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Dog Training – The Personal Side

We have three permanent dogs — dogs that were released from service work. Three dogs, plus a yearly rotating service pup in training, is about all we can handle. Four permanent dogs plus a service dog just wouldn’t work well. And here are the reasons why.

1. We couldn’t raise a service pup in training if we had four permanent dogs.
2. Our current dogs wouldn’t be afforded the same level of attention and training with the addition of another dog.
3. I am devoted to Tango, my yellow Labrador, and want to focus on “he and me.”
4. When I am finally ready to get another dog, after Tango is no longer with us (which I hope is a long, long time from now), I want a dog with whom I can continue therapy work.

Those are four very good reasons. Hard to argue with reasons.

So why, tell me, is it so painful for me to decline keeping sweet Great Dane, Siena, who is being released from the service dog program?

I *know* it’s the right decision — logically. Alas, I am ruled not with logic, but rather by emotion. And emotionally, I WANT TO KEEP HER!

It’s as if I have two very different people living in my head. And they argue constantly over this issue. And each of them have very compelling arguments.

Every danged time a Dane comes into my life so far, it’s resulted in heartbreak. That danged lovely Talos with his ice-blue eyes and cow-like spots nearly killed me with grief when I had to turn him in. (He’s now a brilliant service dog working for a brilliant woman, so the ending is happy].

And now, the adorable and oh-so-lovey Siena’s going to kill me when I give her up to a loving home [that’s going to be wonderful to her and for her].

Here’s the part I really don’t understand about myself. EVERY time I raise a service dog, I cry and my heart is broken. Yet, I’m not keeping Siena because I want to keep raising service dogs.

I think I’m crazy. That is all.

Puppy Training: Lesson of the Day – Polite Walking



Puppies arrive knowing very little. If you want your pup to have good habits, you’ll have to teach them what to do. The easiest way to do this is to start training your puppy as soon as she comes home. One of the earliest lessons (it feels like there are so many early lessons!) we teach our puppies (service dog or pets) is to walk on a loose leash. The bigger the dog, the bigger the problem. Your chihuahua probably won’t pull you down, but your Great Dane surely will — unless you start teaching polite leash manners early. Here’s how you can teach your puppy to walk with a loose leash.

Put your puppy’s breakfast in a fanny pack or treat pouch. Get your clicker ready. When you go on your morning walk, click and treat every time you take a step and your pup’s leash is slack. You’ll be clicking a lot, and that’s good! That’s why you brought your pup’s entire breakfast with you. They need to eat anyway, you might as well get some mileage out of all those treats.

You’re clicking (and treating) every single time you take a step and your pup’s leash is slack. It doesn’t matter which side they are on, if they’re switching sides, or if they’re behind you. As long as there’s a little dip in that leash, you’re clicking and treating.

If your pup gets excited about another dog or a squirrel and pulls ahead, simply stop. Mouth closed, arms at your sides, just wait. Pretty soon, your smart puppy will figure out that she’s not going anywhere. She’ll probably turn to look at you quizically. Yay! You’ll click and then hold the treat down by your side. You want the pup to come back to you to get the treat. Click and treat again. And again.

You’re making it obvious to the pup that being with you is really rewarding! Pulling isn’t. 

We inadvertantly teach our pup to pull when we follow along behind them when the leash is tight. Your pup doesn’t know that pulling means you’ll follow — until it actually happens! So unfortunately, when you follow your pulling puppy, you’re actually telling your puppy that that’s how to move forward — just lean into the collar, little buddy, and I’ll follow along.

That isn’t the message we mean to send, but it’s what’s received by the pup. Puppies do what works. If pulling gets them from Point A to Point B, why on earth would they try something different? So you, the smart trainer, are going to start your pup out with the realization that pulling = no movement.

And, in addition, staying closer to you, so the leash stays slack, gets the puppy two things: (1) treats and (2) moving forward! It’s a double win for your puppy! And it’s definitely a win for you! This is how we start loose leash walking — there are more advanced steps as the pup gets older, but we’ll get into that in another post. For now, all you have to worry about is teaching your puppy that pulling doesn’t work and having a loose leash gets that puppy lots more fun and freedom!

When did you start teaching your puppy leash manners? Share your dog-friendly loose leash walking tips in a comment below! I’d love to hear what’s worked for you!

 

Service Dog Training: What It Takes to Make a Good Service Dog


service dog, dog training, assistance dog, therapy dog, dog obedience, Frederick, Smart Dog, puppy training, dog classesLots of people say “I think my dog would be a good service dog, he’s so friendly!”

Truth is, it’s really hard to become a service dog. Friendliness is just one of the many things a dog needs to be good at to meet the high standards of service work.

As we evaluate our latest service pup in-training and her progress, here are some of the things we’re looking for.

  • ability to bounce back quickly from something scary
  • adaptability — can she transition easily between crowded public places like the supermarket, to quiet locations like the library
  • go with the flow attitude
  • physical health and structure — is she physically built to do the job of a support/brace dog? Does she have any allergies or other medical conditions that would prevent her from working a full career
  • can she learn all the basic good-manners behaviors quickly and incorporate those into her daily life easily without contsant reminders
  • can she learn to walk nicely on a leash all the time — no matter what distractions pop up in her environment
  • is she able to tolerate loud noises, sirens, flashing lights, bangs, and clattering? Many dogs are undone by the applause of an auditorium or the public address system — a service dog has to be rock-solid regardless of the noise or commotion going on in their environment.
  • is she able to walk on any type of surface, even if she’s never seen it before? Even if it’s wobbly?
  • can she adapt to new people quickly and easily? Being comfortable with strangers is very important for a service dog because in the event of an emergency, they may need to be separated from their partner.
  • does she enjoy seeing new places, getting attention from strangers, having a crowd around her, seeing many hands come toward her at one time? Service dogs sort of stick out in a crowd — especially a big, spotted Great Dane. She needs to be able to handle the crowds of people that will inevitably surround her at some point during her career.
  • can she sit to be petted? A service dog will rarely be asked to put her paws on people and in fact, jumping on people can lead to a quick dismissal from the program if that behavior can’t be modified. This is where most people who think their dogs would make a good service dog have trouble.
  • friendly with all other dogs. This one can be tough, as service dogs need to be able to tolerate other dogs, but not want to play with them or be distracted by them no matter what else is going on. This is a common reason that service dogs are released from service work.
  • a real desire to work with their partner. Lazy dogs don’t make very good service dogs! Service dogs need to be able to sleep quietly under a desk for a few hours, then at a moment’s notice be able to get up and thread through a crowd and help their partner navigate the subway system.

Most pet dogs have some of these qualities. Service dogs need to have them all!

Even though many service dog organizations select breeders specifically for dogs with good temperaments and excellent health, the release rate can be high. Our three dogs: Lily, Tango, and Nemo were all released from the program. Lily wasn’t comfortable in public, she was also reactive to other dogs. Nemo was a bit nervous in public and had a very bad fungal infection when he was just a year old. Tango would have been a fantastic service dog, but he has a bum leg (shoulder/elbow) that precluded him from having a full service dog career. He’s now a registered therapy dog which makes him very happy. He was born to do service work, and thankfully therapy work allows him the best of both worlds — he can still go into public places when he’s doing therapy work, but he’s able to get a lot more rest and preserve his health.

Some dogs have all the right skills to do service work, but just aren’t happy doing it.

Lily is an example of a whip-smart dog who could be a star service dog. But she doesn’t like being in public. That’s enough to keep her out of the program. An unhappy working dog doesn’t make a good partner for someone. And we want both ends of the leash to be happy together!

We will continue to watch Siena and evaluate her through the lens of a service dog partner for someone.

She’s already passed the “good pet” tests — if she doesn’t make it in the tough world of service work, she’s going to make someone very happy as she lounges on the couch or takes long walks with them.

Service Dog Training: Going to the Bathroom on Command

In service dog training, it’s important to be able to tell your dog that this is bathroom time and to hurry up and go to the bathroom. One of the many “first things” we teach our service dogs is to go to the bathroom on cue. We use the words “Hurry up,” to tell the dog that the clock is ticking – this is your chance to go to the bathroom.

This is an essential skill for the service dog, but I find it helpful to teach the family dog to go to the bathroom on cue, too! This is great when it’s raining and you don’t feel like standing in the rain with your dog ’til he decides it’s time to go; for when you’re in the car with your dog and you stop at a rest stop; and for anytime you want to tell your dog that time is limited, he better go to the bathroom now if he needs to go.

How to Teach Potty On Command
It’s super-easy to teach your dog to go to the bathroom on cue. First, decide on a word or phrase. I like “hurry up,” or “do your business,” but you can use any word you want. Next, take your dog outside on a leash. Just as he starts to go to the bathroom, say your cue. All you’re doing at this point, is just pairing the word (or phrase) with the action of going to the bathroom. Say your word when your dog starts going to the bathroom (no matter if it’s #1 or #2). Try to get your words in just as he’s starting to go.

Praise quietly and enthusiastically (too much enthusiasm might make your dog stop mid poo or mid pee!). I don’t use food for this – it just seems to get in the way and muddy the process.

Continue pairing the word with the deed for about a week or two every time your dog goes to the bathroom. Long about the beginning of Week 3, say the word just before your dog does his business. Praise quietly and enthusiastically just like you did before.

Finally, around Week 4 you can start saying the word to cause your dog to go to the bathroom. If you did your homework in the first three weeks, when your dog hears those words, he should start to do his business! Unless, of course, he doesn’t have to go.

Now, you’ve got yourself a really cool tool to tell your dog that this is his chance to go to the bathroom. 

Have you taught your dog to go to the bathroom on cue? Please leave us a comment with the word (or phrase)  you use.

Dog Training: Ask the Trainer – How to Teach Your Dog Without the Word “No”

 

Siena is our 13th service dog we’ve had a hand in raising. And she’s the 13th dog that doesn’t know what the word “no” means. How can that be, I hear you saying. She must be a monster if you don’t say “no.” She, like the other dogs we’ve raised, are very well behaved and don’t find any valuable information in the word “no.”

I don’t use that word in my training. I don’t need it and here’s why:

“No” doesn’t give the dog any information whatsoever as to what he should be doing. Here’s the thing — unless your dog is dead, he’s always doing something. He’s sleeping. He’s barking. He’s sitting. He’s chewing a bone. He’s running. He’s laying down. He’s doing something all the time.

A living thing can’t exist without doing something. So, the smart dog owner says to herself “What can I teach my dog to do that’s acceptable to me?” [Hint: what the smart owner does not say is: how can I get my dog to stop doing x.]

It’s 100 times easier to teach your dog what to do than it is to get him to STOP doing something. Because in order to get your dog to STOP doing something, you’ve got to insert something ELSE — remember, only dead dogs do nothing.

Here’s my hint to you: it’s a whole lot easier to simply teach your dog what to do than to waste time thinking about how to STOP something. 

An example may help illustrate this idea. Let’s say your dog jumps when people come to your house. Almost everyone says “how can I get my dog to stop jumping” and all they do is work on getting rid of the jumping. It’s frustrating — to you, to the dog, and to your guest. Because trying to stop the jumping the hardest solution to a very simple problem.

If you’re a smart dog owner, you’re thinking: what else can my dog do so he won’t jump on people. Forget about stopping the jumping. Focus on what your dog can do — that you can reward — that will get you to your solution. There are so many things your dog can do instead of jump. Here’s a partial list:

  1. sit
  2. lay down
  3. go to a specific spot (his bed or crate, for instance)
  4. run to his toy box to grab a toy
  5. go belly up for tummy scritches
  6. perform a cute trick like dancing or begging
  7. touch the guest’s hand with his nose
  8. the list is endless.

So instead of saying “No!” repeatedly, you can simply teach your dog to do any one of these behaviors, reward him heartily, then sit back and wait for your guests to tell you how well-behaved your dog is! 

Great Dane, Siena, has learned how to put her front paws up on the counter. This is not a good thing. She’s not very tall now, but she can still reach the countertops! Give her a few more months and she won’t have to get on her hind legs to reach, she’ll be able to simply stand on all four feet with her chin on the counter. Instead of saying “NO!” everytime her paws hit the counter — which would be such a downer — I’m either ignoring her and then praising her like crazy when she finds nothing and gets down on her own or I’m redirecting her to put her feet on the floor (then adding in that praise). In addition, I’m reinforcing her for sitting while I’m doing food prep. Amazingly [from her perspective] food jumps off the counter and onto the floor only when she’s sitting. She can actually make food jump into her mouth if — and only if — she sits politely when I’m prepping for dinner.

Voila! I’ve got a dog who lays down quietly while dinner is being prepped. It really is that easy!

Siena’s our 13th dog and I’ve not used “no” yet. I challenge you to think of something else for your dog to do instead of saying the word “no.” It’s a crutch you don’t need. I promise.

Service Dog Training: Siena’s Status

After two weeks of making up our minds, then changing our minds again, it’s confirmed: Siena’s still in the program. For now.

I’m going to call it her probationary period for lack of a better word. She’s got a long way to go – there are so many things a service dog must excel at (no room for mediocrity in service work), so many things they must tolerate without extreme fear or excitement — it’s a long road for Siena, definitely, but we’re happy with the progress we’ve seen since this inexperienced little Dane came to live with us two weeks ago.

Two weeks ago she trembled when we carried her inside. She wouldn’t enter the house by herself — either too scared or had never had the experience of going up one step. When scared, she would run away from us instead of seeking us out for comfort. I couldn’t walk her through my quiet neighborhood — she trembled so badly I wondered if she could even walk. She was afraid of her food bowl for goodness sake! Even when it had food in it! I was worried not for her service career — that just wasn’t going to happen — but more for her general suitability for just being a pet.

However, over the past two weeks, I’ve worked with several times a day, every day, to help build her confidence, her trust in us, and her experience base. The main reason she’s staying is that we’ve seen her progress quickly and assimilate what she’s seen and experienced and used that when she encounters something else that’s new.

Over the weekend, she rocked the Home Depot and survived a trip to our local grocery store. Siena has the most trouble at grocery stores – I’m not sure why, but I’m guessing because it’s a very “busy” place: there’s so much visually to take in — the carts, displays, shiny floors, tall shelves, bright lighting, people everywhere. Grocery stores aren’t quiet either — there’s always music, announcements over the public address system, banging carts, beeping checkout stations, etc. Add to that mix the hum and air blowing from the refrigeration cases and you’ve got a recipe for disaster for a pup who thinks going inside a house is scary.


Great Dane service dog in training, dog training, puppy training, puppy socialization, Frederick,

Siena makes friends with Nemo

Check in with us here every Monday and I’ll detail Siena’s progress and how we’re working through those challenges she’s facing. If you’re getting a puppy, you’ll get a lot of information that will help you make sure he grows into a well-adjusted family dog. Also, if you’ve adopted a dog from a rescue or shelter, you’ll be able to use the information and apply it to your dog, too! And if you’ve got a normal, laid-back dog, you’re covered, too, because in most other ways, Siena’s a normal dog and we’ll have information for you about how to keep your dog entertained and out of trouble.

 

Do you have a dog who took awhile to warm up to life? Please leave a comment and share what worked for you and your dog. 

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