Month: August 2020

3 Commands that can save your dog’s life

Absolute obedience isn’t really our thing with dogs. We want to have fun and play with our dogs. Some trainers get robotic precision from their dogs, but that’s not us.

Every rule has an exception. There are three (3) commands that we demand our dogs know cold. Because these three, in desperate circumstances, can be the ones to save your dog.

Most important: Come!

Come! is one command that can save your dog's life.

The most graphic personal example we have for this one wasn’t dire, but pretty darn serious. Quite a few years ago, before we were smart enough to get a motion-detecting light in our backyard, we had a critter visitor. Hope was out, after dark, with our Brussels Griffon Razzmatazz. Razzy was showing a lot of interest in something under the shelves on our patio. A pocket flashlight revealed telltale stripes of black and white.

Hope yelled “Razz, come!” 

In all honesty, until that day he’d never shown much interest in immediate compliance. There may have been a tinge of desperation in Hope’s voice – he dashed over to her, got scooped up, and she ran in the house. Skunking averted!

More common scenarios for having a good recall (Come!) would include:

  • outside door left open
  • unknown dog or person approaching
  • oncoming traffic

We know that many people aspire to walk their dogs off leash. It’s not something we encourage, but if it is your ambition, be sure your recall is reliable before you dare take a leash off. Practice in the largest, enclosed space you can find. Local tennis courts are a good option.

Just in case  your recall isn’t as good as you hoped, take some high-value rewards with you to practice. Be ready to pull out your dog’s favorite toy and run in the opposite direction. Chasing a dog never works – they turn it into a game of “catch me if you can.” Instead, run away and let your dog chase you.

For more fun games that will reinforce a solid “Come!” command, check out the 2-Minute Trainer Ebook 2: Come! 

Second: Stay!

All the dogs staying out of the entry way.

There’s a time to come, and time not to. If your dog has escaped from your yard and dashed across a busy street, luckily avoiding traffic, you don’t want to press your luck. Better to tell your dog to “Stay!” while you go to him. 

Even better, having a good “Stay!” when the pizza delivery person rings the bell and your dog doesn’t run out at all.

Or “Stay!” when Aunt Gertrude is maneuvering around the house with her cane or walker. The last thing she needs to worry about is breaking a kneecap falling over the dog. That happened to our cousin, whose German Shepherd was “helping” her find her way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Stay is also great for vacuuming, bringing in groceries, taking laundry downstairs to the washer, bringing it back up from the dryer, etc. 

Third: Drop it!

Several years ago a neighbor or ours thought it was a good idea to put poison in his backyard shed to get rid of chipmunks. It wasn’t. Wildlife carried those sticks of poison all over the neighborhood. We found out about it when Hope’s first French Bulldog, Dax, picked one up in our own yard. 

Fortunately, Dax knew “drop it!” and did. Unfortunately, we hadn’t noticed for a couple of minutes and she spent a miserable day at the vet’s office getting her stomach pumped and medicine administered. She recovered and we had more time with her. 

If she hadn’t known the command – the outcome may not have been as good. Teach “drop it” by trading your dog one valuable item for another. Let your dog know something good is coming. Something even better than the thing she has.

Useful commands

There are few absolutes in dog training. For us, these three represent the ones all our dogs must know, and do, when we ask them.

Distract your dog from stress

Use your training games to distract your dog from stress!

A hand touch is a great behavior that you can do in a small space to relieve stress.

Ever been in a situation where your dog was upset? Thunderstorms? Vet visit? Something new in the house? If dogs are anxious, they don’t know what to do with themselves. They may whine, shake, hide, or bark uncontrollably. If you can distract your dog from stress, you’ll both be happier.

Ground them with known behaviors

When people need comfort, they surround themselves with familiar things – textures, smells, behaviors, etc. Familiar things are soothing. We know what to do, how to do it, what the consequences are, and how to react.

Dogs are a lot like us. They’re comforted by things they know. If you’re ready to play a fun, familiar game, you’ll be able to get your dog to focus on you. Instead of worrying about what’s going on “over there,” your dog will concentrate on you.

Persistence is key

When you’re using a game, or trick, as a distraction, make it one of your dog’s favorites. Hope’s French Bulldog Torque loves his “trick” of tapping on her legs with alternating paws. It’s a game they can play anywhere. All Hope needs is some treats.

In very stressful situations, it may take some doing to get your dog’s attention and focus on you. Be persistent! If Fido keeps looking over at the other dog in the vet’s waiting room, stand up and face that other dog. Ask Fido to look at you. Reward the attention – even if it’s only for a fraction of a second. That immediate praise and reward will remind your dog that you’re the source of all things wonderful!

Move around and remind Fido what he’s supposed to be doing. Play a recall game! Recalls (come!) don’t have to be long-distance. Even if it’s just a few inches, it’s still worth rewarding. 

Small spaces are also perfect for “tricks” like Simon’s “High Five!” (See last week’s 2-Minute Tip: “Pet Tricks Aren’t Stupid.”) The added bonus, aside from the distraction for your dog, is that your tension will lessen too. Don’t you always smile when you’re playing with your dog?

Biggest distractions ever

Our biggest training challenge is the dog next door. Chloe is a mean, old, loud dog who’s constantly left in the yard to fend for herself and find her own entertainment. Her major entertainment is charging at our dogs.

We like training in our own yard, separated only by a chain-link fence. And Fran’s Boston Terrier Simon loves Chloe. He thinks she’s playing a game. Running up and down the fence with Chloe is Simon’s idea of a grand old time.

As distracting as Chloe is, as much as Simon wants to “play” with her – Fran can train Simon in the yard. Because she’s proven to Simon that playing training games with her is even more fun than chasing Chloe. 

You are the best thing ever

The play-training bond you build with your dog will let you be the best thing ever to your dog, too. You’ll be able to distract your dog from whatever stresses you encounter. What if, when the next thunderstorm hits, you were able to calm your dog just by spending a few minutes playing games that remind her everything’s okay? Wouldn’t that be wonderful? 

Pick a favorite training game or trick to use as a “go-to” when anxiety hits. Build value in that game by:

  • playing it often,
  • rewarding heavily, and
  • stopping when your dog wants more.

Pull it out in stressful situations and see the difference in your dog’s stress level. Which can only help yours, too!

Pet tricks aren’t stupid

Stupid pet trick? Booker sits up for his treats!

Pet tricks aren’t stupid. Dog tricks may be just for fun and have no practical value on their own. But they’re the “recess” time of dog training – when you and your dog play together and have fun. 

Some dog behaviors are crucial: Come, Stay. 

Quite a few are important: Sit, Wait, Leave it, Walk Nice, Gentle. 

And then there are “tricks” that are useless in everyday life. And so much fun for both you and your dog.

Anything you want

The nice thing about “trick” training is that you don’t have to have anything special in mind. You don’t need any special equipment, just whatever you have around the house and your dog. And treats. Never forget the treats!

The inspiration can come from anywhere. We saw a video on social media of someone teaching her dog to use a baby’s stacking ring set. It was adorable and fun, so we thought our dogs could do it, too! 

All our dog learned to pick up the rings quickly. Stacking them on the pole? Not so much. For Tango, one of the issues was that the rings were bigger than his mouth – Brussels Griffons are big-mouth-dogs, but that’s volume, not size. So we got dive rings. All the dogs love playing the game now!

Is it useful? Not really. But it’s cute, it stretches their brains, works on their coordination. And all the dogs think it’s fun. And so do we. It was a tiny investment dollar-wise, and it’s been hours of fun, over time. 

And never forget that just a few minutes of brain-training is just as tiring as a half-hour of physical activity. When you have limited time, but you want to spend quality time with your dog, try trick training!

Stuff that’s lying around

Unless you’re completely minimalist, there’s always “stuff” around the house. We have workout “stuff” – so the dogs sometimes see a foam roller and learn to push it across the floor on their hind legs. 

There’s an empty wash basin that the dogs can use like a toy box to “put your toys away.” 

We’re big fans of the aisles at Five Below or a local dollar store. We’ve found “stuff” like a toy bass drum with a pedal that Booker’s become a rock star drummer learning. Kitchen utensils they can carry and put away. A little skateboard they learn to put one or two paws on to “hang eight.” The limit is your imagination.

A stool or little bench that your dog fits under is a good way to teach “crawl.” Spins, roll-over, beg, “say your prayers,” and dance don’t require any equipment at all. 

Play with your dog

Too many times we see people thinking that “play” is limited to just fetch or tug. Those are great games, but shouldn’t be the extent of play. There’s more to a dog’s life than walking, eating, running, and cuddling. They’re thinking, problem-solving, smart companions who deserve to have all kinds of fun with you!

Make comings and goings routine

Keys are part of comings and goings which are part of everyday life.

Comings and goings are a part of normal life. Everyone has “stuff” they need to do. 

Does your dog greet you with overwhelming enthusiasm when you come home? Every time? Even if all you did was take out the trash?  

Or maybe your dog starts to fuss when she sees you gathering your “stuff” ready to leave the house. We know of one case where the dog actually stood between the owner and the door.

That enthusiasm is adorable. Your dog loves you and wants to be with you. But being emotional about comings and goings can lead to issues like separation anxiety if you let it continue.

Kind of a big deal

If an owner makes a big deal out of leaving her dog – hugging, kissing, telling the dog “mommy will be home soon,” etc. chances are the dog will think that leaving is, in fact, a big deal.

It’s also a mistake when an owner comes home and the first thing they do is drop everything to hug their dog and say “mommy missed you so much.” 

Even if it’s true, as it is for many of us, it’s not a good idea to let the dog know that’s how you feel. If dogs could reason like people, they’d obviously ask why they weren’t invited along on the outing. Since they aren’t able to understand exactly what’s going on, a “normal” response is to pick up on the owner’s emotion and get emotional themselves.

What’s a “big deal” to you will also be for your dog. They may not be able to understand every word we say, but they have uncanny abilities to pick up on our feelings.

Make it matter-of-fact

Instead of making a production out of going out without your dog, decide on a routine. Try not to rush around the house gathering the items you’ll need. Instead, have a designated spot, ideally near the door, that you gather items like keys, phone, etc. 

The key to leaving without drama is not to conceal what you’re doing from your dog, but to make it so normal that the dog accepts it without fuss. 

When you’re ready, the last thing to do is to give your dog a special treat he only gets when you leave. In our house it’s a vanilla-yogurt-filled treat-dispensing toy that’s been in the freezer. Be creative when filling the toy – sometimes there’s a special treat of blueberries in the yogurt!

When our dogs see us reaching for their “we have to leave now” toys, they make mad dashes to their designated spots. If they could talk, the dialog would be:

“Where’s my toy? Thanks! See ya!”

Our dogs know we’re leaving. They just don’t really care. We like it that way.

Coming home 

We practice what we preach coming home, too. We walk in, matter-of-factly put on collars and leashes, and take the dogs outside. We may not even speak to them until they’ve “done their business.” It’s just a routine part of the day – no reason to get worked up about it.

When we come back in the house, a set of toys gets filled and popped into the freezer, so we’re always ready. 

Avoiding melodrama

One of the roots of anxiety is not knowing what to expect. If you build a normal routine into your comings and goings, your dog will know what’s going to happen. You’re going to leave. And then, after a good doggy nap, you’re going to come home. Every single time. Having a routine will let your dog recognize “normal” and regularize it.