Your dog is learning something every moment he is awake. If you’re interacting with him, he is figuring out what works, what doesn’t work, and how to make things happen. You’re constantly teaching him something about the way his world operates, even when you’re not actively training him, and you are constantly laying a foundation for his future interactions with you and other people. These daily interactions you have with your dog are what dog training or even just living with your dog, is all about.

In addition to teaching your dog to respond to your formal obedience cues, training your dog can be done simply by thinking carefully about the interactions you have with him. Dog training, especially using positive techniques, is about reinforcing a behavior your dog does today that you’d like to see more of in the future or not reinforcing behaviors you would like to see less of in the future. For example, if your dog wants to play with you, and he walks up to you with a rope toy in his mouth and sits quietly, and you then quickly notice him and lavishly tell him what great dog he is as you grab the rope and start a game of tug, chances are good that when he wants to play in the future, he’ll try this polite way of asking again. “It worked!” he thinks, “That’s exactly what I wanted!”

In this example, you haven’t done anything difficult or even asked for an obedience cue. You simply interacted with your dog at the right time. Paying attention to the things your dog does and teaching him how to get things he wants, in an appropriate way, really pays off. In the example above, you simply interacted with your dog in a way that set him up to do the right thing again in the future.

Many new dog owners look at the incident at hand as if they are wearing blinders, only seeing what has happened and not recognizing that they can change what is going to happen in the future with just a couple of good decisions. They see the dog jumping on a visitor, and they want him to stop. The trick is to be sure to look into the future and say to yourself, “How can I get my dog to stop jumping on people in the future?” Take a step further by asking yourself, “What would I like Fido to do instead of jumping on my visitors?” Often, dogs simply do what has been working in the past until they find something that works better. If sitting nicely to be petted causes humans to worship and swoon Fido, while jumping up and pawing at them causes them to all walk away and ignore him, you can bet he will begin to show off his great ability to sit while simultaneously wagging his tail.

Spend some time today getting in tune with your dog and choose three things he does you’d like to see him do more of. Be sure he gets something great when you see him do each of the behaviors you’ve chosen, and you’ll soon be able to watch those polite behaviors multiply! Hint: this works nicely on human family members as well.

Positive reinforcement is one of the four quadrants of operant conditioning.  Operant conditioning explains how behavior changes based on reinforcement or punishment that happens immediately after the behavior.  Positive reinforcement is technically the addition of something positive after the behavior.  This is done with the intention of causing the dog to repeat the behavior.  Operant conditioning follows the formula: IF you “sit”, THEN you get chicken.  If a dog sits, and we give him a treat immediately afterward, the treat reinforces of the behavior of sitting.  Since it is something we added to the behavior (as opposed to taking away), it is referred to as positive.  Another example of positive reinforcement could be if a dog does “watch” on cue and is then immediately allowed to sniff his favorite shrub.  The shrub is added to reinforce the behavior of turning and looking to the human.

Another form of what is loosely referred to as positive dog training that is used primarily in behavior modification (the type of training used to rehabilitate fearful, reactive, or aggressive dogs) is classical conditioning.  This cute game on nobelprize.org will quickly remind you of Pavlov’s theory.   As opposed to following the formula for operant conditioning mentioned above:  IF you “sit”, THEN you get chicken, classical conditioning is used to change the association made with a particular stimulus.  The formula then changes to:  scary human trying to pet me = chicken; human hand in my dish = sweet potato; dog walking by me when I’m on my leash walk = steak.  In this manner, dogs can be trained to respond to any stimulus in a positive way.  After repeated practice sessions using this formula, a dog will begin to show what is referred to as a conditioned emotional response to the stimulus.  This typically begins in the form of a happy look toward his human.  Later, operant conditioning can be used to teach a specific behavior such as a “sit” or “watch”, though as Dog Behaviorist, Jean Donaldson, explains it, these nice operant conditioning behaviors often “come along for the ride”.

Last, but not least, motivation is an extremely important factor that influences whether or not a learned behavior will happen.  Dogs (and any thinking creatures) are motivated to avoid bad things/experiences and gain more good things/experiences.  As discussed above, positive reinforcement dog training uses addition of good things to make behaviors occur more often while avoiding the use of or exposure to bad things.  This helps ensure the relationship between the human and the dog is a trusting one and allows the dog to make only positive associations about training, humans, dogs, and anyone or anything else involved.  As Pamela Reid explains in her book Excel-erated Learning: How Dogs Learn and How Best to Teach Them, “For the most part, learning does not occur without motivation.  Once a behavior has been learned, it may not be performed if the animal is not motivated to respond. “  Motivation is an important factor in the performance of any behavior by any thinking being, including pet dogs.  Just because you know how to do your job, and even sometimes enjoy it, does not mean you will go to work without being paid.  Just because your dog knows how to come when he is called, does not mean he will automatically come when he is called if there is something more interesting to do.  Just because your husband/wife/teenager/co-worker knows what the cue “come” means, does not mean she will stop watching television and run to wash the dishes in order to please you.  You get the idea. You can also think of motivation in terms of stages of learning.  Perhaps your dog has been sufficiently motivated and learned how to “stay” in your living room and also in your front yard when a bike goes by, but he has not yet been sufficiently motivated and learned how to “stay” at the dog park or a park filled with squirrels.   Find a large variety of things your dog is absolutely crazy about (food, toys, play, attention, etc.) that will allow you to prompt the behavior in the first place and then continue to teach her that these behaviors are really worth her while to perform in real life situations.

If you’re interested in using positive dog training to build trust and have fun with your dog while teaching her to consistently behave appropriately in your home and your life, contact Erin by calling 858-213-9580 or emailing erin@woofsandiego.com.

As with most behaviors, the most important thing to consider is consistency.  It is important that once you begin training, you do not allow your dog to pull on the leash at any time while he is learning his new leash walking skills since allowing him to pull on the leash sometimes but not others could be very confusing (or worse, he could learn he can only pull when he doesn’t see your bait bag filled with treats!)  The next most important thing to remember is that leash walking does not actually involve a leash.  Of course, you should always leash your dog so he is safe in public, but you should keep in mind the leash is not supposed to be used to physically correct your dog or drag him around.  If he is focused on you and calm around distractions, he will not need to wear a leash for any reason other than safety.

The goal is to set your dog up to be able to do something correctly that you can reward him for. For some dogs that already pull on the leash when walking, this might mean simply not sprinting ahead when you take one step forward. For others, this might mean you reward for any time he looks at you, or for walking a step forward with you. In the beginning, click (or use a verbal reward marker) then give a treat for anything you can: looking up to check in with you, taking a step forward calmly with you, turning when you turn, stopping when you stop, etc., and continue to click and treat for each of these things, every time your dog does them at first. Load your do with verbal praise and “what a goooood doggie!” conversations. Try to be more exciting to your dog than all of the other potential distractions (amazing-smelling bushes, other dogs, humans, dirt, grass – the usual).  If your dog seems he is about to veer off, try to get his attention before he starts to pull on the leash by calling his name, using a cue you have trained such as “watch”, showing him a treat or toy, making a smooching sound, or changing directions (without yanking on your dog) so he has to find you in order to continue.  Try to do this before your dog actually pulls on the leash so he is focused as often as possible and spends very little time, if any, actually pulling while leash walking.  This prevents your dog from learning to leap out to the end of the leash and then turn around to get his treat.  If your dog is already pulling, and you couldn’t stop him before he started, stand still and wait for him to pay attention so that he is not rewarded accidentally as he pulls you over to the thing he wants to see.  When he does pay attention, click and treat.

Start your leash walking training in a small area such as your back yard, driveway, or part of your block (maybe the distance of a few houses in each direction).  Then, as your dog starts to behave more calmly and is more focused while leash walking, move on to harder situations and longer walks.  It is important to do this gradually.  In the meantime, give your dog his physical exercise by taking him to the dog park, on a play date with a few other dogs, to an off-leash area that is safe and legal to play in, or consider running with him if he doesn’t pull while running. If your dog needs exercise and is not able to get it in another way, consider purchasing a Sense-ation, Sense-ible, or EZ Walk harness (these all clip in the front instead of the back to prevent pulling) that gently and humanely help prevent most dogs from pulling while walking.  Purchasing a harness may or may not be a permanent solution for your dog depending on your goals for his walking skills, and you will likely want to continue working on rewarding his calm and focused behaviors since these will still be very important with or without the harness in the face of distractions.

With practice, your dog will be able to enjoy his environment and his walks while paying attention to you and walking politely.  When you are satisfied with your dog’s behavior, you will be able to begin transitioning your dog to other types of less frequent rewards so you can take a nice walk with him without carrying your entire treat pouch everywhere you go.  Remember to take your time getting to this point as you want to make sure your dog thoroughly learns how rewarding it is to pay attention to you on a walk.   If you keep him wondering when he will get to eat a delicious bit of chicken or when he will get to play a quick game of tug-of-war at the corner while waiting for the stoplight, he will be sure to keep an eye on what you’re up to on the other end of the leash at all times!

• A Crate:  big enough for your puppy to stand up, lie down comfortably, and turn around in a circle, but not big enough for him to walk around.
• A Puppy Playpen:  If you expect to work during the day, you will need a place for your puppy to be safely contained since he will not be able to “hold it” long enough to make it through your work day until he is older.
• Potty Pads:  If you are going to use a Puppy Playpen, you will want to place a potty pad in one corner of his pen to separate playing, sleeping, and potty areas of the pen while you are away.
• Kongs or other “stuffable” toys:  Purchase several of these toys along with a few different options for stuffing them such as peanut butter, dog biscuits, yogurt, high quality wet dog food, honey, or sweet potato.  These toys will help him learn to enjoy his alone time.  They will also serve to teach him what is appropriate to chew if you allow him to only access these appropriate chews while keeping shoes, rugs, laundry and other illegal chewing objects out of his reach until he can be trusted.  Rotate the toys and their stuffing every few days to keep your puppy interested.
• Other Toys:  ropes, squeak toys, stuffed animals, balls, tug-a-jug, etc. that your puppy can play with when he is being supervised.  Again, rotate the toys every few days to keep your puppy interested.
• Baby Gate:  This will be used to contain your puppy to one room to help you better supervise him.
• Training Treats:  small, soft, stinky treats that can easily be given to your puppy to reward him for good behavior.
• Leash & Collar:  a properly fitted standard collar and a 4-6’ leash.  You may also want to purchase a Sense-ation or Sense-ible harness for leash walking and a 20’ or longer leash for training the “come” cue.  You should never use a choke chain or other aversive on a puppy.

Potty Training Tips

In short, potty training can be handled by being sure your puppy is always contained to the same room you are.  Your puppy should always be in your sight!  If you need to take a shower, watch a movie, or have an important conversation with a friend, you should put your puppy in her crate with a stuffed Kong (or in her puppy pen if you are going to be gone longer than she can be left alone without relieving herself).  You will be able to enjoy your break time, and she will begin to learn to enjoy her crate and her alone time.  Your puppy will need to go potty every time she eats, drinks, sleeps, or plays.  You should also take her outside approximately every 30 minutes (this will become gradually longer as she gets older and more reliable).  If she goes potty outside when taken, praise her lavishly and feed her a treat.  If she does not, bring her back inside but know she will soon need to empty herself.  If your puppy goes potty inside the house, interrupt her gently by saying, “oops” and quickly taking her to the right place.  The most important part of potty training is catching your puppy in the act, good or bad, since the lesson can only be taught while the behavior is happening.  If your puppy goes potty inside the house, and you do not see her go, you can only clean up the mess and move on, vowing to keep a closer watch on her next time.

Puppy Socilization Tips

The most important job you have as a new puppy owner is socializing your puppy.  The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) offers this handout with socializing guidelines and suggestions.  Socialization means exposing your puppy to as many new people, places, things, and experiences as possible, and it is important for this to happen as early as possible in your puppy’s life.  If you got your puppy from a reputable breeder, this process should already have been started.  Also, many rescue groups hold regular adoption events where puppies get a great start on this socialization work.  Proper socialization helps your puppy grow up to be a friendly, happy, confident dog, thus preventing fear and aggression as an adult.  Get as creative as possible with your socialization, and set lofty goals.  Invite friends to your home and bring your puppy to theirs.  Do so in small and large groups, and try to think as broadly as possible about your socializing options.  Your puppy should have 100 new experiences in her first 100 days of life.  If you bring her home at the standard age of 8 weeks, this means you have your work cut out for you.  When a dog grows up with limited exposure to people, dogs, places, or things, she is likely to feel insecure or frightened at later stages in life, so do your best to make these various exposures frequent and positive.  It is your goal to teach your puppy that these things are fun and just part of life.

Tips to Stop Puppy Nipping and Teach Bite Inhibition

Puppy nipping is common and normal.  However, you will need to teach your new puppy that in order to play with humans, she must keep her teeth to herself.  It is often frustrating since it is painful and can be challenging to put an end to.  It is important for puppies to learn how hard they can bite before they hurt someone.  This is referred to as bite inhibition.  Learning good bite inhibition as a puppy means your puppy will grow up to be a dog who, if forced to bite, is likely to bite with a force less than that of a kitchen injury.  This is best taught to the puppy through littermates and encounters with other dogs, but you will also need to help your puppy generalize these concepts to her human companions.  You will want to start by teaching your puppy not to bite too hard, and you will later teach her not to bite at all.  Begin by only engaging in play with your puppy in a room or part of a room you can easily leave.  It is more efficient for you to remove yourself from the play if she bites than for you to juggle the removal of your puppy.  If your puppy bites too hard, say, “oops” and quickly leave the play area, leaving the puppy to wonder what just happened.  You are using the word “oops” to let your puppy know something she did was wrong, not to punish her or stop the behavior.  Remember, it is important for her to learn appropriate forms of play, so you should never force her by holding her mouth shut or frighten her by yelling at her. Be sure not to say anything other than “oops” as you leave the room, and do not pay any attention to your puppy.  After giving the “oops (that didn’t work out too well for you)” cue and leaving the area, let about 30 seconds to one minute go by, then return to your puppy’s play area for more fun.   Repeat this every time she bites too hard.  You should expect her to bite again several times within each play session until she learns the rules.  Continue this until your puppy learns to mouth softly and then begin the same steps any time she puts her teeth you at all.  This process can take some time, but be consistent when teaching her your rules for playing with humans, and you will soon have a puppy who understands that humans are not chew toys.

For help getting started with puppy socialization in San Diego or to discuss building your relationship with your puppy through obedience training, email Erin at erin@woofsandiego.com.

This game is best played with a clicker (small box that makes a “click” sound to mark correct behaviors).  Visit www.clickertraining.com for more information on clicker training.  If your dog is not clicker trained yet, you can still play this game.  If you have a clicker, spend a day clicking the clicker and following it with a treat so your dog learns to associate the click sound with receiving a piece of food.  The click will then mean, “you have done the correct behavior, and you will soon receive a food reward.”  If you do not have a clicker, you can still play the game by using a word such as “GOOD!” or “YES!” to mark correct behaviors, and follow that word with a treat.  In either case, you will want to be very specific with your timing by clicking your clicker or saying your word right at the moment your dog performs the behavior.  The treat always follows this mark.

To start Free Shaping, begin with an object such as a half full water bottle, a football, a ring full of keys, or one of his toys.  Next, choose a goal for your dog’s interaction with the object.  For example, you would like him to roll the water bottle with his nose, press a button on a video game controller with his left paw, open a container with his paws, or roll a soccer ball into a box with his nose.  Place the object on the floor near your dog, and get ready for the game to begin.  You and your dog will now play a “hot and cold” game.  He will likely attempt to explore the object you’ve just placed in front of him.  You will now click and then treat for any move he makes that is closer to your ultimate goal for the behavior.  If your goal is for him to roll the water bottle with his nose, you may start by clicking and then treating for him doing some version of the following:  looking toward the bottle, walking toward the bottle, putting his head down near the bottle, touching the bottle, touching the bottle with his nose, making the bottle move, making the bottle roll, making the bottle roll further, etc. There may be periods of quiet while your dog thinks about his options and what to do with the object.  Be patient, and let him think.  If your dog tries the wrong thing, don’t do anything.  If he is motivated by the treats, he will soon learn he is guessing what it is you want him to do, and he will try something else after an incorrect guess.  He learns that things he does can produce things he likes (treats and verbal praise from you).

When your dog has completed the goal you set for him, you can give it a name so he can later perform it on cue.  You can say the name just before he starts to perform the behavior.  Later, you can use the same object and change the goal, or you can use a completely new object and new goal.  This use of positive reinforcement dog training will help you teach your dog tricks while building your relationship with him, building his confidence, and giving him something fun to do.  For more information on trick training, clicker training, and positive reinforcement, email Erin at erin@woofsandiego.com or call 858.213.9580.

Dogzilla

Although the weather is still warm in sunny San Diego, Halloween is coming quickly.  Halloween can be a very scary time for our dogs.  There are floods of strangers visiting, humans wearing costumes and masks, and decorations that make noises or make unusual movements, all of which are potentially overwhelming to dogs.  If this is your puppy’s first Halloween, it’s important to be sure he has only positive experiences as he is forming his opinions of the world around him.

On Halloween: Keep your Trick-or-Treaters safe and your dog calm and comfortable by providing your dog with a safe, quiet place where he can be confined during Trick-or-Treating hours such as his crate, a bedroom, or an exercise pen. Turn on a radio or television in the area your dog will be to create white noise and help prevent her from alarm barking.  If your dog reacts to your doorbell or to knocking at the door, consider setting up a Trick-or-Treat area near your front door (with your dog safely confined elsewhere).  Leave your door open and have someone available to sit with the candy nearby so there is no need to alarm your dog with doorbell ringing and knocking.  Fill a Kong (or other stuffable toy) with his dinner along with other delicious, long-lasting treats such as peanut butter or honey.  When you take your dog to his quiet area, give him the food-stuffed toy so he will work to get the food out and enjoy his alone time.

Before (and After) Halloween: Around Halloween, your house might be filled with wonderful opportunities to socialize your puppy (these techniques also work on adult dogs but may take more work if your dog is already fearful or has passed puppyhood and not been exposed to these sorts of things yet).  Remember, you never want to “flood” your dog with potentially scary new experiences.  (If you were afraid of snakes, you would likely not feel better about them if I poured a bucket filled with snakes on you).  Instead, expose your dog to new things in a way that allows him to feel comfortable and happy around the new thing.  To do this, present the new object or situation in small doses.  Using your Halloween accessories or decorations (crown, glasses, mask, hat, fake nose, vampire teeth, pretend rats, candy dish with moving claw, etc.) near your puppy while she is eating. Encourage your dog to be interested in these objects and feed her food rewards to entice and reward her.  You can hand-feed your dog his dinner while holding these objects, putting them on one at a time, or setting them on the floor next to him, teaching him to associate them with something he loves:  food!  If your dog appears nervous, place the object further away, gradually moving it closer during each session.  These techniques can be repeated to build your pup’s confidence around all sorts of Halloween toys and decorations that might make noise or move in unfamiliar ways. These techniques can be used to build your pup’s confidence in all sorts of situations (think vacuums, sewer grates, umbrellas, the list goes on).  Get creative, and help your puppy become confident and well socialized!