~  Training Tips  ~

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They dont know evil or jealousy or discontent.

To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring - it was peace."

 - Milan Kundera


''Give your dog a job''

This is my foundation principle. Without something to focus on, dogs will find their own fun, and as I like to remind owners over and over, dogs are really not good at being left to make desicions. Their idea of a 'job' is to bark at the postman, chase cars, go crazy at dogs passing in the street etc. By being the one that makes the rules and sticking to them, you will earn your dog's respect and loyalty.

Motivation

Nothing in life is free, and everything has a consequence. Your dog's motivation can change from one minute to the next, it is our job to figure out what makes him tick. If you have (or are) the thing that motivates him most at any given time, then you win - you have his focus!

This can be, food, a toy, you, another dog, whatever. He gets a little bit of it, if he does something for you. So he is 'working' for it. It means that the habit forms of listening to you. If you can practise a little everyday, it means that when it counts (off the lead for example) it's second nature to come back without thinking about it, as it has been practised over and over.

Interrupt, Refocus, Reward

Our society, I feel, is negatively charged. We are quick to tell off our kids and children and employees, but what damage is this doing long term?

Studies have shown that if we continue to tell off children over and over without positive stimulation, the child will grow worse in it's behaviour, doing 'bad' things to get attention. I find that an interesting concept to apply to dogs too. Sometimes we come across dogs that know that peeing in the house is not acceptable, grabbing socks and shoes to play with is not allowed, and they know it has an adverse effect, however they do it, and in front of us to get our attention. We need to bring our thought process round in the opposite direction now, and I know it is more work, but it is alot more rewarding too. If an undesirable behaviour happens, let's ignore it, Interrupt it,and Refocus all that energy onto something allowed (like a special tug toy) and Reward that good behaviour. Let's try to catch good, calm behaviours!

I thought this would be a great place to write about my little chicken killer terrier.  Many dog trainers and behaviourists would suggest that a conditioned killer would always be a killer. I have worked long and hard (using reinforcement methods, good timing and distraction) and I finally have my breakthrough.
Here is the video with our results. The balloon has been his re-focus, training and working near the chickens distracts him from his previous focus (the chase and the kill) finally within the last month I can relax about him being outside while they are roaming free. The point? Proof that if you want something enough, there are ways to change behaviour. Quick fixes like an electric collar only cover up the obsession and do not work on the emotional drive and state of mind.


Reward Pushy, Get Pushy

One of the most common mistakes I see is owners rewarding pushy behaviours. Let's break this down. A 'reward' is a something that makes a behaviour stronger, just because you didn't consciously issue the reward (e.g. petting him when he is close by), doesn't mean it wasn't rewarding to the dog. If it works, the dog will try it again, that is how habits are formed (we do the same, e.g. turning the key in the ignition makes the car go, this is a behaviour that is rewarded, so we continue to do the behaviour).

'Pushy' is an undesirable behaviour. Let's take barging through doors as an example. One day a pup goes first through the door. It works, he gets to go first and his owner follows and takes him to the park. The same thing happens the next day, and the pup knows the park is coming and gets a little excited. Each day his excitement grows and he starts barking in anticipation of the door opening. The 'reward' in this case is the door opening (and heading to the park), and his 'pushy' behaviour is getting worse, he is throwing himself at the door and barking his head off, until the door is opened (I have seen this!) The owner doesn't understand why the dog is so excited. The dog is in a frenzy, and can't hear his owners pleas of ''shhh, quiet - THAT'S ENOUGH'' (indeed he might think you are joining in, rejoicing in the anticipation of the walk!). It is preventable and fixable, but it started somewhere as a small behaviour that grew and grew into a problem. A little issue can get big in no time at all so be careful of what you are rewarding!

You are what you Eat

This old saying has never been so true when applied to dog food. Try to avoid coloured foods ('E' numbers do the same to dogs as to kids) and read the ingredients label... try to avoid buying products that have 'cereals' labelled first, (the dog's digestive system is carnivorous) and look out for wording like 'meat meal' or 'derivatives' (means 'once came from').

I have been feeding a natural diet for over 6 years. If you are interested in diet matters, get in touch for a chat!

Food for thought from a well known vet, Dr. Tom Lonsdale -

" Unnatural diets predispose animals to unnatural outcomes."