dog training made fun Archives - Page 20 of 24

Dogs understand the bottom line

What’s the bottom line for your dog? What are the things that he or she values most? And how can you use those high-ticket items to shape the behavior you want?

The entire basis for successful, science-based, 2-Minute-Trainer dog training is a compact we have with our dogs: they get what they want when we get what we want. It’s the best deal anyone’s ever made. Our dogs understand what’s expected of them and know they’ll be rewarded, comfortable, and loved. And we have loyal, loving, well-behaved, and adorable companions.

Adding value for everyone

What things are dearest to your dog? Is it food? Food-motivated dogs are a pleasure to train. Gratification is almost instantaneous.

Do toys and play rate highest for your dog? So much fun to be had by all with training games.

Humans and dogs both have a rating system for rewards. For most people, chocolate is more rewarding than Brussels Sprouts. Think about your dog’s preferences. One of ours adores celery – it’s a very high-value treat. When we really want him to pay attention, we have celery in our treat pouch.

Likewise, some toys are more important than others to toy-loving dogs. If you’re playing a training game, think about whether your dog will give up the toy to go back to the game, or if it’s so precious to him/her that he’ll lose interest in the game and focus instead on the reward.

Transferring the value

Simon has value for the balance disc - he gets lots of treats when he's on it.

You can use the things that your dog prizes make other “things” valuable. For example: we have our dogs work on balance and fitness on an inflatable balance disc. (A couch cushion can work just as well. For more on this, go to the post.) Whenever our dogs get up on that disc, they are rewarded. Every single time. That balance disc is one of the most valuable things in the house to every one of our dogs because they know its value.

From the dog’s perspective, it’s not the “thing.” It’s what happens when he interacts with the thing.

Say you want to start the “put your toys away” game. Start with the “thing” that you want your dog to pick up. You can use any household item; a spatula, a paper towel tube, an empty plastic jar, whatever you want.

Put the thing down in front of the dog. When he looks at it, reward. And offer the reward close to the “thing.” In almost no time, the “thing” acquires value. Dog thinks: “When I look at it (touch it, pick it up, carry it) I get something great every time. I love that thing!”

Transfer the value

It works no matter what. You can add value to any object or place, just by consistently showing your dog it’s important. Dogs love us and want to please us, but they’re also sufficiently selfish to do what benefits them. Dogs will repeat behaviors that have value. That’s every dog’s bottom line.

Pack dog training debunked

“Pack” dynamics was all the rage in dog training a while ago. There are still some remnants of it around. The objective, for those who managed to avoid the nonsense, was that you should be the “Alpha” dog – and that the other dogs would naturally be subservient.

Our domestic dogs bear very little resemblance to wolves in the wild. — Our domestic dogs are nothing like wolf packs in the wild.

Research into how dogs learn and behave has put paid to this. Dogs in human households are nothing like wolf packs in the wild. Domestic dogs are dependent throughout their lives, and more like perpetual puppies than a mature wolf pack. Pack dog training is unproductive and archaic.

Pack dog training silliness

Recently we’ve seen some dog food commercials emphasizing the relationship between wolves and dogs. While we agree that dogs aren’t designed to be vegetarians, showing majestic leaping wolves morphing into domestic dogs isn’t apples to apples. Dogs and wolves may have common ancestry, but their similarities after thousands of years of domestication are minimal.

If you’ve been following a famous television dog trainer who advocates pack structure and talks about “calming” behaviors, stop it now. It won’t help your training to think you have to dominate your dog. The best and most effective dog training forges a partnership between you. It’s not somber, it’s fun. Rather than forceful and stern, good training is playful and fun.

Go with what works

When we started in dog training, decades ago, there were lots of methods used that we now consider abuse. In obedience competition training, it was common to pinch a dog’s ear to get him/her to pick up a dumbbell. We’re sorry to admit we know of some people who still use it.

It’s not necessary. And it’s certainly not fun, for either the trainer or the dog.

Tango picks stuff up and puts them into a bin. — Fran trained Tango to pick his toys up and put them into a bin.

Our dogs pick up all sorts of stuff, carry the stuff around, and put it down where we want them to. And all we did to achieve it was play a game. Here’s how it goes:

“Pick up the thing” game

Get a bunch of treats, your clicker, and the “thing” you want your dog to pick up.

Put the thing on the floor and stand by it. If your dog looks at the thing, click and treat. Do that three times.

By the third time, your dog’s going to figure out that the “thing” gets him/her rewarded. You’ve added value to the “thing.”

When your dog “gets” this idea, ask for more. You don’t have to be quiet, still praise your dog for looking, but now save the treats for something more – touching the “thing” with his/her mouth. If your dog touches it with a paw, you can certainly encourage and praise. The treats should be “saved” for the actions that move the behavior forward – in this case we want the dog to pick up the thing.

That’s basically the sequence: introduce the thing and reward each step in the progression. Each dog’s steps may be different, but could include: look, sniff, lick, pick up. Then run away with the “thing” and show it off like a trophy as you run around!

If your dog does this, the impulse is to run after him and try to get it away. Instead, run with him, or away from him, encouraging your dog to come with you! If you’ve already gotten a box or bin you want the “thing” placed in, run over to that and encourage your dog to “drop” the thing.

No domination here

In just a few short sessions, you and your dog will have a new game to play. And you both had fun learning it. If your ambition includes obedience, it’s even a useful game. And nobody got hurt doing it.

Training games make great dog pictures

Want to take great dog pictures?

Turn “posing” into a training game!

Torque does not like having his picture taken.

If, like us, you have a dog that turns away every time a camera (or phone) is pointed at him, you know it can be challenging to get great pictures. Especially if, like ours, your dog is a dark color.

We don’t know why Torque tends to be camera-shy, but he is. So when we want to take his pictures, we make it part of a training game. That boy is all-in for any training game!

Move around

When starting the “pose” game, the first step is to have your dog stay in place while you’re moving around. Ask for your dog’s best position (sit or stay). Grab a handful of treats. Then start moving! As long as your dog stays in place, go back and reward every couple of steps. When you run out of treats, use your dog’s release word, and done!

When your dog is comfortable with your movement, try carrying your phone or camera with you while you move. Fake (or really) take pictures, stopping your motion, clicking the shutter, then moving again.

Get down

Down at Booker's level - a great picture.

We’re really short people, but we’re still much taller than our dogs. We’re even taller than our friends’ big dogs. The result is that most dog pictures are taken from above, and don’t show dogs’ real expressions.

The answer is to get down to a level even with your dog’s head. Then your dog’s face will show a natural expression – which is the one you know, love, and want to keep forever in good pictures.

The problem with getting down at your dog’s level is that it’s an unusual move for most people, and your dog won’t understand what you’re doing. If your dog is like ours, they’ll see it as an invitation to get up in your face and either lick, play, or have a “nutsy puppy” episode.

If this happens for you, make getting down to dog level part of the motion sessions. Your movement doesn’t have to be all standing up. Try crawling, kneeling, squatting and reward your dog for staying in place.

Look at everything

Aside from dogs not staying still, the biggest obstacle to getting a good portrait of your dog is clutter. Before you ask your dog for the sit or down, check the area you want to take the portrait. Frame it in your phone and look at every part of the area. Are there verticals that will give your dog antennae? Is there something bright or distracting in the background? Either shift where you’re working, or remove the object.

Lastly and most delicately

People with girl dogs don’t have this particular issue, but for those of us with boys – no one wants to see your dog’s boy bits in every picture. Three-quarter poses are excellent for using front legs as visual blocks. Over the years, with mostly boy dogs, we’ve become adept at hiding bits and we know you can, too!

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!

Buzzword for today – enrichment

What is enrichment? According to Merriam Webster, it’s “to make rich or richer especially by the addition or increase of some desirable quality, attribute, or ingredient (the experience will enrich your life).

This polar bear is just waiting for some enrichment

Have you seen those feature stories about enrichment at the zoo around Halloween? Where all the elephants get pumpkins to play with? Or the polar bears get huge ice blocks filled with treats in the middle of summer? That’s enrichment. We’d also call it lagniappe, but we like taking our vocabulary out for a spin once in a while.

Making training game sessions part of life is enrichment for both your dog and for you. It’s something special – time you focus only on each other and playing together. It enriches your bond with your dog. Builds understanding between you. And, in a non-coercive, non-punishing way, teaches your dog all kinds of things that will make your lives together easier.

Any game will do

Some days you may not feel like playing any particular game with your dog. That’s okay. Gather a few different objects from around the house – plastic drinkware, mixing bowls, pillows, cardboard boxes, paper towel (or TP) rolls. It can be anything that your dog can’t ruin.

Take one object and put it in front of your dog. If he’s a regular 2-Minute game player, he’ll go check it out. Click and reward! See what he does with it. Does he paw at it? Good touch! Click and reward! Does he sniff it? Good sniff! Click and reward!

Sniffing game

If your dog loves sniffing stuff – you’re ahead for this game. Hope is now teaching her French Bulldog Torque to use his nose instead of his paws or mouth to explore. He’s never been a “sniffy” dog, and it’s a skill he may need if the world ever returns to a semblance of normalcy and he advances in Obedience competition.

She’s using a drop or two of essential oil on a cotton pad.

First step: he sniffs it. Click and reward!
Second step: Hope hides the cotton pad under something (in this case, it was a clean, empty tuna fish can). Torque finds it. Click and reward!
Third step: A second clean tuna can is added – can he still find it? (We’re not here yet!)
Fourth step: A third can is added – and now we’re playing the Shell Game!

Useful? Maybe not

Not every game we play with our dogs has to have a reason, or an objective – but it’s fun to try. If you have no intention of ever competing in any dog sport, your dog may never use her “Shell Game” skills. But learning the game enriched her life, and you had fun with it.

Enrichment can be anything that’s not part of your regular routine. Mix it up! At the Dolphin Research Center, sometimes the trainers just float around the lagoons on inner tubes, tossing ice or gelatin cubes for the dolphins to play with and eat. It’s just for fun. There’s a lot of laughing during these sessions – both from the dolphins and the trainers. And strengthens the bonds between animals and people.

You can increase the quality of your dog’s life with enrichment.

There is no “right stuff” in dog training

Will the right collar bring success to my dog training?

Remember back when you were a kid and one of the best things about going back to school was getting your new school supplies? How you were absolutely convinced the “right stuff” would set you up for success?

Embarking on a dog training adventure is absolutely nothing like that. All you really need is you, your dog, a plan, and a sense of humor. And treats. (Pay your dog.) Patience helps, too.

It doesn’t matter

Should my dog wear a harness for training?

One of the most frequently asked questions we get is about the stuff. Harness or collar? How long should the leash be? What if I don’t have a balance disc?

None of that stuff matters. You have everything you need.

Studies have shown that all collars have the potential to cause neck injuries in dogs. And many dog “experts” claim that harnesses just encourage dogs to pull, because it doesn’t hurt the dog to pull.

The goal is to get your dog to walk nicely beside you, regardless of what it’s wearing. That’s one of the reasons we train our naked dogs in our homes, or in our fenced yards. If your dog can go anywhere it wants, and do anything it wants, but chooses to stay with you and play your game – you’re doing it right!

Safe space

If you’re just starting to develop your teamwork, play your training games in a small, boring, confined space. If you’re the most interesting “thing” around, your dog is going to be fascinated with whatever you do. You know your dog can’t go anywhere. And you know you’re only going to be playing a game for a couple of minutes.

Once you and your dog develop a habit of playing training games, your dog will race to your training space. They love playing games with you. Our training space is usually in the basement. And our biggest headache was keeping the dogs from dashing down the stairs whenever we opened the basement door.

So we made that into a training game, too! Now we approach the basement door, tell the pups to “wait,” go down a couple of steps, come back, and reward! Good wait, doggos! Nice job!

You have the right stuff

Anything and everything can be an occasion for a training game. If you find yourself aggravated because your dog is standing on your lap when you’re trying to watch TV, make it a training game. If the dog is lying in the doorway, make it a training game. (In that case, we’d highly suggest making it a “stay!”)

Being ready to play games all the time, everywhere, will make your life, and your dog’s, happier. Not worrying about the “right stuff” lets you build your dog’s wardrobe with the fun stuff you love. Not that we know any collar addicts. Just mentioning it for a friend.

Mindful training

It’s odd but true.

Teaching dogs new stuff – fun behaviors like “Put your toys away,” or “give paw” are sometimes easier than solidifying behaviors that the dog already “knows” how to do.

We think it goes back to the most powerful force in the universe. Some may say that’s gravity. We know it’s habit.

Battling habit

Simon is sitting nicely. He's always paying attention

One of our students developed the habit of bending her arms up when calling her puppy. It was her way of avoiding her hands being licked, which she doesn’t like. What she achieved, on the positive side, is replicating the obedience signal for “sit.” Her dog approaches within about three feet and her dog, watching her hands go up, sits.

On the negative side, her dog never comes close enough to touch. Which means, even if he has a fantastic recall (come), she won’t be able to get hold of him if she needs to.

Be mindful of what you teach your dog! They’re always paying attention and always learning.

Another universal force

Just as powerful as habit, instinct is difficult to “untrain.”

Dogs are predators, so they chase moving things. Some more than others, depending on the breed and drive of the dog. If your dog is fascinated by moving objects, from balls to bicycles, it may be too much to ask to consider off-leash walks. A squirrel crossing your path could mean a lost dog.

Dogs are guardians, so they bark at sounds around their territory. You may not ever be able to stop your dog from alerting at the doorbell, but you may be able to modify his/her behavior. If you give your dog a “job” or routine to perform when the doorbell rings, with lots of practice and repetition, you may get habit to take over from instinct.

Fighting the status quo

It’s certainly easier in the short term to manage dog behaviors than to modify them. The problem with management, rather than training, is that you’re always the one responsible for your dog’s good behavior. If the doorbell rings and you manage your dog by locking him in a room away from the door, you’re always stressed by the time you answer the bell.

If, however, you’ve trained your dog to go “Place!” when the doorbell rings, your dog is responsible for his behavior. Your dog knows what he’s supposed to do, knows he’s making a good decision, and knows he’ll be rewarded for his effort.

And it’s much less stressful for everyone.

No room is no excuse

We would love to have a big training space. The recommended size of a competition obedience ring is 40 x 50 feet. 2000 square feet. Wouldn’t that be great? It’s also bigger than our entire house. Or yard. Much bigger.

Reality is that we generally have, at most, about a 6 x 10 foot space. Because real people have lives and furniture, and not big, open spaces to play with our dogs. The six by ten foot area stays clear because it’s also the entirety of our “home gym” – also known as the space we found to put down some kids’ snap-together play mats.

It’s not elaborate, it’s not solely dedicated to dog training, and we don’t have a lot of fancy equipment. If your space, time, and budget are limited (whose aren’t?), you substitute thought and creativity!

Play in a very small space!

All of the games in the 2-Minute-Trainer method can be played in a very small space. For most of them, all you need is room for you and your dog! Maybe a mat or rug. A little bowl or jar of treats.

In our competition obedience classes, we call these “kitchen exercises.” Because they’re the kind of things you can do with your dog while you’re waiting for the microwave. It’s probably where you keep the dog treats. And if you’re in the kitchen, and if your life is anything like ours, you’re already tripping over at least one dog in the room.

Instead of staring at your food turning in circles – teach your dog to spin! Both ways! Put those couple of minutes to use giving your dog something to do and a smile for yourself. It won’t take very long, if your dog is already on board with training games. And you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished something.

Playing training games with your dog is always entertaining. But it’s also building your relationship and your dog’s understanding. As much as he loves you now, that devotion will only grow when he sees you as a partner in the fun stuff you can do together.

Dogs love having a job. And they love making you smile and laugh. They love when you tell them they’re good, and smart, and the best puppy on the planet. And you’ll find that those couple of minutes, waiting for the leftovers to reheat in the microwave, will become one of your favorite times of the day.

A favorite game: “Put your ‘toys’ away”

One of our favorite games with our dogs is “Put your toys away.” We don’t use anything elaborate – the “toy bin” is a kitchen wash tub. The “toys” range from actual dog toys to old plastic kitchen utensils; mixing spoons, spatulas, even a pasta fork. The dogs don’t know that they’re not “toys” and they don’t judge the value of the space they’re playing in or equipment they’re using. They just know they’re getting attention, playing games with their favorite person, and having fun.