Mylie and Kylie are Sisters. Brought in as young puppies with a large litter, they were registered as a cross between a Mastiff and… wait for it… a grey hound!

They are both amazingly sweet girls who get along well with other dogs and seem to love everyone.

I got the opportunity to walk Mylie at Lyall Bay a few weeks back for the dog walkathon and although she was only 4 months old at the time she learned quickly to walk with me and politely greet the other dogs. She is a big girl (must take after the Mastiff!) and she just loves to cuddle!

Kylie is much smaller than Mylie, she has tighter skin. She is laid back and loves to learn! I have only had a chance to work with her once, so far and she picked up behaviors like ‘target’, ‘sit’, and ‘focus’ quickly.

I have 3 of their sibling as clients, and have enjoyed working with all of them, frankly I am surprised these two are still looking for homes! They are both at the SPCA in Newtown waiting to meet just the right person or family to adopt them!

Wouldn’t it be great if we could all talk to animals? It would make life so much easier. Recently I have had a serious issue with one of my cats. In the last 3 months he started pacing the house, meowing worriedly and ugh.. spraying. Something is bothering him, we have visited the vet, and even tried some anti anxiety medications with little or no results. We even tried putting him in a cattery for two weeks while we were on vacation just to see if he would “reset” and still no luck. He was peaches at the cattery but as soon as he got home the spraying and stressing ensued. It would be great to just ask him, “Hey Indi, whats up?”

Many of my clients have similar communication issues with their dogs. And just about everyone in the world has trouble communicating with other humans even though we DO speak the same languages. So maybe talking is over-rated. Maybe we should all try to listen a little bit more.

In the book Horse Sense for People, Monty Roberts “The Horse Whisperer” takes his lifelong relationship and understanding of horses and expands his ideas to show how through listening, and creating a safe learning environment, you can have strong and trusting relationships with humans too! This was a really exciting book for me to read because although I had heard of Mr Roberts before, I had never though to take his work and ascribe is to canine communication. So as I read this book I tried to shift his methodology and philosophy of non violence to my work with the family dog.

I am not the first to use Roberts as a springboard, Jan Fennel writes that her dog training is based on much of what she witnessed and has learned from Roberts. However I would like to take his work in a slightly different direction than Fennel. Fennel states that dogs are pack animals and are looking for a pack leader to lay down the law, and bring them under control.

But what if dogs are not pack animals, as stated by Debbie McMullen. What if they are a lot more like us than we have previously supposed? Could that be why dogs do just as well in a “pack” of two as they do in a pack of five… maybe they even do better in smaller packs rather than larger.. or could we change our thinking of dogs as “pack” animals and start to think of them more as “family” animals. What are we really other than surrogate parents to neotenized race of canines?

1. The combination of genetics and the experiences during the first few weeks of life. (Trish King)

2. What is happening inside a dog’s mind. (Ian Dunbar)

When I looked up definitions I found…

1. The manner of thinking, behaving, or reacting characteristic of a specific person.

But the one I think is the best definition….

2. An individual’s character, disposition, and tendencies as revealed in his reactions.                                      (http://www.thefreedictionary.com)

I think the important part of that definition is ‘as revealed in his reactions’ . We can never really know what another individual is thinking, although the practice of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes is a good way to start.

So my definition of temperament is; an individual’s observable reactions to a given situation.

So then, what is personality? I believe personality is more along the lines of Trish Kings’ definition. A combination of  genetics, and not just early experiences (although those are extremely important) but ALL experiences leading up to that moment.

So when picking a puppy from a litter what should you look for to ensure you are getting a dog with a personality you will like? Well that is partly what temperament tests are for. They give you a general idea of what puppy’s reaction will be in a given situation. That way you can make an educated guess as to their personality. 

For instance if a puppy runs up to the front of the bin and jumps up to say hello, they are very confident, if they cower in the back, probably not so much! The most confident is usually considered “the pick of the litter”  and sure, confidence is nice but it doesn’t always mean calmness. Take Grogan’s description of Marley as a puppy from “Marley and Me”.   Marley was one confident puppy, but wasn’t the easiets dog to live with.

Genetics are also important. If the mom is anxious, pacing and snapping at people who get near the pups (or is no where to be seen) then you may want to think twice about adopting a pup from that litter. Shyness and anxiety ate traits that are easily passed on from mother to pups. But genetics arn’t everything.  Studies have shown that pups from shy mothers, fostered by mothers who were very outgoing and confident meant that the pups were also confident and outgoing! So obviously early learning experiences are very important.

If your dog is now a few years old, and has shown aggressive displays or phobic behaviors, does that mean you just have to live with it?

The resounding answer from canine behavior consultants is no, you don’t! There is a lot you can do to help your dog overcome phobias and to recondition them to have a safe, social, and relaxed life. Those dogs may never be social butterflies, but having the goal of safe and relaxed is pretty achievable!

Here is an example situation. It is 6PM in the evening, the family is trying to watch TV, it is not yet Bella’s dinner time and she is getting antsy. She is sniffing around the couch, prodding people’s legs, trying to instigate playtime. Her family is trying to ignore her while they watch their favorite show. Eventually she gets so frustrated that she bounces up and plants her feet squarely on dad’s lap and playfully nips his arm.

This is obviously inappropriate behavior. It isn’t aggressive or dominant, just annoying!  Dad can choose two options to “punish” this inappropriate behavior. He will probably yell “owe!”  and stand up. Then he could grab the dog and smack her, this does not change the Bella’s behavior but it will probably make her more nervous around dad in the future. Or dad could take Bella over to the door and send her out of the room.

Bella now has to earn back her privilege of spending time with the family. A time-out that lasts for an hour won’t teach her anything, she may even start barking behind the door because she feels abandoned. Keep time-outs to less than 15 seconds.

The best method for a successful time-out is to shut the door, count to 3 slowly, and then crack the door open, ask her for a “Sit”. If she does not respond immediately, shut the door and count to 3 again. repeat this process until she is able to control herself enough to demonstrate a sit, then  allow her back in the room. For many dogs this short time out is plenty of time for them to get themselves under control. For many other dogs they are STILL excited and may go back to jumping around the room as soon as they get the opportunity. This time don’t wait until she has jumped up and nipped someone! Move her immediately back out the door and wait for another 3-5 seconds for her to control herself again.

Coaching a dog on how to behave appropriately in a human family environment is not always easy. You do need to be consistent and take the time to show them what you want, every single time. It can sometimes be a difficult, tiring, and frustrating task. But as every dog owner learns, its worth it! And if it gets too frustrating, then maybe you could use a time-out too occasionally. If you feel too frustrated and need a break, feel free to put yourself away for a little while until you can regain control. We all need time-outs sometimes!

If you are thinking about adopting a dog or buying a new puppy from the pet store, might I suggest you volunteer at your local SPCA for a few months first?

Here is my reasoning. If you haven’t had a dog before, or haven’t experienced the joys of rescue dog ownership then a few months as a volunteer will help prepare you for the kind of time and effort you will need to put into your new family member. And to be realistic if you are finding it very difficult to even set aside 3 hours, once a week to volunteer how likely is it that you have the time needed to take care of a new puppy or dog for the rest of her life!?

If you are able to work in a couple hours a week dog walking for the SPCA, it will give you a very good idea if you can handle a dog with “issues”.  I say this because many of the dogs given up to the SPCA have been given up because of some VERY simple and easy to fix behavior problems. Problems like Jumping up and “high energy” are two that we see a lot. These dogs were not out of the ordinary dogs by any means but so often people adopt or buy a cute puppy and don’t go to the trouble to teach it manners or give it the exercise it truly needs, then when it hits adolescence at about 8 months old they get hit with all of the extremely normal dog behaviors and are shocked that their dog doesn’t “listen”.

If you see these issues up close, by volunteering, my hope is that you will  make sure to start teaching your new dog from the very first day you get it so you avoid these same problems or better yet you fall in love with one of these abandoned dogs or puppies and decide to adopt rather than buy!

I am sure you can all tell that I am a huge fan of people adopting rather than buying puppies. This is because there are SO MANY dogs and puppies sacrificed every year due to over population. Most of these dogs are executed simply because there is not enough room or resources to take care of the abundance of abandoned dogs (and cats). So yes, I advocate adoption from a shelter! Second best is to find a reputable breeder (someone who breeds for temperament and socialization) if what you really want is to have a purebred. I understand the appeal of puppies at pet stores, but really take a step back and look at what you are promoting. Then think of how much your home would mean to a dog that has been abandoned by the family that was suppose to love him forever?

Dogs For Adoption

Originally published in 1984, “Don’t Shoot the Dog!” became an instant must read for any trainer, educator, or coach. It outlines in plain easy to understand English, how learning works.

I have actually been trying to get a hold of a copy for the last 5 years with no luck until it was finally reprinted in 2008 and I miraculously found it at a book store in Paraparaumu!

If you are interested in why some training methods do or don’t work for dogs, children or even adults then you will find this book extremely interesting. I train primarily using positive reinforcement and the learning theory that goes along with that. All of my clients get an introduction to this kind of theory and learn the basics in order to train their dogs successfully at home, but if only I could get every single one of them to read this book it would make my life so much easier!

Karen Pryor outlines the 8 ways you can change ANY behavior in ANYONE.

1. “Shoot the Dog”. This method obviously solves your behavior issue but is not the most appealing way to go…and teaches the subject nothing.

2. Punishment. Pryor talks about how punishment does and doesn’t work to change behavior (turns out is doesn’t work that well).

3. Negative Reinforcement. Removing an unpleasant stimulus when you get the behavior you want. This method is used by many trainers whether they realize it or not. For example pulling a horse’s reins to the right makes the horse turn right, in order to avoid the uncomfortable pulling sensation from the bit.

4. Extinction. No longer reinforcing a behavior you don’t like. This is a REALLY hard one to implement unless you have an iron will.

5. Train and incompatible behavior. I love this one. It involves a lot of new habit forming in both you and your pet, but once in place it is very affective.

6. Put the Behavior on Cue.  A bit of reverse psychology here. Put the barking on cue then only reinforce the barks you want. The dog stops barking unless asked to! Very nice!

7. “Shape the Absence”. You start reinforcing every behavior that is not a behavior you don’t like. I do this a lot when first teaching clients about marker training.

8. Change the Motivation. You convince the dog to WANT to do what you want them to do. Everybody wins! This is the method most used by successful trainers.

After outlining these eight methods, Pryor goes on to show you how to implement them in many different real world situations. In this new edition of the book she also has added a chapter in clicker “marker” training. She discusses when and how to use this type of training most effectively and why it works so well.

Pryor really is one of the leaders in animal training and by writing this book in 1984 was incredibly  ahead of her time. The ideas that she spells out in “Don’t Shoot the Dog” have been literally world changing and if it is possible, even more relevant today than it was almost 30 years ago.

I had a call recently having to do with a highly reactive dog that was starting to bite and growl at his owners, the caller was a relative of one of the owners and she was certain that this bad behavior could have been prevented had the owner been more strict with their dog  “What did they expect when they allow the dog to sleep on the bed?!”  she asked me.

Is letting your dog sleep on the bed really as bad as people think? Some dog trainers still seem to think so. And certainly for a dog with uncertain boundaries in his every day life, being allowed to sleep on the bed  is likely going to promote the idea that the bed is at least partly his. This confusion in his life and in regards to the ownership of the bed can lead to exactly what my caller described. A reactive and quite possibly dangerous dog who feels it is is job to guard his bed, couch, home, food, bone, toy… etc. A dog like this doesn’t  realize that what he is doing could be worthy of capitol punishment in the human world. He is a dog that has assumed the role of “leader” for his house because he didn’t think his owners were up to the job, He is simply doing what any stressed, anxiety ridden, untrained leader would do; overreact and lash out in order to keep the troops in line.

I know, I have been there myself. I was an overworked, anxiety ridden, untrained manager in charge of a dozen teenagers in a large pet store in the US when I was just 22. I was out of my depth and had no idea how to get 12 adolescent adults to work with me or each other. I didn’t bite any of them, but I certainly was not the best manager in the world and I had been given no training to deal with the situation. Dogs get put into situations like this all the time, then punished for doing the best they can.

The thing is, all of this has absolutely nothing to do with  being allowed to sleep on the bed. Many very well known dog trainers allow their dogs access to their beds. To name a few, Suzanne Clothier, she talks about her dog’s  bed manners in Bones would rain from the Sky. Ian Dunbar allows his dogs to lay on him on the couch. I also am guilty of allowing my dogs to sleep on the bed or the couch. Do our dogs try to dominate us? Bite us? Do our dogs guard the bed or not allow us on our own couch? No, they absolutely don’t do any of these things because a bed is just a bed. In all other aspects of their lives, certainly the most important aspects, our dogs are given training, bonding, and leadership exercises as part of their every day life.

So here is the important question. If you allow your dog on the bed, will she get off if you ask her to? If the answer is yes, then great! If it is no, then maybe it is time to take a look at not just bed rules, but all the boundaries you have set for your dog and make sure she isn’t shouldering too much responsibility.

Dogs can learn the difference but they don’t know it automatically, we have to teach them. However, if we had to teach them each and every item they were not allowed to chew on that would take years! So here are three easy things you can do to prevent inappropriate chewing, and increase appropriate chewing!

1. Manage the Environment: Put away things you don’t want your dog to chew on. This may seem obvious, but really a dog can’t be expected to pick out his bone from a pile of kid’s toys on the floor. This also means a new dog or a puppy must be supervised especially when learning house rules to prevent mistakes. If mistakes are prevented, the dog never gets into the habit of chewing the TV remote in the first place!

2. Get Him Hooked on Food Stuffed Toys!: This part is easy, introduce your puppy/dog to a Kong or similar heavy rubber toy, stuffed with tasty treats. I use a mix of dry food, “Superior Chunky” dog roll, and small pieces of cheese! Sometimes I add boiled chicken breast or freeze dried liver. Give these toys to your dog whenever you leave him alone or whenever you want to be left alone for awhile! If you are concerned about weight, then use half his meal ration instead of treats.

3. Trading Up: In a dog’s world, if something is in your mouth it is yours. So if you haven’t trained a solid “Drop-it” cue don’t expect your dog to understand that he should give you his hard sought prize (TV remote excavated from the couch cushions) just because you asked for it. Without a good Drop-it cue you are only setting yourself up for a game of chase, which hardly solves your problem. So if you have waivered from the “supervision  at all times” rule, and your new dog just found your cell phone on a chair at perfect doggie-nose-level, then you are much better off pretending you don’t care about the cell phone, grab a dog biscuit, and offer a quick trade. Say “Drop-it” as he loosens his jaws to drop the phone and take the treat. Then don’t forget to PRAISE him! Praise is a powerful motivation to many dogs and the treat will only reinforce how wonderful it is to give you things.

I have had a number of people give me funny looks when I recommend they play Tug with their dogs. I have heard protests from “Won’t that make my dog act aggressively?” to “It gets my dog too excited.”So lets look at this critically. Does playing Tug make a dog more aggressive or more likely to try to “dominate” their owner?

If you are a leader that your dog trusts and respects then a simple game of Tug will not change your overall relationship with your dog. Dogs see their owners a lot like parents. Their first leader is in fact their own mother. A no nonsense  dog who sets boundaries and sticks to them. If this is the kind of leader you are, then it is downright silly to think that winning a game of Tug would so alter your dog’s perception of you that he would then try to challenge your authority later on. If you are a leader that sets your boundaries and sticks to them then you probably already have rules for any game you play with your dog.

However if you are a  a bit wishy-washy in your rules and you give in a lot when the boundaries are pushed, then while playing a game like Tug you probably haven’t set up any rules for the game to begin with. What I am describing here is a situation where the dog probably already feels like he is more responsible for you then you are for him, which would make it his job to decide on the rules. Therefore the game of Tug still would not make him more dominant acting than he already is!

My point is that any game in itself is NOT going to alter the relationship you have with your dog. Tug in fact is a really fantastic way for a dog to release a lot of energy in a short period of time. So if you just don’t have time to run your dog down to the park, then maybe a game of tug for 5 minutes will work out some of those beans!

I do recommend that you have rules for the game and stick to them! Your dog likes rules and yes, they will push boundaries  in any situation (just like kids) but they push them to make sure they still exist, not to try to challenge your authority! A great rule to stick to with Tug, is always make sure you win the last game, that way you can put the toy away when you are done with it. A Tug toy should not be a toy your dog gets to play with all the time, it should be a special toy you play with together!

If you find your dog gets “too excited” when playing Tug, that’s great! It means you have a perfect opportunity to coach your dog on how to have an “off” switch. Practice playing tug then in the middle of a match (before the dog is out of control) ask for a sit and a drop-it. Then continue the Tug game as a reward for the performed cues! Repeat this process for 5 minutes, then finish the game with praise and a treat!

When I am doing a first session with clients I usually start with introducing them to a clicker. A clicker is a small hand held noisemaker, much like you would find at kid’s parties. But for the purpose of training, it is used as a marker for behavior. A clicker is ideal for this purpose because it is a quick noise that is almost instantaneous and completely repeatable. That means you can easily teach the dog by learned association, that if they hear a click, they will get a treat.

Once the dog understands that a click will always get them a treat, you then teach them that they can demonstrate behaviors and make you click. In this way they become active in their own training and actually enjoy the learning process itself!

Because of this, clickers are used all over the world to teach a variety of different animals new or complicated behaviors.  When I worked with Big Cats we used clickers as a means of communicating to our feline friends that we liked what they were doing. This is especially important because with many large predators you can’t force them to do what you want, you have to make them want to do what you want! Frequently you are working behind a cage wall so even if you wanted to you couldn’t use physical cues to model the behavior you needed.

The same is true for dogs, if you can get them to want to do something, whether that is staying off the couch, going to the toilet on cue, or just shaking hands. You can show them how much fun it is to do the things you like! And lets be honest, if you don’t like something, you don’t do it, and if you do like something you do it even if someone doesn’t give you a cupcake afterwards.