Teaching Your Dog to Take Food Gently

Taking food gently out of your hand is a skill all dogs should learn. For many dogs, taking a portion of their owner’s finger, along with a morsel of food, is a sure-fire way to make sure they actually get the treat from owners whom make a habit of pulling their hands away as soon as they feel the dog’s mouth on their skin.

Other dogs that exhibit overly-grabby behaviors are merely overly-excited about receiving a treat anyway they can get it.  In each of these cases, these dogs have either picked-up some bad habits, as a result of some improper training on the part of their owners, and/or really haven’t been properly taught how to take food from their owner in the first place.

Your job as a dog owner is to show your dog the correct way to get the things he desires in life.

Option 1

Feed your dog small morsels of food from your hand, but try not to remove your fingers from the food. Keep them tight on the food so the dog is always in contact with them.

If he’s a little nippy, and your first instinct is to move your hand away, DON’T!! Keep your hand there and wait until he’s figured out that he doesn’t get the treat until the nipping stops. Once the light bulb goes off, and he’s calm, reward him.

Any type of misbehavior, i.e., barking, pawing, etc. just results in the delay of him receiving his treat. Remain quiet and still, and wait him out. Hang on tight until he eases his mouth, then release the food, and give him some nice praise for doing such a great job. This teaches bite inhibition as well. If his teeth are really causing you a lot of pain, you can try this with gloves on or try Option 2.

Option 2

If, after practicing with Option 1, your dog is still nipping you when you feed him from your hand or you just cannot tolerate his nipping, give this option a try.

Put a treat in your hand (referred to as “baiting your hand”) and hold it approximately at your eye level. Ask him to sit and slowly bring your baited hand down towards his mouth. If he remains seated and attempts to take the treat gently, say “Yes” or “Good” and give him the treat. 

If the dog has learned to respond to Clicker Training, you can always reinforce his positive behavior with the clicker as well. If he jumps out of the sit or goes to lunge for your hand with his mouth, just say “Ahh-Ahh”, and abruptly pull the treat away back up to your eye level.

Try the exercise again.  Keep practicing this exercise of lowering and pulling away as needed, until your dog has learned the proper way to get his rewards.

Teaching Your Dog to Give Things Back Willingly

You never know what your dog might decide to investigate and chew on, or possibly even eat. Having the ability to get things out of his mouth quickly is very important no matter how old he is.

When you begin teaching this, your first training lesson shouldn’t be after the dog has already latched on to something forbidden, such as that sneaker that was just lying around. If your dog does decide to grab something illegal, fight the impulse to chase him.

Step 1 – Grabbing Hold

Start with a pocket full of treats and a toy your dog plays with but doesn’t go crazy for. Make sure it’s something you can grip outside the dog’s mouth. Rope toys are good for this type of exercise.

Try the exercise off-leash at first; however, if your dog seems distracted, put him on-leash. Say “Take It” and try to get the dog to grab a hold of the toy.

Step 2 – The Release

Get his attention by showing him a treat.

If all goes well, once the dog sees the treat, he will open his mouth to get it. As soon as he opens his mouth, say “Give” and when he releases the toy, Click or Verbally Reinforce and reward him.

As soon as he swallows the treat, give him back the toy.

If the dog doesn’t “give” the toy back, just stop playing with him. With a firm grip on the toy (no tugging), just ignore the dog. Do not make eye contact with him and do not talk to him. Just look down, or even away from him and continue ignoring him.  Any type of attention at all could spark additional interest in him to keep tugging.

If the dog continues tugging, just keep reducing the amount of material he has to tug on by moving your hands slowly up the toy until they are right up to his mouth. 
 
Continue to keep a firm grip on the toy (use your waist and hips as additional leverage if you need to) while the dog’s nose is up against your hands. Just let him try to tug away now. At this point, many dogs will give up because it just isn’t as much fun anymore. You’ve really limited the amount of tugging they can do.

Once he gives the toy to you, practice the exercise again. If your dog is mouthy and likes to nip, try putting an anti-chewing spray on your hands before you play. If his teeth touch your skin, the game immediately stops.

If he’s still not letting go – For real persistent dog’s that won’t seem to let go, just drop your end and walk out of the room. Don’t say anything. He got the toy, but he lost his playmate and his “tugger”. Give it a shot.

Keep Trying

Try this exercise at least three times a day for 5 reps each time. This should build up a pretty good foundation of exchanges.  When you can do this exercise easily 9 out of 10 times, try using the word “Give” without showing him the food. Make sure you keep it hidden.

As soon as you get the toy, you can give him his reward.

When he really starts getting pretty good at this game, try mixing up the times he actually gets rewarded. Maybe he has to “Give” the toy back twice before he gets his reward. Maybe it’s three times. Just mix-up the reward schedule so you’re dog won’t become accustomed to knowing when he might or might not get his treat. This will keep him interested in playing.

It’s similar to playing the slot machines. The unknown keeps us coming back for more, and it will work the same way for your dog.

Close Encounters of the Aggressive Kind – Part 2

Aggressive Encounters – Review of Part 1

In Part 1 of our series on aggressive dog encounters, we discussed several different safety protocols to follow in order to help keep yourself and your loved ones safe from possible aggressive or fear-related attacks by dogs you may not know very well, or not know at all. The main points to remember during an encounter with a stressed or potentially dangerous dog, are to remain as calm as possible, and try to diffuse the situation to the best of your ability.

Do not run away from the dog!

This will most likely invoke a chase response from the dog, and one in which you are likely to lose.

By learning and following the points discussed in Part 1, you’ll be better equipped to prevent potential attacks, and limit the amount of damaged sustained, should an attack occur.

Approaching Aggressive Dogs

In this section, we will discuss the topic of properly greeting and handling known dogs that have had a history of aggressive tendencies. Treatment plans for modifying aggressive behavior will not be discussed in this article.

The main talking points will revolve around safety information to better handle or prevent aggressive encounters, either to yourself or to friends and/or family members by dogs you are very familiar with. For articles regarding treatment plans for the modification of behavior problems concerning various types of aggression, please search our website for more information.

The first thing owners of aggressive, or potentially aggressive dogs must do is set the dog up for success at all times. What this means is that owners of these types of dogs must refrain from any activities that are known to provoke an aggression response in the dog.

If the dog is reactive towards house guests, then the dog must be removed and prohibited from any areas guests may enter during their visits. Rooms or locations where the dog is being held must locked to prevent accidental escapes.

If you read our article on Canine Behavior Problem Solving, you learned about environmental triggers and their effect on behavior problems. Do your best to eliminate or reduce potential aggression-invoking triggers and properly manage the dog’s environment to help him avoid all dangerous situations.

If you are unable to remove the possible problem triggers from the dog’s environment, then the dog must be removed from the environment for the time being, until all potential triggers are no longer present.

Ensure that you are doing your best not to reward/encourage inappropriate or aggressive behavior. In other words, don’t fuel the fire. If you know that your dog becomes aggressive with certain types of toys, or when he is allowed to engage in certain activities, then those toys must be removed from the dog.

Also, all activities that encourage or foster aggressive behavior must be abruptly stopped until the dog has learned to release any and all “problem” toys or learned to stop all problematic activities upon owner request.

If the dog reacts unfavorably to being removed from a certain chair or section of the house, actions must be taken to prohibit the dog from gaining access to these “very valuable resources” until the dog has learned to move from them when requested.

Common sense and sound judgement is crucial when learning to handle potentially dangerous dog interactions. Under no circumstance must you place yourself, or anyone else in harm’s way when trying to handle your pet’s aggression. Always err on the side of caution.

One of the mistakes most owners will often make during their everyday interactions with a reactive or aggressive dog, is not portraying a positive, calm and confident attitude around the dog. Sound leadership skills and being able to convey those leadership skills to your dog, showing him that you have things confidently in order, will help him understand his role in the home. Not being able to communicate these skills to your dog can reduce the chances of you being able to change his or her behavior.

Dogs are masters at reading body language, whether it be human’s or another animal’s. Dogs do what works and they have an uncanny ability to read the uncertainties in the way we present ourselves and use those uncertainties to their advantage to get the most out of a given situation.

The fact that dogs use this information for their benefit has nothing to do with being sneaky or deceitful. It has to do with learning how to survive by reading their environment to obtain the things they require and escape from the things that may do them harm. Through many, many generations of evolution, dogs have learned to take what their environment gives them to aid them in those two life-preserving necessities.

As mentioned above, owners must do their best not to encourage, enable or permit their dog to engage in inappropriate behavior. This does NOT mean that the dog must be physically abused or punished in order to prevent him from behaving inappropriately. Doing so can have serious consequences.

The main point to take away here is that the more a dog is allowed to perform a certain behavior that it deems rewarding, the better it becomes at doing it, and the more apt it is to continue it in the future. Prevention is crucial any behavior modification program.

Aggression Handling Challenges

Owner’s whom have dogs that aggressively challenge, or threaten them in any way, which include acting aggressively to obedience commands (down, sit, etc..), or aggressively defending treasured resources (food, toys, couch, etc.), should take note of the safety protocols discussed in Part 1, and try to diffuse the situation to the best of their abilities.

Do not fight fire with fire! Doing so can cause a few moments of frustration to turn into much worse. The owner should very calmly, with voice commands try get the dog to relax. Again, this is only if the dog does not respond to those vocal signals with even more aggression.

If the owner cannot calm the dog down, the best thing to do in that situation, would just be to turn away from the dog and ignore him. If the aggression is due to something the dog is possessive over, once the dog relinquishes the object or area, as mentioned above, he must not have access to it again, until he can safety release the object on command. 

If the dog is acting aggressively out of demands for a particular resource (barking, growling, etc. to obtain something he doesn’t already have) do not give in to the dog’s demands and reward him for his improper behavior by giving him what he wants. Doing so will only teach the dog that acting inappropriately is a sure-fire way for him to get whatever he desires. Don’t let the dog manipulate the situation.

If the dog wants something, then he should learn to perform a proper behavior in order to get that object. It’s give and take. He should be made to sit or lie down before getting his nightly food or before being allowed to go outside. The dog should realize that you hold the keys to him obtaining the things he needs, and the only way to get those things is to behave properly.

If owners are consistent and steadfast in their handling efforts, most dogs will ultimately defer to the owner’s requests at some point. Each dog will vary in the amount of time it takes them to learn how to properly get the resources they are looking for.

If, in the worst possible scenario, the dog bites someone, the safety protocols discussed in Part 1 must be followed. Do not try to pry the part of the body that has been attacked from the dog, and do not struggle with the dog.  Go limp and do not add any resistance to the dog’s grip. Also, do not challenge the dog. Once he has loosened his grip, the person whom was attacked should quietly move away from the dog and seek medical attention.

Although anger is a normal reaction after being the victim of a dog bite, the person being attacked must not engage in any retribution-seeking activities by physically punishing the dog. This can only make matters worse.

Final Thoughts

In learning how to handle or deal with aggressive dog situations, the most important things to take away are to try stay as calm as possible and think with a clear mind, do not do anything to incite an attack, and always use your best judgement and common-sense in every situation. You need to judge every situation and determine what the most viable course of action may be, while at the same time, trying to be as mindful as possible to the safety protocols discussed in this article.

There are occasions, however; where drastic situations will call for drastic measures, which will require you to abandon some or all of the practices discussed here. If a dog has grabbed-hold of a child, then your first priority is to get that child away from dog without risking further injury to the child. Again, every situation will be different, and if faced with a life or death situation, there are times where drastic measures are all that one has to prevent or stop a fatal attack.

If you are currently dealing with an aggressive dog and are, in any way, uncomfortable or fearful to work with your dog in any of the manners described throughout either part of this article, please consult a qualified animal behaviorist and/or your veterinarian immediately. Aggressive dogs must be handled properly, and under no circumstances are you to place yourself, or anyone else at risk when dealing with these types of dogs.

Close Encounters of the Aggressive Kind – Part 1

Being confronted by a large, unfamiliar dog, whether it’s the neighborhood “Houdini” whom manages to pull a vanishing act on his owners from time to time, a friend or family member’s new “home-guardian”, or that massive barking ball-of-fur standing in between you and your dog’s new chew toy at the local pet store, can be somewhat unsettling. In fact, depending on the dog and the situation, it can be downright scary.

Thankfully though, most interactions with stray or unknown dogs usually pass by without incident and actually are very friendly. There are those rare cases however, that can really bring about some very anxious moments of uncertainty, and/or pose a significant risk to yourself, and anyone or anything that may be with you.

The keys in preventing a serious attack are being able to read and understand the various signals the offending dog may be sending your way, and knowing which behaviors, on your part, can either provoke or prevent an attack. Being able to react properly can also help minimize the damage sustained if an attack somehow cannot be prevented.

Typical body positions or gestures for dogs that may be on the brink of attack can include, but are not limited to wide, firm, forward-looking body stances, barking and/or growling, pupil dilation, hackles raised (hair on neck and tail), ears erect and possible tail raising or wagging. It’s important to note that each dog will have it’s own unique characteristics for handling stressful or perceived threatening situations, and may not show all of the signs listed above.

Many people make the assumption that if a dog is wagging it’s tail, it’s indicating that he or she is friendly or means no harm. This is not always the case. Dogs carry their tails in many different ways for a variety of different reasons, and not all of them indicate friendship or lack of a cause for concern. A dog’s tail wagging is indicating that he is ready to act in some way, and it may or may not be friendly. For more explanations and visual interpretations of canine body language and aggression, check out our article on Watching Your Dog for Signs of Stress.

The first section of this article will discuss the proper protocols to follow when confronted by dogs whom you may be completely unfamiliar with, as well as those you may have seen before, however; have virtually no knowledge about. In part II, we’ll discuss how best to interact with those dogs you are very familiar with and consider trustworthy.

An Imperfect Stranger

Dogs that are unknown present the biggest set of challenges when it comes to human confrontation. These issues stem from little or no knowledge of the dog’s temperament, mental or physical condition, and also, prior vaccination record. Stray dogs pose the greatest amount risk for this category due to the complete lack of historical data concerning previous aggression issues and communicable diseases.

Therefore; it’s vitally important to proceed with caution with any stray or free-ranging dog, and to be mindful of the following points to help minimize the chances of being attacked.

Do Not’s

• Do not fight fire with fire. Acting aggressively towards a reactive dog is likely only to incite an attack. Yelling, screaming, stomping feet, throwing objects, or antagonizing the dog in any way may cause a bad situation to get much worse by intensifying the dog’s aggression. Also be mindful of young children who may be fearful of large or unknown dogs and scream out of fear. The high pitches of a young child’s screeching may cause an aggressive dog to attack due to effects of being frightened by the sound.
• Do not stare the dog down directly or make persistent eye contact. Dogs can interpret eye contact as being threatening, which may provoke an already aggressive or frightened dog to attack.
• Do not square-off against a fearful or aggressive dog. This may be interpreted as an offensive position and could intensify the dog’s anger or fear. When greeting a strange dog, try to stand slightly to the side but always be mindful (without direct eye contact) of the dog’s position. By standing at a slight angle to the dog, you are sending him somewhat of a calming signal which indicates that you mean him no harm. Avoid abrupt movements.
• Avoid aggressively petting or wrestling when greeting unfamiliar dogs. Also never place your face near a strange dog’s mouth. Young children should especially be made to abide by these rules. They should also be taught to never place their face near the mouth of any dog, be it known or unknown.
• If possible, avoid approaching nervous, frightened or aggressive dogs. If you must approach, do so calmly and slowly and avoid approaching directly from the front, or from behind. Try to approach using an arc-like movement. Quick, deliberate movements directly toward dogs that are unsure of themselves can be viewed as threatening and make it appear as if they are about to be attacked. By moving in a slow, calm, arcing movement, the appearance of a possible threat is minimized.
• Do not run. This will more than likely trigger a chase response in the dog, and one in which the dog is likely to catch you. Unless you are 100% positive, beyond the shadow of a doubt, absolutely sure that you can make it to a safe location within a few steps, you must never, never run from a dog that has approached you. By doing so, you will also have to take your eyes off the dog. This is never a good idea.
• Never corner a fearful, nervous or agitated dog. By taking away all of dog’s options to escape from a stressful or frightening situation, it may feel it has no other chance for safety but to attack and defend itself. Dogs that are frightened or nervous should be left alone. This is especially true for young children.
• Do not tease a strange dog under any circumstance. This is especially true with food or toys.

Do’s

• Always ask the owner (if one is present) if it’s safe to pet their dog. Public encounters with unfamiliar dogs should always be initiated by obtaining the owner’s permission to greet and pet the dog. This is imperative for young children. Young children should be encouraged not to play with strange dogs unless accompanied by a responsible owner, and must be taught to always ask permission before greeting any strange animal.
• Be mindful of a dog’s territory. Dog’s may become extremely defensive of their belongings and territory. If you encounter a strange dog, whom you know may be defending his or her home property, always proceed with caution. Try to walk another route or, if you must pass through the dog’s territory, do not do anything to incite further aggression. See item 1 in the DO NOT section above.
• Always be mindful of a strange dog’s location relative to yourself, especially those that seem aggressive or worrisome, by watching his movements and positions without making direct eye contact. Monitor the dog by using the corner of your eyes or looking at him without looking directly into his face or eyes.
• Try to stand tall but do not tower over dog. Keep arms and hands down low by your side and keep your movements slow and smooth.
• If approached by a dog that seems dangerous, backup slowly without turning your back on the dog and as stated in number 3 above, always be mindful of the dog’s location and possible intentions. Talk calmly and smoothly to the dog only if it seems as if it may be helping the situation. If the dog intensifies in fear or anger, stop all communication. Move slowly and directly to a safe location. Avoid running or making abrupt movements.
• Always be mindful of your actions. Pet and greet strange dogs (with owner’s permission) in smooth, calm movements. Ask the owner if there are any areas the dog does and does not like to be touched and always obey the owner’s instructions.
• Young children should always refrain from touching or playing with dogs while the dog is eating or playing with a toy. This goes as well for when the dog is sleeping, nervous, frightened, isn’t feeling well due to an illness or being overexerted from the heat or strenuous activities.
• When greeting a dog, just keep your hands down by your side and let him sniff the back of your hand. Let the dog approach on his terms. Always be mindful of the owner’s instructions for petting. See number 6 above. Avoid petting or patting the top of the dog’s head. Unless otherwise instructed, pet the dog under the chin or on the belly and try to pet in the direction the fur is going.

  The dog will appreciate that much more than a few pats on the head. Always be mindful to keep your face or those of your children away from the dog’s mouth while petting him. Refrain from petting strange dogs that are fearful or are unsure of themselves.

What to Do if Attacked

• Do not incite further aggression by yelling or screaming. This may make matters worse. Remain silent and as calm as possible.
• Do not pull away from a dog that has bitten you. This is always very difficult to practice, because the first reaction is to try and pry, whichever part of the body the dog has bitten, loose from his mouth. Doing so can cause severe damage to that area, because the dog’s initial reaction is to tighten his jaws and pull in the opposite direction. The majority of damage sustained in dog bites is caused from trying to pull free of the dog’s bite.
• As difficult as it may be, try to remain as calm as possible. When the dog releases grip, try to follow all the points mentioned above to try to get away, as well the following.
• If escape is not possible, fall quietly to the ground, and, using your arms and hands, curl up into a ball to protect your head and face. You can also perform this procedure if you had fallen in the process of escaping from a threatening dog. Young children should become especially familiar with this position in the event they are attacked.
• If a child is attacked, the same rules apply with regards to trying to wrestle the child away from the dog. This is where the majority of damage can be caused. In this case, you need to resort additional measures to get the child to safety. Previous rules discussed here may need to be ignored. You need to get the dog’s attention away from the child; therefore, look for whatever you have at your disposal to accomplish this. If you have something you are able to throw over the dog or wrap around him, use it. If you are able to wet the dog with a hose or pale of water, do so. Remain quiet and calm in the process and instruct the child to assume the position described above. Do whatever you can to distract the dog and get the child to safety, without getting into a battle of strength with the dog.

Above all, the best advice to give when either approaching or being approached by an unfamiliar or worrisome dog is to use common-sense. If your instincts tell you that the dog isn’t to be trusted, then chances are, that’s what you should base all your decisions on, whether the owner tells you the dog is friendly or not.

Always be mindful of young children and strange dogs. Before even asking whether or not a strange dog is friendly, perform your own assessment.

• How does the dog look?
• Does he appear nervous?
• Does he appear to be stressed, possibly from an illness or from some other external factor?
• Is he barking or growling or doing anything else that makes you feel uncomfortable?

Once you’ve done your own external evaluation and feel the dog is approachable, always ask the owner’s permission, and again decide for yourself if the dog is friendly or not. Children should never be forced to approach or pet a dog if they’re reluctant or scared.

Be mindful of the points discussed in this article and you’ll be better equipped to handle those rare and unfortunate encounters with a much more confident outlook. For more on handling and dealing with known or familiar dogs, see Close Encounters of the Aggressive Kind – Part 2.

Clickers and Conditioned Reinforcers

Introduction

The clicker is a great tool to teach your dog new behaviors. It has a very distinctive sound that
dogs can easily identify with and pay very special attention to. Another benefit of using the clicker is that, unlike the sound of your voice, which can vary slightly depending on a number of factors, it makes the same sound every time, which is very beneficial in dog training. Before you can use the clicker in your obedience training sessions, you need to teach your dog what the “click” means and why hearing it is such a rewarding thing for him. 

The clicker, in dog training terminology, is used as a Conditioned Reinforcer. Conditioned reinforcers are things (sounds,objects, words, behaviors) that initially have no real relevance to your dog; however, after some simple training associations, they will become very meaningful to him. They will tell the dog that he has made the correct choice and he will be rewarded for it.

Think of conditioned reinforcers as bridges. They connect behaviors you want your dog to perform (for example, sit) to the reward the dog gets by doing those behaviors (sitting). By clicking at the exact moment your dog sits down, he knows exactly when he’s done the correct thing to get his reward. This allows both of you to communicate in a commonly understood “language” and work towards common goals in your training.
 
In order for the clicker to have some real meaning in the “Sit” example above, we have to associate some positive value to it. Initially, it means nothing to the dog. It’s just an object made of plastic and metal that makes a noise.

How the clicker does become meaningful to your dog, is by pairing the sound it makes to something that your dog considers rewarding. The clicker then takes on a new meaning. It has life and can be used in all positive training sessions with your dog. Your dog will know whenever he hears that distinctive “click”, he’s done something you approve of and will receive a reward.

The rewarding items the clicker gets paired with can be anything your dog considers rewarding. They can be food objects, toys, praise and petting, etc.  Basically anything your dog really likes can be used; however, the dog must set the value on the items, not the human.

To get the most bang for your buck (or your click), food is an excellent choice to start with. Food is a necessity of life, readily available, and most dogs will work pretty diligently for it. It’s great to use in training because you can very quickly and continuously use it to reward your dog without having to take it back from him, as is the case with using toys. This keeps the training sessions short, rewarding and fun.

So, to kick-start your clicker training and give the clicker some real meaning to your dog, you are going to pair or associate the sound of the click to the rewards you have chosen. You aren’t training your dog to DO anything at this point. You are simply building power into the clicker. You’ll find that you’ll have your dog’s undivided attention after doing just a handful of reps with him. This is actually a nice side-effect of using to the clicker.

Kick-Startin’ Your Clicker

• Step One – Get approximately ten very soft and small (pea-sized) food treats your dog really likes.
• Step Two – In a non-distracting environment (living room, family room, kitchen, etc..), place the treats where you can get to them quickly, but where your dog can’t. Make sure the treats aren’t distracting the dog.
• Step Three – At random, click the clicker and immediately toss a treat to the dog. Make sure you click before you give the dog the treat. Your dog can be doing anything when you click, just as long as he isn’t doing anything you consider unacceptable, such as barking, jumping, biting, etc.. As long he is neutral or performing some type of acceptable behavior, keep clicking.
• Step Four – Try to wait, at times, for him to direct his attention to something else before you click and treat. Watch TV for a few minutes, read a book, try to ignore him a little so he forgets a little bit about the clicker. Then click again. This really builds clicker power. Also try to make the dog do something different each time you click and treat. Just wait, the dog will do something different, if not, you can make something change.

Here’s a sample routine:

• Wait two seconds – CLICK/TREAT
• Wait ten seconds – CLICK/TREAT
• Dog walks across floor – CLICK/TREAT – Wait ten seconds
• Dog looks at you – CLICK/TREAT – Wait five seconds
• Dog looks away – CLICK/TREAT – Wait fifteen seconds

Perform this about ten times. That’s one training session. Try to do this at least twice a day. If you can squeeze in 3 sessions, great!

Again, you really want to keep the dog guessing as to when the clicking sound will happen. So really try to fake him out and randomize your clicks. Move around the room. Ignore your dog. Go about your business as if the dog wasn’t even there and keep clicking. Go in different rooms and practice. Just make sure you’re dog isn’t doing anything inappropriate or you will wind-up rewarding that inappropriate behavior.

You will notice after doing a few sessions of this (probably even sooner) that your dog will catch on and begin to direct his attention towards you whenever he hears the click. Great Job!!! That means that your clicker kick-startin’ is really working.

Once you notice the dog is really catching on to the clicker, change the reward from food; to petting; to food; to a favorite toy; to going for a walk when he turns his attention towards the clicker. You want to associate all types of rewards to the clicker. Remember to keep mixing in the food though.

Also, vary the time in between the click and the reward. In the beginning of clicker kick-startin’, the reward immediately follows the click. Once the dog has the idea, try the following routine during your practice sessions:

• CLICK – wait a half second, then give reward
• CLICK – wait one full second then give reward
• CLICK – give reward immediately
• CLICK – wait two seconds then give reward

Try to keep the delay to a second or two, three seconds at most. We want the dog to make an association between the clicker and the reward. Waiting too long before the reward gives the dog a chance to perform an inappropriate activity after the click.

Keep practicing. Just always make sure that some sort of reward follows the click. Keep the clicker charged!!

Useful Clicker Food for Thought!

Try to factor in the amount of food you are using for rewards during your training sessions into your dog’s daily food rations. This will reduce the chance of you having an overweight pet.

Because of the distinct, consistent sound of the clicker, dogs will identify with it quicker and it will help build behaviors faster.

If your dog is afraid of the clicker, try muffling it a little in your pocket or try wrapping a paper towel around it. Little by little you can get your dog used to the sound it makes. Some clickers even have different clicking sound levels.

If your dog isn’t interested in the rewards you’re giving him, try other rewards. Experiment to find something he really likes.

Practice your clicker timing: Drop a tennis ball or one of the dog’s toys on the ground and try to time your click exactly as it hits the ground. Timing is key for training. Try tossing the ball to a friend and time your click as soon as it hits his or her hands.

Practice makes perfect!!!

Why Training Your Dog is So Important

We love our dogs. There’s no doubt about it. Each year, responsible and caring dog owners, spend millions and millions of dollars to feed, entertain, pamper and provide excellent health-care for their beloved dogs. For many people, almost nothing is too extravagant, or expensive for their dogs.

Another area where these responsible and caring pet owners are spending their hard-earned dollars and precious time on is proper training, especially with puppies. These folks understand that providing quality training for their dog or puppy is one of the most important things they can possibly do for their dog in his or lifetime. Proper training, preferably as early on in the relationship as possible, can produce a wealth of benefits that will carry through the dog’s life and make it easier for him to become a beloved member of his family unit.

Why Train?

Training activities can help improve your dog’s attention skills and impulse control abilities, and can reduce anxiety and frustration. Dogs appear to be more focused on their owners and comfortable in their surroundings. The net result is a sense of security and trust where they are able to let their guard down, because they know that they are safe from harm.

Through the lessons they learn in their training exercises, dogs learn to cope more effectively with conflict or emotionally stressful situations. They learn to have more confidence and are able approach difficult challenges with the feeling that they can be successful, which can reduce anxiety, frustration and fear. Through training, they also learn what is truly expected of them, which allows them to behave and live according to the guidelines that we’ve set forth.

Also, trained dogs require fewer restrictions, and are integrated more in the family. They receive more attention and interaction from family members, friends and strangers both inside the home and out. Let’s face it, we all know how frustrating it can be to go to a friend or family member’s home and have their out-of-control, untrained dog jump all over us, bite at our shoes or clothes, or even just bark, seemingly forever.

The Untrained Dog

If it’s frustrating for us on the receiving end, think of how embarrassing it probably is for the owner of the dog. If he or she is like most people with dogs fitting that description, they’re usually very uncomfortable with the thought of having company over, and will certainly put the dog away to another area of the house where they don’t have to worry about him or her.

The dog, in reality, just never really learned the proper way to meet and greet people, and only does what’s natural to him. He jumps out of excitement and looks to greet each new guest in his traditional canine manner of greeting. The more he jumps, the more he’s banished from guests. The more he’s banished, the more the excitement grows each time he sees a guest, which again results in further banishment. Life becomes a vicious circle of excitement and frustration. Such is the life of an untrained, impulsive dog.

Untrained dogs generally lack proper attention skills, are insecure, and, as stated above, act more on impulse than dogs who feel relaxed and secure because of their training. Dogs who behave poorly and are destructive, usually wind-up ruining more than just physical items. They destroy the bond they have with their families, and increase the chances that they will be removed from those families. These dogs are often sent off to secluded areas of the home or yard, or even shelters.

Roughly, each year in the United States alone, over 9 million animals are euthanized. The sad fact is that, in many of these cases, a large number of these dogs die unnecessarily in shelters as the direct result of unresolved behavior problems.

Additionally, large numbers of seemingly healthy companion dogs are also euthanized by veterinarians because of their intolerable behavior problems. Untrained puppies become untrained adult dogs. The seemingly harmless and “cute” behavior “quirks” that we usually tend to tolerate or overlook during the puppy stage can be become truly impossible or even dangerous to deal with when the dog is an adult. This can, in turn, cause a very anxious and stress-filled environment for the dog and his entire family.

It’s very easy to see, from the discussion points thus far, why it’s so critical for all dogs to receive the proper amount of quality training from their owners. However, as responsible and caring dog owners, aside from the obvious benefits of having a well-trained companion by your side, you get some very well-deserved and valuable fringe-benefits as well.

Take an Active Role in Your Dog’s Training

Owners, who play an active part in their dog’s training, gain a lot of useful experiences and valuable canine life lessons in the process. They become more observant and more in-tune to their dog’s behavior. They learn to identify, not-so-apparent, details about their dog’s behavior, so they are more equipped to handle issues or problems that may arise in the future. Owners will learn how to appreciate a dog’s biological and emotional requirements, so they are able to provide him with the necessary things in life to make him a healthy and happy member of the household. This, in turn, has positive ramifications for everybody whom comes into contact with the dog.

Instead of always using punishments or corrections to train the dog to behave properly, owners learn more effective and productive forms of communication and training to get their dog behave properly. Owners also develop a more informed estimation of their dog’s learning abilities and limitations. This provides the owner with a better understanding of the concepts and skills the dog can associate with more quickly, as well as those he may some difficulty with and take a little longer to comprehend.

All of these benefits lead to a better relationship and serve to strengthen the bond between owner and dog. They build understanding, communication, and mutual respect for one another. Training also builds leadership. Effective training will help your dog defer and comply with you to become a successful companion.

To summarize, training provides all of the following amazing benefits:

• A foundation of communication between owner and dog
• Enhances the human-dog relationship
• Promotes affection and mutual appreciation
• Provides the owner with effective management and control skills
• Builds confidence and trust
• Promotes relaxation and sense of well-being
• Enhances social adjustment, cooperation and competence
• Improves the dog’s attention and impulse-control abilities

In short, obedience training benefits everyone!