1000 best dog training secrets

dog trainingsecrets

RobynAchey&BillGorton

best10001000

* Housebreaking made easy

* Tips for dogs of all ages—from puppies to geriatrics

* Effective obedience training techniques

* Teach good manners

* Fun tricks you can teach your dog at home

FROM THE FOUNDERS OF TALL TAILS TRAINING

10001000

Pets$12.95 U.S.$17.95 CAN£6.99 UK

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Quick helpfor yourfavorite dog!

ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-0720-4ISBN-10: 1-4022-0720-4

Straightforward tips to help you raise a well-behaved dog.

acheygorton

dog

training secrets

best

Housetraining your dog has never been so easy!

* Learn how to handle bringing home a new puppy

* Cure your dog of her frustrating bad habits—chewing, digging, barking and biting

* Get a handle on obedience training basics

* Housebreak your puppy and prevent unpleasantaccidents

* Use positive reinforcement to support your dog’s training

* Get special tips for handling the aggressive dog

* Teach your old dog some cool new tricks

ROBYN ACHEYAND

BILL GORTON

1000 Best Dog Training Secrets

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Copyright © 2006 by Robyn Achey and Bill GortonCover and internal design © 2006 by Sourcebooks, Inc.Cover images © Brand X Pictures, Digital VisionInternal images © Brand X Pictures, Digital Vision, ArtExplosionSourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks ofSourcebooks, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproducedin any form or by any electronic or mechanical meansincluding information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in criticalarticles or reviews—without permission in writing from itspublisher, Sourcebooks, Inc.

This publication is designed to provide accurate andauthoritative information in regard to the subject mattercovered. It is sold with the understanding that the pub-lisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, orother professional service. If legal advice or other expertassistance is required, the services of a competent profes-sional person should be sought.—From a Declaration of Prin-ciples Jointly Adopted by a Committee of the American BarAssociation and a Committee of Publishers and Associations

All brand names and product names used in this book aretrademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of theirrespective holders. Sourcebooks, Inc., is not associated withany product or vendor in this book.

Published by Sourcebooks, Inc.P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410(630) 961-3900Fax: (630) 961-2168www.sourcebooks.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataAchey, Robyn.1000 best dog training secrets / Robyn Achey and Bill Gorton.

p. cm.Includes index.ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-2016-6ISBN-10: 1-4022-2016-2

1. Dogs--Training. I. Gorton, Bill. II.Title. III.Title: One thou-sand best dog training secrets.

SF431.A24 2006636.7--dc22

2006012422

Printed and bound in Canada.WC 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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erin.shanahan

Typewritten Text

DedicationWe dedicate this book to:

Our clients and their dogs. We fall in love withevery dog we teach, for they each come to us witha valuable lesson. This lesson may come in theform of learning about dogs, it may come in theform of learning about people, and it may come inthe form of learning about ourselves. Our clientsand their dogs teach us to use our hearts and ourheads in good combination and balance.

Our own personal animals with whom we’vejourneyed over the years. Their lessons areimprinted on our hearts and we are forever con-nected to them.

The beloved animals now in our lives whohave devoted themselves to our companionship.They’ve waited and watched patiently as we cre-ated this manuscript. At times they offered aneeded break from writing, at other times a sim-ple “lean” or gentle kiss to offer adoration andsupport.

Finally, each other for our patience and devo-tion to our partnership, which is Tall Tails Train-ing. Our friendship has proven that you can, infact, teach “old” dogs new tricks!

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ContentsAcknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Part One: Ages and Stages,Needs at Each Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Chapter One: Puppy Raising, Puppy Praising . . . 5Goals for PuppyhoodExpectations for PuppyhoodExplorationThe Role of Leadership for Your PuppyYour Puppy’s NeedsBasic Puppy MannersThe Name Game! Socialize Your Puppy to Her New Name

Bringing Home PuppyRaising TipsTethering or “Posting”Crate TrainingWhy Use the Crate?HousebreakingThe Housebreaking CycleIn Equals Out!Preventing Food AggressionPuppy-ProofingMotor Mouthing MonstersWhy Do Nipping and Mouthing Happen?

Chapter Two: Adolescent Dogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Goals for Adolescent DogsExpectations for Adolescent Dogs

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The Role of Leadership for Adolescent DogsYour Adolescent Dog’s NeedsRaising TipsThere Is No “I” In “T-E-A-M”Your Dog’s Perspective

Chapter Three: Adult Dogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79Goals for Adult DogsExpectations for Adult DogsYour Adult Dog’s NeedsRaising Tips

Chapter Four: Geriatric Dogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93Goals for Geriatric DogsExpectations for Geriatric DogsThe Role of Leadership for Geriatric DogsYour Geriatric Dog’s NeedsRaising TipsSpecial Needs

Part Two: Basic Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Chapter Five: Establishing Leadership . . . . . . 113Establishing a Leadership ProtocolBody LanguageLeaders Are Consistent in Their Rules of the RoleLittle Things Mean a Lot!The Secret Leadership Role of the Walk

Chapter Six: Socializing: Learningfrom Human Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

How Do Our Dogs Learn from Us?SocializationKeeping the Crate a Happy Place

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Noise DesensitizationTouch DesensitizationAcclimation to MovementThunderstormsDon’t Overdo NoisesTeaching Dogs to ShareRemoving Objects and Toys from Your Dog

Chapter Seven: Obedience Training . . . . . . . . . 155Styles—Gizmos, Treats, and ClicksAvoiding Common Training PitfallsPositive ReinforcementCreating Good Training HabitsTeaching the Obedience Command LanguageCreating Good Boundaries—the Corrective NOHEELTest the HEEL CommandSITTest the SIT CommandThe Release Command BREAKDOWNTest the DOWN CommandPosition Holding (STAY)Test Position HoldingCOMEPLACEDistraction TrainingTen-Week Training RecipeTraining Diversity Off-Leash Training

Part Three: Developing Life Skills. . . . . . . . . . . 233

Chapter Eight: Creating Manners . . . . . . . . . . . 235

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Practicing and Reinforcing Obedience Commands

Applications of DOWNApplications of HEELApplications of SITCreative Daily ApplicationsWAIT (or STAY), OFF, and LEAVE ITMore Good Application Exercises

Chapter Nine: Dog Etiquette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261Dinnertime Manners—No Begging!Greeting Manners—No Jumping!Walking Manners—No Pulling!Four Types of WalkingRiding in Cars with DogsRespect for Humans—No Biting!No Bossy Barking!Vet Visits—Be Polite!Groomer VisitsMeeting Dogs—No Fighting!

Chapter Ten: Living Harmoniouslywith Your Dog. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281

Fence UsageYard MannersHuman/Dog PlayLifestyleAdvanced Tethering or “Posting”Daily RitualsMultiple Pets

Chapter Eleven: Balancing Essential Needs . . 301Your Dog’s Daily Balance Mental Needs

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Physical NeedsSocial NeedsRest NeedsYour Life’s BalanceDaycare for the Working Family DogYour Common Balance

Chapter Twelve: Behavior Problem Solving . . 321What Are Behavior Problems? Root Causes of Behavior ProblemsBehavior Modification Skills and ToolsDrug Therapy The Role of Socialization in Behavior ModificationBehavior Modification PlansAvoiding and Changing Nuisance BehaviorsStealing, Counter Surfing, and Garbage StealingCoprophagia (Stool Eating)Chewing and DiggingSeparation AnxietyAggression/Territorial BehaviorAggression Towards People

Part Four: Having a Good Time with Your Good Dog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361

Chapter Thirteen: Toys, Games,and Leisure Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363

ToysUnhealthy or Non-Therapeutic ToysStage-Appropriate ToysGamesActivitiesBeing a Doggie Lifeguard

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Appendix: Advanced Activities and Tricks . . . 399Therapy Dogs AgilityTricks

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409About the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419

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AcknowledgmentsWe are proud and grateful to acknowledge the fol-lowing beings for their contributions to our lives,to our business, and to this book:

Our spouses, Sue and Steve, for their under-standing of all of our time apart during the writingof this book and for their love and encouragementalways.

Our families for their constant pride andencouragement to “live our dream.”

The veterinarians of the Lehigh Valley for givingus our start, their confidence, and their referrals;and especially to Drs. Paul Donovan, Kelly Craig,and Ken Banzhof for their personal support, vet-erinary care, and friendship.

Kathy Poole for not only her friendship, butalso for the kind and generous opportunity to callCloud Nine Country Kennel our “home trainingbase” and to be a part of her “kennel family.”

And of course to our agent, Jessica Faust ofBookends, Inc., for her patience, talent, and per-sistence.

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Raising an “obedient dog” requires more than justobedience training. As we tell all of our clients,there is a difference between having obedience“skills” and “being” obedient. Being obedient isabout being dedicated to the “obedience lifestyle”in daily living. This journey begins with teachinggood obedience skills.

In our book, 1000 Best Dog Training Secrets, wewill reveal to you the secrets of raising an obedientdog and nurturing a positive relationship. Begin-ning with housebreaking and obedience training,through to behavior problem solving and eventrick-training, we will give you the knowledge andskills to raise the best dog you will ever own!

Some of the secrets are “how to” secrets, someare “when to,” and some of them are “why to”secrets. Other secrets are “practice secrets,” “gameplan secrets,” and “real life secrets.”

Introduction

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We include philosophy secrets in each sectionto give you the necessary knowledge for the restof the process. Raising your dog is a process and ajourney. The entire book echoes the process youwill have in raising your dog.

The secrets in Section One outline the needs,requirements, and raising guides for your dog ashe grows through the various stages of his life.

The secrets in Section Two establish your Lead-ership, teach you to use your Leadership role toSocialize your dog, and teach your formal Obedi-ence Command Language.

The secrets in Section Three detail the MissingPiece, which is using your skills to create mannersand lifestyle. This section is dedicated to themany, many ways the obedience command lan-guage is used to teach your dog how to live har-moniously in your household.

The secrets in Section Four are provided soboth you and your dog will never be bored. Havinga good time with your good dog is all about funactivities and making the most of them due toyour foundation in the obedience lifestyle.

As professional dog trainers, we have learned thatmany different aspects of daily life influence behav-ior. We don’t believe you should just view the train-ing of your dog as a way to “fix” him or her, rather asa journey in building a friendship and a lifelong rela-tionship. Good training is not just for problem dogs.Therefore the secrets that we will divulge to you areeverything from training concepts to training skills,raising tips to “rowdy-time” tips, and crate secrets tocare secrets. All secrets are designed to give you anew perspective, new tools, and a complete and well-rounded guide to a happy life with your dog.

2 1000 BEST DOG TRAINING SECRETS

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Part One:Ages and Stages, Needs at

Each Stage

Each stage of a dog’s life has specific characteris-tics and learning needs for him. If you approach“puppy raising” with the same attention you do“child rearing,” you can be a much more effectiveleader and have a better-behaved dog. This sectionwill detail the various stages of a dog’s “growing-up” and how we can teach all of the importantskills and concepts to ensure that our dogs willnot only be great companions, but safe and man-nerly members of society as well!

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Puppy Raising,Puppy Praising

1.

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Puppyhood—the season of adoration. Whilethis is a stage that requires meeting our pup-

pies’ immediate needs, we must be careful not tospoil them. Puppyhood is very similar to theinfancy and toddler stages of parenting a child.The important part about this stage isn’t so muchwhat the puppy learns skill-wise, rather what heexperiences about his environment and his lead-ers! This is the most impressionable stage in adog’s life and attitudes about his environmentand leaders are imprinted on the brain as it grows.Ready to be a good leader and teacher?

Age: This stage ranges from two months toroughly five months of age.


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GOALS FOR PUPPYHOODConfidence in Environment. Your puppy mustlearn to be confident with the things in her envi-ronment. Socialize her in a positive way every dayto different places, textures, objects, people,noises, etc. A good rule of thumb is to take her toat least three different places per week.

Confidence in Self. Your puppy must learn confi-dence in herself. The more good direction you give,the more she can succeed. The more she succeeds,the more you can praise her. The more you praiseher for accomplished tasks, the more confidenceshe will gain. Give no less than ten simple tasks perday to have her earn praise and confidence.

Confidence in Leadership. At this early stage,your puppy is gathering impressions of how you actas her leader and primary caregiver, but she is alsodeveloping a perspective of humans from theexamples you set while raising her. How you behaveand interact with your dog sets the stage and tonefor the rest of the relationship. Keep your behaviorpositive and trustworthy to gain her confidence.

New Object Acceptance. Help her to investi-gate things and to accept new objects with gooddirection and praise. Praise her for following yourlead. Expose her to many different objects with apositive outcome each time. Touch the objectyou wish for her to investigate and praise heartilywhen she shows interest.

Accepting New Challenges. Have her do manysmall tasks so she can earn praise for each. Doingtasks and earning praise will help her gain confi-dence in doing new things under your direction. Shewill also learn to accept new challenges without fear.

Puppy Raising, Puppy Praising 7

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Acceptance of the Crate and Boundaries.Using the crate and other methods to limit yourpuppy’s freedom will help her develop an accept-ance of boundaries. If this is not achieved duringher first several months, she’ll have a difficult timedeveloping acceptance of confinement andboundaries later in life.

Learning to Fly Solo. Your puppy must alsolearn to be comfortable being alone. Small periodsof crating in a quiet room away from the family willhelp her develop this confidence. Frequent breaksin between crate sessions will help her see that it’sonly temporary and it’s not abandonment.

Learning to Chew on the Proper Toys. Keepingthe proper chew toys available, using proper redi-rection techniques, and having the appropriatechew toys will teach chewing etiquette. Properchew toys are described in Section Four.

Learning the Concept of Housebreaking. Aproper housebreaking schedule will help her learnthe concept of where and when to “potty.” A goodschedule will teach your puppy where and when.


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EXPECTATIONS FOR PUPPYHOOD

1.Life is all about ME! Me, me, me! Expectnothing less than that from your puppy!

Basically we are their servants in this stage. Theirneeds mimic the immediate needs of an infant oryoung toddler. Keep in mind that it has nothing todo with your puppy being bratty—it’s just hisimmediate needs that need tending. Do tend tothem right away.

2.Love, love, love. Yes, since this is the stage ofadoration, you will easily fall in love with

your puppy. Take lots of pictures, but be carefulnot to overindulge and spoil your puppy. This willbe the most difficult part of raising your puppy,but is essential in creating a cooperative, gooddog!

3.While there are fundamental skills you canbegin to generate in puppyhood, you are

really in a “holding pattern” of sorts.Your puppy isjust too young for formal obedience training inthis life stage. Your job now is to prevent errors,teach concepts, and keep puppy safe until she canlearn her obedience skills at five months of age.


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EXPLORATIONYour puppy is in a natural stage of explorationand this is usually done with her mouth. Explo-ration is actually a positive thing since that meansyour puppy is eager to learn about her environ-ment. Be careful to remain positive in how youredirect this drive so you don’t squelch a naturalinstinct that is a learning process.

4.Puppies act on instincts. Puppies comeequipped with only their canine instincts

and are acting strictly on what they know geneti-cally. They are not in control of their emotions,nor do they preplan actions. They just act on theirinstincts until we teach them to resist urges. Donot punish, but redirect them and remain patient!

5.Limitations: Puppies literally have no self-control at this stage.They tend to do whatever

pops into their little minds.This is part instinct andpart lack of self-control. Don’t expect your puppy tomake good choices or to always be well behaved.


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6.Trying to “break” your puppy of instinctualbehaviors (like mouthing) will not work. You

can teach your puppy to stop using her mouth tocommunicate when you teach her an alternatemethod of communicating. Until then, attemptingto use “quick fixes” to curb these behaviors willonly serve to diminish your puppy’s confidence inyou as a leader. Techniques for dealing withteething, nipping, and mouthing are describedlater in this chapter.

7.Puppies have a limited attention span andcan only “behave,” or rather, be kept out of

trouble, for a limited amount of time. As they growand as we teach them, they do develop an atten-tion span. It’s important to know now that theycan only concentrate for short periods of time.

8.Once your puppy’s mental battery has worndown and repetitive, improper behaviors

begin, any attempt to redirect will be futile. Takeyour puppy to the crate for rest.

9.Your puppy can learn the housebreakingroutine, but his body cannot “hold” all of his

bodily functions no matter how much he maywant to do this. At roughly four and a half to fivemonths of age, your puppy’s body will catch up indevelopment and be able to control his flow ofurine from the body. Very frequent potty breakswill help this routine.


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10.Get Real! Keep your expectations realis-tic. Puppyhood is the stage where we

must be completely responsible for our puppies.Do not expect your puppy to behave like an adultdog. Know her limitations and work with theminto the next stage of learning.


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THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP FORYOUR PUPPYYour role as a leader right now has many facets.Safety Patrol, Tour Guide, Teacher, Mom/Dad,Leader, and Role Model are all roles that you willfulfill. The Friend role will happen later in life, sobe a parent now. Parents teach, lead, set rules,and reinforce them.

Safety Patrol. As Safety Patrol, you will beresponsible for all of your puppy’s safety needs.You will need to puppy-proof all areas of yourhome and supervise your puppy continuously toensure safety.

Tour Guide. As Tour Guide, you will be respon-sible for teaching your puppy about the world.Take this role very seriously and actively showyour puppy new experiences. You will need to“explain” everything to her!

Teacher. It is up to you to teach your puppythe expectations of the household and society.Don’t think for a minute that your puppy can fol-low a command as if you had a remote control!You must teach her everything you want her toknow.

Mom/Dad and Leader. As the Parent andLeader, you will need to lead your dog just likeyou parent children. You need to make decisionsfor them, direct their activities, and praise themwhen they succeed. Good parents direct theirchildren well. If good parents “parent” well, thengood leaders “lead” well! Don’t be afraid to takethe lead in all situations. Your puppy will appreci-ate this. Leading him tells him he is not out thereon his own. Leading will boost his security.


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Role Model. Since a puppy learns critical les-sons about humans in this stage, we must be veryaware of how we respond to the inevitable acci-dents of puppyhood. The occasional chewedobject or “puppy puddle” should not be met withmaniacal screaming. (If so, your puppy may sur-mise that humans are imbalanced!) Remain calmwhen finding errors, firmly say “no,” and calmlyredirect your puppy to learn the appropriatebehavior.

The Patient Leader. When you find yourselfout of patience, crate your puppy. If your mentalbatteries have worn out, chances are that yourpuppy’s batteries have also worn out. By cratingyour puppy, you are getting an essential breakfrom your job, and your puppy is getting “recess”and naptime. This dramatically cuts the chancesof losing your patience.


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YOUR PUPPY’S NEEDSMental Needs

11.While your puppy’s mental needs aresmall right now, her learning capability is

great. The mental needs are small because her restneeds are much higher in comparison. But the les-sons she is learning through observation and envi-ronmental response to her exploration are great.She needs to get positive feedback from learning—both from you and from the environment.

12.View every time you are with your puppyas a learning session. These sessions

need to be positive and well guided to ensure suc-cess. If she’s not supervised well or is only “halfsupervised,” her chances of getting into troubleare greater. Making continuous mistakes and con-tinually getting scolded is not fun or positive foranyone!

13.Keep your puppy’s “learning sessions”short. Learning is exhausting for a

puppy! They are trying to learn how to live in ahuman world and this generally means that noneof their “doggie skills” are applicable (rough play,food guarding, mouthing, etc.) His learning and“unlearning” must be in small doses.


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14.Crating your puppy for periodic breakswill keep her learning sessions small

and will not mentally exhaust or frustrate her. Atired or frustrated puppy will not learn well oreagerly. Crate time will help her recharge for thenext session.

15.Exploration at this stage is usuallycuriosity driven and not genetically

driven (e.g., hunting instincts) and therefore prob-ably won’t cause repetitive nuisance behaviors atthis stage (see chapter 12). However, an “ounce ofprevention” is truly worth more than trying to“pound the cure into her.” Prevention, by super-vising your puppy as she explores, is critical inmaintaining curiosity and safety at the sametime.

Physical Needs

16.Your puppy’s physical needs come inshort bursts. A small walk up and down

the block is fine for a youngster. If you do a walkthat is too long, your puppy will sit down andrefuse to walk. You may even need to pick her upand carry her home! Keep your walks short andbuild time and pace slowly.


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17.Don’t take your puppy jogging andexpect her to keep up with you for a

great distance. Keep the runs short in duration.Running on a long leash is fine if done in a soft,grassy area, but high-impact jumping or runningshould be avoided until your dog is one year ofage. Their bones are still developing and you don’twant to risk injury or impairment of proper devel-opment.

18.One or two small walks per day alongwith one or two short runs in puppy-

hood is a rather general, but appropriate “recipe”to meet your dog’s physical needs. Keep in mindthat the balance will be different with differentbreeds so make adjustments accordingly!

Social Needs

19.Your puppy’s social needs are extremelyimportant right now. This is probably the

most important need to fulfill at this stagebecause she is forming all of her impressionsabout the world right now. Preplan many socialactivities at this stage so your puppy gets properexposure to as many different people, animals,environments, and objects as possible.


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20.In the case of social exposures for yourpuppy, “the more the merrier” doesn’t

always apply. Never sacrifice quality for quantity.Control the exposures to other animals so theydon’t scare your puppy. Visit new places duringoff-peak times so they will not be overwhelming.Use food to introduce new objects. The more pos-itive learning experiences your puppy gets, thefaster she will learn good social skills.

21.All too often it is tempting to treat pup-pies to a magic carpet ride, picking them

up to either carry them from one point to anotheror to immediately try to reassure them if some-thing (a loud noise or quick movement) startlesthem. While we must be aware that there may becertain times when picking them up may preventharm and a negative learning experience, wemust also be willing to allow puppies to experi-ence new situations to their fullest potential. If weact as if there is something wrong with every newor different situation, our puppies will take ourcue and assume something is wrong as well.


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22.Give them a “safety net.” When it comesto navigating steps or getting in and out of

cars or up and down stairs, assist your puppy. Sincewe don’t want their little furry joints to becomeinjured, we must develop a sense of how muchassistance to provide while still allowing them toacclimate to their environment. We can assist ourpuppies in these learning situations by offering thesame type of “safety net” that we offer when weplace our hands under a toddler’s armpits to “un-weight” them as they learn to walk.

Rest Needs

23.Rip Van Puppy: At this stage, puppiesneed more naps than most people

expect. Napping in a quiet crate, in a quiet room,will help them recharge their little puppy batter-ies. When a puppy is well rested, he will takedirection from you better, mouth you less, learnthings more cooperatively, and have more funplaying with you. Rest recharges the battery, butnothing recharges the battery like sleep. Sleepoccurs during nighttime when the dark reducesstimuli and your puppy can slip into a deep sleep.


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24.Rest needs are high during physicalgrowth spurts. Puppyhood is the stage

where the most physical growth takes place. Whenyour dog experiences a physical growth spurt, herenergy may decline and she may sleep nearly con-stantly. Don’t worry—after the growth spurt stops,she will be back to full activity in no time!

BASIC PUPPY MANNERS

25.Probably the most frequent complaint ofall clients is “my dog jumps on people.”

One of the problems is that we accidentally nur-ture the jumping from the start by picking themup while they are jumping at us. The “proper” wayto pick up a puppy (so as not to nurture the jump-ing problem!) is to turn the puppy away from youfirst, then pick her up with one arm under herchest and armpits and one arm supporting herrump. Do not pick her up when she is facing youor climbing on you. Recognize the early requestfor a cuddle but turn it into a positive patternstarting on the first day!


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THE NAME GAME! SOCIALIZEYOUR PUPPY TO HER NEW NAME For this exercise you will need two people. Bothpeople need to sit on the floor facing each othersix or eight feet apart. Have a long leash on yourpuppy. One person has the loop end of the leashand the other person has the puppy. Hold thepuppy so he faces the person with the loop. Havethe person with the loop call the puppy’s name.Person Two may need to push the puppy towardsPerson One. Person One reels the puppy in withthe leash. When your puppy gets to Person One,praise and give a treat.

Make sure to only use your puppy’s name andpraise. Give a treat every time. Repeat this exer-cise at least ten times per session. The lesson wecan teach the puppy is “when I hear my name andcome running, I get a cookie.” You will need torepeat the practice session at least four times aweek. Children can also assist in this exercise withthe parent’s immediate supervision.


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26.After your puppy appears to recognizeher name, you can try a different exer-

cise. Take your puppy outside on the long leash.Wait until your puppy becomes interested in ascent or is wandering around. Call her name (onlyher name) and motivate by patting your legs andrepeating her name. Reel her in if necessary.Praise and give a treat for returning to you. Repeatthis exercise ten times each session.

27.While you are raising your puppy, youcan use her name to divert her from

improper behaviors and redirect her to you. If youfind your puppy starting to chew on a plant or legof a chair, call her name in a cheery, positive toneand she will leave the object behind and eagerlytrot over to you. Praise and give her a treat.

28.Don’t worry—your puppy won’t learn tochew things for a treat. Her attention

span is so short she will only remember her nameand the treat. This diversion/redirection will onlywork if you keep your puppy’s name positive!(Remember, reprimand will not teach her a lessonat this age. The desire for discovery will overrideany “social lesson.”)


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Earn It and Learn It

29.Begin simple daily manners by havingyour puppy sit to have her leash put on,

sit before she is served her meal, sit for treats, andsit at doorways before exiting. This will not onlypromote etiquette but will also get her in thehabit of cooperating with you on a daily basis.

30.There are basic skills of sitting, downing,and walking on a leash that your puppy

can learn during this stage. Working with you,taking direction, earning rewards, and “learning toenjoy learning” are all accomplished by doingthese exercises at this time.

Teaching the “Puppy Sit”

31.With your puppy at your left side, placeyour right hand on the collar and your

left hand on your puppy’s rump just above hertail. “Roll” your puppy’s haunches under with atuck of your left hand. As you’re rolling yourpuppy’s rump under, gently apply upward andbackward pressure with the collar. As you’re plac-ing the puppy into the position, say “SIT.” Whenthe puppy is there, cheerfully say “Good SIT!”


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32.Do not push down on your puppy’spelvis and never use force when teach-

ing SIT! Your puppy’s rump should roll right underher as you slide your hand down and over her tail.If you curl your hand gently under her buttockswhile you do this, she will automatically roll herhaunches under for you.

Teaching the “Puppy Down”

33.Begin with your puppy in a SIT by yourleft side. Place your left hand on your

puppy’s upper shoulders and back, with your righthand underneath your puppy’s front legs, palms up.With a sweeping motion, move your right handforward as you gently push your puppy’s frontfeet forward and out from underneath him. Whiledoing this, apply gentle, steady pressure downwardon your puppy’s shoulders as your puppy slidessoftly into the DOWN position. As you place thepuppy into the position, say “DOWN.” When thepuppy is there, cheerfully say “Good DOWN!”

Teaching Your Puppy “Follow-the-Leader”Skills and Leash Etiquette

34.At this point it isn’t important for yourpuppy to walk directly at the HEEL posi-

tion. It is more important for her to learn to hap-pily accept walking on a leash somewhere nearyou. This means no excessive pulling or draggingbehind.


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35.Begin by calling your puppy’s name andsaying, “Let’s go!” Pat your leg, encourage

your puppy with your voice, and praise her for fol-lowing.

36.When your puppy becomes distracted,gently tug on the leash, saying “No,”

then say “Here!” When she responds, looks at you,and follows you, praise her heartily!

37.If your puppy is a puller, turn away fromher to get her attention. You may have to

make several turns in each session to teach her tostay by your side. Do not expect her to hold a trueHEEL at this time in her life. Just concentrate onhaving her learn to look for you.

If your puppy bites at the leash when you walk,give her a toy to carry on the walk. This will avoida “tug-of-war” situation. You can also spray a bit-ters spray on the leash before each walk to dis-courage her from putting the leash in her mouth.


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BRINGING HOME PUPPY

38.Make sure you understand the pros andthe cons of the breed you are getting (or

have gotten). To make sure you get useful feed-back, talk to a local trainer or veterinarian. Theseprofessionals have seen the good and bad of eachbreed and can provide balanced input.

39.When is the best time to get a dog? Ide-ally, bring your puppy home approxi-

mately three years before you plan to introducechildren into the household. This will give the dogplenty of time to be trained and to mature. He willthen be better able to handle the introduction ofthe children. The dog will also be less work formom and dad by the time the children arrive.

If you have young children and the household isdetermined to get a pet, try a cat or a fish. Catsrequire much less raising, care, and maintenancethan dogs do. You will still need to kitten-proofand supervise your children with the cat, but thismight be a better alternative.


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40.Conversely, if small children are alreadyin the household, waiting until the chil-

dren are between eight and ten years of age is rec-ommended. Children of this age have moreself-control and maturity, and Mom and Dad havemore available time for raising the puppy now thatthe children don’t require constant monitoring.

41.Never assume the children will care foryour puppy or dog. Raising a puppy is

not a learning experience for your children. Onlybring a puppy into the household if the adultowners both agree that this is the right idea at theright time.

42.Introduce the leash and collar when thepuppy comes home for the first time.

Keep your puppy on a leash while she is out of thecrate. Allow her to drag her leash around so that itwill become a normal part of her day-to-day life.

RAISING TIPS

43.Stay in constant watch of your puppy.The more you watch and direct his every

action, the fewer mistakes he will make. Less mis-takes means less stress for the owner. Less stressfor the owner means no temper tantrums or dis-plays of the “ugly owner.” Less of this “stressedout” behavior from leaders leads to more trustfrom puppy to human. Easy, yes?


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44.Unknown Boundaries: You can’t make acorrection for something that your

puppy doesn’t understand yet. So if you’re puppyis going into unchartered waters (rooms off lim-its), do not yell or vocally reprimand. Play thename game and call her back and praise her forfollowing your lead.

45.Keep your puppy on a leash in order toredirect him more neutrally. If you see

him get into something inappropriate, gently tugthe leash and call his name (without anger) to callhim away from his mistake.

46.Keep in mind that puppies are trulymaking mistakes in this stage. If we

respond to mistakes with anger, our puppies mayaccidentally learn that exploring is negative (andthat we are negative!). Mistakes are mistakes atthis stage. The only thing they need to learn isthat their leaders will help them learn fairly andcalmly. Whether it’s a housebreaking accident, achewing mistake, or a mouthing mistake, keepyour cool and redirect your puppy.


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47.Be a good baby-sitter. Since we need totend to their needs completely, don’t

leave your puppy alone in the yard by himself orunattended to “play” by himself in the livingroom. When you’re with your puppy, plan activi-ties to occupy his time. Balls, chew toys, puppymanners exercises, walks, etc., are all creativeways to keep your puppy involved with somethingpositive.

48.When you can’t supervise your puppy,place her in her crate for a nap. This is

the easiest way to prevent errors. You may need tocrate her simply to pay bills or cook dinner, andthen take her out again. Feel good about usingyour crate as a way to supervise (safeguard) yourpuppy when you can’t supervise her. Think of thetools we use for children when we can’t actuallyhold them: walker, playpen, swing, crib. Tools or“training wheels” are always used for safety untilthe little one is safe by herself.

49.Keep chew toys in every room in whichyou wish to take your puppy. If toys are

readily available, you can always give your puppysomething positive to do with her time whileyou’re brushing your teeth or putting on yourshoes. This prevents table legs, your legs, andleather shoes from being “chew toy du jour!”


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TETHERING OR “POSTING”

50.The “canine umbilical cord”: If you needto fold laundry or do the dishes and you

wish to have your puppy with you rather thancrated, tether her to a table leg or tie the leasharound your waist or belt. Keeping your puppytethered in the room with you will keep a “bound-ary” in place and keep her in your visual field. Besure the object you tether your puppy to is some-thing heavy, like a bedpost, sofa, or heavy dresser,so your dog can’t move the object or pull it overand injure herself.

51.Only tether your puppy while she’swearing a flat, material collar. Never

tether a dog while she’s wearing any sort of train-ing collar. It helps if your puppy’s material collarhas a quick-release latch in case she gets tangled.Never use a choker chain or prong collar for teth-ering, and never tether your puppy unattended orfor long periods without supervision.

52.You may want to have several tethersalready set up around your house. Pick

the most used rooms like your bedroom, office,and living room. Have a tether already set up ineach room so that you can easily hook your puppyup to it as you move around the house with her.


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CRATE TRAINING

WHY USE THE CRATE?The crate is the safest and most effective form ofconfinement. Socialize your puppy to it immedi-ately and continue to use it through maturity (2–3years). It provides safety and respect in manyareas. Crating provides a housebreaking tool,structure, acceptance of boundaries, puppy safety,property safety, and relationship preservation.

Housebreaking. The crate is an excellenthousebreaking tool. The goal of its use is to stim-ulate cleanliness. Puppies instinctively don’t wantto soil their sleeping or living area.

Structure. When the crate is used for structure,it is the single easiest way to establish a “follow-the-rules” appreciation in your dog. Simply usingthe crate on a regular basis allows the puppy toaccept the concept of rules of the house.

Acceptance of Boundaries. While the crate is aphysical boundary, its use generates the accept-ance of boundaries in your dog’s life. This helpsachieve one of your main puppy goals.

Puppy’s Safety. Certainly there are times whenyou cannot be “tied” to your dog or superviseher every action. These are the times when crateusage is also positive and helpful. Any dog, une-ducated in household rules, can get into dangerwhen you’re not looking. Household dangersrange from puppies falling down the steps topuppies chewing wires, ingesting the wrongitems, etc. Using your crate for those moments


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when you need to take your attention away fromwatching your puppy will guarantee safety untilyou can watch her again.

Property Safety. Nothing is more devastatingthan seeing your one-hundred-dollar pair ofshoes ripped into pieces by your puppy’s side.Seeing your DVD remote control being used as ateething toy while you’re sidetracked on thephone is also quite upsetting. Contrary to popu-lar belief, these things are accidents in puppy-hood, but can be prevented by using the crate forthe times when your puppy is unsupervised.

Relationship Saver. Using your crate to giveyou and your puppy some time away from eachother is important in maintaining a good relation-ship. When we, or our puppies, become tired andstressed, both run the risk of acting inappropri-ately. Our voices and body language becomestressed while our puppies can end up makingdestructive mistakes. Whether it’s losing ourpatience or a valuable item, our relationship canbecome compromised. The crate as a relation-ship saver answers the timeless question: “Howcan I miss you if you don’t go away?”


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Crate Training—How to Use the Crate

53.One size fits all. To save money, purchasethe crate that will be adequate for your

dog’s lifetime needs. During the housebreakingperiod, block off the rear of the crate with woodslats or crate dividers available at larger pet stores.As your puppy gets better at keeping the crateclean, gradually increase the available living space.

54.The crate should be big enough for thepuppy to stand up in, turn around in,

and lie down in comfortably. It shouldn’t be bigenough for the puppy to eliminate and then moveaway to the other side of the crate.

Setting Up the Crate

55.We have assembled many metal crates,and each assembly is just as “easy” as the

first. Assemble the crate away from the puppy. Havesomeone take him on a walk that will last at least ahalf hour. The clanging of metal and gnashing ofteeth (your teeth) during set-up will surely preju-dice your puppy’s first impression of his new home.

56.Introduce your puppy to the surface onwhich he will be resting. Take the pan

out of the crate and allow the puppy to investigateit. Place some treats on the pan to help out. Thesame idea is important for the plastic crates. Sep-arate the halves and allow the puppy to play inthe bottom half.


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57.Cushion the bottom of the metal crate.Sometimes the noise your puppy makes

walking on the pan can scare him. To dull thesound, place the crate on a carpet or cut up thecardboard box and place the cardboard under-neath the pan.

Location of the Crate

58.Place the crate in a quiet location. Thegoal of being in the crate is to rest and

relax. If the crate is located in the kitchen or otherhigh-traffic area, your puppy will not rest ade-quately and may develop problems from beingovertired. The ideal place is in a separate roombehind a closed door. Bedrooms are the idealplace for the crate. This is the room where you(the owner) leave the most scent. Your puppy willfeel closest to you here and will get the best resthere.

59.Use the crate, not the gate. Puppies needtheir own space. Gating off an area like a

laundry room or kitchen doesn’t allow the puppytheir own dedicated space. These areas areshared-space areas. How relaxing would it be ifyour bedroom doubled as the kitchen?


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Socializing to the Crate

60.Maybe your puppy has been socializedto the crate at the breeder, maybe not.

Since the crate is one of the most important toolsin raising and training your puppy, it is time to bebrave! Your attitude toward the crate will greatlyinfluence how your puppy accepts this aspect ofhis life. Remember, adult dogs spend significantamounts of time alone; it is essential they learn toself-soothe now.

61.Place your puppy in the crate. Give yourpuppy their favorite treat. Always have a

pleasant voice even if your puppy was doingsomething dastardly or dirty. It is often how thepuppy is placed in the crate and not what theywere doing that makes being in the crate punish-ment. So if you never yell and you keep your emo-tions under control, the crate will always be ahappy place.

62.Always get your puppy and lead him tothe crate (using a leash). Never call your

puppy to the crate. This will avoid the “keep-away” game as your puppy might not always wantto go into the crate and may dash around thetables and under furniture trying to avoid you. Ifyour puppy makes a fool out of you, your temperwill undoubtedly rise, and now the crate will seemlike punishment.


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63.Provide some “white noise” for yourpuppy. Turn a radio on low volume or a

fan on low. This will provide enough backgroundnoise for your puppy. He will be less likely to stayawake and “listen” for house noises like peoplemoving around or that pesky squirrel dashingthrough the leaves.

64.Even if your puppy is acting inappropri-ately and you need to use the crate for a

time-out, do not use anger when crating yourpuppy. Remain calm when using the crate so yourpuppy does not associate your anger or emotion-ality with the crate itself.

65.Cover all bases! When your puppy isoverly stimulated, you can cover the

crate with a blanket to remove excess stimulation.Most often, puppies calm right down when cov-ered. Leave the side facing the wall open for ven-tilation.

How to Use the Crate

66.Give your puppy frequent eliminationbreaks in and out of the crate to ensure

that your house and the crate remain clean. Aclean crate will stimulate the puppy’s naturalinstincts to remain clean.


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67.In puppyhood, your puppy will notunderstand being crated as a negative

reinforcement for bad behavior. It will, however,settle her down if rest is truly what she needs, orif she is becoming too stimulated during play. (Inthe adolescent stage, a dog does understand “con-sequences” and will be able to see crating as partof a “liberty removal” system.)

68.The crate is a valuable tool for providingtime management for your puppy. The

best way to use the crate is to set a schedule foryour puppy.The key to good management is manyrepetitions in and out of the crate.

69.Have at least five planned activitiesready when your puppy is out of the

crate. These activities should last between thirtyand forty-five minutes total for a young puppy.Make these activities “quality time” with 100 per-cent attention being paid to the puppy. After thistime is over, allow your puppy some downtime,and then he will probably be ready for a crate nap.


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HOUSEBREAKING

70.Establish a schedule: The very first stepto housebreaking your puppy is to estab-

lish a schedule. It is critical to stay as close to thesame times every day until your puppy has fullyunderstood the concept you are teaching him.Thetighter you remain on schedule, the faster thepuppy will develop a rhythm and internal timeclock for his own schedule.

71.Create a working schedule around therhythms of the household. Puppies

should be fed three times a day unless workschedules prohibit. Start your schedule when thehousehold wakes, and begin with an immediateelimination break. Once a puppy is awake hewon’t wait long to eliminate.

72.Write this schedule down and post it ina prominent place. If more than one per-

son is caring for the puppy, make sure scheduleresponsibilities are understood and followed byall participating. A unified family can ensure thesuccess of your housebreaking venture!


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Cue Words

73.Direction Cue. When going to the door,choose a word like OUTSIDE to direct the

first part of her task. OUTSIDE will let her knowwhere you are going, and by using the next cueword (the elimination cue word), she will link thetwo words with the process.

74.OUTSIDE will become a question youwill later ask her if you suspect she may

need to go outside. If you’ve successfully linkedOUTSIDE with HURRY UP (or the elimination cueword), she will quickly run to the door in answerto your question if she needs an eliminationbreak.

75.Elimination Cue. Use another specific cuelike HURRY UP or POTTY to indicate that

you wish her to eliminate.This word can be linkedeasily with the first potty break of the morningsince most puppies need to eliminate first thingin the morning.


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76.Cue words can become gentle coaxeswhen you know your puppy needs to

eliminate but is perhaps becoming distracted inthe yard. Repeating the cue HURRY UP in a coax-ing voice can refocus her on the job at hand.

77.Some people choose to pick one cueword for urination and one for defeca-

tion. You have to time the cue word with theaction quite a few times successfully so yourpuppy can make the link between the action andthe words. Sometimes it’s easier to use one wordor phrase for both actions.


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THE HOUSEBREAKING CYCLEStart the housebreaking cycle by bringing yourpuppy out of the crate. Carry or walk your puppyimmediately outside. Using a leash, walk yourpuppy over to the desired elimination area. Gen-tly, but encouragingly, repeat your cue word.Once your puppy has eliminated, praise in a gen-tle tone “Good potty,” and return inside thehouse.

Wait only three to four minutes for your puppyto eliminate. If it takes longer than this, she prob-ably does not need to eliminate or is distracted.Return inside and wait five minutes and repeatthe process. (If your puppy tends to eliminateindoors during this waiting period, crate her for afew minutes or keep her on a short leash with youto avoid these accidents.)

Once inside, offer breakfast and some water.When your puppy finishes, take her outside foranother elimination break. In this morning rou-tine, your puppy should both urinate and defe-cate.


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Feeding Time

78.When feeding your puppy, allow onlyten to fifteen minutes for eating. If your

puppy doesn’t eat the full meal, remove it and donot feed again until the next scheduled feeding.This will encourage a timely and efficient feedingschedule. This, in turn, helps with a timely, rhyth-mic elimination schedule.

79.If your puppy is wandering around duringmealtime, you may need to put her on-

leash and restrict her motion around the kitchenuntil she is finished. After the bowl is empty or timeis up, remove the bowl and do not feed your dogagain until the next scheduled feeding.

80.During feeding, pick a quiet area or timeto feed. Sometimes the daily activities in

one’s kitchen or living area will cause the puppyto be unable to focus on eating. If your puppyseems distracted and unable to concentrate onthe “job” of feeding, put her in her crate to eat.Eliminating distractions will allow your puppy tofocus on the task at hand.


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Setbacks and Accidents in Housebreaking

81.Be prepared for setbacks! Puppies at theage of eight to ten weeks will void them-

selves completely when they eliminate. As theyage to between eleven and thirteen weeks, musclecontrol of the bladder begins to develop. At thisstage, it is not uncommon for the puppy to elimi-nate only a portion of their contents and thenbecome distracted by a leaf, noise, or their owntail. The puppy will return inside and promptlyeliminate again. This is not a deliberate action,just a lack of concentration. Practice puppy con-centration exercises and keep a keen eye to see ifyour puppy is voiding completely.

82.What do you do if your puppy has anaccident? Be calm. (Yelling or otherwise

startling or scaring the puppy may teach him notto eliminate in front of you.) Walk quickly over toyour puppy and say “NO” firmly. Pick up the puppyand immediately take him to the desired elimina-tion area.

83.Do not rub your puppy’s nose in her acci-dent. This will cause her to lose trust in

you for doing such a distasteful act to her. She mayalso think that you are displeased with the actrather than the location of it.That may cause her tonot want to eliminate in front of you. This couldlead to her sneaking off and hiding to eliminate,eliminating in her crate, or eating her own stool.


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84.Thoroughly clean the accident area withan odor neutralizer. Common cleaners

may take the smell from our noses but not yourpuppy’s. If the scent remains, the puppy willassume this area is appropriate for elimination.

Special Considerations of Housebreaking

85.Should people with jobs own dogs? Sure,but remember that housebreaking a

young puppy without a midday elimination breakis more difficult on the both the puppy and owneralike. The owner must allow (and provide spacefor) more frequent accidents and an overall longerprocess.

86.Hiring a dog-walking service to aid inthis developmental period is also a good

idea to help avoid long crating periods while yourpuppy is young. This period in a dog’s life goes byquickly and some allowances made early on canyield an opportunity for better learning and awonderful relationship with your dog later.

87.At first, absorbent bedding will keepaccidents away from your puppy when

they are simply too young to “hold it” for extendedperiods of time. Keeping them clean now willstimulate their own ability to be clean later. Keepa good schedule to aid in this cleanliness process.


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88.In later stages of housebreaking (threemonths on), avoid absorbent bedding. If

your puppy can eliminate and have the offendingmaterial absorbed, he can push it off to one side.Removal of bedding at this point will require yourpuppy to really try to remain clean in betweenscheduled potty breaks.

89.Avoid tethering your puppy outside. Nat-ural instincts will tell the puppy not to

soil an area they spend extended amounts of timein.This may cause the puppy not to eliminate out-side or start eliminating inside the crate.

90.Not all puppies give obvious signalswhen they need to eliminate, but they do

give signs. Watch your puppy carefully and notesome of the more common signals: waking up,sudden sniffing, circling, moving to a remote area,or just a puzzled look. Act quickly to get your puppyto the elimination area as quickly as possible.

91.When activity level changes, your puppycould have an accident. This applies to

sleeping and waking, playing then stopping, aftera car ride, after a meal, etc.


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92.Your puppy’s accidents will catch him asmuch by surprise as they do you! Your

puppy can be playing, drinking, walking, or chew-ing a bone and may just spontaneously urinate.This is completely without intent and is certainlynot “out of spite.” Her bladder simply became fulland her body released it. Until her body develop-ment catches up, this is quite common.

IN EQUALS OUT!What goes in must come out, and this applies toboth treats and water. Limit treat volume. Fre-quent treats are okay, but offer small bits insteadof big bones. Watch the water intake as well. Therule of thumb is to make sure your puppy hasplenty of water to clean his system. But offer thewater in small parcels, relevant to your dog’s size.This will keep a good flow of water movingthrough his system, but in predictable time peri-ods so you can structure his “output” and keepaccidents to a minimum.


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93.Quality food is highly digestible. Whatthis means to the housebreaking

process is the more readily digestible the food, theless the puppy must eliminate. A bargain food-store brand has plenty of fillers. For every onehundred pounds of food your puppy eats, he mayeliminate fifty to sixty pounds in the yard! Onehundred pounds of a higher-quality pet-storebrand may only yield thirty-five to forty pounds inthe yard. The more frequently the puppy musteliminate, the harder the housebreaking process.

94.The firmer the stool, the easier it is forthe puppy to “hold it.” If your puppy’s

stool is consistently soft, consider switchingfoods. Check the protein source on the bag you arecurrently feeding your puppy (e.g., chicken, beef,lamb, or some other meat). Switch the proteinsource and see if the stool changes. Always switchfoods slowly over at least a week interval to avoiddiarrhea.

95.Unless you are teaching your puppy toeliminate inside the house (if you live in

a big city and have a small dog), it is best to usepaper and wee-wee pads only as an “accidentcatcher.” It is not wise to encourage the puppy toeliminate on the paper as a habit. Encouragingpaper elimination leads the puppy to understandthat, under the correct circumstances, it is okay toeliminate in the house.


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96.If your puppy is having trouble under-standing where to eliminate, place a

soiled paper or pad outside in the area reservedfor elimination. During the next scheduled bath-room break, take the puppy out to the desiredarea and show him the pad. Repeat your cue wordencouragingly and praise for success.

PREVENTING FOOD AGGRESSION

97.Feeding your puppy in a quiet, peacefularea will remove the chances of her

becoming stressed out and defensive about meal-times. Too much activity and commotion near herfeeding area may cause her to startle quickly,ingest her food too quickly, or become protective.

98.If her litter was large, she may have hada great deal of competition either for a

teat on the mother dog or for food in a bowl as shewas weaned onto dog food. This competition isstressful and may have caused her to have to fightto claim her food.

99.Sit quietly by your dog in a chair, holdingher leash. This gives not only direction

to your puppy, but also enhances her ability toadapt to someone being near to her food bowl.Remain motionless and do not disturb her whileshe’s feeding. Don’t stare at her. Sometimes yourpuppy may perceive that as a challenge.


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100.After a week or two of sitting by her,you can begin casually reaching

down and petting her gently while she’s eating.Don’t distract her too much. Just touch her as thenext step in desensitizing her. Praise her gentlyfor allowing you to interact with her. At later feed-ing sessions, reach into her food bowl and touchher food. Again, praise her for not responding.

101.You may want to divide her mealinto two “servings.” When one “serv-

ing” is finished, you can add the rest to her bowland let her finish the second “serving,” which isreally just the second half of the total meal. Thismay help her to see that food isn’t scarce, herneeds will be met, and there will always be plentyfor her to eat.

PUPPY-PROOFING

102.It is essential to “puppy-proof” yourhome for your newest family mem-

ber. Keeping her safe is your first goal. Since pup-pies have no self-control or concept of right andwrong yet, you do not want to risk her safety byhaving ingestible items readily available.


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103.Plug up outlets with childproof out-let covers. Whiskers and tongues

may find investigation a shocking experience! Alljokes aside, this could be very dangerous, if notlife-threatening to your puppy.

104.Hide television, phone, and com-puter wires under furniture or

objects. All too often, these tempting “toys” satisfynot only unsafe investigation instincts, but unsafechewing needs as well. Not only is this dangerousto your puppy, but it can also cost you money inelectronic repairs.

105.Bitters extract sprays can be pur-chased to spray on items that you

wish your dog to remain away from. These tastesare so pungent that your dog will immediatelyspit the object out of his mouth and create a neg-ative association with the object. Later, the smellof the spray alone will be enough of an associa-tion with the taste to keep your puppy away fromthe object. The sprays need to be reapplied everyother day or so to completely break the habit ofchewing the object.

106.Houseplants can be poisonous, so dosome research on the plants in your

home. Bitters extract spray products exist specifi-cally for plants, but supervise your puppy aroundplants.


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107.Puppy-proofing is not a license to letyour puppy have free roam of the

house or even of a given area. She can find thesmallest of items to investigate and it could proveharmful to her. You remain her best safeguard inher daily life experiences.

MOTOR MOUTHING MONSTERS

108.Nipping and mouthing are very nat-ural instincts. Everything puppies

know instinctually tells them that using themouth is one of the most natural things they willdo (just like crying is to a newborn baby). Thisdoes not mean that your puppy is aggressive ortemperamental, just using the only tools heunderstands.

109.You will not do any one thing to getthem to believe that this deeply

imprinted mouthing instinct is wrong. So don’ttry the “quick fixes” like spray bottles, shakercans, or holding their mouth! Attempting thesereprimands will not work and will only serve tobreak your puppy’s trust in you. There are ways tomanage your puppy’s mouthing and nipping asopposed to using “quick fixes.”


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110.Each “mouthing moment” has a dif-ferent origin, so each “solution” or

management option is, of course, going to be dif-ferent. You can keep a running list of “origins” anda list of “managements” to help you troubleshoot.

Managing Mouthing and Nipping

111.The first step in managing nippingand mouthing is to identify the core

reason for the mouthing/nipping at any giventime. Your puppy will use her mouth for many dif-ferent reasons and at many different times. Keepa log of the times and circumstances of the behav-ior. You will quickly see patterns in the behaviors.

112.Once you’ve identified the source ofthe mouthing, you can apply a man-

agement technique to quell it (for the time being).Remember that puppies are constant manage-ment, and managing this behavior today meansmanaging it tomorrow until your puppy can learnright and wrong concepts and self-control. We willoutline a checklist of actions to take when yourdog is “bite happy.”


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WHY DO NIPPING ANDMOUTHING HAPPEN?Communication. Puppies will nip and mouth tocommunicate. Try to figure out what it is they aretrying to communicate and meet that need. Theymay need interaction, a walk, or a nap. Mouthingto communicate only stops when a new commu-nication channel is introduced. This channel is theobedience training language. Until obediencetraining, try to figure out what they are trying tocommunicate and resolve it—don’t punish it.

Investigation. Puppies will nip and mouth toinvestigate. They will also use their mouths toexplore textures—carpets, clothing, shoes, pil-lows, furniture, etc. To redirect investigation,encourage other play with safe, approvedobjects. Use a specific “approved chew toy” tohelp your puppy quickly identify which material isapproved for chewing.

Teething. Puppies will nip and mouth to teeth.Your puppy will begin teething as early as fourmonths and continue through five months(smaller breeds may be delayed as much as onemonth). If your dog is teething, divert with a chewtoy. If your puppy spits the chew toy out andreturns to your hand, you either do not have thematerial she needs to soothe her teething, or shehas another need.

Frustrated. Puppies will nip and mouth ifthey’re frustrated. If your puppy feels you don’tunderstand her needs, she can become quitefrustrated. This is where mouthing usually jumpsinto high gear. At this point, it is best to crateyour puppy so she can get out of her “tizzy” and


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calm down. Find out where the communicationbreakdown is coming from. It could be a forgot-ten potty break, hunger (mealtime), thirst (emptywater bowl), or other unfulfilled need that needstending. If your puppy ends up snoozing soundlywhile you’re playing detective, then there’s youranswer—the need was rest all along!

Recipes for Quelling a Mouthing Situation

113.Give your puppy a bathroom break.This is the quickest and easiest

potential solution.

114.Stop! Cease all action by placingyour puppy into a SIT position facing

away from you. Once she is sitting, praise hercalmly. Keep her in this position for one to twominutes and introduce calming words like “settledown” or “enough” spoken in mild vocal tones. Donot stroke or pet your dog at this point. You willneed both hands to do this correctly, and strokingyour dog’s fur can be very stimulating to yourpuppy. Do not release your puppy if she is resist-ing or fighting you. Release your puppy when youfeel her body relax.


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115.Try to divert with chew toys. Place atoy in your puppy’s mouth and

praise for her taking it. Try to keep it there andhelp her concentrate on this new action ratherthan the previous nipping action. This is usually agreat troubleshooting action as you will quicklyknow if the need has been met with this one!

116.Maybe a little interaction is thething. If your puppy diverts for a

short time with the SIT redirection or the toy redi-rection, but is still insistent in mouthing you, try agame of fetch or other game that will not over-stimulate your puppy. (We recommend not usingthe “chasing the kids around the house” game asan outlet!)

117.Lastly, it is time for a nap. If yourpuppy has lost the ability to control

herself, any attempt at “making” her have self-control will be met with failure. Now it’s time fora time-out. Pick your puppy up and talk quietly toher as you place her in her crate, and give her atreat for going in. Shut the door and let yourpuppy relax for at least fifteen minutes after herinitial fidgeting in the crate has stopped. Shemight even need a good, long one- or two-hournap.


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Adolescent Dogs

2.

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Adolescence—the season of teaching andmentoring. All of the adolescent stages are

the core stages for a dog’s learning of our expec-tations, making good choices, and becoming agood team member. It’s much like a child’s devel-opment from ages five through thirteen.

Age: Adolescence covers the period betweenthe puppy stage (five months) and adult stage(three years). This is a period of physical, mental,and social growth. The physical growth stage willclimax between nine months and one year in age.The mental and social growth stage continuesfrom puberty through three years of age when thedog fully matures into an adult dog.

GOALS FOR ADOLESCENT DOGSObedience Command Language. The first goal tobe accomplished in the adolescent stage is toteach the obedience command language. Theobedience commands will serve as the communi-cation substitute for the nipping and mouthingyou endured during the puppy stage. It is also thestage to formally introduce the boundary thatdogs must not use their mouth on humans.

Cooperation. To teach cooperation, do a shortfifteen- to twenty-minute training session and fol-low it up with your puppy’s favorite activity: Fris-bee, ball game, retrieving game, walk, run, orfavorite chew toy. Your dog will quickly see thatobedience is a vehicle to his favorite activities.

Social Skills. Learning the concept of “socialskills” is equally important for dogs in this age


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range. Use obedience skills, such as HEEL andSIT-STAY, in social situations to help your doglearn to have self-control around other dogs andpeople. Good social skills begin with self-controlthrough obedience training.

Realistic goals. Set realistic goals for thesestages. As early as puberty, your dog can beexhibiting good self-control. He will continue toexhibit better self-control as you help himdevelop it through training and as he matures.Set small goals for each life stage and continue tobuild on them so that your guidance and hismaturing go hand-in-hand.

The “Loop of Learning.” During these stages,behavior patterns, manners, and daily skills arebeing taught and set. This loop or circle holds allof the valuable information your dog will need forhis entire life. Use this time wisely to educate yourdog fully so that the proper lessons will be carriedinto his adulthood. This “loop” remains open onlyuntil adulthood.

EXPECTATIONS FOR ADOLESCENT DOGS

118.Obedience training at this stage isnot intended to “fix” all of your prob-

lems. Obedience will be used to create patternsthat will be adopted (self-applied) in various situ-ations to create manners over time. So don’t“force” the “fix.” “Forcing” will cause other prob-lems to occur.

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119.Patience-building exercises are espe-cially helpful at these stages. Do

position-holding (SIT STAY and DOWN STAY)exercises daily to increase patience over time.

120.During puberty, secondary sexualcharacteristics begin to blossom.

Genetic imprinting such as territorial responsescan also begin to surface. This is the time whenmental discipline must be instilled as a basis fordeveloping a sense of canine “morality.” Mentallychallenging exercises, like distraction training,practiced often will help decrease response togenetics.

121.“I’ve never seen my dog do thatbefore.” If owners could assign a slo-

gan to this developmental stage of puberty, thatwould be it! Mental growth driven by geneticimprinting and hormonal influences will find fer-tile ground in a dog who is becoming more confi-dent with sorting out these impulses. Manyinteresting behavior problems can surface in anotherwise “good dog” during this period.


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Limitations

122.The adolescent stage is defined byquestioning authority and bound-

aries. Your dog may have a solid grasp of the com-mands, and he might even be starting to selfapply some of the patterns you have been teach-ing him. But remember, he is only beginning tounderstand right and wrong, and questioningthese boundaries is normal. Answer his “ques-tions” and breaches of boundaries with calm, on-leash direction through commands. Yourcommand system is your “yes and no,” “ques-tion/answer” communication system.

123.Maintaining the protocol until actualmaturity (adulthood) is essential.

The temptation at this stage is to remove theleadership protocol activities that have chauf-feured your dog up to this point. Because your dogis not mature yet and is still questioning leader-ship and boundaries, he could slowly begin tobackslide if you remove your leadership. Contin-ual guidance without “intermission” will preventyour dog from seeing holes in your consistency.

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124.It is common to want to remove thetraining wheels of leadership when

you see glimpses of good behavior. It is also com-mon, however, to be deceived into thinking yourdog is “grown up” mentally just because he is“grown up” physically. Fully developed bodies donot mean fully developed minds. Be aware of thistendency at this time and keep teaching.


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125.Despite the fact that this stageseems like a long period of time (two

and a half years) the imaginary “software” thatdetermines how your dog behaves in society isbeing programmed and the “learning loop” is clos-ing. The opportunity to fundamentally changeyour dog’s behavior will close sometime near theadult timeline. During the adolescent stage, truebehaviors (positive ones) can be imprinted andbehavior problems can be extinguished. After the“loop of learning” is closed, behavior problemscan only be managed.

THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP FORADOLESCENT DOGSYou direct them, or genetics will direct them! Verysimply, dogs need leaders. If you do not tell themhow to behave, their instincts will. Your leader-ship will help them listen to a more appropriateleader than their genetics—you!

Parent or Friend? We all want to be friendswith our dogs. We want that “man’s best friend”image of a boy and his dog. That will come afteryou’ve raised your dog well and he’s an adult. Inthese adolescent stages, however, it is mostimportant to be his parent, leader, director, andguide. Leadership now ensures that your dog willcorrectly learn how to be a positive family mem-ber for the rest of his life.

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126.Respect. Respect comes from howyou work with your dog, how you

guide him in real life, and how consistent you arein your teaching. Don’t fall into the “dominancetrap” of leadership. You do not need to play“prison guard” to gain your dog’s respect. Gain hisrespect by being fair and consistent, not loud anddemanding.

Direction now, freedom later. This is the stage ofdirection and leadership! The freedom your dogwill gain in adulthood comes from your directionand leadership in the adolescent stages. Moredirection means better teaching, better learning,and better manners. Do your job well in thesestages, and you will have to do less directing laterand more enjoying!

YOUR ADOLESCENT DOG’S NEEDSMental Needs

127.Mental needs in your adolescent dogare high. Fulfilling these needs will

reduce boredom, stimulate his mind, teach con-cepts, and reduce his need to follow his instincts.You can fulfill his mental needs mostly by work-ing obedience training, whether in your home orin other locations. Keep the training interestingand thought-provoking to pique their interests.


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Language and Learning Perspectives

128.“It’s all Greek to me!” In puberty, apuppy must learn a communication

system that will replace the old system of dog lan-guage. If he does not learn this system that we callobedience training, he will continue to rely on hisinstinctual canine communication skills. Instinc-tual skills for a dog involve barking, mouthing,and body language to communicate concepts. Thenew language, obedience training, helps the doglearn words, their meanings, and ultimately ourexpectations by how we use them.

129.In the beginning (around fivemonths of age), approach training

like a game for your puppy. Begin slowly and pos-itively, like a first-grade teacher would with chil-dren. Making it fun means that your dog willembrace the idea of training and learning for therest of his life.

130.At six to nine months, increase theworkouts. Make some lessons longer

and some more difficult.

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131.As you try to develop a work ethic,add some “plain ol’ fun” training ses-

sions to your routine. This will keep your dog feel-ing like he’s “winning” and succeeding. If it isn’talways tough, he will remain eager to learn fromyou.

Physical Needs

132.Physical needs escalate in thesestages of life. One to three walks

and/or runs each day is a fair number to expectfor your adolescent dog.The amount and durationof these activities will vary according to breed,size, climate, and personality.

133.Keep your dog well exercised torelieve stress and to balance the

mental work he needs to be doing. In this stage ofteaching and directing, exercise serves as a bal-ance to all of the learning you are asking him todo. While mental work is something he needs,there is nothing like a good dose of physical exer-cise to release energy and pent up stress!


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134.Brave it and bundle up! Exercise willstill be most desired by your dog

even in the dead of winter. Do your best to bundleup and exercise your dog even in the snow (if yourdog’s breed and size can handle it).The good newsis that it will take less time to exercise them in thesnow since it will tire them more quickly! Dailyexercise will help to compensate for the lack ofsocial interaction that sometimes occurs at thistime of year.

135.Take precautions to avoid frostbiteon your dog. Less time outdoors in

the cold, avoiding direct contact with ice, andusing coats for small dogs or breeds with shortercoats are all good precautions. Avoid any outdooractivity if the weather is especially threatening.

136.Hot Fun in the Summertime! Whilesummer is a great time to exercise

your dog outdoors, be cautious of the extra hot orhumid times of the year. Do either shorter walks,alternate swimming activities, or walks early inthe morning or late in the evening to avoid thehottest times of day.

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137.Your dog may especially enjoy onephysical activity over another, or a

variety of activities. Some of those include walk-ing, running, fetch, hiking, swimming, retrieving,and Frisbee. Vary your activities to keep your dogenjoying outdoor fun, or simply key in to hisfavorite one and supply plenty of this for balancein his life!

Social Needs

138.Your dog’s social needs in these stagesare as high as their mental and phys-

ical needs. Your dog is taking in everything abouthis world right now like a giant “social sponge.” Heis curious to learn about his world, so input andintegration with many people, places, and things isnecessary to create a well-rounded dog.

139.The deep winter and the hottestsummer season can cripple a dog’s

critical learning period. If you’re raising a young-ster during these times, you risk your dog losingher most critical imprinting time for learningabout the world. Be creative and diligent aboutgetting your impressionable puppy the propersocial exposures during these tricky times.


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140.Avoid social “cabin fever” by takinghim to indoor social venues like pet

stores or dog shows. Go to covered strip malls andwalk, to at least have your dog continue to seepeople and be in a social scene.

141.Summer swelter can also put a snagin your dog’s social life if it’s too hot to

go outside.Try indoor social activities the same wayyou would during winter, or simply go to a parkwith a bowl of water for her and a bottle of water foryou, and sit in the shade and enjoy being in a socialenvironment without exerting any energy!

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Rest Needs

142.Your dog’s rest needs vary during thisstage. Generally speaking, the amount

of rest your dog needs will decrease as she getsolder. Early in the adolescent stage your dog will stillneed to have rest periods scheduled for her. Later inthe adolescent stage she will learn to rest on herown. Rest is used to avoid physical injury and to pre-vent behavior accidents in curious teenagers. Beaware of the different needs in each stage.

143.As maturity sets in and the leadersare leading their pets, the amount of

rest a dog needs as prevention wanes a bit. Self-control and manners are being built, so physicaland mental “accidents” are less likely to occur.Expect this balance to shift as your dog grows.

144.If her mental and physical needs aremet to a high degree, your dog might

need more rest in a proportional fashion. If themental and physical needs are not met, then yourdog might need less rest and more stimulation.

RAISING TIPS

145.The language of obedience trainingmust be positive, fun, well taught, and

well received. The tools for these concepts are food,happy voice, happy facial expressions, precise andpatient teaching, and an eager teacher. (See the fol-lowing tips for more details about the concepts.)


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Positive Learning

146.Food for teaching obedience. Do notworry that by using food your dog

will come to depend on food in training. There aremany ways to ensure that food simply puts a pos-itive twist on training, as opposed to becoming a“crutch.” The main ideas are that your dog findsthis a positive experience, and he is learning towork, cooperate, and be patient for rewards.

147.If you do it, the treat will come. Startout using a tiny snack for each com-

pleted command. After a while, decrease theamount of treats. Reinforce after perhaps threecompleted commands. Then only treat forpatience commands. Then reinforce randomly sothat your dog is kept guessing (and working!) forthe next treat.

148.Use a treat in conjunction withupbeat, genuine verbal praise and

your smiling face. After a while, your praise andthe treat should end up meaning the same thing.Therefore, eliminating food during trainingshouldn’t matter.

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THERE IS NO “I” IN “T-E-A-M”After learning the obedience language in thepuberty stage, teamwork is the next piece of the“growing-up puzzle” that your dog needs tolearn. Teamwork is the concept that will help yourdog overcome the “me” stage. It means that yourdog understands working with you brings goodthings. He learns this by getting praise, petting,food, and affection for working with you. Rein-force training, walking, and games in this mannerto emphasize teamwork.

The HEEL command, with its turns, pacechanges, and side-by-side position, is a perfectway to practice teamwork. Fluid movementtogether illustrates a beautifully synchronizedteam working together and paying attention toeach other.

Stages and Learning

149.Though your dog knows obediencecommands, there is no “magic man-

ners” button to push for results. When you wantyour dog to do something, pick up the leash andgive him a formal direction like you would in atraining session. This is a very successful way tocommunicate a need and direction to your dog. Itis also faster than waiting for the magic remotecontrol to appear.


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150.Don’t expect that once you’ve pickedup the leash a few times in real life

that your dog will automatically know what to doby himself. It takes many months of using yourdog’s skills in public to fully create good mannersin your dog. Once you’ve taught the skills, keepusing them in real life until your dog does it byhimself. It can take a few months to develop somebehaviors.

151.All of the skills that are taught at theonset of each stage may take the

completion of that stage or moving on to the nextstage to fully set as behaviors. Keeping a workingknowledge of just how long it takes to buildbehaviors will make you a more patient teacher andowner. Create a roadmap of “stage-appropriateskills” for your dog’s journey through the stages.

Cooperation

152.In early stages of training, you maywant to let your dog release some

energy by running and chasing a ball before youdo obedience training. Younger dogs have lesspatience and usually cooperate better if they canrelease first.

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153.In later stages (puberty on up), makesure that training comes before play.

If your dog earns his play, you will be setting awonderful precedent for good behavior and coop-eration. If, as your dog grows up, you only trainafter play, your dog may see training as an inva-sion into his playtime.

154.Always make your dog earn things. Byasking him to do things for you (and

for rewards!) at these early stages, you will developcooperation as a concept very early in his life. If youbegin having your dog do small tasks for everything,he will not ever know what it is to be spoiled.

155.Play charades! Have your dog SIT as away to gain things that he desires. If

he wants a treat, make him SIT. If he wants to bepetted, ask him to SIT first. If he wants to go out-side, have him SIT at the door to put his leash on.Your dog will understand to SIT next to that whichhe desires. Soon you will have a dog politely com-municating his desires to you through charades.

156.When leaving in the morning, don’t“apologize” with vocal tones or body

language for crating or leaving your dog. Verycasually walk him into his crate, give him a treat,and thank him for his cooperation in your dailyschedule. Say goodbye in a casual manner andleave for your business.


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Patience Building

157.Start obedience training shortly afterfive months or after the completion

of teething, whichever is later. At seven monthsold your dog should be able hold a thirty-secondSIT and a ten-minute DOWN. At nine months yourdog should hold a one-minute SIT and a twenty-minute DOWN. This “ramping-up” effect plateauswhen your dog is around one year old. At thispoint your dog can hold a two-minute SIT andthirty-minute DOWN. This is a set of small goalswith realistic timeframes.

158.Distraction training (described inchapter 8) begins after completing

the initial obedience-training plan. Younger ado-lescents will have some difficulty with distrac-tions. As your dog’s ability to concentrate forlonger periods develops, distractions will becomeeasier to resist.

159.Puberty is the time to begin teachingApplications. You may expect your

dog to learn DOWN while the family eats at thedinner table. Similarly, your dog can learn, withyour guidance, how to greet people by holding aSIT (although he may not be able to do this totallyon his own for some time). Begin teaching appli-cations in this stage and continue to reinforceuntil he has mastered them himself.

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160.In later adolescence, just as he’sapproaching adulthood, he can

begin learning his long-distance and off-leashskills. You may have begun teaching these con-cepts earlier in his life, but the maturity requiredfor true off-leash training begins in this stage.Begin this process now and expect to mold theskills and concepts into adulthood.

YOUR DOG’S PERSPECTIVE

161.In the adolescent stage, be certainthat you don’t give your dog the

impression that he’s the center of the universe. Ifthe whole world and daily function of the house-hold revolves around the dog, you will be forevercaught in the gravitational pull of the “canisdomesticus star” (spoiled domestic dog)! Instead,help your dog integrate into the family functionby learning his place along with the others.

162.Don’t rush right into the home and“rescue” your dog from her crate.

Calmly walk in the door and get situated in yourhome, then without too much fuss, get her out ofthe crate and on-leash, and then greet her withaffection. Rushing home and tearing through thehouse like you’re about to greet a long-lost lovewill certainly skew your dog’s perspective abouther importance in the family!


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163.Do not place your dog’s crate in thecenter of the living space. Deliberate

placement in the middle of or most importantarea of the house will cause your dog to believe heis the most important part of the house. He maynever learn to be alone, and he may never want tobe out of the spotlight. He should learn integra-tion, not self-centeredness.

164.Structure and daily routine teaches adog to follow rules. The morning

routine alone of waking up, taking him for pottybreak, feeding him breakfast, walking him, etc.,establishes the concept of following the rules andrhythm of the family. Do many “mini routines”daily to keep this concept developing and solid.

165.The continued use of regular, peri-odic crating at these stages helps

your dog to continue to accept boundaries in life.The boundary of the crate is a literal boundary,but teaches the idea of accepting limits as well.This is especially important in this “questioningstage.” Keep using the crate to get past the “test-ing” stage.

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166.Structure teaches security. Positivedaily structure removes chaos and

unpredictability from our dogs’ lives. Set up a planfor “mini routines,” daily practice sessions, andcontinuous leadership to give your dog a securefeeling about his life. Without the stress of unpre-dictability, our dogs can relax and be stress-freeand problem-free!


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Adult Dogs

3.

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The adult dog—the friend, the companion, thebuddy! This is the much-awaited stage of your

dog’s life. The season of “me” transforms into theseason of “we.” It is the season of friendship andteamwork. It’s the one where he sits in your frontyard while you wash the car, jogs with you off-leash, sits quietly by your side in the yard whileyou lounge in your lawn chair sipping iced tea andreading. He is happy to simply be with youbecause you’re pals! This stage makes all of theother “raising” stages worthwhile.

Age: Adulthood begins at roughly the age ofthree. Earlier than three years of age, your dogmay have some good skills, but will not be fullymature. Adulthood ranges from three years of ageto roughly seven or eight years of age.

GOALS FOR ADULT DOGSIn your dog’s adult years, you have many path-ways open to you both. You can pursue any of anumber of advanced activities from Therapy DogWork to Shutzhund Competitions. See theAppendix for details on some of these activities.

Once the active part of your raising, teaching,and modeling is done, you can now enjoy the funof your dog’s company! This is the stage of lifewhere she truly enjoys doing things with you asopposed to having things done just for her. Takeher places, do more walks, more swims, and moreplaying, and enjoy life with her. Reward her for allof her hard work and learning in her earlier years.

In this stage, while you’re not actively teaching


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or creating manners (if you’ve already done yourjob!), you should pay special attention to main-taining your dog’s daily balance. Don’t set yourdog aside simply because the raising is done.Keep the balance in check!

Maintain your dog’s safety even in adulthood.Keeping your dog safe means keeping her listen-ing skills, obedience skills, and respect skillstuned. When your dog is tuned in to you and yourleadership, you should always have the ability tocommand her away from danger, as well as pre-vent her from getting into it.

When the skills and responses of your dogremain sharp, not only will you maintain her phys-ical safety, but her mental safety as well. A dogthat remains well trained will not develop behav-ioral problems. Therefore your dog remains a safebeing to have in society.

EXPECTATIONS FOR ADULT DOGS

167.“Look, mom, no leash!” If formativestages have been crafted or modeled

well, off-leash training will be developed rela-tively easily. Any other advanced work that youwish to do in this stage should be accomplishedeasily and with high levels of success if your foun-dation is polished and strong. Polish any detailsand proceed forward with your advanced training.

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Limitations

168.If you’ve not done your “parenting”job well, you will not have a very

close companion. Your friendship will be weakand you run the risk of your dog having littlerespect for you. You can develop close compan-ionship by continuing to invest time in the rela-tionship with your dog. Go back in and retune orpolish any “weak links” in your relationshipbefore going forward.

169.When the “learning loop” closes, andthe circle is complete, your dog may

not have drawn her circle around her family;rather, she will probably have drawn her circlearound herself or other dogs. She may remainindependent and/or self-serving. If you need to“open her up” and rebuild concepts, do so gentlyand patiently.

170.Tolerance breakdown of the situa-tion can occur. If your dog has been

without leadership mentally or socially for toolong, her tolerance for social isolation can breakand major behavioral problems can occur due toher inability to cope with the situation. You canchange this pattern if you see it before tolerancebreakdown happens or correct it when it doeshappen.


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171.If there are any unresolved behaviorproblems that exist from the previ-

ous stages, chances are they will not be able to beresolved completely. At this point, behavior prob-lems may be about management instead of solu-tion. Problems may dissipate to a large degree, buttheir core may remain. Use your best manage-ment “skills” to ease your stress and your dog’s ifthis is the case.

172.Any unpolished skills left from theprevious stages may remain weak or

“rusty” in adulthood. Some skills like off-leashtraining may be compromised if the proper atten-tion to detail was not given in the formativestages.

173.Any misconceptions about her rolein the family or her perspective of

herself that has not been clarified in adolescencemay remain an issue in adulthood. If many incon-sistencies and mixed messages have existed inher upbringing, then they will set in adulthood.Un-mix any mixed messages to remedy this.

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174.“We don’t talk anymore.” A commonpitfall in marriages is forgetting to

talk to your spouse and spend quality timetogether. Likewise, your adult dog became yourfriend through the time you spent raising her.Continue to give her quality time each day. Havinga positive training session together can be likehaving a very special conversation together. Stopeverything for just ten to fifteen minutes andtrain your dog. A little one-on-one focused atten-tion goes a long way in reminding your dog thatshe’s important to you.

175.Not only will continued trainingpractice keep your relationship

healthy, but it will also keep both you and yourdog’s skills polished and in good working order forall of the fun adventures upon which you will beembarking!

YOUR ADULT DOG’S NEEDSMental Needs

Three training sessions per week is a good main-tenance “recipe” in adulthood. Training your dogon a regular basis continues to polish his skills asa cooperative companion. It will maintain rules,reinforce your positive relationship, practice yourteamwork, and prevent boredom. If his skillsremain sharp, you will continue to share pleasanttime and good teamwork together.


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176.Knowledge is freedom. The moreyour adult dog knows, the more he

can do. Great training skills, great listening skills,and reliable response to your commands will gainmore freedom for your dog. You will be able totake your dog more places and potentially domore activities.

177.Try to teach your dog something neweach week. This will keep his mind

alert and clear. Clear thinking in adulthood willhelp keep your dog’s mind working well in hisgeriatric stage.

178.If you have an especially smart dog,or a high-drive working breed, you

will want to do more training even in adulthood.“Brainiac dogs” will need to be entertained andworked their entire life so they not only remainproblem-free, but boredom-free as well.

179.Working breeds will need manymore mental activities to keep them

problem-free. Some of those breeds are GermanShepherds, Dobermans, Great Danes, Rottweilers,Border Collies, Old English Sheepdogs, AustralianShepherds, and Australian Cattle Dogs. These areonly a few of the “brainiac workers,” but if you dohave one of these breeds, prepare many mentalactivities for these rocket scientists!

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180.“Use it or lose it!” You can very easilylose those snazzy, polished skills

that you worked so hard to create if you just stop.Keep them working fluidly by training regularly inadulthood. Be aware and alert to keeping yourcommunication channels open. You will sidestepmany relationship and behavioral errors this way.

181.Training daily or weekly will keepyour dog from being bored. Boredom

will cause your dog to revert to instinctual behav-iors with which to entertain herself. No matterhow diligent you were in puppyhood and adoles-cence, you can have negative behaviors developeven in adulthood if you don’t satisfy your dog’sneed to use her brain.

Physical Needs

182.Your dog’s physical needs were high-est during her developmental ado-

lescent stage. Your dog’s physical needs willplateau during this adult stage. Her final exerciseneeds will vary in proportion to your dog’s breed,size, and personality. A good balance of physicalexercise with mental exercise will keep your pethappy.


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183.Keep walks, runs, and ballgameshigh on your list of activities. If your

dog is large and energetic, you may need more ofthe above. If your dog is small and less hearty, youwill still need to supply physical activities, buttemper them for his or her endurance level.

Social Needs

184.Dogs that feel sad because their own-ers no longer spend quality time with

them will act out behaviorally. Some will chew, runaway, or begin house-soiling behaviors. Whilehumans can communicate sadness or disappoint-ment with words, dogs communicate with actions.

185.Don’t be a fair-weather friend. Don’tlove your dog only if she’s behaving.

Love her unconditionally and search for the reasonswhy she may be misbehaving (if she is). Negativebehavior from a dog is always a signal that some-thing is lacking, out of balance, or stressing her.

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186.Continue outside social exposure toprevent social isolation. This is espe-

cially important in the territorially protectivebreeds like Rottweilers and German Shepherds.During your travels to the park and pet shop,make sure your dog “meets and greets” severalpeople (provided they want to meet your dog).Find a new environment once a month to preventbecoming bored with the same old places.

187.“You don’t bring me flowers any-more.” Be sure you continue to

reward your “good dog” for being good! Oftentimes we forget to acknowledge good behaviorbecause we accidentally take it for granted. Takethe time to tell her “good girl” for the simplestthings that she continues to do right! Even if she’sjust lying on the floor chewing the correct chewtoy, praise her for this good choice!

188.Adulthood is the season of truefriendship and companionship. Your

dog will want to spend quality time with you nowmore than ever. She will enjoy simply being byyour side. Take the time each day to do somethingtogether as good friends would. A walk, a run, aleisurely stroll around the block, time in the yardwith your favorite book and her favorite toy are allways to share time together.


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189.If you want to “take ten” and relax ona lawn chair, give your dog a run

with her favorite toy first. Spend at least ten min-utes (maybe twenty) with her first. She will feelher needs fulfilled, and you can fulfill your needsmore easily then.

190.Friends listen to each other. Your dogwill hang on your every word. You

will see her intently staring at you to gain eitheryour attention or her understanding. Be equallyattentive to her “words.” Watch her body lan-guage, listen to her noises, watch her movements,and be sensitive to what they might be telling you.

Rest Needs

191.It is said that dogs run on five-hourtime clocks. They are active for five

hours then at rest for five hours. Watch your adultdog for a few days and try to track her activity lev-els to see if this applies to him. Even if this five-hour track does not apply to your dog, find outwhat his track is.

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192.Your adult dog will spend more timealert, awake, and ready for action at

this stage in her life. Rest will be what happenswhen everyone goes to bed at night! Giving hertoo much rest during the day at this stage willcause behavioral problems. Each morning, createa mental daily plan to monitor her activities andbe certain she is stimulated properly rather than“mentally idling” all day.

RAISING TIPS

193.Leave your “baggage” outside thedoor! Taking stress home rubs off on

the people and animals in your environment. Ifyour dog repeatedly feels waves of stress from youas you return from a long day at work, she willbegin to feel nervous about your homecoming.This might lead to negative behaviors from her.Do your best to take a deep breath before youenter your house and try to decrease your stresslevel.

194.Continue to use her crate periodi-cally. This will send a continual sig-

nal to your dog about house rules. It will alsoprevent any mishaps that can still happen in yourdog’s daily routine.


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195.Continue to use obedience skillsevery day. This reminds your dog

that you are a team, and that life is predictableand easy. Find a “recipe” or “formula” that workseach day for you and your dog.

196.Continue to praise your dog for eachcommand she follows. Do this as

heartily as you did while you were raising her.Think of this as any other relationship. We alwaysstart out on our best behavior and then becomerelaxed. Relaxed behavior is fine as long as wedon’t drop the (tennis) ball on our relationship.

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Geriatric Dogs

4.

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The Canine Golden Years: this is the season ofassistance. The balance of our dogs’ needs

changes drastically here. Some move more slowly;others lose one or more of their senses; still oth-ers have changing medical needs. This is a timewhere, like puppyhood, we must have ultimatepatience and sensitivity. Let’s explore this phase.

Age: This period of time sets in around sevenor eight years of age and continues throughoutthe remainder of your dog’s life.

GOALS FOR GERIATRIC DOGSKeeping your dog mentally aware and physicallycomfortable are the main goals of this age stage.Maintain comfortable bedding, a comfortabletemperature climate, and a peaceful environmentat all times.

Now is the time to enjoy the “long rays of thesun.” Kinetic activities give way to reflectiveencounters. Sit with your geriatric dog and watchthe sunrise or sunset. Take lots of picturesbecause time passes quickly the slower your doggets.

EXPECTAT IONS FOR GER IATR ICDOGS

197.Your elderly dog may require morephysical help doing simple things

like getting up from her bed, climbing stairs, get-ting into the car, or navigating slippery surfaces.


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198.Since your dog will have many spe-cial needs again and your time will

be more in demand, you will need to remainpatient. It may be a bit unnerving at first to knowthat you will need to supply so much more careand attention than in adulthood, so be preparedand patient.

199.At this stage, your dog will needmore quiet time with you. While

your dog will still enjoy doing things with you,those things may involve just sitting in the yardwith you, sitting at your feet while you read orwatch television, or going for a slow, casual walk.Activities will be much more mellow.

200.Your elderly dog may have lesspatience in between bathroom

breaks and meals. You may have to tend to yourdog’s immediate needs in much the same way youdid in puppyhood.

201.It is a good idea to have your olderdog visit the vet two times a year

instead of just once. Medical issues that candevelop into large problems can be caught earlyand treated, cured, or managed more comfortably.Blood work should be run more frequently sincemonitoring blood panels can help detect medicalproblems while they’re still in the early stages.

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202.Your own stress level may rise due tothe increase in care for your aging

dog. Give yourself many breaks and be patient.Caring for an elderly dog, especially if she hasmany health problems, can take its toll on you. Becertain you get ample rest for yourself.

Limitations

203.An older dog will not have a highdegree of tolerance for younger,

more active dogs. The activity level of puppies isespecially hard for a geriatric dog to cope with. Ifthere are other dogs in the house, make sure youraging dog gets enough rest away from them. Bet-ter yet, be certain the younger dogs aren’t stealingthe older dog’s space, toys, time with you, orpeaceful time alone.

204.Your older dog may not have a highdegree of tolerance for noise either.

Sirens, music, or car noises may disturb your dogat this stage of life. If this is the case, either divertyour dog with a game or small training session orblock these noises with gentle “white noise” froma fan or quiet radio station.


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205.Your dog’s body may not be up to parfor a walk, but you can still get social

time for her at the park. Drive her to the park andsit on a bench or patch of grass with her by yourside. She will be able to see people, perhaps get pet-ted and admired, and breathe fresh air.This kind ofsocial time is incredibly important in keeping anolder dog from slipping into depression.

206.Older dogs usually have a difficulttime handling the activity level of

younger children. Babies, toddlers, and childrenunder ten years of age can be stressful for an olderdog. Be certain to give your older dog a reprievefrom the children by putting her in her “specialplace” when the children are most active.

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THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP FORGERIATRIC DOGSBe aware of your dog’s changing needs. A goodleader will notice the need to shift the balance inall elements of her dog’s life: mental, physical,emotional, and rest needs.

You, as their leader, need to give him peaceand stability as he ages. Your presence and con-tinual direction make him feel secure. Don’t stopleading your dog at this critical stage!

While the season of friendship (adulthood)was one of doing (usually) action-oriented thingstogether, this season means that things will slowdown. You will do less action-oriented things andmore quiet things. This sometimes means chang-ing how you would like to do things and spend-ing more quiet time with your dog.

YOUR GERIATRIC DOG’S NEEDSMental Needs

207.Mental needs at this stage of life arelower than in the other stages of life,

but they are still there. Using obedience trainingat this stage of life keeps your dog’s mind clearand alert. If a dog spends too much time alone,her mind can become “mushy” just like whenolder people spend too much time alone. Smalltraining sessions will keep her happy and men-tally alert.


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208.Small training sessions will alsohelp your dog remain feeling valu-

able to you. If she can’t jog or hike with you likeshe used to, she can at least do her teamworkexercises with you to receive your praise andadmiration. This is critical in keeping her spiritsup and preventing her from becoming depressed.

Physical Needs

209.A geriatric dog’s physical needs aremuch lower than younger dogs. But

some movement that’s low-impact will keep hisbody moving and toned.

210.Mild swimming is a good exercisefor an older dog, as long as it’s done

on flat, calm water. In this type of exercise, thereis no high-impact pressure on his joints. His mus-cles can get some toning while he enjoys a low-impact activity, and it can be relaxing to him aswell.

211.Keep a close eye on your dog’spotentially changing health. Watch

for any changes from stiff joints or limping toappetite and water-consumption changes. Allthese little changes could signify internal agingthat needs attention.

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212.Keep soft bedding available in asmany rooms as possible for your

aging dog. Her joints may be suffering from arthri-tis, and her muscles may not be as limber andagile as before. Available bedding will ensure hercomfort level.

213.Older dogs also become colder muchfaster than younger dogs. Make sure

that her bedding isn’t in drafty areas in the fall,winter, and spring. You may even want to coverher body with a blanket in the winter as shesleeps.

214.When practicing obedience for yourdog’s mental health, keep in mind

that you may want to replace the SIT commandwith STAND. Whether it’s the AUTO-STANDreplacing the AUTO-SIT, or removing repetitiveSIT commands, your dog will appreciate lessstress on her hip joints.

Social Needs

215.Your geriatric dog has special socialneeds at this time in her life. She

doesn’t want to be alone. She would be happy sit-ting by your side in the front yard, or having herbelly scratched while you watch TV. Time withyou, even if it’s quiet time, will be appreciated byyour older dog.


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216.Social time is very important to yourdog right now. If a dog spends too

much idle time alone, he can become depressed.Try to get your geriatric dog out of the house andon small trips with you as much as possible. Youmight just walk down the driveway to the mail-box, or drive to the local drive-through bank.

217.Geriatric dogs often do not like to bealone.Your presence makes their life

secure. Some dogs begin to feel frightened orextremely lonely when you leave them as theyage. If you need to leave them, put a quiet pro-gram on the TV or tune the radio to a pleasant sta-tion. Sometimes the gentle noise of music orconversation will keep your dog from feeling com-pletely alone.

218.There are plug-in devices with calm-ing hormonal aromatherapy scents

that can ease your dog’s stress of being alone. Thescent emitted is based on pheromones of amother dog. The scent relaxes the dog by calminghis senses.

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219.Toys that weren’t appropriate inpuppyhood may apply as proper

stimulation for an aged dog. They are past thestage where inappropriate play can be learned asa habit, and now they’re seeing things as specialtreats. Some exceptions may apply at this age, butuse your judgment according to your dog’s age,physical abilities, and personality.

220.Squeaky toys may help perk up yourdog. A dog that cannot be stimulated

to play may be enticed to have a little good-natured fun when they hear the squeak noise.Play with your dog for a short while so as not tooverstimulate her and remove the squeaky toywhen you’re through playing. A squeaky toy canbe chewed up and ingested, causing physicalproblems. Use your discretion and caution.

221.A mild game of tug with a rope toy(only at this stage) may also encour-

age an otherwise withdrawn dog to interact withyou. Be certain that the game isn’t promotingrough behavior or overly aggressive play.

222.A stuffed toy for your dog to hold,carry, and sleep with may be soothing

for her as well. Having something to cuddle mayhelp her feel more secure while you’re gone for theday. Something with your scent on it, like an old T-shirt, may add comfort in your absence as well.


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Rest Needs

223.The rest needs are much higher foran aging dog. It is hard to picture

your energetic Golden Retriever eager to sleepeight or more hours during the day, but this tendsto happen in their “golden years.” Make provisionsfor their much-needed rest and help yourselfadapt to this change by being aware that this isnormal.

224.Make your geriatric dog feel securein your home while you’re gone by

reducing his space down to a small area with awater bowl, some toys, and a large, comfortabledog bed. This can be done with baby gates, exer-cise pens, or closing off certain rooms. Less spaceand a more predictable “special space” each daywill help your older dog relax.

225.Make the routine of going to a “spe-cial place” a privilege for your dog.

Offer a favorite bone or toy or a treat, praise her,and make a big fuss about sending her into herspecial place. Be sure your “fuss” is positive andnot apologetic! Keep it happy, but not overly ener-gized and stressful.This will help her make a goodassociation with the “special place” without over-stimulating her before you leave.

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226.Be certain to teach children thatwhen your dog is in her “special

place,” she should be left alone. Teach them torespect the peace and quiet needs of their oldestbest friend.

227.While rest is higher on the “needlist” for an older dog, so is peace and

quiet. Set up times in the day that are quiet timesfor her so she does not become stressed out.

228.Balance quiet time with a good mixof social time. You don’t want to iso-

late your dog too often, yet you don’t want her tofeel overwhelmed with noise and activity. Findthe happy medium for her.

RAISING TIPS

229.If you would like to add a puppy asyour dog ages, it is our advice to hold

off until your dog has passed on. A new puppy willdemand your time and attention and dilute yourtime with the older dog. Your new puppy and hisactivity level will also cause stress for your agingdog.

230.If you do choose to add a puppy toyour house with your older dog,

keep the puppy on-leash at all times to ensurehe’s on his best behavior around your old-timer.


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231.Do not expect your older dog toteach the younger puppy. Not only

does your younger puppy need to learn how totake direction from humans, but your older dogmay lose patience with the puppy.

232.Your older dog can, however, be agood role model for your younger

puppy. Your well-raised, mannerly dog will be anexample of behavior for your little one. Let yourlittle one observe good behaviors, but rememberto be your little one’s leader and mold her in thesame manner as you raised your old dog.

SPECIAL NEEDS

233.If you’ve trained your dog usinghand signals as well as verbal sig-

nals, you may find that you’ll be able to use yourhand signals in an interesting way. Some olderdogs lose their hearing as they age. It is then par-ticularly helpful to draw on and use your dog’sability to see a “silent” hand signal and under-stand you even if he can’t hear you.

234.You can use more exaggerated bodylanguage, facial expressions, and

hand gestures to communicate concepts to yourdog if he’s experienced any hearing loss.

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235.If your dog’s vision has becomeimpaired, approach him by talking

softly and gently to him to announce yourapproach. When you reach for him, do so slowlyand gently so that your dog won’t flinch or befrightened.

236.Before touching your vision-impaired dog, let her “see” and smell

your hand in front of her nose. Touch her gentlyfrom under her chin and slowly move your handaround to her body. This will remove the startle ofbeing touched unexpectedly.

237.If your dog is hearing impaired, tapon the floor with your foot as you

approach him, especially if he’s sleeping. Thevibration from the floor will give him an alert thatyou are coming and you will reduce any chancesof startling him.

238.You may want to practice givingyour dog a gentle body massage on a

daily basis. Older dogs experience the same kindsof aging pains that humans do. The effect of gen-tle hands massaging his body will greatlydecrease discomfort.


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239.Everything is more sensitive as yourdog ages. You may want to down-

grade your grooming tools to soft, gentle brushesand hand-mitt brushes so that your dog is gettingthe ultimate in gentleness.

240.Use baby gates at stairwells. If yourolder dog is experiencing difficulty

with the steps due to arthritis or poor vision, youmay wish to prevent his use of the steps whileyou’re gone. That way there is no risk of his fallingdown the steps and injuring himself in yourabsence.

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (Senility)

241.As your dog approaches the geriatricstage of life, it is important to keep

his mind functioning and sharp. We know this tobe true of our elderly humans, and it worksexactly the same way with our canine friends. Itskind of a “use it or lose it” situation. As long as werequire our dog to think, he is less likely tobecome senile, mentally “soft,” or “lost.” Symp-toms of senility are loss of housetraining, changesin sleep/wake cycles, loss of play, and lack ofsocial interaction.

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242.Canine Cognitive Dysfunction issomething your vet can diagnose

with your help. There is a series of questions thatwill aid in the diagnosis. There is an effectivemedication (Selegilene) available that will help tocurtail the symptoms of this condition. You andyour dog may enjoy better quality of life andpeace of mind through this avenue of treatment.

243.If your dog suddenly begins to dis-miss commands, don’t assume they

are just being difficult. Dismissing commands canmean anything from discomfort in their bodies tobecoming forgetful. Low-impact obedience train-ing (without the corrective part of the NO) willprovide interaction, attention, and mental stimu-lation. If your dog appears to be losing her mem-ory, your best tool is patience. You may need tocoach her on some things like you did in puppy-hood.

Geriatric House Soiling

244.Geriatric dogs can have inconti-nence problems at times. You may

need to get them out more often for “pottybreaks” and forgive the occasional accident in thehouse. They are as upset about these accidents asyou are, so be patient with them.


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245.If your dog begins to have extremedifficulty with incontinence and you

need to be gone for long periods of time, you maychoose to confine your dog to a tile area, or onethat is easily cleaned. When you notice an acci-dent in this area, do not reprimand your dog forsomething she cannot control. Simply clean it upand make her comfortable. She isn’t happy withwhat her body is doing, either.

246.You can use “doggie diapers” as wellfor incontinent senior dogs. This will

eliminate accidents on the carpet, but you mustremember to keep your dog’s skin dry and freefrom irritation if she’s wearing a diaper. Removethe diaper when you’re home and allow her skinto breathe. You may want to wipe the area with a“doggie wipe” to soothe it. Your veterinarian canrecommend the best approach.

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Part Two:Basic Skills

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EstablishingLeadership

5.

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To be a truly effective leader for your dog, youwill need to learn and balance the various

tools of leadership. This will cultivate a mutualrespect between you and your dog, insuring a longand enjoyable relationship together.

ESTABLISHING A LEADERSHIPPROTOCOL

247.So what is a leadership protocol?The leadership protocol is a list of

attitudes, standards, and actions you will adopttowards the raising of your dog.The following sec-tion outlines how to develop a dynamic leader-ship protocol.

248.Make a framework of attitudes, stan-dards, and actions. It is a proactive

way of making sure your dog will be the best doghe can be. Without a proper leadership protocol,you are leaving your dog’s mental development tochance and hoping all will turn out for the best.The needs of your dog change from stage to stage.Using this information, we propose that theframework for the leadership protocol will neverbe dismantled, only adjusted based on your dog’schanging needs.


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Effective Leaders Understand Their Role

249.All dogs need leadership. When youbrought your dog into your home,

you may not have even known you had to be aleader. However, without clear leadership yourdog will gradually become insecure and attemptto assume the role. Not all dogs will completelymelt down, but these insecurities because of alack of leadership may manifest themselves in avariety of different ways (see chapter 12).

250.A key issue is that our roles may bein direct opposition. They need a

strong leader, we want a companion. The activi-ties associated with these roles are incongruousand may cause confusion in our dogs if we don’ttake the leadership role. To be an effective leaderwe must be more respectful of what our dogsneed from us and put the role we want them toplay in the back seat.

251.To be an effective leader you mustlearn to view things from your dog’s

eyes.The crate is not a jail but a source of security.Giving your dog toys or food that he really likesbut we know are not good for him (mentally orphysically) is letting our dog down from a leader-ship standpoint. By practicing the philosophies aswell as the exercises described in this book, wewill learn to be our dog’s emotional custodians aswell as their physical companions.

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Effective Leaders Manage Time

252.The first concept is that leaders man-age time. Create a schedule.The crate

is a valuable tool for providing time managementfor your dog. What this translates to in the dailyraising of your dog is to use the crate frequentlyaccording to a predetermined schedule.There is nosubstitute for the crate. The crate is the safest andmost effective form of confinement. Socialize yourpuppy/dog to it immediately (described in chapters1 and 6) and continue to use it throughout yourdog’s life as his stage needs dictate.

253.The leader giveth, the leader takethaway. A fair leader provides consis-

tency in rules and structure, sets and maintainsboundaries, and allows room for expansion of lib-erties and boundaries as responsibility is proven.A fair leader is also not shy about removing liber-ties or tightening boundaries if disrespectfulbehaviors return.

Effective Leaders Direct Activities

254.Another effective leadership trait is todirect activities. Always have some-

thing for your dog to do when he is out of the crate.(In chapter 8 we will outline several obedience-related activities to help your dog socialize to yourhousehold.) Mentally plan obedience workouts,play, social activities, and rest. The leadership-related idea here is to have an activity plan thatincludes more than “lie down and be quiet.”


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255.Supervise your dog’s “out of cratetime.” When your dog is out of the

crate, keep the leash and collar on your dog andkeep the leash in your hand. Use your obediencecommands to actively teach your dog how tobehave inside your house and in all environ-ments.

256.Develop a proactive leadership style.By having an activity plan for how

you will manage your dog’s out-of-crate time, youare planning opportunities for your dog to receivepraise. Praise is what the dog-training worldrevolves around and should be the brightest partof your dog’s universe. For every behavior youcurb, praise the behavior that replaces it.

Effective Leaders Are Consistent in EveryAspect of Their Dog’s Life

257.Consistency leads to a clear under-standing of what is expected in

behavior. Without consistency you have confu-sion. Speech patterns and words, daily habits,leadership style, emotional responses to behav-iors both good and bad, and consistency in teach-ing are some of the areas to which you must payattention.


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258.Use the same words and the samesequence of words each time you

ask for a certain action or behavior. Likewise, eachperson in the house must follow the same pat-terns. If these patterns are all mixed up, your dogwill experience confusion and frustration whenyou speak to her.

259.Check each day to see if your emo-tions are in check when you are inter-

acting with your dog. Sometimes we come homefrom a long, stressful workday and end up losingour cool with or around our dogs.They will respondwith stressful behaviors to our stressful outbursts.

260.Yelling is a combination of inappro-priate vocal tones and inappropriate

emotional responses. Leaders need to remain incontrol of their emotions and their voice so thatnegative reinforcements like removal of free-doms, crating, or NO retain their corrective mean-ings and do not become punishment.


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261.Try to ask for the same habits fromyour dog each day. For example: if you

ask your dog to hold a DOWN at the dinner tableone night, but allow her to sit by your side and begthe next day, she will be extremely confused by thechange in house rules. She will either begin takingadvantage of your inconsistency, or become frus-trated when you scold her unfairly one day for abehavior that was allowed the previous day.

BODY LANGUAGE

262.Humans rely on speech for themajority of non-written communi-

cation. Not so for the dog. The dog’s main form ofcommunication is body language. Be aware ofboth the positive and negative ways our body caninfluence our dog.

263.Your face, posture, speed of move-ment, direction of approach to your

dogs, how you carry yourself, and the way inwhich you “reach” for your dog are all ways inwhich you communicate your intent to your dogs.

264.Each dog you approach requires a dif-ferent message. With some dogs, you

must look like a leader. So you may need to carryyourself so you appear taller. Some dogs mightneed to see you looking more friendly andapproachable, which would require a relaxed bodyposture and with a neutral approach (not head-on).


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Body

265.Positive messages include thingslike “I’m approachable,” “I’m pleased

with your behavior!,” “I’m proud of you!,” “Comeplay!,” and “I’m your leader and you can trust me.”Each message needs a different body languagesignal to convey it properly.


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266.Bent-over posture, open arms, and aseated position are all usually invit-

ing forms of body language. Speed of movementwill convey enthusiasm or gentleness.

267.Approach timid or nervous dogsfrom the side, not the front. The side

position is “neutral” and non-offensive. Just don’tmake it a “sneak attack” from behind! Be soft,slow, and gentle.

268.While a “softer” body posture (bentand rounded shoulders) will com-

municate approachability and a bit of submission,this won’t work for communicating messages ofleadership. When commanding, stand up tall andstraight with confidence. This posture will lookleader-like, yet not offensive.

269.Negative messages include thosethat wish to communicate intimida-

tion, threat, or aggressive leadership. These arethe ones that say, “You’re really in trouble now,buster!” These types of body language really donot need to exist in our “civilized” human-to-dogcommunication.These are things that would existin the wild for dogs to use as survival-instinctskills.


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Pointing or wagging a finger in your dog’s face isan invitation to have your dog bark back at you—or worse—especially if you are bent over at thewaist with one hand on the hip. Even the mostwell-meaning vocal tones will get lost among thenegativity of the body language.

270.Avoid “blitzing approaches” whereyour dog feels like he’s being cor-

nered. Negative, threatening, or intimidating bodylanguage can cause anything from angry barkingto defensive aggression from your dog. By facingin a neutral direction, you focus the correction onthe behavior, not on the dog.

271.Practice in a mirror and try to simu-late a message using your body. See

if you can use your own body to tell your reflec-tion what thought or message you are conveying.Try this with both positive and negative body lan-guage.

Face

272.Our facial expressions (smiles,laughs, frowns, eye contact) can con-

vey much about our intent and attitude as well.Soft eye contact can mean affection or approval,whereas intense, angry eyes in direct contact maycommunicate anything from displeasure to a con-frontation.


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273.Using a “helper,” try to communicatean emotion to that person without

saying a word. See if they can get your messagenonverbally. Try this for both positive and nega-tive facial expressions.

Eye Contact

274.Make positive eye contact whilepraising if you can. Praise is a posi-

tive, personal form of interaction and should begiven with as many positive forms of body lan-guage as possible.

275.Avoid grabbing your dog’s face andforcing him to look you in the eyes.

This a gesture a bully would use to force his point.You do not need to stare your dog down tobecome his leader. Doing this will only make himlose his trust in you. Be especially careful to notuse negative eye contact with defensive dogs asthat can provoke them to react.

276.Do not use harsh eye contact or“visual intimidation” when making

corrections. You don’t need to make corrections“personal.”


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Voice

277.Your vocal tones tell your dog asmuch as your body language does.

The words you choose to communicate a conceptare not important—the voice you use with thechosen words says it all.

278.When you are praising your dog, it isimportant to use a positive tone

with the praise word (“good!”). For a command,use a tone that sounds businesslike and direct.This does not mean harsh, just firm. Commandsare not questions.

279.A firm, yet unemotional tone for thecorrection cue (“NO”) is essential in

keeping confrontation out of correction. If yourvoice is serious but non-threatening, you can cor-rect and not have the dog take it as a personalissue.

280.It is extremely important to put pos-itive emotion into your voice when

you communicate with your dog. Motivate himwith an encouraging voice. Your positive results intraining will happen faster as your dog will wantto earn your approval!


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281.It is critical to refrain fromextremely negative emotions while

communicating with your dog. Yelling, screaming,and angry “growling” sounds all have no place incivilized communication. Your dog will interpretthat you are imbalanced and not worthy of trust,and he will quickly become fearful of you. Ragingemotions are extremely stressful for a dog to han-dle. Avoid this at all costs.

LEADERS ARE CONSISTENT INTHEIR RULES OF THE ROLE

282.Sometimes consistency is easier todefine by citing examples of incon-

sistency. When we consider inconsistency withrespect to our leadership protocol, we call thesemixed messages. Mixed messages are inconsis-tencies that either make the owner look like a dogin the dog’s eyes or elevate the dog to level of ahuman in the dog’s eyes.

283.Eliminate activities that reduce theowner to the level of a dog: playing

rough with your dog, wrestling, playing handgames, allowing your dog’s mouth (teeth) on yourskin (even just a little), and playing tug of war.Remember, the dog is not the toy and even with atoy, no rough play!


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284.Eliminate activities that elevate yourdog to the level of a human: allowing

your dog to sit on the chair or couch with you,allowing your dog to sleep on your bed, allowingyour dog to eat at the table (yes, I’m serious), andallowing your dog to lick your face to the pointwhere it becomes compulsive.

LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT!

285.When it comes to being an effectiveleader, little things mean a lot.

Understanding the importance of the little thingsdetermines your quality of leadership. Yourrespect for the fact that some things have veryimportant meanings for your dog will nurturemutual respect. You may not mind if your dogsleeps on the furniture, but I assure you, to yourdog it has more meaning than you can imagine!

286.Leaders do go through the door first.Since no doors exist naturally in the

wild, this is a purely socially influenced rule.There is no magic about the door and leadership,but this is one additional opportunity to directyour dog’s activities and develop some door man-ners in the process. The formal process for devel-oping door manners is described in chapters 8and 9.


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287.Manage instinctual behaviors.Sometimes we all feel the need to let

a dog be a dog. However, some of the activities inwhich a dog engages reinforce natural instinctsthat should be discouraged. Activities like rollingon the back to either pick up or lay down scentshould be discouraged. If you catch your dog inthis behavior, give a light leash correction with NOand praise for redirecting.

288.Urinary “marking activities” shouldbe discouraged as well. If your male

(or female) dog is obsessive about marking overother scent markers, redirect their activities to aneutral site. Require male dogs to urinate in theopen without marking on an object like a tree orshrub.

289.As some dogs mature they develop ahabit of “scratching” with their feet

after elimination. The action involves an actionsimilar to a bull preparing to charge. You willknow it when you see it. This action, while reallyno big deal, is just another attempt by your dog tooverinflate his ego. As soon as your dog begins toscratch with his feet, give the leash a quick snap,tell him NO, and praise him for stopping. Again, itseems like a small thing to us, but it is a big issuefor your dog.


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290.Create an efficient eater. Leaderspresent and restrict food. Some-

times it is easier to live with a dog that eats at hisleisure. But being an effective leader means seiz-ing all opportunities to influence your dog’s viewof you as a leader, including food consumption.

THE SECRET LEADERSHIP ROLEOF THE WALK

291.Before actually teaching the formalHEEL command, it is important to

understand how a dog views leadership. Mostdogs prefer to walk ahead of their owner. The dogfeels that being out in front is important. From thedog’s perspective, he is in the lead. The leader isdictating where the walk is going, and eventhough the owner may guide the dog from time totime, the dog still thinks he is in the lead.

292.This is why the HEEL position is soimportant. The HEEL position is

deliberately chosen so your dog’s head is behindthe imaginary line he understands as the “leader-ship threshold.” If your dog’s head is behind thisline, he will easily walk by your side and you willtruly be the leader. If your dog’s head is beyondthis line, your walk is going to become a bit of adrag…literally.


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Socializing:Learning fromHuman Leaders

6.

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Socialization is one of the biggest buzzwords indog training. It is used liberally to describe

almost any type of interaction between dogs andsituations, humans, or other dogs. The leadershipduty of the owner is to provide quality socializa-tion so your dog learns positive interactions. Posi-tive interactions provide a happy basis againstwhich your dog will judge future experiences.

HOW DO OUR DOGS LEARNFROM US?Conditioning. Training by conditioning relies onconsistently patterned performances andresponses without causing emotional responseslike fear or pain. Conditioning requires repetition.Quality dog training involves conditioning.Expect to repeat yourself in order to create newbehaviors.

Compulsion. Compulsion is a scary word withmany misconceptions. Compulsion does notmean force. We use compulsion in dog trainingall the time. When we place our dog in a SIT posi-tion, we are using compulsion. Physically requir-ing our dog to move or not move in any manneris compulsion. The key to keeping compulsion auseful training method is through making it a pos-itive experience. You must never motivate yourdog physically in a manner that is threatening, isintimidating, or causes the dog pain.

Aversion. Aversion training relies on one ortwo exposures of a sufficiently negative stimulusto create an avoidance response from your dog.


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How many times did you need to touch the glow-ing element on the stove before you knew that itwould be unpleasant? Boundary training usesaversion training so our dogs really won’t want tocross the boundary.

SOCIALIZATION

293.Socialization is exposure to a per-son, object, or environment that

generates an emotion coupled with an experiencethat is stored in the brain. Resocialization is repet-itive exposure to a person, object, or environmenttargeted at changing the emotion that has beencoupled with a specific prior experience. Discrim-ination is the process of comparing a new person,object, or environment with past experiences topredict the outcome of the new experience. Edu-cation (as applied to dog training) is learningwithout experience.

294.What is the role of obedience com-mands in socialization? Once the

obedience commands are taught properly, they willbecome the vehicle to attach the new positive emo-tions to a specific experience. This is the primaryreason that obedience commands must be taughtin a positive manner. For example, if your dog hasbecome scared of the veterinarian’s office, repeat-edly practicing the obedience commands at theoffice will transfer the “positive” of performing obe-dience commands to the veterinarian’s office.

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295.Socialization and resocializationexercises require many repetitions

of positive exposures. Both the dog and the expe-rience must be controlled so a positive exposure isassured. When beginning socialization exposures,always start at a distance away from the object.Perform some obedience commands. Use tons ofpraise. The further away the dog is from theobject, the less distracting (or threatening) theobject is. As your dog acclimates to the newobject, move closer and repeat obedience com-mands.

296.Break down a large socializationproblem into small goals. Socializing

to something like a vacuum cleaner will be brokendown into several exercises (listed below). Whenyou progress in difficulty level, you must go back-ward and repeat fundamental exercises. The fun-damental exercises of manners are theself-control SIT position and DOWN position-holding cues. This is so you can sift out the confu-sion of the new situation with something“known” and predictable for your dog.


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Socialization to New Environments

297.In each new environment, use thefundamental exercises for self-control

(SIT and DOWN position holding) to create a pat-tern. Use of these cues will tell the dog that thesituation requires self-control and manners. Shecan then begin to self-apply manners.

298.Self-application begins only afterseveral situations where you are

directing her behavior. This can be as few as tenapplications or as many as three months to sixmonths of direction. Don’t assume that one ortwo times will do it!

299.The amount of applications requiredon your part will be determined by

your dog’s age, maturity, self-control, level of dis-traction, and your consistency in how it’s beenapplied.

300.When resocializing to problematicsituations (something your dog may

be afraid of or sensitive to), you will need tochange your dog’s perception along with hisbehavior. Sometimes perception changes first andthen the behavior can change, and sometimesbehavior must change first for the perception tochange.


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301.Sometimes the dog is moving toofast (fight or flight response) to

really understand the situation. Using the com-mand system and having her SIT to calm downwill allow her to fully “see” or “experience” the sit-uation and understand there is nothing wrongwith it.This is called the “discrimination phase” oflearning—discriminating good and bad, right andwrong.


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302.No one wants to be the first personthrough the “Fun House.” When it

comes to socialization and resocialization, youmust take the lead. If you are not willing to touchthe scary object, then why should your dog? Getdown on your knees and pet the scary object ifnecessary. Once your dog sees that it doesn’t hurtyou he will be more willing to experience it too.

303.Confidence is key. No one enjoysseeing fear in their dog.Your dog will

pick up his emotional cue from you. Don’t be tooquick to come to your dog’s emotional rescue. Ifyou react to your dog’s fear with deep sympa-thetic vocals like “it’s okay, you’re okay,” you maysend the completely wrong signal to your dog.

Food is especially useful when trying to build anervous dog’s confidence or build their security ina situation. Don’t use the food to reinforce thefear; rather, use it for positive behavior. Eventu-ally your dog’s “trigger” for fear can take on anew association for your dog—a food dispenser!If a once-scary object or situation now becomesassociated with food, your dog may be betterable to change his perception.


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KEEPING THE CRATE A HAPPYPLACE

304.Use the crate frequently. Using thecrate only when away or at night

will cause your dog not to expect to be cratedwhen you are home. Keeping a schedule is key toknowing when to crate your dog.

305.Never scold or yell at your dog whilein the crate or while being taken to

the crate. While socializing your dog to the crate,never call your dog to you to go into the crate.Always go get your dog (by the leash) and leadhim into the crate with a happy cue word.Remember, punishment has more to do with youremotions than your actions.

306.Always give a small treat for goinginto the crate. Take your dog’s collar

off and close the door. Give another small treatafter the door is closed.

307.Whenever possible, place the crate ina non-central location. Central loca-

tions keep your dog from getting adequate rest anddowntime. Spare bedrooms are ideal, or reserve aplace in the master bedroom (your dog will feel athome there). Finished basements are also a goodlocation. Place a radio (on low volume) somewherenear the crate to help block out nuisance noises soyour dog can rest. Avoid heavy metal or rap music.


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308.Don’t overuse the crate. Putting yourdog in the crate for extended lengths

of time may cause your dog to dislike the crateexperience. An adolescent or adult dog can spendeight or so hours crated during a workday. Avoidrepeated longer stays. Make sure the time yourdog spends out of the crate is high quality.

NOISE DESENSITIZATION

309.To desensitize your dog to noise, youwill need an assistant. Always start

desensitizing at a distance. You may need to startone hundred feet away or more. Heel your dog ina circle. Have your assistant make a noise by usinga wood stick on the bottom of a metal food dish.Your dog may show interest in the noise. Praiseyour dog and re-command HEEL. Feel free to usefood to make the desensitization exercise posi-tive.

310.If your dog startles or shows excessinterest, divert (without leash cor-

rection) with NO and redirect with HEEL. Praise,and use food. Don’t be surprised if your dogrefuses the food. He has more important thingson his mind. This fact can be a barometer. Con-tinue to verbally redirect and praise. When yourdog accepts food again, you know he is relaxingwith the noise.


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311.As your dog learns to relax with thenoise, try position holding with SIT

(first) and DOWN (with SIT success). Return to theincreased distance and change the noise. Trybanging pots together, an air horn, a car horn, orbreaking balloons (your assistant will have a ballwith this).

312.If you plan on doing any huntingwith your dog, noise socialization is

a must. Spend a lot of time socializing to medium-range noises before using the starter’s pistol. Youmay also take your dog to a firing range but stay adistance away. Practice obedience commands inthe parking lot or a block away. Again, as your dogimproves, decrease the distance to the noise.

313.If you want to use the clicker duringobedience training, you will want to

introduce it slowly. Some dogs are noise sensitiveto the click and may be startled. Since this signalis meant to be praise, take the time to introducethe click and gage your dog’s reaction. If the clickis too intense, try to muffle the sound by puttingyour clicker hand in a pair or two of socks. Watchthat you don’t click in close proximity to yourdog’s ear.


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TOUCH DESENSITIZATION

314.All places of your dog’s body need tobe permissible to touch! Remember

that this idea, while it sounds reasonable to you,may feel like a real breech of personal boundaries toyour dog. The key is to go slowly and be sensitive towhat you’re asking your dog to accept from you.

315.Touch Desensitization has a proac-tive part and a preventative part.

Proactive means teaching this concept of accept-ance, and prevention means avoiding things thatcould cause touch sensitivity.

Prevention of Touch Sensitivity

316.Never touch your dog’s face anyrougher than you want your own face

touched. If you have gentle manners with yourpuppy, generally your puppy will have gentle man-ners with you, and he won’t mind being touched onthe face. Rough handling around the face willcause your puppy to mouth at your hands, avoidhand contact, and dislike being petted.


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317.Do not grab at your dog’s collar ifhe’s into “trouble.” Repeated grab-

bing at his neck (his instinctual center of control!)will cause him to be “on guard” around that area.Mouthing, flinching at touch, and startleresponses can occur, as this will be construed as adominant, bully gesture.

318.Do not smack your dog’s fanny forany reason! If he’s “into something,”

call him to you proactively or lead him away by hisleash. Any surprise tactile gestures that are nega-tive will cause your dog to view touch as negative.

319.Do not perform “dominant DOWN”exercises. These are exercises that

ask you to roll your dog over on his back, hold himfirmly, and stare at him in the face. This exercisewill most certainly stimulate defensive aggres-sion, fight drive, or submissive urination in yourdog, depending upon his personality. The amountof “touch trust” this exercise breaks is very large.

320.Do not perform “muzzle hold” exer-cises. Do not pinch his gums or

squeeze his muzzle in response to mouthing (seethe Mouthing section for proactive tips) as thiswill cause extreme sensitivity around his mouthand an increase in mouthing. This negative formof handling will cause your dog to distrust thehands coming near his face.


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Proactive Teaching

321.Touch-desensitization exercise: thegoal of this exercise is to desensitize

your dog to being touched in various places of hisbody. These exercises will desensitize your dog’sresponse to being touched, yet obedience andmanners training will keep your dog respectful ofall who touch him, not just his owners!


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322.Practice multiple “touching” exer-cises each week (roughly three to

four times per week) to not only teach your dogtouch acceptance, but also to maintain his accept-ance of handling throughout his life. It is best tobegin this exercise in puppyhood and practicetouch-desensitization exercises throughout yourdog’s adolescence and into the first year of adult-hood.

CAUTIONIf you have a dog with not only a touch sensitivitybut also an aggression issue, consult a privateprofessional trainer one-on-one before beginningthese exercises, as they are breaking boundariesyour dog may fight you on. Remember to alwayshave a high degree of leadership through trainingwith your dog to do this exercise.

323.Before you begin, you must be awareof certain areas that are “touchy” or

sensitive to your dog. These areas are paws, ears,fanny, and tail. Other areas may be sensitive toyour particular dog, but these are the primaryareas about which to be sensitive. They may notonly be “ticklish,” but areas of contest as well.Yourdog may mouth you upon your touch here, so pro-ceed cautiously.


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324.When beginning this exercise withyour dog, break down your touch

exercise into small goals. One night work ontouching the head, the next night work the paws,and save the belly and backside for a separateevening.

325.When touching body parts, do soslowly and gently, yet with confi-

dence. After a part is touched, say “Good dog!” andoffer a piece of kibble to thank your pet for hisacceptance. Praise and treats makes this exerciseof cooperation flow more smoothly, and it alsohelps your dog to associate it with good things.

326.Begin by slowly touching your dog’shead from the side. Do not reach for

him from the front. Work your way down hischeeks, to his jaws and muzzle. You may want tomaintain control of him by holding his leash. Thehead inspection includes gently looking in theears, carefully opening the eyes a bit, and openingthe mouth for a tooth, tongue, and gums inspec-tion. Keep in mind that someday you may need toadminister pills or ear or eye drops, brush histeeth, or remove something from his mouth.


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327.When you begin working the legsand paws, you will want to start at

the shoulders or hips, work down to the elbowsand knees, and end at the paws. Paws are sensi-tive, so take your time here! You will want to beable to not only handle the paws, but the individ-ual toes and pads as well.

“Belly up!” Next, move to the back, abdomen,and belly. Be gentle here as well, yet confidentabout your touch. Scan as much of these areaswith your hands as you can, praising along theway.

328.Your dog’s rear end is the most sensi-tive area on his body. He will want to

guard this area since it is a zone that is most per-sonal and triggers vulnerability. When touchingthis area, be in control of his leash, don’t lingerthere long, and build the amount of time spentthere in repeated exercises. Do not avoid touchingthis area, as there will certainly be a time wherethe veterinarian will need to take your dog’s tem-perature. Allowing this area to be touched alsoindicates full acceptance of leadership.

329.Once you’ve spent one to threenights on each body segment, begin

combining segments until you are able to performthe touch exercises on the entire body in oneevening. This will take anywhere from one tothree weeks, depending upon your dog’s accept-ance and your approach.


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ACCLIMATION TO MOVEMENT

330.Dogs may be sensitive to movingobjects. Objects like bicycles, vac-

uum cleaners, lawn mowers, baby strollers,wheelchairs, rollerblades, scooters, motorcycles,cars, and trucks may solicit reactive behaviorsfrom your dog. Your dog may want to chase, bark,or lunge aggressively towards the object. To suc-cessfully socialize your dog to these objects it isimportant to understand that fear of these objectsplays a large part in these behaviors.

331.Preparatory work: make sure yourobedience commands are spotless.

Distraction train your dog with moving distrac-tions (see chapter 8). Start distraction trainingwith objects that are non-threatening like a ball ora toy. When your dog resists the moving objectsyou are ready to begin.

332.Walk your dog around objects likethe bicycle and baby stroller while

they are not moving (use treats to introduce thescary items). Once your dog is comfortable withthe stationary object, if the object makes a noise,turn it on. Continue to walk your dog around theobject.


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333.Next step: with small items likebicycles, baby strollers, scooters, and

lawn mowers, have your trusty assistant move theobjects around while your dog holds SIT andeventually DOWN commands. Use positive social-izing techniques and treats with praise for posi-tive behaviors.

334.Continue: take your dog to a bicy-cling path where people will be jog-

ging, bicycling, or rollerblading. Start several feetaway from the path (twenty to thirty feet at first).Give your dog a SIT command. As a moving objectapproaches you, coach your dog with “good SIT.” Ifyour dog ignores the moving object and lets itpass, praise your dog. If your dog reacts, divertwith a corrective NO and redirect with SIT. Gradu-ally decrease the distance from you to the pathuntil you are standing next to the path. Changeyour position along the path frequently.

335.Finish it: once you have success onthe bike path, graduate to the street.

Again, to go forward you must go back. Start manyfeet away from the street. Repeat the exercise asdescribed above, decreasing the distance to thestreet as your dog improves. Pay special attentionto coaching your dog as the distractionapproaches. Don’t wait for your dog to fail to startdirecting him. Change your spot along the streetfrequently.


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336.Make a game out of the exercise.Every time your dog does not react,

it is a success. For each success your dog achieves,give a treat with praise. Use this technique in thebeginning, and as you see your dog’s fearful atti-tude toward the object change to confidence andthe reactive behaviors disappear, wean off thetreats.

337.For objects like a wheelchair or babystroller, shorten the leash and hold

it in your left hand. Use your right hand to steerthe object and HEEL your dog while pushing theobject. Maintain a tight HEEL position and praiseliberally. Make sure you begin this exercise with-out any passenger in the stroller or wheelchair.Add a passenger when your dog becomes com-fortable with the exercise.

Socialization to Cars

338.Drooling in Dodges or “QueasyRider”: sometimes dogs find the

movement of the car and the unstable surfacesunsettling to the stomach. The first thing to try isginger. Ginger has a calming effect on the stom-ach. Two or three ginger cookies (available at anymarket) a few hours before traveling may beenough.


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339.The car may make your dog nervous.It is big and loud and may emit

sounds inaudible to human ears that may reallyrepel your dog. Begin desensitizing your dog to thecar with the engine off. Open all the doors andexplore the interior with your dog. Use food treatsto turn your car into a fun place to play.

THUNDERSTORMS

340.Storms have natural signals whichalert to the imminent danger. Wild

animals receive these signals and seek shelterbefore the storm actually begins. Our family dogsalso receive these signals and, depending on theirprior experiences (and probably your reactions),act accordingly.

341.Thunderstorms are tricky in termsof desensitizing. You must first

determine which part of the storm is causing yourdog stress. Stress can come from the noise of thethunder, the flashes of lightning, or simply thebarometric pressure changes in the atmosphere.Each must be desensitized differently.

342.If your dog can be diverted with sim-ple obedience exercises, you will

begin a light-hearted workout, using food andpraise and perhaps even nice music. This will keeptheir minds off the storm, but also create the illu-sion of something positive in light of the storm.


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343.Your ability to use obedience to dis-tract your dog will depend upon how

much it is used in daily life. If it’s a way of life anda “known” reliable piece of her life with you, it willbe most effective.

Thunder

344.First desensitize your dog to generalnoise as described above. You can

use pots, books dropping, doorbells, etc. You canthen begin to add higher-level noises like trucksand traffic. In noise desensitization, work yourway up to a CD that contains thunderstormnoises. Start with it being played quietly, thenramp up the noise.

DON’T OVERDO NOISES! Desensitization means that you’re getting themused to varying levels of noise, but if you applytoo much noise too constantly, you will end upstressing your dog. Likewise, if your environmentis too continually quiet, you will need to get yourdog into different environments to experiencenoise.


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345.Active practice is positive, but whathappens when the storm hits? Now

is the time to jump into leadership mode. Thatmeans that you pick up your dog’s leash and usethe SIT and DOWN cues for relaxation to put yourdog’s “thought path” onto a positive thought. (See“thought path” discussion in chapter 12.)

346.Remember to do SIT and DOWNposition holding exercises for other

things as well. You don’t want your dog sensitiz-ing to the actual exercise! This means that if youonly use the exercise for noise, your dog will beginto generalize and expect noises every time youuse the skill set.

Lightning

347.Flashes of light can be disconcertingfor your dog. The only time they

seem to really bother dogs is when the flashes arepreceded or followed by loud thunder. The associ-ation between lightning and thunder is then neg-ative for your dog, and both seem to hold thesame association. Use of a calming workout canbe effective here as well, just as in the thunderdesensitization exercise.


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348.Draw your blinds, close curtains, andcover the crate with a blanket to

keep the flashes to a minimum. This will allowyour dog less stressors at once. It kind of “man-ages” the storm for you so you have less to workthe dog through.

Barometric Pressure

349.Most dogs can sense the change inthe atmosphere upon an approach-

ing storm. This sense is what enables animals inthe wild to “head for high ground.” They sensestorms and try to find safety.

350.Some dogs like to go to closets, bath-rooms, or crates for safety and secu-

rity during a storm. This is fine, and you canpermit this as long as it isn’t due to your dog beinga fearful dog in general. You will then want tohandle this as a self-confidence issue in a trainingprogram.

351.If you have trained your dog well,built confidence, and have not pam-

pered your dog, you should be able to redirectyour dog during storms, even if they can sense thebarometric pressure changes. Dogs that run onfight, flight, or freeze responses need more direc-tion and obedience in their lives so they do nothave to default to their instincts for survival.


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TEACHING DOGS TO SHARE

352.In multiple-dog households, it isoften the perception of the dogs to

have to “claim” critical resources (toys, food,space, affection). While this is a natural instinct to“grab all you can,” you will want to instill a differ-ent behavioral pattern over this instinct.

353.The first step in helping your dogs toshare is to be certain that the lead-

ers are leading. This is through obedience train-ing, structure, and positive direction of both dogs.Having leashes on both dogs (and one handler perdog) makes this job easier.

354.Sit with each dog on a leash, onopposite sides of the room. Hold the

leash and keep one to three toys in front of eachdog. If your dog tries to get up and go to the otherdog for a toy, detain your dog with the leash andresupply her original group of toys to her.

355.If you have a good leadership rela-tionship with your dog and you

practice obedience daily, you will be able to give amild leash correction for stealing, but then substi-tute her own toy for the stolen toy. You will haveto redirect this behavior often to keep it in checkand develop a new pattern of behavior.


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356.Work up to allowing one dog to playactively instead of lying in a DOWN

while the other remains on-leash and in a DOWN.Give each dog a turn with this so they can learnpatience.

357.Toy stealing happens often if there iscompetition, so be certain to have

plenty of toys for each dog and a good rhythm ofstructure about the household. If no leaders areleading and supplying the necessary items for ahappy life, the dogs will view things as a “free forall!” and feel the need to steal.

REMOVING OBJECTS AND TOYSFROM YOUR DOG

358.Your ability to remove toys andobjects from your dog will be deter-

mined by your leadership role (of course!) withyour dog. The following tips will be much moreuseful, effective, and safe if you have a positiverole and relationship with your dog. Obediencepracticed every day and used in daily life willensure these points. For severe cases in toy andfood possession, only attempt to resolve it with aprofessional trainer directing you one-on-one andin person.


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359.When trying to take toys from yourdog, always do it in a calm but direct

fashion. Do not use suspicion or anger in yourvoice as that will often cause a dog to becomedefensive and hold the toy harder.

360.Approach your dog slowly (but notsuspiciously) and without threaten-

ing body language or direct eye contact. Pick upyour dog’s leash so your body language canremain neutral and non-threatening, yet busi-nesslike. Say your dog’s name out loud so youwon’t startle her.

361.With one hand on the leash and theother hand holding a treat, use a cue

word such as “give” as you offer the treat.Your dogshould drop the toy or allow you to remove the toyfrom her mouth as you give her the reward andpraise her. This method will allow you to teachher to release a toy with a positive result at agiven cue word. Practice this often and randomly.


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ObedienceTraining

7.

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Reader’s Note: the best way to approach thischapter is to read both chapters 7 and 8

through to the end, then go back and begin theteaching process. In this manner, you will see theend destination and understand how things buildupon each other before you begin.

Obedience commands serve two functions: 1.) Each command has a specific activity asso-

ciated with it that you will use to direct your dog’sactivities.

2.) Each command has a specific meaning andconcept connected to it for the dog and how heperceives his role in your relationship. Regularpractice and proper use of the obedience com-mands in daily life will cement your relationshipas a team, nurturing trust and mutual respect.

STYLES—GIZMOS, TREATS, ANDCLICKS

362.There are many varied methods andstyles of obedience training for dogs.

It is important to research your local trainers asthoroughly as possible before making a commit-ment to any one program or option. Some of theoptions available are group classes, privateinstruction, and pre-training programs. Somewell-crafted programs include combinations ofthese programs designed to capture the best ofeach type.


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363.Teaching your dog in a group classenvironment can be very distracting.

Your dog will have to ignore the action going onaround him and focus on learning. If your dogfalls behind, you may be pushed toward movingyour dog ahead to exercises for which he is notprepared. This may sour the training experiencefor both you and your dog.

364.Before signing up for an obedienceclass, visit a current class and

observe the dogs and owners. Take special note ofhow the instructor handles owner-and-dog teamsthat have fallen behind. A good instructor can bal-ance the special needs of the stragglers withoutpenalizing the teams who are on pace.

365.Don’t underestimate the value ofobedience commands being profes-

sionally taught. Whether or not your dog “listensto you” depends more on your relationship withyour dog than who teaches the obedience com-mands. Teaching your dog improperly by yourselfcan do just as much damage as good. Investigatedog training schools that provide pre-training foryour dog as well as “after” training for you.

Obedience Training 157

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366.The click-and-treat method has sig-nificant merit. The click-and-treat

dog-training method was developed around themarine-mammal training experience. By offeringan effective positive approach, the click-and-treatdog-training method has been instrumental in edu-cating people about the problems of a dominance-based training system.

The Trouble with Tools

367.When selecting a training tool, keepthe goal of obedience in mind. It is

important to remember when selecting the train-ing tool that the ultimate goal of the training pro-gram is to develop mental self-control within yourdog. Tools or devices designed for physical controlmay be effective when taking a walk or preventingjumping but may be ineffective when developingmental discipline.

368.Choosing a collar. Every domesti-cated being has a natural control

point. For the human, it is our arms (and hands).This is the reason why human control tools likethe straightjacket and handcuffs are effective. Thenatural control point for the dog is the neck. Forthe activity of dog training we recommend a flatcollar, leather slip collar, or prong collar.


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369.Larger dogs (greater than seventy-fivepounds) may graduate early to a prong

collar during the teaching phase, especially withHEEL. Alternately, a head halter might be the tool forthe teaching phase or taking a walk in the park.

370.Medium-sized dogs (ten to seventy-five pounds) will probably start out

training on a flat collar. During the reinforcementphase you will probably want to switch to a cor-rective device like the prong collar. With maturityand experience with the obedience lifestyle, youwill probably be able to return to the flat collar.

371.Small dogs (under ten pounds) mayuse a flat collar or harness.There are

many harness types on the market. We havetrained dogs so small they required the smallestcat harness we could find. Not small enough? Trythe ferret harness.

372.Our least-recommended device isthe chain (choker) collar. The con-

stricting action may cause long-term wear on theinterior of the neck and may flatten or constrictthe trachea if not properly used. The main prob-lem is that the chain collar is a difficult tool to useproperly. If the collar is put on the dog backwardsit will not release, therefore rendering it useless.The construction geometry and link size for somemodels also makes it difficult for the collar torelease properly.


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373.A popular tool for positive reinforce-ment is the clicker. The theory holds

that with proper association of a food reward withthe accompanying click, the dog can be condi-tioned to various responses. The click is adminis-tered in the same manner as vocal praise. Whenyour dog performs the action you desire, click andtreat.

374.Whatever tool you select for yourdog, be consistent with how you use

it. Your dog will learn to listen to you when he iswearing the leash and collar but not listen if theyare off. The tools will become the source of therespect. If your dog is always on the leash and col-lar (leash and collar are always off when in thecrate), the respect will eventually flow to you. Atthis point, when the leash and collar come off, therespect is still yours, and you and your dog will bea team.


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AVOIDING COMMON TRAININGPITFALLSControl is an illusion. Do not teach your dog obe-dience commands so you will have control overthem. Obedience commands form a languagethrough which you can communicate your expec-tations and teach him how to socialize in the two-legged world. These commands will also keephim safe and allow him to remain safe for society.

Forget everything you ever heard about“alpha dog” and pack theory. Proper training andcommunication have nothing to do with placingyour dog in a subservient role to you or anyoneelse. Being a leader and being dominant are twocompletely different roles.

Another common pitfall is about praise. Veryoften, owners confuse affection with praise.Overly emotive vocals and touching and/or pet-ting are affection but are not praise. While yourdog has a need to understand that you like orlove him, affection is not the proper reward forobedience training.

Avoid becoming attached to the outcome ofthe training process and learn to enjoy it. Effec-tive training means having high standards andlofty goals. However, if the goals are not immedi-ately achieved, then you must avoid frustrationwith the process. Consistency, patience, and per-sistence are essential traits of a quality dogtrainer.


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POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

375.The obedience command languagemust be a positive expression of

communication for your dog. Obedience trainingis not punishment. To ensure this, the language ofobedience commands should be positive, fun, welltaught, and well received. The tools for achievingthese concepts are food, a joyful voice, happyfacial expressions, precise and patient teaching,and an eager teacher.

376.Most dogs are food motivated. Thesecret to food training is getting the

most result for each treat. Start out by using a tinytreat for every success. Always use a cue phraselike “good dog,” “good boy,” “good girl,” “good(insert dog’s name here),” or “good (insert com-mand here).” After your dog becomes accustomedto the training process (approximately onemonth), decrease the frequency of treats.The nextstep is to treat only for patience building or dis-traction training. Finally, reward randomly so yourdog is kept guessing (and working) for the nextreward.


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IMPORTANT NOTEDuring the following obedience command train-ing instructions, where we have written praisewith “good…” you may insert a click-and-treatreward if this is your preferred style of training.

377.You must use the right “bait” to“catch” a command. Sometimes you

will need to use food to bait your dog into theappropriate positions. This is completely normal.Using food to assist your manual manipulationswill assure a positive attitude towards the com-mands.

378.When it comes to giving treats, thegoal is taste not tons. Use a soft treat

like a stick or a square where small bits can bepulled off (about the size of a pencil eraser) andgiven individually.The more fragrant the treat, themore flavor your dog will receive. Avoid givinglarge prepackaged treat snacks whole. A medium-sized treat bone can be broken into four to sixquick bites.

379.You can wean off the food reward,but the verbal praise must continue

for life. If you begin to “expect” behaviors fromyour dog and stop praising for the effort, the goodbehavior will eventually go away.


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380.Not only will the good behavior van-ish, but a negative behavior may

take its place. A dog will pick up an annoyingbehavior if you are not paying enough positiveattention, just to divert your attention to him.

381.Dogs respond to your voice morethan any other stimulus. If you

approach obedience training with a negative atti-tude, so will your dog. Act like a coach and praiseyour dog in a manner that will build trust, eager-ness, and confidence.

382.Praise your dog so that your doglooks up to you. Sometimes when

training your dog, praise becomes distracting.Work through the praise distraction becausehearty praise is necessary for a positive trainingexperience.

CREATING GOOD TRAINING HABITS

383.Behind every success story is a plan.The key to successfully training your

dog is no different. Before you begin teaching yourdog anything, develop a plan for what you willteach first, second, and so on.


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384.Having a prepared plan will help youdevelop excellent timing. Distracted

dogs have short attention spans. Giving a com-mand and praising three or four seconds afteryour dog has succeeded may not link the praisewith the action. Being very timely with bothpraise and correction will help your dog learnfaster and understand exactly which action isdesired and which action is inappropriate.

385.Poor or sloppy leash handlingreflects a very casual attitude

towards training. Your dog will have a tough timetaking you seriously with sloppy leash handling.The effect of getting a proper leash grip is like alecturer clearing his throat to get your attention.

386.Get a grip! Place the thumb of yourright hand in the loop of the leash.

Make another loop in the leash to take up theslack and loop it over your right thumb. Your lefthand should find a spot on the leash toward thestitching near the buckle. Hold the leash so thatthe buckle lays flat but minimum slack is in theleash. Your left hand will be rather close to thebuckle depending on the height of you and yourdog. Relax both arms so you are standing natu-rally.


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387.Practice your hand signals for thevarious commands without your

dog present. Watch yourself in the mirror and usethe verbal cues with the hand signals. Practicemakes for crisp, clean, and readily recognizablehand signals for your dog.

388.Some owners cheat for their dogs,giving a slight tug on the leash

before giving a command, calling his name, ormaking another sound to get the dog’s attentionor placing themselves in the dog’s view. All thesetactics do more harm than good. They do notallow the dog to make the appropriate decision onhis own.

389.Obedience commands have a begin-ning (spoken command), a middle

(the action associated with the command), and afinish (where the command ends). Always praisefor performance of the command and praise forwaiting until you release the dog at the finish.

390.Never give the leash signal for acommand. Most main commands

have both a verbal and hand signal. The NO diver-sion has a leash signal, which should be consid-ered the same as a hand signal. Just as it would bewrong to give the DOWN hand signal for HEEL, itis wrong to give the NO leash signal for any othercommand.


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391.Commands are just that: com-mands. Avoid vocal inflections that

would indicate intimidation or uncertainty inyour voice. Never yell at your dog during obedi-ence training. Avoid all reprimands. Reprimand-ing your dog only serves to break down the trustbond between you and him. Physical punishmentof any form is abusive and dangerous and maylead to your dog becoming aggressive towardsyou.

392.Do not train your dog when you arein a bad mood. Negative emotions

will cause a negative training experience for yourdog. Never train your dog when you are angry orin a hurry. Obedience training is not a punish-ment for poor household behavior.

393.Train your dog when you can be“mentally present” in the workout.

Turn off the TV, turn the phone’s ringer off, andgive the kids some activities and let them knowthat this is the dog’s special time. Your dog willonly be able to remain focused and undistracted ifyou can remain focused and undistracted.


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394.Dogs learn by repetition. In theteaching phase of your process, cre-

ating a consistent and repetitive goal is essential.However, once your dog has learned and under-stood the concepts, patterns will work against oneof the fundamental reasons for obedience train-ing: teaching our dogs to think. Deliberately struc-turing your obedience workouts to avoid patternsor repeating the same thing over and over again iscalled diversity and will be referenced as suchwithin the book.

395.Avoid the temptation to release yourdog at the end of the workout and

overly praise your dog like they have “survived”the nasty workout. Your dog should get morepraise during the practice session than immedi-ately afterwards.

396.Always end an obedience trainingsession on a positive note. If things

are going very badly, give your dog a quick andhappy SIT command, praise heartily, and quit. Tryagain later after each of you has had a break.

TEACHING THE OBEDIENCECOMMAND LANGUAGE

397.Teaching each command will havefour phases: Teaching, Reinforcing,

Testing, and Applying.


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398.The teaching phase is designed toteach your dog the meaning of each

command. During the teaching phase you will behelping your dog by manually placing him in posi-tions and repeating a cue word such as SIT so heassociates the work with the action. You mayneed to repeat these exercises with as many asone hundred repetitions before you begin rein-forcement.

399.Teaching is a one-time experience,and reinforcing will continue

throughout your dog’s life. You only have onechance to teach your dog well. Take your time andget it right. Do not begin to exact performance(reinforce) any command before your dog hasdemonstrated a complete understanding of thecommand. Be patient.

400.The reinforcement phase of eachcommand will be characterized by a

removal of the physical assistance used to teacheach command. Food reward will be reduced toprovide a “random” reward scenario. Quality ver-bal praise and motivation are essential during thisphase to maintain a positive experience for yourdog.


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401.The reinforcement phase will trans-fer the responsibility for completing

the commands from you to your dog.Your dog willbegin to learn boundaries by placing performancerequirements on the exercises.

402.The testing phase will have specificexercises designed to determine if

your dog truly understands the meaning of thespecific commands.

403.The application phase requires youto use the obedience command in

daily life to socialize your dog to living in yourenvironment.

404.Keep a training log. List the com-mands vertically down on the page,

and list the milestones on the top of the page. Thecommands should be HEEL, SIT, BREAK, DOWN,POSITION HOLDING, COME, and PLACE. IncludeMOTION SIT and MOTION DOWN as well asFRONT DOWN and FRONT SIT. The milestoneswill be Teach, Reinforce, Test, and Apply. As youreach each milestone, make an “X” in the spacebelow the milestone. This log will help youremember where you are in your training planand not to forget the work you have yet to do!


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CREATING GOOD BOUNDARIES—THE CORRECTIVE NO

405.Define the “Yes” and the “No” toteach what is good praise. To teach

what is not good, say “No.” Only giving praise,without the NO, will not develop the sense of“right and wrong” needed for your dog.

406.If effectively taught and consistentlyreinforced, NO is a valuable tool in

the obedience language. Functionally, NO willmean: you (the dog) are doing something wrong;stop what you are doing and pay attention to me(the owner), and I will tell you what to do to getpraise!

407.How does this complex meaning gettaught? Teaching NO is part of the

reinforcement phase in obedience training. Toteach your dog NO, you will give a quick snap andrelease of the leash (leash signal) while simulta-neously saying NO.

408.Give a command you wish your dogto do. If performed, praise. If not

performed, give the corrective NO (diversion) andre-command with the initial command (redirec-tion). An example of the verbal pattern for a dogwho needed to be corrected twice for failing to SITis: “SIT,” “NO...SIT,” “NO...SIT,” (the dog sits)... “GoodSIT.”


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409.The corrective NO technique willneed to be understood, practiced,

and mastered to assure that NO is fair and under-stood. The leash signal required to perform aneffective correction is a quick snap and release,the release being just as important as the snap. Itis not a pull, yank, or jerk. At no time should yourdog’s feet leave the ground, and if the correctivesnap is done properly, your dog’s head shouldn’teven move. The technique key is quick.

QUICK IS NOT HARD One fair quick correction is better than twentylight, slow nagging corrections. Keep the mentalpicture of “quick snap” in your mind. Banishother ideas like yank, tug, pull, hard, jerk, or haul.

410.To get a feel for the corrective snap,attach the buckle of the leash to

your shoelaces. Place your foot flat on the floorwith the buckle resting on your foot. Give yourfoot a quick snap. If you feel a pulse on your footand the buckle is back resting on your foot, youhave given a good correction. If your foot hops offthe floor, too hard. If you end up with theshoelaces being tightly held aloft by the leash, youare not releasing the correction.


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411.The direction of the correction isalso important. The direction of the

correction will provide an indication of whichmotion may be required to complete the actioncorrectly. For each obedience command, theproper correction direction will be described.

412.During the teaching of NO, you willuse whatever collar you are using to

teach the command at that time. Most commandswill start with a flat collar and graduate in thereinforcement phase to a more corrective deviceonce the command is understood. Head har-nesses such as the Halti or Gentle Leader can beused effectively but without the leash signal.

413.Keep your voice constant. No nega-tive emotions, frustration, or anger.

NO is not a punishment or a reprimand, just adiversion. Adding negative emotions to the cor-rection may cause your dog to become defensive(or defensively aggressive) towards you and theobedience experience.

414.While teaching your dog NO, onlyuse NO in the context of the obedi-

ence training workout. Wait until your dog under-stands what NO means before you use it in reallife to craft patterns and behaviors.


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HEEL

415.The HEEL zone is a two-foot squarepositioned at your left hip. To imag-

ine this, take a piece of sidewalk chalk and draw atwo-foot square and stand next to it. Masking tapeon the carpet also makes a nice HEEL visual! If thiszone moves forward, your dog will maintain hishead within the prescribed HEEL zone. When thezone stops moving, your dog will stop and SITautomatically and will hold the SIT position untilgiven another command. Read and understand allthe teaching steps prior to teaching your dog HEEL.

416.The goal of the HEEL command is toget your dog to keep his or her head

within the boundaries of this square. This com-mand begins the process of developing the dog’sself-control by keeping himself in the requiredzone. The goal is to wean off physical control anddevelop mental self-control.

Teach the HEEL Command

417.The HEEL command is the first andmost important command to teach

your dog regarding “following the leader.” Heelingnot only means that he is walking nicely on aleash for you, but more important, it means thathe’s following you as a leader, paying attention toyou, and walking with you, not against you. Onlywhen your dog is following you well and payingclear attention at HEEL will he be able to listen toyou through other commands and distractions.


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418.To teach the HEEL command, holdthe dog on your left-hand side and

walk in a left circle. By walking in a left circle, yourbody motion keeps “herding” your dog left. Thisconsistent left and slightly backwards motion willencourage your dog to remain at your left side inthe proper HEEL zone.

419.Begin this exercise by walking veryslowly. Baby steps or half strides

may be necessary to achieve the slow pace neces-sary for your dog to maintain the proper position.Most dogs will learn HEEL at a reasonable pace;however, exuberant dogs will require a very slowpace until they learn the concept.

420.How big should this circle be? Mostdogs will learn HEEL in a circle about

fifteen to twenty feet across. More exuberant dogswill need a smaller circle only five to ten feetacross. The tighter the circle, the more “herding”influence your body will exert. As your dog under-stands the concept of HEEL, you may widen thecircle.

421.Be careful with this exercise! Walk-ing in a circle that is too tight and

watching your dog may make you dizzy! If youfeel dizzy, slow down or stop all together. Pickyour head up and look at the horizon. Begin againbut with a wider circle and slower pace.


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422.Give the verbal command HEEL andstart walking very slowly in your left

circle. Hold the leash with your left hand withminimum slack. Gradually tighten your circle andslow your pace until you feel the leash slacken.When your dog’s head is within the HEEL zone,verbally praise with “good HEEL” to teach your dogthat HEEL means being in this position.

423.During the early teaching stages ofHEEL, complete between three and

five circles before you stop (this will be known asa series). Repeat one series of three to five circlesseven times.

424.Your dog may want to walk ahead orbehind you. Using the leash, quickly

guide him back into the proper zone and praisewith “good HEEL” when he returns to the zone.

425.What training tool should you use toteach your dog HEEL? Start with a

flat collar. If the exercise is difficult because yourdog is a hearty puller, switch to a prong (or finger)collar, Halti, or Gentle Leader. Remember, the goalis to wean away from physical control so any ofthese tools will be temporary.


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426.During HEEL your dog should walkwith his head aloft. Most dogs like to

sniff the ground while taking a walk. While this isnatural, it is hard for your dog to sniff and watchyour movements at the same time.

427.Teach your dog to keep his head atleast even with a line drawn from

his tail through the shoulder blades. How? Baitingwith a nugget of food is helpful. Baiting with afavorite toy is also useful. Pat your side and moti-vate your dog to watch you with your voice. Onceyour dog’s head is up and watching, verballypraise “good HEEL.”

428.Once you have taught your dog themiddle of the HEEL command, you

need to introduce the beginning and the finish.The HEEL command begins with your dog any-where in your proximity. Give the verbal com-mand HEEL and hand signal. As you beginwalking, your dog should walk over to your leftside with his head within the HEEL zone. Praise!

429.The hand signal for HEEL is rela-tively simple. Begin with your left

thumb on your left hip, palm flat and facing back-wards (the back of your hand faces forward). Makea scooping “U” motion with your left hand so yourleft hand returns to your left palm facing forward.All of this motion is behind your hip.


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430.The next step is to introduce the fin-ish of the HEEL command. As you

come to a stop, reach across your body and graspthe leash near the buckle with your right hand.Shift your left hand to your dog’s rear and placeinto a SIT position at your left side. Don’t use theSIT command yet. Your dog is still learning theHEEL command and giving your dog too muchresponsibility with reinforcing the SIT commandmay distract him from learning his HEEL lessons.

431.Put it all together. Give the com-mand HEEL, take four steps, and

place your dog into a SIT command. Praise with“good HEEL!” Why four steps? It is important foryour dog to link the beginning with the middleand the finish. Four steps help teach your dog thatthe verbal command is linked to the action ofHEEL and to SIT when the motion stops.

432.Make sure you give the HEEL handsignal and verbal command before

you begin moving. Otherwise your dog will moveevery time you move your feet. You want your dogto move ONLY when properly signaled.

Reinforce the HEEL Command

433.There are two potential reinforce-ments with the HEEL command: rein-

forcing the HEEL zone and reinforcing the automaticSIT. We will begin with reinforcing the HEEL zone.


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434.Give the command HEEL and beginwalking (slow pace first). As long as

your dog’s head is in the HEEL zone, praise with“good HEEL.” Once your dog’s head reaches theouter boundary of the zone, give a quick correc-tive snap (toward the HEEL zone) with NO andre-command HEEL. Once your dog’s head returnsto the zone, praise.

Do not use the leash to restrict your dog’s move-ments. This is called TOWING because you areliterally towing your dog around. Towing yourdog is cheating! If he doesn’t maintain the zone onhis own, give a NO correction and re-commandHEEL. Praise when he returns to the zone.

435.Review the leadership meaning ofHEEL described in chapter 5. If you

let your dog too far out of the HEEL zone prior tocorrecting, you may end up giving more correc-tions instead of one properly timed correction.

436.Another redirection tip is to remem-ber that there is no part of the HEEL

zone in front of your left leg. If your dog begins tocurve his head in front of your left leg, correct out-ward to your left and re-command.


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437.The second reinforcement of HEEL isthe automatic SIT. When you are

ready to finish moving the HEEL zone by walking,slow down so your dog focuses his attention toyou. Slowly come to a full stop and if your dogdoes not SIT, correct upwards with NO and com-mand SIT. Praise when your dog sits.

438.Avoid commanding your dog to SITwhen you stop moving. If you get in

the habit of commanding SIT, your dog will adoptthe idea of waiting to SIT until being asked. Tobuild the respect inherent with the HEEL com-mand, the SIT must be automatic.


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TEST THE HEEL COMMANDTest #1: Changing Pace Changing your pace is one of the easiest ways totest to see if your dog understands the HEELzone. Walk at a normal pace, and without signal-ing to your dog, change pace. He should imme-diately match your new pace and probably lookup at you.

As long as you have good health, there arefive paces for you to use for pace changing: jog,quick, normal, slow, and baby steps. To effec-tively change your pace, you will need to changeyour stride. If you like to walk for exercise you willneed to pay special attention to pace changes. Ifyour knees have trouble with jog and quick, don’tbother with them. Compensate by being reallyclever with your slower pace changes.

Test #2: Changing DirectionsIf your dog moves ahead of you while you areboth moving forward, step forward on your leftfoot and pivot completely around so you face theopposite direction. If your dog turns with you,praise. If not, correct with NO and re-commandHEEL. Do not turn your dog with the leash; makesure he turns on his own. Praise when your dogreturns to the HEEL position.

Right circles and right squares. Right-hand cir-cles and squares will require your dog to keep aclose eye on you, as your body will not be thereto steer him. You may be required to give severalsmall corrections at first, but enthusiastic motivat-ing (patting your left leg) will encourage your dogto follow you.


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Left circles and left squares. If you find yourdog drifting forward, many small left-hand circleswill motivate your dog to keep at your left hip.Avoid the temptation to hold your dog back bythe leash. Correct backwards with NO (and re-command HEEL) as long as your dog’s head is infront of your left thigh. Also, don’t try to get infront of your dog’s head; make your dog slowdown to match your pace and turns. Left squareswill help keep your dog’s head in the correct posi-tion.

Figure eights are an excellent test of focus andfollowing. Start slowly and maintain a slack leash.Only use the leash to correct (with NO) whenrequired. Motivate by patting your side and usingyour voice. Walk slowly at first and increase speedto a normal pace.

Test #3: Stationary HEELWith your dog in a SIT at your side, step forwarda few paces and stop. Your dog should haveremained in the SIT position. Pause for a fewmoments. Without taking any forward steps, giveyour dog the HEEL command. Your dog shouldmove to the HEEL zone and SIT. Praise heartily.Perform this test exercise from all positionsaround your dog.

If your dog can successfully maintain a HEELposition with a slack leash for the prior threetests, you can begin working on segment walksdescribed in chapter 8.


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SIT

439.When your dog is in the SIT position,his head is in the air and his poste-

rior is on the ground. Alert, he waits in the SIT forthe next command. Read and understand all thesteps prior to teaching your dog SIT.

Teach the SIT Command

440.Begin with your dog in front of you,head pointing towards your right

side and rump towards your left side. Stand upstraight and give the verbal command SIT. Moveyour right hand to the leash buckle and left handabove the tail. Using light pressure, place your dogin a sitting position by making a motion like youare turning a ship’s wheel counterclockwise(please practice this motion before trying it withyour dog).

CAUTIONSome dogs do not appreciate having your handnear their hindquarters. To avoid getting bitten,desensitize your dog to being touched and han-dled as described in chapter 6.


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441.Do not push your dog’s hindquartersdown. The somewhat circular

motion with your left hand should lightly scoopthe hindquarters. Also avoid pushing and releas-ing (we call bumping). Maintain consistent lightpressure for as long as it takes to finish the com-mand.

442.Your right hand should be directlyon top of the leash buckle or on the

stitching just above the buckle. Any higher on theleash and your dog may spin around. The lessexcess movement your dog makes, the faster hewill learn the movement associated with the SITcommand.

443.As soon as your dog’s rump hits theground, praise with “good SIT.” This

will associate the word SIT with this action. If youwish to add a food reward, offer it with your righthand while switching control of the leash to yourleft hand. Have your dog maintain the SIT com-mand for three to five seconds (you may guidehim with light leash pressure backwards towardsthe rump) repeating the praise “good SIT” everytwo seconds. Then release your dog with BREAK.


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Reinforce the SIT Command

444.At some point during the teachingphase, your dog will begin to SIT

before you are required to place him in the SITposition. Praise heartily with “good SIT.” If youfind your dog sitting with little physical assis-tance or you have been placing your dog in a SITfor two weeks (as prescribed in the Ten-WeekTraining Recipe later in the chapter), begin thereinforcement phase of training.

445.You can begin to reinforce the SITcommand by removing the physical

assistance and introducing a corrective NO. Standup straight and give the verbal command SIT. Ifyour dog completes the SIT command, praiseheartily with “good SIT.” If your dog does not com-plete the SIT command, give a corrective NO andrepeat the SIT command. If your dog fails to SIT,repeat the corrective NO pattern a maximum oftwice and then place your dog in the SIT position.

446.The leash correction required for thecorrective NO is a vertical (up and

slightly backward) snap and release.


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TEST THE SIT COMMANDCombine the SIT command with position-holdingskills by teaching your dog SIT in motion. Main-tain a close HEEL position and give your dog theSIT command. You may need to march in placefor a few moments until your dog completes theSIT. When your dog sits, praise and continuewalking forward until you reach the end of yourleash and your dog remains in his position.

As your dog gets better at the SIT in motion,increase your speed until you can HEEL at a nor-mal pace and your dog SITS immediately whencommanded. Your goal is to have your dog stophis forward motion and SIT within a two-secondcount.

Your dog should understand that SIT is morethan the action of moving his rump to the floor.To proof this idea we will teach your dog to SITfrom DOWN at the side. While your dog is hold-ing the DOWN position give the command SIT.You may need to motivate your dog by happilypatting your leg. Be cautious not to lean overyour dog because your body language will betelling him to stay down. Also divert your eyestare to the ground or better yet the horizon.

THE RELEASE COMMAND BREAK

447.The release command BREAK is theindication that the individual com-

mand is finished. Read and understand all thesteps prior to teaching your dog BREAK.


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Teach the BREAK Command

448.Since every obedience commandhas a beginning, middle, and finish,

you need a clear signal for the finish. Your dogneeds a clear understanding of when he is work-ing and when he is not. The release cue BREAKlets him know that he is no longer under com-mand. Break is not a license to return to poorbehavior but simply to release from a command.The BREAK command should be used frequentlyduring the workout, not just at the end of the ses-sion.

449.While you are teaching your dog toSIT, begin teaching BREAK at the

same time. Begin by standing with your shouldersfacing your dog. You do not need to be at the frontof your dog—you may stand at the side or rear aslong as your shoulders are facing your dog. Usinga natural motion bring your hands together,palms facing each other, waist high. Pause.

450.The following actions are to be per-formed simultaneously. With an

enthusiastic voice, give the release cue BREAK,spread your hands approximately shoulder-widthapart, and take one step backwards. Thesemotions will serve to draw your dog off the SIT. Assoon as your dog releases from the SIT command,praise verbally with “good BREAK” to associatethis action with the word BREAK.


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451.If your dog fails to move off the SITcommand, repeat the BREAK com-

mand with the motion assistance but add tensionwith the leash to gently motivate your dog off theSIT command. Make sure you stand up straightwhile performing the BREAK command. If youbend over towards your dog, your body languageis telling him to remain in a SIT. As soon as yourdog releases from the SIT command, praise with“good BREAK.”

Reinforce the BREAK Command

452.As your dog gets better at positionholding, wean off your body motion

so that only the hand signal and verbal cueremain.The goal of this command is that your dogreleases without you moving your feet. If your doghas difficulty moving off his SIT or DOWN, try amore energetic voice command. If he still resists,give a light corrective NO and repeat BREAK.

DOWN

453.When your dog is in the DOWN posi-tion, he is lying on the ground. He

may be relaxed and on one hip or on his side butnot on his back. He may not crawl around. Readand understand all the steps prior to teachingyour dog DOWN.


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Teach the DOWN Command

454.Begin with your dog at your left-hand side in a SIT command. Give

the DOWN hand signal and simultaneously givethe DOWN command verbally. The hand signal forthe DOWN is to align your elbow directly over thetop of your dog’s head (approximately two feetabove his head). Extend your arm horizontallywith your palm facing down. The hand signal isstationary—do not move your arm downward orlower your hand in front of your dog’s head. Afteryou have spoken the command DOWN, removeyour hand signal and place your left hand back onthe leash. Only give the hand signal once.

455.Bend at the waist or get down onyour right knee. Place your left hand

very close to the leash buckle and bend yourelbow so your left forearm is horizontal. Gentlyplace the center of your forearm on top of theshoulder blades on your dog’s back. With a treat inyour right hand, bait your dog just beyond andbetween his paws and repeat “DOWN.” As yourdog begins to lie down, follow the motion withyour forearm but do not push. Once your dog is inthe DOWN, praise “good DOWN” and give thetreat. While you are still on your knee, releaseyour dog with BREAK and stand up.


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456.It may seem overly directive to spec-ify the right knee, but if you get

down on your left knee, your body will opentowards your dog and invite him to come snugglein the nook your body creates. Bending on yourright knee keeps a neutral body posture towardsthe dog. Body language is very important whenteaching DOWN.

457.If your dog is really small or you arereally tall, or bending down makes

you fall, do something which you are able: teachthe DOWN command using a table. Set up a cardtable or suitable folding table (but not yourkitchen table) and go through the motions ofteaching DOWN exactly the same as you wouldwith your dog on the ground.

458.The biggest key to teaching your dogDOWN is that you must wait for

your dog to DOWN on his own. Do not push yourdog down with your forearm or elbow. Do not pullyour dog down with your left hand. These handpositions are presented as a guide only to removeother options to performing the DOWN. Neverphysically force your dog into the DOWN. Watchthat your forearm or elbow is on the shoulders ofyour dog and not the neck. Any of these errors willimmediately add dominance and make theDOWN command unenjoyable for your dog.


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459.This idea is so important we aregoing to present it another way.

Body assistance on the shoulder blades is not toprovide any downward pressure or movement.Body assistance is provided solely to guide yourdog. Once your dog begins to move down, yourbody should follow. If he attempts to stand backup, your arm should provide resistance towardthe upward movement. Don’t push him down,just resist the upward motion. As soon as hebegins to move downward again, all pressuremust release and your dog will move under hisown power.

460.If your dog tries to move forward toget the treat, brace him backwards

with your left arm on your dog’s shoulders. If yourdog does get all the way up, do not say anything,but quickly place your dog back into the SIT andrepeat the command DOWN.

461.Hand signals can be distractingwhile you are teaching. Give the

DOWN hand signal only once. Place your left handback on the leash and keep it there.


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462.Once your dog gets more comfort-able with the DOWN command,

increase the duration your dog remains in theDOWN position. Prepare yourself with threepieces of treats in your right hand. Give one pieceevery three seconds while repeating “goodDOWN.” While your dog is in the DOWN position,gradually remove your left forearm from hisshoulders and have your dog hold the DOWNposition on his own. You may give your dog lightpraise and affection while repeating “goodDOWN.”

463.Providing some light affection whileyour dog is in a DOWN can help

assign a positive experience with the DOWN com-mand. While your dog is in a DOWN, pet himlightly down the length of the neck or shoulderswhile praising “good DOWN.”

464.The next milestone is to see if youcan stand up. Once your dog seems

settled in the DOWN command, slowly stand up.If your dog gets up, say NO, bend at the waist, andrepeat the DOWN baiting. Bait without food thistime and simply touch the ground with your fin-gers. Once your dog is DOWN, praise and standback up.


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465.If you need some additional physicalassistance, use the back of your left

hand on your dog’s shoulders instead of your leftforearm. This may be particularly useful whenattempting to stand up from your teaching posi-tion while assisting your dog to remain in theDOWN position.

Reinforce the DOWN Command

466.At some point during the teachingphase, your dog will begin to DOWN

as you bend over to provide the physical assis-tance. Praise heartily with “good DOWN.” If youfind your dog downing with little physical assis-tance or you have been baiting your dog in aDOWN for two weeks (as prescribed in the Ten-Week Training Recipe later in the chapter), beginthe reinforcement phase of training.

467.To reinforce the DOWN command,remove the physical assistance and

introduce a corrective NO. Stand up straight andgive the verbal command and hand signal DOWN.If your dog completes the DOWN command,praise heartily with “good DOWN” and rewardwith a treat. If your dog does not complete theDOWN command, give a corrective NO and repeatthe DOWN command. If your dog fails to DOWN,bait him using food in the right hand into theDOWN position. You only want to correct once atthis time.


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468.The direction of the leash correctionfor the corrective NO is especially

important for the DOWN command. The leashcorrection should be delivered by a sidewayssnap. Since your left hand is already on the leash,place your left hand adjacent to your left knee.When you snap, move your left arm like a pendu-lum towards your right knee and returning toyour left knee. This correction should be made ina neutral direction, not downwards. This wouldintroduce dominance into the experience.

469.After two weeks of teaching and oneweek of reinforcing with some assis-

tance, your dog should be ready to perform theDOWN command completely on his own. Give theverbal command and hand signal DOWN, praiseverbally, and reward with random food but do notbait. Wait to deliver the food reward until your doghas completed the command. If your dog does notcomplete the command, correct with NO andrepeat DOWN.

470.If your dog begins to curl in front ofyou, adjustments may be required

on the direction of the correction. First, make sureyou are not pulling your dog across your bodywith a slow or forceful correction. If your dog stillcurls in front of your body, try correcting back-wards towards your dog’s tail instead of in front ofyour body. Correct with the same low horizontalmotion, just towards the tail.


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Make sure you don’t make the DOWN a personalissue between you and your dog. Maintainabsolutely neutral vocal tones while commandingand correcting. Do not look your dog in the eyes.Instead, divert your gaze to the ground whereyou want your dog to DOWN. Looking at theground instead of in your dog’s eyes is anotherway of keeping the focus on the command andnot making correction personal.

471.Proof the DOWN by teaching DOWNfrom a stand. Start with your dog in

a BREAK (so your dog will probably be standing),sidle up to your dog so he is on your left-handside, and give the DOWN command and hand sig-nal. Praise if your dog DOWNS and correct if hedoesn’t.Your dog may be slightly confused at first.He is has been conditioned to DOWN from the SITposition. Having him DOWN from a standing posi-tion will reinforce the idea that commands arepositions and not actions. This concept is impor-tant in developing mental discipline in your dog.


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TEST THE DOWN COMMANDDOWN in motion is the first test of the DOWNposition. It is more difficult because it combinesthe DOWN skill with position holding and HEEL.(Practice this test after some position-holdingskills have been developed.) Start in HEEL andslow down so your dog is guessing if you aregoing to stop or not. Give the DOWN commandand momentarily march in place as your dogdowns. Once he is down, praise and resume for-ward movement. If your dog breaks the DOWNcommand with forward movement, correct himwith NO and re-command.

Extend the motion command for SIT andDOWN. As your dog gets better at SIT in motionand DOWN in motion, increase your HEEL speedand decrease how long you march in place whileyour dog completes the command. The goal ofthese commands would be to maintain normalHEEL speed, give your dog the SIT or DOWNcommand without slowing, and have your dogremain in his position while you continue to walkaway.

POSITION HOLDING (STAY)

472.Position holding is the vehiclethrough which patience is devel-

oped. Position holding teaches concentration,focus, and self-control. Most dogs act on impulse.Position holding teaches your dog to think. Hethen learns to ignore the inputs and the impulsesthat make him misbehave.


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473.What happened to STAY? Whenmost classes teach STAY, the vocals

and hand gesture often become threatening. Theword stay has been removed from this part of thelanguage because it was taught in an intimidatingor threatening manner, either by repetition of theword using a stern voice, by placing a flat hand infront of the face, or by pointing a finger. Alter-nately, positive reinforcement has been substi-tuted with praising “good SIT, “DOWN,” or “HEEL”as often as the owner wants (this keeps thethought path positive).

Teach Position Holding

474.Position holding is taught in twoparts. The first part is time, where

your dog will learn to hold a position with you athis side for increasingly longer periods of time.The second part is patience, where you will leaveyour dog’s side and require him to remain withoutyour immediate presence. Reinforcing will com-bine the two. The concept of position holding willbe taught using the SIT command, and after theconcept has been tested and proofed with SIT, theDOWN command will be added.

Position Holding for Time

475.Start by planning a time goal (exam-ple: ten seconds). Give your dog the

SIT command. Praise “good SIT.” After ten sec-onds, release with BREAK and praise “goodBREAK.” If your dog gets up, place him back intothe SIT command and continue praising.


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476.Verbally praising “good SIT” takesabout one second. While you teach

position holding, praise every other second. Thismakes for a convenient timer as well. For a ten-second SIT, you will praise five times (with one-second pause in between) before releasing yourdog. Using this verbal timer also insures adequatepraise during the teaching phase.

477.If your dog has trouble focusing dur-ing the early position-holding exer-

cises, bait with a treat by holding it in front of hisface about two feet higher than his nose. If yourdog wants to jump for the treat, step on the leashand wait for the dog to relax in the SIT beforepraising. Release foot tension on the leash andpraise “good SIT” before giving the treat. Mostdogs will release from the SIT command afterthey are done chewing their treat.

Position Holding for Patience

478.Start with your dog in a SIT com-mand at your left side. Praise with

“good SIT” and take one or two “side steps” to yourright side. Pause for one or two seconds andreturn to his side. Praise again “good SIT.”You mayneed to brace your dog by holding leash tensionwith your left hand. As you repeat this type ofexercise you will want to wean off assisting withleash tension. Release your dog with a BREAK tosignal that this position-holding session is over.


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479.Advance the “step away and return”exercise. Repeat the step away and

return cycle several times before releasing yourdog. Begin stepping away from your dog in differ-ent directions. Every time you change directionsyou may need to brace your dog with the leash inthe opposite direction you want to move. Alwayspraise your dog for remaining in the SIT.

Position Holding for Distance

480.As your dog begins to understandposition holding, increase the dis-

tance: step away from your dog up to the length ofthe leash. Do not drop the leash during the teach-ing phase of position holding. Always return toyour dog’s side and pause before you release withBREAK. At no time should your dog begin to antic-ipate when he is being released from the com-mand.

481.Once your dog can SIT reliably whileyou walk to the end of the leash and

return, you may begin walking in a circle aroundyour dog. This will be a milestone exercise. Onceyour dog will allow you to walk around his rearend, he should trust you with the vulnerablenature of the DOWN. We have seen a strong linkbetween the length of time your dog allows you towalk completely around him and when he beginsto DOWN without assistance.


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Reinforce Position Holding

482.Once you have taught the conceptsof position holding for time, posi-

tion, and distance, you are ready to introduce thecorrective NO.

483.Slowly increase the target time goal.Increase by five-second intervals

until you can consistently achieve twenty- tothirty-second sits. If your dog breaks the position,leash, correct with NO, and reposition your dog.Repeat this until your target time goal has beenachieved. If your dog begins to repeatedly fail theSIT exercise, lower the target time goal by severalseconds and repeat until your dog improves.

484.If your dog feels that the treat sig-nals the end of the position-holding

exercise, brace him on his shoulders with thepalm of your left hand while he is eating the treat.Make sure he does not get up and praise. After herelaxes in the position, release him with BREAK.Alternately, when your dog gets up quickly, cor-rect with NO and re-command with SIT. Praiseand release.


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485.Increase the distance you walk awayfrom your dog. Walk around your

dog in a circle. Change the circle direction andwalk in the opposite direction. If your dog gets upand walks away, take the leash and move your dogback to the initial position, correct with NO, andre-command SIT. Repositioning your dog in theinitial position is important; otherwise your dog’srespect of the position-holding rules will degrade.

486.When practicing SIT and DOWNposition holding, don’t wait until

your dog fails by breaking the command. Practiceshort durations and release your dog with aBREAK command before he gets up on his own.Let your dog know there is an end to the exercise.Give your dog a BREAK command before he breaksthe command by himself. Start with short timeintervals (five seconds, ten seconds, fifteen sec-onds) and increase to thirty seconds and oneminute.

487.Position holding is the pathway tobuilding patience. Since you began

the teaching process with HEEL, that is the com-mand most frequently practiced. Make sure totake at least a third of each practice workout forposition holding. Most dogs are conditionedthrough the workout process to think each com-mand lasts between three and five seconds. Prac-ticing position holding is an opportunity to showyour dog that sometimes commands last longer.


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TEST POSITION HOLDINGLeash tension. Command your dog to SIT. Step afew feet away from your dog. Place some lighttension on the leash. Praise your dog with “goodSIT” as long as your dog resists the tension on theleash. Only apply tension for a few moments. Ifyour dog breaks the SIT, correct with NO and re-command SIT. Return the tension to the leash.

As your dog improves by actively resisting,increase tension from all points around your dog.Do not pull or tug with short or choppy move-ments. Slowly increase the tension, and praise.Keep the duration you place tension on the leashonly three or four seconds.

Fake heel. While you are at your dog’s side,step forward without giving any verbal commandor signal. Your dog should remain in a SITbecause you did not give either HEEL or BREAKcommands. Step away slowly and only a short dis-tance before returning to his side. Increase thespeed and distance to test how well he can resistbody movement and remain in the SIT.

The 20/20 exercise. Have your dog SIT fortwenty complete seconds, and release withBREAK. Command the dog directly into DOWNand have him hold the DOWN for twenty full sec-onds. Release with BREAK. Repeating the SIT,BREAK, DOWN, BREAK exercise three times isone series of the 20/20 exercise.


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COME

488.Regardless where your dog is or whathe is doing, he should come to you

and SIT directly in front of you when called andwait for further direction. Read and understand allthe steps prior to teaching your dog COME.

489.The COME command exemplifiesyour dog’s overall understanding of

your rules, clarity, and consistency, as well as therespect level he has for you. Your dog will COMEwhen called if your relationship is positive andwell balanced.

490.COME is the position of being withinthe same two-foot-to-a-side square

but positioned directly in front of you. Whencalled to COME, your dog should stop whatever heis doing and immediately proceed into the squareand SIT. Your dog should remain in the SIT untilreleased or given another command. The com-mand has the same meaning regardless of howfar (or close) your dog is to you.

Teach the COME Command

491.The hand signal for COME is amotion with your right hand, similar

to sweeping poker winnings off the table and intoyour lap. Your right hand starts shoulder heightwith arm extended fingertips. Sweep your handtoward the center of your chest.


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492.Stand approximately two feetdirectly in front of your dog with

your dog in a SIT. Grasp the leash with your lefthand with minimum slack between your dog andyour hand. Give the hand signal and commandCOME simultaneously and then move quicklybackwards, motivating your dog to COME. Stopthe backwards movement and give your dog a SITcommand. Praise, saying “good COME,” and offer asmall treat.

Reinforce the COME Command

493.You can reinforce the COME com-mand with a stationary recall. Begin

with your dog in a SIT or DOWN and step awayfrom your dog (keep the leash in your left hand).As you practice position holding by walkingaround your dog, pause and face your dog. Givethe COME command (verbal and hand signal).Praise verbally and with food for a good recall. Ifyour dog does not respond immediately, correctwith NO and re-command COME.

494.Do not cheat for your dog by giving aleash signal or by calling his name.

Make sure your dog is performing this commandcompletely on his own. If your dog anticipatesyour recall command, reposition him, correct, andre-command him. Desensitize by moving around,facing your dog and pausing.


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495.Recall your dog from all positions,especially the positions with your

dog facing away from you, as this keeps your dogon his toes.

496.Try very hard not to use the COMEcommand at any other time. The

COME command has a specific action associatedwith it and using the casual “come” will dilute theeffectiveness of the command.

497.Even though your dog may under-stand the obedience command

COME, he may still choose to ignore you from timeto time. It is important to understand the use ofthis command from the dog’s point of view. Fre-quently, we call our dogs to us for negative rea-sons, at least in the dog’s eyes—coming in fromthe outside, being called to the crate, or callingthem when you want to take something awayfrom them. It is very important to use the COMEcommand for many more positive reasons thannegative.


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498.To establish a speedy yard recall, youwill need a thirty-foot leash (not a

retractable leash). Every time you go outside withyour dog, put him on this long leash. Walk aroundthe yard with your dog and every few minutes orso, give him the COME command. As your dogreturns to your front, praise and give a treat. If hedoes not return, give the corrective NO and repeatthe command COME. Reel your dog in if necessaryand always praise for completing the command.Repeat this exercise at least ten times every nightfor three months. Add the thirty-foot leash recallto your ongoing obedience-training workout.

PLACE

499.Place is a command used to indicateto your dog where you would like

him to go and lie down. When on PLACE, your dogmay get up and turn around but cannot leave thePLACE. The PLACE may be moved from room toroom or outside (like on a deck) but must be rein-troduced after moving the PLACE.

Teach the PLACE Command

500.HEEL your dog across the object youhave selected as the PLACE. This

object may be a dog bed or fleece mat or a smallcarpet. When you are directly over top of thePLACE stop (your dog will SIT automatically) andgive your dog the DOWN command. As your dogDOWNS, command PLACE and point. Praise yourdog with “good PLACE.”


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501.Advance the PLACE command bydoing a DOWN in motion over the

place object, and just as your dog DOWNS, com-mand PLACE and praise. Next HEEL up to theplace. Bend over and point to the place and com-mand PLACE. Praise when your dog lies down onthe place.

Reinforce the PLACE Command

502.If your dog leaves the place, leadhim back, give a corrective NO, and

re-command PLACE. Make sure you lead your dogback to the place before correcting him. Do notuse the DOWN command to remind him of theposition he should be in. If your dog has difficulty,perform more teaching exercises.

DISTRACTION TRAINING

503.To make training practical you willneed to add controlled distractions.

Distractions are things (food, cats, toys, etc.) or sit-uations (traffic, thunderstorms, veterinarianoffices, etc.) that will cause our dogs to becometemporarily diverted from their normal “good”behavior. Distraction training helps your dogunderstand that obedience commands, alongwith the appropriate corrections and praise, areconsistent ingredients of his life regardless ofchange. Make a list of the most distractingitems/situations that are difficult for your dog.Rank these distractions from the hardest to easi-est.


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504.Begin distraction training with anitem or situation other than the

most difficult. For example, if your dog goesbonkers with people at the door, start distractiontraining with a distraction you listed as “easy”such as a toy or food. Distraction training is usu-ally easiest with two people—one to work the dogand one to work the distraction. As your dogestablishes self-control, increase the difficulty ofthe distraction slowly, working towards the mostdistracting item or situation.


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505.Distance has a great equalizer.Always start the distraction training

process by having the distraction at the greatestpractical distance possible. For example, whenteaching your dog to SIT for door greetings, don’tstart the process with your dog directly in front ofthe door. He will not succeed. Start the process byhaving your dog SIT with you at your side aboutten feet away from the door. As your dogimproves, decrease the distance to the door aslong as your dog continues to succeed.

506.Some dogs really have a tough timewith distraction training. You can

turn distraction training into a game by giving asmall treat for every success. As your dog displaysself-control, give one small treat for every threesuccesses. Gradually decrease the food rewardover several months. Always maintain verbalpraise! Sometimes a toy reward will work in placeof the treat. The objective is to make the processof distraction training fun but effective.


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Stationary Distractions

507.Start with placing one distractionobject on the ground. Give your dog

the HEEL command and walk him past the object.Start about four feet away from the distraction.You may want to HEEL in a circle around theobject. It will be easier on your dog if you placeyour body between the dog and distraction. If yourdog shows more than a casual interest in any dis-traction, correct with NO and redirect with HEEL.Praise heartily when your dog ignores the distrac-tion. Once your dog exhibits some self-controlwith one object, repeat the same exercise withmultiple objects on the ground.

508.Some people have learned LEAVE ITfor the previous exercise. While this

is also acceptable, proper use of NO will be suffi-cient. We will review exercises to teach the LEAVEIT command in chapter 8.

Moving Distractions

509.After your dog shows the ability toignore a stationary object, you will

want to increase your dog’s self-control by distrac-tion training with moving objects. Quick-movingobjects are generally highly stimulating foralmost all dogs. Even their eyesight is moreattuned to motion than human eyesight whichmakes motion even more distracting. For thesereasons, we will introduce motion slowly by usingthe following formula: toss, bounce, and roll.


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510.Toss. Begin with your dog in a SITposition at your left side. Hold the

object (most likely a ball) in the right hand andtoss the object into the air one time. After eachtoss, if your dog remains in the SIT, praise. If yourdog breaks the SIT position, correct with NO andredirect with SIT. Repeat tossing the object in theair until your dog remains in the SIT for three con-secutive tosses. Give your dog a BREAK commandto signal the end of that session.

511.Once you feel your dog is developingsome self-control to tossing an

object with the SIT command, repeat the “toss”distraction training process with her in a DOWNcommand. If you feel inclined, HEEL with your dogat your left side and toss the object to yourselfwith the right hand.

512.Bounce. Begin again with your dog in aSIT position at your left side. With

your right hand, bounce the object onto the floor.After each bounce, if your dog remains in the SIT,praise. If your dog breaks the SIT position, correctwith NO and redirect with SIT. Repeat bouncing theobject on the ground until your dog remains in theSIT for three consecutive bounces. Give your dog aBREAK command to signal the end of that session.


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513.Once you feel your dog is developingsome self-control to bouncing an

object with the SIT command, repeat the bouncedistraction training process with your dog in aDOWN command.

514.Roll. At this point, your dog should beable to ignore: “stuff” on the ground,

“stuff” tossed in the air, “stuff” tossed on theground, or “stuff” bounced off the ground. Themotion is stimulating and the self-control is real,but a rolling object is really exciting! Having a sec-ond person to help with the distraction is reallyhelpful at this stage. Have the distractor standapproximately ten feet away from you and yourdog. Roll the object in a neutral direction (neithertowards nor away) in relation to you and your dog.Praise your dog for ignoring the rolling distraction.

515.Gradually decrease the distancebetween your dog and the distractor

rolling the object. Change direction so the objectrolls directly away from your dog or directlytowards. Change from SIT to DOWN. Praise forevery success.


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516.A small, furry toy with a stringattached is an excellent distraction

for dogs who like to chase cats. Place the object onthe floor. With the dog in a SIT or DOWN, have thedistractor pull the toy across the floor, first in onemotion and then in several jerky motions. Praiseyour dog for all successes.

517.Sometimes distraction training withquick movements causes your dog

to become excited. Keep your voice calm andrepeat the distraction exercise until your dogrelaxes around the distraction.

518.Have your dog in a SIT or DOWN ona long leash. Have a distractor mid-

way between you and your dog with ten feet toeither side. Give the COME command. As your dogrecalls toward you, have the distractor toss a ballor toy across and in front of your dog’s path. Ifyour dog diverts his recall, leash (or remote) cor-rect with NO and re-command COME. If your dogcompletes his recall, praise heartily!

Environmental Distractions

519.New places are as exciting as newthings and require that you change

your training environment. Too often our dogs willbecome accustomed to behaving only in certainenvironments. The ball your dog ignored in the liv-ing room will be newly distracting in the kitchen.


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520.Your dog may become acclimated totraining outdoors and not indoors or

vice versa. Practice your training sessions in everyenvironment. View every room in your house as adifferent training environment. Train in the bed-room, basement, hallway, living room, garage,and/or kitchen. The more frequently you changeyour training environment, the faster your dogwill respond to changes in all environments.

521.Make a list of at least five places totake your dog to train. All of these

places should be outside of your home. Examplesinclude veterinarian offices, the park, local shop-ping centers (outside), pet stores, or simply intown on the sidewalk. Visit at least three differentenvironments per week during your first six tonine months of reinforcing the obedience com-mands.

522.Distraction training also establishesleadership and builds respect by

requiring your dog to do things he doesn’t neces-sarily want to do. Distraction training also buildsyour dog’s self-discipline and the ability to suppressimpulses.Through regular distraction workouts youwill be able to manage your dog in any situation.


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TEN-WEEK TRAINING RECIPEThe recipe described in this section is a ten-weekplan for the successful teaching of the obediencecommands as described in chapter 7. Performthree workouts per day, approximately twentyminutes per workout (no less than fifteen min-utes). Allow at least one hour of rest betweenworkouts. There should be thirty total workouts ina two-week period.

Sometimes learning new things can be stress-ful, especially at first when not only are the con-cepts new, but the methods of teaching are newas well. Some nervous-personality dogs will beespecially stressed. Dogs sometimes refuse foodduring the early stages of training. If this hap-pens, freeze the program wherever you are andsimply repeat the skills you are working on untilthe dog relaxes and begins to accept treatsagain. This process may require three or fourworkouts but it is worthwhile to develop yourdog’s positive attitude towards obedience.

Weeks One and Two1. Teach HEEL command. Repeat a series of

three to five circles, seven times (total of thirty tothirty-five repetitions). Perform a series of fivefour-step HEELS four times (total of twenty repe-titions).

2. Teach SIT command. Teach BREAK com-mand. Place your dog in a SIT, pause, and releasewith BREAK. Repeat this series five times. Repeatthe series four times (twenty total repetitions).

3. Work on a series of one exercise and moveto another exercise (e.g., work on one series of


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HEEL circles, then a series of SIT and BREAK, andfinally a series of four-step HEELS). Dogs needrepetition of one skill to learn but bore easilywithout variety.

Weeks Three and Four4. Begin reinforcing the HEEL command. Test

the HEEL command with tests one through threedescribed above.

5. Reinforce SIT and BREAK. Begin teachingposition holding for time with SIT (have your doghold SIT from between five and ten seconds). Beginteaching position holding for patience with SIT.

6. Begin teaching the DOWN command. Repeatthe baiting exercise three times using food. Repeatthe series twice per workout in the first week andthree times per workout in the second week.

Weeks Five and SixYour workouts may become more stressful forboth you and your dog as you wean away fromthe teaching phase and enter the more difficultreinforcing phase. If you find any particular test ordistraction too hard for your mutual skill level,stop the exercise, continue to practice the skillsand repeat the particular test a few days later.

While the length and frequency of workoutshave not changed since week one, the workoutsare becoming less predictable and require agood understanding of diversity to make them asuseful as they can be.

7. Continue reinforcing and testing the HEEL,SIT, and BREAK commands. Continue to prac-tice the SIT and BREAK exercise. Begin to use


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distractions with HEEL and SIT as described in thedistraction section above.

8. Extend the concept of position holding:Begin body movement with the DOWN com-mand. Build patience by extending the SIT tobetween thirty seconds and one minute. Test SITposition holding with tests one and twodescribed above. Repeat each test until your dog“passes” three consecutive times.

9. Begin reinforcing the DOWN command.Start during week five by removing both the foodand the shoulder help. During week six beginreinforcing without any bodily assistance. Youmay reintroduce food but not to bait your dog.Only deliver the food reward after your dog hassuccessfully completed the DOWN command.

Weeks Seven and Eight10. Reinforce and test the HEEL command. Con-

tinue to reinforce the SIT and BREAK exercise. Rein-force DOWN at the side. On one of every threeworkouts, add distractions to your basic commands.Proof DOWN with the “DOWN from a stand” exer-cise.

11. Extend the concept of position holding.Do five repetitions of the 20/20 exercise through-out the workout.

12. Begin combining concepts by teachingDOWN and SIT from your front and testing motionSIT and motion DOWN. Begin teaching PLACE.

13. Begin teaching the COME command.Repeat the backwards walk three times. Keep aclose monitoring of the position-holding skills.The large amount of body language employed to


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teach this command sometimes causes positionholding to suffer.

Weeks Nine, Ten, and Beyond14. Reinforce PLACE and the COME com-

mand. Always practice a short leash recall to rein-force the final finish position. Repeat no less thanten times per workout. Use food for nearly 100percent of the repetitions. Of all the commands,COME is the least-practiced command and thecommand most needed. Begin extending theCOME command as described in the teachingand reinforcing section.

15. Reinforce and test all obedience com-mands, including HEEL, SIT, DOWN, positionholding (as a concept), SITS, and DOWNS fromyour front. Motion SIT and DOWN, PLACE, andCOME. Practice all commands equally, workingeach command as little as one or as many as fiverepetitions per series. Avoid creating patterns.

Make exercises targeted towards your practi-cal obedience applications in chapters 8 and 9part of your formal training workouts. Make suredistraction training comprises at least one out ofevery three obedience practice workouts.


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TRAINING DIVERSITY

523.The primary goal of obedience work-outs is to make your dog think. Diver-

sity is the active practice of watching out forpatterns and deliberately breaking them up. Makesure you use all skills equally. Change practiceenvironments three times per week. When you getbored with them, find some new environments.

Examples of Diversity

524.Turn your back to your dog and givecommands (use a mirror to deter-

mine if praise or correction is necessary); givecommands while seated in a chair; use hand sig-nals only; give commands on the opposite side ofa glass door. This is an opportunity for you to becreative with your workout.

525.Change body position (kneel downor bend over); change pace speed as

you move around your dog; briefly drop the leashand pick it up during position-holding exercises.

526.Always include fundamental andadvanced exercises in your obedi-

ence practice workout. Keep a complete list of allexercises, like four-step heels and pace changesas well as the application exercises and desensiti-zation exercises. Practice them all while payingspecial attention to fundamental position-holdingand distraction-training exercises.


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OFF-LEASH TRAINING

527.The secret ingredients for off-leashsuccess lie in the foundation you set

during fundamental obedience training. Thoseingredients are consistency in reinforcing patternsand commands, distraction-training distance com-mands, and simple respect for your relationship.Maturity on the dog’s part, coupled with theseother ingredients, is the final piece of the puzzle.Remember that you can’t rush maturity.


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528.For most of your basic obediencecommand teaching and reinforcing,

you are physically close to your dog (typically fromimmediately adjacent to six feet around). Begin-ning the off-leash process involves increasing thedistance from which your dog will respond to yourcommands. Practice your distance commands(front SITS and DOWNS), and perfect them on asix-foot leash at that distance. Your dog should beable to do this discipline-building command set atall angles around her, with leash in your hand, withno corrections, and with distractions.

529.Gradually work farther away fromthe dog, reinforcing commands the

first time using the same verbal pattern NO andre-command if necessary. Increase the distance intwo-foot increments. If your dog begins to failrepeatedly, decrease the distance two or four feetand work on the commands from all pointsaround your dog.


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530.When practicing your off-leashtraining exercises, you must

approach your dog with the same confidence youwould in a regular session; otherwise, he willnotice a bigger difference and play on that weak-leadership portrayal.

Indoor Off-Leash Practice

531.Using your distance-command exer-cise, go to a distance of only two feet

and drop your leash. Remaining close to your dog,work through this exercise the same way asbefore. If your dog fails a command and needs acorrection, do so by reaching in slowly, taking theleash, and saying “NO.” Your dog will see a changesince the leash is no longer in your hand, so goingback to six feet and reinforcing the same wayhelps to “connect the dots” for her.

532.Add distance to this exercise only ifyour dog is doing well and not

requiring correction. If when you reach about tenfeet your dog does not complete the command,say the word “NO” without the correction at first,then repeat the command. If you’ve been consis-tent to this point, the word “NO” alone should bethe “correction.” If, after one try at “NO” aloneyour dog still does not do the command, thenslowly reach in and give a reinforcement correc-tion. Continue this formula until you are at leasttwenty feet away and your dog is reliable.


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533.Off-leash training is a “back andforth” kind of training.You may need

to go backward to shorter distances before youcan move forward. Be prepared to do that, as youroff-leash success will only be as good as yourfoundation. Your dog will see any holes in yourconsistency, so be careful and patient!

534.Once your front commands with theleash dropped have been perfected,

move to practicing your motion commands (HEEL,motion SIT, motion DOWN, COME) with the leashdropped. Do this for several weeks, perhaps evenone to two months, before you remove the leash(see Tabwork).

Outdoor Off-Leash Practice

535.Put a thirty-foot leash on your dogand practice distance-command

exercises outside. Begin at six feet, and work to adistance of twenty to thirty feet. Use your longleash as you would the short one, giving correc-tions as needed and remaining at the distancewhere your dog needs help.


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536.Be careful that your dog doesn’tbecome sensitive to your approach

when you’re far away. You don’t want your dogthinking that every time you approach her, shegets a correction. To avoid this, add approachesthat reward her with food or touch praise as youcome close and reach for her.

537.Test your dog’s ability to hold posi-tions at twenty and thirty feet. Keep

the leash in your hand to ensure safety for yourdog. Test this exercise with varying levels of dis-traction.

538.When is it time for no leash? Eachdog is different. You will know,

beyond a shadow of a doubt, when it is safe foryour dog to be off-leash. If your dog makes severalmistakes when you remove the leash, you may berushing things and need to go backward in orderto go forward. Actual off-leash training is a truecombination of maturity (of your dog), respect,and the strength of your relationship with yourdog, so be patient, fair, and consistent.


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539.Taking your dog through off-leashtraining is a process. It is not as sim-

ple as removing the leash. You must have yourdog’s undivided attention on-leash first. True off-leash training means that you no longer rely onthe corrective part of the NO for your dog torespond to you. The corrective NO pattern hasbeen adequately completed so the spoken NO issufficient for your dog to respond to the diversion.

Tabwork

540.The Tab is a short strap of leather (ashort version of a leash, roughly six

inches long) that attaches to your dog’s collar inthe same manner the leash does. This training tabis designed to take the place of your leash. Intro-duce the training tab by attaching the tab to thecollar with the leash, and perform several obedi-ence workouts.

541.When you remove the leash, go to atraining tab and perform the same

training exercises using the training tab the sameway you would a leash. Use this training tool asyou practice, and do not drop this “training wheel”until you are certain your dog respects the samerules without the leash.


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542.Do not let your dog play with ormouth the training tab. Leash cor-

rect with NO if he does. When your dog is social-ized to the tab hanging from his collar you maybegin. Remove the leash but leave the tab on. Onlyuse the tab for corrections.

543.Owner confidence plays an impor-tant role in the success of off-leash

training. Sometimes an owner will feel a bit lostwithout the leash. Do not change your vocal pat-terns. Use your obedience commands exactly asyou have been practicing with the leash on.

Remote Training

544.The goal of training with a remotedevice is to assure proper response

to spoken commands without the use of a leashcorrection. This concept is achieved through sub-stitution. By practicing and reinforcing obediencecommands with the corrective NO, you will beable to substitute a remote correction for thephysical leash correction. If you have not chosento have NO as part of the obedience pattern,remote-device training will only be a negativeexperience for your dog and should not be done.


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545.There are a variety of remote correc-tive devices: electronic, spray (typi-

cally citronella), vibration, and noise. Do someresearch with the different devices to determinethe lowest-intensity correction that still getsresults. Make sure the correction intensity onyour device is adjustable. Some remote collarshave multiple forms of stimulation (e.g., vibrationand electronic). Our suggested choice is an elec-tronic collar with a vibration mode. We will dis-cuss spray and noise corrections in BehaviorProblem Solving, chapter 12.

546.By the time you introduce theremote device to your dog, you

should have some great obedience teamworkskills. Your dog should behave very well in all dis-tractions. Some maturity is also preferred. Yourdog should be in the late adolescent or early adultstage. Dogs should wait until at least eighteenmonths of age to begin remote training.

547.To properly train your dog with aremote device, you will need

approximately two months to substitute the leashcorrection with the remote correction before youremove the leash altogether. Not having the leashon or taking the leash off prematurely may lead tothe dog becoming confused and panicking. Thetraining process described below will be effectivefor any of the devices listed above.


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548.The key to success in remote train-ing depends on how consistent your

corrective patterns have been during the previousexercises. If you have allowed several opportuni-ties to perform an obedience command beforeapplying a physical correction, then remote train-ing will become confusing or outright terrifyingfor your dog. You must be consistent in correctingyour dog the first time, every time for each com-mand.

Teaching Remote Reinforcement

549.Socialize your dog to the new device.Have him wear the device around

for a few days to get the feel of the weight of theobject. Verbally introduce the new device with ahappy voice and even a few treats. Use a cuephrase like “Let’s get your good-boy collar.”

550.In order to go forward, you must goback. When you are ready to begin

training your dog, adjust the device to its lowestsetting. Connect your leash to a flat buckle collaron your dog. Practice the basic obedience com-mands SIT, HEEL, and BREAK (not the DOWN), andsubstitute the device correction for the leash cor-rection in the same pattern of Command, Correc-tion, Re-command…Praise. Remember to alwaysuse the verbal cue NO.


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551.Go slowly at first and read your dog’sreaction. If he doesn’t seem to be

getting a correction, check the device to makesure it is working properly. If the device is workingproperly, increase the correction level to the nextavailable setting. Repeat the basic exercise aboveuntil you notice a reaction.

552.Dogs often become dependent onthe physical movements we give a

leash correction. Without these visual cues, thefirst remote corrections may be a little scary foryour dog. They may act like something “bit” themfrom behind. Be consistent with using the verbalNO with the device correction. This will be theirlink to the obedience pattern. Once they figure outthe new experience, they will relax. You may findyou will need to increase the correction level atthis time because your dog is now acclimated tothe experience and accepts the correction.

553.Spend two weeks practicing thebasic obedience commands (HEEL,

SIT, and BREAK) with your dog on a short leash.Once your dog accepts the new process, you mayadd the DOWN command. Practice in a relativelydistraction-free environment first, then changeenvironments to the yard or a quiet outdoorvenue.


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554.Don’t cheat! The more you cheatwith the leash, the tougher remote

training will be for your dog. Do not tow your dogthrough turns or prevent her from moving out ofposition. You will need to increase the level of ver-bal motivation to keep your dog focused on youand not the corrections.

555.Do not overly correct the dog. If yourdog is not responding well to the

remote training and is requiring several correc-tions, you may need to spend more time reinforc-ing the obedience commands consistently withthe leash and collar (without the remote device).

556.Practice all the basic obedience com-mands (HEEL, SIT, DOWN, position

holding, BREAK, and COME) on a short leash forone more month. Practice in several differentenvironments. Introduce your dog to the long(twenty- or thirty-foot) leash by practicing thebasic obedience commands in the exact mannerand style you practice with the short leash.


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557.Begin with position-holding exer-cises. Place your dog in a SIT or

DOWN and go to the full length of the leash andwalk around. If your dog gets up, immediately cor-rect with the remote device (with the verbal NO)and re-command. Praise if your dog returns to theposition. If your dog does not return to the posi-tion, physically return your dog and leash correctwith NO. Do not correct with the device more thanonce for each test.

558.Begin using the remote device withthe COME command. Let your dog

roam around the yard. Give the COME commandand praise (verbally and treat) for a completerecall. If your dog does not respond, give a verbalNO with a remote device correction. Do not usethe leash to prompt your dog before giving thecommand.

559.These devices are good for develop-ing a positive response without the

use of the leash. Being off-leash with a remotedevice is not really having off-leash training, sinceyou are relying on the device for the correctivepart of the NO. After several months of remotetraining, the device may no longer be necessary.


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560.Maintain your on-leash training.Keep your drop-leash, training-tab,

or remote-device obedience workouts short—fiveor ten minutes—and then put the leash back on.As your dog’s drop leash work improves, increasethe duration of the workout.

561.Wean off the leash and correctivedevice completely, but be prepared

to replace the leash or device immediately if yousee a return of inappropriate target behaviors. Ifyour dog is backsliding, put the leash or deviceback on him for a period of two weeks to onemonth.

562.It is very important to not attemptoff-leash work outside of an

enclosed area until all foundation training hasbeen successfully completed. In many instances,completion of off-leash work may take longerthan on-leash foundation work.


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Part Three:Developing Life Skills

Having an obedient dog takes more than obediencecommands. If you adopt the obedience-command-based lifestyle, your dog will do the same. Here aresome keys to unlocking an obedient lifestyle.

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CreatingManners

8.

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Reader’s Note: the best way to approach thischapter is to read both chapters 7 and 8

through to the end, then go back and begin theteaching process. In this manner, you will see theend goal and understand how things build uponeach other before you begin.

Good leaders use skills to create patterns,which over time become behaviors. An applica-tion a day keeps the bad behavior away.

PRACTICING AND REINFORCINGOBEDIENCE COMMANDS

563.Now that you have a working set ofobedience skills, you will need to

practice them frequently. Regular practice ses-sions reinforce your dog’s expectations andrequirements. When you are practicing, maintainhigh standards of performance. Correct errors thefirst time, every time.

564.The goals of practicing obedienceare to maintain the quality of the

obedience commands and improve and refinehandling technique. They also provide formalmental exercise, keep your dog’s mind sharp, and,most important, provide a structured forum foryour dog to receive praise from you.


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565.We not only suggest practicing theformal commands HEEL, SIT, DOWN,

BREAK, COME, and PLACE, but specific exercisesthat you can add to your distraction-obedienceworkouts throughout the distraction training andapplication sessions. When you get to these exer-cises, write them down so you can include themin your workout plan.

566.A walk is not a training session. Eventhough you will use commands dur-

ing your walk, the low frequency of repetition pre-vents them from being effectively “practiced.”During a formal workout, the obedience skills arerepeated with a greater frequency and hencemaintain the proficiency of the skills.

567.Formal practice should occur twice aday for at least three months after

you have finished your Ten-Week Training Recipe.Your practice frequency should taper to once perday for nine months after the initial training pro-gram is over.

568.After at least nine months of dailyworkouts, taper your session fre-

quency to between three and four sessions perweek. You will probably need to maintain thispractice frequency through your dog’s life.

Creating Manners 237

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As a training aid, videotape yourself practicingthe obedience commands. Review the tape tosee where your inconsistencies lie. As you watchyour video, note the volume and inflection ofyour voice. How much quiet time is there in theworkout? During a really effective workout, thereshould be little or no quiet time.


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Household Patterns

569.Applying your obedience skills toeveryday life is what we call applica-

tion. Application is a process of giving your dogsupervised activities with the ultimate goal ofteaching her how to behave on her own in a vari-ety of situations.

570.The more tasks you ask your dog todo, the better your chances of keep-

ing his “cooperation muscle” flexible. Try to haveyour dog do five to ten tasks per day to keep coop-eration high.

571.Write a recipe. Identify a behaviorthat you would like to change and

write it down. Consider the alternate behavior youwould like to see and write it under the old behav-ior. Identify the obedience skills needed to createthe new behavior. Practice these skills and beginto craft the new behavior.


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572.Your recipe should have the followingcomponents: Desired Behavior, Skills

Needed, How to Create the Pattern Using the Skills,and ETD (Estimated Time of Development). Drawthis out on a recipe card, put it on your refrigeratoras a reminder, and begin “cooking.”

573.When creating patterns with yourdog in real life, use the obedience

commands exactly as you practice them in a work-out. In this fashion, your dog will more easily makethe connection between practice and real life. Thismeans always keeping the leash and collar on yourdog while you are creating these patterns.

574.Make sure distraction training is apart of the application skills you

practice. An application is also a distraction (usu-ally a combination of an object distraction and anenvironment distraction). If the application youare trying does not seem to be working, stop theexercise and work harder on the distraction train-ing associated with the application.

APPLICATIONS OF DOWNDinnertime DOWN

575.Step One: Identify the behavior youwant to change. For example, when

you eat at the table, your dog begs, barks, andbothers you.


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576.Step Two: Describe a new pattern.When you eat at the table, you

would like your dog to lie down quietly at yourside—no barking and no begging.

577.Step Three: Identify the skillsneeded for the new pattern—DOWN,

position holding (demonstrated in practice for aslong as your meal will last), distraction training(around toys and food), and diversity (giving com-mands from a chair). Practice these skills.

578.Step Four: Create a new pattern.Have your dog on leash and collar.

Once food is on the table, command your dog intoa DOWN position (praise with “good DOWN”).Wait for your dog to become settled in his DOWN.Sit down. If your dog gets up, divert with NO andredirect with DOWN. Once your dog is down, pro-ceed with your meal. Keep the leash drapedacross your lap. Redirect as necessary. Praise ran-domly once your dog is maintaining the DOWN.

579.If your dog continues to stare at youwhile you are eating, reposition your

dog in the DOWN so he is facing away from you.Keep the leash across your lap. If he barks at you(even once), correct with NO and praise for thequiet as soon as he stops.


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580.If you have worked on all the com-ponent skills of the dinnertime

DOWN, the application exercise should be a suc-cess. If the exercise is difficult or frustrating andtakes more patience than you have developed asa team, discontinue the application exercise andcrate your dog during meals, then work onexpanding the individual skills required for theapplication.

More DOWN Applications

581.Quiet on the phone. Some dogs under-stand that the phone steals their

owner’s attention. So, when the phone rings, theybark, run off to another room, steal items, etc.,and since your attention is on the conversation,this inappropriate behavior is allowed to con-tinue. Maintain your dog in a DOWN commandwhile pretending to talk on the phone. Hold thephone to your ear and have a one-sided conversa-tion. This way, if your dog gets up, you can rein-force the DOWN without interrupting your“conversation,” and your dog learns that you canreinforce the command while you talk on thephone.

582.Add a twist to the phone exercise.Some dogs react excitedly when

they hear the phone ring. Use a second phone(like a cell phone) and ring your main line. Rein-force either SIT or DOWN prior to answering. Takeyour time. This is one call you won’t miss.


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APPLICATIONS OF HEEL

583.Most dogs never learn to walk in thehouse (at least not until they are

arthritic). Regularly heeling your dog through thehouse will teach him to walk (not rocket) fromroom to room. You may not appreciate the seren-ity this simple application can provide for yourhousehold, but you will be amazed at how muchdin a running dog creates.

584.The same idea applies to stairs. Mostdogs learn to go up and down stairs

by throwing themselves down the stairs. Theprocess becomes more of a controlled fall thanwalking. A grown dog can really bowl over theirowners on the stairs. Take your dog by the leashand HEEL him up and down the stairs, maintain-ing the same HEEL zone you have practiced. Per-form ten repetitions each time you do thisexercise.

585.Once you have some manners devel-oped on the stairs, make the HEEL

exercise on the stairs practical by practicing thesame exercise with an empty laundry basket inyour right arm. Keep the leash in your left handand maintain the HEEL zone. Go slowly at first,and watch your step!


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Create Good Walking Manners—SegmentWalk

586.Just because your dog can HEEL wellin the house does not mean he’ll be

a good walker. You can build a good walk by usinga segment walk. A segment walk is a series of seg-ments of movement followed by a segment ofposition holding. To build good walking manners,HEEL a short distance, then stop and have yourdog SIT. Pause a few moments (ten to twenty sec-onds) and continue. The frequent pauses willallow your dog to relax and maintain composure.

587.At first you may only be able to HEELfor five or ten steps before your dog

becomes excited or distracted.The goal of the seg-ment walk is to build patience and mannersslowly, one small segment at a time. Remember,when walking in HEEL, start walking slowly. Asyour dog improves, you may increase to normalwalking speed. Do not try to “outwalk” your dog.Insist that your dog walk at your pace and main-tain the HEEL zone!

588.In a suburban setting, HEEL fromone driveway to the next before

pausing. In a city setting, pause every quarterblock. Always pause on corners and sometimes inbetween, just to make your dog think.


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589.As your dog improves at ignoringdistractions and maintaining com-

posure, you will find that you will be able to HEELfurther between pauses. Eventually, you will haveone long HEEL walk separated by only a fewpauses (and possibly one potty break).

590.If you find that taking a walk withyour dog requires correction every

few seconds, the HEEL command may not neces-sarily be to blame. Practice position-holding anddistraction-training exercises for a week or two,and you may find your dog has more patience forthe distractions encountered during a walk.

APPLICATIONS OF SIT

591.Your dog should be able to maintainmanners at mealtime. Command

your dog to SIT (leash in hand) as you place hisfood bowl on the floor. Your dog should maintainhis SIT command until you release him with theBREAK. If he does not maintain his position,return him to his position and correct with NOand re-command SIT. Always vary the time youhold him in his SIT so he won’t anticipate theBREAK.


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Sitting at Doorways

592.As soon as your puppy reaches sixmonths of age and has the ability to

control her bladder, begin establishing a doorwayprotocol. During housebreaking, most puppies (atour encouragement) learn to get out of the houseas fast as possible. Once bladder control is man-aged, begin having your dog stop and SIT beforeexiting the door. She should be formally releasedwith BREAK and allowed to HEEL into the yardwith manners.

593.Your dog does not need to SIT beforereturning inside the house. He

should always feel free to enter the house. As youlead your dog towards the house, commandINSIDE. Repeat the command INSIDE as you walktoward the house. Praise “good INSIDE” as yourdog walks into the house through the door. Giveyour dog a treat and repeat “good INSIDE.”

594.As your dog matures, you will usethe cue word INSIDE to return your

dog from the yard (not the COME command).


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Doorbell SIT

595.You will want your dog to learn topatiently hold a SIT when people

enter your house. Begin by teaching your dog toSIT (at a generous distance from the door) whileyou walk away from him and toward the door.Walk back to your dog and praise him for remain-ing in a SIT.


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596.The next step involves desensitizingyour dog to the door opening. Have

your dog SIT directly in front of the door and keepthe leash in your hand so you can provide imme-diate feedback. Open the door. If your dog breaksthe SIT, correct with NO and re-command SIT.Praise for success. Repeat the exercise until yourdog can ignore the door opening three times in arow.

597.Return your dog to a SIT in a remotelocation, walk to the door, and open

it. If your dog gets up, give a verbal NO. If he SITS,praise. If he continues to walk towards you, takethe leash and silently relocate him back to hisspot, leash correct with NO, and re-command SIT.Repeat this process until your dog is desensitizedto the door opening.

598.Once your dog is desensitized to thedoor opening, add a person at the

other side of the door. Have your dog SIT. Walkover to the door and open it. Tell your visitor,“Wait please.” Return to your dog’s side and con-trol the leash. Invite your visitor inside the house.Only allow the person to enter if your dog main-tains a SIT (obviously the person helping you isprepared for the exercise and knows what to do). Ifyour dog gets up, correct with NO and re-commandSIT.


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599.You will need to add a knock on thedoor or the doorbell as the final dis-

traction piece to the puzzle. This part will stimu-late your dog the most. HEEL your dog through thehouse. Have a helper ring the doorbell or knock onthe door. When your dog reacts to the stimulus,divert with NO and redirect with HEEL (pluspraise). HEEL will be easier than SIT or DOWNbecause HEEL requires more momentary thinkingthan either of the stationary commands. Whenyour dog can ignore the doorbell in HEEL, try SIT.

600.Whether you are performing thedesensitization exercises or actually

greeting someone at the door, keep the vocal cuethe same. Don’t panic and introduce sentenceslike “Come on now, you know how to do this,” as itwill only confuse your dog and make it more dif-ficult for him to succeed. Use crisp, clear com-mands exactly as you learned and practiced them.

601.If you repeat this process every timesomeone comes to the door, your

dog’s greeting manners will improve. Slowlydecrease the distance to the door. If your dog showssigns of backsliding, move further away. Alwayspractice the desensitization exercises for dooropening and knock/bell as part of your distraction-training workout.


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602.The previous exercises are specificto teaching your dog how to behave

when someone arrives at the door. The actualprocess of teaching a dog to greet a person will beoutlined in chapter 9.

CREATIVE DAILY APPLICATIONS

603.Make a list of some of your dailyactivities. List things like brushing

your teeth, putting on your shoes, getting dressed,making snacks, making coffee, reading the paper,etc. Then design a “recipe” to create a doggieapplication for each situation.

604.Have your dog hold a SIT while youbrush your teeth. (Warning: verbal

reinforcement of the command is difficult andpotentially messy for this one.)

605.While you dress, have your dog holda DOWN and chew a bone. No pants

will be torn, no belts will be “made off with,” andyour dog will have a quick dose of manners firstthing in the morning!


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606.Most dogs like to play with shoesand shoelaces. Have your dog hold a

SIT or DOWN while you put your shoes on to com-municate a different message.

607.Have your dog SIT for his leash andcollar to be put on. Also make him

SIT still until you put your coat on and are readyto leave the house. This will not only create man-ners but will also set the tone for your walk.

608.Use the PLACE command often forteaching your dog his “place” in

social situations. Put your dog on his “place” whenyou eat dinner, while you cook, and while youload and unload the dishwasher.This prevents hisgetting in the way, begging, and licking unwasheddishes.

609.Create a rule where your dog musthold a DOWN whenever food is

being prepared, eaten, or served. This is a veryimportant protocol to adopt especially whenthere are children in the home. The message issimple: “When there’s food, there’s no dog.” Thiscreates good boundaries of leadership and willalso allow your dog to self-apply this patternfaster due to the frequency of repetition.


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610.Read the paper and drink your cof-fee with your dog in a DOWN by

your side with her favorite toy. This will not onlycreate a good lifestyle application but will alsoprovide some quality time together before youstart your day.

WAIT (OR STAY) , OFF, ANDLEAVE IT

611.After the formal obedience com-mands, you can teach your dog

some soft commands. These commands are con-sidered soft because there is no specific actionassociated with the command. Teach these com-mands only after successfully completing the ten-week teaching plan. Once your dog completes thisexperience, learning new concepts will be easierand less stressful for her.

The WAIT or STAY Command

612.There are some applications whenteaching your dog not to advance

forward is necessary. The WAIT (or STAY) com-mand will mean to not move forward while notnecessarily holding a specific position. You canchoose either WAIT or STAY, depending on whichcommand you like most. Just be consistent withthe command you choose. The easiest way toteach and apply this idea is at the front door.


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613.Begin with your dog on leash andcollar. Hold the leash in your left

hand, with a minimum amount of slack betweenyour hand and the collar. Give the commandWAIT (or STAY) and open the door about one totwo inches. If your dog advances toward the door,correct backwards with NO and repeat WAIT (orSTAY). If your dog remains motionless, praise with“good WAIT” (or “good STAY”) to associate theword with a lack of movement. Repeat this exer-cise until your dog ignores the door opening threeconsecutive times. If this is successful, repeat theteaching exercise by opening the door fully.

614.Advancing this idea will require twopeople. Trainer One will work the

door and Trainer Two will work the dog.Trainer Onewill be at the door and Trainer Two will have thedog on a long (at least ten foot) leash. Trainer Twowill command WAIT (or STAY), and Trainer One willopen the door fully. If your dog remains motionless,praise with “good WAIT” (or “good STAY”). If yourdog advances towards the door, Trainer Two cor-rects with NO and repeats WAIT (or STAY). TrainerOne repeats the door-opening exercise until heeventually exits the house. You may also reversethe exercise for people entering the house.


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615.The soft command WAIT or STAY canalso be used for exiting vehicles or

bathtubs, or in any circumstance where using aposition command such as SIT or DOWN is difficult.Make the teaching exercises of the WAIT or STAYcommand part of your distraction-training workout.

The OFF Command

616.Another useful soft command isOFF. OFF is used whenever one (or

more) of your dog’s paws are not on the floor. Theeasiest way to teach the command is to have yourdog on-leash in the house. Bait a few choice itemsat the edge of the kitchen counter. If your dogjumps up to investigate, correct with NO and com-mand OFF. Praise with “good OFF.” Repeat withnew items later in the day. Make this exercise apart of your distraction-training workout.

617.Another place to teach OFF is thecouch or chair. Have the leash in

your hand and throw a ball or toy onto the couch.If your dog jumps up, while he is still standing,correct with NO and command OFF. Once hejumps off, praise with “good OFF.” If your dog liesdown and hunkers into the couch, use food to baithim off to avoid a confrontation.


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618.When teaching the OFF command, itis important to have patience and

not pull your dog off the object or person. Correctwith NO and command OFF, and repeat until yourdog gets himself off the object or person. In thismanner, the situation becomes his choice, and hewill learn exactly what he is to stay off of.

The STAND Command

619.At some point during the later adultstage of your dog’s life, you may

want to teach the STAND command to him. TheSTAND command may be useful in your dog’slater life when arthritic joints will not want to SIT.STAND can be easily substituted for SIT in any ofthe command applications where patience isrequired.

620.Teaching the STAND is relativelyeasy. Start with your dog in HEEL,

slow down, and come to a stop. As you come to astop, place your left hand directly in the nook ofyour dog’s right rear leg where it joins his body.Command STAND. You may need to apply somelight upward pressure on your dog’s abdomenwith the back of your hand for the dog to remainin a STAND. Praise “good STAND.” Some forwardtension with the leash may be required to definethe STAND position.


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621.As your dog gets better at standing,remove the physical assistance.

After you have taught your dog to STAND, you willwant to practice position holding with the STANDcommand. Use the same position-holding exer-cises described for the SIT command.

The LEAVE IT Command

622.Teaching the LEAVE IT command issimilar to distraction training with a

stationary object as described in chapter 7. Startwith an “easy” object on the floor approximatelyten feet away.

623.Give your dog the HEEL commandand slowly but confidently

approach the object. As you reach three or fourfeet from the object, give the command LEAVE IT.If your dog shows interest in the object (by dip-ping his head toward the object), correct with NOand re-command LEAVE IT. Praise heartily as yourdog ignores the object. Your dog may require morethan one corrective NO and re-command repeti-tions as you pass the object.


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624.Make sure you begin this exercisewith the target object a few feet to

the left of your HEEL path. As you and your dogbecome more proficient at the LEAVE IT com-mand, decrease the distance away from the objectuntil you are heeling directly over it. Once yourdog becomes accustomed to “leaving” one item,switch to another item, and repeat the exercisefrom the beginning.

The DROP IT Command

625.Sometimes your dog enjoys thegame of tug-of-war better than the

game you are trying to play with him. A usefulcommand to teach your dog is DROP IT. The com-mand DROP IT will require your dog to release theobject out of his mouth and not pick it back upagain. We chose DROP IT instead of GIVE or anyother command which requires you to take theobject out of your dog’s mouth. This is an impor-tant difference to your dog.


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626.Begin teaching the command by giv-ing your dog an object like a ball.

Give the command DROP IT (using neutral, busi-nesslike, non-threatening vocal tones), and openyour dog’s mouth slightly so the object falls out.Praise with “good dog” and immediately give afood reward. Have the food reward ready so yourdog does not have time to pick up the ball again.

627.Some dogs resist prying their jawsapart. Bait your dog with the treat

while commanding DROP IT so your dog has achoice: he can either hold the object in his mouthor spit it out and get a treat. With enough repeti-tion, your dog will spit out the object without bait-ing with the treat.

628.After several repetitions of hearingDROP IT, your dog will spit the ball

out and look for the food reward. Remove all thephysical help in opening his mouth, and intro-duce the corrective NO. Give the command DROPIT, praise with voice and food for success, or givea corrective NO and re-command DROP IT. Whenyour dog drops the object, praise with voice andfood.


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629.Test the DROP IT command withanother object like a stuffed toy or

dish towel. Practice the command regularly, keep-ing the vocal tones neutral, and praise success sothe command does not become confrontational.Make DROP IT a part of your regular distraction-training workout.

630.Some dogs are chewers and somedogs are swallowers (ingesters). If

your dog is an ingester, teach DROP IT with anoversize object like a ball or a bath towel. Useextreme caution with items like socks, sponges, orsmall balls. If your dog swallows the wrong object,it may require an expensive operation to removeit. Teach DROP IT with larger items for at leastthree weeks.

MORE GOOD APPLICATIONEXERCISES

631.Teach your dog not to pick up thingsthat get knocked on the floor. Line

up a series of distractions along the kitchencounter (dishrags, sponges, soda cans, plasticcups, etc.). Place your dog in a SIT and casuallyknock the objects onto the floor (not on top ofyour dog’s head, please). If your dog breaks theSIT, correct with NO and redirect with SIT. Praiseheartily when your dog ignores the falling distrac-tions. Add this exercise to your formal distraction-training workout.


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632.Once your dog learns the pattern atthe kitchen counter, change the

training environment to the living room andrepeat by dropping items off the coffee table. Lineup the items and walk your dog past the table. Ifyour dog shows more than a casual interest in theitems, correct with NO and redirect with LEAVE IT(don’t forget to praise). Once your dog ignores theitems on the coffee table, drop them on the flooras you did in the previous exercise.


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Dog Etiquette

9.

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Good manners in your dog are essential. Appli-cations provide structure and formality to

daily life, provide positive patterns for your dog toreceive praise, and teach your dog good behavioras a lifestyle. The more avenues you have todevelop good behavior, the more your dog willcome to behave well in all situations. Here aresome secrets about avoiding bawdy behavior andcreating and reinforcing excellent etiquette.

DINNERTIME MANNERS—NOBEGGING!

633.Don’t encourage begging by feedingfrom the table. The occasional

shared morsel will have your dog waitingpatiently for the next one. This sends your dog amixed message about what is acceptable for herto be doing during your meals. Mealtime for theleaders should remain off-limits to the followers(the dogs). Remain clear about this boundary.

634.Prevent young puppies from devel-oping the habit of begging by crating

them during your mealtime.Through removal andthis finite boundary, your puppy will see that he isnot permitted near the leaders’ meals.


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GREETING MANNERS—NO JUMPING!

635.Whether the greeting is inside yourhouse or out on a walk, the greeting

exercise remains the same. Once your dog isexcited, it takes approximately two to three min-utes for her to completely relax when a new per-son comes to visit. Once she is relaxed (nojumping, barking, or pulling on the leash), youmay release her with BREAK and allow her togreet.

636.There are two ways your dog cangreet a person. The first is to allow

the self-controlled dog to go to the person togreet. The second is to have the spring-loaded dogremain in a SIT and have the person come to thedog.

637.Self-controlled dogs. Start with yourdog in a SIT to communicate the

need for manners and self-control. Say BREAKand a cue like “Go say hi!” Maintain leash controlwith a short leash. If your dog begins to jump onsomeone, correct with NO and repeat OFF. (If yourdog becomes too excited, you may need to eitherredirect with SIT or remove your dog with a HEEL.)Praise for four paws on the ground.

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638.Make sure people give your dog alow target like an open palm for her

to greet. Do not restrain her from jumping byholding the leash very tightly, as it will only makeher strain against the leash and jump more. Keepthe leash slack to allow her to learn.

639.After one brief greeting, call yourdog away with HEEL, followed by a

SIT. Repeat this same pattern of greeting andbacking up three times so your dog will notice thepattern and become better each time.

640.Spring-loaded dogs. Begin with yourdog in a SIT. Loop the leash to the

ground and step on it. There should be justenough slack in the leash to allow your dog to SITon his own without being restrained but not beable to jump up completely. Praise as long as yourdog remains in the SIT. When your dog attemptsto jump up as the person approaches, correct withNO at the point when the leash restricts your dogand re-command SIT.


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641.Have the greeter step backward toremove any positive reinforcement

for jumping. When the dog is seated, the greetermay approach again, offering a low target to greet.Keep this greeting short so as not to excite the dogtoo much. The greeter may back up so the dog canmaintain composure, and then repeat the greet-ing three times.

642.Watch quick hand movementsaround your dog’s head. Do not have

children approach your dog’s head from above.Your dog will raise his head to check out the hand.If the small child quickly withdraws his hand, thedog may try to catch the hand with his mouth.

643.Properly introduce your dog to otherpeople by having the person hold

their hand out, palm facing up, and place yourhand underneath the new person’s. If it makesyou feel better, make a “sandwich” of the new per-son’s hand with your two hands. As your doginvestigates this “scent sandwich,” graduallyremove your top hand first, then your bottomhand. Provide lots of praise to show your dogthere is nothing to fear here!

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644.Face your dog (roughly two feet infront of him) and have him SIT. Give

the BREAK signal enthusiastically and step awayfrom him. If he jumps on you, correct him awayfrom you, saying, “No, OFF.” If he continues tojump and be rowdy, give the SIT command toreinstill some self-control. Repeat this exercisemany times in a row and with quick repetition.Each time, you may want to add either enthusias-tic body language or an excited voice. This dis-traction level may cause your dog to err, in whichcase give him a collar correction away from youand repeat, “No, OFF” until he understands theboundary of your body.

WALKING MANNERS—NOPULLING!

645.In chapter 8, we learned exercises(called a segment walk) to build a

walk with your dog using the HEEL command.

646.A good HEEL walk is as much a men-tal exercise as a physical exercise.

Add pace changes, full turns, circles, and figureeights to your walking rather than always movingin a straight line. Use these skills during a walk tomaintain focus on you and for a more interestingwalk for your dog.


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647.To teach no pulling on a walk, prac-tice a focusing exercise. Begin walk-

ing forward. As soon as your dog walks ahead ofyou, anchor the leash with your left hand andturn in the opposite direction. When your dogcatches up, praise him with a “good dog!” Once hepasses you, repeat the turning exercise, and praisefor each time your dog returns to your side.

648.To take a walk along a path, walkslowly and zigzag down the path

using the turns to keep your dog focused on you.You can always use the walking pace to indicatewho is leading. Slow down until your dog acceptsthe pace and walks nicely at your side.

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FOUR TYPES OF WALKINGTaking a walk is not always heeling! There are four dif-ferent types of walk: a HEEL walk, a “free walk” forsniffing, a “potty walk,” and a “party-time walk.”Each one is done on a leash and still requires leashmanners of no pulling. Each one, though, also fulfillsa different need for your dog and will help him under-stand when he must maintain a complete HEEL.

1. HEEL walk. We already know that HEELrequires paying attention to the leader, nopulling, no sniffing, a certain position to be held,and the finish of an automatic SIT when com-plete. This one is quite formal and should alwayshave the same requirements on a walk.

2. Free walk. This is a walk on BREAK with noformal position. Your dog may sniff, investigate,and walk at any position as long as there is no leashpulling. It helps his curious side and, by releasinghim into it, helps him understand exactly when hecan sniff the ground if he can’t during HEEL.

3. Potty walk. It’s hard for your dog to elimi-nate at HEEL. From time to time during yourwalk, stop and have your dog finish the HEEL withSIT. Give him a BREAK to allow time to relievehimself. While on BREAK, your dog may sniff andwalk freely but still have manners. Correct yourdog with NO for pulling against the leash.

4. Party-time walk. Sometimes all four of adog’s feet need to leave the ground. A releasefrom structure will show him balance—a time towalk and a time to run! A physical release mayshow your dog that if he has patience and HEELSwell, a fun reward awaits at the end of the path.Remember to correct for any pulling during playbecause play still requires manners.


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RIDING IN CARS WITH DOGS

649.Some dogs are enthusiastic passen-gers in the car. If driving with your

dog is too distracting and prevents you from tak-ing him different places, try this exercise. First,warm up your dog’s mind and self-control with afive- or ten-minute obedience workout.

650.Next, open the doors to your car. Sitin the back seat and have your dog

SIT next to you. Keep the leash in your hand anduse your obedience command language. As longas your dog behaves, praise heartily. If he is fidg-ety, divert with NO and redirect with SIT.

651.For the next step you will need twopeople. Sit in the back seat and let

your assistant drive your car. Give your dog a SITcommand (leash and collar on). Move the car slowlyat first. Praise your dog as long as he remains sit-ting. As your dog begins to get upset or unsettled,divert with NO and redirect with SIT. Initially youmay not get out of the driveway and instead, justback out and return. If the driveway trip goes well,drive around the block. Increase the driving time asyour dog learns to relax and ride well.

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652.Some dogs tend to become stimulatedby the moving objects outside the

window. If this seems to be the case, formally social-ize your dog to movement as described in chapter 6.

653.You may need to drive with two peo-ple for a while until your dog

becomes acclimated to riding with manners in aSIT. With lots of experience and a little maturationon your dog’s part, you may be ready to ride solowith your dog. Remember to start slowly with thedriveway exercise and work up to a longer ride. Ifthe SIT goes well, try DOWN as the next step insafe riding.

654.Doggie seatbelts, crates in cars, anddividers for the front and back sec-

tions of cars are all ways to ensure the safety ofyour dog. Crates help not only contain your dog,but provide security for them during movement.Seatbelts ensure a limited space and the simula-tion of someone holding them in a position.Dividers will certainly maintain the boundarybetween the driving area and the passenger area.


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RESPECT FOR HUMANS—NO BITING!

655.As a puppy, your dog used his mouthto communicate his urges to you.

This is perfectly normal and we accepted itbecause he was a puppy. Now that your dog ismaturing, the mouth is getting scary. Once analternate communication system is in place (obe-dience training) the remaining pieces of inappro-priate communication need to be curtailed.This iswhere proper application of the corrective NO canbe effective when your dog mouths you.

656.After obedience training is completeand the new communication system

is being applied, your dog may still want to use hismouth to communicate. Continue to build respectthrough training in general, but leash correct formouthing at the moment. Command with SIT fora self-control reminder.

657.Crate your dog if he cannot be redi-rected, as removing the liberty of

being with you may communicate your require-ments to him better than a leash correction. Onceyour dog is settled, bring him out of the crate, on-leash again, and see if his behavior changes. If allof his needs have been met, this negative rein-forcement consequence can certainly help tellhim what you will and will not accept from him.

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NO BOSSY BARKING!

658.If your dog is being bossy and bark-ing to get you to do things, examine

your relationship with him. Are you not leadingenough, and does he think he needs to lead you?If so, take more active direction of his life and cre-ate respect through obedience training.

659.Don’t jump up and pacify your dog’sbarking by playing ball, opening the

door, feeding him a snack, or otherwise reinforc-ing this bad behavior. Teach him to communicatepolitely for the things he would like. Pick up hisleash, and run through a few commands inresponse to this barking. This message is remind-ing him that not only has he forgotten his man-ners, but he also needs to gain some composure.

660.If you suspect your dog truly has aneed and is trying to communicate

this with you, tell him to SIT, and reinforce the sit-ting with the desired object or action. Be certainthat your leadership is respected, though, andyou’re not jumping up to obey your dog’s everywhim!


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VET VIS ITS—BE POLITE!

661.Practice the same touch-desensiti-zation exercises as you learned in

chapter 6. Add opening the mouth and inspectingthe teeth as another exercise to prepare them forthe vet visit. Looking in their ears and eyes as wellwill help them understand what will happen atthe vet. Keep tolerance and self-control high onyour list of traits you need to develop throughtraining to ensure touch permission.

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662.Try to simulate a vet exam whereyou’re actually touching your dog to

“feel” things (palpate). Imagine touching hisabdomen and trying to imagine what might liebeneath your touch. This will be a different touchexercise than simple petting or stroking as thistouch will be more firm.

663.The vet visit can sometimes carrynegative connotations since vac-

cines and blood work can be less-than-happyexperiences. Your dog will need to hear youractive leadership in these instances. Giving direc-tions and commands will help guide their behav-ior and reassure them.

664.Try to make the visit to the vet a pos-itive experience. Have the waiting

area personnel give your dog treats when sheenters, and even have the doctor give her a treator two to help counter any scary experiences.

665.SIT position holding and STANDposition holding are valuable self-

control skills for your dog to know in vet visits.Your dog will remain under control and your vetwill have an easier time examining him.


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666.Teach your dog to roll over partially(perhaps use the cue word SIDE) on

command. If your dog is taught as a trick, and heenjoys doing it, you will be able to use this to notonly help the vet see underneath your dog, butalso to communicate a fun message to your dog.Learn the command SIDE in chapter 15.

GROOMER VIS ITS

667.A very important skill for your dog toknow is the STAND command. Prac-

tice this once daily and work your dog up to beingable to hold a two-minute STAND. This will buildpatience, self-control, and tolerance—all skillsyour dog will need for the grooming table!

668.Remember to continue your touch-desensitization exercise as described

in chapter 6. Continuing to do this exercise willkeep your dog conditioned to touch.

669.Don’t question the groomer! Yourdog will need to take direction from

someone other than you. Regular obediencetraining practice in combination with touch-desensitization exercises will keep the groomerhappy.

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MEETING DOGS—NO FIGHTING!

670.Yes, dogs can meet and learn to playtogether! But remember, if the lead-

ers are not telling them how to meet and play,their instincts will tell them how to do it, andthings could get confrontational. Establishinggood meeting habits is important and should begiven special attention as a handler. Have yourgreeting etiquette override your dog’s geneticinstincts!

Interaction Tips

671.Dogs do not need to play rough witheach other to enjoy being in each

other’s company. Teach them that other dogs arenot a toy! They should learn to play with (inani-mate) toys when with each other.

672.Don’t let your dog play with or evenmeet every dog he sees. This pro-

motes an expectation that can cause your dog tobecome too excitable and hyper each time he seesanother dog. This expectation from your dog canlead to unmanageability, excessive barking, anduncontrollable pulling on a leash.


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673.If your dog acts like this aroundother dogs, he can accidentally pro-

voke defensive aggression in them.These dogs aresensitive to body language, and your rowdy dog’sapproach will appear out-of-control and chaotic.Some dogs will try to control your dog (withaggression or barking) if you don’t appear to becontrolling him!

Making “Formal Introductions”

674.When trying to introduce two dogs,remember that they do not need to

touch noses (or other parts!) right away. Havethem SIT and be in control around each otherfirst.

675.Do a “pass by” exercise and have thehandlers walk by each other with

their dogs. Start by passing each other person-to-person with the dogs on the outside. Then workup to passing each other dog-to-dog, maintainingadequate personal space during this pass.

676.Walk up to each other and stop witha two- to three-foot buffer between

the two dogs. Have the handlers reach out toshake hands, keeping both dogs in a SIT. Taketurns having each handler reach out and pet theother dog while he remains seated.

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677.Go for a short fifteen- to twenty-minute walk together. Two handlers

and two dogs walking under control is a fun wayto teach the dogs to be together. If one dog hasany questions about the safety of the situation,two leaders in control will quell his fear nicely.

678.Have the dogs meet for two to threeseconds, then split them up with a

command and some personal space. After two tothree seconds of sniffing, say HEEL and move yourdogs away for a breather. Smaller doses of “hellos”will prevent first meetings from becoming offen-sive. Repeat this three to four times, but do notincrease the greeting length.

679.Don’t let your leashes twist! Yes, thisappears comical in the movies, but it

usually becomes stressful and unsafe in real life.

Puppy Personal Space—Be Courteous!

680.It is common for people to allowtheir dogs to pull into another dog’s

space. This is not only discourteous, but is alsopotentially dangerous. The pulling dog can set offanother dog’s defenses by appearing out of con-trol. Be aware of personal space and be respectfulof this boundary.


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681.Keep your dog in control of hisactions, using your HEEL or position-

holding commands. Even at a distance, anotherdog will be wary of your dog if you allow him toappear threatening in his approach. The other dogmay perceive a threat to his personal space.

682.Always ask the other handler if it’sokay for the two dogs to meet. If the

other handler says no, be polite and respect hiswishes. He may have very good reasons for thisanswer: a sick dog, an elderly dog, a fearful dog, anaggressive dog, etc. Do not judge him or force ameeting upon him.

683.If a meet-and-greet is agreed uponby both owners, keep both dogs in

control with commands, short leashes, and briefexposures in sniffing. Don’t allow your dog to boltdirectly up to the other dog, and do not allow himto bolt to private areas, or jump on, paw at, or nib-ble the other dog. Personal space and courtesyshould be respected from dog to dog just as youwould expect it from dog to human.

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684.Different dogs have different com-fort zones. Sometimes the “personal

space” area is a radius of five feet or more. Somedogs are okay with closer spaces. This will dependupon individual personalities. Take your visitingcues from the other owner, the body language ofthe other dog, and your own dog’s messages.

685.Provide proper social interactionsfor your dog. We recommend one

hour of mental exercise and positive socializationfor every four hours spent in playgroups. If yourdog displays any type of aggression towards anydog he meets outside of the daycare, discontinuedaycare or playgroups and begin resocializingyour dog.


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Living Harmoniously with Your Dog

10.

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Living harmoniously with your dog requires himto leave genetically imprinted instincts behind

and adopt a sense of right and wrong. Survivalinstincts have no bearing on how well he behavesin the house and towards your family. Your dogneeds to check that baggage at the door.

FENCE USAGE

686.We all look forward to experiencingthe joys of being outside with our

dogs. Your pet containment system is one of yourmost valuable tools to ensure the safety of yourpet. There are many types of containment sys-tems and methods to keep your dog safe out-doors. Do your research and find the bestcontainment option for your family.

687.One of the great things about a fenceis that you can play with your dog

and know that he can’t get away and be injured orkilled. You can be outside with your dog while youbarbecue or garden and your dog can be with you.

688.The fence is not a baby-sitter. Whena dog is acting up, some owners tend

to simply put the dog outside. The problem hasnot been addressed, it has just been moved out-side.


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689.Fixed fences. A fixed fence is a physi-cally tangible fence. Whether it is

made out of chain link or wood slats, it presents aphysical barrier so your dog cannot get to theother side and things on the other side cannotenter your dog’s side. A fixed fence is our favoritekind of fence for that reason. The bad part of thefixed fence is that the dog can touch it, jump on it,chew it, and dig around it. Supervision is stillrequired.

690.Electric Fences. A very popular form ofcontainment is the electric fence.

Aesthetically, having no physical barrier is moreattractive than something that obscures yourview.The electric fence relies on aversion training.The main deficit of this system is that the electricfence will only keep your dog inside the boundary.Other people, dogs, and critters can come and goas they please.

691.Proper tool selection is essential tomaintaining a reliable containment

system. Quality hardware and software are criti-cal to the success of your electric fence. Researchthe options. Avoid bargain store brands. We rec-ommend purchasing a hardware system withappropriate professional training. Every dog has aunique personality and, as in obedience training,professional assistance will be of a great help.

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692.The electric collar should fit snuglyon your dog’s neck. One of the most

common ways the electric fence fails is whenowners loosen the collar. The prongs of the fencecollar must be in snug contact with your dog’sneck to be safe and effective.

693.The second way the fence fails iswhen the battery prematurely runs

out. If your dog tests the fence frequently, thewarning signal (typically a tone or vibration) usesthe battery charge. Change or recharge the batteryfrequently.

694.Regular inspection of the entire elec-tric fence system is essential in pre-

venting surprises. Select a fence system that hasan alarm in the event the signal wire is cut. Followall the manufacturer’s recommendations regard-ing using and maintaining your electric fence.

695.The last method of yard contain-ment is the cable tie-out. The tool

consists of a fixing device such as a spike youplace in the ground or screw into a tree. The cableattaches to the fixing device and the collar (flatcollar only) or harness. For durability and safety,the cable should be made out of a coated steelcable, not rope or chain. Supervision is essential!


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696.Make sure your dog cannot wraphimself around trees, shrubs, or

lawn furniture. Be especially cautious that yourdog cannot jump over a fixed item and hang him-self. Comply with all safety rules and standardsfor the containment tool you use.


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697.Perhaps the “ultimate” containmentsystem for your dog would be a fixed

fence approximately four feet in height, which isvisually not very distracting and keeps unwantedintruders (two and four legged) out and your doginside. Couple the fixed fence with an electricfence with a four- or five-foot boundary inside thefixed fence so your dog cannot interact with orjump up or over the fixed fence.

YARD MANNERS

698.Always monitor your dog’s activitywhile inside the contained area. You

will need to be outside with your dog at all times.Your dog’s activity in the yard must be supervised.You don’t want your dog ingesting anything youare going to need to pay to remove later.

699.Blow the whistle on unwantedbehaviors or patterns. Even if your

dog is behind a fence, you may need to keep yourdog on a leash (a ten- or twenty-foot leash). If yourdog begins to engage in unwanted behavior, divertwith a corrective NO and redirect with an obedi-ence command.

700.Sometimes your dog spends so muchtime playing in the yard he doesn’t

understand that he must listen as well. If you feelyour dog’s yard manners are getting out of hand,practice your obedience commands in the yard.


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701.Make your dog’s time in the yardquality time, not destructive, time-

killing time. Abandonment outside will encourageinappropriate behavior. Nuisance behaviors likedigging or barking will develop due to boredom.

702.Don’t let your dog jump on the fencewhen greeting a neighbor. Place your

dog in a SIT (or DOWN) command four or five feetaway from the fence. Walk over to the fence andconverse with your neighbor, praising your dograndomly for maintaining the SIT.

703.Picking up dog waste is no fun. Step-ping in dog waste is even less fun.

Create an effective plan for frequently picking upeliminations and placing them in an appropriatereceptacle. If you fail to pick up waste over theperiod of a few days, then your yard may start tostink. Even worse, your dog may refuse to elimi-nate in an already full yard.

HUMAN/DOG PLAY

704.An excellent rule of thumb appliesto both adults and children who are

playing with dogs: the puppy is not a toy. Fetch isa great game to teach your dog. There are descrip-tions of toys and activities in Section Four.


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705.Rough play like tug-of-war,wrestling, and general aggressive

play must be halted immediately. No negotiatingon this rule. Every dog that lives with peopleneeds to learn to be social and polite. Activelyteaching your dog to be antisocial (with “bad”play) will nurture some of the most annoyingbehaviors and potentially dangerous behaviorproblems.

Children and Dogs

706.Children may share in the experi-ence by providing age-appropriate

tasks (i.e., food, water, supervised games, and yardcleaning). Children should never be required toreprimand, redirect, or crate a puppy or adult dog.

707.Most small children compensate fortheir age by being overly aggressive,

either vocally or physically. Remember, prepubes-cent children are rarely in control of their emotions.They also have little patience for dogs that do notlisten to them and may become easily frustrated.Always supervise your children with your dog.


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708.No single breed of dog is “wonderfularound children.” Each breed must

be taught how to behave in a family situation.Most dogs view small children as “littermates”and may play roughly or in a doggie manner withthe children. This should be anticipated and playshould be supervised and directed. Keep your dogon-leash and actively direct your dog when he isaround children.

709.Do not distraction train your dogusing your children. The mental dis-

cipline developed during distraction training canmake your dog tired and frustrated. During thisperiod, the dog appears to develop slightly nega-tive feelings toward the object with which he isbeing distraction trained. Always socialize yourdog around your children when both children anddog are fresh and rested.

LIFESTYLE

710.Managing your dog’s daily activitiesis essential to shifting away from the

pack nature of your dog and nurturing her domes-tic nature. Properly practicing the basic obediencecommands will nurture trust and respect,strengthening the desire of your canine compan-ion to take direction from you and accept yourleadership. Obedience commands are not a formof dominance but positive tools to socialize yourdog to a human’s world. Done in daily life, you willcreate a lifestyle.


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711.Draw a circle on a sheet of paper.Draw a line from the center of the

circle to the twelve o’clock position. Draw anotherline from the center to midway between thetwelve and one o’clock positions. Using a marker,color this small wedge red. Imagine this smallwedge is the period of time in your day when youwant your dog to listen to you without question.The remainder of the circle is the period of time(waking time) your dog gets to do whatever hewants to do.

712.Add some more slices to the pie.Every day and in every way, make

your dog work for it. Simple things like sitting fora cookie, and waiting for you and exiting the doorfirst are meaningful, especially when these activ-ities are a part of a complete leadership protocol.Don’t use these as the only things you do. Makethese pieces a part of a whole pie. Look for asmany opportunities to add new pieces (new appli-cations) to your pie.

713.Take one last look at your dog’s piechart. Establishing your leadership

for only ten or fifteen minutes out of roughly six-teen waking hours in the day it is not enough! Thecomplete leadership protocol provides for direc-tion for at least four hours of supervised activitieswith at least half of the remaining time beingcrated.


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Use Your Household Tools

714.The television is an excellent timer.While your family is watching a

show, have your dog lie in his PLACE or in aDOWN. Provide a therapeutic chew toy or othertoy to occupy his time. During the commercialbreak, release your dog with a BREAK and take aquick walk around the house, have a potty break,have a snack, or just play and let him stretch hislegs. When the next act of the TV show starts, putyour dog back into a command.

715.Dogs learn from repetition. If theyare repeatedly performing good

behavior several times a day (using the cratebetween teaching sessions to prevent inappropri-ate behaviors), they will learn positive behaviorsfaster.

716.Start with one hour of structuredtime and one hour of crate time

(remember, the crate needs to be in a remote loca-tion for adequate rest). As your household team-work improves (typically over a one-monthperiod), increase the structured out-of-crate timeby fifteen minute intervals. Maintain the hour resttime. The longer your dog works, the more rest hewill need.


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717.Most dogs are accidentally rewardedfor inappropriate behavior. Free-

doms or privileges are not earned, and inexcus-able behavior continues unbridled. By properlyand positively using the crate, you can establishlimits on inappropriate behavior. As long as theowner is consistent in reinforcing boundaries, thisconcept will be effective, and the crate will con-tinue to be a positive experience.

Keep dog beds in multiple rooms of your house.This will prevent your dog (who really does likecomfort!) from climbing on the nearest recliner,sofa, or bed. He will know that he has furnitureavailable to him and can be comfortable withoutbreaking the rules.

ADVANCED TETHERING OR“POSTING”

718.Review the section in chapter 1 onTethering or “Posting” for the basic

rules and safety concerns. Advanced tetheringwill involve using commands to actively teach alesson while your dog is tethered.


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719.While your dog is tethered, give andreinforce obedience command

applications like DOWN or PLACE. This will helphim understand the lesson while he is posted. Asyou are walking around, give your dog randompraise like “good boy.” Give your dog an activitylike a chew toy to occupy himself.

720.After a few months of repetition(and some maturity) your dog will

begin to auto-apply the lessons you are teachinghim. When you enter the room, your dog will walkover to the designated area and lay down. At thispoint the tether is not needed.

721.Dogs love attention. If you find yourdog likes to play the game where he

tosses his toy just beyond the reach of the tetherand has you get it, remove your dog from thetether and interact by doing an obedience work-out, play, or crate (depending on your schedule).Make sure the options are fair and your dog is get-ting his needs met (see chapter 11).


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DAILY RITUALS

722.Breakfast Ritual. Time to wake up andpotty; possibly a short walk. Next is

breakfast and possibly another potty break. Haveyour dog hold a DOWN (perhaps while beingposted) and chew a toy while you read the paperand sip coffee. Crate your dog during the morningshower (until maturity). Some attention (mild playor affection) and then crate (and treats). Makeyour final preparations for work while your dog isin the crate. Then, off to work.

723.Crate your dog while the kids arepreparing for bed (bath and paja-

mas). Give each of the kids a goodnight treat togive to your dog. When the kids are ready in theirrooms, take your dog around from kid to kid to say“good night” and get a treat.

724.Bedtime Ritual. Bedtime also meanstime for a potty break and five or ten

minutes of attention (mild play or affection) foryour dog. Then, head to the bedroom and crate(with treats).

725.Keep your daily habits consistent.For example: you ask your dog to

hold a SIT for greeting at the door but allow himto jump all over cousin Pete. With this scenario,your dog is confused by the change in house rulesand will become frustrated by unfairly repri-manding him for the behavior later.


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726.Just as you need to be consistentwith expectations and habits, the

way you present them must also be consistent.Being calm, cool, and collected one day and “los-ing it” the next day may cause your dog to becomestressed out. Shifting your emotions about thesame experience does not present yourself asbeing stable in your dog’s eyes. Keep it cool as arule.

727.As an individual, you must approachyour leadership the same way every

day. As a family, one person in the house cannotbe “easy” and flexible with the boundaries, crateschedule, or obedience training reinforcementwhile another person is rigidly consistent.

728.Each owner must agree on rules fortheir dog. You should convey these

rules to the children and other frequent visitors ofthe household.

MULTIPLE PETS

729.There are many tricks to havingmultiple-dog households, the first of

which is to be certain the humans are in charge!The easiest way is to try to have one human perdog as a handling ratio. If there are two humansand three or more dogs, the task becomes harder,but not impossible.


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730.Obedience is not an option. Withmultiple-pet households, it is imper-

ative to have obedience training as the main com-munication language and rule set. Since dogs thatare unattended or undirected will always makedecisions using their instincts, you will need topractice obedience training and use it constantlyin daily life to ensure that the dogs and theirinstincts do not rule.

731.Thin out the herd. When raising twoat a time, or introducing a new dog

into the household, you may want to thin out theherd at times. This means crating one dog whilethe other dog gets your full attention. This will cutdown on competition for resources and attention,and allows you to fully develop manners andskills one at a time.


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Double Dog Dilemmas

732.If one dog is work, how much morework can two dogs be? Ages, person-

alities, and breeds will determine just how muchmore work it will be—but rest assured that it willrequire more work. Your second dog is a dynamic,living being with emotional and mental needsthat will need to be fulfilled.

733.If one puppy is messy, are two reallymessier? Yes. Littermates are

extremely difficult to raise on many levels.Besides the obvious (more food, more yardcleanup, more hair!), the extra emotional andmental energy required to raise two siblings ishuge. When raising one, do yourself a favor andraise only one. You’ll enjoy your experience muchmore, and chances are, so will your single puppy.

734.Dogs don’t have to have other caninemembers in the family to feel loved

and safe. Your leadership, friendship, and guidancecan do exactly that if you raise your puppy withdevotion and love. Your puppy will love bonding toyou when there’s no other puppy in sight.


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735.Integrate two dogs and their skillswith two handlers present. If there is

one handler for two dogs, the dogs may try to takeadvantage of your divided attention. However, if onedog is older and more polished, this may not happenand you might be safe in proceeding with two at atime.

736.Keep both dogs on-leash during theday to ensure consistency and suc-

cess in directing them. Even if there is an older,more seasoned dog, the leash helps tell both dogsthat there is security in leadership and directionwill prevent chaos.

737.Never allow the first dog to “raise”the second dog! It is too much pres-

sure on the older dog to have to direct the littleone. This stress may cause problems in the newrelationship.

738.When the second dog grows up look-ing to the first dog for direction, you

may end up with more problems than imaginable!The second dog may bond to dogs rather thanhumans, she may never learn to look to humansfor direction, and she may grow up using toomany dog instincts because her leader is a dog.Prevent this by raising the second one like you didthe first one.


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739.Do not expect your second dog to beas experienced in the manners of

the household as your first dog. Keep the seconddog on-leash and under your direction. Showstructure, security, and a rhythm to the house-hold. Resist the urge to give your second dog thefreedoms and privileges that your first dog hasearned until the second dog has earned them.

740.Having a dog is a fun and rewardingexperience. Owning two dogs can be

double the fun as well as twice the work. Everydog you add to your household doubles theamount of leadership that needs to be applied tomaintain harmony. Three dogs feel more like six,and four dogs seems like eight. Every being (twoand four legged) needs a certain amount of spacefor adequate living.

741.At some point, you may add toomany pets to your household. May-

hem will follow shortly. Unfortunately, sometimesthe only solution is to thin the herd, and placingone of your dogs with a new family may be neces-sary.


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742.Try to determine which one of yourdogs is the most stressed by the

social load of a crowded house.Take each dog out-side for a long walk solo. Watch the interactions ofthe dogs that remain. There is typically one dogthat keeps the emotions stirred up and when thatdog is out for the walk, the remaining dogs willrelax and lay down. This is probably the dog thatwould be happiest in a quieter home.


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Balancing Essential Needs

11.

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To assure your dog’s mental serenity, you mustlearn to balance four of your dog’s essential

needs: mental, physical, social, and rest. Whenyou mix these elements properly for your dog, herbehavior becomes balanced.

YOUR DOG’S DAILY BALANCE Each dog will require a different balance.Research your breed so you will know hergenetic tendencies as well as the breed’s phys-ical requirements, but you must also be awarethat even two dogs of the same breed will bedifferent in their needs. Keep in mind that dogsare as individual as people! Knowing and under-standing her personality, physical health, andage will help you create a balanced mix for her.This, along with age and stage of life, matter indeveloping your dog’s balance. What works foryour dog in puberty might not be what worksfor her in adulthood. Be aware of the stage inwhich your dog is living and adjust the balanceas she ages through stages.

As you’re working on balancing your dog’sdaily and overall life, be careful not to spoil herwith constant attention. Part of a good balancesystem is to make sure that her mental perspec-tives are clear regarding her fit in the household.

Your balance and behavior will change yourdog’s balance. If your daily or weekly schedulechanges often, or if work schedules are long, youmay see a change in your dog’s behavior. Adultdogs can flex better with changing schedules


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than younger or older dogs, but all dogs canexperience stress if their needs are not met. Rit-uals and routines will help your dog flexthrough these times.

MENTAL NEEDS

743.Mental needs are those needs thatrequire your dog to use his brain.

Utilizing his intelligence is just as important tohim as using his body. Mental energy helps a dogfeel important and feel as though he has a job.

744.Channeling mental energy will helpto prevent behavioral problems.

When a dog is given a job to do in the form of obe-dience training, it leaves him little time or mentalspace to find the wrong things to do.

745.If mental needs are not met throughyour direction, your dog’s genetic

makeup will meet them for him. Each dog has apurpose and a desire to do work. His breed andgenetic makeup has hardwired him to do tasks. Ifyou do not choose the tasks for him, his geneticinstincts will choose the job.

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746.Mental needs can be met throughdaily obedience practice sessions,

thought-provoking games such as Find It, or moreadvanced training tasks such as soft-mouthretrieval.

747.Daily application of your commandsis essential to keeping your dog

mentally satisfied. At least one practice sessionper day can keep him feeling as though he’s donework and has had a purpose.


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748.Make your training sessionsdynamic and thought provoking.

Don’t just “go through the paces.” Make this aninteresting exchange of direction, and praise forteam accomplishment. You should feel as thoughyou are having a conversation with your dog, notjust a trail of mindless commands.

PHYSICAL NEEDS

749.Physical needs vary from stage tostage. Physical needs are highest

during the adolescent stage and lowest during thegeriatric stage. The specific physical needs aredescribed for each stage in Section One. Be sensi-tive to your dog’s changing physical needs.

750.While physical needs are important,physical activity is not a substitute

for meeting mental needs. Don’t confuse the two.

751.Some good physical exercises arewalking, running, Frisbee, fetch,

swimming, water retrieval, agility, flyball, lurecoursing, weight pulling, and cart pulling. Choosean activity that your dog will enjoy and that youwill enjoy doing with her.


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752.Physical release is important after along sedentary day. Sedentary days

are days where the owner has been gone a longtime and the dog is crated, or days where the doghas been asked to have manners, hold DOWN-STAYS, and remain quiet for long periods.

753.Exercise exchange. Different seasonsrequire a different balance. Summer

may prohibit walking, in which case you maywant to substitute light swimming. Rainy daysand icy winter days may prohibit outdoor activityaltogether. In this case, you can either substitutean indoor ball game (careful!), a mentally enter-taining training session, or game to help your dogfind an outlet for her energy. If the weather is notconducive to physical activity, substitute addi-tional mental-exercise activities (obedience work-outs or indoor mental games).

754.Choose an activity suited to yourdog’s physical ability, age, and per-

sonal needs. You won’t want your Pug doingweight pulling, just as you wouldn’t want to seeyour Mastiff doing agility!


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755.Regular veterinarian visits will keepyou aware of your dog’s physical

health. Your vet can also counsel you about yourdog’s changing physical needs and activitychoices you can make for him.

SOCIAL NEEDS

756.Social needs are critical to dogs.Most dogs thrive on social interac-

tion.They crave time with their families and otherpeople. Some dogs enjoy the company of otherdogs as well. Keep social exposure high on a dailyor weekly basis.

757.Keep social exposure positive! Forinstance, if your dog enjoys the com-

pany of other dogs, be certain the other dogs (andyours also!) have good manners and that the timespent is enjoyable. If your dog is meek, only havehim socialize with dogs that are mild. If your dogis nervous, keep social exposure happening in lessstressful environments. If your dog is exuberantor boisterous, help him to have the manners to bea positive social experience for others as opposedto being frightening or stressful.


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758.Negative social interactions cancause your dog to withdraw from

certain situations or become defensively aggres-sive in others. Negative interactions that cancause these reactions include constantly gettingroughed-up by dogs in parks, regular exposure tostartling noises in certain areas (constructionzones), consistently negative interactions withpeople, etc.

759.Your “fascinating conversations” viatraining sessions can be as much

social time as mental time. Spending quality one-on-one time with your dog is extremely satisfyingto her socially. When you take the time to spendan undivided twenty minutes with your dog, youwill satisfy an important need for her to have yourattention, praise, and approval.

760.Quality social time with your dogwill also help prevent behavioral

problems due to loneliness, depression, or fear ofseparation. Letting your dog know that you wantto spend time with her will also prevent her fromhaving to solicit it herself through bossy ordestructive ways.


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761.If a dog spends too much time aloneand not enough social time with

people, she can develop either a separation anxi-ety or social isolation. Keep your dog activelysocial by seeing people and different places on adaily basis.

762.Social needs remain the most con-stant need through a dog’s life. Keep

in mind that not all dogs, depending upon per-sonality or experiences, enjoy the same level ofsocial interaction as others. Some need more dur-ing their life, while others need less.

REST NEEDS

763.Contrary to what Labrador Retriev-ers would think, all dogs need a cer-

tain amount of rest each day. Even if your dogdoesn’t wish to stop playing, walking, running,etc., you must make good choices for him andhelp him wind down during and at the end ofeach day. Rest is a critical piece in the balance pie.

764.Rest comes in two forms: mentalrest and physical rest. Being aware

of your dog’s daily balance will help you to deter-mine which type of rest your dog needs.


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765.If your dog has had a long day ofworking, he will need to stop and

rest his mind. This means to stop doing com-mands and allow your dog to sleep or rest on adog bed. Some dogs take their “jobs” so seriouslythat you may even need to crate him to take him“off duty.”

766.If your dog has been hiking andswimming for two hours, you may

need to call it quits before your dog overexertshimself. Physical rest allows the body to rest, heal,and repair itself for the next day’s activities. Somedogs know when to quit, while others need you tostop them and rest them for the next outdoorparty.

767.Mental exhaustion and stress cancause behavioral problems. A tired

mind does not make good choices and sometimeshas a short fuse. Think about how you act whentired. Your dog is no different, and her stressbehaviors exhibited will be directly related to theamount of exhaustion or stress, her breed, andher personality.


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768.Physical exhaustion and stress canalso cause physical problems. Over-

doing physical exercise can cause muscle pulls,stressed joints, and overturned ankles. If your dogis an athlete and likes to do high-impact activi-ties, problems can occur if they’re done for pro-longed periods in his life. Usually this isjoint-related, so remain aware of their activity lev-els on a long-term basis.

769.While lack of rest can lead to prob-lems, too much rest can also lead to

behavioral problems and depression. Rememberthat your dog is a social creature and too muchrest can lead to depression if she is resting awayfrom the family too often. Behavioral problemsdevelop when the dog tries to relieve the stress ofboredom.

770.In the younger stages of a dog’s life,you may need to crate him to get

rest. These are the stages when you are still mak-ing many choices for him, and like a little childwho thinks he doesn’t need a nap even when he’sthrowing his tinker toys and screaming, you mayneed to choose naptime before this occurs.


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771.Once you’ve created a pattern of howto rest by crating your dog in younger

years, you can convert to teaching your dog to reston a dog bed. Do this by tethering him to you or apiece of furniture by you to rest. You can do thiswhile at your computer or watching television.After you’ve taught the new nap pattern, your dogwill know how to nap himself in adulthood.

YOUR L IFE’S BALANCE

772.When your balance is off, so is yourdog’s. If your mental balance has

you burned out, this usually means your dog hasbeen lacking mental stimulation. If you’re physi-cally ill or exhausted, your dog probably isn’tgoing to get his physical needs met. Watch yourown trends to know which ones could go off-kilterfor your dog.

773.If you’re physically down, give yourdog some creative mental things to

do. Games like food cubes, mentally challengingtoys, or Find It games can substitute for physicalactivities at these times.


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774.If you’re mentally exhausted, go fora walk or toss a toy for your dog. The

physical exercise will do you a world of goodwhen you’re mentally tapped out, and the physi-cal exercise can substitute for your inability to docreative mental work with your dog at this time.

775.Evaluate your daily life. What is yourschedule like? If your daily schedule

takes you many places and leaves you breathless,you may want to regain control of your own life,slow it down, and catch your breath. Your dogwon’t be able to take long bouts of time alone,especially if the end of your workday (the begin-ning of his time with you) leaves you with nothingleft for him.


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776.What types of things do you like todo? Are you an active person with a

high drive to exercise, or do you enjoy couch-potato sports? If you haven’t already bought adog, match the breed and its needs with youractivity level, so both of your needs are moreclosely matched.

777.If you live a sedentary lifestyle, thenit is obvious that owning a high-

energy dog (like a sporting breed) is not conduciveto your lifestyle. What may not be obvious is thatowning a dog with less physical needs but highmental needs (like a Rottweiler) may cultivate dif-ferent problems. Dogs with high mental needsrequire as much active “care and attention” ashighly physically active dogs.

DAYCARE FOR THE WORKINGFAMILY DOG

778.What do working owners do withtheir dog while at work? Doggie Day-

care can be a useful tool with substantial benefitsto working owners. However, you must considerthe potential negative behavioral ramifications ofthese “social” groups.


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779.Not every dog is right for daycare.Some breeds are more prone to

developing aggression towards dogs than others.High-drive dogs such as Rottweilers, Dobermans,Pit Bull Terriers, Cattledogs, Hounds, Boxers, Bull-dogs, and other dogs bred to annoy and/or fightother animals should refrain from group interac-tions. Your small dog may also enter into this cat-egory; check the genetic heritage of your dog in abreed book.

780.We do not recommend any form ofplaygroup for puppies under nine

months of age. Puppies of this age range are in ahighly impressionable stage. Only one or two“cheap shots” from an older dog may perma-nently alter her perception of trust towards otherdogs. If you must leave a puppy alone at home foran extended period, investigate in-home pet visitsuntil your dog is old enough to remain in the crateduring the day.


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781.If your dog is “unmanageable” with-out daily trips to daycare, you have

bigger problems than a bored dog. Daycare orplaygroups will not teach your dog how to behave.Likewise, daycare is not a substitute for raisingyour dog. Your dog may be tired and quiet at theend of the day, but when she wakes up, she willstill have the same (or worse) manners.The ownermust take the time to develop a proper relation-ship with his dog, and this involves personalinteraction and direction.

YOUR COMMON BALANCE

782.Limit the weekly trips to daycare. Wesuggest no more than two per week.

The key in raising a balanced dog is quality, notnecessarily quantity. Make sure you maximize thequality of the time you do spend with your dog.Sending your dog to daycare isn’t an excuse foryou to sit on the couch and watch TV and notinteract with your dog.

783.If you have abandoned the leader-ship protocol exercises and stan-

dards, go backwards and provide the mostassistance as needed to achieve the same stan-dards. Return to two to three regular practiceworkouts and distraction training. Use the leashand collar to provide the leadership necessary torekindle the teamwork attitudes and mutualrespect.


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784.Make a list and check it twice! Doyour needs match your dog’s needs?

Make a list of your needs, then make a list of yourdog’s needs. Where do they overlap? Is there anyset of needs that directly conflicts with the other’sneeds? Try to really take a good look at this so youcan begin to balance your lives together.

785.If one week is particularly challeng-ing for you and your dog, try to put

the balance back the next week. Look for smallways to add things to your dog’s days. Short walkswill be better than no walks, especially sincethose walks may do you good as well.

786.Make a doggie-do list. Keep a list ofquick activities posted to your refrig-

erator that you can do with your dog when yourtime is limited or you are stuck for a quick activ-ity.

787.Don’t swing from a wildly neglectfulweek with your dog to a super indul-

gent week. The “yo-yo” swings will confuse andfrustrate your dog more. Try to balance in theopposite direction if one week is tough. Extremeswill stress your dog.


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788.Dogs should be walked once per day.This is the minimum. During adoles-

cence, more than one walk might be required.Smaller or older dogs require shorter walks.

789.Find ways to do things for your dogwhile doing things for yourself. For

instance, jog your two miles per day with your dogby your side—that is, if your dog is conditioned forit. If not, begin by slowly conditioning him to beyour running companion. He may be just the oneto keep you motivated to remain on your exerciseplan.

790.If you need to sit down and do agreat deal of paperwork (mental

exercise), give your dog a mental training sessionfirst. Then you will both be satisfied in one area ofyour needs chart. Reward yourselves afterwardswith a walk in the park (physical and social needs)or a trip to the ice cream store.

791.If you balance your dog’s needs, youwill probably find that you’ve bal-

anced your own needs as well. Your dog’s needs,physical and social, can be the keys to balancingyour own life as well. When he needs a walk, youbenefit physically by doing it. When he needssome social time, you can benefit from that emo-tionally.


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792.The “missing piece” philosophydoesn’t always work in reverse—bal-

ancing our needs doesn’t always mean that we’vebalanced our dogs’ needs. If our lives take us inmany different directions and we are burning our-selves out, our dogs will end up with very imbal-anced, stressful lives. Don’t keep “putting outfires” in your dog’s behavior due to stress. Takecare to have enough energy left for him.

793.www.payattentiontoyourdog.com:the Internet is a wonderful tool for

making life more productive and people moreinformed. Perhaps you even researched or pur-chased this book on the Internet. Now, don’t be anInternet junkie. Log off and go interface with yourdog.


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Behavior Problem Solving

12.

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So what’s the problem—aren’t there a lot of“good dogs” out there that have never had the

benefit of an extensive raising program? Theanswer is yes and no. Some dogs are “good dogs”simply from the fact that they haven’t done any-thing “bad” yet. Other dogs are simply out of (self)control. Whether your dog is good or bad, a readthrough this behavior problem solving section isessential. The “solutions” contain valuable cluesto preventing behavior problems from surfacing.

If your dog suddenly displays any behaviorthat is way out of his “typical” behavior patterns,you should contact your veterinarian immedi-ately for a complete physical. Sometimes imbal-ances in liver or kidneys may trigger behavioranomalies. Likewise, reactions to bee stings, aller-gies, or other sensitizing conditions may be toblame.

Of course, not all sudden onsets are physicallyinduced. Behavior problems develop over timeand appear to present themselves spontaneously.In reality, behavior problems present themselvesafter root causes have been “brewing” for quitesome time.

Until this point in the book, we have outlinedprevention of behavior problems by proactivelyraising your dog through a proper leadership pro-tocol and patterning desired behaviors with yourobedience language. In this section, we will dis-cuss some universal root causes of various behav-ior problems and will introduce exercises aimedat abating specific behavior problems.


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WHAT ARE BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS? A behavior problem is a repeating behavior thatis driven by one of three things: genetics, mis-management, or lack of management. It is abehavior that is “beyond control,” negative, andrepetitive. Behavior problems can also be behav-iors that are not yet disruptive but if leftunchecked may become “nightmares.”

There are two types of behavior. One isimprinted behavior, the first behavior you learn ineach life situation. The second type of behavior isthe one you try to superimpose over the initiallyimprinted behavior. There is some controversyabout whether a new behavior can be retaughtafter the initial imprinting has created animproper behavior. In our experience, it is possi-ble to completely extinguish an imprinted behav-ior and replace it with a new behavior. Theprocess is difficult and lengthy but worthwhile.

There are three ways to address a behaviorproblem: ignore it (we don’t recommend this),extinguish and counter-condition it, or manage it.There is a difference between extinguishing abehavior and managing a behavior.

Extinguishing. This is the process of erasing anexisting behavior by either preventing it fromreoccurring, not positively reinforcing its occur-rence, or negatively reinforcing (correcting) thebehavior as it is occurring.

Counter-conditioning. This is the process ofreplacing one behavior (usually inappropriate)with another. It uses obedience commands to cre-ate a pattern, coupled with rewards to reinforcethe new, positive behavior to imprint the new

Behavior Problem Solving 323

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patterns. As far as behavior problems are con-cerned, the earlier you address the problem thebetter the chance of counter-conditioning with anew behavior.

Managing a behavior. This involves usingbehavior-modification exercises to decrease theseverity of the behavior, yet perhaps not fullyremove it. Once your dog reaches maturity (threeto four years old) behavior problems will requirea lifetime of management.

Redirecting full-blown behavior problems isslightly different than redirecting during distrac-tion training. Distracted behavior disappearsalmost immediately after the distraction passes.A true behavior problem is a complete thoughtpath and requires proper resocialization to createa new thought path. This is the main reason sim-ple “quick fixes” cannot repair a true behaviorproblem.

ROOT CAUSES OF BEHAVIORPROBLEMSMixed-Message Behavior Problems

794.In chapter 5, we discussed what con-stitutes a mixed message. These sit-

uations are activities that reduce the owner to thelevel of a dog and activities that elevate your dogto the level of a human.


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795.The confusion and related stressthat mixed messages cause is so

powerful that these mixed-message situations areoften the root cause of many behaviors. Mixedmessages will at the very least dilute your effec-tiveness as a leader and at the most cause yourdog to actively reject your leadership (e.g., becomeaggressive towards you).

796.So often smaller dogs are invited tosit on their owner’s lap and get

adored. Now without putting too fine a point onthe meaning, you have just established who theleader is and who is to play the servant. Basicallyyour dog is sitting on a human throne.

797.Un-mix the role. Teach your dog to bea dog. Dogs must remain on the

floor. Your dog must be off the couch, chairs, andlaps. No bed sleeping, either! When you want tointeract with your dog, get down on the floor. Petyour dog while your dog is at your side, not onyour lap. Your dog should walk on the ground andnot ride in your arms.

798.Un-mix the rules. Stop rough playwith your dog. No wrestling or tug-

of-war. Any interactions that overstimulate yourdog or teach her to treat you like an animal shouldbe avoided.


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Spontaneous Role Reversal

799.Spontaneous role reversal is an act(like trying to get your dog off the

sofa, taking an item out of your dog’s mouth, ortrying to get your dog to crate) that your dog viewsas inconsistent with how you allow him to live ona daily basis (this happens when you role ismixed-up). Your dog may meet this act with agrowl or snap of the teeth. A quality leadershipprotocol with clear leadership messages must beestablished to eliminate this root cause.


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Stress

800.Stop the process early. When a dogexperiences stress, he needs to

relieve it. Genetics may kick in to help your dogrelieve it. Hunting dogs will hunt objects insidethe house. Herding dogs may begin nipping atyour heels or grab your child’s shirtsleeves or sim-ply run around the table. With prolonged repeti-tion, the stress may begin to alter your dog’smental chemistry, making simple redirection verydifficult. Recognize small symptoms before theycreate large problems.

801.Make a negative living situation pos-itive. Praise must be real praise and

not just affection. Keep a quick chart with twocolumns, one for NO (or using your dog’s name ina negative way) and one for “good boy.” Make amark in each column every time you say the cue.If you find a long list in the NO column and ashort list in the praise column, change your ways.Make formal changes to reduce the marks in theNO column and increase the praise. Five praisesfor each NO is a good living situation.


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802.Every dog can bite. Dogs are wiredfor survival, and if your dog per-

ceives something is getting in the way of his sur-vival, he may bite. If your dog’s living conditionsare stressful enough or he has a greatly overin-flated view of his role in this world, situations inan everyday world can be perceived as threaten-ing to him.

Mental Boredom

803.Many nuisance behavior problems(like thievery, chewing, and hyperac-

tivity) are thought to be the result of an overabun-dance of energy. Most people presume that if theyran their dogs “until they dropped,” there wouldbe no energy left for behavior problems. Actually,these behavior problems (and more) are the resultof an overabundance of intelligence, so runningalone won’t prevent them.

804.Your dog is bored! Often times, sim-ply adding two or three obedience

workouts per day, regular distraction training, anda prevention plan of crating and being on-leash inthe house will make these behaviors vanish. Noone has been able to just “run” good behavior intotheir dog. Make sure your workouts require agreat deal of thinking and not simply repeatingpatterns.


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805.Provide stimulating toys and games.This completes the mental, physical,

social, and rest balance.

BEHAVIOR MODIFICATIONSKILLS AND TOOLS

806.Since behavior modification is theprocess of extinguishing one behav-

ior and replacing it by building another behavior,you will need some skills and tools with which todo this. The following are the skills, tools, andconcepts we will need for the process.

807.Deferment. Deferment refers to a for-mal exercise where your dog accepts

your direction for either vocal or food reward. Youpractice deferment every time you practice yourobedience commands. Deferment is also part ofyour leadership protocol described in chapter 5,which will be instrumental in prevention ofbehavior problems.


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808.Negative reinforcement/confinement.You can’t withhold your dog’s pay-

check…or can you? Once the basic householdrequirements have been taught to the dog(through obedience commands) your dog may beplaced on a rewards system. The better headheres to the rules of the house the more free-doms he may earn. And the opposite also holdstrue—you can use freedoms and rewards removal.

809.Thought path/behavior pattern. Imag-ine your dog’s thoughts like a train.

Once the train starts down the tracks it is follow-ing a “thought path.” If your dog’s thoughts begindown the wrong track (behavior problem) thetrain needs to be switched and put on anothertrack. The longer your dog is allowed to remain onthe inappropriate thought path the harder it willbe to switch your dog’s path.

810.Creating a clear mental image inyour mind of a train switching tracks

is essential for resocialization and preventionexercises. Timing is essential to providing a quickswitch of thought path (divert) and providingdirection on to the proper track (redirection).


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811.Divert and redirect. Behavior problemsolving depends on the following

pattern: divert-redirect. The diversion may bemade by the corrective NO or click from theclicker. Either way, the redirection is essential.

812.The pattern of diversion and redirec-tion begins in distraction training. If

behavior modification of any kind is not goingwell, continue to distraction train until more self-control is established. Unfortunately this is notthe movies where one simple modification makescomplete behavior changes.

813.Divert. During obedience trainingand distraction training when your

dog is not paying attention, we divert with a NOand a leash correction. Since this pattern hasbeen firmly established and positively patterned,it should be the most useful diversion.

814.The clicker can also be used as adiverting stimulus. Once the clicker

is properly associated with food reward, you canuse it to divert the improper thought path by sim-ply clicking. You will still need to redirect theaction to complete the behavior modification.


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815.The diversion should switch thebehavior but not cause additional

fear or stress. For this reason, startling, spray bot-tles, and penny cans are not are appropriatediversion devices. If the root cause of the behaviorproblem is stress, then startling techniques willonly make your dog more stressed.

816.Redirect. NO (diversion) is notenough. You will need to provide a

redirection to your dog about how he shouldbehave given the immediate situation. The redi-rection will involve the obedience language andpraise.

DRUG THERAPY

817.Pharmaceuticals are rarely the solesolution to behavior problems and

should always be used in conjunction with acounter-conditioning plan. Pharmaceutical agentsare metabolized in the liver and may have long-term effects. Regular blood tests may be requiredto monitor these effects.


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818.Sometimes removal of stressful liv-ing conditions and creating a new

behavior pattern can be made easier with the helpof one of several pharmaceutical agents designedto restore chemical balance within the nervesynapse. Understanding the root cause of yourdog’s behavior will assist in the application of thecorrect medication. Always talk to your veterinar-ian or accredited behaviorist for assistance.

819.Behavior situations that may alsobenefit from pharmaceutical therapy

include situations where counter-conditioningexercises have reached a plateau, situationswhere it is difficult to manage the situation (e.g.,dog aggression and thunderstorms), and finallywhen the reaction to the situation is so reactivethat diversion is impossible (e.g., panic reactionand fear aggression).

Different Medications Have Slightly DifferentActions

820.Genetic Sources. All dogs exhibit nor-mal genetic/instinctual behaviors

like territoriality, herding, hunting, and familyprotection. In most dogs, these instincts are incontrol. In some dogs, these instincts cause inap-propriate behaviors. Some medications are betterat targeting genetic or instinctual responses.


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821.Personality. Other behavior problemsare more closely related to your

dog’s personality. Some medications such asProzac (Fluoxetine) or Paxil (Paroxetine) are betterat managing stress- or social-related behaviors.

822.Panic Responses. Some medicationsare better at managing panic

responses seen in separation anxiety or fearaggression.

823.Not all medications are createdequal. Most behavior-modification

drugs will allow your dog to experience the social-ization exercises and learn from the experiences.Drugs like Valium (Diazepam) will not allow yourdog to learn from the experience. This effect isuseful if the experience is not particularly positive(e.g., thunderstorms, vet visits, and traveling) andyou do not want your dog to experience it.

THE ROLE OF SOCIALIZATION INBEHAVIOR MODIFICATION

824.Socialization is the systematicreplacement of one set of experi-

ences or expectations with another set (which wehope is more acceptable) through planned repeti-tive exposures. The exposures begin in small inter-vals at greater distance and increase in durationand decrease in distance. Use the leash and collar.Use your commands exactly as you practice them.


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825.When creating a new behavior, youwill need to repeat a pattern every

day for thirty days before your dog will begin toaccept the new pattern as a behavior. Likewise, ifyou are trying to extinguish a pattern, you willneed to prevent the old pattern from happeningfor at least thirty days.


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826.Some patterns require many repeti-tions before they can become behav-

iors. You may need to repeat a pattern at least onehundred times until it becomes a behavior. If youcan only repeat a certain pattern (like door greet-ings) five times a week, it may take at least fivemonths to truly create the new behavior. Patienceis critical! Repetition is essential.

827.Behavior resocialization requirestwo to three exposures per week to

gain ground. If the owner waits too long betweenexposures, the lessons learned during the sessionmay be lost and you will need to start over again.

828.When performing socialization activ-ities, use the SIT position rather than

the DOWN position. Your dog may feel threatenedor vulnerable in the DOWN command and there-fore may make more mistakes. The SIT positionwill be more relaxing for your dog and lead to fewercorrections. Wait until your dog really wants to laydown before giving the DOWN command.


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BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PLANSThe following section of chapter 12 will be dedi-cated to describing several behavior modificationplans after the basic obedience commands havebeen taught and the root causes of your dog’sbehavior problems have been identified.

The process of behavior modification includespracticing obedience commands (to keep theobedience skills positive), distraction training (tobuild mental discipline to override fears, genet-ics, and instincts), and socializing (replacingimproper emotions and expectations with properexperiences and behaviors).

Behavior-modification plan. A completebehavior modification plan includes the followingparts:

• Establish an effective basis of communica-tion (obedience training).

• Identify the root causes of the behavior.• Remove/modify the root causes.• Resocialize: teach a new thought

pattern/path through systematic exposure.• Establish a reasonable time frame for reso-

cialization. All behavior-modification plans will include

establishing the obedience language.Behavior-modification plans are not designed

to be quick fixes but are lifestyle changes. Mostof the root causes of behavior problems areseated in the daily living habits of your dog. If youand your family are in a hurry to return to the oldliving habits, you may see a return of the oldbehavior problems.


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AVOIDING AND CHANGING NUISANCE BEHAVIORS

829.Teach “give paw” at your own risk.“Give paw” starts out as an easy

command to teach your puppy. After a short whileit will become an annoying way for your dog todemand you pay attention to him. If you havealready made this mistake, you may need tocounter-condition the behavior. When your dogpaws at you, give three or four obedience com-mands so he defers his bossy action to yourcommands. If your dog defers, praise and then goplay with him.

Running Away

830.First, get your dog back. If your doggets away from you and is enjoying

his freedom by playing “catch me,” stop chasinghim. Get down on one knee and point to a spot onthe ground. You will need to focus all your atten-tion on the spot. Now is the time to be theatrical!Maintain focus on the spot and your dog will wan-der over to you and wonder what you are doing.Dogs are focus animals. If you take your attentionaway from them and put it on a spot, they simplymust see what is more interesting than them. Tryit. This trick really works!


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831.Most dogs run away when theirbasic needs are not being met at

home. Make sure your dog is getting enough pos-itive attention and social interaction. Take yourdog off the property to meet people and see dif-ferent things at least three times per week.

832.Another reason dogs run is thatthere is way too much stress in the

house. Review the causes of stress listed aboveand de-stress your dog’s (and your) life. Whoreally wants to stay in a stressful environment?

General Hyperactivity

833.Hyperactivity is usually a result ofmental unrest. Not understanding

“cause and effect” around the house and havingtoo much freedom and not enough direction arethings that can cause mental unrest for your dog.Since this is a state of mental versus physicalunrest, better direction (not just physical exercise)will calm this dog.

834.Sometimes a lot of dogs make mis-takes and end up being scolded con-

tinuously. The stress in the household rises andthe humans usually end up yelling more. Thecycle repeats itself and the dog becomes morenervous and hyper. The key is to break the cycleand develop a plan for stress reduction.


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835.Position-holding exercises areessential to calming the mentally

frenetic dog. However, sometimes we don’t havethe patience to complete these exercises our-selves. You cannot expect your dog to have morepatience than you do.

Submissive Urination

836.Some dogs urinate during excitingsituations like door greetings or

meeting new people. This behavior is seen mostlyin puppies and may stop completely with matur-ing. All too often, scolding your dog for “happypee” will cause stress during greetings. Theserepetitive experiences will cause the submissiveurination to continue.

837.Reduce the level of stress associatedwith the trigger experiences. First of

all, relax. Your overly emotional response maymake a simple dribble into a long-term behaviorproblem. Begin the pattern of greeting people out-side. You won’t mind a little dribble in the grass!

838.Counter-condition your dog to thedoor-greeting exercise as described

in chapters 8 and 9. Use food for greetings tochange the greeting experience from unsettling topositive.


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839.Ask new people who want to greetyour dog to ignore her for at least

three minutes. This will allow her to relax and notbe intimidated or stimulated by the new arrival.

840.Lastly, if this is an adult dog, consultyour veterinarian for short-term

medication to increase urinary sphincter tone.Continue to counter-condition while the medica-tion is in effect.

Barking

841.Barking is a natural form of caninecommunication. As with many

behavior problems, sometimes the naturalinstincts can become inappropriate. To curb theinstinct, you need to determine why your dog isbarking. This section will provide some assistanceto determine the root of the behavioral barking.

842.Nuisance barking. The primary reasonfor nuisance barking is to get your

attention. This behavior interrupts meals, phonecalls, and quiet leisure time. Apparently your dogis bored and needs some stimulation.


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843.Remove the cause and effect. If yourdog barks to command you, do not

respond. If your dog barks at you and you pick upthe ball and play fetch, your dog has now trainedyou. Change the pattern. If your dog barks at you,perform three to five minutes of obedience com-mands, and then (if your dog cooperates) play.

844.The harder your dog tries to make acertain point, the further away she

should be from achieving the goal. Repeated bark-ing should be met with removal from the socialsituation (crated).

845.One of the easiest ways to correctnuisance barking when your dog is

not under leash control is a bark collar. Bark col-lars administer an automatic correction whenyour dog barks. As with remote collars, bark col-lars come in a variety of styles and should beproperly researched before purchasing. Bark col-lars should only be used with nuisance-relatedbarking. Using a bark collar for stress-relatedbarking or threat barking may make the problemworse.


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846.Threat barking. All dogs have basicterritorial instincts, stronger in

some breeds than others. Barking usually stopsafter the threat is taken away. Boundary agitationcan strengthen the response intensity and is typ-ically a contributor to uncontrolled threat bark-ing. Remove boundaries for boundary agitation.

847.You probably will have an easierchance at changing the color of your

dog’s fur before you can extinguish a truly territo-rial dog’s bark. But with proper conditioning, yourdog should stop barking after the leader saysenough! When your dog barks (and there is a rea-son to bark), praise him for the initial response.Next, tell him to SIT to create a new thought path.If your dog continues to bark, correct with NO andcue him with QUIET and SIT. Praise as soon asyour dog stops barking. Timing is critical. Catchyour dog on the first bark.

848.Remove the visual stimulus. Preventyour dog from “patrolling” your

house. If your dog insists on pacing from room toroom, tether or post him with obedience com-mands. Reduce the intensity of the territorialresponse by counter-conditioning the boundary-agitation aspect of the behavior problem.


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849.Stress-related barking. Stress-relatedbarking is triggered by a visual or

noise stimulus that causes an anxiety responseand barking. How can we tell stress barking fromterritorial barking? Stress-related barking will notstop once the stimulus has passed because theresulting stress remains in the dog.

850.Most stress-related barking starts assimple territorial barking. Not know-

ing how to properly address the barking, the own-ers introduce a negative stimulus like yelling,penny cans, bark collars, or spray bottles.The neg-ative stimulus of the “quick fix” gradually attachesa negative emotional response with the territorialinstinct, thus creating the barking.

851.To address stress barking ade-quately, you will need to address

both the threat-barking response along withcounter-conditioning to the trigger. The counterconditioning should be done when a real territo-rial threat (e.g., visitor) is not present. Chapter 8contains a great exercise for counter-conditioningto the door and doorbell. A strong foundation as aleader will be essential for your dog to defer toyour redirection.


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STEALING, COUNTER SURFING,AND GARBAGE STEALING

852.The root causes of these threebehavior problems are similar: men-

tal boredom and opportunity. If your dog is bored,she searches for something to do. Odors of food orowner drive the search. Items like food, socks,underwear, and remote controls are prime tar-gets. These nuisance behaviors are not stress-related. However, repeating these nuisancebehaviors will become stressful for your house-hold.

853.Solve the mental boredom. Provideadequate mental exercise, especially

to the hunting or herding breeds. Two to threeworkouts of twenty minutes each are probably theminimum.

854.Remove the opportunity. During theperiods between workouts, prevent

the nuisance behaviors from repeating them-selves by keeping your dog on-leash. Crate yourdog if necessary. Trying to correct your dog to gethim to “understand” that these behaviors arewrong will not work.


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855.Be very careful not to chase your dogif he has stolen something of yours.

Chasing ends in confrontation while you take theobject from your dog’s mouth. Coupling this con-frontation with some negative emotions (likeyelling) may cause your dog to become possessiveof the item he has stolen.

856.Distraction training is essential toletting your dog know his behavior is

inappropriate. Create scenarios to redirect the badbehaviors with better behaviors. For example,walk your dog past the garbage can. If your dogpays attention to the can, divert with NO and redi-rect. Praise your dog for the ignoring the object.

857.Condition your dog to understandhe is not allowed to have these

items. As part of the behavior problem solvingprotocols for stealing and counter surfing, youwill teach the DROP IT command. DROP IT will bean important tool to teach your dog that he is notto have these items.


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COPROPHAGIA (STOOL EATING)In Puppies

858.When a puppy grows, her bodycraves protein. There is undigested

protein in the stool and your puppy seeks it outand devours the stool. Prevention of this behavioris essential. Redirect with the leash. Take your dogfor bathroom breaks on-leash and do not allowher to return to her stool. After the main growthspurts have passed, this instinct will pass as well.

859.Consider changing to a better-qualityfood. If your puppy is craving addi-

tional protein, you may need to supply him with ahigher-quality food.

860.There are also meal supplementsthat supposedly make the stool less

palatable. These supplements are available in cat-alogs or quality pet stores. Add the prescribedquantity of tablets to your puppy’s food on a reg-ular basis to achieve the desired effect.


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In Adult Dogs

861.Adult dogs will eat their stool duemainly to stress. In multiple-dog

households, dogs may eat the other dogs’ stool inan attempt to literally “eliminate” the traces of theother dogs. The solution to this problem is a bitmore complicated. Review the section in chapter10 about multiple pets. Providing leadership andguidance will be essential to elimination of com-petition feelings and stress.

862.Persistent Coprophagia in the adultdog can also be addressed with a

remote-device correction. While your dog is out-doors, monitor her from a remote location. Cor-rect with the device when your dog approachesthe stool. To prevent your dog from being scaredin the yard, this treatment is not to be tried with-out formal obedience training and formal remote-device training first.

CHEWING AND DIGGING

863.Root causes: stress and mental bore-dom.

864.Provide adequate mental stimula-tion. Two or three obedience work-

outs should be sufficient. Provide adequate chewtoys and games. Emphasize toys and games thatpromote thinking and not just physical exercise.


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865.Make sure your chew toys are appro-priate. Plush toys are similar to sofa

cushions or pillows. A rawhide chew is similar tothat fine leather shoe. If your dog is chewing oninappropriate things, check to see if you haven’taccidentally taught him to do that with your toychoices.


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866.Remove the opportunity. Superviseyour dog in the house or the yard.

Keep your dog on-leash and divert with a correctiveNO and praise for the redirection. If necessary,counter-condition by providing remote-device cor-rection for the undesired behavior. Wait until yourdog is just about to begin the activity and correctwith the remote device.


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SEPARATION ANXIETY

867.Root causes: chemical imbalance,improper socialization to separa-

tion, mixed.

Messages and Expectation

868.Separation anxiety has two compo-nents: panic response and emo-

tional response. The panic response is almostentirely chemical. Pharmaceutical therapy in theform of Chlomicalm or other homeopathic reme-dies is essential to controlling this response. Thepharmaceutical therapy must be coupled withdesensitization exercises for the maximum effectto be realized.

869.The second response is the emo-tional response. This part has more

to do with how you live with your dog than any-thing else. Most dogs have a tough time hangingout on the couch or bed and then being put into acrate or left behind. In your dog’s mind, equal orlesser members of the societal structure do nottell other equals or superiors what to do.


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870.The plan. Sometimes separation anx-iety is called “rejection of confine-

ment.” This label is probably more descriptive andmay provide insight towards the modificationplan.

871.Change the expectation. Implementa leadership protocol that will teach

the proper roles of man and dog to successfullytreat this component of separation anxiety.

872.Change the perception. Inflate theconfidence cushion. If your dog feels

as though he can’t cope without his owner, thebond of love has crossed into the realm of code-pendence. To him, his security depends on yourphysical presence. This will require desensitizingyour dog to being alone.

873.Start slowly. If your dog is particu-larly attached to one owner, practice

the following exercise. When the favorite ownerleaves the room, have the second person preventthe dog (using the obedience commands andleash) from following the favorite. Praise heartilyand use obedience commands and food to redi-rect your dog’s attention.


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874.Have your dog remain in an obedi-ence command while you walk out

of sight for a moment or two. Return, praise, andrelease when you return completely to your dog’sside. If your dog gets up the moment you returninto view, re-command your dog back into the ini-tial position and repeat the exercise.

Resocialize Your Dog to the Crate

875.Avoid overly emotional greetings ordepartures. If you only use the crate

while you are at work, change the expectation.Use the crate frequently (for short intervals) whileyou are at home. This will show your dog that thevisit to the crate may not be a long one.

876.If you find your dog is having troublerelaxing without your physical

touch, use obedience commands and positionholding to teach your dog to relax without beingdirectly next to you.


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877.Build confidence. Practicing yourobedience commands in a positive

manner will build confidence. Other activities,like agility or swimming, will help to raise confi-dence by presenting a series of challenges andaccomplishments. Your dog is mentally strongerthan you think.

AGGRESSION/TERRITORIALBEHAVIORBoundary Agitation

878.Boundary agitation occurs when adog is maintained, uncontrolled,

behind a fixed boundary, and is agitated by arepeating experience. The boundary could be acrate, exterior fence, windows in your house, oryour car. The repeating experience could be themailman, a neighbor, cars, dogs, children, etc.

879.Do not use remote corrections forboundary agitation. The correction

may only serve to promote negative feelingstoward the people or animals being guardedagainst.


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Yard

880.If your dog is “defending” the bound-ary by running along the perimeter

and barking, he is becoming boundary agitated. Tocounteract the effects of boundary agitation, youwill need to remove his yard privileges and handwalk him outside for at least two months. Divertany inappropriate behaviors with the correctiveNO and redirect.

Crate

881.The crate is a highly confined space,and even the most mild-mannered

dog may become defensive as she becomesstressed by the repeating agitations. If the crate islocated in a high traffic area like the kitchen, relo-cate the crate to a non-central location such asspare bedroom or basement. Cover the front ofthe crate with a heavy blanket to block out visualstimuli.

882.Never stick your fingers at your dogin the crate. While your dog is in the

crate, leave her alone. Do not dwell around thecrate; just say “hi,” give a treat (if you like), andmove along.


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House

883.Continuously “patrolling” yourhouse from one window to the next

is an example of boundary agitation inside thehouse. To counter-condition this, you will need toremove the access to the windows. Close blindsand block access with heavy furniture. Do notallow your dog to watch out the window for peri-ods in excess of thirty seconds at one time. Yourdog is allowed to get a sense of what is outside butmust not be a sentry.

884.Routinely practice deferment exer-cises like obedience workouts in the

areas your dog patrols. If your dog approaches thewindow, positively divert with his name or a non-threatening NO and praise when he returns toyour side.

Car

885.Dogs that are prone to boundary agi-tation should not be left alone in

cars for any reason.


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886.Counter-condition to the boundaryagitation by using basic obedience

deferment skills. Sit in the back seat with yourdog. Have the leash and collar on. If your dogbarks, divert with NO for unwanted behaviors andpraise for positive behaviors. Try having your dogSIT. Coach your dog with praise as peopleapproach. Use food if you need some assistance.

AGGRESSION TOWARDS PEOPLE

887.There are several types of aggres-sion: protection of critical resources

(food, toy, or person), genetic predatory response,fear aggression, and dominant aggression.

888.Aggression towards people, eithermembers of the household or general

public, should be counseled with your local behaviorprofessional. The complete counter-conditioningplan should reflect the same aspects of the behav-ior modification plan as described above.

889.Medication (especially in cases ofaggression in the home) is highly

recommended. Examine the behaviors closely todetermine the real root cause(s) of the problem,and medicate accordingly.


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Dog/Dog Aggression

890.When two dogs “play” together, theplay action reinforces instinctual

behaviors such as dominance, fight, or flight andgeneral aggressive manners. The long-term casu-alty of these inappropriate “play” behaviors istrust. Dogs learn to not trust each other. Oncetrust breaks down, the dog becomes defensivelyaggressive in an attempt to gain the dominantposture.

891.To properly counter-condition yourdog, your obedience skills must be

excellent. Distraction training is also especiallyimportant. Resocialization of dog aggressioninvolves repeated positive exposures to dogs thatshow control. Medication may be necessary tohelp suppress the panic emotions or instinctualdominance traits.

892.Complete resocialization requiresmany positive repetitions. Depend-

ing on exactly what your dog’s mental state wasbefore you began counter-conditioning, he maynever completely trust unfamiliar dogs. A realisticgoal is to have him be in the company of dogs (allunder control of a leash and collar) without actingaggressively or defensively.


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893.If the aggression is between twofamily dogs, you will need to man-

age both dogs equally. Remove all triggers foraggression. Implement a 100 percent manage-ment protocol for out-of-crate time. Both dogsmust be on-leash and each dog must have a man-ager. If only one person is home, then only onedog can be out of the crate.


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894.Reintroduce the dogs slowly after aminimum of one month separation.

Introduce the dogs on leash and collar. Use muz-zles if necessary. Consult chapter 9 for the stepsfor introduction of two dogs.


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Part Four:Having a Good Time withYour Good Dog

Having fun with your dog is so much more funwhen you have great teamwork skills, he has goodmanners, and you both have a good relationship.All of the hard work that goes into “building” yourdog really pays off when you get to the stage ofenjoying him! Your frolic and fun with your dogcan range anywhere from hiking (reliably) off-leash with him, to doing pet therapy for childrenor the elderly.

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Toys, Games,and Leisure Activities

13.

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There is good and bad in all toy and game selec-tions. There are also safe ways in which to

frolic and play with your puppy, most of whichrevolve around being aware and careful. Here aresome ideas for safe and enjoyable activities foryou and your dog beyond obedience training!

TOYSHealthy or Therapeutic Toys

895.There are physically healthy toysand mentally healthy toys. Some

toys appear to be entertaining your dog, but hishealth could be compromised as well as his men-tal well-being by playing with them. Picking theright toys will ensure meeting your dog’s needswhile remaining safe.

896.Different toys may appeal to certaininstincts. The more the toy appeals

to an instinct, the more exciting the toy will be toyour dog. However, following instincts isn’t alwaysappropriate for her. Being a responsible ownersometimes means making tough choices for her,even if it seems to be contrary to what she reallylikes or wants!

897.Don’t have one special toy that isyour dog’s constant baby-sitter. Keep

toys healthy by using them as diversions.


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898.Keep chew toys in all rooms andavailable at all times. This will allow

your dog (through your direction) to make goodchoices about chewing when toys are consistentlyavailable. It will also make it easier for you to haveyour dog with you more often when toys are read-ily available to hand to him.

Toys, Games, and Leisure Activities 365

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899.Rotate your toys. Keep a largeamount of toys on hand, but every

now and then, remove some of them (keeping anadequate arsenal out and available) and placethem on the refrigerator or in a cabinet. Eachweek, give your dog these “new” toys from theirhiding spots. Your dog may think it’s a brand-newtoy and see it in a new light.

900.Keep “special” toys out of the normaltoy rotation. “Special” toys may be

toys that are easily destroyed if your dog is leftalone with them. But when you bring them outwith the intent of interacting (playing) with yourdog, they will be safe under your supervision.

901.Clean your toys weekly, or at thevery least, bi-weekly. Not only is this

healthy, but it will also encourage him to remaininterested in chewing them. “Dirty” toys containbacteria, dirt, etc., and just don’t appeal to dogswho wish to remain clean.


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902.Since most healthy toys are made ofplastic, and plastic is not a natural

chew toy, you may need to teach your dog to chewnew items. Hold the new toy close to her mouth,encouraging her to take it. When she does, praiseher. You may need to do this several times to helpher learn that it is, in fact, a good chew toy.

903.Don’t get in the habit of holdingyour dog’s toys while he chews.

Holding his toy is one small way that your dogmay get the wrong idea about who is servingwhom. Only hold it to help him learn what to dowith it.

904.Always monitor your dog when shehas toys. Even if you are choosing

physically and mentally healthy toys, it is wise towatch her chewing habits.

905.Appropriate chew toys are mosteffective and best enjoyed by your

dog when they are a release and not the soleentertainment. Mental activities for the brainreplace and prevent destructive chewing andallow the dog to chew for diversion.


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Physically Healthy Toys

906.Physically healthy toys are ones thatdo not compromise the health of

your dog. They don’t have parts that can be bro-ken off, destroyed, or eaten. Their material shouldbe durable enough to satisfy chewing urges, playurges, and exercise needs, but will not bedestroyed during the play.

907.Nylabones and Kong Toys are amongthe safest toys to supply to your dog.

Their material is quite durable and both productsprovide for chewing satisfaction and fun.

Mentally Healthy Toys

908.Mentally healthy toys are toys thatproperly stimulate your dog’s mind.

These can be toys that get him to use his brain ona “puzzle” type of toy or chewing that stimulatesproper chewing concepts.

909.Chewing durable chew toys likeNylabones promotes chewing for

satisfaction, teething, and proper frustrationrelease. There is no destructive undertonebecause your dog isn’t tearing something apart inthis process.


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910.Kong Toys can entertain your dog’smind for a number of reasons. The

toy bounces in an odd fashion and keeps the dogthinking about his catch. This toy can also bestuffed with food as a puzzle, or with another typeof bone toy. The toy then becomes a two-way toyand the dog must figure out how to remove thebone, or how to play with the toy in a new way.

911.Food cubes can be mentally stimu-lating for your dog because he must

learn how to push the cube to shake the kibbleloose. Just be careful that you aren’t overfeedingyour dog by using this toy.

912.Don’t allow your dog to becomeaddicted to food as a toy. This can

create an unhealthy obsession with food. Use thisonly as a supplement to other mental activities.

UNHEALTHY OR NON-THERAPEUTICTOYSPhysically Unhealthy Toys

913.Some retrieving toys can be excel-lent for retrieval, yet physically

unhealthy for chewing.


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914.Watch for things that can easily bedestroyed and ingested. Most toys

that are easily or quickly destroyed are made ofmaterial that is indigestible to your dog.

915.Squeaky toys, rope toys, rawhides,and other toys can cause problems

in the digestive tracts of your dogs if swallowed.Rawhides can splinter and lodge in your dog’sthroat, stomach, or intestines. Some edible toys, ifingested too quickly by an over-zealous chewer,can also cause blockages if swallowed in largepieces. Natural bones can cause damage to theenamel on your dog’s teeth.

916.Although dog-toy manufacturers dohave disclaimers recommending

supervision, it only takes a few seconds of lookingthe wrong way for something to happen. Gettingsidetracked by a phone call, doorbell, or late-nightsnack can change supervision in a heartbeat.Remain alert!

917.Be smart when selecting toys foryour dogs. Don’t just buy something

that looks cute. Remember that you’re supplyingan animal with a toy that is to be played with bymouth. If in doubt about the toy’s safety, don’t buyit!


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Mentally Unhealthy Toys

918.Baby-sitter toys. These are the toysthat appear to be entertaining your

dog or keeping her busy, but may be harmful insome way for her, either mentally or physically.They are baby-sitters because they remove yourresponsibility of supervising and interacting withyour dog. While it is okay to have a mindless gamefor your dog at leisure times, remember that itdoesn’t replace their need for your interaction,your direction, and your one-on-one quality timewith them.

919.Balls that make sounds like childrenor animals may cause problems

with your dog, especially if he is in a formativelearning stage or has a high prey drive. If a doglearns to chase and mouth toys that makesounds, it may accidentally teach him how tochase down similar sounds.

920.Avoid “edible” chew toys. Thoughthey are approved as safe for your

dog, they can tend to promote chewing as a formof destruction and ingestion. The concept ofchewing for relaxation and release is lost in thiscase. These toys can also change your house-breaking schedule and your dog’s stool if toomuch of this product is consumed.


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921.Natural chew toys like pig ears, cowhooves, rawhide, and natural bones

can all stimulate the wrong instincts in your dogs.Dogs can easily become possessive of these itemssince they stimulate a survival instinct that tells adog to protect the “kill” or food source.


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STAGE-APPROPRIATE TOYS

922.Nylabone Durables. This type of toyis appropriate after your dog’s adult

teeth have begun to come in. These will help keepadult teeth clean and provide jaw resistance torelieve stress.

923.Nylabone Flexibles. These toys areused for puppies when puppy teeth

are still in and while cutting adult teeth throughthe gums. The soft nature of these toys easesteething discomfort and massages gums.

924.Dogs at different stages of life enjoydifferent toys. A plush squeaky toy

that would have been destroyed in thirty secondsby a pre-adolescent or adult dog may providehours and hours of stimulation and joy for a dogin his geriatric years.

Noise Makers and Squeaky Toys

925.Squeaky toys stimulate excitementin dogs. If you’re trying to excite

your dog to play in a very energetic way, these toyswill be appropriate. However, if you’re trying tocalm your dog down or teach more relaxed behav-iors, refrain from the use of noisy toys.


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926.You may want to limit noisy toys tooutdoor activities. This is the same

concept as the “indoor voice” versus “outdoorvoice” concept for children. Teach your dog to playquietly indoors and kick up his heels (within rea-son!) outdoors.

GAMESThe Find It Game

927.This is a simple yet fun “thinking”activity. It requires concentration on

the dog’s part as he learns to hunt and search forhis toy. Depending upon breed, it may also employsome natural hunting instincts. This game teststhe owner’s skills as a teacher as well, since teach-ing a “thinking game” means the owner has toevaluate the dog’s progress and learning curve.

928.You may want to try this game on arainy day when outside weather

limits physical activity. Along with obediencetraining, your “brain games” can entertain whilethey stimulate when outdoor time is limited.


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929.Any ball or object of which the dog ismost fond can be used. Try to pick a

toy that isn’t too small to find.The smaller the toy,the harder it is to find, which may lead to frustra-tion with the game. Pick a toy that will allow thedog to “win” often in the beginning. This will helphim enjoy the game right from the start.

930.Begin by hiding the object in an easylocation. Give the command to FIND

IT and guide the dog to the object. Once the dogfinds the object, give him tremendous praise for ajob well done! Perform many times, always prais-ing for the find.

931.As your dog gets better at finding it,make the object harder to find and

involve objects or areas (like a box or closet) thatmight make the find more difficult. Keep thegame fun.

932.Be selective about your hidingplaces. Do not hide toys in danger-

ous places like the oven or toilet. Likewise, do nothide the object on counters and tables whichcould accidentally encourage “counter surfing” ordamage to furniture.


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933.Don’t use food as a hiding object.This might accidentally teach your

dog to go hunting through your kitchen for good-ies that belong to you!

Soft-Mouth Retrieval (TAKE YOUR TOY)

934.Start with a toy your dog really likes.This special toy should be kept sep-

arate from the normal daily playing toys. Startwith your dog on-leash (in your left hand) andhold the cool toy in your right hand. Enthusiasti-cally command your dog to TAKE YOUR TOY. Whenyour dog takes the item, praise heartily. Have yourdog give it to you and repeat.

935.Use the leash to restrict your dog sohe doesn’t run all over the house

after he gets his toy. Dogs learn by repetition, andif there are two or three minutes between repeti-tions, your dog will not learn quickly. Repeat thisteaching exercise for only a few repetitions. Ifyour dog’s interest begins to decline, stop theexercise and play for a few minutes. Try againlater.

936.Do not correct with NO for not per-forming the action. This idea is more

game than command. If your dog has some prob-lem taking the item, smear a small amount ofpeanut butter on the object as incentive to takingit.


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937.The next step involves placing theitem on the ground (or floor). Com-

mand your dog to TAKE YOUR TOY. Praise for tak-ing the item.

938.After your dog shows great aptitudeand exuberance taking the toy,

increase the distance your dog must travel toretrieve the toy. Keep increasing the distance untilyour dog needs to travel to another room toretrieve the toy. How far do you think you can gowith this—upstairs, down the hall, or into thebedroom?

939.Take it to the next level. If the targettoy has a name like bone, ball, Kong,

or squeaky, add the name in place of the com-mand TOY. Take some time to teach your dog todistinguish between toys by name. Test him byplacing several objects at a distance (a few feetapart) and send your dog to retrieve a statedobject.

940.Once your dog becomes a supergenius with the TAKE YOUR TOY

command, change the object to a personal itemlike keys, cell phone, or sock. Reward with vocalpraise. Treats may also be in order since the objectwill no longer be its own reward.


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Frisbee

941.The ultimate in “cool dog” games!This is a game that is a combination

of physical exercise, skill, and timing for bothowner and dog. It is fun, athletic, and thinking-oriented. It also builds teamwork skills betweendog and owner.

942.Start with a soft, flexible Soft-BiteFrisbee. When a disc is moving at a

high speed, it can be dangerous and sometimesscary to catch. So you will want him to catchsomething soft first.

943.You can graduate to a rigid Frisbeelater. This can be a regular Frisbee or

a Nylabone Frisbee, which has a raised boneshape on top for ease of picking up if the disclands on the ground before your dog catches it inthe air.

944.A thirty-foot-long leash is helpful inteaching your dog to return with the

Frisbee. Keeping it on him ensures you can callhim back to you, even if he’s a natural retriever.


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945.Is it as easy as it looks on those TVcommercials? No. But it can be fun

to teach. Begin a few steps in front of your dog andtoss it lightly toward him. As he catches it, praisehim heartily and do it again. Each time your dog issuccessful, you may want to extend the distanceat which you throw it to him.

946.Next, teach your dog the Take Itgame described later in this section.

Hold the Frisbee in the air two or three feet infront of him. Command her to TAKE IT. As yourdog gets up and takes the Frisbee, praise. As shegets comfortable taking the Frisbee out of yourhand, move the Frisbee forward while still holdingit. As your dog is just about to take the Frisbee,lightly throw it one or two feet. Your dog shouldsnatch it out of the air.

947.Begin with your dog at your side(maybe you can kneel down). Get

your dog excited by commanding TAKE IT, andtoss the Frisbee a few feet. With success, increasethe toss to about ten feet. Begin to throw it awayfrom him and encourage him to get it with a TAKEIT command. He may not always get it while it’s inthe air at first, but continue to throw short dis-tances until your dog gets the hang of running tocatch it in the air.


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948.When he catches it, call him back toyour side, using your long leash to

guide him back to you. Be careful not to correcthim with the leash while he’s learning to go outfor the Frisbee.

949.If your dog won’t release the Frisbeewhen he returns to you, do a bait-

and-switch technique with food to get him torelease it. Offer a treat using the DROP IT com-mand. When he releases the Frisbee, reward himwith the treat.

950.When you graduate to a more rigidFrisbee, reintroduce it the same way

as you did the original Frisbee. Take your time togo all the way back to the beginning where youlightly toss the disc toward your dog in slow, shorttosses. That way your dog will not be surprisedwhen he catches a harder object.

951.Try not to throw the Frisbee veryhigh in the air. While it is extremely

amusing to see a dog “fly” through the air to grabit, too much height may cause him to land toohard on his limbs. Prolonged activity like this maycause some joint problems.


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952.Don’t do high-impact jumps withdogs under one year of age. Their

bones are still growing and developing. Be cau-tious also with aging dogs since their bones andjoints will show some wear as well at this stage.

Fetch

953.Fetch is similar to Frisbee and defi-nitely caters to retrieving breeds. It

can properly channel genetics of sporting breedssince they love to go and get it as well as bring itback! This game can help to release a greatamount of pent-up energy, while still utilizing thebrain and thinking skills.


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954.Teaching your dog to release hischase drive on inanimate objects is a

very positive way to channel energy. Your dog willbe better able to avoid the temptation of chasingchildren and small animals if he can channel thisurge somewhere else.

955.Different dogs like to retrieve differ-ent objects. Tennis balls can be fun

and safe, as long as the dog’s mouth isn’t bigenough to potentially swallow it. Most dog-toymanufacturers market virtually indestructiblerubber balls whose diameters are specificallydesigned to avoid accidental swallowing. Thereare also many toys with ropes attached to themfor tossing on land and for water retrieval as well.

956.Fetch is a rather instinctive game formost dogs. Even a non-sporting

breed likes to chase things. This game usuallyrequires little teaching—for the chase part, any-way! Begin by using his favorite ball or toss toy,and throw the toy a short distance, encouragingyour dog to run after it.


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957.To teach your dog to bring it back,simply keep him on a long leash

while playing. If he doesn’t return with the toy,gently tug on the leash and guide him back to youfor the exchange of a snack for the ball. This pat-tern will have him coming back to you with theball in record time.

958.After a few short-distance tosses ofaround five or six feet, add some dis-

tance. Continue doing this until your dog is leav-ing your side and returning reliably with his toy.

959.If a dog isn’t particularly motivatedto chase a ball or toy, you can

develop this drive by encouraging her with a greatdeal of hype and enthusiasm. For example, youmay need to run with her toward the toy, usingmotivation and exciting vocals to stimulate thegame.

960.To teach this in the water, use thesame on-leash technique of short-

distance tosses. It is extremely important to useyour long leash in the water so you can success-fully call your dog back with his leash.


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961.You may need to use your long leashfor quite a few months until a reli-

able return pattern is established. Reliableretrieval at distances requires the mastery of dis-tance commands, distraction training, and off-leash skills for maximum safety.

962.Avoid the use of sticks for retrievalgames. The risks range from splin-

tering in your dog’s mouth to deep cuts on herlegs, and, worst of all, her becoming impaled onthe stick while trying to catch it.

ACTIVIT IESSwimming

963.Swimming is a great way for dogs toget their exercise. It is a low-impact

form of exercise that doesn’t tax any joints, butbuilds muscles. Dogs that are prone to gainingweight can swim to remain in shape and cutpounds from their frames. Good health can bemaintained while the dog is having fun.


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964.Swimming is also a great way tosafely exercise your dog in the sum-

mer heat. She can exercise and keep her bodytemperature down at the same time.

965.Equipment for swimming can beminimal, yet there are certain things

to have with you to provide a safe swimmingexperience for you and your pet. A long leashhelps your dog learn to return to your side andgives you some control over where she’s swim-ming. Wear water shoes of some sort. You shouldbe prepared to go in the water to teach your dog toswim, and you should always be prepared to jumpin—even with a seasoned swimmer, just in casesomething happens. Having a toy to retrieve ishelpful once the dog has learned to swim.

966.Not all dogs (even sporting breeds)know how to swim right away, so do

not throw your dog into the water in the hopes ofhis learning quickly. This will only scare him andperhaps cause panic and an accident. Do notmake this new learning experience a negativeone.


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967.You will want to get in the waterwith your puppy. Keep a leash on

him and guide him around the water to help himfeel relaxed and safe. You may even want to helphim “float” by holding him under his belly. Thiswill help him feel secure enough to stop flailinghis legs long enough to realize he can float.

968.Be cautious around his legs and feet.Once their arms, legs, and paws

begin thrashing through the water, they can acci-dentally cause serious damage to your skin.

969.Swim with a “lifeline.” Some folkslike to have their dog swim on a

thirty-foot leash. This way, you can direct yourdog back to you at any time in his swim if you feelhe’s getting too far away. Once your off-leashtraining is in place, you will no longer need yourleash.

970.Do not take your dog swimmingwhen the water is extremely cold in

late autumn, winter, and early spring. Eventhough your dog may think he enjoys water at alltimes, be smart and prevent him from making amistake that could cost him his health. Wait untilthe water warms in the spring and cut out swim-ming at a reasonable time in the autumn.


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BEING A DOGGIE L IFEGUARDLifeguard Tip #1: Check the area for remnants

of fishing line and hooks. These can be very dan-gerous if your dog becomes tangled up in them.Severe cuts can happen from the line, and hookscan impale tender skin and footpads.

Lifeguard Tip #2: Be certain that the waterisn’t too deep. Deep water for a beginner swim-mer is challenging and frightening. Make yournew swimmer’s experience positive and easy.

Lifeguard Tip #3: If your dog likes to jumpfrom the slope at the edge of the creek into thewater, be certain that the water is deep enoughfor your dog to land without injury to her legs orbelly. If the water is too shallow, you may risk yourdog breaking a limb when she lands.

Lifeguard Tip #4: Do not allow your dog toswim in swiftly running water. This can beextremely difficult for your dog to navigate.Swimming into a small current will help him exer-cise, yet do not underestimate the power of astrong current to overpower your dog. Take pre-cautions.

Lifeguard Tip #5: Be careful that your longleash doesn’t get caught on rocks in the creekbed. It could prove dangerous for your dog whileswimming, especially if there’s even the tiniestcurrent.


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Hiking

971.Hiking is a great activity to enjoywith your dog. It combines the peace

of walking through the quiet woods with exercise.

972.Wildlife sounds and scents providewonderful distraction-training oppor-

tunities for you and your dog. Even if your dogknows to behave in their regular setting, remem-ber that you may have to instruct and reinforcesome old concepts in this new setting. With allthese new distractions at your fingertips, youshould come away from your fun experience withsome higher-level skills as well!

973.A short leash for getting your dogout of and back into the parking lot

may also be needed to work through some dis-traction situations as they occur during the walk.A long, cotton leash (not a retractable leash),either thirty or fifty feet long, may be handy alsoso your dog may have some freedom during thehike.

974.If you select a thirty-foot leash,place a brightly colored mark (tape

or something that will not wash off) at the mid-point of the leash. For the fifty-foot leash, placethe mark twenty feet before the loop end of theleash.


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975.It is a good idea to keep your cellphone with you on a hike. Many

things can happen when you’re away from thesuburbs. Becoming lost, you or your dog becominginjured, and a questionable person following orapproaching you are all reasons you may want thesecurity of your phone and 911 on hand.


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976.Always take a water bottle with youon hikes. There are many water bot-

tle/dog cup devices, as well as combinationdevices that allow you and your dog to drink fromthe same container without ever sharing germs.You can also buy collapsible water bowls that clipto your belt or belt loops and prove very conven-ient when traveling.

977.If you need to navigate some ques-tionable terrain, you may want to

have a pair of doggie booties with you. Doggiebooties can be purchased from some pet supplystores and online. The booties are usually madefor search and rescue dogs that need to navigatedangerous terrain. They are also made for sensi-tive feet in the snow and ice. If you like to hike ina variety of places, you may want to purchasethese as part of your equipment for your dog.

978.Pick a terrain that both you and yourdog can navigate easily and safely.

Not all hiking trails are conducive to a fun walkfor your dog. Humans wear heavy-duty hikingboots on some trails, but our dogs do not. Be fairto your dog and choose something upon whichhis feet, legs, and joints will remain comfortable.


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979.Periodically take the time to sitdown and rest. Your dog may wel-

come the break if he is new to hiking.

980.It is a good idea to keep a leash onyour dog for at least the first ten vis-

its to a new hiking area, even if there is no leashrequirement. Choose a thirty-foot-long leash sothat your dog can enjoy the “freedom” of a goodlong run, yet the safety of your direction and con-trol. Once your dog is truly reliable off-leash, youcan remove this, providing it doesn’t break theleash law.

981.When hiking in different places, besure to respect the leash laws of the

area. Most country settings require a leash; somespecify a six-foot leash, while others have moreflexible requirements.


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982.Practice WAIT (or STAY) on yourhike. When you are at a familiar hik-

ing spot and away from the parking lot, place thethirty-foot (or fifty-foot) hiking leash on your dog.Allow your dog to wander ahead of you, draggingthe leash on the ground behind him. When younotice the colored mark on the leash pass you by,give the command WAIT (or STAY). If your dogdoes not stop moving forward, command NO andre-command WAIT (or STAY) and step on theleash (if your dog is running, you will need to bequick).

983.Walk up the leash, stepping on itwith each step so your dog cannot

advance forward. Praise with good WAIT (orSTAY). When you reach your dog, commandBREAK and step off the leash. Allow your dog tocontinue down the path and repeat the exerciseevery time the colored mark on the leash passesyou.

984.Teach this walking style with anolder (eighteen months to two years)

dog. Younger dogs may respond to this exercise ifthey have burned out their excess energy first. Ifyour dog runs around in circles, this exercise willbe difficult. Begin slowly and add freedom as yourdog improves.


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985.Once your dog understands theWAIT (or STAY) command, a remote

device may be used in conjunction with the leash.Command WAIT (or STAY). If your dog does notstop walking forward, remotely correct with NOand re-command WAIT (or STAY) while you stepon the leash to prevent any additional forwardmovement.

986.As you take more walks with yourdog using this exercise, he will learn

a boundary of how far you will allow him to getaway from you. When you begin to see your dogstop (on his own) and look toward you, praiseheartily and remind him to WAIT (or STAY).Release him with BREAK and praise again.

987.Never let your dog get out of sight ona hike. If you see a corner, hillcrest,

or curve, have your dog wait until you catch up.Other hikers with or without dogs may comeupon you suddenly. Hikers generally do not like tobe surprised by a dog without the owner close by.


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988.Be aware of wildlife, snakes, poison-ous plants, etc., while you’re walking.

Staying alert and aware will prevent many potentialaccidents. Most animals will run from you and yourdog when they hear you approaching, but stum-bling upon them suddenly may frighten or provokethem to take action to protect themselves.

989.Be alert to hunting season schedulesand designated hunting areas. Many

hiking parks are adjacent to hunting areas, andthis may put you and your dog in jeopardy ifyou’re walking too close to those areas.

990.Gunshot noises may spook your dog.Keeping a distance from hunting

areas and having your dog on-leash will maxi-mize your safety in these situations. Desensitizeyour dog to loud noises before walking near theseareas. This can reduce the chances of your dogpanicking and darting away.

991.If you do venture near hunting areasregularly, it is important to wear

blaze orange on yourself as well as blaze orangeon your dog. You can purchase blaze orange coatdrapes for your dog in many pet stores, in huntingstores, and online.


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Genetic Outlet Activities

992.Once all of your obedience has beencreated and self-control filters have

been developed, you can begin adding healthyactivities that are outlets for instinctual drives. Becertain that genetic outlet activities do not breakdown everyday manners or compromise yourdog’s mental well-being.

993.Don’t do these activities prior toobedience training and distraction

training. Natural instincts are so hardwired thatdistraction training is needed first so the doglearns to make choices rather than act purely oninstinct. Once good choices are established, thenwe can go back and give instincts their outlets.

994.Cart pulling is one activity for draft-ing and working dogs such as New-

foundlands, Bernese Mountain Dogs, GreatPyrenees, and others. In this activity, dogs are fit-ted with harnesses and are hooked to carts. Thepull is a competition utilizing natural working anddrafting instincts of these giant breeds.


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995.Weight pulls are great outlets forbreeds prone to being quite tough.

American Bulldogs, American Staffordshire Terri-ers, Malamutes, etc., all can benefit from therelease of aggression during this sport. Dogs arefitted with harnesses and initially taught to pullan empty cart. Weight is added to the cart and isgradually increased as the dog learns to pull moreweight. When watching one of these events, onecan see exactly how much these dogs appear to beenjoying this “tough guy” outlet!

996.Herding clubs exist for dogs andtheir owners to get experience chan-

neling herding drive. This usually takes place on afarm where the club owner has either sheep orgeese or both on the property. Dogs and handlersalike are taught the proper way to channel a dog’snatural herding energy on livestock. This is also afantastic use of the dog’s intelligence and workingability. Herding exercise is especially good forbreeds like German Shepherds, Australian Shep-herds, Border Collies, Corgis, and many more.


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997.Tracking/search and rescue clubs arenot only wonderful ways to use the

intelligence and hunting drives of certain breeds,but also a way to employ dogs to do importantreal-life jobs. Labs, Shepherds, Rottweilers, andBloodhounds are all breeds that have great abili-ties in hunting and scent detection.Their abilities,instincts, and training education through thisactivity have saved many lives.

998.Lure coursing is an activity that uti-lizes a sight hound’s incredible

visual skills and speed. No live rabbits are used,but a rabbit’s zigzagging path is simulated usingpulleys and a set of white bags. The coursing isjudged on the dog’s enthusiasm, speed, agility,endurance, and the ability to follow the lure.

999.Hunting and retrieval: some peoplelike to use their sporting breeds to

actually hunt. A sporting breed loves nothingmore than to utilize her natural instincts for herowner. Even if you don’t hunt, you can utilizethese instincts by working retrieval games withtoys on land and water. Both allow your dog’sdrive to be channeled appropriately and withenthusiasm.


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1000.Schutzhund trials are based onobedience, tracking, and protec-

tion training. Since obedience is one of the areasjudged, it must be extremely precise. In this way,the protection training is more reliable and safe,since the owner has complete control over thedog and his responses. Along with that, the doghas learned to control his behaviors rather thanallow his pure guard instincts to rise unchecked.


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Appendix:Advanced Activities and Tricks

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Advanced activities give your dog more ways touse his smarts and his natural instincts. As a

team, you will also have more to do together.

THERAPY DOGS Therapy dog certification is a very high honor fora dog and handler to achieve. It requires tightdirection from the owner, great obedience skillsfrom the dog, and wonderful teamwork betweenthe two. Good therapy dogs are sociable, calm,happy, tolerant, patient, and friendly. A dog thathas been well socialized to many different types,shapes, colors, sizes, and ages of people is desir-able as well.

Your dog must pass two tests to qualify for cer-tification. Though not obedience tests per se,these tests do require your dog to be able to SIT,DOWN, STAY, COME, and have good self-controlaround dogs, people, and the temptations of foodand play. Dogs must be at least one year of age tobe tested. However, we recommend a dog twoyears old or older for this activity. Two years oldand older means that you’ve had more time train-ing together and that your dog is further along inmaturity.

Therapy dogs can visit nursing homes, schools,hospitals, and special functions. During these vis-its, your dog must be wearing his identification,tags, and usually a special harness. The mostimportant rule of thumb when doing pet therapyvisits with your dog is that she must enjoy her vis-its and her “job” as much as the people whom sheis visiting. Also be certain that the duration of


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each visit does not exceed what your dog can han-dle or enjoy. The nature of therapy dog work canbe stressful, and smaller doses are preferable tokeep your dog balanced, happy, and eager for thenext visit.

AGILITY Agility training is a fun and athletic sport for bothyou and your dog. Together, you enjoy a sport thatinvolves exercise, teamwork, and mental tests foryour dog. Through your direction, your dog cannavigate jumps, tunnels, platforms, a-frames, andcatwalks.

Agility can be a terrific way to boost your dog’sconfidence level. High-excitement fun along withyour praise for all of these accomplished taskswill make her feel like she can conquer the world.It is extremely helpful for shy dogs if worked onslowly, patiently, and with successes rather thanmishaps.

Some agility clubs practice strictly to have fun,while others do the sport for competition. Eitheris fine as long as you pick the path your pet willenjoy most. Do not put the pressure of competi-tion on a dog that simply needs a fun release inher life.

TRICKSTricks are simple patterns that you may teachyour dog for fun. They have no therapeutic leader-ship value. You may want to wait until your dog islate in his adolescent stage before beginning trick

Appendix: Advanced Activities and Tricks 401

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training. Teaching some of these tricks involvesusing the basic obedience commands. Continue topractice these commands and enforce their ther-apeutic meanings. Mentally, the obedience com-mands are more important than the tricks. Makesure they remain meaningful.

Play DeadThe favorite trick of the old west: when you“shoot” your dog with your finger (commandBANG), your dog will lay down and roll onto oneside.

1. Start with the DOWN command. Commandyour dog into a DOWN. Kneel by your dog’s sideand command SIDE as you lightly place your dogon his side (either side will do, just be consistent).Repeat the DOWN and SIDE until your dog will lieon his side at the command SIDE.

2. Next, link a theatrical beginning with theaction. Face your dog and make a “gun” with yourhand. Point your finger at your dog and say BANG.Command DOWN and then SIDE. Praise. Withproper repetition, your dog will begin to link theBANG with the DOWN and SIDE. Gradually weanoff the commands DOWN and SIDE until your dogwill quickly lie down and turn on his side whenyou “shoot” him with the cue word BANG.

Crawl (Commando Dog)If you really want drama, teach your dog toCRAWL. The CRAWL command will be exactlythat: when you tap the ground and command


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CRAWL, your dog will crawl on his belly to thepoint you are tapping.

1. While your dog is in a DOWN command,hold a treat just beyond his reach. Tap the groundand command CRAWL and motivate (“atta boy”)with your voice. You may need to place your freehand on his shoulders to prevent him from get-ting up all the way.

2. Move the treat very close to your dog’s noseand, as he reaches for it, command CRAWL andmove the treat further away. When he gets theidea of moving forward to get the treat, praisewith “good CRAWL.” Initially give him the treatquickly so he links the crawling motion with thepraise. As your dog becomes more comfortablewith the motion, extend the distance your dogcrawls for the treat.

3. Providing light pressure towards the lowerpart of the back may motivate your dog to keephis legs extended behind him. Tapping your fin-gers in front of your dog may teach him to “reach”with his front paws.

4. The more theatrical you are when teachingthe CRAWL command, the luckier you may be thatyour dog picks up on the theatrics. If both yourdog’s personality and your theatrical motivationis a match, you may find your dog eager to draghimself across the floor as if he were momentsaway from complete collapse.


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Roll OverRoll over requires some patience. Some dogs preferto roll in one direction. Some dogs are completelyuncomfortable with rolling over on their back. If youfind that your dog seems uncomfortable with thistrick, you may want to avoid teaching it.

1. Begin by saying ROLL OVER and add a handsignal like a circular motion with your hand. Thenimmediately add the DOWN, then SIDE com-mands (that he knows from PLAY DEAD). Whenyour dog is on is side, lift his legs gently over hisbody, saying OVER.

2. You may also want to use a piece of food tohelp motivate the roll. Begin with the food directlyat his nose and use a circular motion with thefood that draws an arc that the legs should followover his body. Say OVER as you do this. Once he’s“over,” add the final “good ROLL OVER!”

3. Next, link ROLL OVER with DOWN, SIDE, andOVER and “good ROLL OVER!” Your dog will soonbe able to link all of the movements with the sim-ple cue ROLL OVER. So you dog does not roll overevery time you give the DOWN command, makesure you continue practicing the DOWN formallywithout the OVER as part of your obedience com-mand workout.

Shake1. Start with your dog in a SIT command. Kneel infront of your dog. Hold your hand out, palm facingup, and command SHAKE. Place one of your dog’spaws in your palm and praise “good SHAKE” andgive a treat. How easy is that!


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2. Once your dog understands the pattern, holdyour hand out and command SHAKE. When yourdog’s paw hits your hand, move your hand up anddown and praise “good SHAKE.”

3. When your dog has a perfect SHAKE trickyou may introduce a cue phrase like “Jack, intro-duce yourself” as a cue to shake the hand of astranger. To introduce the cue phrase, repeat thecue phrase followed by the command. Withapproximately thirty repetitions, you can slowlyremove the old command and simply use the newcue phrase.


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High Five1. Once you have mastered the SHAKE trick, youcan extend the behavior to the HIGH FIVE. Startwith your dog in a SIT in front of you. Kneel downand extend your right hand and commandSHAKE. While your dog’s paw is in your hand,slowly turn your palm around so that it faces yourdog’s face and command HIGH FIVE. While youare turning your palm, continue praising so hekeeps his paw on your hand. Repeat “good HIGHFIVE.” Give a treat for hitting your hand.

2. To keep the pattern going, hold your hand upwith your palm facing your dog. Command HIGHFIVE and praise if your dog hits your hand withhis paw. If he seems confused, tap your right palmwith your left hand and vocally motivate. Keepyour right hand very low so it looks like SHAKE.Praise and treat immediately after your dog tapsyour hand.

3. As your dog gets better at High Five, raiseyour hand higher, get up off your knees (you mayneed to lower your hand when you begin stand-ing), and finally command a nice High Five. If youreally want to wow ’em, have your dog jump upand hit your hand for an airborne High Five.

BegOnce your dog can High Five, it will be easy toteach your dog to beg. The beg position will bewith your dog sitting and both front paws up.

1. With your dog in a SIT, kneel in front of himand command SHAKE. When your dog places hispaw in your hand, praise. While your dog is holding


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one paw on your palm, gently pick up his otherpaw and place it in your palm so both paws are onyour palm and he is still sitting. Give the BEG com-mand and praise. Repeat this until your dogplaces both paws on your palm on the commandBEG.

2. Wean off the help. Go back to the start posi-tion and hold your hand up and command BEG. Asboth paws hit your palm, praise. With your freehand, hold a treat above your dog’s head. At thispoint, your dog will need to learn to balance him-self, so patience is key. While you keep the treatabove your dog’s head, praise “good BEG.” Slowlylower your palm so your dog is sitting with handsup without your assistance. Keep repeating thepraise to let him know is winning. When he seemsstable, give him the treat with praise.

3. Put it all together. Stand in front of your dog,hold a treat up with your hand (or dangle it for thefull effect), and command BEG. When he sits withhis paws up, praise and make him BEG! When youare finished impressing friends and relatives, goahead and give him the treat.

Walk (On Hind Legs)Nothing gets the crowd more pumped up thanwatching a dog walk on his hind legs. The unnat-ural is always funny! However, if your dog is large,overweight, or has bad hips or knees, this trickmay not be for you (or him!).

1. The quick start for the WALK trick is startingwhile teaching the BEG command. With your dog ina SIT command, give your dog the BEG command,


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and while your dog has both of his paws in yourhands, hold a treat above his head. Slowly standup while repeating the command WALK. Give thetreat when your dog is able to stand on his hindlegs while you support his front paws with yourhand.

2. Once your dog learns to stand on his hindlegs with the WALK command, you are ready toadvance the trick. While your dog is on his hindlegs, begin moving forward very slowly. Continueto support your dog with your hand. Repeat thecommand WALK as your dog begins to move for-ward following the treat bait. Again, start reward-ing with the treat for just a few steps, thenadvance to walking across the room. Do notremove your hand as support yet.

3. Finally, hold the treat high in the air andcommand WALK. When your dog stands up,praise and “bounce” the treat along in the airwhile commanding WALK. Praise your dog as hewalks across the floor without your help. Be reallyenthusiastic with your praise because this is ahard trick. Just as a note, most dogs do not actu-ally walk heel to toe but hop with both feet at thesame time.


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Index

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Aactivities, 384, 385

hiking, 388–398swimming, 384–387

adolescent dogs, 58–78boundaries, 61leadership, 63, 64, 78mental needs, 64–66obedience training, 59, 70–76physical needs, 66–68rest needs, 70routines, 77, 78social needs, 68, 69

adult dogs, 80–91mental needs, 84–86physical needs, 86, 87rest needs, 89, 90social needs, 87–89

agility training, 401

Bbehavior problems, 322–360

aggression/territorial, 354–360barking, 341–344behavior modification, 329–332, 337causes, 324–328chewing/digging, 348–350Coprophagia (stool eating), 347, 348drug therapy, 332–334

Index 411

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hyperactivity, 339, 340running away, 338, 339separation anxiety, 351–354socialization, 334–336stealing, 345, 346submissive urination, 340, 341

BREAK, 187, 188

Cchildren, 288, 289collars, 158, 159COME, 203–206

Ddaycare, 314–316DOWN, 24, 189–195

dinnertime, 240–242phone, 242

DROP IT, 257, 258, 259

Eessential needs, 302–319

mental needs, 303–305physical needs, 305–307rest needs, 309–312


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social needs, 307–309etiquette, 262–280

barking, 272biting, 271car, 269, 270dinnertime, 262groomer, 275jumping, 263–266meeting dogs, 276–280pulling, 266, 267vet visits, 273–275

Ffences, 282–286

yard manners, 286, 287

Ggames, 374–384

fetch, 381–384find it game, 374–376Frisbee, 378–381TAKE YOUR TOY, 376, 377

geriatric dogs, 94–109Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, 107, 108children, 97, 104hearing impaired, 106house soiling, 108, 109leadership, 98

Index 413

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limitations, 96, 97medical issues, 95mental needs, 98, 99physical needs, 99, 100rest needs, 103, 104social needs, 100–102toys, 102, 103vision impaired, 106

HHEEL, 24, 25, 174–182, 268

stairs, 243walks, 244, 245

Lleadership, 114–128

activities, 116, 117body language, 119–123consistency, 117–119, 125, 126eye contact, 123instinctual behaviors, 127, 128time, 116vocal tones, 124, 125

LEAVE IT, 256, 257


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Mmultiple pets, 295–300

NNO, 171–173

Oobedience training, 156–232, 236–39

classes, 157commands, 166–170distraction training, 207–214

environmental, 213, 214moving, 210–213stationary, 210

diversity, 219off-leash training, 220–226pitfalls, 161position holding, 197–202positive reinforcement, 162–164remote training, 226–232training tools, 158, 160

OFF, 254, 255

Index 415

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PPLACE, 206, 207puppies, 6–55

attention span, 11children, 26, 27crate training, 8, 16, 29, 31, 33–37feeding, 42, 46–49

food aggression, 48, 49housebreaking, 11, 31, 36, 38–41, 43–48

cue word, 39, 40instincts, 10leadership, 13, 14, 27, 28mental needs, 15, 16nipping/mouthing, 51–55obedience training, 9physical needs, 16, 17puppy-proofing, 49–51rest needs, 19, 20social needs, 17–19teaching name, 21, 22tethering, 30toys, 29, 55

Rrituals, 294, 295


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Ssharing, 152–154SIT, 23, 24, 183–187

daily activities, 250, 251doorbell, 247–250doorways, 246

socialization, 130–154cars, 147, 148crate, 136, 137environment, 133–135movement, 145–147noise, 137, 138thunderstorms, 148–151touch, 139–144

STAND, 255, 256STAY, 196, 197

door, 252, 253

TTen-Week Training Recipe, 215–218tethering, 292, 293therapy dogs, 400, 401toys, 364–374

mentally healthy, 368, 369mentally unhealthy, 371, 372physically healthy, 368physically unhealthy, 369, 370squeaky, 373, 374

tricks, 401, 402

Index 417

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beg, 406, 407crawl, 402, 403high five, 406play dead, 402roll over, 404shake, 404, 405walk, 407, 408


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Robyn Achey and Bill Gorton are professional dogtrainers and founders and co-owners of Tall TailsTraining and K-9 Education. With over ten yearsexperience in dog training, they are experts incanine behavior and behavioral problem solving,puppy development and early raising, breed selec-tion, canine personalities and temperaments,obedience training, and animal relationshipbuilding. Ms. Achey and Mr. Gorton live in Allen-town, Pennsylvania.

About theAuthors

1000Dog_int 5/18/06 4:03 PM Page 419

1000Dog_int 5/18/06 4:03 PM Page 420

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