Clicker dog training tips, articles, and information
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Use it or Lose it!
I always tell clients that if they do not practice the behaviors that their dog has learned, then the dog will forget those behaviors. It is like learning Spanish and then never using it. I took 2 years of Spanish in High School and can barely speak but a few words. After high school I joined the USAF and never needed it. Now I work in a school with many Spanish speaking students/families and wish that I had kept up with my Spanish.
So, a dog can very easily lose those fun amazing tricks/ behaviors that you worked so hard at teaching, if you do not practice them with your dog. Keep your dog on his "A" game by continuing to practice and work on all those behaviors that he knows. By practicing the behaviors/tricks he will stay sharp and you can continue building that bond and closeness with your best friend (your dog).
Keep a journal of the things your dog knows, so that you can make sure to practice everything. Change it up by practicing in various locations with many different distractions. Challenge your dog and keep his mind mentally stimulated.
"A mind is a terrible thing to waste!"
So, a dog can very easily lose those fun amazing tricks/ behaviors that you worked so hard at teaching, if you do not practice them with your dog. Keep your dog on his "A" game by continuing to practice and work on all those behaviors that he knows. By practicing the behaviors/tricks he will stay sharp and you can continue building that bond and closeness with your best friend (your dog).
Keep a journal of the things your dog knows, so that you can make sure to practice everything. Change it up by practicing in various locations with many different distractions. Challenge your dog and keep his mind mentally stimulated.
"A mind is a terrible thing to waste!"
Monday, December 20, 2010
Puppy Training Tip
If you follow my blog, YouTube channel, or facebook page you know that I have a new puppy. Well, he is now 7 months old and time sure flies. Anyway, I thought that I would share a puppy training tip that has helped me with potty training and teaching my puppy to stay close to me.
If one allows their puppy to have free run of the house and is not yet potty trained, then in my opinion that puppy is being set up for failure. A puppy running around a house is just like a baby crawling around the house without a diaper on. In order to prevent house soiling there are a few things a person can do.
1. Crate the puppy when you are not able to pay CLOSE attention to him. Crate training a dog is very important and can really help strengthen a puppy's bladder and help with house training. If one trains a dog properly how to love his crate, then the dog will feel safe and comfortable in it. Check out this video to learn more about crate training. It is also really great to train your puppy to love his crate in case he needs to go to the vet, on a long car ride (well, in my opinion all dogs should travel in crates no matter how far the drive is.), when you are at work (until the puppy is house trained), when you take him to stay in a hotel, while you are at a dog sporting event, and much more. Many people think that putting a dog in a crate is mean and cruel, but dogs actually love and feel safe in them. Dogs are den animals and being in a crate is not any different than being in a den in the wild, except that I am sure the crate is more comfortable (with dog beds, treats, chew bones, kongs, etc... inside). It is my opinion that putting a dog outside in the yard or tying them up outside on a tether is CRUEL and UNACCEPTABLE! People do this because the dog is not reliable in the house. Crate training is the first step in teaching a dog to be reliable in the house. Dogs want to be inside with the family, where it is cool or warm depending on the time of the year, and where they are safe. I have a lot more to say on that subject, but I am going to try to get back on the topic of puppy training. :)
2. If you do not want to crate the puppy and you want him close by, then put the puppy on a harness, clip a leash to the puppy and tie that leash to your belt loop or around your waist. This works well if you are doing dishes, laundry, etc... You will be able to keep an eye on your puppy. You could tether your puppy to a heavy piece of furniture in plain sight so that you can also keep an eye on him, but make sure that the furniture will NOT move or tip over on the puppy and injure him.
When I have my puppy tied to my waist I can reinforce all the amazing behaviors that he does that I like. For Example: If he just settles at my feet as I fold clothes, I can drop a few treats down for him, praise him, pet him, or give him a yummy chew bone. If he is walking next to me, I can give him a treat for being next to me. Before you know it you will have a dog that wants to be next to you and not because you are giving him treats, but because you have build up value for being next to you. Being next to you = good things happening to the dog.
3. If you are moving around a lot and do not want to have your puppy attached to your body, you can use an exercise pen. I like to sprinkle kibble around the X-pen to give the puppy a job to do as I am busy cleaning. It also helps to sprinkle food around, because dogs do not like to eat where they go potty. Sprinkling food around the X-pen sends a message to the puppy that the entire area of that X-pen is also his dinner area. In addition, I like to toss in chicken, cheese, toys, chew bones, or things my puppy likes to build value for being in the X-pen as I walk past. I want my puppy to really enjoy being in there.
I have spent many many days with my puppy Twix tied to my waist and now at 7 months old, he will still follow me around, settle at my feet, hang out with me when I am doing my chores and he does not have a leash on. At night when my dogs are tired they have a choice to go to a dog bed in any room of the house, but they choose to go to their crates that are located right next to our human bed. :) Right now as I type, my 3 dogs are hanging out with me (Bandit & Twix at my feet under my office desk and Isabelle on the dog bed next to me). I would not want it any other way!
Those are just little tips on what you can do to prevent house soiling as well as teach your puppy to stay close to you.
Until next time, get out and have fun with your dog! A dog's life is too short; spend time, train, play, and enjoy them!
Pamela Johnson
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Positive Punishment in Verbal Form
Hi Everyone,
It has been awhile since I have posted to my blog and I am sorry for that. I am sitting at the airport waiting for my flight to return to sunny San Diego and can't wait to see my human and furry family. As I sit here and I think about all the information that I heard presented at the APDT conference as well as the interactions of people and thier dogs, I can't help but write about it.
I was not that impressed this year at the APDT conference and feel it is time for a change. A time to start changing not only the use of positive punishment physical methods, but verbal as well. Anything that a dog views as punishment should be removed from dog training. Well, that is my opinion and that is what this blog is really about. My opinion, methods, techniques, and all things that I believe in.
While at the conference I saw many people using verbal punishment and that includes saying "NO, Eh Eh, etc...". I even think that sometimes the way things are said can be punishing to a dog. If you use their name in a harsh tone and that tone always means you are upset with your dog. No reward markers are punishing to dogs and time outs can be punishing to dogs if used too frequently and with the intent of punishing. I am just jotting this stuff down and really should be mapping out this article, but I am about to board a plane. :) I will write more about this when I have time.
I also think that forcing a dog to perform when clearly the dog is stressed and showing signs of stress is punishment. A dog that is yawning, lip licking, running off stage, tail between the legs among other anxiety related body language or behaviors. I felt badly for the dog that this happened to and could not watch. I just got up and left. I know that many many many people enjoyed the performance and maybe if they had picked up on the stress related body language of the dog, they would have felt the same way that I did.
I am now boarding my plane and will continue this conversation at a later date. However, when I get home, I will be spending time with my dogs and husband.
Have a great day and think about the things that your dog might think is punishment.
Pam
It has been awhile since I have posted to my blog and I am sorry for that. I am sitting at the airport waiting for my flight to return to sunny San Diego and can't wait to see my human and furry family. As I sit here and I think about all the information that I heard presented at the APDT conference as well as the interactions of people and thier dogs, I can't help but write about it.
I was not that impressed this year at the APDT conference and feel it is time for a change. A time to start changing not only the use of positive punishment physical methods, but verbal as well. Anything that a dog views as punishment should be removed from dog training. Well, that is my opinion and that is what this blog is really about. My opinion, methods, techniques, and all things that I believe in.
While at the conference I saw many people using verbal punishment and that includes saying "NO, Eh Eh, etc...". I even think that sometimes the way things are said can be punishing to a dog. If you use their name in a harsh tone and that tone always means you are upset with your dog. No reward markers are punishing to dogs and time outs can be punishing to dogs if used too frequently and with the intent of punishing. I am just jotting this stuff down and really should be mapping out this article, but I am about to board a plane. :) I will write more about this when I have time.
I also think that forcing a dog to perform when clearly the dog is stressed and showing signs of stress is punishment. A dog that is yawning, lip licking, running off stage, tail between the legs among other anxiety related body language or behaviors. I felt badly for the dog that this happened to and could not watch. I just got up and left. I know that many many many people enjoyed the performance and maybe if they had picked up on the stress related body language of the dog, they would have felt the same way that I did.
I am now boarding my plane and will continue this conversation at a later date. However, when I get home, I will be spending time with my dogs and husband.
Have a great day and think about the things that your dog might think is punishment.
Pam
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Frustrated with People today!
As many of you may know, I am a full time PE teacher and I am off for summer vacation. Well today, I took my dogs to a place down here in San Diego called Sea Port Village for a long walk.
On our walk we encountered some really off the wall people that think they can just act any old way around well behaved dogs. Thank goodness that my dogs did not freak out. I think that if I would have just had my Border Collie, he probably would have freaked out. However, Isabelle is so mellow that she can keep Bandit from reacting to things.
First this man came toward us as if he was going to hit my dogs with this crazy hose attachment. I said, "Please do not come at my dogs with that thing." and he proceeded to come right at us. I had enough room to get out of the way and avoid him, but what in the world was he thinking. Or not thinking, I should say.
Next, we were just hanging out on the grass settling and watching the surroundings and this woman and her two kids were walking past, when all of a sudden the toddler broke free and started running, running full speed toward my dogs. This would have normally sent Bandit into a rage, but before he could react, I was yelling at the woman, "Do not let your child run up to strange dogs, that is very dangerous!" A dog's space should be respected. I did not say that, but thought it. I think because a dog is cute and just hanging out that kids and people think they can do anything they want. Well, not to my dogs! I will stand up for my dogs!
Lastly, right before we left to come home a woman comes at my dogs with "crazy fingers" as if she was going to pinch and squeeze their cheeks. I said, "my dogs do not like it when people do that." and I walked away.
My Border Collie really did amazing and either my training with him is paying off or my other dog was a great buffer. Either way, it really made me worried about all the other dogs in this world that people do that crap to. My dogs are lucky that I protect them from crazy people, but some people just do not know how to deal with that and they do not want to be mean to others. I personally do not know those people and do not have a hard time standing up to them and speaking up for my dogs!
Well, thank you for listening to me rant about the crazy day I had. I am now off to agility with my little Buddy Love Bandit and look forward to spending time with him without CRAZY people around!
Maybe I will not be going back to Sea Port Village and find another walk. There are so many places to go! However, I have a feeling that people are like that all over this world!
Take care,
Pam, Isabelle, & Bandit
On our walk we encountered some really off the wall people that think they can just act any old way around well behaved dogs. Thank goodness that my dogs did not freak out. I think that if I would have just had my Border Collie, he probably would have freaked out. However, Isabelle is so mellow that she can keep Bandit from reacting to things.
First this man came toward us as if he was going to hit my dogs with this crazy hose attachment. I said, "Please do not come at my dogs with that thing." and he proceeded to come right at us. I had enough room to get out of the way and avoid him, but what in the world was he thinking. Or not thinking, I should say.
Next, we were just hanging out on the grass settling and watching the surroundings and this woman and her two kids were walking past, when all of a sudden the toddler broke free and started running, running full speed toward my dogs. This would have normally sent Bandit into a rage, but before he could react, I was yelling at the woman, "Do not let your child run up to strange dogs, that is very dangerous!" A dog's space should be respected. I did not say that, but thought it. I think because a dog is cute and just hanging out that kids and people think they can do anything they want. Well, not to my dogs! I will stand up for my dogs!
Lastly, right before we left to come home a woman comes at my dogs with "crazy fingers" as if she was going to pinch and squeeze their cheeks. I said, "my dogs do not like it when people do that." and I walked away.
My Border Collie really did amazing and either my training with him is paying off or my other dog was a great buffer. Either way, it really made me worried about all the other dogs in this world that people do that crap to. My dogs are lucky that I protect them from crazy people, but some people just do not know how to deal with that and they do not want to be mean to others. I personally do not know those people and do not have a hard time standing up to them and speaking up for my dogs!
Well, thank you for listening to me rant about the crazy day I had. I am now off to agility with my little Buddy Love Bandit and look forward to spending time with him without CRAZY people around!
Maybe I will not be going back to Sea Port Village and find another walk. There are so many places to go! However, I have a feeling that people are like that all over this world!
Take care,
Pam, Isabelle, & Bandit
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)