DOG Could Spur Demand for Belgian Malinois

Don’t do it.

Don’t go the movie DOG and allow yourself to be so enamored of the Belgian Malinois that stars in it that you rush out and impulsively buy one.

If you haven’t heard of this movie, which opens on today, here’s the plot summary from Movie Insider:

“DOG is a buddy comedy that follows the misadventures of two former Army Rangers paired against their will on the road trip of a lifetime. Army Ranger Briggs (Channing Tatum) and Lulu (a Belgian Malinois dog) buckle into a 1984 Ford Bronco and race down the Pacific Coast in hopes of making it to a fellow soldier’s funeral on time. Along the way, they’ll drive each other completely crazy, break a small handful of law/s, narrowly evade death, and learn to let down their guards in order to have a fighting chance of finding happiness.”

Not the most original plot in the world, but really, almost any movie with a cute dog (is there any other kind?) that leads its human(s) into wacky, funny, unexpected situations is virtually guaranteed to attract large audiences and make lots of money.

Whenever a purebred dog stars in a popular movie, people become so enamored with the breed they immediately want one for themselves.

Unfortunately, they often think that when they adopt one of these dogs it will instinctively exhibit the same cute, funny, and engaging behavior they see on screen.

What they don’t realize is that someone spent months, or even years patiently training the dog to learn that cute, funny and engaging behavior.

Dog Movies Create Demand for Breeds

Here’s what usually happens when a movie features a dog breed:

1. People want a dog like the one they saw in a movie
2. Demand for the breed skyrockets
3. Backyard breeders meet the demand by producing as many puppies as possible as quickly as possible
4.
People snap up the puppies without understanding the breed’s behavior or the time commitment it will take train their dog properly
5. People unprepared to handle the breed dump the dogs in shelters
6. Shelters fill up with the breed
7. Dogs dumped at shelters are euthanized or end up with other people who aren’t equipped to handle the breed

A good example of this cycle is the increase in demand for Dalmatians created by the movie 101 Dalmatians.

When Disney re-released in 1985 and 1991, demand for the breed increased exoponentially.

During that timeframe, “the annual number of Dalmatian puppies registered by the American Kennel Club (AKC) skyrocketed from only 8,170 animals to a staggering 42,816.”

But when the people who adopted these puppies realized how difficult it is to train Dalmatians and how much exercise they required, they dumped them in shelters in droves.

And a year after the movie’s live action release in 1995, a shelter in Boulder, CO experienced “a 301% increase in their Dalmatian population, and another in Tampa Bay, Florida, had an alarming surge of 762%.”

In addition, the shelters said that, due to improper care dogs’ temperament was “aggressive, stubborn, and high-strung with little hope for improving their behavior.” Shelters usually consider dogs with these traits unadoptable and often euthanize them.

Also, because backyard breeders just care about money and not maintaining the integrity of a breed, many of the dogs they mass produce have physical problems and/or exhibit atypical, dangerous behavior.

Belgian Malinois Too Much for Average Person to Handle

Belgian Malinois are driven, focused, loyal, intense and highly intelligent working dogs. Originally bred as herding dogs, these dogs are often used by the police and the military due to their intense focus and work ethic.

This breed takes its role as guardian/protector extremely seriously.

Consequently, these dogs require a significant amount of training and socialization “to ensure that they understand appropriate behaviors and don’t become overly wary of and a danger towards people they don’t know.”

Furthermore, their playfulness and strong prey drive “can make them an inadvertent risk to young children or small pets.”

The level of training these dogs require to harness their energy and protective instincts is far beyond the ability of the average dog owner. They also need a significant amount of daily exercise and mental stimulation.

That’s why anyone that adopts a Belgian Malinois must either have extensive experience training the breed or work closely with an experienced trainer.

A poorly trained Labrador Retriever may excitedly jump on a visitor or counter surf for food when your back is turned.

An untrained, unsocialized, and unfocused Belgian Malinois can be aggressive and destructive. They also have a tendancy to bite “if they are scared, bored, restless, or don’t have any job to do.”

And a bored Belgian Malinois without a job will make one for themselves. Like tearing your house apart or destroy your furniture.

This video shows what these high energy, intelligent dogs can do when properly trained. After you watch you’ll understand the difficulty an average dog owner will have when he/she tries to train one.

When they do bite, Belgian Malinois can cause extensive damage due to their strong jaws and a tendency to bite and hold.

It’s no coincidence that their nickname is Maligator.

Just Don’t Do It

A properly trained and socialized Belgian Malinois can make an excellent family pet; HOWEVER, you should not get one if:

• you’re looking for a laid back couch potato you can leave at home unattended for hours every day.
• you don’t have experience training this breed and don’t want to work for hours with an experienced trainer.
• you are unable/unwilling to spend many hours training, socializing, and providing it with mental stimulation.

If you do go see the movie, the three Belgian Malinois that play Lulu will impress and entertain you. But when you’re on the way home and the thought of buying one inevitably creeps into your mind,

DON’T DO IT.

This video shows some of the challenges of working with Belgian Malinois on the set of DOG.

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MY (FORMER) MONOLOGUE-BASED RELATIONSHIP

I dated a man for a short period who would regularly buy me flowers a couple of times a week.

Cool, right?

They always came in a vase of some sort, and the flowers themselves lasted anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. 

When this man continued to send me flowers after I asked him to stop, I felt moderately irritated, frustrated, and definitely unseen. Photo from fetchthebuzz.com.

When the flowers first arrived, I said thank you, accepted them, and displayed them. 

He was just following the unwritten American-Woman-Basic-Dating-Monologue; women like flowers, especially in a dating scenario, so to date correctly, buy a woman flowers. This will make the woman happy and she will like you.

Perfectly reasonable basic blueprint to start with when you’re in new relationship, right?. 

But I detest store-bought flowers and contrived romantic gestures. I am not a basic woman and, as one might predict, I tired of this ritual the second time and politely shared my wish for it to stop. It didn’t.

As the weeks went on I felt moderately irritated, frustrated, and definitely unseen. So I gave flowers away, recycled vases, and sometimes passively walked past deliveries on my doorstep in a tiny protest. 

As it continued, I more directly expressed my wishes. But the flowers kept coming. Several weeks later, I simply moved on and the flower-giver did, too.

It wasn’t just the flowers, of course, but the general, one-size-fits-all women theme was pervasive. Like so many, this relationship was built on a monologue, not a dialogue.

While I have the sublime freedom to leave situations I don’t like (and did), it’s reasonable that if I didn’t, if I’d stayed and this pattern continued, my irritation and frustration would build and turn into anxiety or depression. Staying in a disconnected relationship is common, but certainly not ideal.

What does this have to do with your dog?

THE DOG OWNERSHIP BLUEPRINT

There is no dog blueprint that tells you exactly what your dog wants/needs to be happy and healthy. Image from coolpetproducts.com.

There’s also an unwritten, American-Basic-Dog-Ownership-Monologue historically followed here in the United States; after acquiring dog provide food, water, shelter, regular exercise, and ideally, basic training. Simple.

This is the basic blueprint, just as the American-Woman-Basic-Dating blueprint above. It’s a one-sided script.

Most of us follow the script by buying premium dog food, comfy bedding and treats, toys, and other booty. We may walk our dog regularly for that exercise bit, or frequent a dog park, use a dog walker, or drop our pal at one of the many dog daycares in the area. Some of us play fetch at the local park or down the hall and many of us skirt the exercise bit because we have a yard, after all. 

These are wonderful things, all part of the evolved relationship so many of us share with our dogs today. The love and consideration we’ve given to this four-legged family members is to be celebrated.

This reflects the steady evolution in the human/canine companion relationship in the past several decades and there is no doubt pet dogs enjoy a more comfortable life today than ever before.

This is good.

CHANGE MONOLOGUE WITH YOUR DOG TO A DIALOG

BUT. In our effort to make him comfy and provide for him we’ve made one critical mistake; we’ve forgotten to tailor this standard, basic dog blueprint to our dog, this guy right here in front of us. 

Women like flowers, dogs like fetch. Mediocrity achieved. 

We have to change the monologue we have with our dogs into a dialogue. 

Just as the unwritten American-Woman-Basic-Dating-Monologue will be successful in building relationships with some women, the basic one-size-fits-all dog exists and the basic dog recipe of care will work for him. I’ve met him maybe twice, and odds are your dog isn’t him. None of mine have been. Most aren’t. 

While doing what we’re “supposed” to do by the manual, our dog is actually moderately unhappy on a regular basis, and likely suffers from some level of anxiety (and in some cases, depression) related to his personal needs being different than what we have been told and are lovingly, but blindly, implemented. 

NOT ALL DOGS LOVE PLAYING FETCH

Consider what playing fetch looks like to a herding dog. Each time he rounds up the “thing” and loyally brings it to the owner, the owner throws it away again! Image from bizarro.com.

We’ve been told dogs love fetch. Many do. But, even if we have a dog who enthusiastically returns the ball no matter how many times it’s been thrown, some dogs find this enjoyable while others, often depending on their breed origins are actually distressed by it. 

For example, the retriever is genetically designed to find and retrieve things. Most that I know love to head out after a ball and bring it back to their owner. For some, it’s even better if there’s water involved. For others, not so much. 

But, consider the herding type dog; collies, shepherds, and the like. They are genetically designed to keep all their “things” together such as sheep or cattle.

While a herding dog will literally collapse from exhaustion from retrieving a ball as many times as their owner throws it, try starting a dialogue and consider what that action looks like to the herder; each time he rounds up the “thing” and loyally brings it to the owner, the owner throws it away again! 

Watch a border collie’s face when you do this. He will look shocked and will run after the renegade ball to bring it back with a almost obsessive determination. 

This is not healthy for either the dog or the relationship.

ONE EXERCISE PROGRAM DOES NOT FIT ALL DOGS

We’ve been fooled to think that dogs come suited for a one-size-fits-all exercise program that focuses only on physical exercise as the basis for mental health. 

It’s as silly as thinking that only running three miles a day will satisfy us physically and keep us emotionally balanced. 

No yoga, or reading, or knitting, or painting. No lifting weights, biking, golfing, or bouncing a ball. 

Imagine being denied all your favorite activities, the ones that keep you happy and sane, because the person in charge of you decided that running is the thing. 

Soon your mental and emotional health would suffer. Your connection to said person, and eventually, your physical health would deteriorate as well.

This is exactly the situation we’ve put our dogs in today, and we can do better. 

STIMULATE YOUR DOG’S BODY AND BRAIN

We are starting to recognize that exercise for dogs needs to address both their physical and emotional needs not only in quantity but in quality. To achieve this, we need to tweak the generic dog owner manual to provide both mental and physical stimulation in appropriate doses.

We’ve come to understand that relationship strength between dog and owner is, in fact, paramount in emotional and behavioral soundness. You build this strength via back and forth communication. 

To start, forget the assumptions you have about your dog beyond basic husbandry.

Just because he brings the ball back doesn’t mean he likes fetch. Just because he lays around on the couch most of the day doesn’t mean he’s not starving for a scent game or search or a chance to jog next to you on your run.

Dogs easily fall into the roles available to them. After all, just because a woman takes your flowers doesn’t mean she likes them. 

Also, just like people, dogs need to use their bodies and brains in activities that bring them satisfaction and peace. A thoughtful approach to physical and emotional health launches the mediocre, monologue-based dog/human relationship into one based on a mutual dialogue.  

LOOK AT YOUR DOG. NO, REALLY LOOK AT HIM.

Next, take a moment, just five seconds, and look at your dog. Look at the shape of his body, his coat, size, shape of his head, those teeth, and that amazing snout. If you know his breed, consider his working origins. 

If he’s a herding type, he needs to herd stuff. If he’s a terrier, it’s hunting and scavenging small, quickly moving critters. If he’s a hound, that nose is in overdrive 24 hours a day. If he’s a sighthound, he needs to move fast and far. If he’s a combo, it’s a grab bag! If you know your dog’s breed, but don’t know the breed origins, read up, find out.

Dogs’ have bodies built to achieve optimal physical and behavioral health for your dog, so we should start by looking at who he is and what his needs are. Photo from running magazine.ca.

If you don’t know his breed, his body structure and movement can tell you a lot. 

Is his nose long and straight, his skull narrow and fine? Bet he likes to chase things that move fast.

Nose short and stubby, eyes on the front of his face rather than more towards the outside? Probably less driven by visual stimuli such as fast moving things or fetch. 

Does he crouch and stalk? That guy needs “sheep” to collect up. What of his chest? Deep and substantial? Built for running?Shallow and round? Ground work or manual movement (pushing or pulling objects).

Musculature long and sinewy? Covering distance fast and light. Shorter and heavier? Built for strength but lower stamina. Are his feet high and tight or flat and tough, webbed, compact or hare-like? Consider digging, swimming, walking on uneven terrain, or snow. 

Dogs’ have bodies built to achieve optimal physical and behavioral health, so we should start by looking at who he is and what his needs are.

Fortunately, you have several options to simulate a dog’s drive activities that you can use at home or in your neighborhood.

SIMULATING YOUR DOG’S DRIVE ACTIVITIES

Herding Dogs

It’s not unreasonable to think that some herding types benefit from fetch, but a great number don’t (again, even if they engage) and luckily there are games that can take the place of fetch but give you a much greater bang for your relationship buck. 

Border Collies are hard-wired to herd, not fetch. Photo from Deborah Silver.

The Herding Game:

Christina Cass of the EpicDog Training Academy in Scotland has produced a beautiful video of this particular exercise in which a dog engages multiple origin drives at once.

I love that this can be accomplished in a relatively small area and it takes little preparative training or set up.

Trieball, also known as Sheep Ball or Drive Ball:

Treiball is an excellent way to satisfy a border collie’s herding instinct. Photo from www.hocboth.nl.

In this activity, your dog learns how to collect a number of balls placed in a broad space and guide them back to you or into a group or goal.

While it takes a little more room than the Herding Game, it’s super fun to watch and a crazy good drive-energy burner. It also takes just a little preparatory training and only minimal set up effort. 

While official Trieball can get quite serious with competition and regulations, don’t be discouraged. It’s become a popular casual game played by companions everywhere.

You can find plenty of easy-to-find videos on YouTube showing how to play the game once basic behavior is installed. I recommend Donna Hill’s video as an excellent tutorial for where to start. 

Terriers

Terriers go bananas for rooting out vermin and prey and often like to shout about it. You may also find your terrier with a penchant for digging.  

Barn Hunt allows terriers to engage their compounded drives to find the rodent in the way they’re designed.  Photo from blow.pawedin.com.

Barn Hunt: 

Just like it sounds, you simulate a hunt by placing a rodent in a container hidden among obstacles such as bales of hay.

Terriers engage their compounded drives to find the rodent in the way they’re designed. The result is a happy, connected, pup. 

Mouse:

If the idea of a rat in a PVC container isn’t your cup of tea, Mouse is a low-prep game that uses a dog’s own kibble to directly engage drive energy. 

Imagine a tiny game of kick ball with your fingers as kickers, the kibble as a ball, and your dog as a focused, waiting outfielder. 

To play, sit on the floor with your dog’s kibble in a bowl in front of you. Take out one piece of kibble, set it in front of you as if you’re going to finger-kick a tiny ball, and flick it away from you a few feet. He’ll jet after and grab it.

Repeat this a few times until he realizes you’re always going to shoot for some distance from you and hanging near you isn’t as great as him standing facing you, waiting to “catch” the kibble when you flick it.

Go slowly, angle each flick differently, pause between each one, and wait for him to be completely still and engaged before you flick.

Tug is a valuable drive-energy lowering tool as well as a powerful way to get a grip on predatory aggression and drive. Photo from tugenuff.com.

Tug, Flirt Poles, and Digging:

The game of Tug, previously taboo, has finally gained acceptance as a valuable drive-energy lowering tool as well as a powerful way to get a grip on predatory aggression and drive.

You should remember, however, you must have rules for playing Tug. This video from Dr. Ian Dunbar shows how to play the game and what rules your dog must follow.

Legal digging can also be a terrier’s dream come true and the internet is jam packed with examples with a simple image search for “dog digging pit.”

You can find instructions and rules for digging and tug in my book, Good Dog 101.  The Whole Dog Journal website also has instructions for Digging Solutions and Playing Tug.   

The flirt pole, when used properly, is another big bang-for-your-buck activity you can do with your dog. To make one, fasten a flag or lure to the end of a pole and wave it around for your dog to chase.

Playing with a flirt pole provides both mental stimulation and exercise for a dog simultaneously.

Don’t forget that a dog needs to be taught a release or drop before playing tug or using a flirt pole. This video by Sympawtico Dog Training shows how you can do it.

Hounds

These dogs gain a tremendous amount of mental, physical, and behavioral soundness when allowed to use their stunning noses. 

Nose Work is a perfect game for scent hounds. Photo from houndtracks.com.

Nose Work:

While the phrase sounds daunting, it’s super easy to start. Latch your dog to a comfy harness or flat leash, use a long line of 15-20 feet, and open the door. Let his nose guide you both and see where it takes you.

Even better, pop into a little brush or less-traveled path. As you let him sniff on a regular basis add a sit at the beginning of a favorite sniff area. Then ask him to wait a moment until you release him with a “go!”.

By building on this formal start cue, he will now wait a moment for you to hide something for him to sniff out.

Search: 

Equally simple is a basic search. Begin at home with a Kong or other sturdy work-to-eat tool. Before you lay it down for your dog, say “dinner” one time but not hiding it yet. 

Once he associates the word with getting food, set the tool down a little further from him each time requiring that he remain still as you do (use a sit/stay or simple stay).

Soon you’ll be able to leave the room and hide the item while he waits out of sight. Your phrase, “dinner”, releases him for a fun way to go after his food. 

There are, of course, many more origin-specific games to play with your dog, but the suggestions here are an excellent start.

Remember, keep a dialogue with your dog and focus on the relationship rather than the behavior. 

Cristine Dahl is the founder the Northwest School for Canine Studies and author of the acclaimed book, Good Dog 101  She holds a CTC from the San Francisco SPCA Academy as a distinguished graduate, has worked professionally with dogs for almost 20 years, and has a BS in Biological Science from with a focus on the mammalian mind and brain.

Cristine has been recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) for her work helping doctors better understand the circumstances affecting dog bites to children and she is an active participant in animal welfare efforts in the state of Washington. 

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(Originally posted May 1 2017)

Many of our country’s most innovative trends originated or were perfected in the Pacific Northwest, including grunge, microbrews, recycling, good coffee (I mean REALLY good coffee), Gore-Tex, casual Friday every day of the week, utilikilts, lumberjack beards, and truffle-hunting dogs.

Wait, what?

Truffle hunting dogs?

Anyone with the most rudimentary knowledge of truffles (that would be me) knows that truffle hunters have used pigs to detect the delectable delicacy.

Not anymore. Pacific Northwest truffle hunters almost exclusively use dogs to find their quarry. Dogs are also quickly becoming the most popular animal for finding truffles worldwide.

Truffles can be as small as a golf ball or as large as a tennis ball and are either white or black. Photo from Seattle DogSpot.

Let’s start with the basics: What is a truffle? 

Truffles are mushrooms that grow underground. They look like small potatoes, and often between the size of a marble and a golf ball.

Truffles grow on the roots of Douglas firs, hazelnut trees, and oak trees in the Pacific Northwest. They can be found from southern British Columbia to northern California. 

Oregon is the leading truffle producing state in the US, and Washington is second. 

Truffles can be as small as a golf ball or as large as a tennis ball and are either white or black. Photo from Seattle DogSpot.

What do Truffles Taste Like?

Not everyone likes truffles, but the people that do are fanatical about them. 

Gothamist.com described their taste as “slightly garlicky with a deep musky aroma. It’s a very earthy, pungent and deliciously funky.

Chef Lidia Bastianich from Eataly, points out truffles’ “animal musk,” which is said to cause amorous feelings. So…do with that what you will.”

Truffle Hunting Dogs Gaining Popularity

Truffle hunting in the Pacific Northwest used to be an inexact science. Since we don’t have many truffle hunting pigs, people used heavy rakes to dig for them.

This technique had 2 problems: raking ripped up the tree’s roots and sometimes the truffles, and many times the truffles weren’t ripe.

Using dogs to hunt for truffles has become all the rage both in Europe and the US because their keen sense of smell helps them find the ones that are ripe. And unlike pigs, when dogs find truffles they don’t try to eat them. 

This is critically important since truffles are extremely expensive because they are so scarce. Northwest truffles sell for $300-$600 per pound.

Teach Your Dog to Find Truffles

Alana McGee and Kristin Rosenbach didn’t plan to be on the cutting edge of training truffle hunting dogs, but after they traveled to Italy, they both fell in love with the delectable fungus and co-funded the Truffle Dog Company in Seattle.

They started out offering online truffle hunting classes and private instruction. Recently, they added hybrid truffle dog training courses to the mix. They created it to “integrate face-to-face and online activities so that they reinforce, complement, and elaborate one another.”

Here’s their completelist of truffle hunting classes for dogs.

Beowulf finds the scent during a truffle hunting class. Photo from Seattle DogSpot.

What to Expect During a Truffle Hunting Class

Before writing this post I sat in on an Introduction to Truffle Hunting class.

The class was taught by Erica Wells, who I first met at Dog’s Day Out Seattle when we took our dog there for daycare.

Erica is a Certified Nose Works Instructor (CNWI) through the National Association of Canine Scent Work. Recently she expanding her work to include instructing people how to teach their dogs to find truffles.

Before the class started Erica explained some of the basics of teaching dogs to hunt for truffles.

She said truffle hunting is a form of another activity for dogs that is gaining popularity for dogs – K9 Nose Work. 

In K9 Nose Work, dogs learn how to search for a specific odor or odors and find the source. They start by searching for their favorite food or toy reward hidden in a variety of environments, increasing the challenges and adding new search skills as the dog progresses.”

The big difference between training a dog to hunt for truffles vs. K9 Nose Work is that with truffle hunting, you teach the dog to search for a find a specific scent while in nose work you teach dogs to find a different scents in a variety of places.

Shaping the Dog’s Truffle Response

Truffle dog training also includes shaping the dog’s response to let you know when it finds a truffle and where the truffle is located.

Some of these responses include putting its nose on the spot, barking or scratching the ground where the truffle is located.

Erica used oil from the black and white truffles found in the Pacific Northwest to get dogs familiar with the scent.

Bordeaux the standard poodle did well in his truffle hunting class. Photo from Seattle DogSpot.

She starts with one container that has a truffle scent inside to give the dog something to focus on.

Gradually, she increases the number and type of containers to increase the level of difficulty.

When a dog first learns to find truffles it’s critical to reward it when it does anything to indicate it smells the truffle oil.

This trains the dog to understand what it is supposed to find and know it will be rewarded upon finding it. Using a clicker when the dog finds the scent helps to reinforce it as well.

“The truffle, per se, is not something a dog would naturally search for on its own,” says dog trainer Glynn Martyn. “The truffle has to have some association with something. For most dogs, that positive association is food, and once a dog learns the truffle smell means food, they’ll do whatever it takes to find that truffle smell.”

What are the Best Truffle Hunting Dog Breeds?

I sat in on the Introduction to Truffle Hunting class. The dogs came in a variety of ages and breeds: Brittany Spaniel’s Duncan and Banner, Mingus the Rat Terrier, Boudreaux, a poodle with a stylish mohawk haircut, and a young German Shepherd mix named Beowulf.

Dogs of all ages can learn to find truffles, including 12-year-old Duncan. Photo from Seattle DogSpot.

Duncan is 12-years-old and the oldest dog there. Beowulf, the youngest is only 6 months old.

(If you watch his video at the end of this post you’ll see he’s doing great in the class.)

“It’s all personality-based, for the most part,” McGee told Quirksee.org, adding she’s successfully trained Chihuahuas, Great Danes and even flat-nosed pugs. “And you can teach them at any age. There’s no rule that says you have to get the dog when it’s a puppy and start it. You can have a 13-year-old dog start doing it.”

Some of the dogs were better at tracking down the truffle scent than others. All of them looked like they were having a ball.

It’s About You and Your Dog, Not Truffles

The primary focus of the training is not to find truffles. It’s about building the relationship between people and their dogs.

“The truffle itself doesn’t matter,” Rosenbach told Seattle Refined.“The dog does. The minute it becomes about the truffle, a relationship component is lost.”

Truffle dog training can also boost your dog’s confidence, help it develop problem solving skills, and provide exercise and mental stimulation. 

Even the best truffle hunting dogs are exhausted after 1-2 of searching for the elusive fungus.

So if you’re looking for a new activity to do with your dog, try taking a truffle hunting class.

Even if you don’t plan to hunt truffles it’s a great way to give your dog mental stimulation and exercise while strengthening your bond with it.

Here are videos of some of the dogs in the truffle hunting class in action.:

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Last month we focused on the third foundational concept of building connection with your dog; trust and negative space. 

Now let’s put it to practice!

BEYOND TEACHING TRICKS

I mentioned briefly before that we’re doing away with the usual, familiar obedience cues such as sit, down, stay, etc. That’s somewhat uncomfortable, I know. But the reasoning behind doing so should now make some sense.

Image from Animal Farm Foundation.

Historically, we’ve focused so heavily on teaching our dogs a few important behaviors, such as sit, that we’ve ignored all the time they’re not doing when we ask them to. When you think about the amount of time your dog is actually after you’ve asked, it’s a miniscule part of his day.

I now consider obedience cues such as sit, down, and stay, tricks as I would roll-over, play dead, or dance. They really are no different except in the word used and the classification as is historically dictated. 

Only teaching a dog a few tricks creates an imbalanced and somewhat contrived basis for a relationship; the dog is only keen to the cue to behave knowing he’ll get some sort of reward for doing it. but he has to wait around for his owner to say it and that may be hours, if not days. In some homes, it’s never. 

DOGS DISCRIMINATE (IN A GOOD WAY)

Meanwhile he spends the majority of his time in a home where his good behavior is unnoticed, his poor behavior is punished or ignored, and he remains disconnected from the people with whom he lives. Again, the relationship isn’t bad, necessarily, but it could be so fantastic with just a shift to connection. 

In the first installment of this series, the task was to just sit and watch your dog. Learn what he actually likes to do, not what we conditioned him to think he likes to do. You probably began to notice nuances, not just the obvious things like “eating” and “being petted.”

You may have learned things like that he follows you into the bathroom, he likes to chew his favorite thing when his favorite person comes home, he likes to bathe in the sunshine but only if the wind isn’t blowing, etc. Marvelous!

Now. Multiply that by 1000. That’s what he notices about you and his environment. Dogs are truly expert discriminators constantly filtering out things of no consequence from things that are important. They are capable of stringing together an astonishing number of indicators that might lead to a walk…or to you leaving. Let that stew for just a minute…seriously. Longer. Good. 

Now. Imagine all the words you use all day long. Hundreds, thousands even. Isn’t it amazing he can hear “sit” from all that mess? If that doesn’t prove his excellence in discrimination, I don’t know what does. Same goes if your dog responds to hand signals. 

And now, the first step in putting all this to use in training and behavior modification.

WORK OFF NATURAL CUES

We’re not going to pick hard, static, cues such as a word or even a distinct hand signal. It can be useful, for sure, in the obedience world but we have companion dogs and unless your living room contains an obedience platform or fence, or your kitchen a set of cones and cavaletti, it’s silly, really. 

Instead, we’re going to keep it simple and work fluidly off the natural cues already the environment. Ooh, this excites me!

While connection can be applied to any training situation, I’ve chosen three common behavior complaints of the companion owner to focus on here: begging in the kitchen, rushing out the door, and coming when called. 

Begging in the Kitchen

People express frustrations with their dog begging because “it’s annoying,”  “he’s underfoot,” “I can’t leave the kitchen with food out or he’ll get it”, etc. All are legit and your dog neither has to be allowed to beg nor does he need to be constantly ordered to go away. 

He sticks around and stares because there’s some sort of reinforcement in his past. He gets to choose what’s rewarding, not us. He might be rewarded by snatching fallen food in the past giving him hope there will be some again. Or he may simply like the company of family that gathers at mealtime, he may be waiting for a morsel to be thrown his way, etc. In any event, he learned that you plus food on the counter at X time = chance for that reward regardless of his behavior.

“…your dog neither has to be allowed to beg nor does he need to be constantly ordered to go away.” Photo from Sausage Tails.

Let’s take advantage of that incredible awareness and change the rules. 

1. Choose a reasonable behavior that your dog can do while you’re preparing food. Seriously. Be reasonable. Something about being with you at this time is good for him so please don’t choose for him to disappear. That undermines the relationship. Instead, I recommend choosing a line on the floor over which he may not pass. In many homes this is the threshold to the kitchen. He can be with you, watch, hang out, as long as he doesn’t cross that line.

2. Begin food prep. He will show up to his usual under-foot location. He’s hip to the predictable cues that naturally indicate this was going to happen; time of day, fridge, family arrival, etc. 

3. The very second his foot crosses that threshold, put down the utensils, push the food to the back of the counter, and walk out of the kitchen. Sit nearby and wait. Don’t say a word. He will be very confused. Excellent. 

4. The moment he walks out of the kitchen and crosses your threshold return to the task silently. 

5. Repeat. Repeat, repeat, repeat. 

6. If you are consistent, something amazing will happen. Soon, very soon, when you head to the kitchen to prep food, he will not cross that threshold. He may choose a safe distance, he may flop down elsewhere, he may not even come in. When he does this, get ready to reward this leap!Keep a little bowl of delicious treats near your prep area. I keep small stainless air-tight jars around the house when I’m teaching something new. When he settles wherever his new spot is during food prep, throw him a morsel and congratulate him! This signals the other half of the equation; he’s learned what doesn’t work (him crossing the threshold), and the morsel and celebration close the learning loop and tell him he’s gotten it right. 

This is a short video on my YouTube channel from many months ago of my own dog Leroy learning this technique. 

It’s easy to see now that our contrived cues, “get out” or “go to bed” are fine, but unnecessary and require us to nag our dog. By just giving some space, trusting behavior, learning his set of favorite things, we can make him part of the home in a way that feeds connection.

Rushing the Door

A great number of dogs rush an open door whether accompanied by their owner or not. This behavior is annoying at best and dangerous at worst. We could rely on “wait” or “stay” every time we open the door, but instead, let’s just change the rules again. Instead let’s ask our dog to be an active participant in the new set-up. 

Before you start this exercise, please make sure that the space outside the door is secure either with a gate or other barrier so that when the dog is allowed to go out, he’s not free. You may also choose to do this exercise on a long-line keeping the end loop securely in your hand. 

1. Approach the door with your dog as though you’re headed out. Go slowly, and silently. 
2. When you put your hand on the knob, if he puts his nose on the door, remove your hand and put it to your side. Stand still. Watch him but don’t’ say anything and remain still. 
3. Be patient. He will look at you, I promise. When he does, immediately put your hand back on the knob. Say nothing. 
4. If he again shoves his nose to the door, remove your hand again and repeat step 2. 
5. Repeat. Repeat, repeat, repeat. 
6. After a few of these, he’ll look at you, you’ll put your hand on the knob, and he’ll keep looking at you! Yes! Open the door and pass through.

Each day you work this new approach to door rushing choose a slightly more complex version of him leaving the door. In other words, at first, he’ll just be able to take his nose off the crack and look at you. That may last a few days. But soon, he’ll be able to stay a step away. Eventually he’ll stay a step away and wait a second. Then two seconds, three, then five. 

The contrived cue of “wait” or “stay” has now disappeared and been replaced with a function of the environment; the door with you present, and him.

When those things are together, you will rewarded him with the door opening only if he backs off. The opposite will get him further away from a reward, in fact.

I love it so much I can hardly stand it!

Coming when Called

This behavior is more difficult than the other two and it deserves more patience and thought. But, since I’ve begun using this style of training with my clients and my own dogs, an amazing thing happens; dogs who benefit from a shift to connection in training actually want to be near their person more often without being asked. The are also more trusting of the person’s choices when out and about. They are calm and observant.

A dog who only comes when called because “come” is a cue (like a trick). This results in some sort of reward only learned the value of coming or not coming after you ask. He’ll weigh the benefit of what he may or may not get when he actually does come against whatever’s happening now; investigation, rolling in something stinky, following a scent, daydreaming, etc. He’s learned to work the system, and rightfully so. 

The dog lucky enough to live with a person who’s shifted to a focus on connection learns that his person is keen to his set of rewards. He also sees you use them more thoughtfully and with much greater relevance.

 His owner still requires behavioral things of him, but he also gives behavioral allowances. Those allowances deposit cumulatively in the connection account. When it’s time to actually ask for harder behavior, it’s more consistent, more readily given, and can achieve greater level of performance more organically. 

Walking with regard, covered in a previous installment and in a video on my Facebook Page, “Walking with Regard, Truman”, sets a perfect foundation for a better recall. Start there.

You’ll see in this video, and by now have experienced in real life, that your dog is tipped off to movement by your body posture and direction long before you’ve given a verbal cue. Specifically, when you stop with him, you turn towards whatever it is he’s inspecting.

When it’s time to move on, you shift shoulders and body follows in the direction you’ll be heading. Leash gently lifts and all those subtleties together indicate to him that you both are moving on. 

BALANCE DEPOSITS AND WITHDRAWALS

We’re going to use that with coming when called. This is also where we’re going to start considering the relationship an account subject to withdrawals and deposits. Withdrawals are when you ask your dog to do something he wouldn’t naturally do at a given moment. and Deposits are when you are with him doing what he wants to do. 

Before you start, choose a very easy and low-interest activity during his walk. Perhaps a sniff spot he passes everyday.

Also, choose a noise, not a word. I use a short, succinct, clear whistle. 

1. When he gets to the sniff spot (or whatever low-interest activity you’ve chosen to start), give your whistle calmly and with no fanfare. Immediately turn your body as you would as if you were moving on. When he turns to look at you and/or move on with you, praise him with your voice enthusiastically and move on with vigor. 
   

   “It’s been literally career-changing for me to shift to this method with my clients and my own dogs because of the peace it brings the companion dog household. Photo from Cristine Dahl.

Rather than the formal recall you’re used to, where you stand, say “come” and your dog rushes to you (sometimes), this is a combined fluid movement with the whistle indicating it’s a little different than just the posture shift of turning your shoulders and body moving on. Like a tap on the shoulder, followed by a “let’s go!”

2. Because you want to preserve the whistle/let’s go body movement for development into a more reliable come-when-called, use it sparingly on your walks as you train it up; three times a walk is plenty. Because the whistle/let’s go is an account withdrawal, make sure you’re still depositing into the connection account by letting your dog have what he needs on his walk, too.

3. Slowly, over time, whistle/”let’s-go” him from more difficult things. Remember to use it sparingly and to restore the withdrawals with deposits. If you whistle him and he doesn’t follow, it’s too hard. Choose an easier step and pad that account with deposits. 

The combined whistle with body turn and move is very powerful to the connected dog. With time and practice, it can become a reliable trust-based recall cue from strong stimuli. Do not misuse it. Instead, remember connection requires a balance in asking for behavior when necessary and useful and allowing your dog to be a dog when it’s not. 

You’re well on your way now to the limitless benefits of a connection-based relationship with your dog. It’s been literally career-changing for me to shift to this method with my clients and my own dogs because of the peace it brings the companion dog household. It does away with the nagging, frustration, and that feeling of manipulation of which so many owners complain. 

Through this method of lifestyle training with a focus on connection, I see families reach a new level of fulfillment with their dog. Families are happier, homes are more peaceful, and dogs’ lives are better. 

It is a wonderful thing. 

Cristine Dahl is the founder the Northwest School for Canine Studies and author of the acclaimed book, Good Dog 101  She holds a CTC from the San Francisco SPCA Academy as a distinguished graduate, has worked professionally with dogs for almost 20 years, and has a BS in Biological Science from with a focus on the mammalian mind and brain.

Cristine has been recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) for her work helping doctors better understand the circumstances affecting dog bites to children and she is an active participant in animal welfare efforts in the state of Washington. 

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By now, we’ve addressed two foundational concepts in building better dog behavior through connection between a dog and his person; regard and mindfulness with purpose. Together, through the exercises explained in those articles, you’ve learned skills that have prepared you and your dog for the most exciting part of behavior modification through connection; trust and negative space.

Let’s start with trust.

HELICOPTER DOG PARENTING IS A THING

Most relationships between dogs and people that benefit from building better connection come from a place of superficial trust, if any at all. By that I mean that we trust our dog to come when called X number of times out of Y number of requests.

We trust he’ll protect us, maybe, or not, depending on his temperament. We know he’ll sit when asked, maybe with some persuasion, he’ll tolerate some people, not others, etc. In any event, we have to constantly be there to tell him what to do.

Without us, he’s unpredictable. We must tell him when to sit, when to be quiet. We must remind him constantly to walk on a loose leash, “be nice” to strangers, and not jump up.

Poor thing. He is lost without us. No hope at all of knowing what to do. Thank heaven we are here to guide this poor helpless beast.

But, step back for a minute. Think how reasonable that is, or, isn’t. This need to tell your dog what to do in every situation for fear of what might happen if you don’t is, at its core, a lack of fundamental trust. It’s exactly what we see in helicopter parenting.

MAKE YOUR DOG AN ACTIVE LEARNING PARTNER

Every child needs understand the governing rules of his or her environment, and the consequences associated with certain behavior. Once learned, as part of normal development, it’s healthy to give that child space to try out what he’s learned, test boundaries. It’s normal, expected, and part of healthy development.

Because he’s never required to be responsible for his own behavior, as he matures his daily life becomes inconsistent and dependent on input from his parent. In other words, when he’s being told what to do, he knows how to earn whatever reward has consistently been given under that set of circumstances, e.g., if you have polite table manners you can have ice cream. If you yell in the house you lose a toy.

“The owner hovers, nags, reminds, and the dog responds, gets rewarded or not, and they exist like this for what can sometimes be a lifetime. It’s not horrible, but it’s not great.” Image from darwinspetfood.com.

But, outside of those situations, without constant input, he’s at a loss. He does not know how to self-regulate his emotions, his behavior, how to read and regard others, he will eventually be unable to entertain himself and be only able to receive information rather than generate it.

It’s actually a serious problem in child development that leads to children prone to emotional volatility, and behavioral dysregulation.

This is exactly the situation I see in almost every home to where I provide behavioral help. Common behaviors exist; barking, jumping up, pulling on leash, etc. And they are usually somewhat controlled because the helicopter owner is “there to keep a lid on the behavior.

Even if not actively standing up and training, the owner is preoccupied with what the dog is doing (or not doing) so much that he or she can’t fully relax.

It’s nagging, and though some semblance of order is in place, the owner is stuck in a holding pattern and doesn’t know how to get out of it. The owner hovers, nags, reminds, and the dog responds, gets rewarded or not, and they exist like this for what can sometimes be a lifetime. It’s not horrible, but it’s not great.

BACK OFF AND GIVE YOUR DOG SPACE TO FAIL AND LEARN

What if we could undo the automated, predictable, and superficial plateau of coexistence between owner and dog? We could give that dog a little space to try himself out! Make mistakes, learn, regulate, fail, then find success in a deeper, more secure level of soundness. Imagine the depth sown that two individuals who want to be near one another for mutual trust and understanding, not just as a means to how one can get something from the other.

“Imagine the depth that can be sown between two individuals who want to be near one another for mutual trust and understanding, not just as a means to how one can get something from the other.” Image from Daily Picks and Flicks.

Envision what that looks like and you have what I’ll refer to as negative space.

In art, some people say what makes a piece visually appealing or unappealing is the balance of negative and positive space, dark, light, shadows, and contrast.

Let’s consider a charcoal drawing as an example. Too much positive space and it’s boring.

It’s just a space colored in completely and evenly with black pigment. It’s too stimulating, not enough contrast and interest. No balance. It’s too close. It’s predictable, no variation, not horrible but not wonderful.

Now imagine two specks of charcoal, one dark, one light, on a large white space. This is too much negative space.

It’s disconnected and feels somewhat desperate, incomplete, like it lacks a foundation. The specks exist independently, but both have so much space around them they’ve little draw to one another. There isn’t enough interest to stay focused on it long enough to even care how it makes you feel.

In the middle of these two extremes is a balance of positive and negative space. In that area is where art finds meaning, interest, movement, and fulfillment. It’s captivating and healthy, even if it’s deeply sad or distressing. It is secure and keeps your attention. It is interesting but not so much you must look away. This art is “good” to the human eye. Whether you like it or don’t, it is visually compelling. The white exists, the black exists, but neither exists completely without just the right amount of the other.

So how does this relate to connection with your dog and better behavior?

BALANCING POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SPACE

The relationship between helicopter dog parent and dog is too much positive space. The relationship is not built on connection and trust as two unique individuals in a partnership, but a constant need for an owner to control his dog so his individuality really doesn’t get a chance to come through.

In real life this looks like a sometimes-well-behaved dog, when his owner is around, and with about 60 to 80% consistency in response. The dog is relatively happy but usually also has a moderate dose of problem behavior.

The owners often report qualified satisfaction with their relationship with their dogs. I hear phrases like, “he’s good if there’s nothing to distract him,” and “it’s his breed, they’re known for being defiant,” etc.

The balance of positive and negative partnership is the “sweet spot” in the dog/human relationship. Image from Crate Escape.

The opposite of the helicopter relationship, the one in which the owner is entirely irrelevant and offers no structure whatsoever to his dog, is too much negative space.

Though both owner and dog exist as unique individuals, neither cares to interact with the other in any truly meaningful way. They simply coexist.

In real life this looks like a dog who has no rules and an owner who is fed up. The dog has a host of poor behaviors, ranging from moderate to severe. He often suffers a marked but unnoticed-by-the-owner level of generalized anxiety and the owner has a measured level of frustration adding to the problem.

They interact from time to time, meals, maybe a walk, but mostly they exist alone as roommates. (While helpful to consider here for comparison, here we’re focusing mostly on the type of relationship that has too much closeness, too much positive space.)

The range in-between is the sweet spot; the balance of positive and negative partnership. In this range, owners give their dogs the physical and behavioral space needed to move progressively and naturally into the ideal connection-based partnership.

They provide enough structure to keep the dog in a secure orbit, but not so much the dog becomes a passive participant simply looking for nagging input from his owner to behave to get a reward or avoid a punishment.

DIAL DOWN YOUR NEED TO CONTROL YOUR DOG

Confused yet?

Trust? Helicoptering? Art? What the?

“…you must address your own personal need to control how your dog behaves.” Image from Zak George.

Here’s how you start:

First and foremost, you must address your own personal need to control how your dog behaves. Before you can give him rope, as it were, it pays to take time and really consider what that looks like.

If he pulls on leash, connected walking (May’s article) will make pulling worse at first before it gets better. You may look incompetent or silly to your neighbors. Can you take it?

If he jumps on visitors, you should consider setting up his greeting environment differently so you consider his needs when a guest arrives. This may mean guests wait a bit before they come in so  you can tend to your dog. Ready for how they’ll feel about that and how you’ll manage?

LIKE HUMANS, DOGS ARE INDIVIDUALS

Let’s start with a simple exercise as a foundation for a healthier, deeper, less nagging relationship with your dog.

Answer this: what is your dog’s favorite thing?  If you said, “me” (pets, scratches, etc) or “food” you’d be right in line with the majority of dog owners out there. But you’d likely be right only a fraction of the time, which means most of the time you’re wrong.

Look at him now. Is he eating or are you petting him? Assuming he’s awake, what’s he doing? *That* is his favorite thing! If your dog has choices, whatever chooses to do is his favorite.

Your exercise is to learn ten things that are his favorite, and to make note of when they are. Food is probably one, but only if he’s hungry and only if there’s food available. Petting and snuggles also possibly one but only if he asks for it, not if you push them on him. You see? Fetch is fun but not if he’s eating or if he’s tired. Playing with other dogs is his favorite but only if he’s social and not if new places overwhelm him. And so on.

Learning your dog’s favorite things will “builds in space between you and your dog and requires you see him as an individual.”

This simple exercise builds in space between you and your dog and requires you see him as an individual.

Take a few weeks to practice seeing him and guessing what’s his favorite from day to day, hour to hour. Do it until it’s second nature.

Next month’s article will focus on practical, hands-on exercises to start work on common problem behaviors from this new perspective.

Prepare yourself! We’re doing away with sit, down, stay, come, leave-it, and other command-based behaviors now considered tricks.

Instead, we’ll build a foundation from which good behavior will develop organically. With a little practice, the nagging goes away. Really.

Your dog will learn how to behave without you having to dictate his every move. And you will enjoy an actual partnership instead of a boss-employee relationship with your dog.

As a surprising and encouraging side benefit of building connection through trust and negative space, in many cases we see improvement or the disappearance of behavior problems such as reactivity and aggression with little to no direct formal behavior modification. It appears the partnership itself grounds anxious and fearful dogs a great deal.

So get after finding out what your dog really loves and make way for next month’s practical lesson where we put these three months of prep to work. There is a wonderfully deep relationship awaiting you both, and good behavior to follow. 

Cristine Dahl is the founder the Northwest School for Canine Studies and author of the acclaimed book, Good Dog 101  She holds a CTC from the San Francisco SPCA Academy as a distinguished graduate, has worked professionally with dogs for almost 20 years, and has a BS in Biological Science from with a focus on the mammalian mind and brain.

Cristine has been recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) for her work helping doctors better understand the circumstances affecting dog bites to children and she is an active participant in animal welfare efforts in the state of Washington. 

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CONNECTION = BETTER DOG BEHAVIOR

Last month we looked at the connection between a dog and his person from the perspective of shared experiences, give-and-takes. We focused on loose-leash, pleasure walking but the general idea, regard, can be applied to the entire relationship. I was utterly delighted by the number of readers who contacted me directly or posted in various forums about trying the suggested techniques and the process itself.

This month let’s dig a bit deeper. We’ve mastered the shared walk concept, understanding that the walk is

Like humans, individual dog have different temperaments. Image from friendlydogcollars.com.au.

best when both partners take time to regard one another. Paths, timelines, assumptions, be gone.

But what of more serious issues? The anxious dog, reactive dog, scared dog?

UNDERSTAND YOUR DOG’S TEMPERMENT

First and foremost, this article is not a substitute for working with a trained professional. However, we can certainly tackle a few fundamentals that can help all relationships.

Take a moment and picture two people in your life. They must be very opposite. One should be your go-to for a great time. He is always up for fun, has a wicked sense of humor, and lives in the moment. He’s the hold-my-beer guy. We’ll call this friend the “wild one.”

Now choose a friend at the opposite end of the spectrum. This one is always on time, smart, secure. He’s always there if he says he will be. He has a family, home, and the same job for 25 years. He’s the always-count-on guy. He may be slightly boring. We’ll call this friend “old faithful.”

Now let’s say that you, a level-headed human of temperament similar to most companion dogs, head to a party with Wild One and Old Faithful.

For context, the usual companion dog is social but selectively. He’s usually mildly to moderately uncomfortable in new situations, he’s an introvert, mild to moderate, he doesn’t know how to navigate every social situation but he’s not a total social klutz, he maintains a moderate level of anxiety and doesn’t like to be the life of the party, and he prefers routine and doesn’t like surprises.

Before you leave for the party, you’re slightly anxious (as the average companion dog is before anything

new), but you’re with friends so it’s all good.

KARAOKE: FUN OR FRIGHTENING?

Immediately upon arrival, you learn the main event is Karaoke. The average companion dog does not want to do Karaoke.

The Wild One belts out Billie Jean at Karaoke. Image from bzdogs.com.

Wild One is gunning for stage-time with gusto. He’s got a Pabst in one hand and is putting in a request for “Billie Jean.” This is gonna be awesome.

Old Faithful’s made it clear he’s the designated driver. He’s sipping a soda water as he leans against the wall.

Wild One takes the stage and gives a performance worthy of Karaoke stages twice as big. His final note is met with huge applause and he triumphantly rejoins you and Old Faithful. He informs you he’s put your name in for “Like A Virgin.” You are annoyed and anxious. He doesn’t notice.

The DJ calls your name. You freeze. “No, no, I, no, thank you, there’s been a mistake.”

The crowd is looking at you. They begin to chant. Wild One chants. You laugh nervously. The crowd begins to get irritated. The chant turns to taunts. Your pulse races, breath quickens. You’re sweating, it’s been 3 minutes of taunts.

On your shoulder, Old Faithful’s hand. You turn, he says, “c’mon, you ready?”

Yes. Hell yes. You wave pitifully at the raucous crowd and walk out with Old Faithful. Once in the car your heart rate and breathing return to normal, you are calm. You feel safe.

BE FUN AND BORING WITH YOUR DOG

Because of your temperament, no matter how fun he is, you’ll never have a good, true, solid connection with Wild One. This dog is great to hang out with, a good time-passer, but he doesn’t regard you and you cannot return the favor not extended. He’s fun but not safe; he’s insensitive to your anxieties and it’s possible for him to put you in situations you’re really not comfortable in. In dogs, this results in anxiety and reactivity.

While Old Faithful is boring and he’ll never initiate Karaoke, you two are connected. He regards you, sees you, you see him, regard him, in return. He’s boring but safe. He soothes your anxiety, gives secure footing beneath your insecurities, and you never feel he’ll push you beyond your level of comfort in any situation.

Being both fun and boring with your dog will strengthen your connection with him. Photo from fossbytes.com

In the scenario above, Wild One and Old Faithful are two different friends, but in your dog’s life, he needs you to be both, and you can be. You just have to figure out who you are to him now and develop the other one. Odds are, you’re more similar to Wild One than Old Faithful. We’re always better at fun with our dogs. This is certainly true of what I see in my work.

Now, back to you and your own dog. Think of how you acquired your dog. Did you date? Long courtship? Meet one another’s families before you moved in? Same species, are you?

NO. Right.

BE CONSISTENTLY CONSISTENT

With none of that as the basis for how we ended up with the dog we have, it’s safe to assume that most dog/human relationships could benefit from some serious intimacy building. The randomness of most dog/human pairings, short of a meeting at a shelter or agreement with a breeder, cannot be anything but flawed except in very rare cases. It’s no less random than if I went to the local restaurant and plucked the person closest to the door to come home and be your forever-companion.

If you are strong, level-headed and peaceful, and I bring you a frightened reactive woman as your mate, your household’s going to suffer upset. Likewise, if you’re timid and shy and somewhat afraid of the world, if I bring that same woman to your home as your forever-companion, the two of you will develop an unhealthy co-existence built in shared anxieties but no real partnership.

There are key characteristics that differentiate Old Faithful and Wild One beyond the obvious fun/boring, colorful/beige.

Wild One is unpredictable. He’s erratic and somewhat volatile. He’s unreliable and inconsistent. His moods swing and he’s unstable. He’ll tell you something and do another. He’ll promise one thing and do the opposite.

Old Faithful is highly predictable. He’s stable and sound. He’s even-tempered, reliable, and calm. If he says he’ll do something, he does. If he promises something, he’s good for it.

We in the field now know that one of the most valuable things in a dog’s life, regardless of his temperament and behavior issues, is solid communication with his primary person. The nature of that communication has to have a set of qualities: it must be consistent, predictable, stable, and clear. It must be fair, even-handed, and respectful. It must be firm but exceedingly kind. Did I say consistent?

Consistent. It must be consistent. Consistency is key. Be consistent. Seriously.

PAY ATTENTION

Now that you’ve taken time through the walking exercises from last month to watch your dog, regarding him for what he likes, these steps should feel like a natural progression in building that connection and regard a little further.

“The most valuable things in a dog’s life, regardless of his temperament and behavior issues, is solid communication with his primary person.” Photo from centronemesis.wordpress.com.

First, pay attention to your own body and voice when you interact with your dog in any situation. Are you consistent? Same voice, tone, demeanor? That voice and demeanor, is it calm, firm, and kind? If not, that’s where you need to start. Begin to regulate yourself around your dog when it’s not playtime. The more predictable you are, the less volatile, the more comfortable your dog will be with you as his partner.

Pay special attention to your mood when communicating with him. Are you anxious or impatient? Are you communicating calm confidence or frustration and your own anxiety? All of these things transfer directly to him.

Next, think about what you ask him to do on a daily basis. Stop barking? Come? Sit? Or no! Don’t! Down! Are you consistent with those demands a.) when you ask for them, and b.) in the consequence or reward you’ve paired with what you’ve asked?

Odds are extremely good the answer to both of those questions is no, and that’s normal, though not ideal. This is a huge area of possibility for improvement that can give rise to a much stronger connection. Being mindful is the best way to tackle this.

First identify what cues you use carelessly and stop using them that way. Only use them if they have meaning and you can follow-up with a reward or consequence. If not, stop nagging. This binary approach alone will rattle your dog. He will begin to notice that you are noticing!

From this month and last, you’re now prepared to focus on:

• Shared walking with your dog
• Your own body and regulating tone, posture, and demeanor
• Commands and requests to your dog; eliminating the ones with no consequences and tightening up consistency with rewards and consequences for those that remain

Keep in mind this is all new to your dog and it’s likely he’s had a long reinforcement history of misconnection. Be patient, give space. I promise this gives rise to something wonderful.

Next month we’ll tackle two of my favorite parts of building connection; trust and negative space.

Cristine Dahl is the founder the Northwest School for Canine Studies and author of the acclaimed book, Good Dog 101  She holds a CTC from the San Francisco SPCA Academy as a distinguished graduate, has worked professionally with dogs for almost 20 years, and has a BS in Biological Science from with a focus on the mammalian mind and brain.

Cristine has been recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) for her work helping doctors better understand the circumstances affecting dog bites to children and she is an active participant in animal welfare efforts in the state of Washington. 

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Stop Ignoring Your Dog

Picture this: every day, as part of your daily routine, you go for a walk with a friend. He gathers you up and for an hour you walk around your favorite area of the city in which you live. In this case, the local lake.

When he arrives he is happy to see you. He greets you, possibly a hug, and leads you out the door. Immediately you stop to feel the sunshine on your face. He walks forward, then realizes you’re lagging behind.

It is clear he will need to lead you by the hand if you are to walk as planned. He grabs your left hand, gently pulls you forward, and interrupts your sunshine moment.

Your friend takes a call on his cell phone. You continue to walk together.

“they felt somewhat disconnected, not close like walking with a treasured partner.” Photo from sleepstwo.com

Around the corner you go, you see your favorite lake just ahead! You rush forward to get there as fast as possible and stop quickly, yanked at the shoulder realizing your friend has tight hold of your hand.

You turn to him, he’s busy on the phone and doesn’t notice. He continues to head in the same direction with you at the same pace he was walking all along.

You look back and attempt to pull him to the lake. He tightens on your hand, a small yank back, and continues to walk at the same pace as before.

You are annoyed.

Eventually you make it to the lake. Your friend is no longer on the phone. He turns ecstatic, “We made it! Off you go!” He assumes the lake itself is your favorite part of the walk. When you seem disinterested, he notices and back to walking you go, hand in hand.

You marvel most at the birds. Drakes, geese, fresh robins, and starlings scavenging in the grass. Your eyes cannot pick just one! Meanwhile, your friend is speaking at you, telling you about his week at work. You are more interested in the birds.

You feel your friend’s hand loosen and let go. Focused on birds, you begin to wander from his side and eventually find yourself 15 feet apart. He notices you’re not listening to his story and he rushes to your side, reprimanding you.

“Though walking together in physical space, both parties are not having their partnership needs met nor are they getting what they want or need from the walk.” Photo from jameystegmaier.com.

He grabs your hand and leads you back to the walking path, destination-focused. Drakes fading in hindsight, directed on your walk again.

Did You Have An Enjoyable Walk?

You are sad to see your home around the corner. The walk is almost over. Once there, your friend opens the door for you, and guides you in. He will return tomorrow to walk with you again.

In this scenario, ask yourself a few questions:

Did you have an enjoyable walk?

Was your walk a shared experience where you were able to enjoy the walk as much as your friend was?

Did you feel connected, that you were walking with a treasured partner or more a friendly acquaintance?

With the walk over, are you looking forward to your next walk with your friend?

It’s fair to assume that most people will say the walk was somewhat enjoyable, that the friend enjoyed the walk more than they did, that they felt somewhat disconnected, not close like walking with a treasured partner, and they are either apathetic or not looking forward to walking with this person again.

If the walks continue unchanged, the relationship will deteriorate. Though walking together in physical space, both parties are not having their partnership needs met nor are they getting what they want or need from the walk. While there is no egregious abuse or neglect or misdeed happening between these two people, the relationship is certainly troubled.

With the exception of species, this scenario is exactly that which plagues countless dogs and owners every day. When the human/canine relationship weakens, the dog in question begins to exhibit behavior that is labeled troublesome; he doesn’t listen, doesn’t respond, pulls on leash, doesn’t come when called, is reactive to other dogs, and so on.

These are frustrating, common problems that can cause further division in a relationship. The result can be cessation of any walks or outings, unclear communication between owner and dog, frustration and anger directed towards the dog, and further diminished quality of life for both parties.

Don’t Be Nitpicky with Your Dog

“If he leaves the sidewalk, follow him. If he stops to sniff, stop and watch him.” Photo from Seattle DogSpot.

Until now, dog trainers have remedied these situations by focusing on behavior; teach the owner training and management skills, install basic obedience and alternative behaviors in the dog, “fix” problem behaviors such as leash walking and reactivity, and all will be well.

This approach has been good, but not great. It results in better experiences for both parties mostly because of the modified behavior of each.

But what of the relationship? Both are behaving better, but owners typically have to continue to train and manage forever and dogs still exhibit the troubling behaviors listed above.

The relationship can feel nitpicky and superficial.

The canine behavior and training field is beginning to recognize that it’s actually this relationship disconnect that is at the root of many of the most common behavior complaints, and by addressing that in addition to behavior we can help facilitate a deeper, more sound, solid, connection between owner and dog.

We can coach trust and space between dog and owner while promoting great behavior between both. Nagging goes away, great behavior emerges, and both parties enjoy the benefits of a fantastic partnership.

So how do you begin? Build regard.

Building Regard with Your Dog

Disconnection is epidemic in our daily lives today. We are busy, have our attention split between jobs, families, hobbies, duties, etc. We struggle more now than ever to build real, fulfilling, mutually enjoyable relationships. Our dogs tend to get swept away in the melee and we forget that they have their own set of things they enjoy and dislike not defined by our beliefs, but by their own. We hustle them along, through our schedules, making sure they are walked, fed, watered, and loved.

But in order to really begin to shape a relationship that can give rise to wonderful behavior, we have to practice regard. We need to recognize that our dog is not just a dog. He’s his own dog. Let’s be curious to find out who he is.

To start, take a casual walk, and I mean super casual. Before you leave, decide not to care about destination or duration. Don’t care about how loose the leash is. Take a 6-10ft flat comfortable leash, and have your dog on a flat comfortable collar. Your goal on this walk is patience and just being present with your dog.

“Though it seems like a small gesture, nothing really, this regard for him stopping, and his regard to you with his turning to you are the first steps in building an amazing connection.” Photo from wisegeek.com.

If he already walks on a loose leash the majority of the time, follow him. See where he goes. And get calmly interested in what he’s doing.

If he leaves the sidewalk, follow him. If he stops to sniff, stop and watch him. And if he looks up in the air, look around with him.

He notices all of these things you are doing, I assure you.

If your dog does not walk on a loose leash already, you’ll go about establishing regard the same way. But, be prepared.

Progress will be slower, and you will need to practice more patience to make it through those seemingly endless moments of tight-leash inspection.

A goal with both the loose-leash and tight-leash dog is to “respond to your dog’s gait with a change in yours.

If he moves slowly, slow down and match him. If he is heading quickly towards the end of the leash, see if you can go with him to prevent it going tight altogether. Your gait will be erratic at first and your path, likely freestyle.

If you can’t keep up and the leash goes tight, stop gently and wait until your dog looks to you. When he does, thank him verbally. If he does not turn his body and goes back to inspecting whatever it was he was before, just wait him out and repeat the verbal thanks for each look to you.

When he actually turns his body to you, be prepared to verbally thank him and move forward with him again. Though it seems like a small gesture, nothing really, this regard for him stopping, and his regard to you with his turning to you are the first steps in building an amazing connection.

He is processing your allowance of his need to inspect and he is now offering himself to go with you!

With a little practice, you will see him get his fill with these sniffs, inspections, and seemingly indirect investigations, whether on loose or tight leash. You’ll see him engage more often and faster with you. He will go with you just as you go with him, like two buddies out for a walk, each enjoying what they like individually and the partnership of doing it together.

There are several ways to build on the connection with your dog, this just being one and a fantastic starting point. I’ll cover other ways in next month’s article, along with some more advanced behaviors that can be addressed from the relationship angle, as well.

Cristine Dahl is the founder the Northwest School for Canine Studies and author of the acclaimed book, Good Dog 101  She holds a CTC from the San Francisco SPCA Academy as a distinguished graduate, has worked professionally with dogs for almost 20 years, and has a BS in Biological Science from with a focus on the mammalian mind and brain.

Cristine has been recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) for her work helping doctors better understand the circumstances affecting dog bites to children and she is an active participant in animal welfare efforts in the state of Washington. 

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The post Connect with Your Dog as Springboard for Better Dog Behavior, Part I appeared first on Seattle DogSpot.

(originally posted on 12/12/17)

INAPPROPRIATE DOG BEHAVIOR AT HOLIDAY PARTIES

Last Christmas I attended a party thrown by a family friend. I don’t remember climbing the stairs, nor do I remember the weather or the color of the house. I was blissfully relaxed and ready to get my festive on. And I was dog and kid-free. 

You don’t want your Christmas party guests to get this greeting. Photo from Healthy Pets – WebMD.

The door opened. It was warm inside, smelled of rich Fraser fir, light flickered from candles tastefully placed throughout the house. People in cozy sweaters, sipping eggnog, delight packed the room as far as the…<record scratch> ear-bleeding cacophony of four jingle-bell gilded collars worn by the four dogs in attendance, each moving about the room aimlessly, except when a visitor arrived at which point the unsuspecting new arrival was met with a German Shepherd nose forcefully to the crotch, who was then pulled back by said jingle collar by his embarrassed owner, clearly to get a running start at the next hapless victim daring to join our soirée. I watched this cycle repeat four times. 

The following week, I stopped into a neighborhood open house. The setting was similar but more casual. In this home, three small dogs politely and happily milled about, calmly and happily. Alerted by a sudden raucous by the hors-devours table, all eyes turned to all three dogs tangled in a knot of spit and fur tearing apart a paper plate of something brownie-ish. Crumbs were flung among flailing paws and it was growly and loud and crashy. 

Several guests dove in, one of whom sustained a minor bite to the thumb. All three dogs were separated and the party took on an awkward tone thereafter. 

Why yes, those dog Christmas sweaters ARE adorable. Photo from newzealandartauction.com.

Finally, at Christmas dinner at an extended family’s home, I was sent to gather children for the meal. I discovered the family standard poodle humping one of our six-year-old cousins. The boy was stone-faced. The poodle, enthusiastic. I gathered the child, informed his parents, and left the poodle to chill among the coats.

In each of these instances, I focused not on the naughtiness of the dogs, but the struggle of the owners. Their embarrassment, frustration, and disappointment. Because I get it. I know why this happened. And it’s the most wonderful reason of all; they want their dogs to be a part of their holiday celebration. Goodness, what a beautiful thing.

And, really, have you seen a dog in an ugly Christmas sweater or Santa scarf? ADORABLE!

So I set about asking owners and party-goers alike their biggest frustrations with dogs around the holidays.  Below is a sampling of the most common problems along with suggested solutions that spare the embarrassment, keep guests and dogs safe, and still allow shared enjoyment of a wonderful time of celebration and kinship. 

Before I get to the Q&A though, here are a few things to remember about dogs in general to allow you to be gentle with yourself and your dog when considering each of these solutions:

FACTS ABOUT DOG BEHAVIOR

1. Most dogs are not terribly social with people outside of their immediate family, especially when those people are coming onto the dog’s property. It’s wise to relax your expectations around his extroversion (most dogs are arguably selective introverts). Embrace who he is socially, and work with that. 

2. We also need to give nod to the importance of a dog’s individual temperament, as this is something we are realizing is absolutely paramount with regard to how he faces new events. Regardless of what his temperament predisposes him for, it’s safe to assume that all dogs experience a heightened level of stress, good or bad, as the holidays approach, and it’s common for owners to simply miss the signs. 

The best thing you can do for your dog is to see him for who he really is, not for who you want him to be. An honest starting point is the only place from which good behavior can come. 

We are learning that one of the biggest factors in bringing about good behavior, whether serious or basic, is the connection and partnership a dog has with his primary family. Photo from Wikipedia.

3. It’s tempting to assume that the house dog, who normally moves with the flow of weekly schedules, regular mealtimes, morning squirrel watch, afternoon UPS guard, and various naps and lounging episodes through the day could roll with holiday events in his home with little adjustment. But this is far from the truth. 

He’s built to be highly sensitive to changes in his environment (his existence as a species depends on it). The contrast between his usual home life and the assault of new smells, and his person’s holiday stress is finely tuned. He’s highly sensitive to it all, often reflecting the very moods of his owner.  

While you can’t do much to control this other than being mindful and actively trying to mitigate human stress during the holidays, please just keep it in mind and practice forgiveness and kindness to your dog.

4. Whether you’re attending an event where there is a resident dog or three, or if the event is at your home with your own dog, we can no longer focus only on a dog’s behavior as an acceptable measure of his party success or failure. We have to consider the dog’s emotional well being during said event, and whether or not he’s having a good experience or a stressful (bad) one. 

The reasons for this may seem obvious; we want our fuzzy family member to be happy and healthy. But it’s actually much more involved than that. We are learning that one of the biggest factors in bringing about good behavior, whether serious or basic, is the connection and partnership a dog has with his primary family. I cannot stress this last sentence enough. 

NEWS FLASH: NOT ALL DOGS BEHAVE LIKE GOLDEN RETRIEVERS

Too often we shuttle our dogs through life holding them to the ACME dog standard—the Golden Retriever who is friendly, social, resilient, benevolent, tolerant, etc.–instead of being aware and supportive of the fact that your dog, this dog, is different. Because he really is!  

Not all dogs have the friendly, tolerant temperment of a golden retrievers. In fact, most don’t. Photo from Invitation Template.

He is not a prop or novelty; he’s a resident, family member, and honorary host when any new person comes to visit. And he’s probably weird in all kinds of annoying and wonderful ways, like the rest of your family and you. And he can be lovely and he can be naughty, funny or a nitwit. He can be curmudgeonly or cheerful. Ah, the joy! Truly!

The little effort it takes to step back and regard him as the amazing individual he is, and conscious effort to advocate for him in ways he understands and appreciates, pays off exponentially when planning a peaceful, enjoyable season for everyone. 

HOLIDAY DOG TIPS TO KEEP YOUR PUP ON THEIR BEST BEHAVIOR

PROBLEM #1: DOGS UNDERFOOT

This is my own personal pet peeve amplified ten fold during social events in my home and others’. It was, by far, the most common complaint among the people I spoke to.

Dogs moving underfoot though a party are both stimulated by the events and at a loss for what they “should” be doing. They are too amped up to settle and they simply don’t know that it may be expected they give guests space. 

There are two ways to accomplish this, depending on your dog:

1. Management. I am a huge fan of management in every home, including mine. Use management in place of, or concurrent with, training. It simply means managing your dog’s environment so he’s not able to do the things you want him not to do. My all time favorite is a people-free space away from the festivities in which he can chill. Limit access from all people. Seriously. Not even the dog-lover who wants to meet the dog. Your promise to your dog is that this space is as peaceful as possible when people invade his home. It’s not about carving out ownership—this is his, that’s theirs—it’s about preserving his emotional balance and upholding the promise to him that you’ll respect his need for peace, too.
   

   In training “place,” it’s easiest to choose a mat or simple bed to which you can direct your dog Photo from Laura B. Hentges.

Use gates, doors, crates, whatever necessary to make his area secure, and deck it out in comfort; a cozy bed, water, food if it’s time, toys, and chewies. Make it bright and consider some sort of gentle music to blur the chaos beyond his area. Visit him from time to time and check on him. It is good and kind and merciful to keep the underfoot dog in this space for the duration of the party.

2. Train a “place”. This takes a little forethought and out-of-context training, but it’s one of my go-to skills for all dogs. It teaches them where to be. Period. In training “place,” it’s easiest to choose a mat or simple bed to direct your dog when he’s underfoot (in any situation). I use a circle cut from neoprene mat about the size of a medium pizza. The benefit to this versus a bed is just that you can use it later to direct a dog to multiple places. Training to the bed is perfectly acceptable and is the easiest route to a quick solution for parties. 

You can find step by step directions on how to train a “go to mat” (place), in my book, Good Dog 101, on page 96 (Available on Amazon, also in Kindle format). There are also several examples on YouTube if you search for “go to mat, dog”. Just be sure to follow the methods which use food and/or happy praise, and avoid any physical manipulation or intimidation.

PROBLEM #2: MISCHIEF UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE

There are few things more enticing to a dog than a tree in the house, made even more irresistible by tucking wrapped treasures under it. Even if there is no tree, imagine the delight of fancy dissectibles appearing sporadically in your home at nose level, sometimes reeking of confections or perfumes. It is a bonafide miracle for dogs to behave in any civilized manner around such a spread, so let’s not set them up to fail. Instead, there are three options to employ to keep gifts safe, and dogs out of trouble:

Management. You should manage the gifts rather than banishing your dog to his party confinement area.

• If your dog is a present-ravager and you insist on having a traditional tree snuggled with presents, consider a folding fence around it. Years ago the only real option for fences were industrial strength expens used by dog folks. Happily, the choices of management fences have met consumer demand for better aesthetics and they are available in wood, various stains, and pleasant shapes. A quick browse of Amazon will do the trick.
  

  If you insist on having a traditional tree snuggled with presents, consider a folding fence around it. Photo from Life Hacker.

1. • If you can part with the traditional floor-tree with floor-sitting presents, set up a small table next to the tree on which presents can rest. Festive, pretty, and peaceful.

1. • Lastly, some people opt to have the tree in an area of the house that the dog can’t access. This is perfectly reasonable and safe for everyone. 

PROBLEM #3: BEGGING AND STEALING FOOD

The holidays are especially difficult for dogs to manage, even if you’ve never seen your dog beg or steal food. Foods are novel, plentiful, and often available in all kinds of locations they wouldn’t normally be like low-sitting tables. 

“It really isn’t reasonable to expect him to exercise restraint without a great deal of training.” Photo from Photographyblogger.net.

1. Management. Honestly, the kindest thing you can do for your dog and to keep your guests safe is to manage him during parties using the people-free zone mentioned above. While this may feel like giving up, you may catch yourself saying, “he should be able to leave it,” this is where you can exercise kindness for yourself and your dog. It really isn’t reasonable to expect him to exercise restraint without a great deal of training beforehand. Under these circumstances, I choose management regularly in my home even though I could choose leave-it or “place.”

2. Leave-it. Leave-it is an excellent skill to train your dog just as part of his normal behavior repertoire. Use it in this scenario if you trained your dog to proficiency before this. It’s common I see owners shouting, “leave it!” to their dogs when no prior training whatsoever has taken place. I’m not sure why this one (along with recall) is a skill people overlook as being preinstalled at the factory. Dogs don’t come having any idea what leave-it means if you don’t formally train it. You will find a quick one-page step-by-step instruction guide in my book, Good Dog 101, on page 94.

3. Place. If your dog only browses for food because he’s got nothing better to do, consider training him a “place” cue. For the food-motivated dog, this is not the best choice. For the pup who just wants to know where he’s supposed to be, it’s a fine choice. See above.

PROBLEM #4: KIDS AND DOGS

The challenges expressed by hosts and party-goers alike were numerous in this area, so here are a few tips to address the most common challenges. As a mom of three myself, and an advocate for both dogs and people, I err conservatively when working with dogs and kids. I put responsibility on parents and owners alike to make sure everyone is safe and happy during events where dogs and kids commingle.

1. Management. When kids are part of a party, it’s essential to establish a people-free zone explained above. In no other situation can I think of is this more important. It keeps dogs calm and safe, kids safe, and avoids the real and unfortunate threat of litigation due to some unfortunate dog/child interaction that goes south. Management is, by far, my number one recommendation in a home in which children are visiting for any reason.

“I err conservatively when working with dogs and kids, and put responsibility on parents and owners alike to make sure everyone is safe and happy during events where dogs and kids commingle.” Photo from thecasualobserver.co.za.

2. Supervised movement. Owners also have the option of supervising their dog around children. Unlike the casual supervision of normally living with a dog, this is active supervision. This means you should follow the dog around the house and monitor  each interaction with a child guided by the owner. Be honest with yourself and your ability and interest in doing this if supervised movement is the way you choose to go. Most owners overestimate their abilities to watch as carefully as is necessary, and that’s perfectly okay. Just opt for management instead.

3. Teach children. I am a firm believer that it is unacceptable to allow children to improperly interact with dogs. I have worked with my own children, now ten, eight, and five, since birth to learn the appropriate way to behave around, and interact with, dogs. As young as 18 months, kids can learn simple consequences with doing so properly or improperly, but do not count on all visitors to your home to be prepared in the same way. If you are familiar with the children visiting and your dog has a history with them being appropriate with him, consider supervised movement. If not, choose management. 

4. Lastly, if your dog has any history at all of growing, snarling, snapping, or biting at people, choose management. Period. 

While the approach to many of the usual complaints during this season may seem conservative compared to how we’ve commonly managed dogs during the holidays, these are solid, proven techniques that not only have good behavior in mind, but safety, liability, and strength of relationships in mind, too.

And your dog can still wear his ugly sweater in his people-free zone.

Happy Holidays to you and your 2-legged and 4-legged) family!

Cristine Dahl is the founder the Northwest School for Canine Studies and author of the acclaimed book, Good Dog 101  She holds a CTC from the San Francisco SPCA Academy as a distinguished graduate, has worked professionally with dogs for almost 20 years, and has a BS in Biological Science from with a focus on the mammalian mind and brain.

Cristine has been recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) for her work helping doctors better understand the circumstances affecting dog bites to children and she is an active participant in animal welfare efforts in the state of Washington. 

Photo from dogtrainingtips4u.net

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The field of dog training is highly regulated like healthcare and law. Before being allowed to put hands on dog and influence the human/canine relationship first hand, trainers and behavior consultants must hold a four-year degree, with two subsequent years of specialty training. Most become involved in an apprenticeship program before submitting to exams and certifying agencies. 

Once they pass both theoretical and practical exams in their chosen area of expertise, they still must comply with annual continuing education requirements to maintain their licensing and be allowed work as a trainer.

This is a comprehensive list of training and educational requirements you must have to be a dog trainer. Image from PicQuery.

And this makes sense, because today’s companion dog is part of the family. He isn’t born knowing how to behave in our homes, so naturally, he’ll need a little professional guidance. 

He’s also highly likely to bite someone or something in his lifetime. Statistically, he just will. He won’t, necessarily, do it out of aggression; he may get his tail stuck in the door or redirect when heading after a squirrel. 

Most domestic dogs these days suffer from some moderate to severe behavior issue such as anxiety, fear, or aggression. Many are reactive behind windows or on leash. With the ever-increasing litigious nature of our society, it’s only reasonable that those called upon to counsel and correct these cases are so well vetted. A less-than-adequate practitioner could cause real physical and emotional damage, even financial catastrophe. An under qualified trainer could even cost a dog his life. 

Just kidding! 

In fact anyone, including your own dog, can call himself or herself a dog trainer. Today. Right now. You. You could do it. Right now.

Laughing? Me neither. 

I see more prong collars today than I did five years ago, even after ten years of seeing their numbers dwindle. Image from dogappy.com.

And in some cases that’s not so bad. Some self-taught trainers are pioneers, critical thinkers, academics and superior technicians. Some of those are brilliant thinkers and teachers. While they do exist, these few are the unicorns of the field.

The sad truth is that most people who call themselves trainers have little to no formal education and spotty hands-on experience at best. The majority lack critical thinking skills and the ability to commit time and energy to continuing education. Some can train their own dog to an exceptional degree, thereby confirming their own breathtaking abilities with all dogs. 

We are a field that suffers from inflated egos, fancy titles and strings of initials of little merit. We too often stand behind proud badges of obstinacy, touting, “we’ve always done it like this,” seemingly mistaking this for actual credentials.

And we do love to identify with which camp we endorse, not only in practice, but as the very backbone of our ethical and moral existence; positive, balanced, aversive, clicker, animal learning theory, sport, obedience, etc. Each of us more righteous than those guys over there. 

And while all this is happening, we’ve taken our eye off the tennis ball, as it were, with dogs’ behavioral well-being and emotional soundness as collateral damage. 

The Fall and Rise of Aversive Dog Training

Until five years ago, I witnessed a steady and constant decrease in aversive collar (prong/pinch, choke, and electric/shock/tap) usage over the decade prior, in direct correlation to the increasing civility of the human/canine relationship. Flat collars and martingales widely outnumbered prong collars, it was highly unusual to see an e-collar on a companion dog, and the old Woodhouse choke chain all but disappeared.

We also saw the emergence of new companies to supply humane alternatives to these antiquated devices, and they produced great products; harnesses of varying contact points, head halters, and flat collars made with comfort in mind. 

This was no accidental shift; organizations dedicated to the humane treatment of animals (such as the SPCA) have provided information to the public for literally decades, and we, the hungry warriors against aversive handling and management of dogs gobbled it up and dispensed it, grassroots-style.

Esteemed universities, research facilities, and academics answered the need for scientific evidence to bolster this advancement, despite how reasonable it sounded to take metal prongs off dogs and stop shocking them for the sake of “better” behavior. 

“A prong collar hurts at the point of contact, and it has measurable detrimental effects on the emotional health of the dog wearing it. Period. That’s why it works.” Photo from Vet Street.

At the same time, practitioners such as myself and my peers and mentors were continuing to advance our own skills and understanding of behavior to make sure we didn’t slide back into a culture where our clients were lead to believe they could only accomplish certain training and behavior goals by using harmful methods such as prong and e-collars. 

We had to get smarter, and better. And we did. While today my cases are far more complex and higher-liability than ever before, not once have I employed one of these tools, or anything more aversive, for that matter, since crossing over to humane methods almost twenty years ago. My cases are infinitely safer and more successful without.

Even after ten years of seeing their numbers dwindle, I see more prong collars today than I did five years ago. After such a steady and obvious diminishing, this contrast has been startling and has forced many of us to consider the reasons behind it. After all, the science hasn’t changed and long-respected organizations publicly denouncing their usage haven’t changed their position.

Still impetuous fledging and stubborn old-timer claim that prong and pinch collars are, actually, perfectly humane if used properly.

This is just our industry’s version of cries of fake news. 

The Truth about Aversive Dog Collars

Science is beautiful because you don’t have to believe in it for it to be true. A prong collar hurts at the point of contact. It has measurable detrimental effects on the emotional health of the dog wearing it. Period. That’s why it works.

But don’t take my word for it, seriously, don’t.  Check out AVSAB’s position on aversives in training. And most recently, Eileen Anderson used math to objectively explain

“Even the most complex behaviors can be treated without aversives such as prong and shock collars. A professional opposing this fact simply lacks the experience and knowledge to think his or her way out of a problem without using force.” Photo from Dogtra Collars.

it. 

And so why the slide? Why the arrested evolution, the reversal back into methods we happily left in the past as clumsy tools of yesteryear, accepting their place in history as stepping stones to which we will never return? And why the unyielding resistance to hard, cold, facts and public’s craving for training methods worthy of today’s progressive human/canine relationship?

The Trainers have a Training Problem

There are several contributing factors, but there’s one we’ve been especially reticent to admit; it’s the training community itself. It’s us. 

There has been a surge in the number of professional trainers in the market, new to the field. Many are vocationally retrained, some are retired and on a second career. Some entered the field part time and maintain a full time job in a different field. Many of them take advantage of new quick certificate programs, many only requiring a day or two of theory. Some are a weekend with a hands-on component, some are entirely online. Nonetheless, each attendee is given the stamp of “completion” and title, “dog trainer,” upon completion. 

This aversive shift has developed alongside the appearance of a population of professionals with minimal qualifications who’ve either self-identified as experts or are simply working under the title they’ve been given through one of the programs I mention above. I see few to no new trainers seeking apprenticeships with more established practitioners. I also have regular conversations with people interested in entering the field unwilling to slow down and get good. It’s just so easy these days to get busy and work now; social media ensures it as does the craving for quick fixes, fast dollars, seasoned by a cultural empathy deficit.

And so we have a landscape currently populated by novice trainers working over their ability technically, theoretically, and ethically. They exist in all camps, even positive and force-free. They don’t know what they don’t know. Worse, once they begin to find out, they dig in and refuse change.

New trainers in the force-free/positive community are failing dogs and sending them into the hands of more aversive trainers. Aversive trainers are having immediate but false success, as is the nature of punitive training. Owners don’t know to be more diligent than ever in selecting professionals to work with them and their dogs. Cue the spin cycle. 

Finding our way back to positive training methods 

There are professional efforts underway to address the issue and implement change in both positive training and traditional training. I remain cautiously optimistic that some of the organizations currently working on the matter will make good, actionable choices on how to improve the field again.

Image from Cristine Dahl.

But here are facts and tools all dog owners can use now:

1. The most complex behaviors can be treated without aversive dog collars such as prong and shock collars. A professional opposing this fact simply lacks the experience and knowledge to think his or her way out of a problem without using force.
2. You have the power, right, and responsibility to advocate for your dog trusting that the above point is true.  If you don’t want to use an aversive collar and your hired trainer says you have to, find another trainer. Seriously. There are many of us out there.
3. Be prepared to hear, “collars don’t hurt if they’re fitted properly,” and “they are humane if used correctly.” This is just bunk. Sail on. 
4. Critically review the credentials of any person who dispenses behavior and training advice. This should include family, veterinarians, pet store staff, and even self-identified trainers with strings of letters behind their names. 
5. Confidently hold professionals and amateurs accountable; If someone knows the facts about aversives in training and still fastens a prong collar around a dog’s neck, he is resigning to hurt him to get better behavior. Knowing how much information is available supporting the detriment in doing so, he does so without the protective guise of ignorance or moral superiority. Say something. Do something. Advocate for dogs.

And lastly, remember there is truly only one tool more superior than any other in dog training and behavior modification; the human brain. You can hone it more sharply than any prong collar and wield more power with it than any volt of electricity.

Cristine Dahl is the founder the Northwest School for Canine Studies and author of the acclaimed book, Good Dog 101  She holds a CTC from the San Francisco SPCA Academy as a distinguished graduate, has worked professionally with dogs for almost 20 years, and has a BS in Biological Science from with a focus on the mammalian mind and brain.

Cristine has been recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) for her work helping doctors better understand the circumstances affecting dog bites to children and she is an active participant in animal welfare efforts in the state of Washington. 

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The post The Reappearance of Aversive Dog Collars appeared first on Seattle DogSpot.

MY EVOLUTION AS A DOG TRAINER

Let me qualify the tale of naiveté that follows by saying I convincingly pass as an intelligent, functioning, capable human being. Daily. As a Seattle native steeped in the comparatively enlightened culture for which this city is known, I value the educated, open-minded nature and intellectual stimulation of my city and its residents. I am proud to reign from Seattle and am madly in love with, and will forever be, all that is Seattle. 

Photo from Cristine Dahl.

I began learning about training and behavior with horses as a young rider at the age of nine. Over the next decade I evolved into a trainer myself and eventually left the field for college. Zoology. 

Confession: horse training can be brutal. I used methods that now make me shudder: whips, spurs, chains, and all matter of punishment dolled out for lack of brain and confidence on my part. It was not unusual to dismount and “dominate” a horse into frightened submission.

While these things are hard to admit and took many years to reconcile, it is necessary to do so in order to continue to evolve as a trainer and contribute to the evolution of the field. And, though slow, we are beginning to see a shift in that culture to something smarter and more humane.

Shortly after college I returned to the world of animal behavior by attending the San Francisco SPCA Academy. It was the glue that pulled together what I knew to be true but had no credible barometer by which to measure my hunch; that we didn’t have to be harsh or mean. We didn’t have to rule over our animals. They didn’t have to fear us. We didn’t have to abandon our brains. We could actually use them, daily, to build relationships, partner with our animals, and destroy the limits put on us by punitive methods. 

DOG TRAINERS DISAGREE ABOUT TRAINING METHODS

It is no surprise, then, given my enlightenment (snicker), that everyone else in the world of animal behavior would want the same thing. Smart. Educated. Evolved. Learn, learn, learn. Surely that’s what we all want. Yes. That. Smarts. We want ‘em. To be better. It’s obvious. 

And so, as a fresh graduate of the Academy, armed with a college education in animal stuff, enlightened, I picked up the phone to begin networking with like-minded individuals. 

I was hung up on. Scolded. Called names. And laughed at. Literally. I was targeted online by other trainers. Made the topic of unpleasant discussion groups. Devalued. 

My enthusiasm was met with terms I now know are par for the course: “I’ve done it for X years, treats only bribe a dog, positive trainers are hippies, I bet you I can get my dog to X faster than you,” etc.  

And thus was my indoctrination to the ever-divided and surprisingly hostile arena of professional dog trainers in which I now live. 

Today, there are a handful of camps that exist in terms of technique and theory: 

1. Traditional: those who focus on punitive methods and are aligned with familiar personalities such as Cesar Milan. Despite clever semantics designed to soften criticism of the methods, they are antiquated, simple, and uncivil. Most practitioners of this method value speedy results at the cost of behavioral health. Tools and techniques: pinch and shock collars, choke chains, shaker cans, leash pops, alpha rolls, physical manual corrections, domination, fear, etc. 
2. Balanced: those who use both punitive methods such as corrective collars and sprays but may also use food or other force-free reinforcement. Many balanced trainers lack a full understanding of animal theory and behavior. Tools and techniques: pinch, shock, choke, spray collars, harness, head halters, flat collar, physical correction, food, play, clicker.
3. Crossover: usually this refers to a trainer who has moved from the traditional camp to a more progressive one such as positive training. Tools and techniques: varies depending on from which camp the trainer originated.
4. Positive/Force-free: those who attempt to remove all matter of discomfort in training and behavior modification.  This has become the most ambiguous and variable camp of all, shockingly divided and, ironically, hostile. Tools and techniques: flat collar, head halter, body harness, flat leash. Food, play, clicker.

Photo from Cristine Dahl.

Much like people argue over religion and politics, each camp believes it is “right” and the others are “wrong.”

Even within each camp there is rampant disagreement about methods and politics.

POSITIVE DOG TRAINERS CRIPPLED BY NEED TO BE RIGHT

But of particular interest and complexity is the ongoing internal rhetoric of the positive/force-free group, the one that identifies as being most kind and gentle. This group is, by far, the most internally volatile and critical of others no matter their practice. Surprisingly, this was the group most hostile to me when I arrived on the professional scene in Seattle. The most ruthless and conniving. And I am one of them!

Unfortunately, some stereotypes ring true: we are a group who lead with our hearts, often followed by our somewhat impulsive mouths, with only a token consultation from the brain, though we are smart.

By the very nature of our position at the far end of the compassion-for-dogs spectrum, we are some of the most sensitive, empathetic people around. It is what makes us so good at our work and so crippled in our ability to do it for the need to be right. 

We can all agree on the usual opposition to pinch, shock, pain and fear. Those are bad. And praise, food, happy talk, love. Those are good.

But those positions, bad and good, though seemingly perfect, are deeply flawed. The black and white nature of bad and good have sheared us at the knees. We should stop at these designations we become utterly immobile in moving the field forward. We become paralyzed in a debate over subjectivities: should, shouldn’t, need to, is, isn’t. Stuck in the quicksand of “why.”

And all over an animal we have no control over; another person. 

While it sounds reasonable to debate, at least for a minute, the extremes of the training spectrum such as shock collars, physical dominance, etc., it is the inter-positive-trainer conflict that is most distressing.

Head harness: too harsh or just right. Pure positive reinforcement: perfect or too vague. Physical exercise: too intense or the only way to go. Feed raw, kibble, whole, specialty. Muzzle, don’t. Pet, don’t pet, hug, but not too tight, or don’t, but then do. The list goes on. They are all kind. The argument literally becomes which is kinder. 

CHECK YOUR EGO – IT’S ABOUT THE DOGS

In the middle of this seemingly endless circular dialogue – 3500 dogs are euthanized daily in the US simply for being one too many. Tens of millions are living a sub-standard life for lack of qualified behavioral intervention. Owners are frustrated, rightfully. And so many in our field sit in the comfort of debate…at the cost of the quality of life for a dog; the very thing we say we live for.

While we’re playing hand over hand with kindness quotients we are literally failing the mission we so vehemently profess. It is unacceptable. Dare I say, it is comparable to the third party vote in our recent election?

Cristine’s book Good Dog 101 is an excellent guide for training your dog using positive training methods. (Seattle DogSpot).

There are a handful of strong influencers in our field. Driven revolutionaries who continue to push the field forward. In my years observing their approach, it seems they practice these things differently:

1. They have clearly defined, and remain ever-focused on their mission. Every decision they make, whether it to take a phone call or recommend euthanasia, is based on how it directly impacts the end goal.

2. Their end goal is to serve dogs, not themselves. Those stuck in circular arguments, though it may feel it serves the dogs, actually serves the immediate need of the person arguing. It is, by nature, counterproductive.

3. Checking their ego at the door. They don’t have to be right and they approach every conversation open to the idea that whatever they might learn could lead them closer to their mission.
4. They admit and fully accept mistakes as part of growth and use them as a foundation on which to forever get better.

5. Shutting out the noise. This is, by far, the hardest. In order to stay focused, tenaciously stick the course, they learn what feedback is useful and constructive and what is simply distraction. They are constantly weighing the cost/benefit of criticism and feedback and take none of it personally.

While it feels it is the traditionally punitive trainer who is stifling the positive movement, it is the force-free trainer getting out of his own way who can truly change the world.

I have a touchstone motto for my students to help them rebalance should they stray from their mission in the way described. One that literally makes my heart pump, my fists ball up, my voice roar: 

Put kind hands on dogs. Now. 

Period. 

Cristine Dahl is the founder the Northwest School for Canine Studies and author of the acclaimed book, Good Dog 101  She holds a CTC from the San Francisco SPCA Academy as a distinguished graduate, has worked professionally with dogs for almost 20 years, and has a BS in Biological Science from with a focus on the mammalian mind and brain.

Cristine has been recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) for her work helping doctors better understand the circumstances affecting dog bites to children and she is an active participant in animal welfare efforts in the state of Washington. 

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