Effective Leaders Understand Their Role
All dogs need leadership. When you brought your dog into your home, you may not have even known you had to be a leader. However, without clear leadership your dog will gradually become insecure and attempt to assume the role. Not all dogs will completely melt down, but these insecurities because of a lack of leadership may manifest themselves in a variety of different ways see chapter 12 . A key issue is that our roles may be in direct opposition. They need a strong leader, we want a companion....
Teach Position Holding
Position holding is taught in two parts. The first part is time, where your dog will learn to hold a position with you at his side for increasingly longer periods of time. The second part is patience, where you will leave your dog's side and require him to remain without your immediate presence. Reinforcing will combine the two. The concept of position holding will be taught using the SIT command, and after the concept has been tested and proofed with SIT, the DOWN command will be added. Start...
Info Sor
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 The answer is yes and no. Some dogs are good dogs simply from the fact that they haven't done anything bad yet. Other dogs are simply out of self control. Whether your dog is good or bad, a read through this behavior problem solving section is essential. The solutions contain valuable clues to preventing behavior problems from surfacing. If your dog suddenly displays...
The STAND Command
At some point during the later adult stage of your dog's life, you may want to teach the STAND command to him. The STAND command may be useful in your dog's later life when arthritic joints will not want to SIT. STAND can be easily substituted for SIT in any of the command applications where patience is required. Teaching the STAND is relatively Vj L Vy easy. Start with your dog in HEEL, slow down, and come to a stop. As you come to a stop, place your left hand directly in the nook of your...
Lightning
Flashes of light can be disconcerting for your dog. The only time they seem to really bother dogs is when the flashes are preceded or followed by loud thunder. The association between lightning and thunder is then negative for your dog, and both seem to hold the same association. Use of a calming workout can be effective here as well, just as in the thunder desensitization exercise. A Q Draw your blinds, close curtains, and J T Vj cover the crate with a blanket to keep the flashes to a minimum....
Establishing A Leadership Protocol
So what is a leadership protocol The leadership protocol is a list of attitudes, standards, and actions you will adopt towards the raising of your dog. The following section outlines how to develop a dynamic leadership protocol. Make a framework of attitudes, stan- dards, and actions. It is a proactive way of making sure your dog will be the best dog he can be. Without a proper leadership protocol, you are leaving your dog's mental development to chance and hoping all will turn out for the...
Avoiding Common Training Pitfalls
Control is an illusion. Do not teach your dog obedience commands so you will have control over them. Obedience commands form a language through which you can communicate your expectations and teach him how to socialize in the two-legged world. These commands will also keep him safe and allow him to remain safe for society. Forget everything you ever heard about alpha dog and pack theory. Proper training and communication have nothing to do with placing your dog in a subservient role to you or...
Touch Desensitization
All places of your dog's body need to be permissible to touch Remember that this idea, while it sounds reasonable to you, may feel like a real breech of personal boundaries to your dog. The key is to go slowly and be sensitive to what you're asking your dog to accept from you. tive part and a preventative part. Proactive means teaching this concept of acceptance, and prevention means avoiding things that could cause touch sensitivity.
Geriatric House Soiling
Geriatric dogs can have incontinence problems at times. You may need to get them out more often for potty breaks and forgive the occasional accident in the house. They are as upset about these accidents as you are, so be patient with them. difficulty with incontinence and you need to be gone for long periods of time, you may choose to confine your dog to a tile area, or one that is easily cleaned. When you notice an accident in this area, do not reprimand your dog for something she cannot...
The DROP IT Command
L C Sometimes your dog enjoys the Vj J game of tug-of-war better than the game you are trying to play with him. A useful command to teach your dog is DROP IT. The command DROP IT will require your dog to release the object out of his mouth and not pick it back up again. We chose DROP IT instead of GIVE or any other command which requires you to take the object out of your dog's mouth. This is an important difference to your dog. Begin teaching the command by giv- ing your dog an object like a...
Humandog Play
An excellent rule of thumb applies to both adults and children who are playing with dogs the puppy is not a toy. Fetch is a great game to teach your dog. There are descriptions of toys and activities in Section Four. Rough play like tug-of-war, wrestling, and general aggressive play must be halted immediately. No negotiating on this rule. Every dog that lives with people needs to learn to be social and polite. Actively teaching your dog to be antisocial with bad play will nurture some of the...
Noise Desensitization
To desensitize your dog to noise, you will need an assistant. Always start desensitizing at a distance. You may need to start one hundred feet away or more. Heel your dog in a circle. Have your assistant make a noise by using a wood stick on the bottom of a metal food dish. Your dog may show interest in the noise. Praise your dog and re-command HEEL. Feel free to use food to make the desensitization exercise positive. If your dog startles or shows excess interest, divert without leash...
Your Common Balance
Limit the weekly trips to daycare. We suggest no more than two per week. The key in raising a balanced dog is quality, not necessarily quantity. Make sure you maximize the quality of the time you do spend with your dog. Sending your dog to daycare isn't an excuse for you to sit on the couch and watch TV and not interact with your dog. If you have abandoned the leadership protocol exercises and standards, go backwards and provide the most assistance as needed to achieve the same standards....
The Name Game Socialize Your Puppy To Her New Name
For this exercise you will need two people. Both people need to sit on the floor facing each other six or eight feet apart. Have a long leash on your puppy. One person has the loop end of the leash and the other person has the puppy. Hold the puppy so he faces the person with the loop. Have the person with the loop call the puppy's name. Person Two may need to push the puppy towards Person One. Person One reels the puppy in with the leash. When your puppy gets to Person One, praise and give a...
Setbacks and Accidents in Housebreaking
Be prepared for setbacks Puppies at the age of eight to ten weeks will void themselves completely when they eliminate. As they age to between eleven and thirteen weeks, muscle control of the bladder begins to develop. At this stage, it is not uncommon for the puppy to eliminate only a portion of their contents and then become distracted by a leaf, noise, or their own tail. The puppy will return inside and promptly eliminate again. This is not a deliberate action, just a lack of concentration....
Puppyproofing
It is essential to puppy-proof your home for your newest family member. Keeping her safe is your first goal. Since puppies have no self-control or concept of right and wrong yet, you do not want to risk her safety by having ingestible items readily available. Plug up outlets with childproof out- let covers. Whiskers and tongues may find investigation a shocking experience All jokes aside, this could be very dangerous, if not life-threatening to your puppy. Hide television, phone, and computer...
Cue Words
Direction Cue. When going to the door, choose a word like OUTSIDE to direct the first part of her task. OUTSIDE will let her know where you are going, and by using the next cue word the elimination cue word , she will link the two words with the process. OUTSIDE will become a question you will later ask her if you suspect she may need to go outside. If you've successfully linked OUTSIDE with HURRY UP or the elimination cue word , she will quickly run to the door in answer to your question if...
Earn It and Learn It
Begin simple daily manners by having your puppy sit to have her leash put on, sit before she is served her meal, sit for treats, and sit at doorways before exiting. This will not only promote etiquette but will also get her in the habit of cooperating with you on a daily basis. 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 to enjoy learning are all accomplished by...