Changing Naughty Behaviors

 

Puppies can have some behaviors you find less than desirable. The newest addition to my home, Maverick, had the annoying behavior of letting out high-pierced yelping and jumping up and at me whenever I was preparing food for him and my other dogs. The entire time I was getting their food ready. So I decided I would rather teach him more polite behavior now. And we worked on it every time I got their food ready for the last week. I'm so proud of him because now, he sits their quietly the whole time and waits for me to present his bowl to him. No more breaking my ear drum or annoying the other dogs with his bouncing! So how did I do it? It's quite simple. I took what he really loves (the food) and used it to reward the behavior I would rather see (all paws on the ground with no yelping or barking), while not acknowledging the behavior I wanted to extinguish. You see, a lot of the behaviors we consider undesirable or naughty are their attempt to get something they want . And because sometimes we are just tired, busy, or don't want to deal with it at the time, we give them exactly what they want just to get them to be quiet, to stop jumping, etc. So of course your dog then thinks " oh cool jumping and barking got me the attention I wanted! I'm gonna do that every time I want something!". Yep, we create our own monsters, or in some cases are for ed to deal with the behaviors someone else created or that a dog developed to survive for the dogs we adopt. But the good news is, with consistency and being clear about the behaviors we would prefer, our dogs are capable of learning to change their behaviors. 

So how did I correct this feeding time behavior? You can do it like this: 

While you are getting their food ready, completely ignore them if they are doing the crazy behavior. Then as soon as they give you a split second of quiet and have all paws on the ground say "yes" and turn around and give them a piece of their food. If they stay quiet with all paws on the ground, intermittently keep turning around and rewarding it. Soon they will sit quietly the whole time until you have their bowl ready without you having to treat and the reward is just that they get their bowl.

Puppy Socialization In the Era of Covid19

Now is the worst possible time to try to socialize a puppy. Social distancing is recommended, some parks are closed, and most people are (smartly) staying inside. That has made socialization a challenge. Notice I said a challenge, not impossible.
So while I would agree it's not the best possible circumstances to be working with, we need to look on the bright side. At least it's easier to control your surroundings when there isn't much there to have to contend with and it makes gradual introductions to anything they may be nervous about easier. There are home options and safe outdoor options out there.

First let's look at the home options. There are many things at your home your dog should be introduced to in order to avoid problems. Many dogs have a love hate relationship, for instance, with the vacuum and the lawn mower. Introducing your pup to these things first while they are sitting still turned off, then moving while turned off, then staying still turned on and finally moving turned on is a good way to introduce them to the fact that these moving noisemakers are nothing to fear or chase and bark at. Next, taking things that are different textures like bath mats, carpets, woven rugs, bags, etc and having them step on them helps to decrease the chances they will have issues with textures in the future.  If you have skateboards or bicycles at home it always helps to get them used to seeing things like these too so they don't want to chase or fear them later. Have members of your family in the house put on big winter coats, hats, umbrellas, or old Halloween costumes and introduce the pup to people wearing all these type of things that will desensitize them to seeing all types of clothing and gear so it doesn't surprise them later. Break out some moving, lighted Christmas decorations so come Christmas, you wont have to worry about freaking them out when they start seeing all the shiny, noisy decorations.  And for sounds, think of sounds that usually take dogs by surprise the first time and start introducing them at low levels to get them used to hearing strange sounds. Fireworks, a ringing doorbell, a knock on a door, a siren from an ambulance or police car, a loud truck, etc. There are some great sound effects on YouTube you can use. And there are also apps like Sound Proof Puppy with some great examples of sounds and ideas for how to use them. And one of my favorite things to do is make a big noise box for dogs. Take an empty delivery box and put items inside that will make noise when your pup touches them like empty water bottles, empty containers, toys that may squeak or crinkle when they step on them, balls, crumpled up newspaper, even bubble wrap. Then throw some of your puppy's kibble or some treats inside the box and encourage them to find it as they move the noisy objects around (this game should only be played with supervision to avoid them getting to scared by anything and to avoid them eating one of the noisemakers!).

Now for outdoors, you will have to be creative.  You want to make sure you are safe because it won't help your puppy if you end up in the hospital from getting exposed to Covid19.  So no matter where you go, keep your distance. Now is not the time for puppy play dates, unfortunately. I will remind you that many people infected with the corona virus don't even realize they have it initially.  So this is what Ren and I have been doing,  I take him for car rides. Car rides in the country and in the city and suburbs so he can see different sights smell different smells, and hear different sounds. Find a parking lot of a business that is still open. Take your pup out of the car and keep a distance from people and avoid touching things, but walk your dog where he can see cars, people and other dogs. Now is as good a time as any for your pup to learn just because he sees people or other dogs and wants to say hi, that is not always going to happen. Sometimes he or she will have to be happy just staying with you. Many parks are still open and may have people skateboarding and such. Have your pup witness and hear all that from a safe distance. I have taken Renegade through food drive-thrus just so he sees some new humans and hears the beeping and sounds coming from inside the restaurant (and he often scores a snack from the nice people at the window who just love how excited he is to see them). You can take your pup to the bank drive thru (that pneumatic tube in some bank thrus can be scary the first time they see them).  Or take a walk near a farm where they can see horses, cows, or sheep in a field.  Always have lots of treats with you and reward them for calm behavior in the face of new things. And for wanting to be curious and inspect new things.
Never force them to go closer to something that makes them nervous. Find a distance from the scary object where they can be calm and will still take a treat and start there. Reward them for moving closer to the object and you can even toss a treat away from the scary object once in awhile to remind them they can always walk away from it if they want so they don't have to be afraid. If you can't find a distance from the scary object where your dog isn't stressed (they may be trying to pull away from it, licking their lips, shaking) then go away from whatever the object is and try again another day.  They can't learn if they are overly stressed.

My advice: do the best you can to find ways to introduce your pup to new people, dogs, places, and objects while keeping yourself safe. Remember introducing them doesn't necessarily mean they have to interact with whatever it is you are introducing them to. They just have to be able to see it, smell it, and/or hear it so if they have the chance to interact with whatever it is in the future, they will approach it with curiosity instead of fear.

As a trainer, I always encourage people to make sure they are socializing their puppy.  Get them to new places, meeting new people and dogs, taking fun trips to the vet or groomer so it isn't so scary
when they have to go there, and introduce them to new, novel places, surfaces, objects, etc. every day.
Unfortunately I also know that is easier said than done sometimes.  Renegade has started his obedience training and is learning sit, down, stay, come, and to walk nicely on a leash and focus on me when I ask.  It is baby steps because a puppy has the attention span of a toddler.  But, he is doing very well.  He hasn't, however, started his official training in training classes.

Reputable training facilities require puppies to have their vaccinations and a clean fecal sample prior to starting classes for their own safety and the safety of all the other pups in class.  Ren unfortunately was exposed to a parasite called giardia.  He is a happy healthy pup with no signs of this infection.  Typical symptoms can be diarrhea, gas, abdominal upset, and nausea.  It is not uncommon for dogs to not show any signs of having it.  And it can be treated usually in about 2 weeks with medication.  I have heard from several people that vets are seeing a lot of this lately.  The dogs can catch it due to ingesting the parasite from being in an area where there are animal feces and it can thrive in areas with standing water like puddles.  The dogs, even if they are just walking through the yard, can pick up the parasite and later lick it from their paws.  That's why it is recommended any feces be picked up immediately and any areas of standing water be eliminated as part of the prevention of infection or re-infection.  So, while Ren does not have any signs of being sick and is his happy playful self, he can't attend classes and risk any other puppies getting it.  So when the usual avenues of getting them training are blocked, what do you do?  You find out how dedicated you are to having a well-rounded, well-trained pup.  And you find another way.

We simply started the obedience cues at home where it is safe.  And, lucky for us, there has been a lot going on around our house to serve as novel experiences so he develops a sense of curiosity over a sense of fear in the face of novelty.  For instance, I have had him meet every mailman and delivery driver that comes to our neighborhood.  And, they have been working on replacing the gas line that runs the length of our street so there have been a multitude of people, large machinery, strange sounds from machinery breaking through asphalt and digging in yards.  He is learning to take noises and strange sights in stride.  I've turned household items and toys into training experiences.  And thankfully, thanks to my older dog, I have a lot of agility training equipment at home to get him used to going on things (nothing high enough I have to fear him jumping off of) and through things.  I set up empty boxes and let him root through them, jump on them, and generally make a mess of them knocking them over and playing with them so he doesn't fear things moving or falling around him.

As far as socialization with other dogs, any good trainer will tell you that your puppy getting along well with other dogs in your home doesn't necessarily mean he or she will be ok with dogs outside of the home.  Hence the importance of puppy classes and socialization with other dogs of all shapes and sizes.  This has been our biggest struggle.  Luckily, though, I have friends whose dogs also had been exposed to giardia and were under treatment who we were able to get together with.  Where there is a will, there is a way.  Good socialization in the first 16 weeks of their life is very important.  So take every precaution, but get it done.  You will be glad you did.

With treatment on board to make sure the problem is cleared up, hopefully I will be able to share video of Renegade going through his training classes soon.  But I share all this because I hear from people all the time how they wish they had started training early for their dog.  Usually followed by a "but" and a reason why they didn't.  Sometimes the reason is something no one could work around.  Most of the time, though, I start formulating in my head ways they could have accomplished what they wanted to.  So, if you are wanting to properly train your dog but have a reason why you can't, reach out to a good trainer.  If you can't come to classes, maybe they can come to you.  If you are concerned about the cost of training, I will tell you the cost of training basic obedience and good manners is far less than the cost of fixing behavior problems later.  And is definitely less than the cost of emergency veterinary care because your dog chewed or ate something that good training to "leave it" or "drop it" could have avoided.  Or vet visits for  injuries obtained from darting out a door or running away that training to "stay" could have prevented.  Aside from that, I am always willing as a dog lover to help someone who is struggling and really wants to start their puppy off right with at least some advice if cost is a problem.  But there really is no substitute for good training either one-on-one with a trainer or in a training class where troubleshooting can be done by a professional.

Rest assured, there is always a way.  And if you have a new puppy, you can do this.  There are resources out there.  I work for a training center called Dogsmartz Unleashed and there you can actually attend a puppy prep course for free before you even get a puppy (or after you have gotten one but the class is for humans only) that will help you be prepared for all a new puppy can entail and to help you navigate through common puppy struggles.

More soon on training I am doing with Renegade that you can do with your pup too.  Until then, enjoy this little video of Renegade working on "drop it" while we were playing a little game of fetch last night.

Puppy's First Winter

It snowed overnight here in Western PA. After a couple little paw lifts when figuring out the white stuff was wet and cold, Renegade went right into running, playing, and eating the snow. So I figured now was a good time to talk about some winter safety tips for your dog. First, a lot of dogs love to make like a vacuum and suck up the snow. So keep in mind how much of this they are doing when considering your housetraining schedule. But even more essential is making sure it is a safe environment outside where you are walking them. If you use ice melting products on your porch, walkway, or driveway where your dog may be walking, make sure they are pet safe. You don't want them eating snow that may have dangerous chemicals in it or walking through those chemicals then licking their paws later. And some of those chemicals can also hurt their paw pads.  You have a couple of options for added safety for their paws. You can work on desensitizing them to wearing boots to protect their feet (I've tried several brands with my older dogs and have found Pawz brand has stayed on them the best and they didnt seem to notice them as much after wearing them a couple minutes).  Or you could use a paw wax product like Mushers Secret to add a layer of protection to their paw pads. I have done both and both are effective. Right now while Rengade is so tiny and still growing I went with the paw wax option for today. Watch your dog for signs they are getting cold or their paws are getting cold like them shivering or lifting their paws, or suddenly laying down in the snow. When snow is wet it can also accumulate like little ice balls between their toes especially if your dog has long fur around their toes. That can be very uncomfortable for them so keep for trimmed and the boots or paw wax can also help prevent that.

If your dog does not like to go out in the cold or wet snow, you will have to be extra diligent in making sure they have done their business outside before letting them run back in the house. Make sure they aren't getting too cold and protect their paws to help with this. And also make an even bigger deal of success when they go outside. Lots of praise and a treat they love! Make it worthwhile for them to go out to continue building good habits.

Adventures In Housetraining

Puppies do not have perfect behavior.  But neither do we humans.  I have been working on housetraining since bring Renegade home.  I have been utilizing a crate and/or playpen to help him understand where it is and isn't appropriate to go potty.  And he has been doing pretty well for only 9 weeks old.  But even as a trainer I have to remind myself that a good day does not mean housetraining is complete.  Yesterday Renegade had a perfect day with no accidents in the house.  This morning, first thing after letting him out of his crate we went outside, he did his business and I praised and treated him right away and we came back in the house.  Next in my morning routine is I prepare the dogs' food.  This can take a little time because they eat different dog foods and my older guys get some supplements and medications added to their food.  So it is a process.  While I started preparing their food, Renegade and Cody decided to play a game of chase.  They were having a blast so of course Renegade was getting very excited.  Within 15 minutes (for my puppy who easily goes at least an hour between potty breaks during quiet times), I look over and Renegade is having a small piddle on the floor.  I run over, pick him up and take him out the door to finish but he had already gotten out all he had to.  Which wasn't very much because he had just been outside but the excitement had caused him to pee again.  Did I yell at him?  No.  Rub his face in it?  Absolutely not, he would have just thought I was crazy and I have never understood what people think that practice helps do other than make your dog confused and afraid of you.  I scolded myself for knowing better, cleaned up the small piddle with some enzymatic cleaner so he wouldn't be able to tell he went there and be tempted to use that spot as a toilet again, and went about getting them their food.

You see the mistake wasn't his, it was mine.  I know when you are housetraining you should take a young puppy (or even a dog new to your house) out at least every hour if not sooner.  In addition, any time they are playing hard, have just woken up from a nap, eaten something, or spent time chewing a bone or toy you should take them out within a few minutes.  It is much harder to control their bodily functions during these times.  I let running and playing go on for 15 minutes without having him take a break. And, in addition to that, I was not paying attention to him and let him out of my direct sight which is also not a good idea with a housetraining puppy.  Bad trainer.  So our no-accidents-in-the-house streak ended at one day and the count restarted.  And I remind myself that although I know better and did everything wrong in this instance, I am human too and make mistakes so rather than get frustrated I need to learn and move on.

So, what am I doing to housetrain him?  First, as I said any time he wakes up, plays, eats or drinks I take him outside to see if he has to go.  And if he goes potty outside I immediately praise and treat him right on the spot.  We don't wait until we get in the house for the treat because then he would think he was being treated for coming in the house not for going potty while he was outside.  And that is the common mistake people make.  They wait to reward until the puppy or dog comes in and since the dog thinks they are being rewarded for coming in (because they will always thing the reward was for the thing they did right before being rewarded) you end up teaching your dog to ask to go outside just so they can come back in.  And since they don't understand outside is the bathroom, they will go out, come in, get rewarded and go potty in the house.  So treat outside as soon as they are finished going.  I also take him out once an hour just to make sure he doesn't have to go.  If I take him outside and he doesn't go potty, we come back in the house and he spends some time in his crate and we try again in 15 minutes.  And repeat until he goes.  Once I know he has done all his business, it is time for him to be able to have fun and walk around and play with the other dogs in the house.  I always keep him in the room I am in so I can watch him for any sniffing, circling, whining that might mean he has to go again especially if he is playing.

Now lets talk about the crate.  I did not have a puppy sized crate.  But my bigger dog crate came with a partition you could put in to make it smaller.  This is perfect and is what I would recommend for those on a budget who don't want to have to buy a bigger crate as your pup grows.  You can just use a bigger crate and partition it off so that your pup has enough room just to stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably.  You make think you are being kind by giving them more room than that in a crate but in actuality you would just be sabotaging your housetraining for no reason because dogs actually like "den" like areas as long as they are properly introduced to them and the crate is never used as a punishment.  Puppies will try not to soil where they have to sleep.  So if their crate is properly sized and they are taken outside regularly, they will not go potty in it.  If it is too big, they may be tempted to use one corner of it to potty and just lay down in the other end.  Also, whether you put a bed or just a mat (or maybe nothing at all) in the crate with them will depend on your puppy.  If they are a chewer and could chew up a bed and hurt themselves, a bed may not be a good idea.  I once had a client whose dog would chew anything they put in the crate including the plastic tray in the bottom.  For this dog, we actually took the tray out of the crate and got a bigger tray that the crate could sit in so the tray was under it and had no edges the dog could chew and possible ingest which could cause a veterinary emergency.  Also remember, puppies need proper exercise.  I would not leave a puppy in a crate more than a couple hours during the day.  They should have time to be out playing and bonding with you.  Just save that "free" time for times when you know they have just gone to the bathroom outside.

And remember, housetraining does not happen overnight.  And a good day does not mean you can relax your attention to them.  I generally follow a 3 day rule.  If they have gone 3 days with no accidents, try to push your scheduled potty breaks out by 15 minutes.  And repeat as they grow and are able to hold it longer.  But also keep in mind a puppy is generally only able to "hold it" for about as many hours as they are months old.  So don't push it to far or accidents could happen.  Some puppies learn housetraining fast, but sometimes it takes months.  Your consistency could make the difference.  Stay diligent my friends and a few bad weeks of feeling you are outside more than inside will pay off!

Well, Renegade has been sleeping like a little angel while I have been sitting at my computer writing this but has now woken up.  So outside we must go!  Are you having any challenges?  Or do you have any funny stories you would like to share about housetraining?  We are all in this together so drop me a comment.  Lets work on raising the companions we hoped we would.

A New Puppy

Although I am a certified dog trainer and work with puppies on a regular basis, I have not had a puppy in my house for over a decade.  Outside of my 10 year old dog, Cody, my other dogs have been older dogs that I adopted.  And though I tell people every day that the decision to adopt a puppy should not be made lightly due to the amount of work and patience involved, I decided this year to make that commitment again myself.  And a puppy is a commitment.  Dogs are not disposable because they become inconvenient. They are companions.  They are family.  If you want a puppy, be prepared to raise it through the good and challenging.  Or don't get one.  And I was reminded quickly how much work and attention a new puppy takes.  Don't get me wrong, puppies are awesome!  Little bundles of love.  But if you want to do things properly you need to first make sure you have the time needed to start them off right and do right by them.  That means potty breaks outside even in the freezing cold every hour and every time they decide to play hard, drink, or eat.  And it also means starting the socialization process right away so they meet new people, new dogs, and get introduced to new and novel objects and places while they are still young and more likely to approach something new with curiosity, versus avoiding it out of fear because it is new and different.  I was lucky enough to get my new pup Renegade from someone who raised him right from birth.  Making sure he was socialized around sounds, people, other puppies and dogs.  So I knew his brief history and knew that he knew only good things before coming to me.  But regardless, it is my job to make sure he knows nothing but good from this point on.  And I know very good people struggle trying to do their best for their puppies and even older dogs they adopt.  So I decided to chronicle my training of Renegade so you can see, we all go through the same things.  Even we trainers have to put in the work and can't wave a magic wand to teach a dog.  And I will share the frustrations right along with the fun and training.  Because life is a mix of all of that.  But that's what keeps it interesting.  So come with me on this journey.  Hopefully I can help a few folks who aren't sure how to handle a situation or who just want to know what they should be doing because this is their first dog, or they haven't had to train one in a long time.  First I will tackle housetraining.  So keep an eye on this blog for that in the next couple days.  Let's do this.