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Dog Nail Trims: Part 4 – Get Your Dog Used to the Dremel Grinder

yellow lab, labrador, nail trim, grind nails, Dremel, dog training, Frederick, Smart Dog University, Laurie Luck, clicker, positiveDo you love the idea of grinding your dog’s nails, but worry that he’ll hate the grinder?

As long as you introduce the grinder slowly and associate the noise with really good food, you’re likely to have a dog that wants to see and hear the grinder! If your dog already has a bad association with the nail clippers, using a grinding tool might help your dog move forward more quickly with nail trimming. Why? If your dog has no experience with the grinder, you have the chance to make a WOWZA first impression! I use the Dremel grinding tool for my dogs, so grinder = Dremel in this article.

This is the fourth article in a series. If you haven’t the first three yet, it’s a good idea to start with Get to Know Your Dog’s Nails, Five Mistakes When Trimming Dog Nails, and Handling Your Dog’s Paws.

Dog, meet Dremel. Dremel, meet Dog.

So here’s how easy it is to introduce your dog to the Dremel tool. You must have delicious food. People food. This won’t work if you don’t use the best food you’ve got, period, end of story. Think: canned cat food, salmon, pepperoni, steak, grilled chicken, cream cheese. It’s got to be something to make the dog go “Gimme more, gimme more!” For the video, I used cat treats from a company called FreshPet. Their treats are in the refrigerated section of your pet supply store (I got mine in WalMart).

You’re now armed with food so delicious you’re drooling, right? Good. The next step is to turn the Dremel on. As soon as you turn the Dremel on, begin feeding your dog the yummy goodies one at a time. Feed your dog for about 3-5 seconds, then turn the Dremel off. When the Dremel turns off, the food goes away. No Dremel = no food. Continue this pairing (Dremel = food, no Dremel = no food) several times until your dog looks at you happily when he hears the Dremel turn on.

Things to Remember

  • Use the best food you’ve got. Now’s the time to be generous, not stingy.
  • Be sure the dog doesn’t touch the running Dremel! (In the video, Tango wanted to sniff the Dremel when it was turned off. I wouldn’t have let him do that if the Dremel was spinning.)
  • Be careful! The Dremel will put holes in your clothes (and you) if you let the spinning barrel touch you.

Troubleshooting

  • If your dog is noise sensitive, have a helper in another room turn the Dremel on and off while you feed your dog delicious goodies. As the dog gets more comfortable with the noise, your helper can move a bit closer for the next round of training. Gradually move closer at the dog’s pace so the dog and the Dremel are in the same location.
  • If your dog isn’t happy about having his paw held, watch our video that shows you how to get your dog to tolerate paw handling.
  • The dog should have the choice and ability to leave whenever he’d like.
  • Go at your dog’s pace and stop before he wants you to.

Next up, how to grind your dog’s nails with the Dremel.

Dog Nail Trims: Part 3 – Handling Your Dog’s Paws – Video

trimming dog nails, handling dog paws, dog training, dog obedience, Frederick, clicker, Smart Dog University, Laurie Luck

Is your dog a little touchy about her feet?

Do you struggle to wipe her paws or trim her nails?

We’re on Part 3 of our multi-part series on dogs and their paws. We’ve already covered the anatomy of a dog’s nail, the mistakes people make when trimming their dog’s nails, and in this article we’re going to present the first step of the solution to struggle-free nail trims.

If your dog won’t let you handle her paws, you’re not going to have an easy time trimming her nails.

Let’s start at the beginning. You’re going to need some really delicious, mouth watering, delectable treats. I don’t mean dog treats, either! I mean real people food! I mean: cheese, steak, chicken, salmon — the good stuff! Now’s the time to be generous, not stingy! You won’t need a leash or a collar for this exercise — we’re letting the dog choose whether she wants to stay or not. You read that right: it’s the dog’s choice.

Step by Step

  1. Allow your dog to mosey on over while you’re sitting on the floor. Give her a few treats just for free (generosity!).
  2. While she’s hanging out with you, start high on her front leg and gently slide your hand all the way down to her paw. Click (or yip!) and treat the instant you’ve reached her foot.
  3. If your dog jerks away, don’t worry. You’ve just gone a little too far too fast.
  4. Start at the top again and click right before you reach her paw. Always treat after clicking.
  5. Repeat steps 2 – 4 until your dog allows you to gently slide your hand down her leg and touch her paw without pulling it away.
  6. Gradually increase the amount of time your hand rests gently on her paw before clicking and treating. GOAL: Your dog doesn’t mind you resting your hand gently on her paw for at least 5 – 10 seconds.

Next Steps

Gentle Pressure

When #6 has been accomplished, you’re going to change it up a bit. Instead of working on how long you can rest your hand on your dog’s paw, you’ll be working on the pressure. So don’t worry at all about the length of time your hand is on her paw, you’re just adding the slightest amount of pressure now. Click and treat instantly if she kept her paw still. Remember, if your dog pulls her paw away, take that as a signal that you’re moving forward too quickly with your steps. Go back to when it was easier for the dog and spend some time at those easier steps before moving forward.

Gradually add gentle pressure until you’re able to actually hold your dog’s paw. Again, don’t worry about how long you’re holding onto the paw — it’s easier for the dog if you work on either the length of time you hold her paw or the pressure with which you hold her paw.

Combining Time with Pressure

Once you’re able to hold her paw for 10 seconds, and separately hold her paw in your hand, then (and only then) are you ready to combine those two elements. Begin by holding her paw ever so gently for two seconds. Click and treat if she didn’t pull her paw away. Continue to systematically increase the amount of time or the gentle pressure until you’re able to successfully hold your dog’s paw with gentle pressure for ten seconds.

Coming Next

Next up is introducing your dog to the grinding tool! Stay tuned!

 

Train Your Dog Without a Clicker

clicker, dog training, obedience, dog classes, Frederick, Smart Dog, Laurie Luck, positive, lab, labrador, black labI hear it a lot: “Do I HAVE to use the clicker?”

While I highly suggest using the clicker, nothing says it’s a requirement to teach your dog. However, what makes the clicker a useful tool is that it:

  • sounds the same every time
  • carries no emotion — every click is the same
  • doesn’t need “translation”
  • is unique — doesn’t sound like anything else in the environment

The clicker is definitely my tool of choice, but there are times when it’s not convenient to carry the clicker. Or, what if you find yourself without the clicker (or don’t want to be burdened by carrying it with you)?

Easy peasy: Use “YIP!” instead.

What is it?

Yip is a nonsense word that I say in a high-pitched, enthusiastic voice that stands in place of the clicker. It fulfills the same criteria listed above for the clicker, so I think it’s a great stand-in for the click.

How do you use it?

Use it just like you would use the clicker. Both the clicker and the yip are called “markers.” That means they mark the exact moment the dog is doing what you want and it also means the dog earned a goodie. To teach your dog that yip = treat, simply pair the yip with the appearance of the treat. Say yip and then reach to give your dog a treat. Repeat about te
n times and your dog will understand the meaning (and value) of yip.

When do you use it?

Use it whenever you want to tell your dog he’s done something right and can expect payment! When I’m training service dogs, they sometimes accompany me to public places like the library, a restaurant, or the movies. I’d be the villain if I clicked my way through a dinner or a movie, so I leave the clicker (but not the treats!) at home. I can modulate the volume of yip so I’m not annoying fellow movie goers with the essential training the service dogs need.

You might use yip in place of the clicker when your hands are full — maybe when you’re working on trimming nails or another grooming task that takes two hands. Or maybe when you’re walking two dogs at the same time. Or, not that this would happen to you, but maybe you forgot your clicker at home (or like me: just can’t find it!). The yip stands in whenever you don’t (or can’t) have your clicker on you.

Rules

The rules are the same no matter which marker you use:

  • If you yip, you must treat.
  • Yip only for stuff you want your dog to do more of (in other words, don’t yip to get your dog’s attention or get him to stop doing something)
  • Yip first, then treat.

Talk back! What’s your marker to use in place of the click?

Charlatans, Science, and Dog Training

Neil deGrasse Tyson, Karen Pryor, clicker training, Cesar Millan, dominance, Smart Dog University, dog training, FrederickScience is basically an inoculation against charlatans. — Neil deGrasse Tyson

I’ve been a student of the sciences for over twenty years. And for almost every one of those years, I’ve engaged in arguments about the best way to train a dog. I argued passionately. I know what science says about how we (all things with a brain) learn and I fervently want people to understand that force isn’t needed when teaching dogs. Oh, the hours I’ve wasted!

I’ve railed against charlatans who’ve coined phrases and developed “systems” based on nothing. I’ve been in the trenches fixing up the dogs who’ve been ruined by the shallow promises of frauds. I’ve spent too much time trying to “engage the enemy” which actually took time away from those people who already understood the science and who wanted to learn more.

Karen Pryor, a behavioral biologist, a pioneering dolphin trainer, and an authority on applied operant conditioning — and who wrote the unofficial “bible” of operant conditioning dog training, Don’t Shoot the Dog, was asked: “What do you say to those who think training with corrections is faster?” Her answer was simple, succinct, and fabulous: “Bye!” Read a detailed account of the conversation and some in-depth insights into Karen’s answer.

While listening to Neil deGrasse Tyson’s podcast, StarTalk, I heard him say:

“Science is true whether you believe it or not. We [the scientists] just move on.”

Those quotes pretty much sum up my outlook.

“Humans aren’t as good as we should be in our capacity to empathize with feelings and thoughts of others, be they humans or other animals on Earth.” — Neil deGrasse Tyson

I train with positive reinforcement because science says it’s efficient and effective. I also train with positive reinforcement because I empathize with the feelings and thoughts of the dogs with whom I work. Hearing both of these influential scientists saying pretty much the same thing has led me to my inevitable epiphany: Stop arguing! Stop. Stop. Stop.

I know I can get the job done with positive reinforcement training.

Pretty philosophical stuff for a dog trainer, yeah, I know. I’m excited about what I do. I work with people and their dogs because I know I can help both ends of the leash. And I know I can do it without force. I’m tired of arguing about the “toolbox” and how some things work with one dog but not another. In the words of NdGT, starting today I’m leaving the arguments behind — there’s no time for arguing when there’s so much science to read! Get on the force-free bandwagon if you choose, we’re going places!

Dog Training 801: Fluency Continued. Better Behavior, Here’s How

fluency, dog training, reliable dog behavior, Smart Dog University, clicker, FrederickIn last month’s article, we introduced fluency. It’s what most people really need to teach their dog. It’s what people mean when they say “My dog knows it, he just won’t do it.” If you work on fluency of each behavior that needs improvement, your dog will easily be able – and willing – to do what you’ve asked. This month, we’re digging in deep. Here’s exactly how to improve fluency.

First, here’s a quick review of fluency. There are six pieces of fluency relating to your dog’s ability to “do” a behavior:

  • Precision – does the behavior look perfect (you get to define what perfect looks like)
  • Latency – does the dog start doing the behavior as soon as you ask
  • Speed – once the dog starts the behavior, does it happen quickly enough for your needs?
  • Distraction – can the dog do the behavior no matter what’s going on around him?
  • Duration – does the behavior last as long as you need it to?
  • Distance – can the dog do the behavior away from you?

You’ll remember from our last article that you’re going to pick just one piece of fluency to work on at a time. I find it easier to work on fluency in the order I’ve listed them above. Last month’s homework was to make a list of the behaviors and each aspect of fluency you wanted to work on. Pull that out and let’s get ready to get clean, pretty, and reliable behavior!

Gotta know the average

In order to improve, you need to know where you are right now. The way we do this is find the average level of behavior, and then click only the behaviors that are at least at the average or better than the average.

Finding the average

What you need: 10 treats, paper, pencil. To find the average, put 10 treats on the table. Ask your dog to do the behavior you want to improve and click and treat every attempt. After every attempt, write down the number. For instance, if you’re working on latency (how long it takes the dog to start doing the behavior), you’ll silently count the number of seconds it takes for your dog to start to sit after you ask him. Write that number down. After 10 trials, add up those numbers and divide by 10. That number is the average amount of time it takes your dog to start the behavior.

Improving fluency

Now that you know the average, you have everything you need to help improve your dog’s behavior. Back to our sit example above: if the average amount of time it took your dog to start moving to sit was three seconds, then you will click and treat your dog whenever he start to sit in three seconds or less. If it takes him more than three seconds to sit, abort that attempt. You can shuffle your feet and move so your dog is “reset.” Your dog will begin to understand that only the faster responses get clicked and fairly quickly you should have fewer below average responses. Calculate your new average and then begin clicking and treating only those faster responses. Continue to improve the average until you’ve met your goal.

Special Situations

When working with the last three aspects of fluency – distraction, duration, and distance – it’s easier to start from a point where you know the dog can be successful and systematically raise criteria from that point. Using our trusty sit example from earlier, if you were working on distractions for the sit, start in a quiet room, and simply wave your hand while you ask your dog to sit. When working on distraction, for instance, you won’t worry about any of the other aspects of fluency. So it doesn’t matter if it takes your dog 5 seconds to start to sit, as long as your dog is able to sit, she earns a click and a treat. Once you’ve gotten your distractions to an appropriate level, you can then work back up to the previously achieved level of latency

Troubleshooting

If your dog isn’t successful at any point, you may have taken too big of a leap in estimating your dog’s abilities. If your dog can’t get it right within three attempts, reduce the level of difficulty so the dog has a good chance of getting a click and treat.

Remember to work only on one aspect of fluency at a time. It’s easy to think “she’s mastered the distractions, now I’ll add distance.” That’s a sure way to set your dog up to fail. Instead of adding distance, drop out distractions and work only on distance.

Work on one aspect of fluency at a time, keep your training sessions short (5-10 minutes, shorter if your dog zones out more quickly), and most of all, have fun! Improving your dog’s fluency on each behavior will give you that reliable, crisp, impressive dog who responds quickly, enthusiastically, and correctly whenever you ask.

How to Build a Solid Stay: Intro to Distance

Everyone wants their dog to “stay.”

Stay there, don’t move. It sounds easy, right? I mean, how hard can it be to just stay still? For a dog, it’s pretty darn hard — he’s social, he’s interested in what’s going on, maybe he’s uncomfortable or even scared. If you take the time to build a solid stay from the beginning, though, stays aren’t that hard at all.

The Three Parts to a Stay: Distractions, Distance, Duration

We’ve introduced the concept of an advanced stay and now we’re ready to introduce distance!

Here’s how we add distance:

  • Start small — take just one step away at first.
  • Return to your dog immediately (we’re working on distance, not duration)
  • Click immediately upon return to your dog (if he’s stayed in place)
  • Reinforce with something yummy and maybe even the opportunity to play a bit before starting again
  • Systematically increase the number of steps you take until you’ve reached your goal

Troubleshooting:

  • What if the dog gets up? You asked him for too much, too soon. Instead of scolding your dog, remind yourself to take smaller steps (literally and figuratively) next time.
  • What if the dog lies down (if you left him in a sit)? Leave distance behind. Go back and work on the sit position for duration, then once the sit is solid (not sliding into a down), then bring distance back into the picture.

Remember, your goal as your dog’s teacher is to set him up to be successful. Too much, too fast doesn’t help the dog get it right. The more clicks and treats your dog earns, the more he learns “the right answer.”

Talk back! Leave a comment and let us know the most distracting thing your dog has faced.

 

 

 

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