DOG TRAINING TIPS

Relationship-based dog training strives to meet the needs of both the human and the dog. It is an empathetic approach taking into account the dog's point of view. It starts with establishing a relationship of love, trust, and respect. Then, you set clear rules. The rules are enforced consistently, firmly, and fairly. There are times, of course, when the dog's desires cannot be considered, such as when the dog wishes to chase a ball across a busy highway. However, we can still focus on making her happy she complied, rather than the old approach of making her sorry she didn't.

You should lead by example, which means not being aggressive with your dog. If you are aggressive with them, they may learn to use aggression to get others to do what they want. Never strike your dog or “alpha roll” her. From the dog's point of view, these are acts of aggression! There are much more effective and non-confrontational ways to help your dog understand that you are the head honcho.

Every dog needs to know basic obedience so that you can communicate exactly what you want them to do in certain situations. It is much easier to tell your dog what TO DO than it is to tell her what NOT to do. If you're waiting in the lobby at the Vet's office, "Sit" is a clearer command than "Don't stick your nose in that man's crotch"!

When teaching your dog something new, follow these guidelines to help him succeed:

Begin training your dog when he is relatively calm. After you’ve taken him for a walk and gotten rid of all the excess energy, he will be able to concentrate better.
Make sure you have your dog's attention before giving him a command.
Start with something easy. When the dog masters that step, build on that success and ask for something a little more complicated.
Reinforce verbal commands by saying the command in an excited voice. Instead of saying “good dog”, say an enthusiastic “Sit!”
Teach the behavior without any distractions. Don’t ask him to learn to “Sit” in the middle of a park full of screaming children and feisty squirrels before he has learned to sit in the quiet of his living room!
Gradually increase the distance between you and your dog while giving commands.
Gradually add in distractions. Start with minor distractions and slowly work up.
Dogs have difficulty generalizing. Just because they know the command “Sit” in their living room with you standing close to them does not mean they know “Sit” in the backyard with you standing 10' away.
Do not move to the next step until the last step has been mastered. If your dog has difficulty with any step, go back to point where he was last successful.
Be CLEAR with your instructions and CONSISTENT with your follow through. Say the command only one time and give him time to figure it out. Be sure to praise your dog when he gets it right. Rewards don’t always have to be food – you can reward him with his favorite toy, a pat on the head or anything else he enjoys.
Make sure everyone in the family is using the same verbal and visual signals!
Keep training sessions short- just a few minutes at a time.
Stop if you become frustrated. Your dog can sense frustration, and it will make them dislike training sessions.

Puppy Socialization

Puppyhood is the most important and critical time in your dog's development. A properly socialized puppy is well-adjusted and makes a good companion. Start socializing your new puppy NOW!

Socialization “DO’s”

Make sure that each event is pleasant and non-threatening.
Invite friends over to meet your pup. Include men, women, youngsters, oldsters, etc.
Have your puppy interact with friendly, healthy, vaccinated dogs, puppies and even cats.
Take your puppy to parks, shopping centers, playgrounds and other places where there are crowds of people and plenty of activity.
Take your puppy for short, frequent rides in the car.
Introduce your puppy to vacuum cleaners, pots and pans, umbrellas, bags, boxes, etc. Encourage her to explore her environment.
Introduce her to new and various sounds. Loud, obnoxious sounds should be introduced from a distance and gradually brought closer.
Accustom your puppy to being brushed, bathed, having her nails clipped, teeth and ears cleaned and all the routines of grooming and physical examination.
Introduce your puppy to stairs, leashes, and anything and everyone you want your puppy to be comfortable around. Make sure you give lots of praise and rewards during all of these experiences!
Make sure your dog is accepting of people going into her food dish. Put your hand in her bowl to give her a yummy treat. Take the bowl away and give her a piece of chicken, then give the bowl back. They will learn that when a person comes to their food bowl it is to give them something even better than what they have, and they will welcome it instead of acting possessively.
- Also, to prevent your dog from becoming possessive of her things, teach her to “Trade”. If your dog picks up something that could hurt her, like a chicken bone, you need to be able to take it from her without a struggle. Have her “trade” the chicken bone for a yummy treat.
If your dog is afraid of something, you can break this fear by having her associate it with something positive. If she’s afraid of trash bags, start slowly- put the bag on the floor and give her a treat. Move it around a little and give her a treat. Finally, get her to eat the treat right off the bag.
- Desensitize her! If she’s afraid of fireworks or thunder, play a YouTube video with those noises – start out softly and gradually raise the volume, giving her treats when she hears the noises so she associates them with something positive.

Socialization “DON’Ts”

Do not reward fearful behavior! In a well-intentioned attempt to sooth, encourage or calm the puppy when she appears frightened, we often unintentionally reward the behavior. It’s normal for a puppy to show some signs of apprehension when confronting anything new and different. Be a good actor and keep a happy attitude around your dog.
Don’t yell at her.
Do not allow the experience to be harmful, painful, or excessively frightening. This can cause lifelong phobias in your dog.
Do not force or rush your puppy. Let your puppy take things at her own pace. Your job is to provide the opportunity.
Do not do too much at one time. Young puppies tire quickly and need a lot of sleep. It is much more productive to have frequent and brief exposures than occasional prolonged ones.

Housebreaking

Young puppies can go for a maximum of 3-4 hours without going potty.
Just like a child, the younger the puppy, the less control they have and the more difficult it is for them to realize when they need to go potty - so be patient!
Get him on a schedule so that bathroom breaks are about the same time every day. Feed him at the same time every day and take him out shortly afterwards.
When you see him sniffing the floor or circling, you know it's time to go out - NOW. If you aren't fast enough and he starts to go, interrupt the behavior with an “uh oh!” and quickly escort him outside.
Pick a spot where you want him to go potty, and go to that spot every time.
Use a verbal cue - when you see the dog circling or about to go to the bathroom (at an acceptable location), say “get busy” or “potty”.
As soon as he does his business, praise him like he just won the Olympics!
You will probably have to get up during the night to let the puppy out. To minimize the number of times overnight, don’t give food after 7pm, and don’t give him access to water during the night.
If the dog enjoys being outside, don’t take him inside immediately after he goes to the bathroom. He will associate going potty with the fun ending and will take longer and longer to go. Wait until he goes potty, then play with him for a couple minutes then take him back inside.
If he is paper trained, put some newspapers by the door. When you see him going over to use them, quickly take him right out the door. Also, try taking newspapers outside and putting them on the grass so he realizes this is where he’s supposed to go potty.
Be sure to use an enzymatic cleaner for any accidents, such as Nature's Miracle. Regular household cleaners will not do the trick. You may not be able to smell it, but your dog can. As long as he can smell traces of urine, he will continue to urinate in that spot.
NEVER hit your dog with a newspaper or any other object. He may learn that using the bathroom makes you hit him, and he won't go in front of you AT ALL, even outside when you want him to.
It is COMPLETELY useless to try to correct the dog after they’ve had an accident in the house. You must catch them in the act. NEVER drag him to the accident and shove his nose in it! He will not understand why you are upset with him. He will become fearful of you and untrusting towards people. If he has an accident in the house, you weren't fast enough. Clean it up, and watch him more closely next time.

Sit!

Every dog knows how to sit - all you have to do is put a cue to it.

Stand in front of your dog, facing him.
Put a bite-sized treat between your thumb and forefinger, and hold it just in front of his nose.
Say, "Sit" as you slowly move the treat up and over his head so that he tracks it with his eyes. (keep the treat low enough that he doesn't try to stand or jump to reach it)
As he follows the treat, he will naturally move into a Sit.
The instant his bottom touches the ground, reinforce the verbal command and give him the treat.
Release him from the Sit with a release command, such as “Okay!”
- Do not allow your dog to end an exercise, such as Sit, Down, or Stay, until you give the release command. Teach him that Sit means 'Sit until I tell you you're done', otherwise he will Sit until he is done, which will usually be ASAP. If he moves from position, do not repeat the command. Gently replace him, wait a few seconds, then say “Okay”. If your dog is having trouble waiting for release, give treats as long as he remains in position. Slowly start to space out how often you give the treats until you can phase them out altogether.

Have Sit be the canine equivalent of saying “Please”. Ask for a Sit before your dog gets what he wants, like food or the door to be opened. Soon, your dog will Sit before you even ask!

Stay!

Be patient when teaching Stay, and understand that it goes against what your dog wants to do (follow you around) and also his natural instincts (being close to his pack.) So keep the command simple and build upon their successes slowly.

Have your dog on a leash and start off with him in a Sit.
Take a small step away from him and tell him to Stay, also using a hand motion. (Don’t use the dog’s name for this exercise.)
If he moves, gently replace him and try it again.
After a couple seconds of him staying, praise him (without petting him). Give him the release command and then you can pet him and give him a treat.
When he is successful at this, gradually increase the distance between you. Try walking all the way around him while still holding his leash. Remember to gently replace him if he moves. If he is having trouble, decrease the distance, and keep practicing. Work slowly up to greater distances and longer duration.

Down!

Stand in front of your dog who is in a Sit, facing him.
Put a bite-sized treat between your thumb and forefinger, and hold it just in front of his nose.
Say, "Down" as you slowly move the treat straight down to the ground and out between his paws. (Make an "L" with the treat.)
As he follows the treat, he will naturally move into a Down.
The instant his elbows touch the ground, praise him and give him the treat.
Release him from the Down with a release command, such as "Okay!"

Come!

This command could save your dog’s life. The trick is getting them to come when called NO MATTER WHAT.

Rub the smell of a treat on your finger. Place your finger one inch from your dog’s nose and say “come”. As soon as the dog touches your target finger, praise and give a treat from your OTHER hand. Repeat, each time adding more distance.
When your dog gets to the point where he will run across the room and touch your finger as soon as you place it down by your side, add more challenges and distractions.

If you are outside playing, don’t only ask the dog to Come when you are ready to leave. He will associate “Come” with the fun ending. Ask him to Come, pet and praise him, then tell him to go play. Likewise, never call a dog to you and then do something negative. Don’t tell him to Come and then give him a pill or a bath or put him in his crate if he does not like those things.

Excuse Me!

This is a polite way to ask your dog to move. Not only does it keep you from tripping over dogs when you're walking through your home, it also helps you to "move" them when they're in a place you'd rather they weren't, such as in front of the TV.

This is something you can teach in your everyday life. If your dog is sitting or lying down in your path, do not step over him. Stop in front of him, and say "excuse me". Sometimes, just looking at them is enough to get them moving. If not, give a little encouragement - whatever gentle way you can think of to get your dog to move himself. Remember, just give a gentle nudge and let them move the rest of the way on their own! If you move them the whole way, they will learn that "excuse me" will mean that you are going to move them. You want "excuse me" to mean that they are to move themselves.

Leash Walking

If your dog is pulling like a maniac on the leash, he needs to learn that this will not get him anywhere fast! As soon as your dog starts to pull, stop in your tracks. Wait for him to relax, then continue your walk. Every time he starts to pull, stop, and he will eventually learn that the only way the walk continues is if he walks nicely. As always, be consistent! Keep the dog’s focus on you while you walk them. Have treats readily available so they will want to focus on you instead of all the distractions and other people/dogs around them.

Barking

Did you know that wild dogs do not bark? Neither do wolves. They will make noises, but it's not the loud bark of the domestic dog as we know it. Ethologists (scientists who study animal behavior) believe that the bark of the domestic dog is a form of communication which is evidently unnecessary in the wild. So, the next time your dog barks, consider what he is trying to communicate.

Dogs can sense your energy and stress. Always deal with them in a calm and confident way. If you yell and scream at them when they’re barking it will make them more excitable and bark even more. To figure out how to stop excessive barking, you first have to determine the cause of the barking.

Watchdogs – Some dogs have been bred to bark when someone is approaching the home. Teach him that once you have acknowledged his warning, he should stop barking. One way to do this is to establish the Quiet command:
- Let him bark 2 or 3 times, then say "Quiet" and wag a piece of food in front of his nose. When he stops barking to sniff the treat, praise and reward him. Do this the next 3 times he happens to bark, on the fourth time he barks, just pretend to be holding out a treat as you say "Quiet". Gradually increase the time that goes by between praising and rewarding.
- You will have more success if you teach this in practice situations rather than trying to teach it when someone actually is approaching your home.
Playing – If your dog gets so excited during play that he just can't stop barking, stop the playing briefly to let him calm down. You might not want to use your Quiet command here because he could be too excited to follow it, and it could break down the effectiveness of the command when you need it.
Warning - If your dog is barking to warn others to back off, he is likely afraid. In this case, you don’t want to scold them for barking because that could serve to eliminate the useful warning bark and could lead to unpredictable behavior. Instead, simply redirect the dog and work on socialization and obedience training to help him gain confidence.
Attention - If your dog is barking to manipulate you into doing what he wants, stop letting him push you around! Dogs do what works. If barking at you gets you to throw his ball or pet him, he will keep doing it. If you want that behavior to stop, you have to ignore the barking and not give in to the dog’s demands. Do not hold out for a while and then give in after he has barked at you for several minutes. This will only teach him to bark MORE. He will learn that if he just barks long enough, you will eventually cave and give him what he wants. You have to outlast him!
Boredom - If your dog is barking at nothing in particular, he is likely bored. Give him something go do. Take him for a walk. Play a game of fetch. Teach him a neat trick that will impress your friends. Give him an interactive toy such as a stuffed Kong.
Anxiety - Excessive barking can be a nervous habit due to anxiety. Ease your dog's anxiety to end the barking (see Separation Anxiety section).
Dogs also might bark out of pain or to alert you they need to use the bathroom.

Off!

Off means to remove your paws from whatever surface they are touching. That could be furniture, objects, or people. This command is not to be confused with Down. Down means to lie down. If your dog is lying on the couch, she is already performing a Down! If you want her to get off the couch, the command is "Off".

When your dog has her feet on something, say "Off" and use a treat to lure her "Off".
As soon as she has four paws on the floor, praise and reward her.
After several repetitions of this, say "Off" and then wait a few seconds to give her a chance to do it herself. If she does, praise and treat. Eventually, you will be able to say "Off" from across the room, and she will comply!

Jumping on people is a dog's way of trying to solicit attention. It is not an attempt to "dominate" you. Please do not punish your dog for trying to be friendly. Reward her for appropriate displays of affection instead.

When your dog is jumping up on you, simply turn your back to her and say “Off”. She wants your attention, so ignoring her by turning away, crossing your arms and not making eye contact will make her catch on quickly. As soon as all four paws are on the ground, then she gets the attention and praise she wanted.
NEVER reward your dog for jumping up. If you occasionally give in and pet her when she jumps on you because you don't really mind in that moment, you will make your task nearly impossible.

Dogs are creatures of habit. It's much easier to prevent a habit from forming than it is to change it later!!

Don't let your puppy jump up on people if you don't want them to as an adult!

Biting

Teething puppies need to know what is appropriate to chew on and what is not. Make sure you provide them with plenty of nyla-bones and other toys that are safe to chew on. When they start chewing on your hands or your furniture, redirect them to their chew toys and praise them.

If your puppy is nipping at you while you are playing with her, give a loud, yelping OUCH!! (Similar to the yipping sound their siblings make when they start to play too rough). Get up and move away. Puppies are very social creatures and refusing to engage in play can be an effective training technique. After a minute or so, get a toy and return to the puppy.

If puppy does not respond to a verbal command only, try a shake can. Get an empty and clean soda can and place some pennies in it. Tape the top shut. When your pup starts to nip, give the verbal command and at the same time give the can a good shake. As soon as he stops, praise and give him a good toy to chew.

Squirt bottles can also be helpful to show them what you do not want them to do. If they are biting your feet while you walk around the house, don’t scream at them, just spray them with a little bit of water and they will quickly learn that they do not like biting your feet. If they are getting into the litter box or chewing on something dangerous, give them a little squirt. It is most effective if they do not know that it came from you - then they will be less inclined to do it when you are not around.

Begging

This is an easy one! If you never feed your dog from the table, they will not beg! If your dog is begging, do not make eye contact with them, don’t say anything to them, just simply ignore them and most importantly, NEVER GIVE IN!

Digging

Reasons for Digging:

Burying bones - Some dogs, especially those with a high prey drive, will dig a hole to bury something. It's a vestigial wolf behavior.
- Solution: Don't let your dog have bones, toys, or other treats that he likes to bury when he is outside. Make those available inside only.
To get to the other side - If your dog is only digging at the fence line, the digging is a means to an end. He wants to get out of the fence. There may be dogs in the neighbor's yard who he wants to play with, cats or squirrels that he wants to chase, or he is just in the mood for an adventure.
- Solution: Consider this a clear communication from your dog that what is on the other side of the fence is more interesting that what is inside, and make an effort to change that. He may be bored and/or lonely. A bored dog will find ways to entertain himself. Digging is fun! Give him plenty of exercise and attention. Provide lots of acceptable toys to play with so that he doesn't have to use his imagination to come up with something to do. If he desperately wants to play with the dogs next door, consider getting him a doggie brother or sister!
It's genetic - Some breeds are hardwired for digging. For example, Dachshunds were bred to go into holes after badgers. For some dogs, digging is in their blood.
- Solution: Establish an acceptable digging area where he is allowed to dig as much as he wants. Use a sandbox or section off an area with some kind of border such as stones or pavers. Then, supervise your dog every time he is in the yard until he understands where he can and can't dig. Interrupt digging in unapproved areas, and reward digging in the approved area. Soon, he will learn that as long as he digs in the right place, he can dig all he wants!

Separation Anxiety

Dogs with separation anxiety have an unhealthy over-dependence on their owner and cannot cope with being apart from him, even for a short time. Many owners misinterpret the behavior as the dog enacting "revenge" on them for leaving them alone. This is not the case. Separation anxiety is no picnic for the dog, either. The dog is in a state of pure panic! There are steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of your dog developing separation anxiety.

When you adopt a dog, whether she is an 8-week-old puppy or a 10-year-old senior, establish and enforce clear, consistent guidelines from the day you bring her home. Knowing the rules helps your dog be confident and self-reliant. If the rules are always the same, she will know exactly what to do, even when you're not there to help.
Don't make a big deal out of leaving or coming home. Whatever you do, don't try and soothe her when you leave by saying things like "It's ok, you'll be alright, etc.". That soothing voice just makes it sound like there really IS something to be stressed about, and you're trying to comfort her through this horrible situation! Instead, decide on a cue for when you leave. Use it each and every time you leave home in a normal tone of voice. For example, you could say "See you soon" or "Be good”. This becomes their cue that you are leaving, but you will return.
Get her used to being apart from you from the beginning. If she wants to follow you everywhere you go, don’t always let her. Close the door when you go to the bathroom!
Practice Down/Stay while you leave the room for a short period of time. This will build her confidence in being apart from you slowly - while you're still actually in the home. It tells her exactly what to do, so she doesn't have to make the decision on her own, thereby relieving some of the stress.
Change your departure so the dog does not learn to associate certain actions with you leaving. So leave by a different door, put your keys somewhere so they don’t make a sound, go outside for a minute then return and eat breakfast etc.
Practice leaving and returning throughout the day so she can’t predict when you might be gone for longer periods. Get in your car and drive down the block and walk back to your house.
Turn the TV or radio on 30 min before you leave.
Tire your dog out by providing exercise before you go to work.
Give her a treat-filled Kong to keep her busy and take her mind off you leaving. Usually, a dog is most distressed during the first 20 min of a person leaving. Giving her something to do during this time period often helps.

Car Ride Anxiety

To avoid motion sickness, don't let her eat a meal before getting in the car. However, a little ginger may help to settle her stomach. Ginger cookies have a double benefit of both easing nausea and teaching her to associate getting in the car with getting a yummy treat!

Work on desensitizing her to car rides gradually. First, just put her in the car but don't go anywhere. Once she is responding calmly to getting in the car and not riding, go on to the next step. Drive just around the block. When she is ok with that, start taking longer and longer rides. Make sure that the car sometimes takes her somewhere fun, like the park, a friend’s house, or the beach. This will help her to associate car rides with something pleasant (not just going to the vet’s office!)

Change Anxiety

Dogs thrive on routine. It's how they learn to live in a culture that is very different from their own. When life as they know it changes, it can be very stressful for some dogs. If your dog undergoes a sudden drastic change in behavior, first have a Vet exam to rule out a medical cause. Then, consider if any significant elements of the dog’s life have changed recently.

Whenever a drastic change occurs, keep whatever you can control the same. If you have a baby, you can't control crying in the middle of the night. However, you can control the dog sleeping where she has always slept. If you know ahead of time that when the baby arrives the dog will have to find another place to sleep, go ahead and move her sleeping area as soon as the line turns pink! Then, she will have plenty of time to get used to her new bed before the baby comes. If you are adopting a new pet, have the new pet follow the existing routine rather than changing to accommodate the new pet. It will be much easier for your resident dog to get used to a couple of small changes than to rearrange their entire life. It will also keep the first dog from resenting the new addition, be it baby, pet, or spouse, as the cause of disrupting her life.

Tips on Sleeping Through the Night

Tire them out before bed time.
Make sure they’ve gone potty before going to bed and that they aren’t crying because they have to go potty.
Ignore him when he’s crying. Don’t go to comfort him because he will learn that if he cries enough you will eventually come.
Have him sleep in the same room as you so he doesn’t feel separated from the “pack”. (It is common dog behavior to whine when he becomes separated from the rest of the group because the noise allows the other pack members to find him.)
To comfort him, put a shirt or something that smells like you in the crate with him.
Turn on a radio or TV.
Give him a Kong filled with a little bit of peanut butter to keep him occupied. This will also help him associate his crate with something positive.
Put a blanket over the top of the crate, leaving only the front door section opened to simulate a cozy den.

Sources:

http://www.caretoadopt.org

http://www.petexpertise.com/

http://www.perfectpaws.com

The Loved Dog by Tamar Geller