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Dog Training

posted July 15th, 2007 by Mary Green

Story by Mary Green

Q. How do I keep my 30 lb. dog from lumbering across my lap and trying to exit the car before I can get out first? I get a mouth full of red dog fur, not to mention being squished.

A. The quick solution is to have your dog secured in the car by using a car harness. The harness attaches to the lap or shoulder seat belt. Bolting through any open door, be it the front door, car door, or gate, can be a dangerous practice.

Teach your dog to wait at openings and only proceed through when directed. First, teach her to Sit and Wait to get a treat. It’s easy! Just instruct her to Sit, then tell her to Wait. Use your hand like a stop sign showing her the palm of your hand to reinforce waiting. After a couple of seconds, tell her good girl, and let her come to get the treat. Gradually increase the length of time she has to wait.

Over time, repeat the process at all the places she would be likely to bolt. For the car, practice in the garage or another secure area, and make her wait while you gather your belongings, take the key out, open the car door – and finally get out. She should not be invited out until you have control of her leash.

Q. We have two Shih Tzu dogs. One is 6 yrs. old and the other is 5 yrs. old. They are house-trained, but when I’m at work during the day or when we are asleep in the night, they will sometimes wake me to go outside, and other times, they just pee. I clean the carpets continually, but I always smell dog pee. How in the world will I ever get them to stop? Are they doing it to spite me? I know they are capable of holding it for 8 hrs.

A. There are many reasons why dogs eliminate in the wrong place, but they really don’t do it out of spite. First, rule out any potential medical issues that could be masquerading as behavior problems. If the dogs are male, and un-neutered, the behavior may be urine marking. Neutering can help reduce marking. If the dogs are spayed females, there may be a problem of a leaky bladder, which can be helped through medication. A urinary tract infection can also cause a dog to have accidents.

If there are no medical reasons for the misbehavior, you can address other causes. First of all, going from a full bladder to an empty bladder feels very good to the dog – and becomes very self-rewarding! If you need to go…go! It can be caused by bad habit and reinforced by lingering odor. The next time you clean the carpets, rent or purchase a black light and thoroughly check for spots. Clean with a good enzymatic cleaner, such as Nature’s Miracle or Simple Solution, and re-check with the black light.

Management such as crating or confining the dogs while you are gone can prevent accidents. Perhaps you can install a doggie door so that they can go out as they need to. You could teach them how to ring a dog doorbell to give them a clear way to indicate that they need to go out. In the morning, and when you first come home from work, take them out to potty twice in a short period of time. If they have been outside for a long period of time, let them know it’s Last Call. Be sure they go potty before you let them in. If they are sneaking off to go potty, use a baby gate to keep them in the bedroom at night. Or put a jingle bell on their collar so you can hear them if they stir. Do not allow them to tank up on a full bowl of water before bed time, or before you leave them for a long period.

Q. I live in the Tulsa metro-area and I own a herding breed dog. I would like to learn more about herding livestock and maybe earning herding titles with my dog. Can you give me some ideas about the characteristics of a potential herding dog and how I can get started?

A. It can be said that every dog needs a job. But unemployed herding breeds, such as Border collies, cattle dogs (heelers), collies, and Australian shepherds, can get into a lot of trouble by practicing herding behavior on children, cats and cars. If your dog has a keen instinct to chase things that move, or see if he can make things move, and has the drive to keep up the game, he may do well on stock. Herding dogs must work closely under the direction of their handler, by verbal commands or whistle commands. They are never allowed to endanger the stock. In competitions, dogs may herd sheep, cattle, and even ducks! There are several organizations that sponsor herding trials where you can earn titles with your dog. I’m only familiar with the AKC. There is a newly formed club, 4-Corners Herding Association which will offer herding clinics and trials. Their website is www.4cornersherdingassociation.com. A Google search of “getting started in herding” would be a good way to find more information.

Mary Green, Certified Pet Dog Trainer, is the owner of K9 Manners & More in Broken Arrow. She is a consultant for the Tulsa SPCA, trainer for TheraPetics Service Dogs of OK, and is a monthly guest on the KOTV Noon News. www.k9-manners.com

Have a training question for October? Email askthetrainer@tulsapetsmagazine.com.

Posted in All Past Articles, General Interest, Pet Training, Summer 2007 | No Comments »

Good and Bad Behavior

posted January 15th, 2007 by Mary Green

Q. We have a Labrador retriever, almost a year old, who jumps up on us all the time. We can hardly walk outside without him jumping all over us. He knocks down the kids, and is impossible to pet because he’s so wild. Will he outgrow this?

A. The short answer is, no, he will not outgrow this. He is jumping on you to get attention, and if he spends a lot of time outdoors alone, he is lonely! You can, however, teach him how you would like him to greet people. The first step is to prevent him from practicing this behavior, especially when children are present. The goal is for him to sit as an alternative to jumping up on people. You can accomplish this without using harsh methods such as kneeing the dog in the chest, which are ineffective and potentially dangerous to dogs and people.

To begin, set aside 15 minutes that you can spend working with your dog without any other people or animals around. Practice in the area where he is used to greeting people. Have a good supply of really yummy dog treats in your pocket, or fanny pack. With a treat in your hand, step toward the dog, into his space, and while he has four feet on the ground, give him the treat. Keep the treats coming as long as he has four feet on the ground. You can step into the dog’s space or you can turn away from the dog, but you must only reward when he has four feet on the ground.

To teach sit, you will let the dog sniff and lick the treat in your hand, but don’t let him eat it. Lure the dog using the treat so that while he is licking, you cause his nose to point upward. While his nose follows the treat, his knees will bend and his rump will touch the ground. At that exact moment, give him the treat, say, “Sit,” and follow with a “Good Boy!” Lure him with the food only a few more times, then wait for him to sit voluntarily. He will, and then you will reward him with treats and praise. Again, wait for him to sit voluntarily and reward him.

Practice a few times alone with the dog, and then recruit an adult volunteer. Now the praise and reward will come from the other person. The dog will anticipate getting food, and will try what worked before…the sit!

As your dog learns to sit when a person approaches, he will also be learning to sit to accept petting. As he sits, and you praise him, pet him with long strokes. If he gets up, you will say “anh anh” and remind him again to sit.

Q. I’m the proud owner of a 10 week old puppy. He’s doing really great in most areas, but he bites at our hands all the time and even draws blood. How do we stop him when he bites?

A. Congratulations on your new addition! I suspect he is really mouthing rather than biting you. All puppies go through a process of learning bite inhibition. They begin using their teeth on their mother and their littermates in play, to get resources, when they’re mad, or when they’re excited. We must teach them that humans are not tough like their siblings nor do we like to be treated like chew toys. It takes lots of patience on your part and lots and lots of practice to help him learn to use his teeth appropriately.

The first step is to“yelp” like a puppy would when his sibling bites hard. When you receive a “bite” that is particularly sharp, make a high-pitched “ouch” sound, and stop petting or playing. You may see the puppy retreat slightly, which is a good sign. You should act offended, and he should act sorry. You will probably repeat this process several times in a row, and if he persists, just end the interaction. Walk away, do not continue giving him attention.

Offer him a toy to chew on instead of your hands. As you are petting, grooming, or playing with your puppy and he puts his teeth on you, firmly say, “No Bite.” As you say this, rest his chin in the palm of one hand, so that your fingers curl upward and gently around his lips (not over the top of his muzzle), and place your other hand on his collar. Hold him very gently, as if you were holding a bird in your hands. You should see his tongue quickly flick out and lick his lips. That’s his way of apologizing. When you see this, remove your hands, pet him gently and tell him that he is a good boy.

Never discipline a puppy by shaking him, spanking him, or clamping down on his muzzle. Never tease him with your hand gestures. Play with toys with him rather than your body!

Story by Mary Green

Posted in All Past Articles, Pet Training, Winter 2007 | No Comments »