Beth Chambers Carbone participated in our Leash Lungers Anonymous class where we teach BAT (Behavior Adjustment Training) techniques to rehabilitate reactive, fearful and aggressive dogs. Here she writes about what she learned and how the class helped her and her dog.
For more info on the class, which I co-teach with Pro-Dog Hawaii, please email me!
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ProDog Hawaii's Behavior Adjustment Training sessions for aggressive dogs changed my experience of walking my dog. I think most of of think of walking a dog as a peaceful experience. We get to spend pleasurable time with our dog, we feel the sunshine on our backs, we enjoy the beautiful landscapes of Hawaii... But my walks were not like that for a long time.
My dog, Nero, is an "intact" male Bulmastiff. He is wonderful with humans, but he doesn't like strange dogs. I have always been very careful on my walks to avoid other dogs -- and by avoid, I mean I walked across streets, turned around, or even ran when I saw other dogs coming close. Nero would lunge towards strange dogs, and it was very unpleasant for me. Every day, when I walked Nero, I felt as if I was walking in a minefield: always trying to see beyond blind corners, practicing active avoidance when I saw dogs. And if another dog and it's owner "snuck up behind me" (i.e., walked up behind me) I would feel panic! So my walks weren't very fun.
That changed after Nero and I participated in BAT with Marie and Kyoko and two other dogs (Hiro and Hina). The goal of BAT is simple: learn how to encourage non-aggressive behaviors by marking them and rewarding the dogs. And really, that's what it is. We met for 4 weeks, 1 hour each week, and went through a series of activities that taught us how to recognize neutralization behaviors and reward them. So I learned what Nero does when he exhibits aggressive behavior and also when he is showing calming/neutral signals. When he would give me those calm/neutral signals, I would immediately mark it, turn away from the other dog, and then give a reward. We did this over and over, getting closer and closer to the other dogs. In this experience, I learned what Nero does to be calm. But he also learned what I want him to do when he sees another dog.
The amazing thing about it is that the behavior and training have extended beyond the two dogs we worked with. Now when we are on walks and see other dogs, I don't feel that I need to walk away. Now that doesn't mean I get too close: I know now that Nero is okay at about 8-10 feet away. And Nero knows that he can look at the other dog -- sometimes for many seconds -- and then he will turn his head, lick his lips, and look me in the eye. I know that means that he is telling me he's calm, and I reward him and walk away. Today, I was walking him and a woman walked very close to me with a big dog. I was standing near a tree, all alone in a field, and this woman cut right towards me! Even though I was trying to give her signals (such as saying, "Please don't come too close to me because I have an aggressive dog."), she just kept coming. I couldn't believe it! But guess what? My dog Nero just sat and looked. When she finally stopped, about six feet away from me, my dog looked at me and looked away from her dog! I gave him a treat and then we walked on.
So, now I really am enjoying my walks with my dog. I am not constantly afraid that my dog is going to suddenly lunge at another dog, and I feel more confident that everything will be okay even when the unexpected happens. Yes, I think my dog will stay alert and could be aggressive with other dogs. But the great thing is that he knows how to communicate with me, and I know how to recognize his signals. He'll let me know if I am getting too close to another dog, and I will respect his boundaries. And so we will walk!
Showing posts with label dog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog. Show all posts
Sunday, April 29, 2012
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.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Bark, Bark, Bark!
People often ask me how to stop their dog's excessive barking. The answer depends on why the dog is barking. It's helpful to learn the differences between the various types of barking. Below are some common reasons that dog bark, along with potential solutions:
Attention-Seeking or Demand Barking
Dogs will often bark at their owner in order to demand something specific, whether it's attention, food, or access to a physical area. Nobody wants their neighbors to complain about the barking, so we dog owners often immediately give our dog what he's asking for in order to stop his barking. Although this may stop the barking temporarily, we are inadvertently teaching our dog that he can get what he wants by barking. Another way that dog owners attempt to quiet down their dogs is to yell at them to shut up. While this may work (i.e. your dog is scared of punishment or your dog is barking temporarily for territorial reasons), it may also encourage the barking because your dog doesn't speak English and he thinks you're screaming, "Keep barking, Fido!"
The simple solution to demand barking is to ignore your dog when he's demanding something. You may have to put up with extra barking for a few days while your dog makes a last ditch effort to get what he wants, but if you stick to the "no attention" program, your dog's demand barking should fade away from lack of reinforcement. You can also praise or give your dog attention a few seconds after he stops barking. Just make sure he doesn't learn to chain the behaviors (bark first, then be quiet, then get rewarded)!
For some dogs, ignoring their barking will not work, because they are extremely persistent, or they will end up getting their reward at some point anyway, such as when they bark for their meal at meal time. In this case, you can try the time-out method. Let's take mealtime as an example. Have your dog drag a leash so you can easily take him away if needed. Begin preparing your dog's meal. The instant your dog starts barking, verbally mark it, e.g. "Time Out!", then lead him away from the food preparation area with his leash. Stay away for 30 seconds or so. Come back to the kitchen with your dog and continue preparing the meal. If your dog barks again, call the Time Out again immediately, and take him away. This example would be easier to implement if 2 people did it together, one person preparing the meal, the other person walking the dog away for time-outs.
The time-out method shows the dog that if she demand barks, then she will get her reward taken away.
Boredom and Frustration Barking
Under-exercised and under-stimulated dogs will often bark for no apparent reason. They won't direct their barking at anyone or anything in particular, but they may bark for prolonged periods of time in order to get their frustration out. I see this happen with dogs whose owners are very busy with work, and the dogs are left at home alone all day with nothing to do. Exercise is probably the best solution for this. A tired dog is usually a good dog. Before leaving for work every day, take your dog for a nice walk, jog or swim. You can also do mentally challenging games like nose work. If you don't have much time and you have a high-energy dog, go on an off-leash hike with your dog. Your dog can burn twice as much of his energy as regular leashed walking, and it takes a lot less time. You can also hire a dog walker.
Another thing that might help is to give your dog a food-puzzle/chew-toy such as Premier's Busy Buddy or Kong, to keep his mind occupied while home alone. These types of toys work especially well for food-motivated dogs. You can read my blog article about food toys for more info.
Excitement Barking
It's an endearing quality for a dog to bark every now and then to let you know how excited he is. But what if he does it all the time, i.e. when he sees another dog, when he's waiting for his food, when he's about to enter the dog park? I would treat excitement barking in the same way as demand barking (above).
Let's say your dog is barking in excitement when he's about to enter the dog park. Simply stop and wait for your dog to stop barking and calm down. Move towards the dog park only when he's calmed down (repeat as necessary). If you notice over time that this doesn't curb the barking, you can add the time-out method - as soon as he starts barking, mark it verbally (e.g. Time Out!) and walk away from the dog park. Re-approach the dog park after 15-20 seconds and repeat the steps. Don't be discouraged if it takes you a long time to get into the dog park the first several times!
Alert Barking and Territorial Barking
Two kinds of barking that are quite different from demand, boredom and excitement barking are alert barking and territorial barking, which are quite natural things for dogs to do. We probably all want our dogs to alert bark if an intruder comes into our property, but at the same time we don't want our dog to constantly be alert barking.
To some extent you can manipulate the environment to curb the amount of barking. For example, you can put up a visual barrier so that your dog can't see passersby through the gate or window. Or you can play music in the house so that your dog won't react to every little noise he hears in the neighborhood.
We can also train our dogs to stop barking when we ask them to. Acknowledge or thank your dog when he alert barks, and then reward him for stopping. For some dogs, a verbal praise and acknowledgement will be enough. Other dogs may require treats. Just make sure you recognize if your dog starts "manipulating" you, i.e. barking at nothing in order to stop barking at your request, and then get a treat!
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Shock Collars, Citronella Collars and Debarking
I do not recommend the use of anti-barking shock collars because in addition to harming your dog and potentially having negative side effects, they don't solve the underlying problem of your dog's barking. They now have less harmful anti-barking citronella spray collars, which could be used as a temporary solution if, for instance, your landlord is threatening to evict you because of your dog's barking. But even the citronella spray should not be used as a long-term solution.
Debarking a dog is not a humane solution for barking either. It may take care of the symptoms, but it doesn't change the underlying reasons for the barking. Let's all educate ourselves so that we can use humane and effective techniques instead!
Attention-Seeking or Demand Barking
Dogs will often bark at their owner in order to demand something specific, whether it's attention, food, or access to a physical area. Nobody wants their neighbors to complain about the barking, so we dog owners often immediately give our dog what he's asking for in order to stop his barking. Although this may stop the barking temporarily, we are inadvertently teaching our dog that he can get what he wants by barking. Another way that dog owners attempt to quiet down their dogs is to yell at them to shut up. While this may work (i.e. your dog is scared of punishment or your dog is barking temporarily for territorial reasons), it may also encourage the barking because your dog doesn't speak English and he thinks you're screaming, "Keep barking, Fido!"
The simple solution to demand barking is to ignore your dog when he's demanding something. You may have to put up with extra barking for a few days while your dog makes a last ditch effort to get what he wants, but if you stick to the "no attention" program, your dog's demand barking should fade away from lack of reinforcement. You can also praise or give your dog attention a few seconds after he stops barking. Just make sure he doesn't learn to chain the behaviors (bark first, then be quiet, then get rewarded)!
For some dogs, ignoring their barking will not work, because they are extremely persistent, or they will end up getting their reward at some point anyway, such as when they bark for their meal at meal time. In this case, you can try the time-out method. Let's take mealtime as an example. Have your dog drag a leash so you can easily take him away if needed. Begin preparing your dog's meal. The instant your dog starts barking, verbally mark it, e.g. "Time Out!", then lead him away from the food preparation area with his leash. Stay away for 30 seconds or so. Come back to the kitchen with your dog and continue preparing the meal. If your dog barks again, call the Time Out again immediately, and take him away. This example would be easier to implement if 2 people did it together, one person preparing the meal, the other person walking the dog away for time-outs.
The time-out method shows the dog that if she demand barks, then she will get her reward taken away.
Boredom and Frustration Barking
Under-exercised and under-stimulated dogs will often bark for no apparent reason. They won't direct their barking at anyone or anything in particular, but they may bark for prolonged periods of time in order to get their frustration out. I see this happen with dogs whose owners are very busy with work, and the dogs are left at home alone all day with nothing to do. Exercise is probably the best solution for this. A tired dog is usually a good dog. Before leaving for work every day, take your dog for a nice walk, jog or swim. You can also do mentally challenging games like nose work. If you don't have much time and you have a high-energy dog, go on an off-leash hike with your dog. Your dog can burn twice as much of his energy as regular leashed walking, and it takes a lot less time. You can also hire a dog walker.
Another thing that might help is to give your dog a food-puzzle/chew-toy such as Premier's Busy Buddy or Kong, to keep his mind occupied while home alone. These types of toys work especially well for food-motivated dogs. You can read my blog article about food toys for more info.
Excitement Barking
It's an endearing quality for a dog to bark every now and then to let you know how excited he is. But what if he does it all the time, i.e. when he sees another dog, when he's waiting for his food, when he's about to enter the dog park? I would treat excitement barking in the same way as demand barking (above).
Let's say your dog is barking in excitement when he's about to enter the dog park. Simply stop and wait for your dog to stop barking and calm down. Move towards the dog park only when he's calmed down (repeat as necessary). If you notice over time that this doesn't curb the barking, you can add the time-out method - as soon as he starts barking, mark it verbally (e.g. Time Out!) and walk away from the dog park. Re-approach the dog park after 15-20 seconds and repeat the steps. Don't be discouraged if it takes you a long time to get into the dog park the first several times!
Alert Barking and Territorial Barking
Two kinds of barking that are quite different from demand, boredom and excitement barking are alert barking and territorial barking, which are quite natural things for dogs to do. We probably all want our dogs to alert bark if an intruder comes into our property, but at the same time we don't want our dog to constantly be alert barking.
To some extent you can manipulate the environment to curb the amount of barking. For example, you can put up a visual barrier so that your dog can't see passersby through the gate or window. Or you can play music in the house so that your dog won't react to every little noise he hears in the neighborhood.
We can also train our dogs to stop barking when we ask them to. Acknowledge or thank your dog when he alert barks, and then reward him for stopping. For some dogs, a verbal praise and acknowledgement will be enough. Other dogs may require treats. Just make sure you recognize if your dog starts "manipulating" you, i.e. barking at nothing in order to stop barking at your request, and then get a treat!
=============================================
Shock Collars, Citronella Collars and Debarking
I do not recommend the use of anti-barking shock collars because in addition to harming your dog and potentially having negative side effects, they don't solve the underlying problem of your dog's barking. They now have less harmful anti-barking citronella spray collars, which could be used as a temporary solution if, for instance, your landlord is threatening to evict you because of your dog's barking. But even the citronella spray should not be used as a long-term solution.
Debarking a dog is not a humane solution for barking either. It may take care of the symptoms, but it doesn't change the underlying reasons for the barking. Let's all educate ourselves so that we can use humane and effective techniques instead!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Incorporating Training into Feeding Time - with videos
Doggie mealtime is a great time to practice "impulse control" and manners training. Food is a huge motivator for most dogs, so it should be easy to train your dog to sit calmly and wait for his or her food, even if he is easily excitable.
You can explicitly ask your dog to Sit and Wait (or Stay) before releasing him to eat, but it's kind of fun to let your dog figure it out on his own.
Below is a video of a dog that has learned the routine. He voluntarily sits, waits, and makes eye contact and starts eating only when released. I put the bowl down slowly and didn't make any quick body movements, as I didn't want the dog to release himself because of my quick body movements. As he becomes more used to the routine, I will be able to move more quickly.
You can explicitly ask your dog to Sit and Wait (or Stay) before releasing him to eat, but it's kind of fun to let your dog figure it out on his own.
Below is a video clip of a puppy that figures out that she won't get to eat until she waits in a seated position. I lifted the bowl every time she got up from the Sit position. You'll be surprised how fast puppies pick this up!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Dogs At Play - Videos
I dog-sat a wonderful 9-month old mix-breed dog named Rocky last week. He is awfully cute and was extremely playful with every dog he met. I videotaped him interacting with other dogs. Below are eight short and fun video clips.
PLAY BITING
Here's a video of Rocky (the taller one with black muzzle) playing with a 7-month old puppy named Natto. They're both young, energetic boys. Notice the soft mouthing and play bows. Very nice!
In the next clip, Rocky is playing with a 1+ year old female shepherd mix named Marley. The playing style is a little different from the video above of Rocky and Natto although they are also play-biting each other's necks. Notice the bite inhibition - they never bite too hard. When dogs are playing, they will often pause, and then continue their play. In this video you'll see Rocky shaking off at the end, a sign that he's coming down off of adrenaline.
WRESTLING AND PAWING
Here we have Rocky playing with Marley again. They wrestle a little and use their paws to paw at each other. Dogs at play will often take turns being on the bottom, or being the prey versus predator.
STALK-N-POUNCE
In the next clip you'll see Rocky stalking my golden retriever Luka, and then pouncing. Dogs often use hunting behavior in play. Ruby the 10-week old puppy also tries to engage Luka by play bowing and growling. Luka is an older dog (almost 8) so he's not interested in playing with the young dogs!
KEEP AWAY
Dogs love to play "keep away" where they grab a toy and keep it away from another dog or a person and be chased. Here's Marley keeping a rawhide bone away from Rocky.
Below we have Rocky keeping a rope toy away from a 10-week old puppy named Ruby. Rocky is very playful with Ruby, and doesn't guard the toy when she takes it away.
PUPPY LICKING
In the next video, Marley keeps the rawhide away from Rocky again. When Rocky attempts to approach the rawhide, Marley makes a playful but sudden movement as if to say, "Mine!" Rocky backs off, and then appeases Marley by licking her muzzle. "Puppy licking" can also be a sign of bonding.
BONUS VIDEO - SIT STAY
Here we have Rocky, Luka and 7 year old German Shepherd Vader doing sit-stays. Rocky is young and new to the sit-stay, so he attempts to get up once. I use my body to put Rocky back in his original position. They all get rewarded in the end for maintaining their sit-stay.
PLAY BITING
Here's a video of Rocky (the taller one with black muzzle) playing with a 7-month old puppy named Natto. They're both young, energetic boys. Notice the soft mouthing and play bows. Very nice!
In the next clip, Rocky is playing with a 1+ year old female shepherd mix named Marley. The playing style is a little different from the video above of Rocky and Natto although they are also play-biting each other's necks. Notice the bite inhibition - they never bite too hard. When dogs are playing, they will often pause, and then continue their play. In this video you'll see Rocky shaking off at the end, a sign that he's coming down off of adrenaline.
WRESTLING AND PAWING
Here we have Rocky playing with Marley again. They wrestle a little and use their paws to paw at each other. Dogs at play will often take turns being on the bottom, or being the prey versus predator.
STALK-N-POUNCE
In the next clip you'll see Rocky stalking my golden retriever Luka, and then pouncing. Dogs often use hunting behavior in play. Ruby the 10-week old puppy also tries to engage Luka by play bowing and growling. Luka is an older dog (almost 8) so he's not interested in playing with the young dogs!
KEEP AWAY
Dogs love to play "keep away" where they grab a toy and keep it away from another dog or a person and be chased. Here's Marley keeping a rawhide bone away from Rocky.
Below we have Rocky keeping a rope toy away from a 10-week old puppy named Ruby. Rocky is very playful with Ruby, and doesn't guard the toy when she takes it away.
PUPPY LICKING
In the next video, Marley keeps the rawhide away from Rocky again. When Rocky attempts to approach the rawhide, Marley makes a playful but sudden movement as if to say, "Mine!" Rocky backs off, and then appeases Marley by licking her muzzle. "Puppy licking" can also be a sign of bonding.
BONUS VIDEO - SIT STAY
Here we have Rocky, Luka and 7 year old German Shepherd Vader doing sit-stays. Rocky is young and new to the sit-stay, so he attempts to get up once. I use my body to put Rocky back in his original position. They all get rewarded in the end for maintaining their sit-stay.
Friday, June 19, 2009
The Importance of Early Socialization
It's quite common for dogs to become averse to certain things. Occasionally the aversions turn into full-blown fears or fear-based aggression. It's not fun for your dog, and it's not fun for the dog owner. Exposing your dog to many things from an early age can help to prevent this problem. Some common things you will want to expose your puppy to include:
* People - men, women, children, babies
* Other dogs
* Cats and other animals
* Riding in cars
* Going to the vet
* Nail clipping
* Bathing
* Swimming
* Stairs (including ones you can see through)
* Crates
* Being alone
* Loud noises including fireworks and thunder
* Bicycles, skateboards, scooters
* Public places and crowds
* Walking on a leash
When exposing your dog to these things, it's important to make it a positive experience. For instance, you might give Fido his favorite treat or give him a massage while you clip his nails so that he thinks of nail clipping as a happy event. If Fido is naturally fearful of certain things from the get go, you will want to introduce him to those things slowly or in increments.
It's especially important for puppies to be socialized with other dogs and people (strangers). Puppies go through a critical period of socialization between 1 to 4 months of age. If isolated from the outside world during that time, they can grow up to be unbalanced adult dogs. Some veterinarians advise people to keep their puppies in the yard or home until the entire vaccination series are complete. Of course, you should complete the first set of vaccines and keep your pup away from high-risk areas, but did you know that the chance of a dog being euthanized for behavioral problems is 1000 times higher than a dog getting sick from parvovirus or distemper?
It's also true that dogs, especially young ones, can be easily traumatized by a single negative experience with another dog. So it's very important that you monitor your dog's interactions with other dogs, and that you don't put your dog in a position where he has to defend himself. Dog parks are great, but as your dog's guardian, it's a good idea to educate yourself on subtle dog behaviors and always keep an eye on your dog, so that you can prevent bullying and fighting.
It's always easier to take precautionary measures to prevent fear, than to counter-condition a dog that has developed a negative emotional response towards something. Trust me on this one - early socialization is well worth your time!
* People - men, women, children, babies
* Other dogs
* Cats and other animals
* Riding in cars
* Going to the vet
* Nail clipping
* Bathing
* Swimming
* Stairs (including ones you can see through)
* Crates
* Being alone
* Loud noises including fireworks and thunder
* Bicycles, skateboards, scooters
* Public places and crowds
* Walking on a leash
When exposing your dog to these things, it's important to make it a positive experience. For instance, you might give Fido his favorite treat or give him a massage while you clip his nails so that he thinks of nail clipping as a happy event. If Fido is naturally fearful of certain things from the get go, you will want to introduce him to those things slowly or in increments.
It's especially important for puppies to be socialized with other dogs and people (strangers). Puppies go through a critical period of socialization between 1 to 4 months of age. If isolated from the outside world during that time, they can grow up to be unbalanced adult dogs. Some veterinarians advise people to keep their puppies in the yard or home until the entire vaccination series are complete. Of course, you should complete the first set of vaccines and keep your pup away from high-risk areas, but did you know that the chance of a dog being euthanized for behavioral problems is 1000 times higher than a dog getting sick from parvovirus or distemper?
It's also true that dogs, especially young ones, can be easily traumatized by a single negative experience with another dog. So it's very important that you monitor your dog's interactions with other dogs, and that you don't put your dog in a position where he has to defend himself. Dog parks are great, but as your dog's guardian, it's a good idea to educate yourself on subtle dog behaviors and always keep an eye on your dog, so that you can prevent bullying and fighting.
It's always easier to take precautionary measures to prevent fear, than to counter-condition a dog that has developed a negative emotional response towards something. Trust me on this one - early socialization is well worth your time!
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