Teaching the Automatic Sit

This article assumes that you have a basic working knowledge of clicker training and you dog is conditioned to the clicker.

Have you ever wished your dog would simply sit down and wait while you talk to someone during a walk or wait to cross the street, instead of sniffing and dislocating your arm? Read on. This article covers teaching your dog to sit automatically in situations such as those.

Begin your training in a quiet area. Walk a few yards with your dog on leash, then halt.

After you stop, call the dog’s name to get his attention, then lure him into the sit position by holding a treat just above his head. When he sits, click and treat. It doesn’t matter if the dog isn’t in heel position, and you should avoid giving a “sit” command when you halt. You want to teach your dog to sit automatically when you come to a stop; in effect, your halt becomes the “command” to sit.

Because you are teaching good behavior, rather than precision heeling, exactly where the dog sits is immaterial provided he isn’t in your way.

After you reward the sit, walk forward a few more yards and halt again. Repeat the lure-and-reward sequence. Practice this exercise over and over again on walks. After a few sessions, your dog should be starting to anticipate your prompt to sit.

To “test” your dog for readiness to go on to the next step, come to a halt and leave your arms by your sides. Do not lure the dog. If necessary, say his name to catch his attention. Then simply wait and do nothing for up to 30 seconds. If the dog sits, click and give him a “jackpot” consisting of a huge number of treats. If he doesn’t, continue the lure-and-reward method for another day or so, then “test” him again.

When you have accomplished your goal of teaching the dog to sit without a lure when you stop, practice this for several days. You should simply walk forward, then halt and wait for the dog to sit. If he is very distracted, you can call his name to get his attention. Reward with a click and a treat each time he sits.

The next step is to start rewarding only the best sits. First, withhold your reward if you have to call the dog’s name to get his attention. Then, start withholding rewards for very slow sits. When the dog begins to sit more quickly, up the ante so that you only reinforce the best, fastest sits. When your dog doesn’t earn a reward, simply say “good dog” and walk forward. Once your dog is proficient at the quick, smooth sit, introduce a more realistic level of distraction, as follows.

Practice walking your dog up to a group of people and stopping to “chat.” These can be fellow members of a class, friends, of even neighborhood kids hired for the occasion. Walk towards the group, and halt a few feet away. It the dog sits, reward him with a click and a “jackpot.”

If he fails to sit, and seems confused or distracted, say his name to catch his attention. Use your lure only if you absolutely have to. Should your dog jump on a member of the group or strain at the leash trying to drag you towards them, correct him with a sharp tug on the lead. The try to catch his attention and offer him another opportunity to sit for a reward.

Repeat this exercise a number of times until the dog will sit quickly, without any prompting. Practice with different people in different areas to vary the situation for the dog.

Then, ask members of the group to talk to and entice the dog while you encourage him to remain sitting. Reward your dog frequently for remaining in the sit despite the sweet-talking. If he attempts to stand up and approach someone, restrain him with the leash and call his name to bring his attention back to you. If he sits back down, click and reward. Lure him back in to the sit if it is absolutely necessary. If your dog lunges forcefully at someone in the group or jumps up, correct with a sharp tug on the leash.

When the dog’s attention remains focused on you in this situation, increase the difficulty by having members of the group pet and handle the dog the way a stranger on the street would. Once you reach this stage, you can stop using staged groups and simply walk your dog in congested areas. Come to a halt in the midst of “real” groups of people and practice!

Remember that your dog should sit any time you stop. Practice stopping at street corners, driveways, the entrance to your house, etc.

How To Deal With A Nipping or Mouthing Problem?

In dealing with the problem of a nipping or mouthing dog/puppy, it is important to remember that it is a dog’s natural behaviour to nip. Hence it is unrealistic to expect such behaviour will be corrected within a few training sessions or totally eliminated overnight. However with consistency, patient and practice, such behaviour can be corrected over time.

Ways to curb nipping behaviour in a dog/puppy:

• Avoid rough games such as play-slapping, wrestling, tug-of-war, etc
• Avoid vigorous petting, especially around the face. Always pet the dog gently and keeps the hand slow.
• Avoid playing with the dog using your hands as he may treat your hands as his toys. Keep several toys and treats at hand for the dog to focus on.
• Give plenty of exercise, such as fetching games, hide-and-seek, etc to burn off the energy in him; especially before any petting or interaction as a tired dog or puppy is not likely to nip.

What to do when your dog/puppy nips you:

Method 1

• Freeze immediately.

• After freezing, say ‘Off’ or ‘No’ in a sharp tone but not to yell or shout.
• At this time, the dog will take his mouth away, back away and/or look at you. At this point, praise him gently and calmly.
• If he resumes his nipping, walk away from him.
• After several minutes have passed, approach and resume the activity with him as long as he does NOT nip again.

Remember: Never allow or continue any activity with a nipping dog/puppy no matter how small he is or whether the bite hurts.

Method 2

This method can be used when the dog does not stop his nipping when you freeze:

• Spray an ‘anti-chewing’ spray in the dog’s mouth once. The spray has a bitter taste and the dog will normally dislike such taste.
• Spray it on your hands, feet and clothes before interacting with the dog.

Method 3

• Put the dog on a leash (use a chain-link leash if he tends to bite the leash) or head collar before interacting with him.
• Say ‘No’ when he nips and gently tug the leash.
• Hold the dog’s head away from your body until the dog calms down.
• Slowly put our hands or feet back toward the dog’s mouth. NO fast movement.
• Praise him gently when he only sniffs or nuzzles as this is appropriate greeting gestures of a dog.

And remember to praise your dog abundantly when he does the right thing!

Understand Your Dog's Body Language

Although your dog cannot use "words", he is always communicating. Dogs use their bodies to express their emotions, to show affection and to identify rank.

Unlike humans, dogs don't hide their emotions so what you see is what he's really feeling.

Dogs communicate with their actions, movement of their eyes, ears, mouths, etc, body gestures, tail wagging and more. Know to tune into your dog's body language, you'll realize what he's talking about and what he needs. Of course, each dog, like each human, has his own personality traits. Over time, you'll no doubt come to learn these individual traits. But there are general moods and behaviors that you can expect from dogs.

Barking

Dogs bark for many reasons, such as when perceived intruders (humans, dogs, or other animals) approach its territory, for identification, when hearing an unfamiliar or unidentified noise, when seeing something that the dog doesn't expect to be there, or when playing. Barking also expresses different emotions for a dog, such as loneliness, fear, suspicion, stress, and pleasure. Play or excited barks are often short and sharp, such as when a dog is attempting to get a person or another dog to play.

Dogs generally try to avoid conflict; their vocalizations are part of what communicates to other dogs whether they mean harm or are in a playful mood.

The bark of a distressed or stressed dog is high pitched, atonal, and repetitive (and tends to get higher in pitch as the dog becomes more upset). For example, a dog left home alone and who has separation anxiety might bark in such a way.

Some research has suggested that dogs have separate barks for different animals, including dog, fox, deer, human and cat.

Growls

Growls can be used to threaten, to invite play, and to show dominance. Growling should be watched with special attention because it can indicate dominance or aggression. A soft, low-pitched growl often indicates aggression; the dog may feel threatened and may be provoked to attack. An intense growl, without showing any teeth, may often indicate a playful attitude. Always consider the context of a growl, and exercise caution.

Whines and Whimpers

Dogs whine and whimper to show that they are either in pain, or are afraid, or when excited, such as when greeting another dog, or in anticipation of a treat or an outing. Some dogs may use whining as a means of getting attention.

Howls

Howling provides long-range communication with other dogs or owners. Howling can be used to locate another pack member, to keep strangers away, or to call the pack for hunting. Sometimes dogs howl in response to high-pitched or loud noises such as alarms, sirens, music, or singing.

Confidence

Dogs that are confident and comfortable will stand erect. Their tails will be up and wagging in a sweep. The ears may be pricked up or relaxed, and they will look directly at you. The mouth will be partially open in what some call a smile.

Fear

Dogs that are fearful will lower their stance. The tail will usually be down, tucked between his legs, although some dogs actually wag their tails when they are unsure and evaluating a situation. The fearful dog will not look directly at you. When he turns his head away, he's thinking, 'hmmm� if I don't see you, you don't see me, and nothing bad is going to happen to me.�

Dogs that are fearful or unsure may use "calming signals" to reduce stress for themselves or others with whom they're interacting. Some of these signals include yawning, barking, intentionally becoming distracted, lip-licking, circling, sniffing the ground, or just sitting or lying down.

Aggression

Certain breeds are hard to read - their tails are naturally curled up, and their ears are always perked up. Some dogs don't ever give any indication that they are going to bite so watch the dog's muzzle. A muzzle will twitch before a bite.

Other signs of aggression include stiff legs and body with the tail straight out, ears "pinned" back close to the head, a lowered head with eyes fixed intently at you. The lips are sometimes drawn back in a snarl and a low growl is heard.

Many people mistakenly believe that hackled hair on a dog's back means they are aggressive. However, these are usually dogs who aren't at all confident - they're apprehensive so hackled hair makes them look bigger.

You win!

Play bows are an invitation to play. The rear end is up, the front part of his body is down, and the tail is wagging. Rolling over onto his back with his belly up is a classic sign of submission (or a request for a belly rub). A dog that raises a paw with a bent foreleg is showing submission.

And more �

Of course, dog language goes far beyond these few examples. Individual pets develop their own techniques for communicating with us when they want to eat, go out, or be left alone.

And there are the dogs that have either never learned or have mis-learned their own language. The company they keep is important. Dogs learn from other dogs, both the good and the bad. An isolated pup is like an isolated child, and the sad thing is he's not fluent in caninus. The puppy that gives all the calming signs in his repertoire and still has the stuffing knocked out of him by an unruly larger playmate may eventually resort to meeting newcomers with signs of aggression rather than calming ones.

It takes some observation to understand what your pet is "saying", but it's well worth the effort: the more you understand what your pet is trying to tell you, the better your relationship can be.


thank you Kum chee

..How To Deal With Your Dog's Shyness Problem..

Is your dog or puppy shy or afraid of strangers, certain situations or objects? Is your dog fear snapping or is your puppy fear biting?

Is Shyness a Problem or Not?

It is natural for some dogs to be shy of things that are new and unfamiliar. During development, a dog becomes socialized with familiar people, animals, objects and situations. But they will still tend to shy away from the unfamiliar. Shyness in itself is not a problem. It is only a problem if the dog's shyness inhibits your lifestyle or if the dog develops other problems related to shyness such as fear biting. Shy dogs often bolt when frightened, endangering themselves by running blindly into danger, such as traffic.

Unintentionally Training Your Dog or Puppy to be Shy

In a well meaning attempt to calm their dog's fears, many people end up actually reinforcing the dog's shy behavior.

In effect, the owner inadvertently trains the dog to be more fearful. Be careful not to reinforce your dog's fearfulness by offering reassurance. When our timid dog hides, barks defensively, whines, screams or snaps, our response is only natural. Our protective instincts cause us to reassure the dog by talking soothingly, petting or even picking up the dog for a hug. These actions flagrantly reward the dog for his fearful behavior.

It is best to just completely ignore your dog when he acts fearful. Let him learn by his own experience that there is nothing to be afraid of.

Save your praise and reassurance for times when your dog acts with confidence.

Shyness, Fear and Socialization

Many people try to rehabilitate their dog too quickly, forcing him to socialize with other dogs and people. This usually reinforces the dog's view that other dogs and people are frightening.

On the one hand, the dog needs to be socialized as quickly as possible, but on the other hand, he should not be forced into it. If you push your dog to do too much too soon, your dog will only become more fearful and may be forced into a situation where he feels he must defend himself.

Socializing a dog and helping him build his confidence is a time consuming task. Thrusting him into the arms of every visitor and dragging him out to socialize with many other dogs can be counter-productive.

Strangers should never be allowed to approach your dog to pet him. It should always be left to your dog to make the first contact. If your dog does not want to approach, that is OK. Just give him plenty of time to 'hide and peek' and eventually he will come out of hiding. It's up to you to provide ample opportunity for socialization, but it is up to the dog to proceed at his own pace. Don't verbally try to encourage him out of hiding. He will probably interpret your encouragement as praise for hiding. Don't try to force him to come out - this will only frighten him even more.

Fearful Snapping, Growling and Aggression

Shy or fearful dogs can react defensively when approached by unfamiliar people. They may try to keep strangers away by growling, snarling or snapping. These behaviors must not be ignored.

No dog should be allowed to get away with acting aggressively towards humans. The fact that your dog is shy is no excuse to condone growling or biting. You must instantly and effectively reprimand such behavior.

As soon as your dog stops acting aggressive, it is essential that you praise him. We do not want your dog to think that the presence of the stranger brings on the reprimand, but that his own obnoxious behavior causes you to get angry. If it is ever necessary for you to reprimand aggressive tendencies in your shy dog, you have probably been trying to push him along too quickly.

Avoid similar threatening situations until your dog has developed sufficient confidence to deal with them without resorting to aggression. Do not allow strangers to reprimand your fearful or shy dog.

And remember to praise your dog abundantly when he does the right thing!

*thanks kum chee*

Helping Your Dog to Overcome His Fear of Thunder, Fireworks and Other Loud Noises

It's unsettling when your dog has a fear of thunder, fireworks or other loud and sudden noises. Dogs often express their fear in destructive behavior, barking, cowering, and throwing various fits.

There are two mistakes we often make which only make the situation worse:

1. Never reprimand or punish the dog for being afraid - He will only become more frightened.

2. Never verbally or physically try to reassure or comfort the dog when he is acting fearful - If you stroke, cradle or hug your dog while saying things like, 'Oh poor baby, it's OK, there's nothing to be afraid of,' the dog doesn't understand your words, but he does understand that he is receiving a gentle, soothing reward by your actions and tone of voice. The dog usually concludes it is doing the right thing by acting nervous because you are so approving of it.

Sometimes simply stopping the unintentional reward stops the fearful behavior. But until the dog is over his fears, it is best to confine him to a place where he can't hurt himself or completely destroy your property. A crate is ideal. Accustom the dog to his special place so that he feels comfortable and secure there. Don't wait until the storm has arrived to introduce your dog to his 'safe haven.'

Below are two methods to help your dog to overcome his fear of thunder, fireworks and other loud noises:

Method 1 - Distraction Training And Fear

Brush up on some obedience training and teach your dog a few tricks and games. It is difficult for a dog to be afraid when he is enjoying his favorite game of fetch. It is difficult to think about the thunder storm outside when he is concentrating on a quick series of Come, Sit, Heel, Sit, Shake Hands, Down, Roll Over, etc. The idea is to distract the dog from the noise. You can then shower the dog with lots of affection and attention, but for obeying a simple command of sit-shake hands, instead of for acting fearful.

The key is patience and practice. Do not wait until the night before the thunder storm or the third of July (fear of fireworks) to begin teaching your dog a few tricks. Be sure he knows them well beforehand. He will probably have trouble concentrating at first, so the better he knows the games and tricks, the easier it will be for him to perform them under pressure.

Method 2 - Desensitization And Fear

Another method of helping your dog overcome his fear is to slowly and gradually accustom him to the noises that frighten him. This can be done by making a recording of the sounds and playing it back to the dog while he is enjoying everyday life and activities. Many music stores have soundtracks of fireworks, thunder storms and rain that you can purchase. Start by playing it back at such a low volume that you can barely hear it, but the dog's keen hearing will. The dog should show no signs of fear at this volume. Gradually, over the course of weeks or months, increase the volume by tiny increments. The volume is increased so slowly that the dog hardly notices the change. Eventually he will be used to hearing the sounds at full force. If at any time, your dog shows signs of fear, decrease the volume again and proceed a little more slowly. This procedure will work more quickly if you combine it with distraction training.

And remember to praise your dog abundantly when he does the right thing!

** "Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole!" ~ Roger Caras **

*thank you Kum Chee