The story of Ivan Pavlov and the salivating dogs is legendary, and a great example of classical conditioning. While studying digestion in dogs, Pavlov noticed an interesting occurrence – his canine subjects would begin to salivate whenever an assistant entered the room. Why? Because the dogs had come to associate the assistants with the presentation of food. This is called a learned or conditioned response, whereas an unconditioned response or reflex would be a dog salivating to the actual presentation of food.
Classical conditioning is widely used in the realm of dog training and behavior modification. For instance, if your dog has a fear of elevators, you might pair the elevator rides with your dog's favorite treats or toy. Your dog would eventually begin to look forward to riding the elevator because Elevator Ride = Favorite Treat!
The use of clickers and verbal markers is another good example of classical conditioning. The sound of the clicker doesn't inherently have any value to your dog, but if you regularly pair it with a follow-up treat, then your dog will learn that the sound of the clicker = reward, and therefore this would lead to reinforcement and increase of the behavior you're clicking.
Using classical conditioning can be a great way to train dogs if you use it deliberately. Towards the beginning of my dog training apprenticeship, my mentor Marie Selarque gave me the assignment of conditioning an emotional response in my dog using a neutral object (i.e. something that didn't already have a good or bad association for my dog). I chose a baseball cap. Several times a day for about a week, I paired the sight of my baseball cap with everything that Luka loved, such as chicken treats and walks. By the end of the week, Luka was wagging his tail and perking up his ears whenever I presented the baseball cap to him! This was a fun exercise that showed me the power of classical conditioning - something that affects the learning process in all animals, including humans.
Since then I've learned that we can also inadvertently condition a negative emotional response. I'll tell you something funny that happened to me recently (well, it's funny in retrospect).
Target Training With Luka
Over the last few weeks, I've been training my dog Luka to target (or touch) things with his nose. I started by having him touch the palm of my hand, and then the end of a chopstick. Currently he's learning to touch the kitchen cabinet door so that he can eventually close the door with his nose.
My dog Luka is almost 9 years old and is not the sharpest tool in the shed, so to speak. In order to teach this "trick" it was essential for me to give him feedback when he did the correct thing. Although I could have used a clicker to mark those moments, I decided to use the verbal reward marker of Good! because my hands were busy handling the cabinet door and feeding treats.
Twice a day for the last week, I have been working on this training with Luka. A typical session went something like, (Touch) Good! (Pause) (Touch) Good! (Touch) Good! (Pause) (Touch) Good! (Pause) (Touch) Good! (Big Push) Very Good!!!
A few days ago, I had just finished a session with Luka, only to find that my husband was in a very cranky mood. I couldn't think of anything I had done to upset him, and when I asked him what was wrong, he wasn't really sure. So I decided to leave him alone in order to avoid his wrath.
Several minutes later, he came to me apologetically and said, "I realized why I was so upset. The other day when you were training Luka, I was on the phone with a client, and I could hear you saying Good! Good! Good! in the background, and I was really annoyed because I had a hard time concentrating on the phone call. So when I heard you training Luka today, I guess it evoked that same feeling of annoyance in me!"
Now, if that isn't a brilliant example of classical conditioning, I don't know what is! Soon after this incident, I switched from using the Good! verbal marker to using a clicker. I thought it would be easier than changing my husband's conditioned negative emotional response to a positive one. In puppy classes, we sometimes encounter dogs that run away when the owner says "Come!" because the owner has inadvertently taught the dog that Come = End of Play, Time for Bath, and other unpleasant things. In these cases, we might suggest that the owner use a whole new word, like Here instead of trying to re-condition the word Come.
I encourage you to use classical conditioning to your advantage and to your puppy's advantage. It can play a key part in socializing your young puppy to everything in her environment, including riding cars, taking baths, clipping nails, walking past barking dogs, etc. If you're a training geek like me, you might also enjoy analyzing your own emotional reactions to various people, objects and locations in your life. You may be surprised what you discover.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Stress and How It Affects A Dog's Bite Threshold
This blog entry was written by my mentor Marie Selarque of Pro-Dog Hawaii. She talks about stress in dogs, and how it can affect their bite threshold. It's something every dog owner should understand, even if their dog is not aggressive. It can help keep everyone safe and your dog happy!
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In my puppy class I take great care to tell people about bite inhibition. I show them how to teach the dog that when she bites, she should inhibit the strength with which she bites rather than [inhibiting] the action of biting. It is very important that dogs know that we have much more sensitive skin than they do, and that engaging in play is much more effective if they bring us a toy rather than nip at our toes.
In puppy class we also do a lot of handling, introductions to strangers, kids (when we have some), noises, etc. It is called socialization. This is also a very important step in the development of the puppy. By doing so we offer a buffer of "good experiences" to counteract what may come later that is not so pleasant. Hopefully the puppy, having experienced a minor conflict with tons of great encounters in class, will be better equipped to deflect, avoid or recover from a more serious aggression.
But will it prevent bites? To a certain degree, yes. But it does only because we have reduced the possible stress that the dog would feel. Stress in dogs, as in humans, will pile up, resulting in an explosion. It can be road rage or bad temper for us and a snap or bite for them.
Let's take Rover for example. He is an Aussie mix and has has great owners. They have taken him to classes, play groups, hikes, etc. They have been very conscientious about exposing their puppy to everybody and everything. Yet Rover is funny about his personal space; he does not like people approaching too fast and hovering above him. He is also sound sensitive. And to top it off he is in love with his duck toy.
Rover will feel cautious about overly enthusiastic people wanting to pet him, but he will offer head turns and lip licking as calming signals and all will be fine. Similarly, if a stranger approaches calmly but wants to engage in tug of war with him and goes to grab his favorite toy, Rover will simply grab the toy and walk away.
You get the picture. Rover is really a good dog. Now put all of it together. The family takes Rover to the soccer game. The field is near a big street with lots of traffic noise with buses whizzing by. There are a lot of kids running around, with high pitch voices, whistles, cheering. For most of the game Rover has been chewing on his Duck toy, lying down between mom and dad.
Arrives the end of the game, and 3 happy kids spot Rover and come running. They crowd him (break rule of personal space), they speak loudly (break rule of quietness) and they grab the Duck (break rule of possession). Rover snaps and bites one of the kids' finger.
Is Rover at fault? No. His owner, then? No, Rover never exhibited aggression [before]. The kids? No, they were being kids. So what happened? The stressors stacked up, making it impossible for Rover to deal with the situation other than by biting and telling everyone loudly, "Back off please!!!!!!"
He had no other way to express himself.
This bite may seem totally unprovoked, but from the dog's perspective it was provoked, and he tried to tell people but was not heard.
Now let's look at the possible consequences. He is scolded by his owners. Rover will fear children, soccer fields, soccer balls maybe, and will have less tolerance, starting a downward spiral toward true aggression. Or he is pushed aside to [so the owners can] attend to the bitten child. He is left alone; his action worked. He is rewarded by having peace and quiet and space. His snapping may increase.
Also he will feel the fear that his owners now have and he will get even more worried about kids, crowd, fields, etc.
So what is there to do? First calm everybody. Chances are Rover who has a "soft mouth" (due to the good work done in puppy classes) just bruised the finger so it is not a life/death situation. Give everyone some space and look at the situation. Teach the children how to behave near dogs, all dogs. Take control of the situation and protect your dog by preventing kids from approaching too fast, being too loud, grabbing things from the dog. Perhaps allow the kids to give Rover some treats, making everybody feel more relaxed. The final outcome of this interaction has been positive. Everyone learned and not too much damage has been done.
Now imagine Fido, just adopted from the shelter. Stressed beyond her limits, not well socialized, put in a situation where she cannot cope, and you have a tragedy.
In our life we are stressed and often we have little mishaps. Now let's look at Arnold for our human example. He has problems at work, he woke up late, forgot important documents, etc. It piles up but he can still cope. Then comes the phone call telling him something happened to his kid at school. He explodes and he gets in a car accident. A shouting match follows and now he shoves the person in front of him. This person looses balance, falls and gets hit by a passing car. Tragedy.
It is so important to know the triggers that will create stress in your dog (as well as in us) and not put him/her in those situations. The dog cannot help his emotional responses any more than we can when faced with something that scares us or hurts us. Training, such as desensitization and counter-conditioning work very well and can increase tolerance but will not take nature away. What you can avoid though, is increasing the undesirable behaviors of lunging, barking, biting by punishing the dog, or inadvertently reinforcing them.
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For more information about desensitization and counter-conditioning please contact Marie. You can also subscribe to her newsletter at www.prodoghawaii.com.
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In my puppy class I take great care to tell people about bite inhibition. I show them how to teach the dog that when she bites, she should inhibit the strength with which she bites rather than [inhibiting] the action of biting. It is very important that dogs know that we have much more sensitive skin than they do, and that engaging in play is much more effective if they bring us a toy rather than nip at our toes.
In puppy class we also do a lot of handling, introductions to strangers, kids (when we have some), noises, etc. It is called socialization. This is also a very important step in the development of the puppy. By doing so we offer a buffer of "good experiences" to counteract what may come later that is not so pleasant. Hopefully the puppy, having experienced a minor conflict with tons of great encounters in class, will be better equipped to deflect, avoid or recover from a more serious aggression.
But will it prevent bites? To a certain degree, yes. But it does only because we have reduced the possible stress that the dog would feel. Stress in dogs, as in humans, will pile up, resulting in an explosion. It can be road rage or bad temper for us and a snap or bite for them.
Let's take Rover for example. He is an Aussie mix and has has great owners. They have taken him to classes, play groups, hikes, etc. They have been very conscientious about exposing their puppy to everybody and everything. Yet Rover is funny about his personal space; he does not like people approaching too fast and hovering above him. He is also sound sensitive. And to top it off he is in love with his duck toy.
Rover will feel cautious about overly enthusiastic people wanting to pet him, but he will offer head turns and lip licking as calming signals and all will be fine. Similarly, if a stranger approaches calmly but wants to engage in tug of war with him and goes to grab his favorite toy, Rover will simply grab the toy and walk away.
You get the picture. Rover is really a good dog. Now put all of it together. The family takes Rover to the soccer game. The field is near a big street with lots of traffic noise with buses whizzing by. There are a lot of kids running around, with high pitch voices, whistles, cheering. For most of the game Rover has been chewing on his Duck toy, lying down between mom and dad.
Arrives the end of the game, and 3 happy kids spot Rover and come running. They crowd him (break rule of personal space), they speak loudly (break rule of quietness) and they grab the Duck (break rule of possession). Rover snaps and bites one of the kids' finger.
Is Rover at fault? No. His owner, then? No, Rover never exhibited aggression [before]. The kids? No, they were being kids. So what happened? The stressors stacked up, making it impossible for Rover to deal with the situation other than by biting and telling everyone loudly, "Back off please!!!!!!"
He had no other way to express himself.
This bite may seem totally unprovoked, but from the dog's perspective it was provoked, and he tried to tell people but was not heard.
Now let's look at the possible consequences. He is scolded by his owners. Rover will fear children, soccer fields, soccer balls maybe, and will have less tolerance, starting a downward spiral toward true aggression. Or he is pushed aside to [so the owners can] attend to the bitten child. He is left alone; his action worked. He is rewarded by having peace and quiet and space. His snapping may increase.
Also he will feel the fear that his owners now have and he will get even more worried about kids, crowd, fields, etc.
So what is there to do? First calm everybody. Chances are Rover who has a "soft mouth" (due to the good work done in puppy classes) just bruised the finger so it is not a life/death situation. Give everyone some space and look at the situation. Teach the children how to behave near dogs, all dogs. Take control of the situation and protect your dog by preventing kids from approaching too fast, being too loud, grabbing things from the dog. Perhaps allow the kids to give Rover some treats, making everybody feel more relaxed. The final outcome of this interaction has been positive. Everyone learned and not too much damage has been done.
Now imagine Fido, just adopted from the shelter. Stressed beyond her limits, not well socialized, put in a situation where she cannot cope, and you have a tragedy.
In our life we are stressed and often we have little mishaps. Now let's look at Arnold for our human example. He has problems at work, he woke up late, forgot important documents, etc. It piles up but he can still cope. Then comes the phone call telling him something happened to his kid at school. He explodes and he gets in a car accident. A shouting match follows and now he shoves the person in front of him. This person looses balance, falls and gets hit by a passing car. Tragedy.
It is so important to know the triggers that will create stress in your dog (as well as in us) and not put him/her in those situations. The dog cannot help his emotional responses any more than we can when faced with something that scares us or hurts us. Training, such as desensitization and counter-conditioning work very well and can increase tolerance but will not take nature away. What you can avoid though, is increasing the undesirable behaviors of lunging, barking, biting by punishing the dog, or inadvertently reinforcing them.
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For more information about desensitization and counter-conditioning please contact Marie. You can also subscribe to her newsletter at www.prodoghawaii.com.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Mark My Words - using verbal markers to communicate to your dog
When training a dog, one of the most important things to do is to give your dog feedback about his behavior. Timing of the feedback is very important - the reward or punishment must come within a few seconds of the dog's behavior, otherwise the dog will not understand why he is being rewarded or punished. The problem with this is that there will inevitably be more than a few second delay in giving your dog a reward or punishment.
The idea behind using a verbal marker is to mark the exact moment that the dog is doing something right or wrong, and then follow it up with a consequence, such as a treat or a time-out. The verbal marker acts as a bridge between the behavior and the corresponding consequence. You may have heard of a training tool called a clicker. It's a little plastic box that makes a clicking noise when you press on it. It serves the same purpose as a verbal reward marker.
REWARD MARKER
A verbal reward marker can be a word such as "Yes!" or "Good!" so long as you use the same word in the same tone consistently. The verbal marker would be followed by a "positive" consequence such as a treat, freedom, or access to another dog.
Example 1: Let's say you want to teach your dog to pay attention to you more (and look at you). Rather than calling your dog's name numerous times, you can simply wait until he happens to look at you. When both of your eyes meet, immediately say "Yes!" and then give your dog a treat.
Example 2: Let's say your dog is on leash and is dying to go say hello to a dog that is 10 feet away. Your dog is pulling like mad towards him. Wait for your dog to stop pulling on the leash, and immediately mark it with a "Yes!" The consequence can be that you drop your dog's leash and let him go and greet the other dog.
A consistently used verbal reward marker will become a predictor of good consequences, therefore reinforcing the behavior.
A consistently used verbal reward marker will become a predictor of good consequences, therefore reinforcing the behavior.
NON-REWARD (or PUNISHMENT) MARKER
A non-reward marker is the opposite of a reward marker. It tells the dog when he is doing something undesirable. The verbal marker can be something like "Oops!" or "Uh uh!" Just remember that it is feedback, not a punishment in itself. The verbal marker would be followed by a "negative" consequence such as a time-out or the withdrawal of your attention. (I don't recommend giving a physical punishment such as a leash jerk.)
Example 1: Let's say your dog jumps on you all the time. As soon as his front paws leave the ground, say "Uh uh!" and then walk away or turn your back on your dog.
As the dog starts to make the association between the non-reward marker and the follow-up consequence, he may start to self-correct himself before you give him the consequence. If that happens, remember to praise your dog for making the right choice.
SUMMARY
Dogs are a lot smarter than many dog owners give them credit for. We have to remember that dogs don't speak English, and that we have to communicate in a clear way in order for them to understand what we want them to do (or not). Verbal markers are one way to do that.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Jump! For Your Love
"My puppy jumps on me and everyone she meets!" This is probably the number one puppy problem that people call me about. I sympathize with dog owners who have paw prints all over their clothes, especially with red dirt and rain being so prevalent in Hawaii!
WHY DO THEY JUMP?
While it's true that some dogs will jump as a status-seeking gesture, most dogs and puppies jump on people simply out of excitement, e.g. upon reuniting after a period of separation, and to get attention. In addition, they don't understand that it's not acceptable to us humans because often we inadvertently reinforce their jumping behavior by scolding them, which is still giving them attention.
It's also common for puppies to jump up on adult dogs and lick their muzzles as a submissive gesture. Biologically, puppy-licking is a request by a very young puppy that encourages the adult dog to regurgitate food for the puppy to eat. (Canine Body Language p.97 by Brenda Aloff) We humans are so much taller than the pups are, and my feeling is that the pups jump up to get closer to our faces.
TIPS TO STOP JUMPING
* Avoid inadvertently reinforcing the jumping behavior - If your dog is seeking your attention, then any kind of physical contact, eye contact and verbal communication will reinforce the behavior. Even pushing your dog away, scolding or saying No will give your dog attention. So try ignoring or turning away from your dog as soon as he jumps, and interact with him when he is not jumping or once he gets down on all four paws.
* Survive the Extinction Burst - When you first start ignoring your dog when he jumps, you might find that he starts to jump even more. This is what's called an extinction burst, which is like a last ditch effort by your dog to do what used to work for him in the past (jump up and get attention). Recognizing this will help you get through this period, which usually ends fairly quickly if you stick to your plan.
* If it's not enough to simply withdraw your attention from your pup, then give him an added consequence. Immediately mark the wrong behavior with a word like "Uh-oh!" and turn away or walk away from your pup. Turn around and face your pup as soon as he stops jumping. If you execute this with good timing, the dog will figure out quickly that jumping makes you ignore him, while standing on all 4 paws gets him the attention he wants.
* What would you like your dog to do instead? Teach and reward your dog for doing another behavior that is incompatible with jumping, such as a Sit every time she walks up to somebody. It's physically impossible to Sit and Jump at the same time. In the beginning, you'll have to be quick about asking for the Sit so that you can prevent the jumping.
* Identify your puppy's triggers for jumping and set your puppy up for success. For example, if eye contact sets your puppy off into a jumping frenzy, don't look at him when he's excited. Or keep the eye contact or greeting very short so the excitement doesn't escalate. If he only jumps on you when you're standing still, keep moving slowly when you're around him. These are temporary solutions to prevent your dog from practicing and perfecting unwanted behaviors, so don't worry, you'll eventually be able to pet and look at your dog normally.
* Make your departures and returns as uneventful as possible. Walk in quietly, don't speak in a high-pitched excited tone, etc.
* If you're coming through a door or gate, wait until your puppy has stopped jumping and then go through. If puppy starts to get over-excited and jump again as soon as you crack open the door, close the door again and start over. This technique is called the Evil Door, and it shows your dog what the consequences of jumping are (door closes, dog doesn't get to see you) without using harsh punishments or making you the bad guy.
* Mark and reward the right behavior (e.g. "Good girl!" followed by a treat) - a Sit, for example, or four paws on the ground. Dogs don't do well if they are only told what NOT to do. Instead, we should also teach them what TO DO and reward that behavior. Behaviors that are rewarded will happen more often.
* Make sure your dog doesn't chain the behaviors: jump, get down, get rewarded.
* Ask everybody who meets your dog to follow the same rules. This means that you may have to explain these techniques to house guests prior to their visits. If you have elderly guests or workers (cable guy, electrician) who can't help with training, then put your dog in his crate or in the yard with a food toy. Preventing the unwanted behavior is better than setting him up for failure.
* You can also keep your dog on a leash when house guests arrive, so that you have control over your puppy. Teach your dog to wait calmly next to you and give you eye contact before you give her permission to greet your guest. Once you release your dog, the leash should be loose. Keep the sniffing and greeting short (i.e. 1-2 seconds) then call your dog off ("Let's Go!") before he gets a chance to escalate to jumping. Reward the dog with a treat for disengaging from the guest. If your dog jumps on the guest before you get a chance to walk him away, verbally mark it ("Uh-oh!") and walk your dog away from the guest. Try again. If your guest would like to pet your dog, then you can be feeding your dog a treat while your guest pets your dog. Just release the treat slowly so the dog will keep his focus on the treat instead of jumping on your guest.
NOT RECOMMENDED
* Kneeing your dog in the chest - This (and other forms of physical correction) may work for some dogs, but I do not recommend it. Not only is it unpleasant for both human and dog, but it could cause injury, or may encourage your puppy to try harder. Scientific studies show that dogs (and humans) get accustomed to physical punishments and will start tuning them out unless the punishment gets harsher and harsher.
* Scolding or telling your dog to stop - Again, this may work on some sensitive dogs who can sense your displeasure. But for many exuberant and confident puppies, being scolded is not enough of a consequence for them to stop jumping. Negative attention like scolding can even be rewarding to a puppy who is craving attention.
SUMMARY
It is a lot more effective to show your puppy:
* The consequences of jumping (he loses your attention)
* What to do instead - reward him for four paws on the ground and/or prevent the jumping
* Consistency - insist that all your friends and family follow the same rules.
WHY DO THEY JUMP?
While it's true that some dogs will jump as a status-seeking gesture, most dogs and puppies jump on people simply out of excitement, e.g. upon reuniting after a period of separation, and to get attention. In addition, they don't understand that it's not acceptable to us humans because often we inadvertently reinforce their jumping behavior by scolding them, which is still giving them attention.
It's also common for puppies to jump up on adult dogs and lick their muzzles as a submissive gesture. Biologically, puppy-licking is a request by a very young puppy that encourages the adult dog to regurgitate food for the puppy to eat. (Canine Body Language p.97 by Brenda Aloff) We humans are so much taller than the pups are, and my feeling is that the pups jump up to get closer to our faces.
TIPS TO STOP JUMPING
* Avoid inadvertently reinforcing the jumping behavior - If your dog is seeking your attention, then any kind of physical contact, eye contact and verbal communication will reinforce the behavior. Even pushing your dog away, scolding or saying No will give your dog attention. So try ignoring or turning away from your dog as soon as he jumps, and interact with him when he is not jumping or once he gets down on all four paws.
* Survive the Extinction Burst - When you first start ignoring your dog when he jumps, you might find that he starts to jump even more. This is what's called an extinction burst, which is like a last ditch effort by your dog to do what used to work for him in the past (jump up and get attention). Recognizing this will help you get through this period, which usually ends fairly quickly if you stick to your plan.
* If it's not enough to simply withdraw your attention from your pup, then give him an added consequence. Immediately mark the wrong behavior with a word like "Uh-oh!" and turn away or walk away from your pup. Turn around and face your pup as soon as he stops jumping. If you execute this with good timing, the dog will figure out quickly that jumping makes you ignore him, while standing on all 4 paws gets him the attention he wants.
* What would you like your dog to do instead? Teach and reward your dog for doing another behavior that is incompatible with jumping, such as a Sit every time she walks up to somebody. It's physically impossible to Sit and Jump at the same time. In the beginning, you'll have to be quick about asking for the Sit so that you can prevent the jumping.
* Identify your puppy's triggers for jumping and set your puppy up for success. For example, if eye contact sets your puppy off into a jumping frenzy, don't look at him when he's excited. Or keep the eye contact or greeting very short so the excitement doesn't escalate. If he only jumps on you when you're standing still, keep moving slowly when you're around him. These are temporary solutions to prevent your dog from practicing and perfecting unwanted behaviors, so don't worry, you'll eventually be able to pet and look at your dog normally.
* Make your departures and returns as uneventful as possible. Walk in quietly, don't speak in a high-pitched excited tone, etc.
* If you're coming through a door or gate, wait until your puppy has stopped jumping and then go through. If puppy starts to get over-excited and jump again as soon as you crack open the door, close the door again and start over. This technique is called the Evil Door, and it shows your dog what the consequences of jumping are (door closes, dog doesn't get to see you) without using harsh punishments or making you the bad guy.
* Mark and reward the right behavior (e.g. "Good girl!" followed by a treat) - a Sit, for example, or four paws on the ground. Dogs don't do well if they are only told what NOT to do. Instead, we should also teach them what TO DO and reward that behavior. Behaviors that are rewarded will happen more often.
* Make sure your dog doesn't chain the behaviors: jump, get down, get rewarded.
* Ask everybody who meets your dog to follow the same rules. This means that you may have to explain these techniques to house guests prior to their visits. If you have elderly guests or workers (cable guy, electrician) who can't help with training, then put your dog in his crate or in the yard with a food toy. Preventing the unwanted behavior is better than setting him up for failure.
* You can also keep your dog on a leash when house guests arrive, so that you have control over your puppy. Teach your dog to wait calmly next to you and give you eye contact before you give her permission to greet your guest. Once you release your dog, the leash should be loose. Keep the sniffing and greeting short (i.e. 1-2 seconds) then call your dog off ("Let's Go!") before he gets a chance to escalate to jumping. Reward the dog with a treat for disengaging from the guest. If your dog jumps on the guest before you get a chance to walk him away, verbally mark it ("Uh-oh!") and walk your dog away from the guest. Try again. If your guest would like to pet your dog, then you can be feeding your dog a treat while your guest pets your dog. Just release the treat slowly so the dog will keep his focus on the treat instead of jumping on your guest.
NOT RECOMMENDED
* Kneeing your dog in the chest - This (and other forms of physical correction) may work for some dogs, but I do not recommend it. Not only is it unpleasant for both human and dog, but it could cause injury, or may encourage your puppy to try harder. Scientific studies show that dogs (and humans) get accustomed to physical punishments and will start tuning them out unless the punishment gets harsher and harsher.
* Scolding or telling your dog to stop - Again, this may work on some sensitive dogs who can sense your displeasure. But for many exuberant and confident puppies, being scolded is not enough of a consequence for them to stop jumping. Negative attention like scolding can even be rewarding to a puppy who is craving attention.
SUMMARY
It is a lot more effective to show your puppy:
* The consequences of jumping (he loses your attention)
* What to do instead - reward him for four paws on the ground and/or prevent the jumping
* Consistency - insist that all your friends and family follow the same rules.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
There's More to Sniffing Than Meets the Nose
Last week I had the privilege of dog-sitting a delightful one-year old dog named Roxy. Roxy has wonderful dog-to-dog social skills. She is extremely playful but is not pushy towards other dogs. One of the things I saw her do several times during her stay with me was sniffing the ground as a calming signal to other dogs.
In the video clip below, you'll see Roxy (the tan one) playing with her friend Marlee (the black one). Marlee is the older of the two, and has a tendency to guard her toys from younger dogs. You can't hear it in the video clip, but what happens is that they run around playing for a few seconds, and then Roxy tries to grab a stick that Marlee had been chewing on earlier. Marlee lowers her head and lets out a quick growl to say "Mine! Back off!" Roxy backs off immediately, and then starts sniffing the ground as if to say, "I'm not a threat. Don't worry." It's also possible that Roxy is sniffing the ground as a displacement behavior. When dogs are a little stressed or uncertain, you might see them perform a familiar activity such as sniffing or scratching, except that the activity will seem out of place in the situation.
On another occasion I took Roxy to the mini dog park within my friend's boarding facility Bow Wow Bungalows. As soon as Roxy walked into the dog park, a pack of ten or so dogs crowded around her and started chasing her around to sniff her butt. Roxy felt a little intimidated by the pack of dogs, so she started walking around the dog park and sniffing the ground. In this case, I could tell that she wasn't just doing investigative sniffing, because her body was stiff, her back was curved, her tail was almost tucked, and she sniffed obsessively for a while without lifting her head. After about 3 minutes, all the dogs became familiar with Roxy, and she turned into her usual self - a social butterfly.
Canine body language and signals are often quite subtle and easy to miss. It's a great idea for dog owners to educate themselves about the language of dogs so that they can recognize when their dogs are feeling stressed, happy, threatened, curious, etc. There are lots of good DVDs and books out there. Two books I highly recommend are Canine Body Language - A Photographic Guide by Brenda Aloff and Canine Behavior- A Photo Illustrated Handbook by Barbara Handelman. For video, I recommend Sarah Kalnajs' The Language of Dogs DVDs.
In the video clip below, you'll see Roxy (the tan one) playing with her friend Marlee (the black one). Marlee is the older of the two, and has a tendency to guard her toys from younger dogs. You can't hear it in the video clip, but what happens is that they run around playing for a few seconds, and then Roxy tries to grab a stick that Marlee had been chewing on earlier. Marlee lowers her head and lets out a quick growl to say "Mine! Back off!" Roxy backs off immediately, and then starts sniffing the ground as if to say, "I'm not a threat. Don't worry." It's also possible that Roxy is sniffing the ground as a displacement behavior. When dogs are a little stressed or uncertain, you might see them perform a familiar activity such as sniffing or scratching, except that the activity will seem out of place in the situation.
On another occasion I took Roxy to the mini dog park within my friend's boarding facility Bow Wow Bungalows. As soon as Roxy walked into the dog park, a pack of ten or so dogs crowded around her and started chasing her around to sniff her butt. Roxy felt a little intimidated by the pack of dogs, so she started walking around the dog park and sniffing the ground. In this case, I could tell that she wasn't just doing investigative sniffing, because her body was stiff, her back was curved, her tail was almost tucked, and she sniffed obsessively for a while without lifting her head. After about 3 minutes, all the dogs became familiar with Roxy, and she turned into her usual self - a social butterfly.
Canine body language and signals are often quite subtle and easy to miss. It's a great idea for dog owners to educate themselves about the language of dogs so that they can recognize when their dogs are feeling stressed, happy, threatened, curious, etc. There are lots of good DVDs and books out there. Two books I highly recommend are Canine Body Language - A Photographic Guide by Brenda Aloff and Canine Behavior- A Photo Illustrated Handbook by Barbara Handelman. For video, I recommend Sarah Kalnajs' The Language of Dogs DVDs.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Benefits of Group Off-Leash Hikes
Off-leash hikes are not only a good way to exercise dogs, but also a great way to socialize dogs with each other. Shy dogs in particular can benefit from being around other dogs, but in a less threatening way than in a dog park, where a shy dog might feel cornered or overwhelmed. On a group off-leash hike, the dogs are focused on walking and exploring the environment, and they can choose to interact with the other dogs when they feel like it.
I have also noticed that off-leash hikes are good for dogs that tend to play too rough with other dogs when they are in a static environment like a dog park or someone's yard. During a hike, the dogs cannot stop and play in one spot for too long, or they will be left behind. So they tend to play a little, and then run along to catch up with the rest of the pack. This gives them a natural break from their play.
Off-leash hikes are also great for draining the energy of young hyper dogs. The humans and mellower dogs can walk in a straight line, while the energetic dogs can run back and forth and tire themselves out! Leashed walks can be fun too, and are a good way to train your dogs, but if you have multiple dogs with different energy levels, you may find it hard to satisfy all the dogs' needs with a leashed walk.
For those of you who are worried that your dog might run off and not come back if you let him off leash, I would definitely recommend that you practice your recalls beforehand. However I do find that dogs tend to stick with the pack during off-leash hikes, even dogs that are not used to being off-leash. Of course you'll want to hike in an area that is fairly safe, but you might be surprised to see your dog checking in with you every few minutes to make sure he hasn't lost you. To reinforce that behavior, reward your dog with treats and praise when she comes back to you, and then send her off to play again.Oahu has a limited number of trails where dogs are allowed, but it's definitely worth finding a few in your area. Happy Trails!
In the short video clip below, you'll see various dogs hiking off leash with each other. When I board new dogs at my house, I like to take them all for a hike together before putting them in the yard or house together. It's a low pressure way for them all to get to know each other.
Monday, January 11, 2010
A Visit with Aloha Schutzhund Club
I had the privilege of sitting in on one of Aloha Schutzhund Club's weekly meetings. Schutzhund means "protection dog" in German, and was originally developed in Germany in the early 1900s to test whether German Shepherd Dogs exhibit the traits necessary for police-type work (Wikipedia). Schutzhund is now a popular dog sport among people with working breed dogs.
Aloha Schutzhund Club's president Robert Blok was kind enough to explain and show me all the exercises they do in Schutzhund. He has many years of experience training police dogs, and owns his own training business Hawaii K9 Solutions as well. Watching Robert and another trainer named Jim Philson work with the dogs and coach the club members was pretty inspiring.
Below are some photos and videos I took. I didn't get any photos or video of the scent tracking exercise but that was also fascinating - something that many pet dogs might enjoy, even if they're not doing Schutzhund.
OBEDIENCE ~ HEELING AND SIT-STAY
The dogs learn to do a precise heel and pay very close attention to the handler. The dog and handler could be running at full speed, but as soon as the handler gives the Sit or Down command, the dog immediately stops and does it. Often the dogs would get to fetch a ball after doing a good job with obedience. According to Robert, it starts out as a play reward, but ultimately they are allowing the dogs to express their prey drive.
OBEDIENCE ~ A-FRAME RETRIEVE
Below is a video clip of a dog jumping over an A-frame and retrieving a dumb bell thrown by trainer Jim. Amazing and so beautiful!
PROTECTION ~ OBJECT GUARDING
In the video below, you'll see Robert's dog Bear protecting an object on the ground. When trainer Jim approaches, Bear guards the object. Bear knows Jim and is normally friendly towards him, but Bear still guards the object from Jim because his handler has asked him to. Would you try to take an object away from a dog that was barking and lunging at you like this? I don't think so!
PROTECTION ~ BITING THE DECOY ATTACKER
The bite work seemed to be the most exciting activity for these working dogs. What happens is the handler and her dog walk behind the "decoy" person (in this case trainer Jim). The decoy person suddenly turns around and pretends to attack the dog and handler. The dog jumps up and bites the protected arm piece on the decoy person. The dog lets go when he is asked. With this kind of training, it's really important for the dog to have self-control and listen to the handler, for instance when he is asked to let go of the arm.
In the video below, you'll see one of the club members doing this with her Rottweiler, who LOVED the bite work. Even the German Shepherds who were watching from their crates got really excited and started barking while the bite work was going on - it was like a gladiator ring! (My 8-year old Golden Retriever Luka was sitting in the corner of the field, quivering amidst all this intensity. He is obviously not cut out for Schutzhund!)
In the video below, you'll see Robert's dog Bear protecting an object on the ground. When trainer Jim approaches, Bear guards the object. Bear knows Jim and is normally friendly towards him, but Bear still guards the object from Jim because his handler has asked him to. Would you try to take an object away from a dog that was barking and lunging at you like this? I don't think so!
PROTECTION ~ BITING THE DECOY ATTACKER
The bite work seemed to be the most exciting activity for these working dogs. What happens is the handler and her dog walk behind the "decoy" person (in this case trainer Jim). The decoy person suddenly turns around and pretends to attack the dog and handler. The dog jumps up and bites the protected arm piece on the decoy person. The dog lets go when he is asked. With this kind of training, it's really important for the dog to have self-control and listen to the handler, for instance when he is asked to let go of the arm.
In the video below, you'll see one of the club members doing this with her Rottweiler, who LOVED the bite work. Even the German Shepherds who were watching from their crates got really excited and started barking while the bite work was going on - it was like a gladiator ring! (My 8-year old Golden Retriever Luka was sitting in the corner of the field, quivering amidst all this intensity. He is obviously not cut out for Schutzhund!)
All the dogs that I observed thrived on the exercises. These are not your average couch potato dogs - they NEED and LOVE to work...all the time! If you have a super-driven dog and you are committed to this type of training, contact the Aloha Schutzhund Club for more information.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Give A Dog A Job!
I recently boarded and trained a 7-month old German Shepherd puppy named Piko. He had A LOT of energy, even after taking him on 3 walks a day (bike rides, mid-day fetch games and/or swimming, AND off-leash walks). I quickly figured out that it wasn't more exercise he needed, but mental stimulation.
Piko was too smart for a Kong toy. No matter what I stuffed in it, he ate all the contents within minutes. He would then eye my household items to see what else he could chew on to keep his mind occupied.
So I decided to teach him some service dog tasks. I am just starting to learn about using a clicker to shape behavior, so it was exciting for me too. Piko was already good at fetching balls - he could do it all day. And he also liked to play tug-of-war. So we worked on a couple of things that took advantage of those skills.
NEWSPAPER DELIVERY
During the several days that Piko stayed with me, I worked on getting Piko to pick up my neighbor's newspaper at the mailbox and deliver it to her doorstep. He easily picked up the newspaper (which I praised him for), but the tricky part was getting him to carry it all the way down the driveway instead of stopping and chewing on the newspaper! I strongly reinforced him with praise for picking up and carrying the paper, and redirected his attention or asked him to "Leave It" if he dropped the paper prematurely and started chewing on it.
Having him drop the paper at my neighbor's door was easy. I had already taught him the "Leave It" command, and that's all it took for him to drop it. Once he dropped it, I made sure to praise/click/treat as we walked away from the newspaper - otherwise he started chewing on the newspaper! He is a puppy after all.
OPENING THE REFRIGERATOR
I also taught Piko how to open the refrigerator door on command. Since he already enjoyed playing tug-of-war, I started out by waving an old shirt around his face until he started mouthing it, and clicking and treating that. I then waited for him to pull the shirt. After clicking and treating him several times for pulling the shirt, I tied the shirt to the fridge door.
I waved the shirt around his face again until he pulled the shirt and opened the door (click and treat). Next I pointed to the shirt and said Open (instead of waving the shirt around). Piko was so smart that he immediately pulled the shirt and door open. We repeated this several times to reinforce the command and behavior, and we practiced this every day.
People often call me about their puppy or dog's problem behaviors, such as destructive chewing and digging. Sometimes the dog needs more exercise or training, other times the puppy is just being a puppy, while other times the dog is in need of more mental stimulation. Whatever the case may be, it's fun to figure out what kind of talents a dog has and teach him or her to utilize them in a useful or fun way. Some dogs might be good at service dog tasks, others might be good at scenting and tracking (search and rescue), while others might be good at agility.
Piko was too smart for a Kong toy. No matter what I stuffed in it, he ate all the contents within minutes. He would then eye my household items to see what else he could chew on to keep his mind occupied.
So I decided to teach him some service dog tasks. I am just starting to learn about using a clicker to shape behavior, so it was exciting for me too. Piko was already good at fetching balls - he could do it all day. And he also liked to play tug-of-war. So we worked on a couple of things that took advantage of those skills.
NEWSPAPER DELIVERY
During the several days that Piko stayed with me, I worked on getting Piko to pick up my neighbor's newspaper at the mailbox and deliver it to her doorstep. He easily picked up the newspaper (which I praised him for), but the tricky part was getting him to carry it all the way down the driveway instead of stopping and chewing on the newspaper! I strongly reinforced him with praise for picking up and carrying the paper, and redirected his attention or asked him to "Leave It" if he dropped the paper prematurely and started chewing on it.
Having him drop the paper at my neighbor's door was easy. I had already taught him the "Leave It" command, and that's all it took for him to drop it. Once he dropped it, I made sure to praise/click/treat as we walked away from the newspaper - otherwise he started chewing on the newspaper! He is a puppy after all.
OPENING THE REFRIGERATOR
I also taught Piko how to open the refrigerator door on command. Since he already enjoyed playing tug-of-war, I started out by waving an old shirt around his face until he started mouthing it, and clicking and treating that. I then waited for him to pull the shirt. After clicking and treating him several times for pulling the shirt, I tied the shirt to the fridge door.
I waved the shirt around his face again until he pulled the shirt and opened the door (click and treat). Next I pointed to the shirt and said Open (instead of waving the shirt around). Piko was so smart that he immediately pulled the shirt and door open. We repeated this several times to reinforce the command and behavior, and we practiced this every day.
People often call me about their puppy or dog's problem behaviors, such as destructive chewing and digging. Sometimes the dog needs more exercise or training, other times the puppy is just being a puppy, while other times the dog is in need of more mental stimulation. Whatever the case may be, it's fun to figure out what kind of talents a dog has and teach him or her to utilize them in a useful or fun way. Some dogs might be good at service dog tasks, others might be good at scenting and tracking (search and rescue), while others might be good at agility.
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