If you look at this video you can see how easy it is to tap into a puppy’s brain to communicate that you want the dog to chase you – or come to you. This is a fun and natural way to introduce this concept to your puppy. Most dogs will think that whatever you are doing is more fun than what they are doing, provided that your actually doing something. Some dogs have learned that humans are tricky and have learned to come just within reach and then jump away. What do you do then? (more…)
When people in the US first started taking their dogs to dog training classes, the vast majority of the knowledge of dog training came from training dogs for the military. This meant that they used aggressive methods designed to train the dogs as quickly as possible with a high rate of failure. These methods were developed using a limited set of breeds. Those dogs were viewed as tools, not as pets or companions.
Most of us are here because we want to have a companion in our house that is a joy to live with. As healthy social creatures we don’t feel happiness when we use force or violence. We all prefer to have choices, just like our dogs, and how much better do we feel when we see someone we love making a decision out of love? When compulsion is used we take away the opportunity for the dog to make decisions because any action other than the expected behavior results in pain. Some dogs can be trained very effectively with these methods. The problems lie with the dogs that are too small to safely use these methods, dogs with sensitive personalities and people who want to have an enjoyable experience training their dog. For those who wish to go beyond there are some tricks you just can’t train using fear of pain. (more…)
If you are interested in learning more about how dogs communicate then this is a great power point designed for you. Go ahead and print it out, make notes, write in experiences you’ve had and see what triggers your dog. Many times we think we know what is going on in our dog’s head and this will give you confidence in knowing more about how your dog is feeling when exhibiting certain behaviors.
What are the most important signs to look for?
What is it about a look that a dog gives me that lets me know how he is feeling?
Take a look at what that sweet lab is doing – squinting, wagging her tail, looking away… All of these behaviors are appeasement behaviors, things dogs do in order to avoid making us mad. It has nothing to do with (more…)
If you’ve seen this movie you will most likely remember the part where the mom, dad and aunt are siting at a booth talking about Tula’s future. Check out the sixth minute of this video and you’ll see how it unfolds…
March 19th and 20th, Saturday and Sunday, Dean Calderon will be holding a clinic at:
BARWALT TOOL COMPANY, 5171 East Seltice Way, Post Falls, Idaho. Dean Calderon will be working with 10 dogs, 2 dobermans and 8 GSDs, three of which are worked by handlers that compete nationally and internationally. Each day he will be working with all dogs in both disciplines. The cost is $50 for both days as a spectator. Check out the brochure for more information! Calderon Brochure
Isn’t this what we all want? Trainers recommend using treats, toys, affection, play drive, pain and fear to get our pets to do what we ask. Is there such a thing as a dog that wants to do what we ask? All dogs need different levels of motivation but how do we actually build a relationship?
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Here is a link that describes the different methods used in training. This page explains positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, negative punishment, flooding, luring, extinction etc.
Here is a link to Silvia Trkmas’s training philosophy. My favorite is “9. dogs work best when they work for themselves. Don’t ask them for a favour to work with you. Make them ask you for a favour to work with them.” Watch some of her videos on youtube and you will see why she is a 2 time world champion / 12 time world team member in agility.
I’m going to post videos as I find them to this blog. Please leave feedback and tell us what you do!
Here is a video of Ian Dunbar explaining how to fade out treats so luring doesn’t turn into a bribe:
Last night was Pawsitive Works’ first Gala Dinner fundraiser. It was a hit! With a dinner at 41 South, auction items from EZY Dog, Amara Spa, Coeur d’Alene Resort and more it couldn’t have been a more perfect night.
What is Pawsitive Works you say? Pawsitive Works works with at risk teens, through training shelter dogs both dog and teen benefit the community. Teens are taught positive dog training methods and work with one dog for 4 to 5 weeks, training sits, downs, leash walking and how to be polite. The dogs teach the teens responsibility, compassion and patience.
See what the Daily Bee said about Pawsitive Works by clicking on the photo.
Pawsitive Works has been the dream of Karen Schumacher of Bonners Ferry for over 5 years. She has headed up this program in Bonners Ferry, Sandpoint and now the program will be having its first session in Coeur d’Alene this October. Next on the list is Spokane and Creston. These cities have been asking Karen to open programs in their cities too, so Pawsitive Works is looking for more funding and volunteers to be able to provide more of these programs. Currently Pawsitive Works is also working with different research groups in order to show how beneficial this program is for the youth and the dogs. This is the amazing part of the program: teens that have been in this program aren’t re-offending and dogs in this program become more adoptable. Both the teens and the dogs are performing a community service and changing a life.
If you are interested in learning more about Pawsitive Works go to their website, click on the photo to read an article about them in the Daily Bee or comment on this post – I am the Youth Adviser/Trainer for the Sandpoint program and would love to answer your questions!
Is there training for a dog that doesn’t require you to carry treats, toys, leash, prong collar or e-collar remotes for the rest of your dog’s life?
How do we get our dog to do what we want, when we want without external reinforcers or fear?
First you have to be able to communicate with your dog what you want. This means that you need to teach him what you expect of him when you use certain English words or specific body movements. This is when you will greatly benefit from the use of training tools. Training tools range from harnesses to e-collars, short leads to long leads, play to reduced social interaction, dog kibble to McDonald’s cheeseburgers and everything in between. We all know that food is typically the best motivator for getting our dogs to do things that we want them to. We must first find out what our dog finds the most rewarding: a certain type of food or a special toy… We can use these things to lure behaviors and reward behaviors. Through this process our dog learns that when we say sit we expect him to sit.
Once a dog understands what we want we can quickly phase out the tools. This means you can start to give the treat (or other reinforcer) to the dog only intermittently, say after doing two behaviors that we want, then every three behaviors, back to every two times and so on. What really works great is mixing this up so we make it like a gambling experience. If we put in a jackpot every now and then (a jackpot needs to be something so wonderful the dog will never forget that he got it for doing what you asked) the dog will always wonder if he’ll get that jackpot for doing what you ask. Incorporating in what has now been termed ‘life rewards’ also makes this transition easier.
Life rewards are rewards that you don’t have to carry in your pocket. These are things that your dog naturally finds rewarding in life, like sniffing. Here is one example: when your dog walks nicely on a leash you get to go forward (when the dog doesn’t walk nice he has to walk in the opposite direction until he is in the right spot and then he can go forward again). Here is another example: when your dog sees something that he is afraid of and does what you ask (i.e. gives eye contact and doesn’t immediately start reacting badly) you then take your dog out of the situation that scares him. You can also train with a friend and see if your dog will do what you ask when you aren’t looking at your dog(if no one is available to help maybe you could use a mirror).
In short, we should all remember that whenever we are with our dog we are training. Or maybe that we should always be ‘real’ with our dogs and training is really just interacting with our dogs and communicating.
Rawhides can be a great chew toy for dogs. They help keep their teeth clean, provide them with mental stimulation and can keep them from getting into trouble by chewing on other things. MAny dog owners have realized that giving your dog something do to keeps them much happier and less likely do perform behaviors that get them in trouble! But how healthy are raw hides? Other options, such as pigs ears, are said to be too fatty. What else should be looked at before deciding to give our dogs raw hides? (more…)
Here is an awesome video from Kikkopup (a dog trainer with tons of great videos on youtube.com) that shows you how to deal with behavior that you would like to stop. Dogs love to do things we don’t want them to do and here is a great way to make sure that you aren’t inadvertently reinforcing bad behaviors or teaching your dog that he can’t trust you.
What do you think about these methods? Have you tried them? Do you think it will take longer for your dog to understand using these methods? Do you think that your dog would respond better using a method like this?
Mikkel comes highly recommended by Karen from A Family Dog.
Mikkel has been teaching classes and helping individuals with great success. She is a proponent of positive training and uses clicker training to bring about the best results. There is a rumor that she might have the first class in Coeur d’Alene that focuses on mothers, children and dogs!
Here is PetConnection.com’s biography on Mikkel:
“Mikkel Becker Shannon is a professonal dog trainer and author, and host with her father of “The Pet Doctor With Dr. Marty Becker” for ABC News.
A graduate of Washington State University with a degree in international communications, Mikkel completed with honors the rigorous program of the Academy for Dog Trainers at the San Francisco SPCA. (more…)
I’ve just found out that Glenna Hendrix of The Family Dog in Ponderay will be teaching flyball classes this summer! Anyone interested in participating should contact her to reserve their spot in the class. Call Glenna at (208) 255-7687 or (208) 255-7041.
I saw this bumper sticker while driving home after a great session of sheep herding with Ellie. It really made me think and it hit home with me – how am I training Ellie? Am I using love rather than fear; building on her trust for me or building on her fear of me? When training Ellie to move away from discomfort am I really just playing on her fears of experiencing more discomfort and fear?
Looking at this ideal I have to say I believe that its true even though it isn’t very evident in our world today. I wont deny that I want it to be true or that I feel that this is how we were created to be. I wish our political leaders would take a look at it. But with positive dog training and new teaching methods in our schools I think we all know that its easier and more enjoyable to learn in a safe environment without the distractions and effects of fear. This doesn’t mean that we all apply this to the way we train our dogs or even with how we interact with other humans. Why is this? Because its easier to use fear? Because we enjoy the feeling of power when we use fear? Because we don’t want to take the time? Because we don’t know any other way? Because this is how we are used to doing things?
Is this true for you?
Is this evident in how you interact with your dog?
How do you motivate your dog to do what you ask?
Does your dog have a hard time while you are not at home? Some dogs will be okay some days but not other days. Here are some things you can do to help your dog keep his mind at ease. Some people don’t even use dog bowls to feed their dog – they simply put kibble specially designed toys to make their dog work for its food!
Give him/her a pacifier toy (a toy the dog will enjoy alone);
a Kong stuffed with peanutbutter and frozen
Bouncy Bone (more…)
This is a great game you can play inside and outside.
Your dog needs to know how to come and stay if your playing alone.
To play tell your dog to stay or have someone hold him. Get him all excited by bouncing around and saying his name. Then run off behind a corner or tree. Poke your head out and say the dog’s name and a release command (so the dog knows he can go get you) and a find command. Make sure that if you have some one holding your dog that they release him too. When your dog finds you be sure to praise him and give him a treat or a toy.
You can make this game more challenging by hiding; out of your dog’ sight, upstairs/downstairs, in the dark, under a blanket, etc.! Your imagination is the only limit here.
This is also a great way to see if your dog might have fun being a part of Search and Rescue.
Here is an amazing article with some surprising information…
by Kathy Sdao, MA, CAAB
All Rights Reserved – Used with permission
In their recent book “Made to Stick,” Chip and Dan Heath detail the characteristics that make an idea or explanation “sticky.” According to their analysis, stories that are simple, unexpected, and concrete capture our imagination and get lodged in our brains. Many urban myths, they point out, are ideal examples of this phenomenon.
One perfect example of a “sticky” story is the ever-popular notion that dogs are essentially domesticated wolves who view their human companions as members of their hierarchical pack. (more…)
At the Antique Boat Show in July, I visited the Search Dog North Idaho booth and was impressed that they gave free weekly classes in search, obedience and agility skills. What an opportunity for our 12 month old pup, a Nova Scotia Duck Toller, Pikka. She had just finished 2 obedience classes but still need more training, social skills and challenges! We needed more education and this sounded fun!
In October we attended our first Saturday training session, and it was rewarding for both of us. There were two other pups her age, and we began learning how to bond, meet other dogs, more obedience and agility. The Saturday sessions are so productive and fun for both the dog and owner.
The Search Dog North Idaho Incorporation is a definite plus to the Sandpoint community. Weekly Search & Rescue training for both canine and humans provide and prepare a valuable resource. In the winter months we train on Saturday afternoons; in spring and fall we train in the evenings.
For Christmas my mother in law gave me a book that I’ve really been enjoying – Beyond Fetch. Of course I saw the border collie and borzoi on the front and instantly liked it, but I had done a bit of research before putting the book on my wish list and its living up to its reputation as a book that has some meat to it with new ideas that will entertain you and your dog.
I think a big problem for people these days is staying active with their dogs, something that is healthy for both ends of the equation and builds up trust and respect, resulting in a stronger bond. This book has some awesome activities for when its freezing out side, like right now, outside games, sports, parties, toys, etc… (more…)
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