dog obedience Archives - Smart Dog University

Attention! Get Your Dog to Pay Attention [Video]

November 21, 2013

Getting your dog to pay attention can be a challenge. There are so many interesting things out there! Squirrels! Birds! The wind! Joggers! Dogs! Pee! It hurts to know that pee ranks higher on your dog’s list of interesting things than you do, doesn’t it? The good news is that it doesn’t have to stay that way. You can be more interesting than the wind. Or pee.

This is the first video in a series where you’ll teach your dog to pay attention to you. This is pretty powerful stuff – are you ready for it?!

Let’s get started with some of the most common mistakes I see dog owners make when they try to get their dog’s attention:

Nagging. It sounds like this “Fido. Fido! Hey, Fido, look here! C’mon, Fido! Look at me, would you? Hurry up, you stupid dog. FIDO!” It’s almost like begging your dog to look in your direction. Does your husband, wife, child, boss ever get what they want when they nag you? Probably not. And if you do what they want, it’s probably grudgingly. I want your dog to want to look at you!
Bribing. Almost everyone is guilty of this mistake. Your dog won’t look in your direction, so you wave a treat directly in front of his face. Or maybe you say a favorite word like “treat,” or “go for a walk.” Bribes have no place in dog training. Bribes create sloppy and unreliable behavior from your dog. And you always run the risk of not having a good enough bribe.
Demanding. Some people demand that their dog pay attention. You’ve seen it, I’m sure: they’re at the park and they call their dog’s name. The dog is looking at the dog across the way and doesn’t turn around to his owner. The owner yanks on the leash, forcing the dog to turn his head away from the distraction and toward the owner. If there’s something I like less than bribes, it’s demanding something from your dog.
Being stingy. Occasionally, your dog will turn away from something really interesting and instead of having a party and celebrating this huge success, you ignore their success — or worse: you tell them to do something unappealing (like leave the dog park, for instance).

This video shows how you’re going to right those wrongs and get your dog’s attention quickly and easily.

Start in a quiet location — preferably in your house. Have some really delicious treats. Schooner’s eating cubed cheese and summer sausage. Wait for your dog to look at you.

Remain silent. You’re not doing anything to get your dog to look at you. Your job is to click at exactly the same time your dog looks at you or in your direction. That’s it.

Gradually, your dog will realize that looking at you causes you to click and give him a treat. This is where things get really fun! Your dog will start looking at you to get you to click. You saw on the video how I let the clicker do all the “talking,” and I stayed quiet while waiting for Schooner to look at me.

Before long, your dog will spend more time looking at you than at his surroundings. This is good! You’re making progress! It’ll then be time to add in some distractions. That video will be coming shortly. Until then, keep working on the steps in the video and you’ll be ready for the next installment of teaching your dog to pay attention to you!

Bringing Up Baby…With A Dog In the House

November 2, 2013

I don’t remember what was going on in this picture, but I do remember the dog. That’s Penny, the first dog I ever had.

I don’t remember ever living without a dog. My earliest memories involve dogs. And a cat named Spyder Eyes who would hide and then LEAP onto me as I toddled by.

We don’t have kids, but most of the folks I work with do have children. The wise clients ask for advice on when to bring a dog into their family. The other clients call me after there’s a problem and they’re at wit’s end.

I think it’s wise to involve the children in the raising and training of the family dog as soon as they’re able. Supervision, obviously, is required. It’s not “nice to have” supervision, it’s “CRITICAL to have.”

Naturally, responsibility of dog care and training will increase as the children get older. I remember getting into the gigantic galvanized trash can to get our dogs’ their dinner. It seemed gigantic as a kid and I remember loving the smell of the dog food when the lid was opened. Our dogs lived outside back then and I had to carry water to their water bowls, too. I hated that job: the bucket was heavy and I always got soaked by the sloshing water. There was no getting out of it — the dogs needed their water, and it was one of my assigned duties.

If you have a dog and kids, why not let the kids participate in the care of your dog. Pet360 has some great tips on how to divvy out responsibility based on the age of your kids.

Your turn: Did you have a dog growing up? What were your dog-related chores. Do you have kids and a dog? Do your kids have responsibilities around the care, feeding, and training of the family dog? I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment.

This post is sponsored by Pet360. I have the chance to be compensated for spreading the word about Pet360.com, but Smart Dog Blog only shares stuff that WE like! [We don’t share just for money or bling, in other words.]

Great Treats Can Help Your Dog Through A Vet Appointment

October 28, 2013

We’re headed to the veterinarian today for a quick look at a ridiculous wart between Schooner’s toes. It’s been bothering him quite a bit — and bleeding if he gets rambunctious. He’s 10 months old, rambunctious happens on a daily basis. And unfortunately, due to the wart, blood on the floor is now also happening on a daily basis. Ew. Ow.

I fully anticipate Schooner to resist a paw examination at the veterinary hospital. I’ve been worrying him all weekend, checking on the wart, looking at it from every angle, and generally poking him constantly.

For a smooth examination, we’re going to need “the big guns” when it comes to treat choices. Only the best is going to do — he’ll already excited to be in a new place, to meet new people, and then we’ll be poking and prodding. He’ll be raring to go and I’ll need him to stand still — for awhile — so the veterinarian can get a good look at his paw.

I’ve chopped up some leftover ham, have some soft cat food ready, and will even bring some cooked bacon to help Schooner through the visit. The food can act as both a distractor “Ooh! Schooner! Look at this bacon up here!” so the vet can get down and look at the foot without having his slobber into her hair. It can also be used as a reward each time he allows her to touch his foot.

Regular dog food won’t work in this situation. Nor will anything crunchy or hard. These treats need to be delicious — think people-food — and easy to swallow (with minimal chewing). The tastier the better!

Bringing food to every veterinary visit is a good idea. We start all our puppies with delish treats when they go to the veterinarian, even if it’s just for a quick hello to meet the technicians and staff. The more positive associations you can create in your dog’s head that correspond with the veterinary hospital, the easier it’ll be for the veterinarian and her technicians to examine and treat your dog.

Your turn: What’s your dog’s favorite “human food?” Do you give your dog a special treat when you take him (her) to the vet? Share your strategies below in the comments!

Service Dog Training: The Things A Dog Trainer Learns from Her Dogs

October 25, 2013

One of the reasons I love dogs is because they’re all different. We’re on service pup #15, Schooner, and oh, the things he’s teaching me!

One might think that dog training consists of the dog trainer teaching the dog. And yes, that’s true for the most part. My job is to help the dog learn. Opening up to learning from the dog, though, is when things get really cool. That’s where I am with Schooner in our training journey.

He’s teaching me. And he’s a pretty darn good teacher.

I’m learning:

to keep training sessions short
that training sessions better be fun
the dog can (and will) quit a training session if it isn’t fun
that not all dogs find chicken delightful and to keep searching and trying new treats until a I find one for which Schooner goes nutty
when I deliver a treat matters — slow is not acceptable (even when my click is perfectly timed)
dog brains develop on their own schedule and I need to modify my training schedule to match the dog’s schedule
keep training, even if it seems like the dog isn’t getting it
don’t be afraid to take a break from training for a few days, though if things feel like they’re not fun anymore
if you’re not smiling when you’re training, definitely take a break
some dogs are bottomless pits, while others walk away when they’re full — and that’s ok
clicker training conquers just about any training issue you throw at it AND the dog loves the solution

Schooner is 10-months old and he’s just now starting to really learn. I won’t lie: I was panicked for a couple of months because his progress was s o s l o w. The Labradors I’ve trained have always been ahead of me in the training game — I couldn’t teach them new things fast enough! Schooner, on the other hand, had a decidedly different path. He’s a “stop and smell the roses” kinda dog when it comes to learning.

His message in a nutshell: Don’t rush him, be patient, and his brains will eventually kick in. When I surrendered my need for progress, progress, progress, and let the dog dictate the pace, I was happily surprised with progress!

That, to me, is what dog training is all about. It’s a journey taken together with a little bit of give-and-take. It’s listening to one another, striving to create the opportunity for learning so that when the dog is ready to learn, I’m ready to teach.

Dog training is not about “making the dog” do anything. It’s not about shutting off behavior (jumping, barking, pulling etc.), it’s about getting lots more behavior and then rewarding only the good stuff that you want to see more of (sitting, chewing a toy, walking politely, etc.). If you hear someone say “just make him do it!” walk away. Quickly. That ain’t what dog training’s about. Not at all.

In the end, Schooner will have learned how to be a top-notch dog who can provide his human partner with the help she needs to get through life every single day. He’ll do it happily. He’ll do it eagerly. And together they’ll be a terrific working team, and — better still — a terrific team…period.

Your turn: What have you learned from your dog? Is your dog a good teacher? Are you a good learner? Let us know and leave a comment below!

3 Tools for A Dog Who Gulps His Food – Video

October 17, 2013

Having raised 15 puppies for service work, we’ve had lots of experience with food gulpers. You know the ones: the food bowl is down for 10 seconds and the food is gone. The dog doesn’t stop to enjoy or even chew his food, it’s basically inhaled. Sometimes the food will come back up — the whole meal — in a foamy lump on your floor. (And if you have Labradors, they’ll re-eat it. Ewww, gross!)

There are several reasons to slow your dog down when he’s eating his food. First, digestively, it’s not good to eat that quickly. The result is often the aforementioned pile on the floor. The dog inhales lots of air as he’s gulping and the stomach says “Get out!” With that air comes all the food. Ick. Another reason to slow your dog down is to get more out of meal time. Meal time doesn’t have to be just about getting your dog the required nutrition and calories. Your dog’s meal can do double-duty — it can entertain, it can teach, it can tire your dog out (mentally and physically). Here’s how to get more out of your dog’s meal.

Scatter
Ease: Super Easy
Cost: Free
How: Scatter your dog’s food across the lawn. Your dog can look for each individual kibble and work to free those kibbles from the grass. Don’t do this if your lawn is chemically treated, obviously. If your dog has never found food in the lawn, take a moment to show him how to do it. With your dog close by, toss some food into the lawn very close to your dog. Point out the individual kibbles to him so he understands there’s food to be found. As he gets better at this, you can scatter the kibble farther and wider.
Cautions: Be sure your dog isn’t eating sticks or plants while he’s finding kibble. Also, don’t use this method if you chemically treat your lawn.

Obstacles
Ease: Super Easy
Cost: Free if you have toys or tennis balls on hand. Otherwise, the cost is minimal.
How: Put enough tennis balls (or other dog toys) in your dog’s bowl on top of the food. I like tennis balls because they fit nicely in a dog bowl and are harder to pick out of the bowl than other dog toys. The dog needs to eat around the tennis balls, which takes longer and slows the dog down.
Cautions: Use appropriate sized objects. Be sure the tennis balls or objects are too large for the dog to swallow.

Specialty Bowls
Ease: Super Easy
Cost: Pricey
How: Simply put the food into the specially made bowl. There are many different versions of bowls made to slow down eating. They each look a little different, but they all work similarly: there are built-in obstacles requiring the dog to work to get the food out, thereby slowing the dog down.
Cautions: These bowls are made of plastic and are generally safe.

Other Ideas
You can also put your dog’s food into a food dispensing toy such as a Kong. These ideas require substantially more effort on your part, as you have to fill the toys before each meal. There is some cost involved, although Kong’s are usually less expensive than the specialty bowls.

Your Turn: Have you ever had a food gulper? What solutions have worked for you and your dog? Please share!

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.

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Your turn: Did you have a dog growing up? What were your dog-related chores. Do you have kids and a dog? Do your kids have responsibilities around the care, feeding, and training of the family dog? I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment.

Your turn: What’s your dog’s favorite “human food?” Do you give your dog a special treat when you take him (her) to the vet? Share your strategies below in the comments!

Your turn: What have you learned from your dog? Is your dog a good teacher? Are you a good learner? Let us know and leave a comment below!

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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