Canine Behavior – Myths and Facts – Part 1, Where do we get our knowledge about dogs?

< A version of this article was published in the May 2016 issue of Down East Dog News>

I recently asked listeners of The Woof Meow Show to email me questions that we could answer on the show. A dog training colleague who listens to the show asked: “What is the one thing you wish every dog owner knew about dogs? My answer was that I wished people knew more about canine behavior, specifically what is factual, and what is not.

According to the American Animal Hospital Association’s 2015 AAHA Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines, “Behavioral problems affect more dogs and cats than any other medical condition and are one of the most common causes of euthanasia, relinquishment, or abandonment of pets.” This document posits that mistaken or misinformed beliefs about canine behavior are a major reason for these behavioral problems, This column is the first in a multi-part series where I hope to educate readers and dispel some of these myths. However, first, I think we need to look where we get our information about dogs.

Interestingly, society has many misconceptions about dogs and what constitutes normal canine behavior. Many of those misconceptions go back to what we “learned” about dogs as children. For some of us, that goes back to Rin Tin Tin and Lassie. Both dogs were portrayed as canine perfection; however, whether it was a book, movie, or television show or all of the above, it was a marvelous, heart-wrenching piece of fiction.

In my case, in addition to fictional stories, I was also greatly influenced by two dog training books we purchased when Paula and I brought our first puppy home. The Monks of New Skete How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend was published in 1978 and Mother Knows Best by Carol Lea Benjamin was published in 1985. These books were very popular at the time. Both authors insisted that dogs are essentially wolves and thus the best way to train a dog is to treat it the way a mother wolf would treat a wolf pup. This “motherly love” often involved lots of intimidation, fear, and pain. [see Gus and the Alpha Roll below for my experience with how these techniques worked.]

For some, their knowledge of dogs is based on what a family member or friend has told them about their experience with dogs. This is may be someone with no formal training but who will tell you that they have been training dogs since “Pluto was a pup” and know all that they need to know. They often insist that this is the way they have always done it and scoff at doing anything differently for any reason, even if it is easier or offers other benefits. Sadly this approach is also often counter-productive to our relationship with our dog.

Today, many people reach their conclusions about canine behavior based on “reality” television which in reality is not very real. The Dog Whisper, broadcast by the National Geographic Channel, involves “self-credentialed” “dog psychologist” Cesar Millan solving serious behavior problems while using force, intimidation, and pain because that is all part of being the pack leader. It is the same misinformation from the two books I’ve mentioned, formulated for television. Because the National Geographic brand has a long standing reputation as being based on solid science, it gives the show an aura of credibility that it does not deserve. Since its inception, it has been challenged by experts in the field of canine behavior. For example, Dr. Nicholas Dodman, a veterinary behaviorist credentialed by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Tufts University said this back in 2006: ”My college thinks it [The Dog Whisperer – Cesar Millan] is a travesty. We’ve written to National Geographic Channel and told them they have put dog training back 20 years.” Yet versions of the show continue to air today.

Lastly, there is the internet. I know of very few professionals that do not have mixed feelings about the “Dr. Google” and the misinformation spread via the internet on a daily basis. Sharing information is great when the information is factual and reliable; however erroneous information can be very harmful. And as State Farm Insurance has taught us, just because it is on the internet does not mean it is true. Unfortunately, too many people think otherwise.

The fact is, much of what we think we know about dogs, is incorrect. Sadly, this misinformation has done a great deal of harm to the dog – human relationship and the dog’s wellbeing. To repair that damage, in future columns, I will examine the most significant and damaging myths about dogs, and then discuss the facts that counter those myths.

Gus and the Alpha Roll

My experience in my first puppy class with “experts.”

The instructors in the first dog training class I attended advocated training that viewed the dog as a wolf. Gus, our Cairn Terrier, was about 12 weeks old our first night in class and had no prior training. I was told to ask Gus to sit and when Gus failed to comply, remember he had never been trained to sit, the instructor told me that Gus was being dominant and that I needed to alpha-roll him.

The Monks of New Skete described the alpha wolf roll-over as the ultimate punishment for the most severe disobedience. It involves grabbing the dog by the scruff of their neck, and firmly and rapidly rolling the dog on its back and pinning it while making eye contact and yelling at the dog. In their book the Monks asserted that these disciplinary techniques are what a mother wolf would use in the wild to discipline her pups.

Not being a dog trainer at the time, I did what I was told to do and alpha-rolled Gus. Gus reacted immediately, wildly thrashing around, growling and snapping his teeth. It was at this point the instructor told me to grab Gus’ muzzle and hold it closed. This did not sound safe or smart to me, but I believed that the instructor would not tell me to do anything dangerous, so I did what she said. Instantly Gus’s canine teeth pierced the flesh of my palm; I instinctively let him go, and we both pulled away from each other. Gus and I were wary of each other for several weeks. The trust we had built in the few days we had him was destroyed in one senseless act of violence.

Years later I learned that by alpha-rolling Gus’ I had probably caused him to fear for his life. How this was supposed to make him understand “sit” means to sit, is still unclear to me. We now know that those professing to treat dogs like wolves really did not understand either species. Sadly, these methods are still popular and recommended by some breeders, dog trainers, and even veterinarians. They are clearly responsible for much of the misinformation about canine behavior.

Gus and I eventually reconnected and became pals, but to this day, I regret the damage I caused because I blindly followed the advice of an alleged expert.

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog (http://www.words-woofs-meows.com)

Dog Training – How science and reward-based training have pulled dog training out of the dark ages – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/04/21/dog-training-how-science-and-reward-based-training-have-pulled-dog-training-out-of-the-dark-ages/

A Rescue Dogs Perspective on Dog Training –http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/01/04/dog-training-a-rescue-dogs-perspective/

Canine Behavior – Understanding, Identifying, and Coping with Canine Stress –http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/11/01/canine-behavior-understanding-identifying-and-coping-with-canine-stress/

Dog Behavior – Dominance: Reality or Myth –http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/06/20/dog-behavior-dominance-reality-or-myth/

Dog Training: A Holistic Approach to Dog Training (Parts 1 & 2) –http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/02/01/dogs-dog-training-a-holistic-approach-to-dog-training-parts-1-2/

Dog Training – The Four Essentials For A Great Dog – Part 1 –http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/02/02/dog-training-the-four-essentials-for-a-great-dog-part-1-knowledge-relationship-management-training/

Dog Training – The Four Essentials For A Great Dog – Part 2 –http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/02/28/dog-training-the-four-essentials-for-a-great-dog-part-2/

Dog Training – What Is Clicker Training? –http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2007/02/01/dog-training-what-is-clicker-training/

Green Acres Kennel Shop Position Statement on Pet-Friendly, Force-Free Pet Care – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/boarding/what-is-pet-friendly

Green Acres Kennel Shop Position Statement on the Use of Dominance and Punishment for the Training and Behavior Modification of Dogs – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/training/position-on-the-use-of-dominance-and-punishment-for-the-training-and-behavior-modification-of-dogs

The Unintended Consequences of Shock Collars – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2013/08/05/dogs-the-unintended-consequences-of-shock-collar/

Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show (http://www.woofmeowshow.com)

<Click on the title to listen to the show>

2015 Dog Training Classes at Green Acres Kennel Shop

Canine Behavior: Myths and Facts

The Four Essentials to A Great Dog

Dog Training Questions for Don and Kate with special guest host Dr. Mark Hanks – part 1

Dog Training Questions for Don and Kate with special guest host Dr. Mark Hanks – part 2

Dog Training Questions for Don and Kate with special guest host Dr. Mark Hanks – part 3

The Dominance and Alpha Myth

______________________________________________________________________________
Don Hanson is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop (greenacreskennel.com) in Bangor. He is a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP), Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC), Associate Certified Cat Behavior Consultant (ACCBC) and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA). He produces and co- hosts a weekly radio show and podcast, The Woof Meow Show heard on The Pulse AM620 WZON and streamed at http://www.wzonradio.com/ every Saturday at 9 AM. A list of upcoming shows and podcasts of past shows can be found at www.woofmeowshow.com. Don also writes about pets at his blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com.

Dog Training – How science and reward-based training have pulled dog training out of the dark ages

< A version of this article was published in the Bangor Daily News on April 21, 2016>

Last week the Bangor Daily News published an opinion piece on dog training (How we turn our dogs into mini-humans — and the damage it can do) which sadly promoted all of the outdated, inhumane ideas about dog training prevalent in the 1970’s. I wrote a response which was published today. You can read my response below or directly at the Bangor Daily News website by clicking here.

Thanks to science, dog training is finally on a course to leave the dark ages of pain, fear, and force that have been commonly used to train the family dog.

Science demonstrates that it is never necessary to use a choke, a prong, or a shock collar to train a dog¹. Not only are these tools unnecessary, but there is also ample evidence that using them may cause severe physical injuries, as well as dangerous behavioral problems, such as aggression.

When a tool or methodology that uses force, fear or pain is unnecessary and can cause significant, sometimes irreparable, physical and psychological damage to a dog, its use is not only inhumane; it is animal abuse. That is why many trainers have been using clickers and rewards for well over 20 years.

According to the 2015 American Animal Hospital Association Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines, more cats and dogs are affected by behavioral problems than any other condition. The AAHA task force that investigated this issue addresses two primary reasons for these behavioral problems: mistaken or misinformed beliefs about canine behavior and the continued use of aversive training techniques. The guidelines include references to the many peer-reviewed articles that support their findings.

There is a wealth of information available about dogs and canine behavior and with the advent of the internet, it is readily available to anyone looking for it. However, just because a statement is on a website, is printed in a book, magazine or newspaper, or is told to you by someone, does not make that statement true — even if the author is a veterinarian, a breeder, a dog trainer or a “self-certified” pet care “expert.” Some of the most egregious and detrimental myths about dogs and their behavior are the dominance construct, the idea that dogs are wolves and live in a pack hierarchy, and the belief that you need to punish a dog by inflicting pain or causing fear to force it to do what you want.

The AAHA guidelines make the following recommendations on aversive training techniques. I’ve bolded some sections for emphasis.

This Task Force opposes training methods that use aversive techniques. Aversive training has been associated with detrimental effects on the human–animal bond, problem solving ability, and the physical and behavioral health of the patient. ^29–32 It causes problem behaviors in normal animals and hastens progression of behavioral disorders in distressed animals. ³³ Aversive techniques are especially injurious to fearful and aggressive patients and often suppress signals of impending aggression, rendering any aggressive dog more dangerous. ^34–36

Aversive techniques include prong (pinch) or choke collars, cattle prods, alpha rolls, dominance downs, electronic shock collars, lunge whips, starving or withholding food, entrapment, and beating. None of those tools and methods should be used to either teach or alter behavior. Nonaversive techniques rely on the identification and reward of desirable behaviors and on the appropriate use of head collars, harnesses, toys, remote treat devices, wraps, and other force-free methods of restraint. This Task Force strongly endorses techniques that focus on rewarding correct behaviors and removing rewards for unwanted behaviors. ^33–35,37

The guidelines also make the following recommendations on choosing a dog trainer:

Qualified trainers can be valuable partners on a veterinary behavior management team. ²⁸ ‘‘Training’’ is an unregulated field, and unskilled, poorly schooled trainers may cause harm. It is worthwhile to establish a collaborative relationship with a qualified, certified, and insured pet trainer. An accomplished trainer can work seamlessly with the veterinary team to help clients implement behavioral interventions, provide feedback, and elevate the practice’s level of behavioral care. Diagnosis and medical intervention remain the purview of the veterinarian.

Trainers should have obtained certification from a reliable organization that has, as its foundation, the sole use of positive methods. Certification for trainers should require annual continuing education, liability insurance, and testable knowledgeable in behavior and learning theory trainers. Unfortunately, credentials don’t guarantee the use of humane methods or honest marketing. It is essential that clients ask trainers about specific tools and techniques used. If the tools or techniques include prong collars, shock collars, or leash/collar jerks/yanks, or if the trainer explains behavior in terms of ‘‘dominance’’ or throws anything at a dog, advise clients to switch trainers. Ensure that individuals teaching the class do not force fearful, reactive dogs to stay in class. Forcing dogs to remain where they are fearful, even using crates or baby gates, worsens fear. Classes should have a high ratio of instructors to clients and dogs. ²⁸

If your veterinarian is unable to recommend a dog trainer that meets the above requirements, I encourage you to visit the websites of the following organizations, all of which require an individual to pass a comprehensive exam on the above topics and require continuing education. The credential offered by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board is relatively new but has the added benefit that certificants must agree to commit to not using shock, choke or prong collars, fear, physical force, or physical molding or any compulsion-based methods of pet care or dog training.

Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers

International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants

Pet Professional Accreditation Board

References

2015 AAHA Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines
Brammeier S, Brennan J, Brown S, et al. Good trainers: how to identify one and why this is important to your practice of veterinary medicine. J Vet Behav 2006;1(1):47–52. <click to read>
Horwitz DF, Pike AL. Common sense behavior modification: a guide for practitioners. Vet Clin North Am Sm Anim Pract 2014;44(3):401–26. <click to read>
Schilder MB, van der Borg JA. Training dogs with help of the shock collar: short and long term behavioural effects. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2004;85(3):319–34. <click to read>
Schalke E, Stichnoth J, Ott S, et al. Clinical signs caused by the use of electric training collars on dogs in everyday life situation. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2007;105(4):369–80. <click here>
Grohmann K, Dickomeit MJ, Schmidt MJ, et al. Severe brain damage after punitive training technique with a choke chain collar in a German shepherd dog. J Vet Behav2013;8(3):180–4. <click to read>
Rooney NJ, Cowan S. Training methods and owner-dog interactions: links with dog behaviour and learning ability. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2011;132(3–4):169–77. <click to read>
Hiby EF, Rooney NJ, Bradshaw JWS. Dog training methods: their use, effectiveness and interaction with behavior and welfare. Anim Welfare 2004;13(1):63–9. <click to read>
Blackwell EJ, Twells C, Seawright A, et al. The relationship between training methods and the occurrence of behavior problems, as reported by owners, in a population of domestic dogs. J Vet Behav 2008;3(5): 201–17. <click to read>
Herron ME, Shofer FS, Reisner IR. Survey of the use and outcome of confrontational and non-confrontational training methods in client-owned dogs showing undesired behaviors. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2009; 117(1):47–54. <click to read>
Feuerbacher EN, Wynne CDL. Shut up and pet me! Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) prefer petting to vocal praise in concurrent and single-alternative choice procedures. Behav Processes 2015;110:47–59. <click to read>

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog (http://www.words-woofs-meows.com)

A Rescue Dogs Perspective to Dog Training – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/01/04/dog-training-a-rescue-dogs-perspective/

Canine Behavior – Understanding, Identifying, and Coping with Canine Stress – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/11/01/canine-behavior-understanding-identifying-and-coping-with-canine-stress/

Dog Behavior – Dominance: Reality or Myth –http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/06/20/dog-behavior-dominance-reality-or-myth/

Dog Training: A Holistic Approach to Dog Training (Parts 1 & 2) – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/02/01/dogs-dog-training-a-holistic-approach-to-dog-training-parts-1-2/

Dog Training – The Four Essentials For A Great Dog – Part 1 – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/02/02/dog-training-the-four-essentials-for-a-great-dog-part-1-knowledge-relationship-management-training/

Dog Training – The Four Essentials For A Great Dog – Part 2 – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/02/28/dog-training-the-four-essentials-for-a-great-dog-part-2/

Dog Training – What Is Clicker Training? – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2007/02/01/dog-training-what-is-clicker-training/

Green Acres Kennel Shop Position Statement on Pet-Friendly, Force-Free Pet Care – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/boarding/what-is-pet-friendly

The Unintended Consequences of Shock Collars – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2013/08/05/dogs-the-unintended-consequences-of-shock-collar/

Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show (http://www.woofmeowshow.com)

Behavior and Training

<Click on the title to listen to the show>

2015 Dog Training Classes at Green Acres Kennel Shop – Don and Kate discuss Green Acres Kennel Shops dog training classes being offered in 2015. They start off discussing why training is so important to the relationship between you and your dog and how they teach you to train your dog so that you and your dog become best friends for life. Green Acres classes are different from many of the classes offered, and they explain how and why they are different. They describe everything from Green Acres’ introductory classes; puppy headstart and basic manners to their level 2 and level 3 classes. Tune in and learn why Green Acres Kennel Shop has been voted the region’s best source for dog training classes. – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/training
First Air Date: 6DEC14

Canine Behavior: Myths and Facts – This is a follow-up to our show of March 12 when Kate and Don discussed the AAHA Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines with Dr. Dave Cloutier from Veazie Veterinary Clinic. In that show, we discussed how behavior issues have become a significant issue and how many of those behavior problems have been caused, at least in part, by people’s misconceptions about canine behavior. This week we examine what people think they know about dogs and where that information is coming from and how reliable it is as a source of facts. We then discuss several myths about canine behavior and counter them with what science has shown to be the facts.

Myths examined include: dogs are wolves, dogs are pack animals, people must be dominant, or Alpha over their dog, punishment and aversive tools are necessary to train a dog, dogs should work for praise alone, growls are bad, all dogs like all other dogs, crate training a dog is cruel, all dogs need a job, getting a second dog solves behavior problems, dogs do things to get revenge, dogs know right from wrong, and dogs and kids go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Facts that we bring to light include: dogs respond very well to benevolent leadership, dogs benefit from training, food rewards work very well for training, wolf packs are about families cooperating, dogs only form loose association with other dogs, growls are a beneficial way for a dog to communicate that they are feeling threatened, you are not a bad owner if you do not take your dog to daycare or the dog park, dogs are den animals and hence most love their crates, dogs need both mental and physical stimulation, behavior problems can be contagious, dogs know safe from dangerous, and dogs and kids are lots of work.

The Four Essentials to A Great Dog – Don and Kate discuss the four essentials to a great dog. In their experience most great dogs are the result of time and effort by both the person and the dog, which is exactly what that they teach students in Green Acres Kennel Shop’s Basic Manners classes. The four essentials are; Knowledge, Relationship, Management, and Training. Tune in and learn how you and your dog can become a great team and best friends for life.

Dog Training Questions for Don and Kate with special guest host Dr. Mark Hanks – part 1 – Dr. Hanks interviews Don and Kate about their experiences as professional dog trainers. He asks Kate and Don about how training has changed in the past 26 years since Mark began his practice, why training a dog is important, the importance of training for mental enrichment, how breed effects training and compatibility with a family, how human intervention has adversely effected health and behavior, researching dogs before one decides what dog and breed to get, making temperament a key decision when picking a dog, what we typically teach a client and their dog, Green Acres holistic approach to training (husbandry, nutrition, body language, ethology, and training), inadvertent reinforcement of undesirable behaviors, the continuing necessity to refute antiquated and inaccurate myths about canine behavior, the optimal age for starting training, the structure of Green Acres training classes, Green Acres program to help parents find the best pet for them, how family lifestyles have changed and how that affects time for a dog, knowing when to wait before starting a group training class, and how they deal with special needs rescue dogs.

Dog Training Questions for Don and Kate with special guest host Dr. Mark Hanks – part 2 – Dr. Hanks asks Kate and Don about: Green Acres holistic approach to training (husbandry, nutrition, body language, ethology, and training) and how we work with families to understand their dog and the importance of having a good foundation of education so people can better understand their dogs, how some students may attend class without their dog either because their dog is sick, in heat or simply because the dog learns better at home, private training options at Green Acres, the critical period of puppy socialization and habituation, why socialization needs to be actively planned and implemented by owners – it doesn’t just happen, what do you do you when want your puppy to be a therapy dog, the difference between therapy dogs, service/assistance dogs, and emotional support dogs, the fake service dog epidemic, can you teach an old dog new tricks, how do you deal with constant barking, and how do you deal with clients that need the dogs behavior changed tomorrow.

Dog Training Questions for Don and Kate with special guest host Dr. Mark Hanks – part 3 – Dr. Hanks asks Kate and Don about: dominance, pack hierarchy and alphas and the current science which indicates wolves are a cooperative social species, the benefits of kind leadership as opposed to coercive based leadership, the myth of dogs doing things just to please us, temperament and personality in dogs, the importance of knowing parents because of the genetic role in temperament, “stubborn” dogs versus under-motivated dogs, epigenetics and the possibility of mental health disorders in dogs like autism and PTSD, and temperament as a continuum and nature versus nurture.

The Dominance and Alpha Myth – Don and Kate discuss the concept of dominance, alpha dogs, pack hierarchy, and how this whole construct is a myth with both dogs and wolves that is not supported by science. They discuss how this has led to a punishment and compulsion based system of dog training which is not only unnecessary but is often counterproductive. They discuss the importance of leadership, boundaries, management and the use of reward-based training as a smart alternative to the dominance approach. You can learn more by reading these articles: http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/06/20/dog-behavior-dominance-reality-or-myth/ and http://www.greenacreskennel.com/dog-behavior-and-training/position-on-the-use-of-dominance-and-punishment-for-the-training-and-behavior-modification-of-dogs
First Air Date: 21MAR10

Dog Training – SAY PLEASE – NOTHING IN LIFE IS FREE

If your dog is acting fearful or stressed, ALWAYS remove them from the situation causing their anxiety before asking them to perform a specific behavior such as SIT.

Dogs do what works. They operate on everything in their environment, including you. Your dog does things that are rewarding and which make him feel good. He avoids doing things that are unpleasant. For example, one of the easiest ways to get a dog to sit is to give him a treat whenever he sits. Your dog quickly learns that placing his butt on the floor results in something he really likes and he will probably start sitting every chance he gets.

In fact, one of the greatest tools we have for training and managing our dogs is the fact that we have the potential to control every single good thing that happens to them. Unfortunately, many people do not take advantage of this opportunity.

Take a moment and think about the all the things that your dog likes that you can control. You can have direct control over his access to:

Treats
Food
Play with you
Play with toys
Play with other dogs
Physical affection through touch
Walks
Car rides
Going outside
Getting on furniture

Now look at that list again and think about how often your dog gets access to these things on the list for free. If you are like most people, your dog probably gets many of the items listed for doing absolutely nothing, but instead for just being there or because he has indicated it is something he wants. This is not necessarily always a bad practice, but with some dogs it can create problems.

The following anecdote illustrates the dogs thought process in certain situations.

Let’s say that Sparky has gotten in the habit of jumping up on the couch and sitting next to us whenever we are on the couch. He hops up and since we enjoy his company we say “Hi Sparky” and start petting him. We are teaching Sparky that getting up on the couch is a rewarding experience. We are giving him attention by talking to him and petting him, and the nice soft couch is much more comfortable then the cold, hard floor.

Sparky may decide that he likes the couch so much, that he starts hopping up even when we are not there, and if he is not chewing it apart, we may walk past, say “Hi Sparky” and give him a quick pat, further reinforcing that we like him on the couch even if we are not on it with him. Now a couple of months later Uncle Arthur is visiting and he tries to push Sparky off the couch as he sits down. Sparky growls because he has learned that the couch is a comfortable place and because he has been rewarded for being on the couch many times in the past. It is where he thinks he is supposed to be, and now this person is making his being there unpleasant. This is a potential problem. And if Uncle Arthur responds by sitting someplace else, Sparky has just learned that by growling he can get people to leave him alone.

The best way to prevent the type of problem described above, as well as many others, is to teach your dog that nothing in life is free. Teach them that they can earn many great rewards, but they have to do something first. By doing this you will get a dog who will be more focused on you because you are this wonderful creature who makes all good things happen. The easiest way to do this is to require Sparky to “sit” or “down” before he gets access to anything he wants. Once you have taught your dog to “sit” on a verbal or visual cue, start asking them to sit or down to earn everything they want. Ask and wait for them to sit before you put their food bowl down, open a door, pet them, and allow them on the furniture. Nothing in life is free.

Now, if you have a dog like Sparky, already at the point of growling when he’s on the furniture, you need to do a bit more. You never want to do anything that might cause someone to be bitten nor do you want to punish the dog for growling. Dogs that are punished for growling learn to bite without first growling in warning, which is exceedingly more dangerous than growling.

If your dog is growling when you try to get them off the furniture, lure them off with a treat, wait for them to sit on the floor, then give them the food and praise them. You are now rewarding the dog for getting off the furniture and sitting. Start asking the dog to “get off” the furniture every time he is on the furniture, and always reward him for doing so. In fact, you can make a game of teaching him to get on and off the furniture. Pretty soon he will be jumping off the furniture when he sees you, and you now have a means where you can reliably get him off it anytime you want. Also manage the situation so the dog cannot get on the furniture unless you are present, he sits first, and then you invite him up.

Starting your dog on a “Say Please” or “Nothing In Life Is Free” program is the best way to get them to: 1) focus on you, 2) become more responsive to you, and 3) teach them good manners. The sooner you start, the quicker your dog will learn. For optimal results, you need to make sure that everyone that interacts with your dog consistently uses the nothing in life is free approach.

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog (http://www.words-woofs-meows.com)

Dog Training – Teaching the SIT Behavior – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/04/04/dog-training-teaching-the-sit-behavior/

Dog Training – Teaching the SIT Behavior

OBJECTIVE: To teach your dog to get into a SIT position, wherever they are, when given a single visual or verbal cue and to remain in position until released or given another cue.

Remember, you must remain quiet during these exercises so that your dog can concentrate on learning and not become distracted. All communication will be via hand signal and the clicker. Do not put your hands on the dog as this will detract from learning. Praise such as “Good Dog” is okay after you have clicked and treated.

For this exercise, you are going to start by using a treat to lure the dog into the proper position, then click and treat as soon as the dog does what we expect. You will want to quickly wean away from having the treat in your hand before you click.

Place a treat in the palm of your hand and cover it with your thumb. Allow your dog to sniff the treat. Make certain the dog is targeting by moving your hand from side to side. If your dog is following the treat he is targeting.
With the clicker in one hand and a treat in the other, lure your dog into a sit by slowly moving the treat up and over your dog’s nose and head. Hold the treat right up to your dog’s nose. The goal when luring your dog to sit is to get their head up. Once the head is up and back, the rear typically falls into a sit. Note: If your dog jumps up, you are holding the treat too high or too far away from the dog. If your dog backs up you can start by practicing this exercise in a corner.
The precise instant your dog’s rear hits the floor, click, and then feed him the while he remains sitting.other than the one you used for a lure. Do not be alarmed if your dog gets up immediately after eating the treat. Remember, the click marks the end of the behavior and the beginning of the reward process. If your dog remains sitting, simply take a step back and your dog should get up. Repeat this step or no more than 3 to 5 repetitions.
Next, mimic the same motion as in step 2 only without the food lure in hand, rewarding the dog with a click and treat for every sit. With your palm facing up, gradually start giving the signal further away from your dog, as this will become your hand signal for sit. While we will continue to reward the dog, it is important to phase out the use of the lure and wait for the dog to respond to the hand signal. Repeat this step for 3 to 5 repetitions.
Now we will start to build some duration into the behavior by beginning to delay the click. For example, the next time your dog sits, silently count to two before clicking and treating. Yo-yo the amount of time you pause before clicking from immediate to up to 5 seconds. Yo-yoing, as we call it, means do not making the behavior more difficult by increasing the expected duration every repetition. For example a five behavior series might look like this; instant click, wait 2 seconds, wait 1 second, instant click, wait 2 seconds. Do this for several repetitions.
Move to a new location and repeat steps 1 through 5 until your dog is readily offering to sit in response to your visual cue. Practice this behavior in at least 5 different locations.
Change your orientation to your dog. If you have been standing, try sitting in a chair while repeating steps 1 through 6. If your dog has always been directly in front of you try having them sit by your side. You may need to return to the lure, but if this is the case be sure to only lure once or twice. Continue until your dog is readily offering to sit with you in varied positions.
Change your distance to the dog. Either have someone else hold the dog’s leash or attach the end of the leash to something secure. Step 1 foot away from your dog and use your hand cue for sit. Continue until your dog is readily offering to sit on a single hand cue. Continue to practice this at varying distances to the dog.
When your dog is responding well in a wide range of environments, you are ready to add the verbal cue. When you start adding the verbal cue, practice in a familiar environment with no distractions.

Say “sit” approximately 1 to 2 seconds before you give your dog the hand signal for “sit”. It is important to briefly separate the verbal cue “sit” from the hand signal “sit” because if the cues occur simultaneously the dog is more apt to respond to the visual cue and not learn the audible cue as well.
The instant the dog is sitting, click and treat.
Do NOT immediately repeat the verbal cue if your dog does not sit. Ignore the dog for about 15 seconds before trying again. If the dog does not perform the behavior after 2 or 3 attempts you are not ready to add the verbal cue to the hand signal. Wait until the visual cue is more reliable before attempting to add the verbal cue.
After repeating the above sequence several times, your dog should start to associate the word “sit” with this behavior. As you work on this do not click and treat when the dog sits without your first giving them a visual or verbal cue to sit.

When your dog is responding to the verbal cue, it is time to proof the behavior.

Work on SIT in different locations (bank, post office, class, etc.)
Work on SIT with you in different orientations to your dog (in front of, behind, on left side, on right side, sitting, etc.)
Work on SIT at various distances to your dog.
Work on SIT for various durations.

Automatic Sit

OBJECTIVE: To teach your dog two additional signals that will cue them to automatically move into the sit position. One cue will be a person approaching, which is very useful in preventing jumping. The other cue will be you stopping when you are walking with your dog. This is great for curbside safety and is an essential behavior for the AKC Canine Good Citizen test and the Therapy Dog International therapy dog test.

Note: Before starting on the Automatic Sit, your dog should reliably sit when given a verbal or visual cue in a wide variety of situations.

Automatic Sit When a Person Approaches

Have several people approach you, one person at a time. When the person is within handshaking distance, give your dog a cue to sit. Click and treat as soon as your dog sits.
Repeat the above step with many different people, in different locations over several days. When you think your dog is ready, do not give the cue to sit, but wait for them to do it themselves. If the dog sits within two seconds of the person being in handshaking distance, click and treat.

Automatic Sit When Stopping

Put your dog on a leash and start walking. As soon you stop give them a cue to sit. Click and treat as soon as your dog sits. After the dog has consumed the treat starting walking again and after a bit, stop and again ask them to sit, clicking and treating as soon as they sit. Continue in this manner, making sure to vary the time and distance you walk in between asking for the sit.
After you have completed the above steps in many locations and situations just stop and wait for the dog to sit on their own. If the dog sits within two seconds of your stopping, click and treat.

Dog Training – Teaching the ATTENTION or LOOK Behavior

< Updated 19APR19 >

OBJECTIVE: To teach your dog to look at you and make eye contact when given a single visual or verbal cue.

We teach this behavior for three reasons; 1) to get our dogs to focus on us so that we can more easily teach them, 2) to get our dogs to focus on us and to remain focused when distracted, and 3) to show our dogs that eye contact with us is safe and results in being rewarded.

Remember, for most dogs, direct eye contact is seen as being confrontational and something to be avoided. If your dog appears to be reluctant to make eye contact, please be patient while introducing this behavior. We also teach this behavior because it helps to train you the value of focusing on your dog. Lastly, I have found that a dog that has mastered the Attention behavior is quicker to learn the Heel and Leave It behaviors.

The best way to establish a solid foundation for the ATTENTION behavior is with the hand-feeding program outlined below. The more distractible your dog is, the more you will benefit from taking the time to go through the hand-feeding process.

Our Cairn Terrier, Gus, had always been very distracted by vehicles, especially large trucks. I used the hand-feeding program to improve his attention. By the 14^th day, we were able to sit on our front porch, which is on a very busy street, and Gus would remain focused on me rather than pay attention to all the vehicles whizzing by. To his last day, attention remained one of his strongest behaviors.

Building Attention through Hand Feeding

If you have a dog which has a hard time remaining focused on you, try hand feeding him for a few weeks. Instead of placing your dog’s bowl on the floor, you are going to sit down on the floor with the bowl in your lap. At least twenty pieces of kibble will come from your hands instead of the bowl. Follow this protocol:

DAY 1

Select a quiet place with as few distractions as possible (no other pets, children, noises, ),
Take a handful of kibble and offer it to your dog, allowing him to eat out of your hand. Do this for his entire ration of kibble.

DAYS 2 & 3

Go to your quiet place. Take a handful of kibble and hold it in a closed fist in front of your dog, waiting for him to make eye contact. When he does so, allow him to eat out of your hand. Do this for his entire ration of kibble.

DAYS 4 through 7

Go to your quiet place. Take a handful of kibble and hold it in a closed fist in front of your dog, waiting for him to make and maintain eye contact for at least 3 seconds. When he does so, say “Take It” and then allow him to eat out of your hand. Slowly increase the duration of eye contact required, but no more than 5 to 8 seconds. Do this for his entire ration of kibble.

DAYS 8 through 10

Go to a place with a low level of distractions and repeat steps 1 through 4.

DAYS 11 through 13

Go to a place with a moderate level of distractions and repeat steps 1 through 4.

DAYS 14 through 16

Go to a place with a high level of distractions (park, an area near a busy street, a schoolyard, ) and repeat steps 1 through 4.

Hopefully, by now, you have significantly increased your dog’s attention and willingness to focus on you, and you have learned the importance of giving your dog 100% of your attention while training.

Putting ATTENTION on Cue

The ATTENTION behavior becomes even more useful when you can get your dog to offer the behavior when you request it.

When you start working on attention, do NOT concern yourself with your dog’s position (sit, down, stand, etc.) or where your dog is in relation to your location. Start in a room with no distractions and concentrate all of your efforts on the specific behavior of getting the dog to look at your face and make eye contact. If your dog tends to wander off, stand on your dog’s leash to keep them in place.

We do not use a verbal cue for this behavior until the dog is reliably responding to the visual cue in a wide variety of scenarios.

Touch a treat to the dog’s nose and slowly move the treat so that it is right between your eyes. Hold the treat there and immediately click the instant your dog makes eye contact and then immediately give them the treat you had in your hand. Do this for about three repetitions. Note: Please do NOT taunt the dog by moving the treat back and forth.
Without having a treat in your hand, bring your index finger up between your eyes and hold it in place, the treats are in your treat bag. Immediately click when your dog makes eye contact, and then reach into your treat bag and give your dog a treat. Do this for about 3 to 5 repetitions.
Move your body slightly so that you are in a different position relative to your dog, repeat step 3, clicking and treating the instant your dog makes eye contact. Remember, we are no longer luring the behavior with a treat at this point. Instead, we are cueing the action with a visual cue of the index finger between your eyes. We are still however clicking and treating each success.
Start to work towards longer times of making eye contact (2 seconds, 5 seconds, etc.). As you work towards longer duration’s, move back and forth between shorter and longer times. It is essential to vary the amount of time to keep the dog interested and to make sure the dog will succeed. Note: Do not attempt to hold contact for longer than 8-10 seconds as this is a may make some dogs uncomfortable and cause them to look away.
Continue to work on the behavior in different environments. Situate yourself so that at times the dog has to turn their head around to you to make eye contact.
When your dog makes eye contact with you in a wide variety of environments, it is time to begin to work on getting and maintaining attention in the presence of distractions. We want to set our dog up for success so we will start with a low-level distraction at a distance where the dog is only minimally distracted. For purposes of providing an example, let’s say that your dog is distracted by people. Every time your dog sees a person they start to wag their tail and want to greet that person.
1. Find a person that your dog will be happy to see and that will follow your instructions without improvising. If they cannot follow your instructions, find another person. You do not need the assistance of someone who will untrain your dog or teach them the wrong behavior.
2. Arrange to meet that person in an area where you have successfully practiced attention with your dog without the presence of distractions. This might be at your home or could be somewhere else where you have had success with your dog.
3. Arrive in the area and be standing in a predetermined location with your dog practicing attention as your friend arrives. Have them work with you at a distance where you will be able to maintain your dog’s attention. For some dogs, this meet be as little as 10 feet away, for others it may need to be fifty feet away. If your dog gets all worked up and will not focus you, have worked at too close of a distance. Go home and try again in a couple of days. If the dog will give you attention and maintain focus, work for about 5 minutes and then have your friend leave. Afterwards, do something fun that your dog enjoys as an extra reward.
4. The next time you work with your dog, do the same as noted above but have your friend stand one foot closer. As long as you continue to have success, have your friend stand a foot closer each time you practice this behavior, as long as your dog does not get so distracted you cannot get them to focus on you.
5. When your dog will give you attention and hold it with another person five feet away, it’s time to practice this with another person. The number of people you practice with is entirely up to you; however, the more you work on this behavior, the more you will benefit.
6. Another way to work on teaching attention while your dog is being distracted by people is to find a large parking lot with a store, office or school where distraction will be present. Start working with your dog when the least amount of distractions are likely to be present. For example, when the facility with the parking lot is closed. Work as far away from the facilities entry as you can, rewarding your dog for giving and maintaining attention. As long as you and your dog are being successful, gradually change the time you are practicing to one when more people are present.
7. It seems to be human nature to be patient and to want to like “one giant leap for mankind.” Unfortunately, that often causes our training plan to blow-up in our face. You are much more likely to succeed in training attention if you take baby steps to ensure your success.
When your dog reliably offers the attention behavior in several different environments, while in the presence of distractions, you can start to add a verbal cue to the behavior. As with all cues, we want something short, typically no more than one syllable, and a verbal cue that does not sound anything like any of your other cues. I prefer the word “Look.”
To introduce the verbal cue, say the word “LOOK” right before offering the visual cue. When your dog makes eye contact with you click and treat. Practice presenting the verbal cue in a wide variety of environments, eventually slowly adding higher levels of distraction.

Behavior Consulting – Keeping A Daily Journal

To help resolve a behavioral issue (anxiety, aggression, reactivity, etc.) with your pet, we first need to understand it. One way we can get a better understanding of what is going on will depend on your observations of your pets behavior on a daily basis. The best way for you to communicate that information to is is by keeping a daily journal. We suggest that you dedicate a computer file or notebook for this purpose. If you keep your journal in a word processing file on your computer, it will make it easier for you to share it with us as we work with you.

Your journal should contain the following basic information:

General comments on your pets overall demeanor for that day.
General comments on your overall demeanor for that day.
A description of any positive events that occurred that day.
General comments on your overall day (hectic, relaxed, etc.).
A description of any undesirable behavior noticed, with as much detail as possible.
Any additional stressors that may have occurred that day or within the previous 24 hours (vet trips, children visiting, etc.).
An overall score for that day (1=very frustrating/difficult to 5=perfect).
Your goal for the next day.
If using the Bach Flower Remedies; the times that remedies are given, including any extra doses and why they were given (when appropriate).
The times that any other medications or supplements, prescribed or over-the-counter, that are being given for behavioral purposes, are given.
A description of any training sessions completed that day; to include the time of the sessions, the behaviors you worked on, the people involved, the progress made, any difficulties encountered and other details.
A description of any desensitization and counter-conditioning sessions completed that day; to include the time of the sessions, the people involved, the environment in which they occurred, the progress made, any difficulties encountered and other details. [We will provide you with instructions on performing these sessions after your behavioral consultation. We suggest that you do not start these sessions until after meeting with us.]

We will ask you to bring this notebook with you for any future consultations or training sessions. Additionally, we may ask to have the opportunity to review this log book when refilling remedies so that we can make changes in the formulation should the need arise.

The following pages are examples of how one client completed daily journal entries.

Examples

Sunday, July 7

Bach @

5:00 AM
1:00 PM
5:30 PM
9:00 PM
also extra at 2:30 PM

Rating (1-5): 4

Notes

Rex spent the morning with my parents. Rex was calm but lots of nervous walking until I came home.
Upon returning to Sunnydale Rex snapped at Fluffy 2 times while transitioning into the house. Fluffy was near Rex’s face.
Rex settled well after 10 minutes
Practiced recall (took a couple to get it)
Practice sit, down and stay outdoors – did well with the stay.
When I left the house in the AM Rex would not go in his crate

Monday, July 8

Bach @

4:15 AM
1:00 PM
5:30 PM
9:00 PM

Rating (1-5): 4

Notes

Quiet morning
Around 10 AM practiced
- Sit
- Stay
- Down
- Recall in house
Rex is responding well to lie down when in the kitchen or working in the house
Played hard outside with Fluffy at 12:00
Went for walk – lots of pulling

Tuesday, July 9

Bach @

5:00 AM
1:00 PM
4:30 PM
9:00 PM

Rating (1-5): 4

Notes

Great morning, very low key
Clicker trained
- Paw touches
- Sit
- Stay
Went for walk – lots of pulling, at first, did well checking in during walk
Is slow to eat first few hand-fed bites

Wednesday, July 10

Bach @

5:30 AM
11:00 AM
5:30 PM
9:00 PM

Rating (1-5): 4

Notes

Walked in morning – reactive barking to a girl on a scooter. Stopped and waited for her to go by, no issue after.
Hand fed breakfast
Did Remedial Socialization in Piggly Wiggly parking lot – ignored all people – had chicken as treat
Walked before dinner
Had friend over
- Introduced Rex second, Fluffy first
- Barked 5-9x
- Used treats to redirect towards me, away from friend
- Very friendly with friend after 10 minutes

Thursday, July 11

Bach @

5:30 AM
5:30 PM
8:00 PM
Missed one, busy day

Rating (1-5): 3

Notes

I was not home in the morning, but Tom said Rex had a good, quiet morning
Rex was very excited when I came home
Worked on sitting to greet with Fluffy
Rex snapped at Blazer while Tom and I had dinner – we put him outside and withdrew attention until we were done eating
Rex tried to keep Blazer from coming into the room where we had been eating.
Quiet rest of the night

Friday, July 12

Bach @

5:00 AM
11:00 AM
6:30 PM
9:00 PM

Rating (1-5): 5

Notes

Too hot for walk
Played outside a little – very hot
Clicker trained
- Sit
- Recall
- Leave it
Worked on reactions to being startled
Rex’s behavior, while Tom and I had dinner, was much better

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog (http://www.words-woofs-meows.com)

Body Language of Fear in Dogs – Dr. Sophia Yin

This poster from Dr. Sophia Yin illustrates how a dog may use it’s body to signal they are afraid. You can download your own copy of the poster from Dr. Yin’s website at http://info.drsophiayin.com/free-poster-on-body-language-in-dogs

Podcast – Canine Behavior: Myths and Facts

To listen to the show <click here>

This is a follow-up to our show of March 12 when Kate and Don discussed the AAHA Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines with Dr. Dave Cloutier from Veazie Veterinary Clinic. In that show, we discussed how behavior issues have become a significant issue and how many of those behavior problems have been caused, at least in part, by people’s misconceptions about canine behavior. This week we examine what people think they know about dogs and where that information is coming from and how reliable it is as a source of facts. We then discuss several myths about canine behavior and counter them with what science has shown to be the facts.

To listen to the show <click here>

You can hear The Woof Meow Show on The Pulse AM620, WZON, and WKIT HD3 at 12 Noon on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://www.wzonthepulse.com or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show, and can be downloaded at http://www.greenacreskennel.com/woof-meow-show/the-woof-meow-show and the Apple iTunes store.

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog (HTTP://WWW.WORDS-WOOFS-MEOWS.COM)

Dog Behavior – Dominance: Reality or Myth – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/06/20/dog-behavior-dominance-reality-or-myth/

Dog Training – The Four Essentials For A Great Dog – Part 1 – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/02/02/dog-training-the-four-essentials-for-a-great-dog-part-1-knowledge-relationship-management-training/

Dog Training – The Four Essentials For A Great Dog – Part 2 – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/02/28/dog-training-the-four-essentials-for-a-great-dog-part-2/

Dogs-Dog Training: A Holistic Approach to Dog Training (Parts 1 & 2) – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/02/01/dogs-dog-training-a-holistic-approach-to-dog-training-parts-1-2/

Animal Welfare – Assessing Pets’ Welfare Using Brambell’s Five Freedoms – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2014/10/01/animal-welfare-assessing-pets-welfare-using-brambells-five-freedoms/

Dog Behavior – Introduction to Canine Communication – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/01/16/dog-behavior-introduction-to-canine-communication/

Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show (http://www.woofmeowshow.com)

PODCAST – The Four Essentials to A Great Dog – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/02/21/podcast-the-four-essentials-to-a-great-dog/

PODCAST – Dog Training Questions for Don and Kate with special guest host Dr. Mark Hanks – part 1 – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/07/12/podcast-dog-training-questions-for-don-and-kate-with-special-guest-host-dr-mark-hanks-part-1/

PODCAST – Dog Training Questions for Don and Kate, part 2 – 19JUL15 – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/07/19/podcast-dog-training-questions-for-don-and-kate-with-special-guest-host-dr-mark-hanks-part-2/

PODCAST – Dog Training Questions for Don and Kate, part 3 – 26JUL15 – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/07/27/blog-post-27jul15-podcast-dog-training-questions-for-don-and-kate-with-special-guest-host-dr-mark-hanks-part-3/

Handouts to Download

[Coming Soon]

Books

Dogs: A New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior and Evolution, Raymond and Lorna Coppinger, University of Chicago Press, 2001.

Dominance: Fact or Fiction, Barry Eaton, 2002.

Dominance Theory and Dogs Version 1.0, James O’Heare, DogPsych Publishing, 2003.

Don’t Shoot the Dog – The New Art of Teaching and Training (2nd edition), Karen Pryor, Bantam Books, 1999.

On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals, Turid Rugaas, Dogwise Publishing, 2006.

Stress in Dogs, Martina Scholz and Clarissa von Reinhardt, Dogwise Publishing, 2007.

The Culture Clash, Jean Donaldson, James & Kenneth Publishers, 2005.

The Power of Positive Dog Training, Pat Miller, Howell Book House, 2001.

Videos

Tough Love: A Meditation on Dominance and Dogs, Anchorhold Films, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIjMBfhyNDE

Dog Training – Preventing separation anxiety – Teaching your dog to cope with being alone

< UPDATED 19NOV19 >

< A short link to this page – http://bit.ly/PrevSepAnx >

Dogs are social animals and actively seek out our companionship. They can quickly become accustomed to being part of a group 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whenever a new dog is brought into a home, especially a young, playful puppy, people have a tendency to interact with them constantly. While this interaction is a very important part of socialization and bonding, you need to make sure that you are not setting your puppy up for a big disappointment when you must leave him at home alone. Including some “alone training” right from the beginning will be beneficial to both your puppy and you.

Older dogs, depending on their previous circumstances, might also need to learn how to cope with being alone. For example, a dog that was housed in a shelter or kennel situation where other dogs and people were always around may have trouble coping being by themselves.

If you have not already done so, start leaving your puppy/dog alone for brief duration’s throughout the day. He needs to learn that 1) people are not always around and 2) you will come back. When leaving your puppy/dog alone, put him in his crate or a puppy-proof room. Be sure to give him some of his favorite chew toys so he can have some fun while he awaits your return. Do not make a big deal out of leaving. Just pop the puppy/dog in his area and leave.

Your puppy/dog may start to whine or bark when you leave. This is very normal. Your first impulse may be to return to the puppy/dog and try to calm him, however, that is the worst thing you can do. If you want him to stop whining, you must make sure you do not reward the puppy/dog for whining. Do not pay any attention to your puppy/dog and do not let him out until there is a lull in the whining. Reward him for being calm and quiet.

Leaving your puppy/dog at home, at the veterinarians, at the groomers or a boarding kennel should also be a very low-key, non-emotional event. Likewise, the same applies when returning to your puppy/dog. If you make leaving or returning into a big event, with lots of cuddling and petting, your puppy/dog is more likely to be stressed by your arrivals and departures. You can, and we hope you do, miss your puppy/dog when he is not with you. We just do not want to let him know that.

Start your alone training by building time slowly. Five to ten minutes is a good place to start if your puppy/dog has never been out of your site for that length of time. Like all training, we want to work in small achievable increments that the dog can handle. Continue leaving your puppy/dog alone for longer and longer periods of time.

If this behavior does not improve after a few days, consult with your dog’s veterinarian. They will probably prescribe medications and may also refer you to a Veterinary Behaviorist or a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC). They can help you develop a behavior modification protocol for you and your dog. You can find a list of these individuals in Maine at http://bit.ly/MEPetPros

If your dog already exhibits destructive behaviors such as digging, scratching or chewing on themselves, house soiling, destruction of objects, extreme vocalization, constant pacing, digging and scratching at exits such as doors and windows in an attempt to reach you, and following you excessively, never letting you out of sight, then you should immediately discuss this situation with your veterinarian. These are symptoms of separation anxiety which may require treatment with appropriate medications and a behavior modification program specific to separation anxiety. Your veterinarian will probably refer you to a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) to develop a behavior modification plan for your dog and your family. Resolving separation anxiety will typically involve changes in your family’s behavior in addition to your dogs. This is typically not an easy problem to resolve and becomes more difficult to resolve the longer it goes on. That is why teaching your dog to cope with being alone is an excellent investment of your time.

Recommended Resources

Alone Training – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2014/08/01/dog-training-alone-training/

Podcast – Separation Anxiety with Dr. Dave Cloutier from Veazie Veterinary Clinic – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2017/05/01/podcast-separation-anxiety-with-dr-david-cloutier-from-veazie-veterinary-clinic/

Maine Pet Care Professionals We Recommend – http://bit.ly/MEPetPros

Canine Behavior – ADAPTIL™/DAP COMFORTZONE™ – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2014/08/14/canine-behavior-adaptild-a-p-comfortzone/

Canine Behavior – Understanding, Identifying and Coping with Canine Stress – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/11/01/canine-behavior-understanding-identifying-and-coping-with-canine-stress/

Dog Behavior – Crate Habituation to Reduce Anxiety – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/01/30/dog-behavior-crate-habituation-to-reduce-anxiety/

Bach Flower Remedies – Bach Rescue Remedy® – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/06/22/bach-flower-remedies-bach-rescue-remedy/

Dog Training – The Four Essentials For A Great Dog – Part 2

< A version of this article was published in the March 2016 issue of Down East Dog News>

Last month I told you that I believe that every dog has the potential to be a great dog if their person; 1) has adequate and up to date knowledge about dogs, 2) is committed to developing and nurturing a relationship with their dog, 3) understands the importance of managing the dog and its environment, and 4) is committed to training the dog. All of this needs to happen throughout the life of the dog, as just like us, the dog is a living, breathing entity that is constantly learning and changing.

I discussed the importance of obtaining key pieces of knowledge before you even start searching for a dog and explained that the relationship between you and your dog will be the foundation of all that you will do together. This month I will address the remaining two essentials to having a great dog; management and training.

Management

Management is one of the simplest ways to resolve a behavior issue and in my experience is ironically, one of the hardest things to get many clients to consider. Far too often when someone has a behavioral issue with a dog they look for an elaborate training solution when all they need to do is to change the dog’s behavior by manipulating their environment. Management is simply taking the necessary steps to ensure your dog is not placed in a situation where they may not behave appropriately. In its simplest form, it translates to: If you do not want your puppy chewing on your new shoes, then do not leave the puppy and the shoes in the same room unsupervised.

I believe that management is essential to your dog’s training because every dog has, at least, two trainers; 1) their guardian and 2) the environment in which the dog spends its time. While you may spend an hour per day training your dog, your dog has the potential to learn from their environment 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The environment in which your dog lives may consist of; other people, other animals, noises, odors, tastes, and visual and tactile stimuli that all have the potential to reward your dog. If you do not initially control your dog’s interaction with its environment, he may quickly learn behaviors that you do not want, such as tearing up magazines, chewing on bedposts, or jumping up on people. While providing this management may seem incredibly time consuming, when done properly it will pay off as you will eventually be able to give your dog free access to your home.

Part of managing your dog also involves meeting their physical, emotional, and social needs. These needs are; 1) making sure your dog adequate access to water and appropriate food, 2) ensuring that your dog is free from physical and emotional discomfort and things that may cause them harm, 3) making sure that your dog has access to veterinary care and is free from pain, injury and disease, 4) ensuring that your dog is free from fear and distress and 5) making sure that your dog is free to express behaviors normal for their breed. The latter is especially important to consider before you get a dog, as not all normal behaviors are always appreciated by dog guardians.

Management is simple and profoundly effective. Just do it!

Training

Training involves teaching your dog and controlling the learning process. The objective of training is to have a happy dog that fits in with your lifestyle. I believe that every dog will benefit if they are trained to:

Allow you to take away items that may pose a danger to them.
Allow you to brush and groom them.
Come when called.
Walk politely on a leash.
Sit or down when asked.
Leave things when asked.
Allow you to be near them when eating.
Cope with being left alone.
Quietly welcome our guests and us without jumping,
Tolerate teasing children.
Only urinate and defecate in specific locations on our schedule.

These are all foreign concepts to a dog and may be dangerous to them if they behaved this way in the wild. A feral dog that waited to be offered food and allowed it to be taken from him would not survive long. We must remember that dogs have instinctual needs to protect their food and themselves.

It is our responsibility to make sure our dog is trained to understand our world. When we do so, our family and friends welcome our dog and our dog is accepted in public places, and thus is allowed to be with us more frequently.

Working with a Certified Professional Dog Trainer/Professional Canine Trainer-Accredited (CPDT or PCT-A) can be one of the easiest and most effective ways to learn how you can best train a dog. Whether you work with such an individual in a group class or private one-on-one training, these highly skilled individuals can show you how to get the behaviors that you want through rewarding the dog. Equally important, they can help you learn how to extinguish the behavior you do not want; things like jumping up on people and stealing socks.

When choosing a trainer look beyond how close they are to where you live, the day of the week that classes are offered, and the cost of the training. The most important characteristic to look for in a trainer is how they train. Insist on a trainer that is committed to force-free, fear-free, and pain-free methods. That means that they will not be talking about dominance and alpha-rollovers or using tools like electronic shock collars, choke collars or prong collars. While these tools and methods were routinely used in the past; organizations such as the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), The Pet Professionals Guild (PPG) and the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) are unified in their recommendations that these tools and methods should NEVER be used in the training or the behavioral management of dogs. They are not only unnecessary but are counter-productive as they inhibit the dogs ability to learn and often make a dog reactive and aggressive.

Dogs can be wonderful companions and the best way to make sure that happens with every dog is to; 1) acquire the knowledge to understand your dogs behaviors and the language unique to them as a species, 2) have fun with your dog every day as one part of nurturing your ongoing relationship, 3) manage your dog and their environment so as to meet their needs while preventing undesirable behavior and 4) invest timer and energy into training your dog not only for your benefit, but their benefit as well.

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog (http://www.words-woofs-meows.com)

The Four Essentials for a Great Dog – Part 1 – Knowledge, Relationship, Management & Training – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/02/02/dog-training-the-four-essentials-for-a-great-dog-part-1-knowledge-relationship-management-training/

Dogs-Dog Training: A Holistic Approach to Dog Training (Parts 1 & 2) – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/02/01/dogs-dog-training-a-holistic-approach-to-dog-training-parts-1-2/

Animal Welfare – Assessing Pets’ Welfare Using Brambell’s Five Freedoms – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2014/10/01/animal-welfare-assessing-pets-welfare-using-brambells-five-freedoms/

Dog Behavior – Introduction to Canine Communication – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/01/16/dog-behavior-introduction-to-canine-communication/

Podcasts on Don’s Blog

PODCAST – The Four Essentials to A Great Dog – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/02/21/podcast-the-four-essentials-to-a-great-dog/

PODCAST – Canine Behavior: Myths & Facts –

PODCAST – Dog Training Questions for Don and Kate, part 2– 19JUL15 –http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/07/19/podcast-dog-training-questions-for-don-and-kate-with-special-guest-host-dr-mark-hanks-part-2/

PODCAST – Dog Training Questions for Don and Kate, part 3– 26JUL15 –http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/07/27/blog-post-27jul15-podcast-dog-training-questions-for-don-and-kate-with-special-guest-host-dr-mark-hanks-part-3/

Gus and the Alpha Roll

My experience in my first puppy class with “experts.”

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog (http://www.words-woofs-meows.com)

Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show (http://www.woofmeowshow.com)

References

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog (http://www.words-woofs-meows.com)

Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show (http://www.woofmeowshow.com)

Behavior and Training

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog (http://www.words-woofs-meows.com)

Automatic Sit

Automatic Sit When a Person Approaches

Automatic Sit When Stopping

Building Attention through Hand Feeding

DAY 1

DAYS 2 & 3

DAYS 4 through 7

DAYS 8 through 10

DAYS 11 through 13

DAYS 14 through 16

Putting ATTENTION on Cue

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog (http://www.words-woofs-meows.com)

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog (HTTP://WWW.WORDS-WOOFS-MEOWS.COM)

Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show (http://www.woofmeowshow.com)

Handouts to Download

Books

Videos

Recommended Resources

Management

Training

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog (http://www.words-woofs-meows.com)

Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show (http://www.woofmeowshow.com)

The Four Essentials to A Great Dog – HTTP://TRAFFIC.LIBSYN.COM/WOOFMEOWSHOW/WOOFMEOWSHOW2016-02-20-FOUR_ESSENTIALS_GREAT_DOG-PODCAST.MP3