Cheese
- Dried chicken
- Melt cheese in microwave
- Put in freezer overnight
 Last night it took my dogs 2 hours to work their way through their frozen Kongs and then they were exhausted! Do not make the Kong too difficult for a new dog or he will get frustrated and ignore it, no matter the quality of the stuffing. Allow food to fall out easily at the beginning until he is really motivated to interact with the Kong. Just remember, dogs need mental stimulation. If you only provide physical exercise, your dog can still be bored and possibly destructive. Need training ideas? Ask questions in my Forums. Tell the community what your favorite Kong stuffing recipe is. We would love to hear it. Join.
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 You can listen to any of the archived shows. If you select more than one show, make sure you pause the previous show or they will both play at the same time. Enjoy!
Here is a convenient list for you: How to Deal with Distractions - Originally broadcast 01.24.08
Show Description
"My dog doesn't listen around
distractions!" This is the one consistent comment that my clients say
before they hire me. Listen in to learn
strategies to teach your dog to pay attention to you no matter where
you are.
Dog to Dog Aggression Strategies - Originally broadcast 01.17.08
Show Description
Does your dog growl or bark at other
dogs? Is your dream to take your dog to a dog park but have no idea how
to start? Is your dog terrible on the leash and great off-leash? Do you
feel helpless at the dog park if your sweet dog gets attacked? Listen
to a professional dog trainer give advice on all the above.
Dogs and Babies Do Mix - Originally broadcast 01.10.08
Show Description
Getting ready for the big day of
bringing home a baby and not sure how your dog will react? Listen to
Jeff Millman of Watch and Train.com to learn how to help your dog and
your new baby coexist peacefully.
No Barking. Please be Quiet! Quiet! - Originally broadcast 01.03.08
Show Description
Getting ready for the big day of
bringing home a baby and not sure how your dog will react? Listen to
Jeff Millman of Watch and Train.com to learn how to help your dog and
your new baby coexist peacefully.
Dog Training Resolutions - Originally broadcast 12.28.07
Show Description
Want training ideas for the New Year?
Listen to one of the best positive reinforcement dog trainers for tips
to make 2008 a great dog training year.
Holiday Dog Training Tips - Originally broadcast 12.20.07
Show Description
Want your dog to be well behaved when
you have guests over for the holidays? Listen in to find out
some tips for holiday peace for all.
If you ever want to listen to my most recent show or see what is
scheduled next, just visit the the main page of my site: Watch and
Train Still have questions about any of the topics? Ask in the Forums.
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 Want a fun training activity that you can practice inside and outside?
Teach "Go Find Someone". The long-term goal is to ask your dog to find a family member by name and then your dog runs off and finds that person! If you are really savvy, you can combine it with a "Hold" and have your dog be the family messenger. Write a quick note to your son, 'Dinner in 5 minutes', give it to your dog and then say, "Go find Josh". Your dog will bring the note to Josh! How cool! The Basics
You need to understand the basics of teaching Come When Called. Not sure how to teach that? Don't worry, here are some steps to improve your dog's ability in that area. Your dog does not need to be perfect in this area before you start this, but you do need to pay attention to some simple rules. Here are some resources to learn about teaching Come When Called: Next Steps
Now that you know the basics, you start working on the "Find" behavior. Besides being enjoyable for dogs to do activities, this is also another way to provide mental stimulation for your dog. As always, I want you to focus on keeping your dog engaged and interested for short training sessions. Do not get frustrated if it seems like it takes a while for your dog to learn this behavior. With all behaviors, the speed of learning depends on how much time you spend, good you are as a trainer, how much training you have done with your dog in the past -- does your dog know how to learn?, and how many distractions there are. Just practice a few minutes a day and you will do great. - You should start with two people, in this case, Josh and Susan
- Stand 5 feet away from each other
- Make sure your dog is wearing a 6 foot leash
- Have Josh hold the leash
- Ask your dog, "Find Josh"
- Both of the people should pause for a moment - no noises or body movements
- Have Josh call your dog
- If your dog doesn't immediately go to Josh, Josh should gently pull the leash and pull your dog to him and reward him - DO NOT repeat either cue ("Find Josh", or "Come")
- Josh should then say, "Find Susan"
- Susan should repeat the exercise starting at step #4
- After your dog is easily going between this distance, drop the leash and stand farther apart
- Make sure each person only says the cue ONE time and then helps your dog come to the person
- Once you are out of sight doing the exercise, after calling the dog, each person can tap the ground or come into view and run away so your dog chases
- The entire goal is for your dog to understand that once he hears a specific name, it benefits him to go find that person
Troubleshooting - Only say the cue one time and then help
- Use really great rewards including your dog's favorite toy (do a quick game of tug as a reward), treats and excitement
- Don't reward your dog unless you give him a cue to go find someone. If he just "cruises around" finding all the people in the house that is ok, but you want him to be motivated to do the behavior on cue.
- Use a long leash for a helper once you move out of sight, if needed
- Have fun. Don't expect this to happen in one session. Think of it as a game for your dog that will help alleviate boredom.
Service Dog Strategies
Did you know this is one way to teach a service dog to help a person that can't hear the doorbell? To teach a dog to alert a person that the doorbell rang all you would have to do is do training sessions where someone rings the doorbell, and then someone calls their dog. If the dog has a tendency to charge the door, it is a good idea to desensitize the dog to the doorbell first so then he can actually make a decision, and not instinctively rush the doorbell. Now I want to hear what you have to say. It is so much more fun if you take part in the conversation. If you are not a member, all you need to do is Join.
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 Every dog gets distracted by something. Beagles are often called "noses with tails" because their sense of smell is so amazing that they can completely lose touch with everything and follow their noses outside. Springer Spaniels can be so obsessed with birds or other animals that they completely shut down outside. My Collies and Shetland Sheepdog are very focused on movement because of their natural desire to herd.
Ever wonder how to train your dog around distractions? Do you think it is impossible to get your dog to listen to you around other dogs, noises or movement?
Listen to my radio show about Dog Training - How to Deal With Distractions on Thursday, January, 24th at noon CST and call in with questions. I will talk about eye contact exercises, training around distractions and behaviors that I think all dogs should know to counteract distractions, and more! Don't miss this informative show! Miss the show? Listen to this show or any other archived show, at my main radio page. Happy Listening and Training!
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 I always stress the importance of consistency and want to make sure you know what that means, and why it is so important.
Animals Learn Patterns
Dogs, people, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, zebras – it doesn’t matter which animal you are taking about, learning is achieved through identifying patterns – and most importantly, the significance of the pattern. Predators in the wild pay attention to the pattern of their prey. The animals that are lower in the food chain pay attention to the pattern of the predators. All animals that survive are finely-tuned to danger and opportunities in their world.
Note: there are many types of learning including classical, operant, social facilitation, local enhancement, observational learning and verbal learning. In this post I am focusing on the importance of consistency, no matter which form of learning you are using to teach. You Are an Animal Too
Think of a situation when you learned something new. It could have been as far back as learning the alphabet or maybe you always wanted to learn to play the guitar and recently started taking lessons. Think of the learning process for you. No matter which way you learn best, there is repetition involved for each component of the learning process. When learning a musical instrument, you have to not only learn how to play chords, but you have to learn how to read a music chart, the rhythm of the song, the words and the timing. Did you pick up the guitar one time and learn the song? If you took a group class were there students that had difficulty with an aspect of a song that came more naturally to you?
If you had a good teacher, he or she broke down the song into bite-size components that you could grasp. You then probably practiced each element until you felt comfortable performing those elements together. Dogs Pay Attention to Patterns All the Time
Now back to dog training. Dogs learn in a similar way. They learn individual elements of a pattern and then put those elements together. If their learned behavior has the potential for a reward, they are motivated to act in a certain way to increase their chances of receiving that reward. If we are talking about a wild animal, the environment cues them to do something, in your case, you provide cues to your dog.
Dogs pay attention to patterns all the time. Some patterns can be counter-productive. Dogs that develop Separation Anxiety pay attention the “pre-departure cues” that their person exhibits before leaving the house. Often people have a different pattern on their days off, so dogs eventually figure out the “work” pattern that results in the dog being alone for a period of time. If they are anxious when alone, they see the pattern developing and get anxious before the person is even out of the house. Watch your dog in the morning and see if they react when you grab your car keys, put down your coffee mug, or put your coat on. How To Be a Better Dog Trainer
So, now that you know that dogs pay attention to patterns, you can use that knowledge to become a better trainer. If you are inconsistent in your patterns when teaching, your dog can get terribly confused. Tips to be more consistent:
- Say cues one time. If you repeat cues and say it one time one day, and three times the next, you are not consistent. If your dog repeatedly doesn’t do the cue on the first time, use hand signals or move your dog to a less distracting environment and continue working.
- Make sure every one in the family is on the same page with all of the “house rules”. If you don’t want your dog to jump on people, make sure he NEVER gets rewarded for jumping. If you have to keep him on leash and gently move him away from people that pet him, then do that. Dogs often get blamed for being “stubborn” or “willful” or “alpha” (please!) because they are not behaving properly. When, in fact, each family member rewards different behaviors. What is the right answer? Make consistent rules and stick to them.
- Watch extraneous movements or sounds when training. If you say “sit” and bend over your dog while saying that, what happens when you stand upright or are sitting in a chair? Your dog doesn’t just pay attention to the specific information that you want him too. He sees it all and tries to learn the patterns. If the pattern changes, he will be confused.
- Proof behaviors. This is an extension of the last point. After you establish an understanding of what the cue is by teaching it with a consistent pattern, then you can start “proofing behaviors” by changing your body position slightly, sit on the ground vs. standing, turn your back and ask for the cue, etc. If your dog needs help after seeing the new version of the cue, help him out by luring with a treat or using a signal that he already knows. What you are doing is helping your dog realize that the variations of the cue all mean the same as the original cue that you taught him.
- Realize that dogs do not generalize. If you teach “sit” in the kitchen and then move to the living room, your dog will probably not perform as well. This is a new location with new distractions. Go back to the basics and re-teach the behavior. Once you have trained your dog in numerous locations, the next success in a new location will occur faster.
- Pay attention to syntax. “Come here” is not the same as “Come”. Which one do you want your dog to learn? See my post about teaching Come.
- Teach, and ask for, specific cues. “Drop it” and “Leave it” are different. See my post about the importance of consistency and syntax.
- Don’t get frustrated. If you are using a good reward, whether it is going outside, chasing a tennis ball, a belly rub or a treat, your dog wants to do the behavior that will result in the reward. If you are having trouble with a behavior, make sure you are consistent with your request.
- Have someone watch you train. Don’t tell them what you are working on and see if they can identify what you are asking for. Have them look for extraneous movements and sounds.
- Practice. You are learning patterns as much as your dog. Train your dog for at least 15 minutes per day broken down into small 2-5 minute segments.
- Questions about training? Ask in the Forums.
Now I want to hear what you have to say. It is so much more fun if you take part in the conversation. If you are not a member, all you need to do is Join.
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 Ranger is 7 years old today. He is one of my Collies. I adopted him from Anti Cruelty in Chicago in 2001 when he was about 5 months old. He has been the most amazing dog, and recent events has made me appreciate him even more. I wrote a post last week about how tough it has been for a couple of my clients recently since they lost dogs to cancer at very young ages. It has made me realize how lucky my wife and I are to have been able to enjoy Ranger in our lives for such a long time. I have been fortunate to have met and worked with more than 2000 dogs in my dog training career so far. I am constantly amazed at the variety of personalities that dogs have. I am so lucky to have spent so much quality time with dogs, sometimes working with the same dogs for a period of years.
 But seeing dogs for an hour at a time is one thing, to live with a dog is another. I love all my dogs dearly, and do not pick favorites. They each have their own qualities that make them unique and wonderful. But, since I have had Ranger since he was a puppy, we have the longest history together. I had Ranger and Trooper before I was married, and Trooper, our other Collie, was adopted when he was two. Linus, our Sheltie, came into the family with my wife Cassy. He just turned four.
Ranger is a rare mix of confidence, intelligence, goofiness, playfulness and athleticism. When he was a puppy he was not happy until he received about 3 hours of exercise per day. I provided it for him. He used to sit on corners and whine until he saw another dog to play with him. He is one of the goofiest and most playful dogs I have ever been around. He can catch a frisbee like a Border Collie and cuddle like a lap dog. He learns things so quickly that I think he teaches me more than I teach him.  It wasn't always bliss, however. He had a major barking issue when he was a puppy. He barked in the crate, he barked out of the window, if he wasn't managed properly. I taught him to be alone, I taught him "quiet" and I managed him properly to avoid an escalation of behaviors. He used to be terrified of thunder and lightning after lightning struck a tree about 50 yards from where we were walking when he was a puppy. Through lots of desensitization work he has improved, but I still expect to be woken up occasionally during the night when storm season hits Chicago again. How does he wake me up? He puts a paw on my face until I wake up and sit with him in the bathroom while he is in the tub. I turn the bathroom fan on and he eventually falls asleep. He has a really sensitive stomach and it took over a year of waking up at 2 in the morning, 3 in the morning, 4 in the morning sometimes with bouts of sickness until I figured out what he can eat without difficulty.
 I think of all the time I invested in him; all the trips to the park, countless hours of grooming and toothbrushing and nighttime issues . . . and it is all worth it. How did I get through it? I invested the time and thankfully knew what I was doing to work through his issues. I sometimes feel that if he was in a different home, if I had gotten to the shelter 15 minutes later and wasn't the first one to meet him as soon as the doors opened, that he might have ended up with someone who couldn't handle him. He might have been labeled "difficult". He needed a lot, and still does. He definitely has a mind of his own, which I love, and he is hilarious. Someone else might have labeled him "willful". His barking problem might have been "corrected" with an abusive shock collar or choke collar and crushed his incredibly sensitive spirit.
I look into his wonderful, wise, brown eyes and am just so glad that he has curled up on the couch or on his bed in my house and woken up every day for the last 7 years. He gets funnier, more cuddly and more of a pleasure to be with all the time.  If you are having trouble with your dog. Whether it is a new puppy or older dog, don't give up hope. My goal in life is for everyone to truly understand how to form an incredible relationship with their dog. To understand the needs, abilities, and unbelievable potential that each dog has.
If you ever have questions, that is why I have created this site, for you, and for your dog. For all the "Rangers" out there that might be misunderstood, might be a little fearful, or need more exercise then what they are getting. It is our collective responsibility to try and understand what dogs need and provide it. Dogs are incredibly complex, wonderful animals and can provide so much joy and pleasure if people spend the time to get to know them and nurture their individual personalities. If there is anything I can do to help you find the joy in sharing your life with your dog, please ask. It does take time, but it is so worth it. Now I want to hear what you have to say. It is so much more fun if you take part in the conversation. If you are not a member, all you need to do is Join.
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 Barrier Frustration can occur if a dog is behind a window, fence, or on leash and is not allowed to interact with the environment. After a while, she may get frustrated and aggressive. One indicator of Barrier Frustration having a part in aggression is if a dog barks behind barriers and is calm around dogs when off-leash, but is very aggressive behind a barrier or on-leash. Dogs, of course, can also show aggression no matter how much they are being contained as well.
From my experience, Barrier Frustration is one of the major causes of on-leash aggression. Dogs can show aggression towards people or dogs or both. Whenever you see a dog barking uncontrollably behind a window or a fence, this is most likely the result of either improper socialization or barrier frustration, or both. What has happened over a period of time is that a dog gets extremely frustrated, (that is why it is called Barrier Frustration) and the appearance of the dog or person results in anxiety and eventually aggression. Other signs of Barrier Frustration are "fence tracks" that get formed by a dog running back and forth behind a fence.
When a puppy initially is in this situation, she might want to say “hello” to all the dogs passing by. But, a #$%%^ FENCE or WINDOW is blocking her way. Then you take her for a walk, and the leash prevents her from getting to what she wants. Ugh! Day after day of wanting to interact with no payoff continuously gets her more and more frustrated. Maybe she eventually gets taken to a dog park and she has so much pent up desire to play with dogs that she barrels into the first dog she sees. Then her person takes her home and says, “Well, I can’t take her to the dog park because she is aggressive” and then the situation gets worse because she never gets to interact with dogs. On walks her guardian crosses the street, she never goes to dog parks, her socialization skills deteriorate or never get formed correctly.
 Questions about socialization?
Make sure you also read my post on socialization strategies. Improper socialization or an unknown history of a newly-adopted older dog can contribute greatly to on-leash aggression as well. Dogs that do not feel confident about greetings, yet so WANT to greet often reach a point in the greeting process where the situation moves into unknown territory for them. Maybe the other dog is moving too quickly, there are too many dogs approaching, they are cornered next to a wall, etc. A more confident, well-socialized dog can handle more before becoming reactive, and can escalate her behaviors more slowly and remain under control. Socialization is key.
Does any of the above sound familiar? Want to avoid these scenarios? Here are some steps for you to follow.
As with all behaviors, if the behavior is allowed to go unchecked, it will feed on itself and escalate in intensity. Here are some strategies to counteract the frustration If your dog is barking, you have three options; either practice one of the two training strategies outlined below, or remove her from the location and manage her behind a baby gate or in another room. You can also block her view, if possible, by lowering blinds or using another physical barrier.
Three Treatment Options
If you have time for a training session, I recommend one of the following strategies.
- Desensitize her to the movement.
- Call her every time she barks. If the barking intensifies, switch to a management strategy.
- Manage her location. Management means you should move her to an area of the house or bring her inside away from the trigger that is causing her to bark.
 Desensitize a Dog to Stimuli
The key is to keep her stress level under control. If you are not able to work with her, manage her so she is not able to see outside of the house or run along your fence barking repeatedly. The key with desensitization is that your dog has to be comfortable the entire time. If a dog appears and she barks each time, then behaviorally her brain tells her that the current pattern consists of a) I see a dog and b) eventually I will bark. If you do not treat the anxiety, what can happen is that the anxiety can increase because she is getting anxious about the prediction of getting anxious. In other words, she knows that she will get anxious when the dog gets 30 feet away, for instance, so over time she will get anxious when the other dog is 40 feet away because repeated exposure has resulted in her anxiety, and now the dog is coming closer. 39 feet, 38 feet, 37 feet, . . . Oh no! Get away! Bark!
 In my private dog training business I usually get calls to hire me for this behavioral problem because of a specific event such as a dog “biting out of nowhere” or “my dog sniffed, paused and then attacked another dog”, or “she used to be fine with dogs but now she barks at them when they are a block away”. My first question is always to find out if their dog barks out of the window or behind fences. In hindsight, my client can usually identify a pattern of increased barking leading to the event that initiated their call for dog training help.
I want you to avoid having to spend money on training and I want you and your dog to be calmer and happier.
Desensitization Steps
- Have your dog on leash so you can gently move her away, if needed.
- Watch her head for signs of orientation towards movement outside the window or on the other side of the fence
- AS SOON as she sees movement outside, click and treat
- If she does not take the treat, move her farther away from the window and try again at the new distance
- Ask friends to walk back in front of the house, with and without dogs
- Eventually you will notice that she doesn’t tense up immediately. That is when you should start talking to her, “Good girl, you are doing great, there is a dog outside . . . . “ and then Click and Treat
- You are trying to get more duration of the event between marking the time with the clicker
- As always, each 'click' results in a treat
Questions about Clicker Training? Ask in the Forums section.Come When Called – Incompatible Behavior
You can teach an incompatible behavior such as Come When Called to counteract the escalation of Barrier Frustration. It is called an incompatible behavior because a dog can't do both behaviors. A dog can’t be anxiously barking out of the window if she is running towards you. So, you can ask her to “Come” every time she barks. What happens over time is that the appearance of the trigger outside, which used to cause barking, can cause your dog to predict that you will call her. This lessens the intensity of the barking, and with enough practice, can also teach your dog to come find you instead of barking. This is actually one way that service dogs are taught to help clients that are hard of hearing. A dog can be taught to find their person when the doorbell rings. Very helpful if you can’t hear the doorbell! Dog training is so much fun! Come When Called
- Each time your dog barks, call her to you and then reward
- Use a leash to gently pull her to you and reward -- you don't need to jerk your dog. You can also try tapping your leg or moving away
- You are NOT rewarding barking, you are rewarding the incompatible behavior, in this case she is coming to you
Troubleshooting
- Wait for “hot times” such as when people are walking their dogs after work and just get ready to work on either of the above exercises
- If your dog is barking more than 2 times and you don’t have time to work on one of the above exercises, prevent her from gaining access to the window
- Don’t get frustrated, it will work out
- Get your dog off of a choke chain or prong collar. I never like these, but when dealing with anxiety or aggression, they can make the problem worse. See my post about Choke Chains Can Increase Aggression.
You can find ways to teach Come When Called by reading my previous post, downloading a chapter of notes, or viewing my Come When Called video. If you are having barking or aggression issues, you can listen to my upcoming radio show on January 17th, or listen to the archived show about barking. Questions? Ask in the Forums section.
Now I want to hear what you have to say. It is so much more fun if you take part in the conversation. If you are not a member, all you need to do is Join.
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Is your dog aggressive, or do you want to learn what to do to help your new dog be comfortable around dogs as he gets older? You have two ways of addressing these questions. One: You can listen to my radio show titled "Dog to Dog Aggression Strategies" on Thursday, January 17th at 1pm CST and call in with questions. The call in number is (646) 378-1859 to call in live on the day of the show. And you can also listen here to this show or any of my archived shows directly on your computer.
 Two: you can ask your dog to listen and learn how to be calmer around dogs. But, take it from a professional, it is best if you both know how to do the exercises so you can work together.
You can always visit my community section at WatchandTrain.com to ask questions about this or any other dog training topic. Happy Training and Listening! Now I want to hear what you have to say. It is so much more fun if you take part in the conversation. If you are not a member, all you need to do is Join.
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 One of the more frequent issues with shy dogs is to be afraid of getting petted by strangers. When dogs are getting petted the person is close to them, they are looking at them, they are looming over them and then they touch them. These are all potential triggers for anxiety or aggression. If your dog is shy, you should help her get comfortable with people to avoid escalation of anxiety which could potentially lead to aggression.
Here are two exercises that you can use to help your dog love getting petted. There is no way to know how long it will take for your dog to gain confidence and overcome her fear. There is also a chance that she will never love petting. It depends on her background, socialization history and how often you do good training sessions. A good training session consists of keeping her comfortable and pairing the events with treats that she loves. If she is anxious or stops taking treats GO SLOWER.
Hand Shyness Exercise #1 - Move Closer Slowly
This should be practiced with you first and then with friends, both male and female.
- Put your dog in a location where you can work with her such as gently putting the leash over a doorknob. The key is that she is not running around, or distracted by toys.
- Start with your hand 5 feet away from her
- Hold your hand with your palm towards your dog
- As soon as she looks at your hand, Click and Treat
- Reset each time to the beginning distance, in this case 5 feet
- Now put your hand 4.5 feet away and Click and Treat
- Move slowly closer and Click and Treat each time
- If she flinches, or shows ANY hand shyness, move your hand away and go more slowly
- Move closer and eventually gently touch her and Click and Treat
- Then you can add different variations such as touching her for a longer period of time, touching and then gently holding her collar, etc.
- Bring treats or food with you on EVERY walk and do these exercises near people
- Eventually you can have other people do the exercise with you giving the treat
- If you can touch your dog, the new person might only be able to be 5 feet away from your dog. Pay attention to her anxiety and do allow the person to move their hand too close too quickly.
- Make sure for all the above steps you say, "Good girl" as you are moving your hand closer and then Click and Treat (or say "yes") at the new close point. As you do more practice the Click and Treat will come later in the process until you are able to pet your dog.
Important note: Don't expect to end up petting your dog the first session. It could take weeks or months for a dog to get comfortable with petting. You also will probably have to start over each time you introduce her to a new person until her overall comfort level increases. Go slow and be patient. Hand Shyness Exercise #2 - Touch Your Hand With Her Nose This is a way to teach her that a hand coming over her head is a good thing.
- Hold your hand vertically with your palm directly towards your dog’s face.
- As soon as she sniffs or licks your hand, Click and Treat
- Move it to a different location and continue, Clicking and Treating each time she licks or sniffs
- Start with your hand farther away and slowly move it closer saying “Good girl” as you do it and then continue as above. The key is to now get her accustomed to movement before the hand gets closer.
- Move it all over including over her head (slowly), coming up from below, from above, etc.
- Make sure you say, “Good girl as you move your hand closer. This will teach her that when she sees a hand coming towards her, she should anticipate something good.
Now I want to hear what you have to say. It is so much more fun if you take part in the conversation. If you are not a member, all you need to do is Join.
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If you are a savvy trainer, you can teach your dog to do behaviors on cue that are initiated by a change in the environment that happens naturally or that is part of your normal daily pattern. Unless you are working on a sophisticated trick, the reason to implement this strategy is to alleviate the need to ask your dog to a cue. You will instead "ask" your dog to do the cue with your body or something else that happens naturally. This strategy can be extremely helpful to you and your family and can also make your dog's life better by creating consistent expectations and house rules. Often this strategy comes into play to help a dog stay safe or to teach your dog to do something automatically that you routinely ask her to do. Examples of Environmental Cues Sit at curbs. Why ask your dog to sit at curbs every time. Wouldn't it be better if she sat every time you stopped walking? Lie down when you sit down to eat. If you have a dog that bugs you when you are eating at the dinner table, wouldn't it be great to teach her to lie down as soon as you sit down at the table? Sit when a guest approaches. What a slick way to avoid this annoying dog behavior. Do not run out of the gate when it is open. I have a client that has an amazing garden around the perimeter of his house. His gates open up to the street and he is often in and out of the gate working on his garden. I taught his dog to lie down before she crossed a certain point whether the gate was open or not. The only way she could cross a specific line was after she was given a cue by my client. This way, if he inadvertently left the gate open, she would not run out after him. Lie down when you put your baby on the changing table. It is
understandable that you want some space when you are changing diapers
and that your dog might also be a bit interested in what is going on. What a great way to avoid problems.
See the pattern? I call these Environmental Cues because changes in the environment cue a dog to something. Your are part of the environment. So, if taught correctly, your behavior can cause yoru dog to do something that you want her to do -- without even asking her! Cool! Since my radio show tomorrow is about pre-baby planning, I will detail the example about teaching a dog to lie down when a baby is placed on a changing table. You can adapt this to other strategies as well. Ask if you have questions. Teach the Environmental Cue - Lie Down When Baby Gets Placed on Changing Table
This is a fairly complex task, but it can be fun if you break it down into small chunks. With any behavior, don't worry about teaching the entire behavior in one session. It could take weeks or months before you can expect a reliable behavior. Speed of success depends on how much time you train, how good of a trainer you are, and how quickly your dog learns new behaviors. I recommend that you focus on being a good teacher each session. What this means is that you are completely focused on your dog. Turn off the phone, give your kids some coloring books and be a good teacher. It is not fair to your dog to expect great results if you are not putting in quality teaching time. Besides using this for diaper changing situations, this is a great exercise to counteract begging at the table, pestering you or your guests during social gatherings and when you are trying to get some work done. To expect this to work during “real life” moments such as cooking, you must practice a lot before you add those distractions. For baby situations, it is smart to identify a location in each room that you would like your dog to go to on occasion and work on each location separately. This a great way of pre-planning for times when you need a bit more space and need your dog to move away from the activity. Please note: C/T means to either say, "Yes" and give a treat or 'click' and give a treat. Want to learn more about clicker training? Ask in the Clicker Training forums section.
This is called a "chained behavior" and is a way to teach really complex tasks. This behavior has 4 links in the chain. When you say, "Go to bed" the links that your dog needs to understand are: - Find the bed
- Walk over to the bed
- Lie down
- Stay
I use Backwards Chaining to teach this, so I actually teach steps 3 and 4 first. The rationale is that if you teach the final two links (Lie down and Stay) then when you add distance, point to the bed and say, "Go to bed" the dog has had a lot of repetition with lie down and stay, so once she starts walking towards the bed the links start falling into place. Once she is near the bed, she naturally lies down and stays because she has done those behaviors numerous times and the muscle memory kicks in to complete the behavior.
Even though there are 4 links in the chain, each link can have multiple steps. For instance, one of the links is Lie Down, but I first teach paw on the bed, sit on the bed, and then lie down on the bed. The main aspect to keep in mind is that you are teaching your dog to interact with the bed and helping her with each of the steps if she needs your help. Don't worry if you have to help her do the behaviors such as "Sit" or "Down" by luring with a treat or saying the cue. Just make sure if you say a cue, you only say it once. Step One
This is taught first using the leash. Stand right next to the dog bed, walk your dog over to the bed and every time she touches a paw on it, C/T. Say “off” every time you leave the mat and lead her off the mat. Step Two
Then, increase the criteria and treat her for sitting on the bed. Walking on the bed becomes, "Good girl" and the C/T happens when she sits. Do five repetitions.
Step Three
Walk over to the bed and ask your dog to "Down" and C/T. So, putting her paw on the bed and sitting results in "Good Girl" and she gets a C/T for lying down. Quick note: This is a tremendous mental exercise activity because your dog will have to figure out what you want her to do. Provide help in the form of asking her to "Sit" or "Down" only if she needs it. Many beginning trainers don't realize that you can actually wait a dog out and see if she will figure out what is expected of her before you ask her. My rule of thumb is I will help a dog out if she doesn't do the behavior in 3-5 seconds, or faster if she seems frustrated.
Step Four
After she is reliably lying down on the mat, stand next to it, point to it and say, “Go to your bed” (or whatever you would prefer) and point to the bed. Make sure that once you say the cue ONE TIME you get the behavior. If she doesn’t move there on her own, gently help her by luring her with a treat, guiding her with the leash, etc. Do multiple pairings of this and then increase the distance between you and the mat. Reward every time that your dog successfully goes to the mat and lies down. Eventually, you can move farther away, point to it and your dog will happily go to it and lie down. Step Five
Stay is a separate component of this exercise and you can start working on it anytime after your dog lies down on her bed. After she lies down, , ask for "Stay" give verbal encouragement "Good girl, you are doing great, and periodically give her a treat. If she gets up, tell her that she shouldn't get up yet, "Eh! Eh!" and ask her to lie down again and continue reinforcing her behavior with verbal praise and treats. At some point when she is firmly lying down, say, "OK" and lead her off the mat. Note: For a solid "Stay" it is important that you release her when she is in the middle of the stay as opposed to just about to jump up. Get in the habit of releasing her before she wants to get up. Step Six - Add the Environmental Cue
This is when it gets really interesting. I recommend expectant parents practice with a doll months before the baby arrives to have a really solid behavior when they really need it. To create a cue, you just need to teach your dog a pattern. In this case, you want your dog to go to her bed when she sees the baby placed on the changing table. So, put the doll on the changing table, wait a moment, turn to your dog and say, "Go to bed" and point to the bed. Wait a moment, and if she needs help, gently grab the leash and lead her over to the bed and C/T when she lies down. Repeat the act of placing the doll on the table until she does the behavior on her own.
Troubleshooting and Strategies
- Make sure you only say the cue ONCE, pause for a moment and then provide help, whether you ask your dog to Sit, Down, or Go to Bed. If you repeat cues, your dog will learn to ignore you.
- If there is a long delay after you say, "Go to Bed" before your dog starts moving towards the bed, do a few repetitions where you gently guide her over to the bed right after you say the cue. You will help initiate movement and muscle memory this way, so she reacts more quickly to the cue. Always use gentle guidance.
- Stop training before your dog wants to stop. One of the important strategies is to teach your dog to WANT to do behaviors. The best way to do this is to not overtrain. Stop training when she still wants to "play". "What do you mean we are stopping? I was having fun getting attention and treats! Ask me to do something else!"
- Often dogs will lie down right next to the trainer instead of walking over to the bed. This occurs because the dog is used to getting a reward by lying at the person's feet and has not made the connection with the need to go to a specific location. If your dog lies down next to you after you have said the cue, gently get her up, walk her over and reward her when she lies down. Next time if you see her start to lie down too soon, say, "Eh! Eh!" before she lies down and walk her over to the correct location.
- Give a lot of verbal encouragement for the beginning steps such as paw on the bed, and sitting, but stop treating once they do it reliably. You want your dog to "go to the next level" and be motivated to do more behaviors such as lying down or walking to the bed. "Good girl" is used to tell a dog that she is on the right track, but needs to do more for the treat.
- Combine this activity with finding Kongs or playing fetch. She will learn that good things happen when she lies down. You will increase the motivation of this behavior.
- Ask for this cue periodically throughout the day such as before walks, mealtimes or games. "Go to bed". "Good girl, let's go for a walk!" In this case, the walk is the reward and you have increased the motivation for her to perform this behavior.
- Work on adding multiple locations and naming each one. Examples include rug, bed, back door, fireplace, bedroom, etc.
Now I want to hear what you have to say. It is so much more fun if you take part in the conversation. If you are not a member, all you need to do is Join.
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Did you know that there are training tasks you can work on when you are with your dog without even much thought? I always stress to my clients to "put the trainer hat on" a little more frequently throughout the day to achieve their goals. If you just think about training a little bit more every day, you can work on a list of goals whenever you are with your dog and he will be better trained before you know it! Dogs (and people) learn through consistent patterns. Here are some examples of patterns that you can teach your dog every day. The key is to SAY THE CUE ONCE and then gently help your dog understand the meaning. Turn right, turn left. When you are walking your dog, say, "left" or "right" a half-second before you turn that direction and then gently guide your dog that way. If you work on this whenever you walk your dog, eventually he will turn the correct direction on his own. Stop. Say this every time before you stop your dog at a curb or before he hits the end of the leash if he is forging ahead on a walk. A more advanced exercise is to do the same while you are running. Make sure you don't jerk your dog when stopping. My next video that I am working on right now will cover this if you want to see it in action. Excuse Me. My dog, Ranger, used to lie down in front of the refrigerator all the time when he was a puppy. He would seemingly read my mind and do it right before I needed something out of there. All I did was say, "Excuse me", pause for a moment and gently opened the door. The small movement touched him and he got up and walked away. Now, all I need to do is say, "Excuse me" wherever he is and he understands I need him to move out of my way. These are just three examples of training strategies you can use every day. Do you have some of your own that you practice with your dog? Let the community know. Not a member? Got 10 seconds? Join.
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 It has been a rough couple of months with dogs that I know passing away prematurely. Two of my client's wonderful dogs died of cancer at a very young age. I hear more and more stories about this happening and it is difficult to know if it is happening more frequently or I hear about it more because I know thousands of dogs. It made me hug my three dogs more than I usually do (which is a lot) and to think about health issues in dogs. I fully realize that a dog guardian can make all the right health decisions for their dog and still have a terrible health issue occur with their dog. I know for a fact my clients treated their dogs with supreme care and fed them the healthiest of foods. Sometimes health issues just happen.
 But, what are some topics for all of us to think about for the care of our dogs? In my experience here are some ways you can try and help your dog live a long, healthy life.
Vaccinations. Don't just assume you need to always get all the yearly vaccinations. Talk to your vet about options and do your own research. There is a lot of research that contributes to the philosophy that dogs have been getting too many vaccinations. This can potentially lead to health issues. Here are some books that talk about overall health, nutrition and vaccinations.
Dangerous Items. If your dog roams the house when you are not home, be very careful of objects in your home that might cause harm including food items, garbage, plants and cleaning supplies. About 6 years ago, I heard of a dog that died because he put his head inside of a potato chip bag and suffocated when it got caught. Terribly tragedy that could have been avoided if the bag was thrown away.
Nutrition. Consider the raw diet, or at a minimum, feed the best food that you can afford. I started feeding my dogs the raw diet many years ago when I met a woman at the beach that had six border collies. They were all in remarkable shape and I asked her how old they were. I expected her to tell me they were all under three years old. She proceeded to tell me, "This one is 12 years old, he is 10, she is 13, these two are 8 and she is 5". They were bouncing around like puppies and I asked her what her secret was. She instantly said, "Two words. Raw diet." Since then I have attended conferences, read books, and even emailed Ian Billinghurst himself in Australia to ask him questions. I have decided that it is a good decision for my dogs. But, I still find vets that are against the raw diet. The point is, you need to do the research and make the best decision you can for your lovable pooch. You can research nutrition at many locations, including this section at DogWise. If you need a good resource for premium foods, this site has many fantastic options.
 Poisons. Be careful of potential poisons and harmful ingredients that your dog
can ingest. Most people know about chocolate, but do you have poisonous
plants in your home? Did you know that macadamia nuts are harmtul to
dogs? See the ASPCA website for a list of toxins for dogs. Stress. Alleviate stress in your dog's life. I firmly believe that stress kills both people and dogs. Think about the stress on your dog's body every day if she barks and is anxous around dogs or other objects in her daily life. Visit the Forums section and ask questions if you don't know how to do this for your dog.
Boredom. Train your dog to provide mental stimulation. Boredom is terrible for dogs and can often lead to foraging for food or destruction which can lead to ingesting something dangerous. Provide your dog with daily training to keep her more content.
Exercise. Provide physical exercise to help muscles, prevent boredom and help keep your dog slim.
Proper Weight. Don't overfeed your dog. There is information that shows that it is healthier to have your dog thinner rather than heavier. Being overweight affects the heart, joints and other organs in the body.
Hygiene. Brush your dog's teeth. Bacteria in the mouth can lead to kidney and other problems. Now I want to hear what you have to say. It is so much more fun if you take part in the conversation. If you are not a member, all you need to do is Join.
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