Social Archives - Smart Dog University

Teach Your Dog to Lie Down

May 8, 2014

“Down” is a foundation behavior.

What Is It?

It’s what I like to call a Building Block behavior that all good dogs need to know. Down is simply when the dog lies on the floor on his belly. We don’t need to teach dogs how to lie down, they already know that. What we do need to teach them is how we ask them to do the behavior.

When and Why to Use Down in Everyday Life

Down is a good still behavior. It’s like a pause button for your dog. If your dog is lying on the floor, he can’t also be lunging at another dog, jumping on you, or counter surfing. In other words, it’s a great alternate behavior for your dog to do instead of all those pesky behaviors he does.

How to Teach Down

To teach your dog to lie on the floor, follow these simple steps.

Ask your dog to sit.
As soon as he sits, put your flat hand (palm down) directly in front of his nose and slowly lower your hand to the floor or ground.
Click and treat when your dog lies down.

Add the Word

When you’re ready to bet me $100 that your dog will lie down when you move your hand to the floor, it’s time to add the word for “down.” Simply say the word “down,” then lower your hand. Adding the word too early means you’re labeling a “halfway” behavior. We wait to add the word until we know the dog is going to do the behavior and do it correctly. That will result in a much cleaner behavior and also a dog that learns to listen for the word.

Trouble Shooting and Tips

If your dog has a hard time following your hand, you can put a small treat in your hand and have him follow the treat to the ground. THE RULES: you can use that treat as a lure only three times, then you’ve got to do it with an empty hand. Remember to click when your dog lies down and then get him the treat to reinforce his great behavior.
Move your hand slowly from your dog’s nose straight down to between his toes.
If your dog gets up from the sit before he lies down, simply ask him to sit again. As soon as he sits, begin the process again.
To make it easy to reset your dog and get him ready to lie down again, toss the treat after you click so the dog has to get up to get the reinforcer.

In the video, notice that I’m crouching down instead of standing up. There’s a reason for that: I want the dog to notice only my hand movement. If I were standing straight, and had to bend at the waist to get my hand to the floor, the dog will notice the largest movement — my bending at the waist.

Down is a useful behavior and won’t take any time to teach. You’ll be pleased with how your dog can focus remain calm when he’s in the down position if you practice in real-life scenarios. Happy training!

Talk back.

Leave a comment with a “down” success stories. When did down save the day for you and your dog?

Or simply ask a question or leave a comment — we’d love to hear from you.

Bribes or Rewards?

April 3, 2014

Does this sound familiar?

Your dog is looking at you from the lawn, about 15 feet away. He won’t budge. You’ve called him 10 times already. Nothing. You go back into the house, pull a hot dog out of the fridge, and go back outside to approach your dog. Lucky you, he comes running as soon as he smells it.

That’s a bribe: It made your dog come to you. The hot dog was presented before your dog came to you.

Different scenario: You call your dog and he comes bounding over to you. You tell him what a good boy he is and you pop a piece of a hot dog into his mouth to reward him for his good behavior.

That’s a reward: It came after your dog came to you. It reinforced the dog’s (good) decision to move in your direction.

What’s the difference between a bribe and a reward?

The difference may seem very slight – the dog got a hot dog either way, right? Wrong. In the first example, the dog came only because of what the owner could produce. The dog could evaluate whether it was worth coming to him. It does nothing to teach the dog that coming to the owner is a good thing. In fact, I’d argue that it actually teaches the dog to take a “wait and see” approach – wait to see what the paycheck is going to be before committing to the behavior. Rely on bribes and you’ll be stuck carrying food with you everywhere. And you’ll probably have to have the “best of the best” if you want your dog to come to you.

In the second example, the dog made the correct decision on his own – coming to the owner – and he was handsomely rewarded for his decision. Which, in turn, will help him make that decision even faster next time.

Bribes and Rewards: Up Close

Bribes

A bribe is enticement to do a behavior. Bribes come before a behavior. Your dog has your shoe and won’t give it up until you offer him something better. When you rely on bribes to get your dog to behave, you’re sort of a hostage in the relationship: the dog makes you lay all your goodies on the table and then decide if it’s worth doing it.

A bribe is a tough way to train a dog. Using bribes means that you’ll always need them with you. In fact, by using a bribe to train your dog, it’s almost guaranteeing that you’ll need a better bribe next time. After a while it can be tough to out-bribe yourself (meaning, you need a better bribe each time).

Smart trainers don’t use bribes to teach their dogs anything. In an emergency, I may use a bribe to capture a runaway or escaped dog, but you better believe I’ll be back in the training room the very next chance I get to be sure I don’t have to rely on a bribe the next time. I’ll be teaching a very solid recall (come when called) to that dog so I won’t have to rely on a bribe to get the dog to come.

Rewards

Rewards, or technically reinforcers are what smart trainers rely on to get stellar results from their dog. A reinforcer comes after the dog does something good. Your dog comes to you when you call him, you produce a piece of chicken! Because of the reinforcer, the dog is more likely to come again next time. See the difference? It’s striking, the difference between a bribe and a reinforcer: the bribe doesn’t make the behavior more likely to happen, whereas the reinforcer definitely does!

Here’s a little primer on reinforcers:

The first rule is the dog has to like the reinforcer or else it’s not a reinforcer. They’re anything the dog likes (could be butt scratches, chasing a tennis ball, playing tug with you, access to outside, a tasty treat, etc.). Just because you adore coconut cream pie doesn’t mean I’ll like it. If you “reward” me for helping your move by giving me a piece of coconut cream pie, I will likely not help you move the next time – because I don’t want any of that icky pie. So, the first rule is: make sure your dog likes the reinforcer.

The second rule is you have to always deliver. You can’t take advantage of your dog’s fantastic listening skills by giving him a cursory pat on the head and promising him more later. That doesn’t work with a dog. Your dog will learn quickly that you’re a cheater and a cheapskate. Nobody likes a cheater and your dog will quickly stop working for you. Don’t abuse your dog’s trust – always follow through with a reinforcer if your dog did something great for you.

How to Make the Switch from Bribes to Reinforcers

If you’re like most dog owners, you’ve relied too heavily on bribes in the past and now need to know how to get your dog un-stuck from reliance on bribes. Thankfully, that part’s easy. Your first task is to teach your dog that reinforcers are available (and better than bribes). To do that, you’re going to get food out of your hand. Put it on the table, put it in your pocket, but for the love of Pete, get that food out of your hand!

Then, ask your dog to do something really easy. Maybe it’s a sit, or shake, or roll over. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it’s easy. Ask your dog just once. Don’t repeat your request. Ask them once. If they do it, whip that reinforcer out and have a party while they eat. If they don’t do it, just walk away. Come back in 30 seconds and give it another go.

Dogs who have been taught using bribes are confused at this point. You can almost read the expression on their face: “Wait. What? How am I supposed to do what you ask if you don’t have food ready for me?” That’s why I want you to ask them to do something really simple. I want them to succeed even though you don’t have a bribe. I want them to get a taste of a real reinforcer!

As your dog gets better at understanding that good things come after they do what you ask, you’ll see that they respond faster and with more enthusiasm. This is a good thing for both of you.

It won’t take long for the switchover from bribes to rewards to happen as long as you are consistently asking the dog for easy behaviors, asking just once, and rewarding them only after the behavior happens.

Have fun with this and enjoy watching your dog learn the fun of reinforcers!

Giveaway! How to Make a Warm Broth for Your Dog: “Steamy Pups”

March 13, 2014

It’s been one heck of a winter here in the mid-Atlantic.

We’ve had snow after snow, downright abysmal temperatures, and more sleet and freezing rain than you can shake a stick at. It’s the kind of cold that hurts. The dogs hate it, we hate it — everyone’s miserable.

When I come in from walking the dogs, shoveling the porch, or getting the mail, all I can think of is “get me warm” as I reach for the hot chocolate, teeth chattering all the while.

The instant that hot chocolate hits my belly, I’m instantly happier. I can feel myself warming from the inside out. It’s delectable. So I thought: “Hey, I bet the dogs would enjoy something like this, too!“

Lo and behold, enter The Honest Kitchen’s Steamy Pups broth!

It’s really easy to make, too.

Pour 1c of warm water into a cup or bowl, whisk in the Steamy Pups. Voila! You’re got a warm, delicious broth for your dog.

You can use this as a quick “warm ’em up” broth, or if you have a picky eater, just drizzle some of the Steamy Pups onto their kibble and let it soak in a bit before offering it to your dog.

I think Steamy Pups would also be great if your dog has a decreased appetite due to an illness or digestive upset. Many medications need to be taken with food, but it’s sometimes hard to get a sick dog to eat. With Steamy Pups, you’ll have less of a struggle to get your dog to eat his regular food, making medicating even easier.

The Honest Kitchen has kindly offered to send one of our lucky readers a package of Steamy Pups.

The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only (sorry!) through March 16, 2014.

To enter, leave a comment below telling us one of your favorite springtime activities you do with your dog. Comments submitted before midnight (EDT) on March 23 will be eligible. Good luck!

Winners will be contacted via email.

How to Teach Your Dog to Settle

February 27, 2014

The doorbell rings, and chaos reigns.

The dog is barking at the door, you’re trying to pull him back so he doesn’t run out when the door opens — all the while your guests are waiting on the other side of the door, out in the cold. And once the guests are inside, now the dog is jumping on them!

There’s an easy solution: teach your dog to settle.

Wouldn’t it be nice if your dog could run to his bed, lay quietly and wait until your guests come in the door? Settle is the answer you’ve been looking for.

To teach this, start with some really good treats in a bowl, your clicker, and an appropriately sized mat. (A bath mat from your local big box store works perfectly for teaching this. Inexpensive, portable, and won’t slide around.)

Step 1: Drop the mat down in front of you and be ready to click the instant the dog steps a paw on the mat.

Step 2: When you click, deliver a treat off the mat. We need the dog to hop off the mat, so he can earn another click and treat when he wanders back on.

Step 3: Stay quiet (and patient) as your dog figures out that his foot on the mat earns him a click. Resist the urge to point to, pull your dog over to, or otherwise “help” your dog get to the mat. Let your clicker do all the talking.

Step 4: As your dog catches on, you’ll notice that he’s almost always getting at least one paw on the mat. Great! Now you’re ready to “raise the bar,” and reward only when there are two paws on the mat.

Step 5: Continue to click and treat every time your dog has two pas on the mat until he’s almost always getting at least two paws on the mat. Then raise the bar and click only when there are three paws on the mat. Then only when he has all four paws on the mat.

Step 6: When you’re willing to bet me $100 that your dog will come to the mat and put all four feet on the mat, you’re ready to wait for your dog to sit. The “wait” part is very important — resist the urge to ask your dog to sit. Remain silent. Let the clicker do all the communication. Click only when your dog volunteers a sit (on the mat). I promise you, the sit will happen if you’re patient.

Step 7: After the dog is reliably coming to the mat and sitting automatically, you’re going to wait for him to lie down. Again, no talking, just wait and then click and treat when it happens.

It’s that easy to teach your dog to go settle on a mat.

Things we need to add to make this useful in real life: a name (settle), distractions (doorbell ringing, for instance), distance (so you don’t have to go to the mat with the dog), duration (how long can he stay there?), and direction (so you don’t have to always face the mat in order for this to work).

Dog Training: Do This, Not That

February 6, 2014

The new puppy Levi, is doing what normal puppies do: he’s using his teeth to explore.

At the moment, he’s exploring a hand that’s been offered. I hear “Ow! No!” and watch as the offered hand remains well within the puppy’s reach, dangling enticingly, despite the protesting voice.

Again, “Ow, no!” this time with a little more, shall we say, enthusiasm. Yet still, the wiggling fingers dangle oh so close to the puppy teeth.

“Ow! Dang it, stop it!” Finally, I can take no more. The puppy clearly isn’t learning anything. The person clearly isn’t learning anything. I step in and tell the person to simply withdraw their hand from the puppy. The quizzical look surprises me. Doesn’t this make sense to everyone, I wonder? When one touches a hot stove, how many need to reach out again and again to see if it’s still hot? Yet when it comes to a puppy or dog, people don’t seem to come to this logical conclusion.

Maybe the fact that dogs seem to understand to much most of the time that renders people incapable of following basic logic, but I find myself daily instructing people on seemingly straightforward matters that involve dogs.

Whatever the reason, people tend to abandon common sense in their interactions with dogs. I’m here to lobby on behalf of dogs who are quite uncomplicated and need to know what they should be doing, not what you don’t want them to do. This article explains how and why it’s much easier and more efficient to focus on what you’d like your dog to do. It’s a version of Do This, Not That (DTNT), but doggie-style.

Focus on the Do This Part

Too many people focus only on the “Not That” part of DTNT.

And they stop there. Imagine this scenario:

You have a new job and your responsibilities weren’t clearly explained. The phone rings and you answer “Hello, this is Julie” with a smile in your voice. Your boss comes out, slams his hand on the desk and says “No!”

A little later, the phone rings again, you answer with your standard “Hello, this is Julie,” and again your boss emerges, slams his hand on the desk and says “No!”

You go about your day, making copies, filing things, and when it rings, answering the phone. You don’t get any feedback on anything, other than the “No!” when you pick up the phone.

How much are you learning? How confident do you feel in your new job? Do you have any idea why your boss is yelling “No!”? Nope. And pretty soon, you’re going to stop answering the phone altogether because it’s just so confusing as well as aversive.

Now, how about this scenario instead:

You answer the phone when it rings, “Hello, this is Julie” with a smile in your voice. Later in the day, your boss stops by your desk, welcomes you to the team and explains that the company likes the phones answered by stating the company name first. “Acme Production, this is Julie.”

What a difference, right?

In so many ways. All too often, we stop halfway when teaching our dogs. We focus solely on the stopping of something that we forget to teach the dog what to do. And the what to do is the most important part of the equation!

Real Life Examples

I’m raising a puppy again for service work.

He’s 11-weeks old and he’s into everything. If I spent my day focusing on the things he’s doing wrong, there wouldn’t be time for anything else. And I’d just be “putting out fires” all day, not teaching him anything useful.

He tends to bark a lot when he gets overexcited. I could tell him “No!” every time he gets overexcited, but that’d do nothing to calm him down, wouldn’t teach him what to do, and would make me (and him) really frustrated. Instead, I simply separate him from the other dogs (either he’s leashed to me or he’s in his crate) for five minutes or so until he settles down. By doing this, I’m actually teaching him some self control, I’m not letting bad habits develop, and I’m maintaining some sense of peace in the house – for me and the other dogs.

If you want your dog to quit nipping your pants as you go downstairs in the morning, have a stuffed toy at the top of the stairs.

Grab it as you walk down and offer it to the dog instead of having him grab your pants. The dog wants to play. You want to walk unencumbered down the stairs. By offering the toy, you both get what you want! But if you focus solely on “No! No! No!” every time the dog bites your pant legs, you’re going to be pretty frustrated – and so will your dog.

When you feel like all your doing is correcting bad behavior, step away from the problem for a minute (or ten).

Take a break. Grab a cup of coffee, sit down at the table and write down what you’d like the dog to do. Your list should contain no words like “stop doing x,” “quit doing y,” or “listen to me.” I want you to write down specific, achievable things like “I want the dog to chew on his toy instead of me.” Or “I want the dog to sit instead of jump on me.” Or “I want the dog to drop my shoe when I ask him.”

You can solve many of the problems quickly and easily.

Substitute a chew toy for your pants (or hand), ask your dog to sit before he jumps on you, teach your dog to give up things nicely before he steals something again.

The easy, permanent — and fair — solution is to teach your dog what you want him to do.

If you need help finding a qualified positive reinforcement trainer, drop me a line. I’d be happy to help you find someone who can help you and your dog.

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