Dog Training
Barking | Biting | Chewing | Digging | Fighting | Housebreaking | Leash Training | Dogs and Babies | Dogs and Toddlers
Barking
Our dog barks at everything, from the hair dryer and the vacuum, to the dishwasher and the shower. What can we do?
Take two aspirin and follow a "desensitization" program. No matter which appliance you tackle first, the idea is the same. Just take it one noisy diversion at a time.
Begin with a dog treat party and play with your pooch. A few minutes into the game, have someone briefly switch on the vacuum cleaner in a far-off room. Continue playing as if nothing is happening. If your dog doesn't hesitate, keep going. Bit by bit, have someone steer the vacuum closer and closer. At the point your dog becomes distracted by the monster vacuum, you've gone too far.
With an appliance like the dishwasher, which can't easily be steered around the house, direct the dog closer and closer until it becomes bothered. Reward the dog with praise and treats for simply having a good time and ignoring the dreaded dishwasher.
Some behaviorists recommend you start the desensitization program by tape recording the offending appliance(s). Start by playing the tape at a volume so soft your dog can barely hear it. Play the tape while your dog eats so it will associate the sound with its beloved dinner. Slowly turn up the volume. If your dog balks or appears upset, you've raised the level a notch too high.
When you've succeeded at playing the dishwasher or vacuum cleaner concert as loud as the Rolling Stones, now begin with the program we described in our first paragraph -- by using a real dishwasher or vacuum. The tape-recording technique is a good one, but it doesn't work for all dogs since some also fear the vibrations made by such machines.
Desensitization is a tedious effort but it does work.
When the doorbell rings, our dog goes ballistic with nonstop barking. We want her to bark, but we also want her to eventually stop barking. What can we do?
It's not the doorbell the dog is barking at. The dog has linked the buzzer with the arrival of guests. If guests knocked on the door, played electric guitar or blasted a recording of Tony Bennett singing "White Christmas" before entering your home, the dog would go ballistic whenever anyone knocked, played a guitar or crooned like Tony.
Set the dog up with some practice runs. The dog should be on a leash and training collar, and you should be armed with dog treats in your pocket. The doorbell rings, and the dog barks. That's fine because you say you want the dog to offer a warning. So tell the dog, "Okay, good dog." But after three or four barks -- or whatever number you choose -- say "quiet."
Don't bark back at the dog by hollering, just say the word "quiet" once, and say it firmly.
At first, your excited dog won't heed your request, so tell it to sit. Do this fast. This is where basic obedience comes in handy. If your dog is really excited, you may need to provide a correction to convince the dog to sit. When it does, offer treats. It can't possibly bark and chew at once, and say, "Good quiet!" in an upbeat voice as it chomps away.
After several more practice tries, say "quiet" earlier with the treat in your hand and not yet in the dog's mouth. Don't offer the treat until the dog earns it by quieting. Your timing will guarantee a speedy success with this exercise.
Biting
Our puppy likes to bite fingers. What can we do?
Just as babies explore their world with their hands and fingers, puppies use their mouths.
Additionally, teething hurts and they are looking to relieve the pressure. To relieve the pressure of teething, offer crushed ice or half-melted ice cubes (strong, solid cubes can break teeth). Just so they can have fun chewing, make many toys readily available.
When the pup gets too crazy and begins to chew on you, do what the mommy dog does, yelp. Say "Whoa!" and stop the game, at least for a little while. Eventually, the pup will learn that if it wants to play, it must play nicely. This is called "bite inhibition."
Be patient -- a pup doesn't learn this the first time. However, there's absolutely no reason for puppies to have any inkling that biting on people is acceptable. If you're certain the dog isn't getting the message, escalate the punishment. When the dog nips, again yelp like a mommy dog and snap at the dog's nose by flicking your finger. Stop playing with he dog. Don't hit the dog in the nose. The sole intent here is to get the distracted pup's attention -- not to give it a shiner.
If the dog still isn't getting the message, spray it with a plant mister filled with cool water, and simultaneously yelp when the dog bites. Then stop the game.
There is no need to roll the dog over or grab it by the scruff of the neck. This is clearly over-reacting.
Chewing
How do we stop a puppy from chewing?
Don't even try. Instead, give it toys it can chew on. Simply say "good dog" when it plays with its own toys. Don't buy puppy toys that are small enough to be ingested. Don't skimp on the toys. Occasionally, vary your dog's selection to keep it interesting. Spending a little more on dog toys is a lot less expensive than buying new shoes or replacing the legs on your dining room table.
Puppies that never get in the habit of chewing on electrical cords, shoes or table legs aren't likely to find themselves inclined to do so later in life.
When you're busy, either confine the pup to the kitchen or take it around the house on a leash. Keep a favorite toy in your pocket. If the puppy begins swatting at an electrical cord, get the pup's attention and firmly say, "No." Then tell the pup, "Sit." When it does so, reward it with the toy from your pocket.
Don't leave a puppy free to roam the house alone until it is 9 or 10 months old, at the earliest. Leaving a young pup with the run of the house may be downright dangerous. Even a pup that has been well-behaved might get bored or curious enough to chew on an electrical cord. If you leave the house, either crate the dog with chew toys or keep it confined in a puppy playpen or a room such as the kitchen.
Once the pup has found a favorite household object (like a table leg) to chew, it will want to return. Allow it to return, and hide behind a wall to observe. Toss an empty soda can filled with three or four pennies when the dog starts to chew. The idea isn't to injure your pup with a major-league soda-can toss. Rather, the hope is that your pup will think, "When I chew this, a horrible noise comes from the sky and lands right near me. I won't do this again!"
Digging
What do I do about a dog that is intent on excavating our yard, digging hole after hole?
Many terriers and some Nordic breeds are genetically predisposed to digging. It's best to supervise your dog outside as a puppy. If the dog has never developed the habit as a youngster, odds are that it will never start.
Unfortunately, this doesn't help dogs that are already members of construction unions.
First, fill in the holes and place some of your dog's own feces in the hole. If the dog digs that place up again, it may, in essence, say "yuck" when it encounters that nasty surprise.
Reprimanding Fido probably won't help, even if you catch the dog in the act. Despite your frustration over your rose bushes, absolutely don't physically punish the dog. After all, it's smart enough to understand that it shouldn't dig when you're supervising, so you don't want to further encourage it to mine like crazy when you're away.
So, you've got to be smarter. Secretly catch your dog in the act. Hide inside or behind a tree or a fence. As the digging begins, toss an empty soda can or two, each filled with five or six pennies, toward your dog. The idea is for the dog to be startled by these terrifying pennies from heaven. Some really persistent dogs won't care -- and will continue their re-engineering. Again, hide out of sight and turn on the water hose, full blast, or blast away with one of those power water guns, when you catch the dog in the act. It's imperative that the dog not understand that you're the one delivering the punishment.
Some dogs will enjoy nosing around basketball-size boomer balls, (available at most pet stores), enough to keep their minds off digging. Make other toys available outdoors as well. A great alternative -- albeit not always practical -- is to offer the pooch somewhere it can dig. Construct a canine sandbox. Remember, a bored dog is a dog that will get into mischief.
Fighting
How do you break up a dog fight?
From a distance. Depending on how intense the combatants are, a water hose supplying a cold shower could put a damper on their hostility.
Trying to physically remove a combative dog from a fight may leave the other dog free to attack more fiercely, and there's nothing to prevent one of the dogs from turning to attack you. This method is not advisable.
Actually, the best suggestion of all is to be proactive instead of reactive. In other words, don't let a fight start in the first place. At the earliest sign of a dog displaying serious aggressive warning signs, get your dog away from the situation. Severe, stiff body posture, growling, snarling and snapping are signs that a dog means business. Don't believe the owner who ignores the problem by saying: "Well, Sparky always acts that way, but it doesn't mean anything."
Housebreaking
How do I housebreak a puppy with a minimum of carpet stains?
Although no 8-week-old or 10-week-old pup has complete control of its bladder, you have control over when the puppy eats. Don't leave food out all day. Feed at precise times, (three times a day for most pups under five months, unless your vet says otherwise). Also, take control of the water. Put toilet seats down and have some idea of how much and when your puppy drinks.
A pup typically needs to go to the bathroom first thing in the morning, after it plays, after drinking a lot, and about 20 to 40 minutes after eating. If you're crating your pup, it will have to go after being released from the crate. If you're at home, the best way to housebreak is simply to take your dog out at these times.
Don't just let your puppy out in the yard to wander about. Take it out on a leash -- not for a play session, but to do its business. If the dog doesn't perform after a couple of minutes, return to the house. Place the pup back in its crate, or otherwise keep your eyes on this loaded weapon. It hasn't fired yet, but it inevitably will. After about 10 minutes, try again. You'll know when the little one has to go.
As the pup performs its business, say "hurry, potty!" in an upbeat voice. Your pleasant tone is a reward and the words "hurry, potty!" will soon become a command. Just as you can teach a dog to sit or roll over, you can teach it to potty fast, a talent that can come in handy for everyone involved.
Only seconds after it has succeeded, reward the pup with a treat and more vocal praise. After a few months, you can begin dropping the treat, if you like. However, don't stop that vocal praise or the command "hurry, potty!"
Your efforts will be aided by taking the pup to the same place to do its business each time.
Invariably, your pup will have an accident in the house. It's best to catch the dog in the act by clapping your hands. Startling may temporarily interrupt the function, giving you the opportunity to scoop the pup up fast and take it outside to finish the job. Then, reward as usual.
If you've caught the dog as it's completing its act, you should say "No" and express disappointment. However, don't become overly dramatic. Scaring the dog or, even worse, physically attacking it, will only teach the puppy to do its business when you're not looking. This could also teach it not to trust you. Don't admonish a pup more than a couple of minutes after it has made a mistake. It won't understand, and the punishment will do no good.
Leash Training
We're tired of having our dog pull us around the block on our walks. What can we do?
Use a working collar. Choose a chain collar -- called a training or choke collar -- or a head halter or Gentle Lead when training your pup. Used incorrectly, these collars may choke a dog, though this is not their intent. Use these only on puppies more than 10 weeks old.
When the dog pulls ahead, just stop. The dog must also stop. Now call the pup to your side by saying "close." When the dog heels, either offer a treat or a favorite toy. Then turn in the opposite direction. Go where you want to go, and make sure that place is opposite the direction the dog chooses. In other words, if your pup begins to turn right, quickly follow the procedure described above (stop, instruct the dog to move close and present a reward) and then turn left.
By the way, the reward of being with you must be more interesting than the ecstasy of sniffing grass. That's why the treat and/or toy are recommended. However, in time, both of those tools will be supplanted by vocal praise.
To encourage success, begin the work out indoors before moving outside on a busy sidewalk. Exercise the pup before work. Otherwise a puppy may be trying really hard, but might have a tough time controlling built-up energy.
Dogs and Babies
We're expecting a baby. What can we do to help prepare our dog and to minimize any jealousy?
When possible, prepare for the new arrival by exposing your dog to infants and teaching them correct behavior ASAP. Always reward your dog for the calm behavior you want.
Dogs are curious, and they need to sniff babies. Kept completely away, they may be overwhelmed with curiosity and be driven to inspect the infant on their own terms. They may think they are being kept away because this is a dangerous object. Don't make it a big deal, let the dog sniff. Say, "good dog," then go and play a doggy game.
Before the infant arrives, bring a blanket home from the hospital with the infant's scent. This will give your dog a sneak preview. If the dog has never been exposed to an infant's cry, find a tape recording and play it while feeding your dog (to associate the sound with something pleasant -- food).
When the big day arrives, take the dog out to meet mom and the baby on neutral territory. From here on in, just use some common sense. While your life will become busier with a newborn (that's an understatement), don't ignore the dog. Its schedule may have to change, but if the dog continues to get your attention, it will adjust. For example, if you no longer have time for the early morning run, try the midnight walk. While you're up walking around, calming the fussing baby, why not toss the dog treats or a favorite toy? If you're really thinking, you'll set it up so the dog thinks it only gets a specific favorite treat when the baby is around.
No matter how calm your dog happens to be around the newborn, absolutely never allow your dog to spend unsupervised time with an infant.
Dogs and Toddlers
Our 2-year-old follows the dog everywhere. Up until now, the dog has been tolerant, but I can see that the dog's patience is wearing thin and he is beginning to snap at our child. What can we do?
Understand that your dog only has one means of expressing its displeasure. It's attempting to warn you to do something. Now, it's up to you to do it, fast.
If possible, offer your dog its own secluded place with a dog bed and some toys, somewhere your 2-year-old can't get to. When your toddler is on the rampage, and you can see your pup is losing patience, say, "Go to your room." Have some treats waiting on the dog bed; your dog has to know this is a safe refuge and not a punishment.
Although teaching a two-year-old etiquette isn't easy, begin to firmly say "no" when the child tugs at the dog's tail or ears. Explain, "make nice" and offer the dog treats as your toddler gently strokes the dog.
You shouldn't leave your child alone with the dog, but this doesn't mean they can't interact at all. In fact, the more positive interaction, the better. Teach your youngster the word "sit." You may have to repeat the command for it to be understood by the dog. When the dog complies, offer a reward. Hide 'n' seek is a great game; have your toddler hide and tell the dog "find." When the pooch succeeds, offer a biscuit.
If your dog's displeasure escalates, as evidenced by growling or baring teeth at any household member, get professional training help immediately.
To encourage success, begin the work out indoors before moving outside on a busy sidewalk. Exercise the pup before work. Otherwise a puppy may be trying really hard, but might have a tough time controlling built-up energy.
© Copyright, 2010 Sedgwick County, Kansas
Please report problems to the webmaster
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED