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How to Train When Your Dog Doesn’t Like His Food Or Treats – With Video

October 16, 2013

I like to use food to train dogs whenever we can for many reasons. First, food is what’s known as a primary reinforcer. That’s a fancy way of saying “the dog needs it to survive.” Think about it, dogs (or us, for that matter) can’t live without food. So it’s pretty important to a dog. Second, food is usually a really nice reward for a dog. It tastes good. It smells good. They like it and will work hard to earn another tasty tidbit.

However, some dogs are picky.

Like Schooner.

He refuses chicken. Won’t take a hot dog. Won’t even consider a dog treat. Which limits my options for using food as a reinforcer. I mean, if Schooner doesn’t like it, it’s not a reinforcer. Period.

I’ve found that he does like cheese. It’s relatively cheap when bought in the econo-saver blocks and it lasts over a week in the refrigerator. It’s easy for me to handle — not too sticky or goopy and easy to deliver one small piece at a time.

The problem: Schooner tires of cheese relatively quickly. Meaning that it’ll work great for 15 minutes, then he begins refusing it. He needs more than a 15 minute session. Sometimes we’re out running errands for a couple of hours — I needed to find a way to mix in a different, non-food reinforcer.

The solution: I happened upon a solution while I was in the yard working on his loose leash walking skills. He had worked nicely for about 15 minutes, as usual, then began turning his head away from the cheese. Ugh, what am I supposed to do?! He needs loose leash walking practice!

He’s huge, it’s easy to forget he’s still an adolescent dog. But I figured, what the heck, I’m going to try getting really silly with him after he walks nicely for a few steps (instead of clicking and giving him an unwanted piece of cheese).

I wish I had video of our original play session. He was as animated as a baby deer or foal — bucking and romping through the yard. I had to pause our training session briefly to get my giggling under control. This is a “re-enactment” of our play session and, while you can see he enjoys the opportunity to be goofy, I can assure you it’s not nearly as enthusiastic as that original session.

In the video, you’ll see me click and treat with the cheese. Notice how frequently I’m clicking and treating. Also notice his attention and enthusiasm. Both are pretty dull when I’m using the cheese. Then I switch to using play as the reward for loose leash walking. Look at the difference! He’s got more pep in his step, I’m getting a lot more steps between rewards, and he’s much more engaged with me.

The results: He liked it! He enjoys the opportunity to get a little silly (I dare say we all like that opportunity!) and it gets him interested in training again. He’s an eager participant with the opportunity to play, whereas with the food he’s more of a passive learner.

The takeaway: I’m not going to abandon food in training — there are places where play isn’t appropriate (restaurant, movie theater, doctor’s office to name a few) — but play definitely has a place in Schooner’s training plan.

Every dog is different. Most dogs I work with (Labradors) love food and will work long and hard for the tiniest piece. Other dogs don’t think food is as great and need a different reason to work. I’m flexible. I’m willing to find out what works.

Your turn: does your dog have a favorite treat, game, toy that he’ll work really hard for? Share some of your creative solutions!

What Leash is Best for Your Dog? (Video)

October 10, 2013

The choice in dog leashes is endless. How do you know which leash is the right leash for your dog?If you choose your dog’s leash on looks alone, you may be disappointed. Let’s take a look at the different types of leashes out there, what each is used for, and then you can decide which leash is the best choice for your dog.

A standard 6-foot leash is a great, all-purpose leash. Your dog can’t get too far away from you, but still has plenty of room to wander a little bit. This is a great length for taking your dog to the veterinary office, for a walk in a suburban neighborhood, and for obedience classes.

A short, 2- or 3-foot leash is perfect for busy city sidewalks, your kid’s soccer match, a dog festival, or somewhere where you don’t want or need your dog to be very far away from you. This leash allows you to keep your dog close to you, but also is long enough that the leash won’t always be tight on his neck (unless he’s pulling).

A long 20- or 30-foot leash is great for wandering through a wide-open field or anywhere else where you’re not likely to come across other people, dogs, or immovable objects like trees or poles. I love taking my dogs out on these long leashes. The dogs have almost the same freedom as being off-leash, but they’re much safer. My dogs can get up a full head of steam and run and frolic like puppies on these long lines.

A retractible leash (a.k.a. Flexi) is not recommended. I know this disappoints many people, but there aren’t many good uses for a retractible leash. The only use for a retractible leash would be for swimming your dog in an on-leash area. This leash gives you the security of being on leash, complies with a leash law, and is less likely to be caught on underwater objects. I don’t recommend retractible leashes for everyday use and never recommend them for tight quarters like veterinary offices, sidewalks, neighborhood walks, soccer fields, etc. The biggest drawback to the retractible leashes is that they actually encourage your dog to pull on a leash. So if you want your dog to walk politely, put away the retractible leash! These leashes also have a disturbing safety record — just search for “retractible leash injuries” for almost 10,000 hits on how dangerous these leashes are for both dogs and people.

I have all of the leashes mentioned (even the retractible leash). I use each one depending on where I’ll be and just how close I need my dog to be to me. The leash I use most often is the standard 6-foot leash. When I’m in public with a service dog in-training, I usually use the 3-foot leash.

I’ve included a short video to show you how and where I use each type of leash.

Your turn: what’s your favorite leash?

Doggie Dummies: Making Car Travel Safer for Dogs

October 3, 2013

I’m one of the people who admits, a bit guiltily, that I don’t restrain my dogs in the car. My reasons are varied:

I don’t have enough room for four LARGE dog crates and groceries
I don’t think a Dane-sized crate would fit into the car at all
I’m too lazy to move four crates in and out of the car depending on the cargo I need to haul
I don’t think the crates would be secure in a crash. I think I’d rather have a dog coming at me than a dog in a crate coming at me.

I have a Honda Element. We’ve removed the rear seats so the entire cargo area is open. I haul dogs, flowers, groceries, furniture, and dog training supplies. There aren’t any seats the dogs can sit in, so we’re not able to use the doggie seats or even harnesses that attach to seatbelts. For us, it’s crates or nothing when it comes to restraining our dogs.

I don’t think a bungee cord would hold a dog crate steady in a car crash. So instead of a projectile dog, I’d have a projectile crate with a dog in it.

Which is why my dogs ride free in the car.

As you can see below (can you find all four?), our dogs like to lay squishy — all over one another. In the Element, they lay nicely on the cushy dog beds in the cargo area of the Element. They sleep soundly back there and don’t wander around the vehicle or try to get into the front seat with me.

I’ve always been in a quandary about securing my dogs in the car: I always want to do what’s best for my dogs. But with my setup, there doesn’t really seem to be a right answer. Which is why I’ve done nothing.

So when I saw an article in The Wall Street Journal about actual scientific testing of dog harnesses and restraints, it got my attention. Apparently there’s a nonprofit organization dedicated to pet safety (aptly named Center for Pet Safety) and they’ve teamed up with auto maker Subaru (a very dog-friendly company who considers dog owners a large and prime market) to test pet restraints. They hope to determine which restraints work well enough to earn approval ratings from pet-advocacy groups.

This type of testing — as it applies to dogs — is in it’s infancy. I don’t know of any group doing this — although the need is obvious (with almost 90% of pet owners traveling with their pets). The testers are using some crash-test dogs to test how well those harnesses hold up under simulated crash conditions.

The crash-test dummy dogs simulate a terrier (about 25 pounds), a border collie (about 45 pounds), and a golden retriever (about 75 pounds). What? No Great Danes? Schooner demands that giant breeds gain inclusion in these tests!

In any event, the tests were both disappointing and alarming. Of the seven harnesess tested, only one harness (Sleepypod’s Clickit three-point harness) consistently kept a dog safe in a crash. So, is there a right answer? I think we need a lot more testing and hopefully the pet manufacturer’s will put some muscle behind their products so we know that our pets will be safe when properly restrained.

Your turn: Do you restrain your dog in the car? How? If not, where does your dog ride?

Why Your Dog Got Kicked Out of Obedience School

September 18, 2013

Group obedience classes aren’t for every dog out there. In fact, you’d be surprised at how many dogs shouldn’t be in a group class. That may surprise you, especially coming from someone who teaches group dog training classes for a living and who, by the way, happens to think that group classes are a real benefit to most dogs.

No one really gets “kicked out” of classes, if we’re being honest. I know a lot of people say their dog was kicked out, but in all the years of teaching classes, I’ve never kicked a dog (or human) out of my classes.

Here are some of the reasons I’ve recommended against group classes for some of my clients:

The dog is too frightened in class. Dogs are scared for lots of reasons: they’ve had a traumatic experience, they never got out much before they were 12 weeks old (lack of socialization), or they’re just skittish by nature. For these dogs, I recommend to the owner that we do some in-home private lessons first, to see how much progress we can make in a quieter, less stressful situation.
The dog isn’t friendly toward other dogs. Unfriendly dogs in a group class is an accident waiting to happen. It’s not fair to the other dogs in class (or to the unfriendly one!) to be put in that situation. Group classes are for dogs who don’t have any issues with other dogs (other than lack of self control). Again, for unfriendly dogs, in-home training is the recommended course of action.
The dog isn’t friendly toward people. Another unfair and unmanagable situation for the dogs and their owners. It’s a question of safety. Unfriendly dogs need more than general “good manners” behaviors. There’s a larger, more serious underlying problem that needs to be addressed. It’s important for unfriendly dogs to have one-on-one interaction in a controlled, distraction-free environment if real progress is expected.
Excessive barking. Out of control barkers usually fall into one of the above categories (scared, anxious, or unfriendly in some way). Excessive barking, for me, means uncontrolled barking that lasts at least 50% of the time in class, and it persists even when the barking dog can’t see any other dogs. In this case, the dog is way over the threshold where he can learn anything. Excessive barking is an indication that class is just too much for the dog at the moment. In-home coaching can help the owners teach the dog is a less distracting and stimulating environment and allows the dog to actually learn something instead of having the owner just try to quiet the dog.

When anyone “gets kicked out of class,” it’s not because their dog is bad. It’s because the dog needs a quieter, less distracting environment in order to have success. Once some in-home training has instilled the basic good manners behaviors and the owners (and dog) have learned some basics, re-entry into group classes is a real possibility. It’s never a badge of shame!

Never fear — all dogs can learn. Your trainer is setting you and your dog up for optimal success when she suggests in-home training.

Your turn: have you experienced success with private lessons with your dog?

Nanny Cam for Your Dogs

September 6, 2013

I found the coolest little techie gadget when I attended BlogHer last month. It’s a little camera called Dropcam and it’s the perfect tool for you if you want to keep an eye on your dog while your away from the house.

First, this is not a sponsored post. I won a Dropcam (can’t say now that I’ve never won anything!) from the BlogHer conference and have used it every day since it arrived.

What Is It?
The Dropcam consists of a small camera (4.5″ × 3.15″ × 3.15″) that you plug into a wall socket. As soon as you plug it in and tell it what wi-fi network to connect to, you’re up and running. Well, after you create an account (painless).

What Does It Do?
There are lots of different uses for a Dropcam, but I’m limiting this post to what interests dog people.

Peace of Mind. Know that your dogs are safe and secure by checking in on them while you’re at work or out running errands. It’s a relief for me to know my guys are snoozing while I’m out earning money to put food in their bowls.

Curiosity. What exactly do the dogs do while I’m gone? They sleep. A lot. They also sniff around to see what trouble they can get into. They trade sleeping spots. They bark sometimes if I leave the windows open and they hear the neighbor dogs. They get really excited when they hear me walk down the hallway when I get home!

Information gathering. Exactly how long does it take them to settle in after I leave? Are there any “discussions” between the dogs? Is anyone bossing anyone else around? When do they start to get restless? If there’s an <ahem> pile or puddle, just who left it? Who stole the stuff off the counter?

Accountability. Do you wonder if your dog walker really does come and spend time with your dogs? Now you’ll know.

Safety. Heaven forbid any tragedies, but hey, if you saw smoke in your house, you could call 911 and tell them to get to your address ASAP. There are documented positive burglar identifications and arrests thanks to the hi-def Dropcam cameras. Pretty worth it.

Pros of the Dropcam: In addition to all the above, I love that the Dropcam is so ridiculously easy to use. You need 2 things: (1) wifi and (2) electricity. If you’ve got those two things, you’ll be up and running in about 2 minutes (honestly). And I’m not a technology whiz.

I also LOVE that it has built-in night vision. And it’s really good night vision. I’m impressed at just how clear and sharp the “at night” video is. Warning: when you review the video taken at night, the night vision makes you think ghosts or something supernatural will appear. If you’ve ever watched any ghost hunting shows, you know what I mean. It looks creepy even when you’re just watching your dogs sleep.

You can watch your dogs from almost any tablet, phone, or computer. You also have the ability to talk to your dogs through the Dropcam. I haven’t used that feature, though, for fear that my dogs will think I’m home and get a little ballistic. But, still, it’s an option that might be attractive to some dog owners.

You get an alert anytime motion is detected. Handy so you don’t have to manually scroll through the video to look for movement if you’re archiving footage (which I highly recommend).

You have the option to turn the cameras on and off at scheduled intervals. Also, if you desire, you can share the Dropcam feed. Everything’s password protected, so no one else can drop in on what’s going on unless you’re sloppy with your password.

You can pay a nominal fee ($100/year) to have 7 days of video feed available. If you want more video archived, you can pay more money, but I don’t think any dog owner will need 30 days of footage. But it’s available if you want it.

The cost is ridiculous considering all the features. It’s $149. That’s it. Crazy inexpensive, isn’t it?

Cons: There aren’t a whole lot of cons. I guess the $100 for archiving a week’s worth of video might be a con. It’s not really, I mean $100/year for continually keeping 7 days worth of activity is pretty darn cheap, I think. But hey, it is money afterall.

You are limited to placing the camera where you have (1) wifi and (2) electricity. Again, not a huge con, but I think it’s worth mentioning.

I’ll be using Dropcam for business purposes when I work with clients who have destructive dogs or dogs with separation anxiety. The camera will give us an honest, accurate look at what’s going on in the house after the owners leave: when does the anxioius behavior start, how long does it last, how severe is it?

Those are my thoughts on the Dropcam. Again, I don’t have any relationship with the company except that (1) I won a camera and (2) I’m a big fan. If you have questions, feel free to ask me — I will tell you all I know.

Your turn: what would you use the Dropcam for in your house with your dogs? Please leave a comment below and let me know!

Easy Dog Training Treats on the Run

September 1, 2013

Schooner is in socialization overdrive right now. I’m finding places to go every day so I can get him out and around lots of different sights and sounds. The more he sees in a happy and comfortable way, the less excited he’ll be when it’s time for him to settle in and get to work with his partner. We’re still a good ways away from turn-in day, but the earlier he sees and experiences new situations, the faster he’ll become a pro at handling the public life of a service dog. And the better service dog he’ll be.

I’ve made an effort to have a treat bag full of training treats ready to go at the beginning of each week. One of my (many) Sunday night chores is stuffing the treat bag full of delicious, pea-sized food treats. Schooner is picky — I can’t get away with most packaged dog treats with him. He’ll turn his nose up at leftover chicken from dinner, for goodness sake! He’s definitely not interested in artificially flavored anything! He’s a real challenge in that department.

Sometimes I have him out in public for several hours. Summers in the mid-Atlantic can be tough on dog treats. I’ve had processed meats go bad before I get back home — ew, so stinky (and embarrasing when the lady in the checkout line sniffs and then turns to look at me as the source of the stink).

I was rushing out the door last week and had Schooner in tow. I got him loaded in the car, made sure I had my purse, my keys, my phone, Schooner’s vest, his leash, his harness… And I forgot the treat bag. I ran back into the house, yanked the refrigerator door open (where I store his leftover treats, as most of them need refrigeration unfortunately) and found a bare treat pouch. Like Mother Hubbard’s cupboard it was.

Drat! Now, in addition to having no treats, I was going to be late for my meeting because I needed a high value treat to reinforce all of Schooner’s good behavior I was looking forward to getting. I’m an eternal optimist.

I glanced in the pantry for something, anything, when I spied The Honest Kitchen’s quickies. I’ve mentioned The Honest Kitchen before. They had, rather fortuitously, just sent me some of their new little training treats. I grabbed the little can, threw them into the car and off Schooner and I went to our meeting.

As I was walking into the building, I tossed the treats into my treat bag and kept right on walking, not missing a beat. Schooner’s loose leash walking was quite impressive, so I clicked and treated him for such nice work. I grabbed a quickie, popped it in his mouth and went right on stepping it off. He came back for more! His loose leash walking turned suddenly into “right next to my leg, not leaving my side” walking. It was pretty cool.

Throughout the meeting, he got treated for settling quietly. This is an amazingly hard task for a social butterfly like Schooner. It’s not like he blends into the woodwork and no one notices him for goodness sake. He’s a very large, very speckled, extremely friendly dog. In a restaurant. Or in the grocery store checkout line. He draws a crowd. And settling is right up there with loose leash walking as far as must-have skills. So a high value reward is imperative, as we want him to repeat that lovely settling behavior.

I’m happy to report that the quickies did the trick for this picky dog. The quickies are simply Icelandic Haddock. That’s it. Nothing else. Oh, and they come in the shape of a heart. Very cute. And they’re delicious — at least according to Schooner. And our cat. Who begs shamelessly whenever I carry the treat bag inside.

Oh, and the other nice thing. They don’t need refrigeration, these quickies. No surprise stinky-car in the morning.

Your turn: have you found a delicious, easy, small treat that your dog adores? Please share in a comment below!

This post is entirely my opinion and I did not get paid to write this post about The Honest Kitchen. I received three quickie treat containers from The Honest Kitchen to try out for Schooner’s training.

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Your turn: does your dog have a favorite treat, game, toy that he’ll work really hard for? Share some of your creative solutions!

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