So sorry...

I am not neglecting you, I promise. (Well, maybe I am, but not on purpose!). I worked a 13 hour day yesterday and a 10 hour day today. And I work at a regular 9-5  desk job! We will be back to your regularly scheduled programming soon.

Dogs are smart!

It's amazing how smart dogs are. They really are social creatures designed to pay attention to us as humans. I couldn't possibly write out anything better than what this 15 minute youtube video explains. So enjoy!

Weekend Vacation

Hello my readers. I've been working from home today so I didn't get the chance to write. Tomorrow I'll be taking my dogs out of town for a day of fun. I regret to say that means no blog for tomorrow either. Is there anywhere you like to go with your dogs on a nice fall weekend?

Fun Friday Training Tips - "Sit" and training methodology

Training a dog to sit on cue is one of the most basic commands for a dog to grasp. This can be taught at a very young (or very old) age using many methods. I will be discussing sit from a clicker training standpoint, but these tips and distinctions can help even if you aren't using a clicker. I like clicker training methods because they are non-confrontational and don't use punishment or intimidation.

Method: Capturing
If you use clicker training, you probably know what I mean by capturing. Capturing means to literally capture, as if you were taking a picture, a desired behavior and marking it with either a "yes!" word or a click from a clicker. Once marked, you give a reward, such as a treat. The dog will begin to do the captured behavior more often as he/she figures out what you want, and you can then add a word to the behavior by saying it as they are in the process of sitting, then marking (click or "yes"/other verbal word) and giving a reward. Gradually, you will be able to say the cue word, and the behavior will follow. This method is usually good for cute or good behaviors that you want your dog to do more often, such as head-tilting. You can capture the behavior you want while watching TV or just sitting around. You see what you want, mark and reward it, and your dog will learn in no time.

Method: Shaping
This is a fairly advanced clicker training method usually reserved for complex tasks, though it can be used for any trick or behavior. Shaping is a way to gradually mold a behavior into what you want. For example, to teach "sit" with shaping, you would mark (click or verbal marker) any small progress toward the dog actually sitting. Maybe his rear dips just a little bit. Mark and reward it. Then for dropping a little further. Then a little further, until eventually he is sitting on the floor. The problem with using this method for sitting is that sitting is a natural behavior that dogs do. You don't need to click gradual steps to get them sitting as they will usually sit on their own and then you might as well be using the capture method. This method is useful for things like closing doors, spin, and turning off the lights. Training these things also employ targeting, which I may write about another time. This method is also very powerful because it makes your dog think about what you want. They have to figure it out on their own and are rewarded for using their brains, making for a very smart and connected dog who is an active participant in learning a behavior.

Method: Luring
This is by far the most popular method for teaching "sit" and for good reason. Most dogs respond well to it and it makes things go much faster than capturing or shaping.  It's very simple. You essentially stick a treat in front of your dog's nose and lure it to do what you want. To lure a dog to sit, bring the treat in front of its face and them move it straight back toward the dog's tail over the center of its head. If the treat is too far forward or to either side, you will probably just prompt your dog to continue standing or to follow it. You don't need to lift the treat up, as this will invite the dog to jump for the treat. Just move it back right over the dog's head and the dog will probably plop its rear on the floor.  When this happens say "yes", click, or just reward with the treat and praise. Dogs can be lured to do all sorts of things. Although this training is very easy to start with, you must remember to phase out the treat  or they'll think they only have to perform when you have a treat in your hand. Do a few repetitions to make sure your dogs knows what you want (no more than 5) and then lure them without a treat in your hand. When the dog sits, show them that you didn't have a treat (open your hand) and then produce a treat from a pouch or from behind your back. This way, they learn that if they do what you say and follow your hand they could get a treat even though you aren't holding one. You can also teach luring behaviors if your dog knows targeting, which I mentioned in the shaping method.

Method: Modeling
This method is probably the least used in clicker training. That's because, unlike the methods above, the dog is touched physically and is less of an active, thinking participant in the training. If you were to push your dog's rear onto the floor to teach "sit", you would be modeling. In modeling, the dog is physically compelled into a certain behavior. You  essentially model your dog into whatever position you want by placing them there, much like a doll. This method is slow and does not teach your dog to problem-solve. It can actually hurt your relationship with your dog. Sometimes trainers will physically place a dog into position, but this is usually done rarely and only under certain circumstances. Modeling also doesn't teach your dog to want to learn. The other clicker training methods above foster a desire in your dog for learning and it becomes a fun game.

Other thoughts

What if my dog doesn't do what I ask? Well, the easy answer would be to correct them. However, corrections are starting to go the way of the past. There's a difference between correcting a dog who is just learning a behavior and one who knows the behavior very well and chooses to disobey. If done properly, training and learning can be so rewarding to a dog that they want to obey and will 99% of the time do what you ask. It takes work, but it's possible. The general rule for getting to this point is to set your dog up for success. If they've just learned sit yesterday in your home with great, high value  treats, don't expect them to be able to sit in the middle of a busy park tomorrow when you ask (with no treats). It's just not fair. It also wouldn't be fair to ask a kindergartener to write a two page essay after she just learned to write the letters in her name. You have to have the basics before you increase the difficulty. If your dog doesn't do what you ask, you must consider if the criteria you're asking for is too hard. If it is, it's not your dog's fault. You have to continually train and proof and work on the behaviors to be able to get that consistency. If your dog doesn't do what you ask, take a hard look at yourself and ask "what do I need to focus on in my training". If you need to focus on duration (how long your dog can stay), or distance (how far away you can be for your dog to comply), or distractions (how busy the environment is) then you know how to approach your training sessions to take things at slow increments in order to set your dog up for success. Add those criteria little by little. For outdoor distractions, for example, first learn in your home, then in your back yard, then in your front yard, then at a quiet park, then at a busy park, with all sorts of variations and planned practice curve balls in between. Don't be discouraged. Just keep working and it will improve.

As always, if you have any questions, please leave a comment or message.

Dog Safety- Riding in cars

There comes a time in every dog and owner’s life when it becomes necessary to take a trip in the car. Whether your dog loves car rides or hates them, there are some important things to consider in order to make the ride safe for both of you.

It’s easy to let dogs just hop in the car and be about our business, however, dogs need to be restrained somehow when riding in the car for safety reasons. Just like children and yourself, you make sure you’re buckled up every time you ride in the car. There are three primary ways to do this for dogs; with a crate, a divider, or a safety harness. Like with young children, dogs should not be allowed to ride in the front seat as the air bags could severely injure or kill them.

Consider the following situation: You have your two dogs loose in the back seat on the way to the park when a car runs a red light and hits you in an intersection. You are unconscious and pinned in your seat from the impact. One dog flew into the window, leaving smashed glass and blood in the back seat. The other dog was thrown into the floorboard and is also pinned there. Paramedics arrive and try to get you out. Without noticing the dogs, they open the back door to get inside the car to get to you, and let the scared and injured dog out of the car. The dog runs into the street and escapes into traffic. As the paramedics begin to assess the situation, the dog in the floorboard begins to get anxious. He is scared and trapped. Dogs act unpredictably when under duress and may try to bite someone trying to save your life, or in an effort to protect themselves from a perceived threat. He begins to growl at the paramedics. To avoid being bitten, the paramedics back off and call animal control to secure the second dog and retrieve the first. They are unable to help you while they wait. Animal control arrives, snares the dog in the floorboard, and keeps it from lashing out at the paramedics. They get you free. When you wake up in the hospital you are informed that one dog ran into the street and caused an accident where it was hit and killed and the other dog was deemed vicious by animal control for its behavior in the car and is in their custody. They want to put him to sleep.

Dogs can also cause distraction, leading to careless driving choices. They can also physically get in the way of us operating the vehicle properly. Can you imagine a small dog crawling under the brake pedal or a big dog trying to get in your lap? What a nightmare that would be.

These situations could be prevented, or at least reduced, with a few protective safety measures.

Crates

I have discussed the different kinds of crates before and mentioned that the plastic kinds are the safest for use while travelling. You can use the wire crates, but they are not nearly as secure, especially since they are designed to collapse. There are custom designed crates made for your car and for safety, however, they are not as widely affordable or as common as plastic crates. These crates can be placed in the backseat of a car or SUV, or in the cargo area of an SUV or truck for your dog to ride in. In the case of an accident, like the situation above, crates are by far the safest tool. Dogs can become projectiles if not secured. The hard plastic keeps the dog from flying everywhere in the event of a collision and it actually protects the dog’s body from a crushing impact. The dog will get banged up a bit, but inside a crate, there’s not very much distance to fly. If paramedics are necessary, they can remove the crates without fear of being bitten and wasting valuable time. The doors and hinges could break open, but these crates were designed for safety and even if damaged, they are supposed to remain functional. As with any safety product, they can fail under the right conditions, but having them available is much better than the alternative. Crates offer protection for both you and your dog, as well as a reasonable assurance as to their location as well as making them easier to notice.

Crates, when used for car travel, should be properly secured inside the car, much like a car seat. It does not do much good to have a crate as a projectile instead of a dog, so make sure they are fixed tightly to the seat or other strong anchor point.

Harnesses

As owners become more aware of dog safety issues, new products have been developed, including car safe harnesses. Some have even been crash tested. These harnesses are unlike typical dog walking harnesses because they provide extra support and cushion across the center of the dog’s chest. In the case of sudden braking or an accident, the dog’s weight would be thrown against the front of the harness. Regular harnesses would not give the necessary support to keep the dog from injury and could even cause an injury to the dog’s legs, neck, or shoulders.

Harnesses are a good answer for those with small cars, large dogs, multiple dogs, or a combination of these things where keeping crates in the car for rides is not practical or possible. To use a harness, make sure that is adjusted to your dog and fits well. It should not be constricting or cause a painful bind for your dog in its “armpits”. You should be able to slip one or two fingers under the back and chest of the harness. The goal is to protect the dog, not make it uncomfortable, so make sure that he/she can stand up, lie down, and sit comfortably while wearing it. You will also need to get a secure way to tether your dog inside the car. I like products that snap into the seat belt receivers and clip onto the harness. Make sure that whatever method you use can withstand the force of your dog’s weight and is appropriate for use inside your car. The harness does no good if the tether breaks.

The tether also ensures that your dog will not escape if the car door is opened and that it can only reach a certain distance, giving paramedics a certain “safety zone” in which to operate around a frightened dog. Tethers can also be purposefully cut or disconnected and used as a temporary leash to remove the dog, or the dog could be grabbed and lifted by the harness instead of having to touch the dog directly. While not necessarily ideal, in the situation above, a harness and tether would allow for some distance and options for those trying to help.

Barriers/Dividers

Car barriers and dividers help keep your dogs from reaching you in the front seat, providing a confined area for them to be. This is very useful for reducing distractions on the road. Some dividers are custom fitted for your make and model of vehicle. Others are a “one size fits most” product. Some are very flimsy and provide minimum protection. The problem with dividers is that if not appropriately sized or installed, they become ineffective in the event of a crash. Your dogs may not push hard enough to dislodge them, but an accident might knock it free and then you’d have not only flying dogs, but also a large metal barrier to worry about. Some can be fitted and installed specifically for your car and may be able to withstand such an impact. While this does keep the front area of the car accessible in the event of a collision, the back would be cut off from the front, even for paramedics. They may need that leverage from the back seat and an intact barrier could restrict their options. Also, the dogs could escape if the doors were opened or if the glass was broken. The barrier only keeps them from flying out the windshield or jumping into the front seat. It is safer than having loose dogs in the car, however, there is nothing holding the dogs back from escape or inflicting harm. Of course, if the barrier is between the cabin and the cargo area of an SUV (as pictured) instead of between the front and back seats, the benefits increase dramatically. Based only on the situation above, the outcome would probably have been very similar to what it was without any restraint at all. Barriers can be very useful in some situations and are certainly safer than having dogs loose in the car, however they are limited in their ability to restrain the dogs in an open car.

Other tips

To ensure no difficulties on your drive, start getting your dog acclimated to the crate or harness long before they ever set foot in the car with it.

Never leave an animal unattended in a car.

A sticker, magnet or window cling that indicates there may be pets on board could help alert paramedics to the existence of your pet.

Carry a copy of your dog’s vet records with you in the car. In the event that your pet is injured, it would help not only to know the animal’s history but to contact the regular vet for additional information or questions. If you have to leave your pet in a kennel or boarding facility, you will also need those records, which is why they are particularly necessary when travelling.

Do not allow dogs to ride in the backs of pickups unrestrained. It is illegal in most areas. Even if the dog is restrained, road debris can cause serious injuries to a dog that isn’t protected by a crate.

If you get a custom crate for your car, be sure that it meets certain safety expectations before proceeding.

As much as dogs love it, it is probably not a good idea to let them stick their heads out of the window, especially if you're going very fast (40+ mph). If even a small piece of debris hits them in the face, it could hurt a lot and potentially cause serious problems. Also, if the window is open wide enough, the dog could jump out. We all think "my dog would never do that", and then they see that squirrel or other dog and out they go.

Not all products are made equal. Do your research before deciding on a brand. Children's car seats have a minimum standard that they have to pass. Products for dogs have no such standard. Make sure what you're getting will do the job that you expect of it.

I use a dog sling/hammock seat cover to protect my car since one of my dogs gets carsick on occasion. This is not an acceptable barrier or restraint. Though quite useful, they require an additonal measure to be safe. The same goes for the elevated seats for smaller dogs. Those seats are often seen in the front seat of cars, however, I believe they should be put in the back in case of air bag deployment.

Apologies

I apologize for the slow posting. I have been very busy at work. It's no excuse for neglecting my internet audience, though. I'm sorry. I will work hard to bring you content daily in the future. Thank you for your understanding.

Trivia Tuesday answer!

Trivia Tuesday!

Kong Stuffin' - Frozen Peanut Butter Kong

One of my absolute favorite dog toys is the Kong. My dogs love them too. Kong sells many products to stuff your Kong with, but they can be expensive and there are plenty of things at home that make just as good of stuffing as the things they sell in the store. Today, I'm going to share with you one of the many ways I stuff my dogs' Kongs.

Required
Kong
Peanut Butter
Dog Food (or food of similar size)
Milkbone (or other long/skinny treat)

First, I use a spoon some peanut butter into a bowl. I make sure to get enough to stuff my dogs' Kong about halfway. By doing this, I avoid any contamination from dog slobber that may be left on or inside the Kong so that I feel comfortable eating my peanut butter. (I'm just a little germ conscious.)

Next, I use a knife to spread the peanut butter into the Kong. I try to get it along the sides of the Kong and down in the bottom especially. You can tap the Kong on your table or counter to get the peanut butter to settle at the bottom. Leave a little bit of peanut butter in the bowl.

Then, I take a little bit of my dog's normal dog food, or similar sized treats, and sprinkle some into the peanut butter. I'll use the knife to push some pieces down into the peanut butter.

After the dog food is sprinkled inside, I'll take my Milkbone (I use Large Milkbones and a Large Kong for my 50 lb dogs) and stuff it into the Kong, leaving one end of the bone sticking out. If the ends of the bone are too large to stuff, you can squish your Kong to make the opening more like an oval. This may make it long enough to fit. If the bone just won't fit, you can break off one of the large end pieces and stick the end you broke into the Kong, leaving the rest of the bone sticking out.

Next, take the remaining peanut butter and "seal" the end of the Kong around the Milkbone.

Finally, I'll stick the Kong in the freezer overnight to give to my dogs as a tasty frosty treat in the morning.

Other tips

You can also use things such as apples or other healthy snacks to stuff in your Kong that your dog wouldn't normally eat. You'd be surprised how far a little bit of hard work and peanut butter goes.

Jumping up - What to do?

This post was written in a response to a question from my facebook page.

So your dog gets a little excited and jumps on you occasionally. Or maybe it jumps all the time, craving attention. Don't worry, with patience and consistency, jumping up is one of the easiest behaviors to phase out.

First, you have to ask yourself if you are giving the dog enough time and attention. Is your dog jumping because there's no other way that you pay attention to him or her? Do you make time to play with your dog or do things your dog enjoys? If not, this may be a contributing factor to your problem. For this to be effective, you need to make sure your dog gets the attention it craves in good ways so that your dog doesn't feel as much of a need to jump up.

The easiest way, and one of the most effective too, to get your dog to want to stop jumping is two-fold. First, you must completely ignore him/her when jumping up. Second, you must praise your dog when "all four are on the floor".

Dogs lick each others faces to show affection, and your dog may want to do the same to you. Your face is much higher than your dog's, so jumping seems like a natural choice for him/her. If your dog normally greets you by jumping up, freeze in place, cross your arms over your chest, and then turn/look away from your dog. No matter how much he jumps, whines or barks, do not pay attention to him. Don't even look. When the dog gives up, calmly pet your dog with "all four on the floor" and give verbal praise and maybe a treat. Do not act excited because this could trigger a jumping reaction again. If your dog jumps while petting, stand back up and ignore until all four are on the floor. If your dog knows commands like "sit", you can ask them of your dog when your dog is calm, however, you want your dog to learn to calm himself down and think it through without requiring a cue from you. You can keep treats near your door for easy praise, or even in your car to carry in with you.

Now, when your dog is calm and sitting nicely or doing his own thing, go up and show him affection for being calm. This will help to lessen the reaction when your dog is actually excited and wants to jump. By showing affection, giving treats, or verbal praise when calm (and all four are on the floor), your dog will give you more calm behaviors in hopes of getting more praise. Also, get down on your dog's level for games and affection sometimes. By doing this, you make yourself more accessible and show that he/she doesn't have to jump to see you properly. Only do this when the dog is calm, though, because they can easily jump all over you when you're on their level, undoing progress.

Dogs do what pays off for them. If being calm pays, they'll be calm. If bouncing around like a maniac gets you to notice them, that's what they'll do. If they've been doing this and rewarded for it (with attention) for a long time, the jumping habit will be harder to phase out. However, if everyone is in on it and follows 1. ignore when all four aren't on the floor and 2. give praise and affection when calm, your dog will stop jumping eventually. Never allow anyone, not even a visitor, to pet your dog when all four feet aren't on the floor. This reinforces bad behavior.

Dogs crave our attention and if we don't give them enough of it, they will create ways to get our attention, such as jumping up. Even if the attention that they receive is negative attention (scolding, etc) it's still attention and rewarding to them. Think of it like a young child who is constantly poking you and being obnoxious. They're doing it for attention, even if you are angry or frustrated with them. Dogs who jump up are typically either very excitable or not getting enough attention or both. By showing our dog attention and praise for doing the right things, he'll have no need to do the wrong things to get noticed.

It won't happen overnight. As with most training solutions, it takes time. But, if everyone is consistent about ignoring the dog when it jumps and removing the reward (attention) that it gets from jumping, and instead rewards all four on the floor, your dog will get the hint and stop jumping up.

If you have any comments or questions, please ask them. I will do my best to address your situation.

I apologize for not posting an entry yesterday. I will plan to post two today to make up for it.

Is there anything you would like me to write about? Leave a comment and tell me.