Annie is a miniature poodle owned and loved by "L." Although she cares about Annie very much, L was exasperated by Annie's separation anxiety. The little dog could not be apart from her or she would become extremely stressed out, drooling buckets, nearly to dehydration. This situation became very stressful for not only Annie, but also L.
Annie had earlier been treated with two different medications by her vet for Separation Anxiety. Although these drugs can be helpful in some cases, neither helped Annie at all. L was at the end of her rope. She was starting to think she would have to give up on the dog. She came to me although she didn't really believe there was a solution. L, Annie and I spent three hours together in a Pack Leader Session.
Here is the letter I received from L a couple of days later:
I want to thank you for your help with Annie. I did not have any faith when we came that there was anything else that could be done to change her behavior, I thought I had tried all that could be done. This was her last chance to stay in our home.
Well, we already see a change. She does very well on the walks, it takes just a few houses at the start and then she settles in to my pace. The first day she was mad at me, would not look at or come by me and when I called her she would crawl to me with her head down, but she did go into her cage with only a small amount of help. The first night in the cage took maybe 20 minutes for her to settle down and she did drool but not as much as usual. Last night was maybe 10 minutes and almost no drool. She goes in several times during the day when I am in the room and does fairly well. She still does not like going in but will take the last few steps on her own. She is not getting the affection until after her walk or doing something I asked her to do. She loves the new food, no problem with it sitting there for later, she gobbles it down right away.
I am hoping she will continue to improve as we learn to give her what she needs. I have never had to work at my dogs happiness before and it a strange concept but I understand the why's and have seen some results so far. So we would like to thank you and we will be in touch to let you know how she is doing.
One of the problems I uncovered in the Pack Leader Session was nutritional. Canine nutrition is a subject I have studied, and although I do not claim to be a scientist, I do know how to read a dog food label. You wouldn't think that this would be a complex subject. However, AAFCO, the governing body of dog food manufacturers is composed OF dog food manufacturers. Needless to say, their labeling rules can be confusing. Deliberately so.
Anyway, Annie was being fed a very popular food so L thought she was doing a good job of nutrition. Yet, reading the label, we found that corn was the first ingredient. Corn does contain protein but is not easily digested by dogs. The second ingredient was "chicken by product meal" which translates to super-concentrated powder made of beaks, toenails, intestines and feathers. (No, I'm not kidding.)
So part of the therapy for Annie was to change the diet to a digestible one featuring high quality animal protein with zero "by products" on the label. That alone should help her brain as her body begins to receive proper nourishment.
The other problems involved L herself. L loves her dog so she did spend a great deal of time with her. She did walk her dog sometimes. But she was walking her wrong. Believe it or not, if you allow your dog to pull you and be unfocused on the walk, your walk not only doesn't help your relationship, it hurts. Annie was sure from leading on the walks that she was also the leader in the house. And, as a leader, she didn't ever choose to be separated from L. When forced to be apart, even for a short time, Annie would go to pieces. So part of our approach was to walk Annie appropriately...great exercise for dog and mistress both.
A schedule of crating and uncrating Annie without actually leaving the house also is helping L to show Annie that it's ok to be apart occasionally.
Each case of Separation Anxiety is different, so I modify the approach for each dog depending on the family's lifestyle and on the dog's individual needs. Dog psychology is not a recipe book, the same for every dog, every time. The magic is in knowing how to combine the ingredients as perfectly as possible for every unique situation.
Separation Anxiety cannot usually be trained away by conventional dog training. Usually, there is something amiss in the dog's relationship to her family and environment. We must get to the bottom of the problem, and create positive solutions to eliminate this anxiety problem. Dogs who suffer from SA range from mildly neurotic all the way through extreme panic. It's sad to see a dog living in a fear state. And many dogs die each year because their owners don't know what to do so they give them away and often, they get put down.
I'm glad little Annie gets to stay home and is learning to adapt to life with her family.
Addendum July 2008.
I got a call from a husband and wife who had adopted Annie. Apparently the original family simply had too much going on at home to cope with the dog. The new people seemed very interested in helping this dog succeed. So I invited them to the farm for a chat about what they could do for Annie.
When Annie got to the farm I could already see she was a new dog. She was not tense or anxious like the previous time I had seen her. She was far more relaxed, open, curious and tail wagging. We had a chat about how to keep Annie from reverting to Separation Anxiety behavior and I have a strong feeling this family will work out for Annie. Looks like a success story to me.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
It's your first day...let's do EVERYTHING!
Today's interesting phone call was from a very nice guy, a man who has adopted a 6 month old Lab Pit mix. Unfortunately, many people won't even consider a Pit or Pit mix. Yes, some of them can be challenging. On the other hand, so many of them are affectionate, balanced, intelligent and sensitive.
So right off the bat I liked the called because his heart is utterly in the right place. He told me, however, that he was a bit concerned. He's had the puppy for only a week and a half but she's already showing some signs of nervousness and defensiveness.
Since he had only adopted the dog a few days earlier, I asked him about the puppy's first few days.
"Well," he said, "we wanted her to have a fairly quiet first day, so we only took her to PetSmart and then let her play with some of the neighbor's dogs. That was it."
That was it? That was a lot from my perspective. So we talked more about that first day. At the pet store, people and dogs came to greet the new puppy. When she got home, some of the older neighbor dogs were out playing so he introduced his puppy to them.
At first, the caller told me, the puppy played very nicely, wagging her tail. But the other dogs were bigger and older, and as the play got a little rougher, she began to withdraw. Since that time, she is not as open about letting other dogs approach her. Sometimes she hackles, shows teeth or growls.
The basis for this behavior I believe is clearly fear motivated. On her very first day, nice but strange people whisked her away from her home, brought her to a busy public place filled with unfamiliar sights, smells and sounds. Then after another car ride, she was thrust into a dog pack. As the newest member, the others approached her in a group. She was friendly with them, but as they ramped up a bit, this poor pup simply felt overwhelmed.
Her response? She is now making her own decisions about what she wants near her. Because her initial experiences were frightening, the puppy has decided that perhaps her world isn't so safe after all. And she's taking steps to warn others away when she is fearful.
This is really a shame because those first few days should have been quiet ones, with ample time to merely absorb the new environment of the house where she's living along with slowly getting to know the human pack with whom she lives. The puppy would quickly have come to trust the family and then, introduced slowly to new situations and dogs, one at a time, I'm sure she would have been far more relaxed. The problem behaviors might not have surfaced at all.
Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer states that a dog's breed tells that dog what to do with excess energy. I believe that is true. But a dog's breed also tells that dog what to do with anxiety. So a Pit cross feeling overly anxious is more likely to default to warning with a growl, whereas a young Golden Retriever might be more likely to cower on the ground when frightened.
The good news for this dog owner is that his puppy is young, and these mistakes were only made a short time ago. We could easily help restore her confidence and educate the family on how to manage their dog's environment to produce a stable, relaxed dog. Balanced, relaxed dogs do not aggress without real justification. So we expect to help this family become successful with their dog in short order.
Next time you bring home a new dog, spend that first several days calmly and quietly with only the most necessary introductions. Give your dog or puppy time to acclimate and actually trust you. After all, you'll be introducing him to tons of new people and places. Once you understand your puppy's needs, he'll trust you when you want to show him he has nothing to fear.
So right off the bat I liked the called because his heart is utterly in the right place. He told me, however, that he was a bit concerned. He's had the puppy for only a week and a half but she's already showing some signs of nervousness and defensiveness.
Since he had only adopted the dog a few days earlier, I asked him about the puppy's first few days.
"Well," he said, "we wanted her to have a fairly quiet first day, so we only took her to PetSmart and then let her play with some of the neighbor's dogs. That was it."
That was it? That was a lot from my perspective. So we talked more about that first day. At the pet store, people and dogs came to greet the new puppy. When she got home, some of the older neighbor dogs were out playing so he introduced his puppy to them.
At first, the caller told me, the puppy played very nicely, wagging her tail. But the other dogs were bigger and older, and as the play got a little rougher, she began to withdraw. Since that time, she is not as open about letting other dogs approach her. Sometimes she hackles, shows teeth or growls.
The basis for this behavior I believe is clearly fear motivated. On her very first day, nice but strange people whisked her away from her home, brought her to a busy public place filled with unfamiliar sights, smells and sounds. Then after another car ride, she was thrust into a dog pack. As the newest member, the others approached her in a group. She was friendly with them, but as they ramped up a bit, this poor pup simply felt overwhelmed.
Her response? She is now making her own decisions about what she wants near her. Because her initial experiences were frightening, the puppy has decided that perhaps her world isn't so safe after all. And she's taking steps to warn others away when she is fearful.
This is really a shame because those first few days should have been quiet ones, with ample time to merely absorb the new environment of the house where she's living along with slowly getting to know the human pack with whom she lives. The puppy would quickly have come to trust the family and then, introduced slowly to new situations and dogs, one at a time, I'm sure she would have been far more relaxed. The problem behaviors might not have surfaced at all.
Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer states that a dog's breed tells that dog what to do with excess energy. I believe that is true. But a dog's breed also tells that dog what to do with anxiety. So a Pit cross feeling overly anxious is more likely to default to warning with a growl, whereas a young Golden Retriever might be more likely to cower on the ground when frightened.
The good news for this dog owner is that his puppy is young, and these mistakes were only made a short time ago. We could easily help restore her confidence and educate the family on how to manage their dog's environment to produce a stable, relaxed dog. Balanced, relaxed dogs do not aggress without real justification. So we expect to help this family become successful with their dog in short order.
Next time you bring home a new dog, spend that first several days calmly and quietly with only the most necessary introductions. Give your dog or puppy time to acclimate and actually trust you. After all, you'll be introducing him to tons of new people and places. Once you understand your puppy's needs, he'll trust you when you want to show him he has nothing to fear.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Dog training tools
One of the most controversial aspects of training dogs relates to what tool(s) you should use, and which you should avoid. Every tool invented seems to have supporters, and a group of people who believe them to be horrible.
Yet, I have found "it's not the tool, it's the fool." What I mean by that is that most dog training tools can be used effectively and humanely. It is the skill and compassion of the hands using the tool that make the difference.
For example, I have seen choke chains used ineffectively and they can become uncomfortable for the dog. Dogs who are allowed to constantly pull on them may gag and choke. Yet this was never the intended use of the choke or slip chain collar. If you merely give a quick snap of the collar with minimal force, the collar opens and closes very quickly, does not choke or hurt the dog at all, but can be used to help the dog achieve the correct walking position...one with a loose leash.
Head halters such as the Gentle Leader or Halti were developed to control dogs, and stop pulling without use of the choke chain. Used correctly, they can do just that. Once again, however, this is a tool--like ALL tools--which can be accidentally abused merely by using it wrong. Challenges with head halters include the fact that many dogs react hysterically the first time it is introduced. The dog may panic at the unfamiliar and controlling sensation they first get from a head halter.
Therefore, a calm and educated introduction is crucial to having success with these tools. If the owner or trainer pulls hard on the leash, a head halter could panic the dog more, or twist the dog's neck unduly. This is not the intended use of any head halter. A pro will teach a dog in just a few moments that walking nicely on a loose leash is quite comfortable for the dog. And that pulling on the leash will place pressure on the dog's muzzle. Here's the critical part: when that pressure happens, most dogs will struggle because they don't know how to solve the problem. Gently helping the dog to achieve a loose leash again calms him down and allows him to learn that walking at side is always comfortable.
You'd think that the simple clicker would not evoke much trouble. Yet, like every other aspect of dogs and dog training, you'll find those who love them and those who laugh at them. Contrary to what much of the public may believe, there is no magic in the click itself. Trainers first teach the dog that the noise means he'll get a treat. Then they help the dog offer behaviors which the trainer wants. When they get the behavior, the trainer clicks and treats.
So where's the controversy? You can't harm a dog with treats can you? No you cannot. However, some behaviors do not lend themselves to easily, quickly or ever being remedies with a treat based training program. Some owners have diligently followed the program to fix car chasing, but have still lost their dogs because the clicker training program did not work fast enough, or did not work at all for that particular problem. In general, if the distraction is more enticing that the treat, dogs will ignore the treat in favor of the distraction. Under the wrong set of circumstances, the results of ignoring training can be deadly.
Remote training collars come in many varieties, from inexpensive with few options, all the way to quite costly with a big range of choices. Years ago, this tool was known simply as the "shock collar." That's because they only featured one level of stimulation, a painful jolt. They had very limited use, and only to solve life threatening problems such as teaching hunting dogs to avoid rattle snakes. There is no denying that the original use of the "shock collar" was to give pain. That is why this tool became, and may remain, and the most controversial of all.
Still, much has evolved in the thirty or forty years since electronic collars were first developed. First, and most important of all, remote training collars now feature levels of stimulation so gentle that humans and dogs can barely feel them if at all. Second, those levels are now adjustable so that they slowly creep up until the dog can just feel them, but not be troubled by them in the same way that you feel it when a friend taps you on the shoulder but it doesn't hurt. Third, training techniques such as the ForceFree Method have been developed allowing highly skilled, compassionate trainers to get a dog's attention without hurting him.
All dog training is, or should be, about getting a dog's attention. Once your dog is willing look away from the cat, or stop chasing the car in favor of looking at you, we have a wonderful opportunity to give the dog new information. What if we could show the dog, at moments like this, that his owner's behavior choices are more rewarding than chasing cats or cars? What if the owner had a better game ready, and all the dog has to do is pass up the forbidden game in favor of his owner's preferred selection?
Here's what we get if we use a remote collar in this manner, in the ForceFree Method manner...we get a dog who enjoys the entire training process, a dog not being yanked, twisted, shocked or in pain. We also get a dog who can run free off the leash in short order, and a dog who really lives life to the fullest.
Yet, I have found "it's not the tool, it's the fool." What I mean by that is that most dog training tools can be used effectively and humanely. It is the skill and compassion of the hands using the tool that make the difference.
For example, I have seen choke chains used ineffectively and they can become uncomfortable for the dog. Dogs who are allowed to constantly pull on them may gag and choke. Yet this was never the intended use of the choke or slip chain collar. If you merely give a quick snap of the collar with minimal force, the collar opens and closes very quickly, does not choke or hurt the dog at all, but can be used to help the dog achieve the correct walking position...one with a loose leash.
Head halters such as the Gentle Leader or Halti were developed to control dogs, and stop pulling without use of the choke chain. Used correctly, they can do just that. Once again, however, this is a tool--like ALL tools--which can be accidentally abused merely by using it wrong. Challenges with head halters include the fact that many dogs react hysterically the first time it is introduced. The dog may panic at the unfamiliar and controlling sensation they first get from a head halter.
Therefore, a calm and educated introduction is crucial to having success with these tools. If the owner or trainer pulls hard on the leash, a head halter could panic the dog more, or twist the dog's neck unduly. This is not the intended use of any head halter. A pro will teach a dog in just a few moments that walking nicely on a loose leash is quite comfortable for the dog. And that pulling on the leash will place pressure on the dog's muzzle. Here's the critical part: when that pressure happens, most dogs will struggle because they don't know how to solve the problem. Gently helping the dog to achieve a loose leash again calms him down and allows him to learn that walking at side is always comfortable.
You'd think that the simple clicker would not evoke much trouble. Yet, like every other aspect of dogs and dog training, you'll find those who love them and those who laugh at them. Contrary to what much of the public may believe, there is no magic in the click itself. Trainers first teach the dog that the noise means he'll get a treat. Then they help the dog offer behaviors which the trainer wants. When they get the behavior, the trainer clicks and treats.
So where's the controversy? You can't harm a dog with treats can you? No you cannot. However, some behaviors do not lend themselves to easily, quickly or ever being remedies with a treat based training program. Some owners have diligently followed the program to fix car chasing, but have still lost their dogs because the clicker training program did not work fast enough, or did not work at all for that particular problem. In general, if the distraction is more enticing that the treat, dogs will ignore the treat in favor of the distraction. Under the wrong set of circumstances, the results of ignoring training can be deadly.
Remote training collars come in many varieties, from inexpensive with few options, all the way to quite costly with a big range of choices. Years ago, this tool was known simply as the "shock collar." That's because they only featured one level of stimulation, a painful jolt. They had very limited use, and only to solve life threatening problems such as teaching hunting dogs to avoid rattle snakes. There is no denying that the original use of the "shock collar" was to give pain. That is why this tool became, and may remain, and the most controversial of all.
Still, much has evolved in the thirty or forty years since electronic collars were first developed. First, and most important of all, remote training collars now feature levels of stimulation so gentle that humans and dogs can barely feel them if at all. Second, those levels are now adjustable so that they slowly creep up until the dog can just feel them, but not be troubled by them in the same way that you feel it when a friend taps you on the shoulder but it doesn't hurt. Third, training techniques such as the ForceFree Method have been developed allowing highly skilled, compassionate trainers to get a dog's attention without hurting him.
All dog training is, or should be, about getting a dog's attention. Once your dog is willing look away from the cat, or stop chasing the car in favor of looking at you, we have a wonderful opportunity to give the dog new information. What if we could show the dog, at moments like this, that his owner's behavior choices are more rewarding than chasing cats or cars? What if the owner had a better game ready, and all the dog has to do is pass up the forbidden game in favor of his owner's preferred selection?
Here's what we get if we use a remote collar in this manner, in the ForceFree Method manner...we get a dog who enjoys the entire training process, a dog not being yanked, twisted, shocked or in pain. We also get a dog who can run free off the leash in short order, and a dog who really lives life to the fullest.
Leadership Threshold
Question: What do I do about my dog? Because I am also a dog trainer, he is well trained in obedience exercises and does well with heeling, sit, down, stay, come and go to bed. However, he has twice growled at me when I tried to take something away from him. And he is domineering and sometimes aggressive with the other dogs in my household. Once or twice I could barely get him to stop a fighting incident. At times he won't even let a client approach their own dog. I've taken to putting a muzzle on him when he's out with the other dogs.
Answer: Life is complicated for dog trainers because new dogs are constantly coming and going from our homes. Pack life is even more complicated for our dogs when we do board/train, and there are many pieces of the puzzle to look at. But here's the stuff I find interesting or curious.
He has only growled at you over resources twice in his life, but you've only had him two years, so I assume those episodes were very early on. Otherwise, they were recent enough to have bearing. A dog who will get into a scrap (which I take to mean fight when you can't get him off) and not respond to physical intervention or known commands is trained on the intellectual level but not on the primal level. What I mean is that he has been trained to a skill set but not to balanced thinking about life in a pack...a pack where some of the members are permanent and some are temporary.
A skill set is sit, down, stay...etc. Primal level training are all those things we do that are not related to developing a specific skill but which set the social order into an organized structure...walking through the dog's space, being sure (really sure) we control all of the dogs' resources, and managing interplay between pack members. To me it sounds like he has one and not enough of the other. So you have a dog who is capable of a great obedience demo for clients, but who won't then let a client's own dog approach them after a board/train.
This makes me wonder whether you have been obviously enough in control for THIS particular dog. He may have a much higher Leadership Threshold than the others. By that I mean his personal requirements to recognize and yield to effective control by another. Maybe his LT is unreasonably high even. But it doesn't matter...it is what it is. And you have to step up to provide that level or he'll continue to make his own decisions. Not often, but once in a blue moon, I see a dog who I think is better equipped to live in a single pet household, not so his needs can be slavishly met, but because his leadership needs are so high that there's not enough leader to go around.
I'd eliminate entirely his opportunity to do wrong. I would only muzzle him when you were right the heck on top of him and the muzzle is only for those times he's quicker than you are, not for those times when you want to go about your business and know he's not eating anyone. Every time this dog is out of the crate, it's because you're using that time to work him through Leadership exercises. Period.
For months. I wouldn't even let him loose in the yard to pee. Too much independence going on in that head. I'd leash walk him for every pee and poo. Yes, I'd expose him to other dogs and not isolate him from the pack. That means he has to be out of the crate often, but on a leash, tethered to you, occupying only what space you allow for him. I do like the go to bed routine, but if you believe he's sitting there feeling like the king of his little bed fiefdom, he's better off in the crate.
Not every dog is cut out for life in a large pack. And some dogs have a much higher Leadership Threshold than others. When we find those two factors in the SAME dog, we have lots of work to do so that we can give that special dog as much attention as he needs in a calm and assertive way, and then carefully set him up for increasing success among other dogs.
A dog who will growl at you to warn you away from his toy or even bone is alerting you that you have a relationship problem. Solve that personal relationship problem first, then offer that dog lots of fair and clear guidance on how to behave in the Pack. This will help him to stop failing and begin a series of successes, one after the other.
Answer: Life is complicated for dog trainers because new dogs are constantly coming and going from our homes. Pack life is even more complicated for our dogs when we do board/train, and there are many pieces of the puzzle to look at. But here's the stuff I find interesting or curious.
He has only growled at you over resources twice in his life, but you've only had him two years, so I assume those episodes were very early on. Otherwise, they were recent enough to have bearing. A dog who will get into a scrap (which I take to mean fight when you can't get him off) and not respond to physical intervention or known commands is trained on the intellectual level but not on the primal level. What I mean is that he has been trained to a skill set but not to balanced thinking about life in a pack...a pack where some of the members are permanent and some are temporary.
A skill set is sit, down, stay...etc. Primal level training are all those things we do that are not related to developing a specific skill but which set the social order into an organized structure...walking through the dog's space, being sure (really sure) we control all of the dogs' resources, and managing interplay between pack members. To me it sounds like he has one and not enough of the other. So you have a dog who is capable of a great obedience demo for clients, but who won't then let a client's own dog approach them after a board/train.
This makes me wonder whether you have been obviously enough in control for THIS particular dog. He may have a much higher Leadership Threshold than the others. By that I mean his personal requirements to recognize and yield to effective control by another. Maybe his LT is unreasonably high even. But it doesn't matter...it is what it is. And you have to step up to provide that level or he'll continue to make his own decisions. Not often, but once in a blue moon, I see a dog who I think is better equipped to live in a single pet household, not so his needs can be slavishly met, but because his leadership needs are so high that there's not enough leader to go around.
I'd eliminate entirely his opportunity to do wrong. I would only muzzle him when you were right the heck on top of him and the muzzle is only for those times he's quicker than you are, not for those times when you want to go about your business and know he's not eating anyone. Every time this dog is out of the crate, it's because you're using that time to work him through Leadership exercises. Period.
For months. I wouldn't even let him loose in the yard to pee. Too much independence going on in that head. I'd leash walk him for every pee and poo. Yes, I'd expose him to other dogs and not isolate him from the pack. That means he has to be out of the crate often, but on a leash, tethered to you, occupying only what space you allow for him. I do like the go to bed routine, but if you believe he's sitting there feeling like the king of his little bed fiefdom, he's better off in the crate.
Not every dog is cut out for life in a large pack. And some dogs have a much higher Leadership Threshold than others. When we find those two factors in the SAME dog, we have lots of work to do so that we can give that special dog as much attention as he needs in a calm and assertive way, and then carefully set him up for increasing success among other dogs.
A dog who will growl at you to warn you away from his toy or even bone is alerting you that you have a relationship problem. Solve that personal relationship problem first, then offer that dog lots of fair and clear guidance on how to behave in the Pack. This will help him to stop failing and begin a series of successes, one after the other.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Inside Dog or Outside Dog?
Do you have an outside dog? In some parts of the country, it is almost unheard of to let a dog live outside in the yard. In other places, this is a fairly common way to keep the family pet. Living in suburban Chicago, I believed the weather was a factor. After all, we have hot summers and brutal winters. What dog could survive those extremes? Of course, as a professional dog trainer, I have colleagues in warmer climates such as in Texas and California where many families keep dogs outside year round.
A few years ago I discovered that the question of where to house the dog, inside or out, is just as much a matter of local culture as climate. I purchased a vacation home in rural Michigan and found that some of the neighbor dogs lived inside, like mine. Others had dog houses and fences, or chains and live outside in almost all weather conditions.
When talking to people about their outside dogs, I quickly learned that there were several common reasons for this housing arrangement. Yes, in some cases people simply believe a dog’s place is outside by the dog house. But in many other instances a behavior problem has caused the family to isolate the dog, outside the home. Some of the most common behaviors include housebreaking issues, barking problems and destructive chewing.
Invariably the dog’s owner has not invested the proper time to actually resolve those problems. And in fact, placing a dog outside may case new issues. Dogs left unattended for long periods of time often engage in boredom behaviors such as incessant barking and digging. If we merely train the dog to toilet outside and behave well in the home, you can enjoy a much richer experience as a pet owner than you can when your dog is chained or fenced outside.
Some people believe that the dog offers more protection for the family when outside the house, and this factors into the housing decision. In reality, a dog always offers more security to the home when kept inside. First, dogs left outside may bark so much that family and neighbors learn to ignore them. Second, a would-be burglar will find it an easy matter to just poison your dog if he really wants entry.
Think about it from the burglar’s point of view for a moment. Which is more frightening? Seeing a dog on a chain, or being surprised by the barking when you touch the doorknob? Some of the best watch dogs are not very impressive in terms of size. But they make up for size with extreme alertness and noise making. The sight of a Sheltie in the yard would not likely deter a criminal. However, a Sheltie in the home functions as an early warning system for anything unusual. More than anything else, burglars do not like to be surprised.
As a dog lover and trainer, I want more than to merely own a dog. I want to enjoy a profound relationship with my pets. In order to really share live on a deep level we must also share hearth and home. This means we must take the trouble to teach house rules to our dogs so they can stay out of trouble and truly become part of the family. Many dog trainers specialize in helping owners convert outside dogs to inside dogs. Did you think it can’t be done? Of course it can. We’ve housebroken and civilized thousands of grown dogs.
If you keep your dog outside, you have little more than a living lawn ornament. Bring your dog in, teach him how to function successfully, and you have a best friend who will sleep by your door, and keep one eye open for security.
A few years ago I discovered that the question of where to house the dog, inside or out, is just as much a matter of local culture as climate. I purchased a vacation home in rural Michigan and found that some of the neighbor dogs lived inside, like mine. Others had dog houses and fences, or chains and live outside in almost all weather conditions.
When talking to people about their outside dogs, I quickly learned that there were several common reasons for this housing arrangement. Yes, in some cases people simply believe a dog’s place is outside by the dog house. But in many other instances a behavior problem has caused the family to isolate the dog, outside the home. Some of the most common behaviors include housebreaking issues, barking problems and destructive chewing.
Invariably the dog’s owner has not invested the proper time to actually resolve those problems. And in fact, placing a dog outside may case new issues. Dogs left unattended for long periods of time often engage in boredom behaviors such as incessant barking and digging. If we merely train the dog to toilet outside and behave well in the home, you can enjoy a much richer experience as a pet owner than you can when your dog is chained or fenced outside.
Some people believe that the dog offers more protection for the family when outside the house, and this factors into the housing decision. In reality, a dog always offers more security to the home when kept inside. First, dogs left outside may bark so much that family and neighbors learn to ignore them. Second, a would-be burglar will find it an easy matter to just poison your dog if he really wants entry.
Think about it from the burglar’s point of view for a moment. Which is more frightening? Seeing a dog on a chain, or being surprised by the barking when you touch the doorknob? Some of the best watch dogs are not very impressive in terms of size. But they make up for size with extreme alertness and noise making. The sight of a Sheltie in the yard would not likely deter a criminal. However, a Sheltie in the home functions as an early warning system for anything unusual. More than anything else, burglars do not like to be surprised.
As a dog lover and trainer, I want more than to merely own a dog. I want to enjoy a profound relationship with my pets. In order to really share live on a deep level we must also share hearth and home. This means we must take the trouble to teach house rules to our dogs so they can stay out of trouble and truly become part of the family. Many dog trainers specialize in helping owners convert outside dogs to inside dogs. Did you think it can’t be done? Of course it can. We’ve housebroken and civilized thousands of grown dogs.
If you keep your dog outside, you have little more than a living lawn ornament. Bring your dog in, teach him how to function successfully, and you have a best friend who will sleep by your door, and keep one eye open for security.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
To die or not to die
Over the years, I have learned that dog trainers will not always agree on the best pathway to success with each dog. Like owners, trainers are individuals with opinions and biases. It can even be difficult to get trainers to agree on what tools should be used, let alone how to help any given dog.
I don't normally worry about other dog trainers condemning one another. That is background chatter that doesn't help clients or dogs. My interest isn't normally in being loved by other dog trainers. I do want to be loved by the dog, and hopefully appreciated by the owner.
But there is one thing that some trainers do that really bothers me. More and more, clients call me and go on to describe a fairly ordinary problem. Mind you, the problem might not be ordinary to them. But there is not much in the way of naughty dog behavior I have not already dealt with a few hundred times.
A nice lady called today about her one year old American Eskimo. The dog goes "ballistic" at the door when anyone rings the bell. The dog the lunges and barks and growls at the new person. No one yas been bitten yet...but she's concerned. The dog also picks up random objects and growls when the family tries to get them. Sometimes this dog likes the twin 8 year olds to hug him. Sometimes he growls at them.
From my perspective this is a fairly ordinary call. I, too, am concerned that someone could be bitten in the future. But I don't view this dog as psychotic or hopeless. To me, he sounds like any of the high energy dogs I meet who have had no training, very little exercise, and are finding naughty ways to release excessive energy. Concurrently, this young dog seems to have the social structure of the family out of whack. He is taking a leadership role, rather than becoming a good and contented pack follower.
What's needed here is a bit of training for both the dog and family. Nothing terribly out of the ordinary for me or thousands of other balanced dog trainers around the country. So the call didn't bother me. What bothers me very much is that like so many other clients, this one told me that another "dog person" listened to the story and believed the dog should be put down, that it was "too far gone" and "untrainable."
Now that bothers me a great deal. Why would a so called dog professional condemn a dog to death without even meeting it and doing an inperson evaluation...and without ever trying to work with it?
The answer is simple:
Ignorance.
Sadly, there are many trainers who do not know how to handle a situation. Rather than confess their own ignorance and embrace a learning opportunity, they take the simple step of condemning the dog. This is just wrong. On those rare occasions when I encounter a dog behavior situation I myself don't understand, I research for answers in the dog psychology literature, I contact colleagues and other dog professionals, and I don't give up merely because I don't know what to do at first.
As for that American Eskimo, I do know what to do to help him become a happier and civilized member of the family. And I will be happy to help the family achieve that goal.
As humans, let's remember our responsibilities for giving the best life possible to our dogs. And let's not listen to people who don't have any answer other than "get rid of the dog." I'd rather get rid of that trainer and find 0ne who does know what to do!
I don't normally worry about other dog trainers condemning one another. That is background chatter that doesn't help clients or dogs. My interest isn't normally in being loved by other dog trainers. I do want to be loved by the dog, and hopefully appreciated by the owner.
But there is one thing that some trainers do that really bothers me. More and more, clients call me and go on to describe a fairly ordinary problem. Mind you, the problem might not be ordinary to them. But there is not much in the way of naughty dog behavior I have not already dealt with a few hundred times.
A nice lady called today about her one year old American Eskimo. The dog goes "ballistic" at the door when anyone rings the bell. The dog the lunges and barks and growls at the new person. No one yas been bitten yet...but she's concerned. The dog also picks up random objects and growls when the family tries to get them. Sometimes this dog likes the twin 8 year olds to hug him. Sometimes he growls at them.
From my perspective this is a fairly ordinary call. I, too, am concerned that someone could be bitten in the future. But I don't view this dog as psychotic or hopeless. To me, he sounds like any of the high energy dogs I meet who have had no training, very little exercise, and are finding naughty ways to release excessive energy. Concurrently, this young dog seems to have the social structure of the family out of whack. He is taking a leadership role, rather than becoming a good and contented pack follower.
What's needed here is a bit of training for both the dog and family. Nothing terribly out of the ordinary for me or thousands of other balanced dog trainers around the country. So the call didn't bother me. What bothers me very much is that like so many other clients, this one told me that another "dog person" listened to the story and believed the dog should be put down, that it was "too far gone" and "untrainable."
Now that bothers me a great deal. Why would a so called dog professional condemn a dog to death without even meeting it and doing an inperson evaluation...and without ever trying to work with it?
The answer is simple:
Ignorance.
Sadly, there are many trainers who do not know how to handle a situation. Rather than confess their own ignorance and embrace a learning opportunity, they take the simple step of condemning the dog. This is just wrong. On those rare occasions when I encounter a dog behavior situation I myself don't understand, I research for answers in the dog psychology literature, I contact colleagues and other dog professionals, and I don't give up merely because I don't know what to do at first.
As for that American Eskimo, I do know what to do to help him become a happier and civilized member of the family. And I will be happy to help the family achieve that goal.
As humans, let's remember our responsibilities for giving the best life possible to our dogs. And let's not listen to people who don't have any answer other than "get rid of the dog." I'd rather get rid of that trainer and find 0ne who does know what to do!
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