DOG TRAINING STORY
Simon
Since Simon’s training at Coastal Country Dog Training
he has become a more relaxed dog making shared activities much
more pleasurable for both of us. As well as breaking some of
the bad habits we had both acquired, Simon is also now responsive
to all of the basic obedience commands. As a result, he now
gets to enjoy regular visits to the park and the beach and
I’m no longer tearing my hair out. Thanks for taking
some of the terrorist out of this terrier.
Wendy Gava
NORPA-LISMORE |
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DOG TRAINING TIPS
Dog training tip #6
Stop your dog jumping on people
When dogs jump most people ‘pay’ the dogs by touching
them or either pushing or pulling the dog (remember any touch to
a dog is payment). How common is this behaviour? And at the same
time, these people are repeating commands: ‘sit,’ ‘sit,’ ‘sit’ or ‘down,’ ‘down,’ ‘down’.
To a dog this is great: all these commands being given with no
result: I can do what I want AND I get touched. They believe that
they are able to behave like they want and that the handler is
easily outsmarted. It creates what I call a ‘grey area’.
No clear message whatsoever is being sent.
The commands are diluted and meaningless. Dogs learn from clear,
black and white messages. So if the handler is to outsmart the
dog the commands must be clear and leave no doubt as to what is
required. For example, when a dog comes to jump keep your hands
behind your back so there’s no touch. Block the dog as he
jumps by raising your leg upwards and give a verbal negative such
as: ‘No’ or ‘Aaah’ or ‘Hey’,
in a deep, negative tone. Use whichever negative you prefer, just
so long as you are consistent and it is said with emphasis.
Don’t be gullible, if the dog goes to sneak a jump in behind
you. Turn around and repeat the verbal negative and action. Don’t
let the dog get a jump in, say nothing other than the negative
or do not give a command (i.e. ‘sit’, ‘down’,
etc). At this point you’re not giving a command, just the
clear message of ‘no’. This way the dog knows: when
I go to jump I get a negative and I get blocked. When the dog realizes
this and responds with the desired behaviour, praise and pat him.
The dog can jump around you, sit and stand etc. Demonstrate you
don’t care what he does, as long as he is not jumping on
you. Remember you are not out there to do a ‘sit’ or ‘down’ exercise.
You are there to give a black and white message. If the dog, whilst
you’re patting him, tries to get one more jump in don’t
push him. It’s hands straight behind your back then block
and give a negative verbal.
Let him make the right decision once again, and then continue
the praise. Again, don’t be gullible. The dog is seeing if
he can outsmart you and get praised once again for jumping.
From a canine’s point of view someone who can be outsmarted
isn't’t a good leader.
Dog training tip #7
Stop your dog lunging and barking at other dogs when out walking
with a leash
How many times have you seen this scenario: an owner and his dog
out walking approach another owner and dog, the first owner pulls
the leash tight to restrain his dog; this action acts as a trigger
and the dog lunges at the oncoming canine?
This is a bad situation: you had a 10kg dog; the handler pulls
the leash taught creating pressure, now the 10kg becomes a 70kg
dog – bomb and bullet proof. Do not ‘back up’ and ‘pay’ dogs
for dysfunctional behaviour. Leave the leash loose.
If the dog shows any sign of behaving badly, tug instantly with
a short, sharp pull on the leash. Then instantly release pressure
and at the same time, in a deep tone of voice give verbal negative.
For example: ‘AAA’, ‘No’ or ‘Hey’.
If this correction is ineffective, correct at a firmer level.
The desired result is when the dog decides to give up the inappropriate
behaviour as a result of the owner’s negative response. The
dog is then praised verbally or with a pat, for making the correct,
honest decision. Remember, dogs will behave according to what their
owner will allow. If dog owners are unknowingly ‘paying’ dogs
by restraint (remember any form of touch or restraint is ‘payment’ to
a dog) the dog doesn’t know his behaviour is undesirable.
Give clear, black and white messages. Canines are highly evolved
predators with a strong sense of hierarchical order. If the owner
gives clear messages the dog will respond quickly.
Dog training tip #8
Stop your dog from pulling on the leash
Owners who allow a dog to continually pull on the leash, and do
nothing other than habitually attempt to restrain him, are promoting
this bad behaviour. If you had two people pulling a rope taught,
the tension would be enormous. When you allow a dog to pull on
the leash it is promoting the pulling: ‘backing him up’.
If the leash is 1.5m – 2m in length, it allows for slack
(a short leash always causes restraint) and should the dog lunge
forward you have time to pull before the dog reaches the end of
the leash. Should he choose to lunge again, a quick and more firm
tug will reinforce the first correction. The dog may choose to
make the correct decision once the leash is released again, i.e.
not pull, if so always give verbal praise. Correction levels range
from 1 to 10. If the dog doesn’t respond to 1, go to 2: a
quick, short tug on leash and then release pressure. Never keep
the restraint constant; give your dog the opportunity to make a
decision, be it the right or wrong one. Should he make the wrong
decision continue with the levels then give praise when he reaches
the right decision.
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If a dog doesn’t
have good leadership he/she will be his own leader
A dog is a predator with sharp teeth. Firm and fair leadership
is important. If there is no leadership, the executive
in your household is a highly evolved predator and you
and your family are the janitors. This is a big problem.
It is what is called a structure
problem.
So if a dog is the executive why would he do what the janitor
wants – like have respect and manners, and display
functional behaviour? A ‘negative’ is not cruel.
The level of negative depends on each individual dog. Some
dogs are more easily offended and respond to a verbal negative
more than others.
The more dominant breeds are harder
to offend.
They need a verbal and a physical correction. For example
when the dog is wearing a leash and collar he will need a
sharp tug as well as a spoken negative (‘AAA’, ‘No’).
Withholding food in itself is a
negative.
It comes down that there is not such a thing as
all positive training. If a dog has dysfunctional behaviour,
for example, biting at the leash or ‘mouthing’ at
you, the dog needs a negative experience to learn this is
inappropriate behaviour. Then when he makes the honest decision
to cease the negative behaviour he receives positive reinforcement
with verbal praise and a pat.
In the canine world bad behaviour
is not tolerated.
There is an instant consequence. No grudges are
held and things move on pretty quickly. A dog’s life
is easy when he knows where they stand and is given firm
and fair leadership. Cruelty, to me is a dog that doesn’t
have any structural boundaries and leadership is out of control.
Nobody wants to take him anywhere.
He needs sedation when having his nails clipped or any other
day to day grooming. Then, when finally the dog’s
behaviour escalates the owners who shaped these behaviours
put all the blame on the dog and have the dog put down.
The owner I would like if I were
a dog
is the one who is firm and fair, who gives clear messages
and lets me know where I stand. Not the one I can outsmart,
use and abuse and where the consequence for all my bad behaviour
is positive reinforcement, which leaves me in a perpetual
state of stress and confusion |
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