7 Day Challenge

Many clients ask; "How do I train my dog?"  First and foremost, to train a dog, you must have the dog's attention!  Can you get your dog to sit for one minute without a leash on?  If so, then you have already

Puff in a down stay, I
rewarded him with food about 6 times in 1 minute
to help him build duration in this behavior.

learned how to get your dogs attention -- wonderful!  If not, then I ask you to take my 7 day challenge!

I ask that you hand feed your dog every meal for 1 week, every meal, and see how your relationship changes in just 7 days.  You might keep a journal and really see your dogs attention on you grow with enthusiasm and duration in many different behaviors.

If your dog can already sit and stay in your home, then I suggest you take your training on the road and

Focus here at 4 months. 

see if your dog can perform the same behaviors in your front yard, down the street, and at the local park.  Training in environments with lots of stimulation takes practice, tasty motivation and often lots of patience.  If your dog cannot sit and stay in your yard, then you simply are not ready to ask for this emotional control at the park.  Set your dog up for success and begin developing good habits in just one week!

Ideas for training:  come, come/sit, shake, down, leave it, touch, roll over, high five, speak, sit/stay, down/stay, wait, watch me, you get it!

Outdoor Adventure dogs have good focus.

What if my dog will not look at me?  Simply use his meal mixed with some yummy treats and sit down in a chair.  Toss a treat on the floor near your dog, while he is eating the treat, say his name in a happy tone.  When he looks at you say "yes" and toss another treat.  Continue playing this game for the entire meal. The next day you can try playing this game outside or add different criteria like "Fido come" when he is eating the treat and reward by tossing another treat away from you.

After training!  

Have fun, motivate using your happy pitch and smile at your dog every time he looks at you.  If you are frustrated and using a firm tone, he may comply but I'd bet he avoids looking at you.  I want your dog to offer behaviors such as coming to you because it makes him feel good, not come to you to avoid a correction.  There is no relationship building in correction training, as the dog is simply performing a behavior to avoid the punishment -- Life is Not Good for these dogs!  So, try rewarding with every meal for 7 days and I am sure you will see a new relationship building and love it!

Friends or Not?

I recently went to a home with a sweet male terrier mix who barked all the time according to the owner.   As I approached the front door I realized I was not feeling safe based on the body language and rapid barking which was being sent my way through the screen door.

I took a step back initially as the dog began to jump, bark, snap and lunge at the door, my presence was clearly a stressor.  When I felt as though the dog may push the screen door open I raised my hand to
brace the door just above the door knob.  Instantly, the dogs bark changed from rapid to fierce with a show of teeth and higher lunging and snarling.  I looked away from the door, but continued to hold it shut knowing quite well that this little dog and I were FREAKING each other out.

Dogs growl at people to warn them to go away, which is very normal dog behavior. I highly recommend you comply until you are able to earn the dogs trust.  I would never recommend correcting a dog for growling at a human, or even a child, as the dog may not give a warning growl next time and simply bite as a way to make himself feel safer.    

This is a very good warning to respect.  Correcting a dog for being
afraid of people never works, building the dogs confidence is the only
long term solution.  Unless you simply keep him locked away which I do
not recommend as an option.

To avoid being bitten by a growling dog, it is best to rule yourself out as a threat.  Help this dog see you as a person that brings yummy treats, avoids eye contact,  avoids entering his personal space and he will soon settle in your presence.  Be ready to toss treats again as you begin to move about as your movement may be seen as a threat to this dog.

My point here is to help you know what to do when you find yourself being barked at by a friend's dog. Simply take some time to earn the dogs trust by taking some cheese or cooked chicken.  I do not recommend you hand feed a snarling dog, but with the owner present and the dog behind a gate,  toss a treat behind the dog and leave the area, repeat 8 or 9 times or until the dog begins to settle.  Your friend may be embarrassed by his dogs reaction, but you can let him know you understand that this dog is simply afraid and it is nothing to be embarrassed about.  Making an owner feel bad about the dog he or she loves is what you should not do.

sitting calmly while tossing treats

It took me 20 minutes to make friends with the little terrier that acted like he was going to eat me when I arrived.  By approaching the gate he was behind and tossing some chicken behind him and then walking away, repeating this 8 or 10 times using the phrase "find it".  I then sat down and they removed the gate and the little guy came and stared at me, so I continued to toss food behind him, then I proceeded by walking about the house while playing the "find it" game and eventually ended by playing "touch" and hand feeding the terrier.  Only because I could read his body language, and am confident not to threaten him in any way, I was able to progress so quickly.  There is no timeline for building a trusting relationship; safety is the most important focus!  When the owners teared up at the sight of their dog being "normal", I was thrilled to begin to work with this family and help their terrier become a happier dog.