Must Love Dogs Blog

Consistency needed in dog training

admin — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:58:18 +0000

As a dog trainer I often say to my clients that they need to be consistent when practicing their dog training lessons. As all things dog training related it sounds much easier than it really is.

There are so many different variables involved. Here are just a few:

Words - If you’re teaching your dog to “sit” then you should consistently use the word “sit” — not “sit down” or “sit, sit, sit”. Everyone in your household needs to use the same command consistently or your dog could become confused and just try guessing at what you want rather than actually learning what you mean.

Place – are you practicing in one particular area? It helps if you pick one spot (such as the kitchen) and get good at doing the command there. Then take it to another place (such as the living room) and get good at performing the behavior there, etc. Pretty soon your dog will figure out that this command means the same thing no matter where it is given.

Tone of voice – Are you sounding authoritative and angry or light and fun? Dogs can tell the difference and have been shown to prefer a training session that is fun and enjoyable over one that is scary to them.

Body languge/movement/hand signals – This probably one of the most difficult things for humans to be consistent with when it comes to dog training. Dogs pay way more attention to what our bodies are doing than they do to the words we say. (And our tone of voice is reflected within our body language, too!) It’s really important that everyone who lives with your dog or has regular contact with your dog uses the same hand signals (body language or movement) that you do – or it will be more difficult for your dog to learn what you are asking of him. If you use an open palm sweeping upward to teach sit and someone else uses a pointed finger then the body language (hand signals in this case) are not consistent. (And this is just one body part – the hand. Remember your whole body is involved in this and your dog is watching all of it.)

What are you doing that helps or hinders your dogs’ learning new behaviors?

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Barking out the window

admin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:36:47 +0000

Many mornings when I’m out walking my dogs we pass by homes where other dogs live. The reason I know this is because many – it seems like many – of these dogs bark when we pass by. Sometimes I can see them on the sofa or chair at the window giving it their all. Sometimes I catch a glimpse of a face in an upstairs window.

A lot of times I hear the people in the house yell at their dog for barking, too. It’s really easy to hear barking dogs and people yelling when windows and doors are open especially in nice weather.

It seems to me that if dog owners don’t like their dog barking at passersby – when they are home and can hear it and apparently be embarrassed or angered by it – that they would instruct their dog to do something they feel is more appropriate. Perhaps that would be to go back to bed or chew on a bone. Redirecting a dogs interest to something else is a better alternative then starting your day off by yelling and being mad first thing in the morning.

One reason that yelling at your dog to stop barking doesn’t work is because the dog interprets his owners yelling as joining in with the barking and validates that barking is the right thing to do. No wonder they don’t get it when you’re yelling “shut up” or “stop that *%$@#* barking” as they’re being dragged across the room away from the event.

Some options for a more quiet morning routine might be to not give your dog access to a window, shut the window and pull down the shade, calmly thank him for alerting you, or don’t make a big deal out of the barking. This can work because if you don’t think it’s worth barking about your dog will eventually come to realize that it’s not as much fun as it used to be. You could also redirect the dog’s attention to something else that is more acceptable to you and still enjoyable for him like coming over to you for a belly rub.

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Dog Training with Papa Gino’s

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:05:00 +0000

Source: Papa Gino's website

I tell my dog training students to incorporate training into their everyday activities. Using the Papa Gino’s TV commercials – especially the ones where they use the doorbell sound – is a great way to teach your dog to run to the door and let you know that someone is there. Hey, sometimes you don’t hear the bell ring and having your dog alert you is a good thing!

Ok, so here’s how it goes. You’re watching TV and there’s that doorbell sound that comes from the TV. You jump off the couch and run to the door saying “Who is it?” or “Doorbell!” or something that makes sense to you. Make sure you say it in a happy, fun and excited tone of voice. Most likely your dog will follow you to see what all the fuss is about. He may not bark right away but if he does you should reward him (verbally and with a treat).

Naturally, you should open the door to see if anyone is there (even though you know there isn’t because the door bell sound was from the Papa Gino’s TV commercial). This makes it even more exciting for your dog because whatever is outside is different than what’s inside and so it is more interesting and needs to be checked out.

Tell him he’s a good boy several times during this “training session” and let him know how pleased you are that he came to the door when he heard the doorbell. Calmly thank him for the time and effort he put into this endeavor and ask him to sit/stay.

Depending on how much TV you watch, repeat this as often as you can or every time a Papa Gino’s commercial comes on. Pretty soon your dog will be jumping up from his nap and alerting you when he hears a doorbell ring. (It is up to you now to help him learn to distinguish your real doorbell from the one on the TV – if you want to.)

Soon he’ll start barking when he hears that sound because he wants you to know that he’s doing something you taught him to do that you like. After all you did give him praise and treats while he was learning this new skill. Remember to practice the sit/stay so that he learns that being calm after getting excited leads to the door opening and a treat. They are both good things and excellent motivators.

Cell phone drivers

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:50:52 +0000

Just like lots of dog owners, I take my dogs for a walk every morning. There are lots of cars on the road every morning, too. It’s amazing to see how many people are on the phone while they are driving. What could possibly be so important that early in the morning that it can’t wait until they get to the office?

One of the things I’ve noticed is that people who are driving while talking (never mind texting!) don’t pay as much attention to what is going on around them than one would hope they would if they were concentrating solely on driving.

See related article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8545779/

One morning we were out for a walk and someone (who wasn’t paying much attention to what was going on around her) started to pull out of her driveway as we were walking past. Fortunately, I was paying attention to what was going on around me and decided to stop and give her plenty of room so that we wouldn’t get run down as she was driving backwards out of her driveway while talking on the cell. I don’t think she saw us at all. Another time we were at an intersection and it was safe to cross – or so I thought – and more than half way across the street when a car, with the driver on the cell phone, almost hit us. The red light had turned green and she gassed it to turn the corner. This driver almost hit one of my dogs. There was about 8 inches to spare. It was scary. I was a bit shaky.

I’ve learned to be extra attentive and aware of my surroundings to avoid these types of experiences as best as I can. I hope you do too and maybe this blog post can be a useful reminder to anyone with a dog, car or cell phone.

What have your experiences been like?

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Henry Spit Out a Squirrel

admin — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:57:27 +0000

To be truthful I didn’t think he would do it. All the dogs that I’ve known that liked squirrels wouldn’t give one up easily. Henry is a good boy.

This squirrel had been dead for some time. It had been run over many times and it had sat out in the hot sun for some time. It was flat like cardboard and crunchy. I call this type of squirrel “Squirrel Jerky”.

When I go for a walks with my dogs I let them explore the ground and sniff stuff that can be gross and disgusting but interesting to them and, of course, there is the option that they will put it in their mouths. Some people don’t want their dog to put gross things in their mouth but sometimes I take that chance. (And since they are up to date on their shots) I think they appreciate being allowed to be inquisitive and “doggy” on occasion. I think they get a feeling of pride being able to walk around with a prize to show off. I swear Henry was prancing!

He wasn’t in a hurry to eat it and I think that worked to my advantage. Because I allow him to carry items he finds in the street – mostly discarded fast food containers – he is less worried about me becoming angry at him for having some forbidden object. And he generally drops them after a block or so on his own. It’s a good way to practice the “drop it” command. And get a treat from me when he does. (A second goodie!)

But the squirrel was a real find. We were getting close to the house and he was still carrying it. So, in a firm voice, I told him to drop it. It took me 3 times saying to him to “drop it” before he relinquished it back to the street.

As a dog trainer, I always tell my students to just say the command once, but sometimes you have to break the rules. (I wasn’t about to wrestle it out of his jaws with my bare hands!) Henry knew I was serious and I knew we weren’t going into the house with that thing.

What if he had decided to eat it? I’d be grossed out but it wouldn’t be the first time – and he’s up to date on his shots so I was relatively sure that it wouldn’t kill him.

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Turf Protection

admin — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:17:46 +0000

This summer when lounging on the deck, my dogs did their usual barking when anyone got too close to what they perceived to be their turf. But I noticed that when they were resting on the grass (not on the deck which is about 3 – 4 feet above ground) they didn’t pay hardly any attention when anyone was nearby. People near them barely got a lifted head, never mind barking. I thought this was pretty cool. I also noticed that when my neighbor was using the upper deck the dogs didn’t care either. (My dogs don’t seem to pay much attention to things higher up like birds flying. It’s not part of their normal viewing area.) It was only when the dogs were on the deck and people were below them that they reacted.

Then I realized this was a similar scenario that dog training clients sometimes encounter when their dog is on a sofa or chair and is “guarding” it when a person gets too close. It’s the being off the ground – on a higher perch (or in the case of the upper deck – being up too high) that sets them off.

I found that interesting. What about you?

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Henry Kills a Mouse

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:39:04 +0000

So, now that you know how the story ends, why bother reading any further? I don’t know but you’re doing it anyway…

It started out just like any other walk.

I was out walking my dog the other day and he spotted something in the grass. I let him check it out. It turns out that it was a mouse in a mouse hole… I’m not sure if Henry (my dog) has ever seen a mouse before or not. He was genuinely interested in examining it, but not sure how. He kept poking his nose at it and every time he would jump back. He kept this up for about a minute. (Thank goodness the people whose corner of the lawn he was on weren’t home!) Since this wasn’t working well for him he then tried to paw at it. I think he wanted it to come out of the hole so he could get a better look or stronger sniff. (Wow, mice sure can make a lot of noise!) After a few of these tentative gestures the mouse must have gotten out of the hole and he nabbed it up. He seemed a bit confused or startled and put it down briefly to check it out but it didn’t move. He picked it up again and started trotting down the street with half the mouse dangling out of his mouth.

He put it down at the end of the block. I’m really glad he didn’t eat it.

Welcome to the Must Love Dogs Blog!

admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 04:19:50 +0000

Welcome to our blog.

Must Love Dogs offers dog training and pet sitting services to busy Metrowest residents. Whether you are looking for a responsible obedience trainer or pet sitter, we provide services that cater to your dogs’ needs, as well as your needs. We understand that your dog is an important member of your family. Must Love Dogs is here to serve you.

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