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Dealing with distractions

May 11th, 2011

Dog training doesn’t occur in a vacuum, but within a context. The environment within which you help your canine companion learn to respond appropriately to your cues can have a big impact not only how quickly he learns them, but also how well.

Suppose, for example, you decide to teach your dog to sit while you’re both in the kitchen.  At the same time, though, your kids are buzzing around nearby, and you’ve got something going on the stove. Think Fido’s going to be able to concentrate on what you’re trying to teach him? Think again.  Between the proximity of the kids and the proximity of a delicious-smelling meal-in-progress, Fido’s probably going to have a little trouble focusing on where you want him to put his tush. There are just too many distractions going on around him.

And sometimes those distractions are internal, not external. For example, if you try to teach your dog that new cue when you’ve just gotten home from work and Fido’s been alone all day — well, good luck with that. Fido is probably way too glad to see you to focus on learning something new. He’s also probably in dire need of a bathroom break, and he undoubtedly could use at least a little exercise.  In short, he’s got way too many distractions going on within him.

That’s why, when you’re teaching your dog something new, you need to create an environment that’s as free of distractions as possible.  Pick a place and time where no one else is around, when there’s little noise or other occurrences to overload his senses, and when you really have the time to focus on your four-legged friend. And make sure that he can focus on you, too.

That said, it’s important to realize that while distractions aren’t good to have when you’re initially teaching a new behavior, they’re very good to use to perfect that behavior later on. For example, once your dog consistently sits on cue in a distraction-free environment, start adding distractions to build that consistency. For example, bring him outdoors (in a safely enclosed area, please!), or ask him to perform the behavior when the kids are around.

If he has trouble concentrating on what you’re asking him to do, dial back the distractions a bit.  Go back to the low- or no-distraction environment, work there a few times, and then try adding distractions again.

And of course, no matter what stage you are in teaching a new behavior, make sure you provide an incentive that your dog will want to work for. In most cases, that incentive will be a fabulous tasting, wonderful smelling treat.

Once you figure out when to bypass distractions–and when to utilize them–your training sessions are likely to go a lot more smoothly.

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Training the senior dog

May 4th, 2011

A few weeks back, I shared what I consider to be a wonderful video about a 13-year-old Golden Retriever who was being trained with a clicker for the first time. The dog’s obvious delight and enjoyment of the training is, to me, a better argument for keeping training positive than almost anything I could write.

But, of course, I’m gonna write anyway.

Proper training is one of the loveliest gifts that you can give your aging canine companion. Not only do you build the bond and improve the communication between you, but you also help to keep her mind sharp. Just as continuing education helps keep human beings interested in life, so too does continuing education for dogs. kBut that doesn’t mean you can train a senior dog exactly the same way you train a puppy. Here are some ideas for adjusting your dog’s training as he ages.

Keep it short. An older dog may not have the endurance or attention span that he did when he was younger. For that reason, it’s a good idea to keep your training sessions short–no longer than 10 minutes.

Keep it fun. Drill-sergeant techniques have no place in dog training–especially when the dog is a sensitive senior. Positive reinforcement, gentle encouragement, and lots of good feedback in the form of praise, petting, a short play session and/or treats are much more likely to keep your older dog enthusiastic and engaged.

Adjust the treats. Your older dog may love his training treats as much now as he did when he was younger.  However, as he ages, his metabolism is likely to slow down. That means he’ll put on weight more easily than he did when he was younger–and excess weight may well shorten your dog’s life, not to mention put him at risk for a variety of health problems such as cancer, arthritis and diabetes. Either give your dog much tinier portions of his current treats, or switch to low-calorie fare such as frozen veggies and fresh fruits (If you opt for those fruits and veggies, be prepared for him to poop a little more often! That extra fiber can up your pooch’s, ahem, productivity).

Adjust the activity level. Your older dog may not be up for strenuous fetch sessions or flyball training anymore. But that doesn’t mean you can’t play “hide the toy” or some other game that makes him fire up a few brain cells. And it certainly doesn’t mean that you can’t teach him a few new manueuvers such as putting his toys away.  Maybe you could even train him to pass the Canine Good Citizen test, if he hasn’t already done so.

Always end on a good note. Now, more than ever, it’s important to end your training sessions on a positive note. Make sure that the last thing you ask your dog to do in a session is something that you know he can do easily–and then give him plenty of reinforcement when he does. As our four-legged friends age, their mortality becomes clearer and they become dearer to us. Don’t mar this uniquely sweet time in your lives together with unnecessary negativity.

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Why I believe in positive training

April 28th, 2011

By the time this post goes live, I will have just had surgery.

Basically, for the past two weeks, I’ve been walking around on two broken feet and didn’t even know it. Well, okay, I knew about the first foot, but only yesterday did I get the second foot X-rayed (long story). That’s when I got the word that not only did I break a bone clean in two, but that I’d need surgery to have the broken bone realigned properly. Hence, my date with destiny today.

Meanwhile, for these past two weeks I not only trekked through Greece and London but also, when I got home last week, faithfully walked Allie, my Golden Retriever.  My Golden girl sometimes gets boisterous on our walks–but, amazingly, over the past week or so she has been careful to match her pace to mine. As I venture down some steps with her on leash, I can ask her to “Wait” at each step–and she does.  I can remind her that I need for her to “walk nice,” and she does. would.  And every few steps, she turns around and looks at me, as tbough she’s asking, “Are you doing okay?”

Moreover, if we walk uphill, Allie walks out in front of me as far as the leash can stretch so that she is literally pulling me up the street. She’s not running as she does this; she’s walking slowly. But her pulling action really has helped me get up the street, even if it’s also kept me from realizing what a number I did ‘on my foot.

And now that I’m home, Allie’s been right here with me, staying out of the way of me and my walker, but not staying too far away. I can walk along with the walker and ask her to sit next to me, I can direct here where I need for her to go by pointing. And she’s been coming over often to offer kisses and other forms of canine encouragement. (But before you tell me that she’d make the perfect therapy dog — well, that’s not gonna happen. Allie’s not keen on car rides to health care facilities or anywhere else. But she’s turning out to be the perfect therapy dog for me.)

What, you may ask, have my foot-related woes got to do with positive training?

Simple. When we use positive training with our dogs–particularly shaping, either in training or in games–we encourage our dogs to think for themselves. We encourage them to strategize. A game like “Show Me Something Else” prompts our dogs to try figure out what we want them to do. Instead of our merely expecting them to respond to our commands like canine robots, they’re responding to our cues from true understanding, and also bringing something of themselves to the interaction.

The clearest difference between command-based training and positive training that I’ve ever seen was on the TV show Greatest American Dog, which was telecast on CBS a few years ago. There were a number of very well-trained dogs–but the differences between two dogs, Galaxy and Andrew, were remarkable. Galaxy did whatever she was told to do, but she seemed afraid to do anything at other times. She seemed timid, almost frozen. Andrew, on the other hand, was totally confident in what he was doing. Guess which dog was a positive training alumnus?

I’m not the gifted trainer that Andrew’s person, Laurie Williams, is. As I’ve readily admitted, my dog isn’t perfect (and I’m not either). But by using positive reinforcement to train Allie, I’ve encouraged her to think for herself. Communication flows two ways between us. I won’t be  able to walk Allie again for a little while–thankfully, my husband can and will handle that detail. But when I am back to dog-walking, I suspect that because Allie’s been encouraged to think for herself, she’ll discern whether I can handle her leash-walking antics or not. And if she decides to resume those antics, I may even be glad that she does.

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Fun and games

April 20th, 2011

Training is about much, much more than simply teaching your dog the proper responses to verbal or other cues. Good training is a way to relate to your dog and for the two of you to communicate with each other.

And it’s also supposed to be fun–for both of you.

That’s where playing games with your dog comes in. By playing games with your dog, you can exercise his mind, reinforce behavioral cues and, above all, have a good time. And because all of these games can be played indoors, you can play them anytime, even when the weather’s frightful. (That brings me to another plus of game-playing: they give your dog exercise, which can help keep him mellow and happy, not to mention healthy and fit.)

Here are some great games to play with your dog:

Hide the toy. Bring your dog to your bedroom and show him a favorite toy. Ask him to sit and stay, or–if you know he won’t hold the stay–close the bedroom door. Hide the toy in another room, where your dog can find it easily. Release him from his sit and/or open the door, and tell him to find the toy. Then, watch him sniff everywhere until he finds it!  When he does, praise lavishly and otherwise make a big fuss over him. As he becomes better and better at this game, make it more challenging for him by hiding the toy in harder-to-reach places. But don’t cheat: the toy has to be someplace where your dog can retrieve it!

Hide and seek. This game, of course, is when you are the, ahem, toy and your dog needs to find you. If your dog has a rock-solid stay, place him in one room and then go hide somewhere else. When you’re secure in your hiding place, ask him to come–and when he finds you, make a big fuss over him and give him a treat. You can also play this game by having another person hold your dog until you’re ready, and then have that person release him.

Show me something else. This game, which is a variation on Karen Pryor’s “101 Things to Do with a Box”, is a great way to keep your dog’s mind sharp and get him to really think. Allie and I *love* playing this game.  To learn how to play it, have your a box or cone or other object (maybe milk carton?), a clicker and treats ready and then click here.

Have fun!

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Watch, and be inspired

April 13th, 2011

So much of what we read about training has to do with puppies and young dogs. But the fact is, older dogs can learn, too, and many of them want to.

As you view this video, notice how the 13-year-old Golden Retriever’s tail wags happily whenever she responds to a cue, and how obviously eager she is to perform. Despite her sensory impairments (partial deafness and sight impairment), she’s a happy, healthy-looking dog who not only is clearly exercising her mind but is also still getting a kick out of life.

Enjoy!

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If our dogs could talk

April 6th, 2011

Appearances to the contrary, dogs do not speak English. But if they did, I suspect that they would give us an earful.

That’s because, as much as we try to do otherwise, we do make mistakes in caring for and training our canine companions. (I’ve already mentioned some of my own goofs, so I’m not holding myself above anybody here!) In that spirit, I tried to put myself in the place not only of my own dog, but also of other dogs I’ve encountered. Here’s what I think they’d ask of us:

Lead them not into temptation. I suspect that if our dogs could talk, they would ask us to please not give them so many opportunities to screw up. In other words, if we don’t want them to countersurf, we should refrain from leaving tasty items on the counter. If we don’t want them to eat our designer shoes, we should put those shoes in our closets and close the door. It’s much tougher for a dog to make a mistake if we remove his access to items that would lead him astray.

Give them a decent paycheck. Aren’t we much more willing to work hard if we feel that we’re being paid what we’re worth?  Well, the same is true with dogs. Your four-legged friend will be much more eager to do what you ask if you give him a treat that he’s totally crazy about. Look for goodies that are soft, flavorful and aromatic, and can be broken into little pieces.

Let them get their ya-ya’s out. I’ve made no bones about being totally on the side of positive reinforcement, scientifically based training–heck, that’s the fundamental principle this blog is based on. That said, I do actually agree with some trainers whose methods I otherwise strongly oppose when those trainers claim that our dogs don’t get enough exercise. In most cases, they’re right. That said, plenty of trainers whom I totally admire make the same claim–and I, for one, have been amazed at the difference a few minutes of exercise can make in a dog’s ability to focus and concentrate.

Be consistent. How often are you guilty of expecting your dog to stay off your bed one night, and then inviting him up the next?  How often do you enforce a stay-off-the-good-couch prohibition, only to find that someone else in your family is letting your dog onto said couch? And how about your guests: do you expect your dog to not jump up on you but do nothing when your guests allow your dog to go airborne?  Such inconsistency is confusing to a dog. Make sure everybody is on the same page when it comes to rules of the household–and stay on the same page yourself.

Just listen. Just because our dogs can’t speak English doesn’t mean that they can’t communicate. In fact, our dogs are trying to talk to us all the time. However, we don’t always get their message; sometimes we are oblivious, while at other times we just don’t understand. The results can range from the potty accident that results because we didn’t read our pooches’ pre-potty signals to a real tragedy such as a dog bite because we failed to heed our dogs’ indications of stress.  Understanding canine body language can go a long way toward preventing such occurrences, and lifelong training can help build our bond with our dogs and keep those channels of communication wide open.

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The Canine Good Citizen Program

March 30th, 2011

Last week I realized that I’ve referred to the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program on at least one  one occasion without actually explaining what that program is and why it matters. This week, I want to correct that oversight.

The AKC started the CGC program in 1989. According to the AKC website, the program “is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. The … Program is a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs.”

But how does the program benefit dogs and their people? Well, beyond the rewards of training and achieving certification with one’s dog, the CGC program is becoming a door opener to breeds of dogs that have been difficult to insure in the past. The Hartford Insurance Company recently announced that it will offer insurance to owners of breeds that have historically been ineligible for coverage if those owners’ dogs meet specific conditions that demonstrate obedience and responsible dog ownership. Those conditions include passing the AKC CGC test. In addition, the AKC reports that the legislatures of 44 states plus the U.S. Senate have passed resolutions endorsing the CGC program.

While you can certainly train yourself and your dog to pass the CGC test on your own, any qualified positive trainer can help you out and give you pointers. However, only AKC-certified CGC evaluators can administer the test.

The 10 elements of the CGC test include the following:

1. Accepting a friendly stranger
2. Sitting politely for petting
3. Appearance and grooming
4. Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead)
5. Walking through a crowd
6. Sit and down on command and Staying in place
7. Coming when called
8. Reaction to another dog
9. Reaction to distraction
10. Supervised separation

Click here for explanations from the AKC as to what’s expected with each of these elements, and here to learn more about the program.

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My dog’s not perfect — and neither am I

March 23rd, 2011

As you’ve probably gathered while reading this blog, my Golden Retriever, Allie, is by no means a perfect dog. Even though Allie’s breed has a reputation for sterling obedience, and even though Allie herself earned her Canine Good Citizen certification at the tender age of 19 months, my Golden girl has a mind of her own. And if a dog could be characterized as opinionated, Miss Allie would fill the bill.

When we go on walks, when we’ve taken classes or when we’ve engaged in just about any other activity, Allie hasn’t hesitated to express her preferences. If I want to walk one way, and she’s not cool with that, she’ll pull me in another direction. If I ask her to do something in a class, and she’s had enough of class, she’ll stop performing and start barking at me. If we’ve been playing at the park and she’s not ready to go, she stages a sit-down strike when I leash her up and start to leave.

There was a time when these behaviors of Allie’s bothered me. I thought that her behavior reflected badly on me–that I wasn’t a good dog mom, that I didn’t have sufficient control over her, that I’d done a bad job of training her. It took me a long time to realize that Allie’s willingness to express her opinions not only reflected confidence in herself but also confidence in our relationship–that when she “talked,” I would listen.

I was reminded of my journey to  that realization when I read a column in the Bedford-Katonah [NY] Patch by dog trainer Sarah Hodgson. Hodgson is the author of the best-selling Puppies For Dummies and other dog training books. I disagree with quite a few of  the suggestions she makes in Puppies For Dummies — but those disagreements don’t make this particular column any less valuable.

That’s because Hodgson writes eloquently about how she let her ego get in the way of relating effectively to her dogs. Specifically, she relates how one of her dogs ignored her command (her word, not mine) to come when called–and how she eventually realized that, in a way, her dog was quite right to do so:

“That morning, we were enjoying our lives unleashed, running safe and free in an open field. None of the commands I issued pertained to the situation. I counsel my clients to avoid overusing commands just to show off control of their dogs, but here I was trying to do just that.”

I’m not saying we should let our dogs do whatever they want in the name of freedom, self-expression or self-esteem. Dogs need training to keep them safe and to help us build good relationships with them. But as we teach our dogs what we want them to know, we need to remember that they have things to teach us, too.  What Allie has taught me — and continues to teach me — is to respect her for the thinking, intelligent individual she is, and to work with that, not against it.  She doesn’t need to be perfect to be a responsive, happy dog who’s welcome almost anywhere–and I don’t need to be perfect, either.

Read all of Hodgson’s column here.

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The positively well-behaved office dog

March 16th, 2011

I’ve worked from home for nearly 24 years, and during the entire time I’ve always had a dog to share my office with me. I *love* having a canine officemate — but I’ve learned that some dogs are better at sharing offices than others.

My first canine co-worker was a mixed breed dog named Molly, and by the time she became an office dog, she was a doggie dowager. She had no problem settling into my quiet daily routine, especially if I made time for a morning Frisbee retrieval session before getting down to business.

My second office dog, a Sheltie named Cory, was the individual who inspired me to begin writing about dogs. He was an exemplary office companion except for one thing: he disliked the loud noise my paper-cutting fax machine would make. His dislike prompted him to shred incoming fax transmissions, forcing me to call clients and ask for resends, “because my dog ate the fax you just sent.” My effort to solve that problem (see below) set me on my current career path.

Both Molly and Cory really spoiled me for my current canine officemate, the larger-than-life force of nature also known as my Golden Retriever, Allie. Especially during puppyhood, Allie wasn’t keen on adjusting to the extended periods of quiet and contemplation  a writer needs to be reasonably productive. Instead, she’d bring me toys to play with, head to the bathroom to shred some toilet paper, or run upstairs and start barking at me to come up, too. Teaching Allie to be a good office dog has been an ongoing process, and part of that process has involved me making as many adjustments as I’ve expected of her.

Here’s what I’ve found helps my canine companions become good office dogs:

Puppy-proof where possible. If your dog is destructive, try as much as possible to limit his opportunities to trash your office. Put the wastebasket out of his reach or find one that has a lid that locks. Block access to book cabinets if your dog’s a book-eater, and put papers away if he’s a shredder. Above all, close the door to your office so that he can’t be there if you’re not.

Start the day with exercise. Give your dog a chance to siphon off some excess energy before you settle down to work. A good long walk, a run in the park, or even a brisk game of tug could tire her out enough to settle in for at least the morning. A repeat session at mid-day can get you both set for the afternoon.

Take frequent breaks. View your dog’s interruptions as opportunities to stretch, recharge your batteries and prevent computer-related eyestrain. A five-minute petting session and/or play break can do wonders for your perspective as well as satisfy your office mate’s need for attention. A quick training session’s a good idea, too.

Change your dog’s mind. If the sounds of some office equipment make your dog nervous, take the time to help your dog gain a different perspective. To help Cory deal with the big, bad fax machine, I sent a piece of paper through the machine a couple of times a day — and fed him a treat each time I did. Pretty soon he was looking for a treat to eat instead of attempting to pounce on incoming messages.

Make the office dog-friendly. Keep some treats and/or toys at the ready — and, if possible, bring your dog’s crate into your office. I found that Allie was much better able to give me time to get work done when she could chill out in her crate in the same room that I was working in.

Listen to your dog. If your normally placid pooch starts pestering you while you’re working, consider the possibility that he’s got a reason for doing so. I’ve learned that when Allie ventures under my desk and puts her head in my lap midafternoon, she’s telling me she needs a potty break. Once I heed that message and let her do her doo-ty, I can usually get another couple of hours of work in.

Today, Allie’s an exemplary office companion. When I tell her, “okay, girl, time for work,”  she readily trots down to the office with me. There, she takes naps in her crate, on the couch, or under my desk.  That said, she lets me know when it’s time for a play break, exercise break or potty break , and I’ve learned to listen. That’s what a truly well-behaved dog can do: not only perform as requested but also ask for what’s needed — and know that if she asks, the human will do his best to respond appropriately.

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To treat or not to treat

March 9th, 2011

Throughout the entire time I’ve been posting on this blog, I’ve emphasized the importance of using treats in training. A well-timed, great-tasting treat can be a great way to reward your dog for learning  a new behavior, or correctly performing a behavior he already knows.

Of course, all treats are not created equal. The best treats with which to reward your dog aren’t those crunchy supermarket dog biscuits that humans have long considered to be doggie snacks. Sure, dogs will eat them — but if they have a choice between those supermarket  biscuits and something tastier, they’re likely to go for the latter. Those boring biscuits don’t stand much of a chance against more flavorful fare such as canned chicken that’s drained, little pieces of cheddar cheese, or venison (my food-sensitive Golden’s personal favorite).

Think about it. If you have a choice as to working for a minimum hourly wage or a six-figure salary, which would you choose? Yup, I thought so. Why would your dog be any different?

That said, there are times when even the most flavorful treats may not be sufficient incentive for a dog. In some cases, the treat fail is situational. In other cases, the treat fail is across the board.

My Golden is an example of a situational treat fail. Although she is a retriever, when she was younger she was afraid of water. (Go figure.)  Her fear posed a bit of an impediment to my desire to teach her the joys of the life aquatic, a.k.a. swimming. My normally food-motivated dog didn’t consider venison, cheese, or any other edible reward enough of a reward to enter the water, and I certainly wasn’t going to try to force her in that direction. But when I went out into the water and held out a tennis ball for her to retrieve … well, that was another story. In her intense desire to get that “tennie”, Allie came into the water and swam to me, whereupon I gave her the ball that she wanted so badly. She’s been an avid swimmer ever since.

Another example is not so much a canine refusal as it is a matter of practicality in certain situations. Many search-and-rescue (SAR) dogs are trained not with treats, but with toys. When a SAR dog makes a find, the handler is likely to reward the dog with a quick tug-of-war session rather than flipping him an edible goodie. Keeping a small tug toy at hand is a lot easier and more practical than trying to juggle a bunch of treats–and is better for the dog’s physique, too (SAR dogs understandably need to be very fit).

Finally, some dogs just aren’t all that into treats. This might surprise the vast majority of dog owners whose canine companions will literally drool puddles onto their kitchen floors as they eagerly await their dinners. But it’s been known to happen. I can remember a couple of dogs who attended beginning good manners classes at the facility where I worked as an apprentice. No matter what the trainers, assistants or people offered them to eat, they were fixated on toys. Cheese? No thanks. Meat roll? Not interested. Canned chicken? Forget it. That tug toy? Yes!

As with so many other aspects of dog training, then, the question of to treat or not to treat is really up to the dog. The wise human studies her canine companion to see what turns that dog on–be it treat, toy or something else–and capitalizes on that knowledge to help her pet become a positively well-behaved dog.

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