dog training made fun Archives - Page 24 of 25

Cute stuff?

Does your dog do cute stuff on his or her own?

Your dog is adorable. He or she does really, really cute stuff that you didn’t teach him, but it’s so amazingly darling that you’d really like him to do it more.

It’s really easy to turn your dog’s cute mannerisms into cued behaviors.

Name it and reward it!

This is a natural behavior - Ceilidh "danced."

We do it all the time! Torque “hugs.” Booker “dances.” And before Booker, our girl Ceilidh “danced” too (left). Tango wipes his beard. Actually, that one isn’t as cute as it is necessary. If you have a dog with a beard, you know that if you don’t teach them to wipe on a towel after they drink, the water is all over the house.

Hopefully, we’ve already trained you to have treats in every room of the house. If you don’t have your clicker handy, you can use “Yes!” for a marker word.

First decide what your want to call your dog’s habit that you want to turn into a trick. When you see your dog doing that “thing,” just click and say “good hug!” or “good dance!” or “good bow!” All dogs do cute stuff like play bows, or rolling over, or rubbing their backs on the floor.

Name it, reward it, and your dog will repeat it!

Be prepared with “Plan B”

“Huh?”

There are days we’d swear one of our dogs (it differs by the day) is an idiot who never learned anything, ever. You know those times – you start a high-energy, 2-Minute session and they stare at you blankly when you say “Sit!” or “Down!” or “Come!”

When it happens, and it happens to everybody on occasion, the best thing to do is just shift gears and try something else. Don’t abandon the session! Just go to “Plan B!”

"Plan B" is almost always better than continuing a fruitless session or abandoning it altogether.

Choose a different training game – or no training at all! There’s no timeline and no repercussions for not fulfilling one day’s plan. You’re certainly allowed, even encouraged, to just grab a toy and play “tug” or “fetch” with your dog.

What does your dog want to do?

On the other hand, if you think your dog is just “testing” you – try something else to engage him or her. Start with tug and turn it into a “hand touch!” Sometimes your dog can lead the session and let you know what he wants to do.

Hope’s Frenchie Torque’s favorite training game is “tap,” where he alternates paws touching Hope’s foot. There are sessions where he runs up to her and “taps” without prompting. And some days, he gets to choose! Other times he’ll get his “tap” at the end of the 2-Minute session – if he plays the game Hope wants, first!

Delayed learning does work

There are times when your dog just doesn’t seem to be “getting” what you’re teaching at all. If your dog usually learns something in about three to five sessions, and it’s just not coming, put it away for a week or so. Then try again. You might be amazed that the behavior you thought was never going to happen has almost been perfected by letting it lie dormant for a time.

Your dog is unique, and so is his learning

It will take a while before you know your unique dog’s learning pattern. What games she enjoys, which kinds of behaviors she finds easiest and which are most difficult. You may recognize similarities if you keep track on the worksheets available for download for each of the courses. The worksheets are a training tool that comes in handy.

Your dog can pick up on your energy

Dogs will also pick up on your preferences for training, too. Your energy level may be different for “place” than it is for “come.” If you take video of your training – watch yourself the first time through. Then watch it again, noting how your dog reacts to you. If your tone or energy changes – so does your dog!

Under the weather training

Simon was a little under the weather today. We did some training anyway.

Simon is under the weather today. So we did a little under the weather training. Nothing big, but not up to his lively, energetic self. We make a practice of individually training all the dogs before work in the morning. (Unless we’re working on a group exercise, of course.) The dogs who aren’t training are in their crates in the area. They can watch while they relax. I didn’t want Simon to feel left out, so I had to decide what I wanted to work on that wouldn’t overtax or over-stimulate him.

Why train today?

You might ask why bother to have a training session with Simon at all when he’s not feeling up to par. For one thing, he enjoys it, and it might help him feel a little better. And we’ve found that dogs love consistency. They love routine. If Simon sees his “brothers” training and he doesn’t get a turn, he’s perfectly capable of throwing a tantrum. Or he’ll mope. And a sick, mopey dog is worse than just a sick dog.

Of course, if Simon were severely ill, more than just a little under the weather, we would have been preparing to go to the veterinarian, and not training. We’ve lived with enough dogs to recognize a little bug versus something worse.

So, what did we do?

I didn’t ask for anything new. We worked on positions – the “Get in,” Sit, Down, and we worked on Stay. Simon will be competing in Obedience, so these are important. We did a little bit of heeling – that precise almost-walking that we do in competition Obedience. But not too much. And a little, tiny bit of focus forward – Simon holds his stay when he really wants that toy thrown in front of him.

We didn’t work on anything new – I wanted to keep the session stress-free for Simon. So we worked on reinforcing and perfecting behaviors that he already knew. Learning new things, no matter how much fun the session might be, brings a little stress.

How long?

2-minutes, of course!

Keep those plates spinning!

Your dog’s skills are constantly changing. You and your dog have a lot of plates spinning!

Lots of new behaviors

For the most part, his/her repertoire is expanding as your 2-Minute-Training journey continues. Your dog is learning how to learn – offering new behaviors, paying better attention, becoming a team with you, and you’re building a great relationship as your understanding grows.

And then, for no reason, your dog looks at you like she’s never heard the word “Place!” before. Seriously, dog?

What’s going on?

It could be one of a couple of different things.

Short-term to long-term memory

When dogs (or people!) learn new things, it takes a bit of time for them to become part of our skills list. When anything is transferring from short-term to long-term memory, it can get lost for a little while.

The other possibility is that while you’ve been training other stuff, “place” got a little bit neglected. When was the last 2-Minute session that focused on “place”?

Remember the Ed Sullivan show?

This circus dog knows her stuff! She's keeping her ball balanced while dancing on her hind legs! Lots of skills here.

The skills our dogs learn are like the “Spinning Plates” routine from old variety or circus shows. As the number of skills (plates) grows, it gets more difficult to keep each going. An occasional refresher session is all it takes to renew the behavior.

Hope hadn’t been working “place” with Torque in a while. They’d been having fun with tricks like “tap!” and putting stuff away. When she remembered, it only took one little session to remind him, and his “place” was back!

It might be time to revisit old skills

Just like it’s never too late for a dog to learn new things, it’s never a bad time to revisit old skills. It’s a good idea, especially if you’re having a difficult day, to just go back and refresh some familiar, fun skills that you’ve already mastered.

It’s nowhere near as frenetic as actually “spinning plates” – and it’s fun to relax and revisit the “oldies but goodies.”

Here’s a YouTube video of Henrik Bothe performing his plate-spinning act.

Get it on record!

One of your most important tools is your smartphone

One of your best dog training tools is your smartphone!

At least a couple of times a week, take video of your session with your dog. If somebody else is around, ask them to do it and be sure to get both you and your dog in the frame. If not, invest in a little tripod and set it up so both of you are visible.

Do it! No one else has to see the recording.

Do it even if you hate being on video. Even if you hate your voice. Even if you’re wearing clothes that aren’t fit for public viewing. Even if you haven’t showered or done your hair yet.

Why?!?

It’s a great way to keep track of where you’ve been.
You can see how good (or bad) your timing is when you’re rewarding your dog
Your dog is adorable.
You’ll have a way to visualize your progress.
If your dog isn’t understanding something, you can see where he/she loses interest.

No one has to see it but you. Unless your dog does something hysterically funny, in which case you’ll be happy you have the recording so you can upload it to YouTube and get rich!

Aside from your training log, which we’ve provided for download, your video is a great tool. When you’re in the moment, playing with your dog, there are things you don’t notice even though they happen right in front of you.

Watch your video at least twice

Watch the video at least twice – once concentrating on you, once concentrating on your dog.

Were your cues in the right place? Did you make sure you had your dog’s attention before you told her what you wanted her to do? Was your reward well-timed? Did you tell her “good girl!” often enough?

Especially notice the rewards

The most important feedback you give your dog is the timing and placement of rewards. Were they often enough? Were they in the right place? If you’re rewarding your dog for “down,” the reward should be placed on or between the dog’s front paws. It’s crucial that the dog doesn’t have to sit up to receive the treat!

What can you learn?

There are all kinds of little things you can learn from your video. It could show a stress signal from your dog, like yawning or licking his muzzle, that indicates he’s not sure what he’s supposed to do. If you notice where in the game that’s happening, you’ll know that particular part of the behavior needs extra attention – maybe as simple as more frequent rewards, or going back a step and trying again.

Video is a tool you have right in your hand. Be sure to keep those early ones – you’ll want to look back and see how far you’ve come!

Value is Relative

Just like people, dogs have preferences.

There are “low value” and “high value” rewards. That goes for all types of rewards; food, toys, even attention.

For instance, Hope’s Torque has a very consistent hierarchy of toys:

Torque LOVES balls. They are at the top of his toy reward hierarchy.

Squeaky rubber/plastic balls
Non-squeaky rubber/plastic balls
Tennis balls
Rubber/plastic squeaky non-ball toys
Non-squeaky, non-ball rubber/plastic toys
Squeaky soft toys
Non-squeaky soft toys

Drop it – maybe, maybe not!

So when Hope is working on “drop it,” which is extremely difficult for Torque, she can exchange a lower-value toy for a higher-value toy. But if she tries to go too far up the value scale, it’s not worth giving up the toy for anything Hope can offer.

There’s a treat value list for Torque, too:

Treat trail mix. — A nice mix of treats for rewards.

Hot dog pieces
Cheese
Freeze-dried Chicken Hearts or Turkey Gizzards
Cheerios (Honey-Nut is his favorite)
Kibble

Trade equal value rewards: toy for a treat

So Hope can trade a higher-value toy for a higher-value treat. But don’t try to swap a squeaky rubber ball for a piece of kibble – it’s not going to happen. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

Your dog has a reward hierarchy too

Do you know your dog’s reward value lists? If not, it’s worthwhile spending a few minutes to figure it out. It may shed some light on what’s working particularly well in your training, and the reasons why some things may not be working right now.

High value rewards should be used for high value behaviors

Keep the highest-value rewards as a special treat for your dog when he/she achieves something that’s been challenging. Keep in mind that we’re not using any of these as lures. We’re teaching our dogs to make good choices. And rewarding them for success.

Don’t Wanna, Not Gonna

Training a dolphin is a lot like training a dog!

One of the doyennes of positive reinforcement training, Karen Pryor, is also the author of A Dog & A Dolphin – An Introduction to Clicker Training. At first, the similarities between the two species may not be apparent, but for training, they’re much alike – if you do it right.

Training = Training

At our favorite dolphin facility, the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Florida, we’ve been privileged to watch and participate in training sessions with the dolphins. With dolphins, you have to use positive reinforcement. If the animal isn’t interested and engaged, willing to play with you – he or she just swims off. There’s not a thing you can do about it.

Should be SO MUCH FUN!

Dogs are sometimes “just not that into it.” If your dog disengages and goes off sniffing, it’s time to switch gears. We don’t “make” our dogs play training games with us. We make the games, and ourselves, so much fun that they want to play with us.

If you’re working on a “come!” and your dog doesn’t, think about what you can change to make yourself more appealing. Don’t beg your dog to come to you – run away from him! Or get down on all fours and call her to crawl under you. Slap a toy on the ground and drag it. Be creative.

Some dogs get over-stimulated during play sessions. If that’s the case and your dog is barking at you or excited and not listening, just sit down, without saying anything, and wait for a moment of silence. Then whisper something. Or gently blow on your dog’s face to get his attention. If he or she is too “amped up,” your dog may not be able to focus on what you’re asking.

One of our training mentors, when a dog is barking uncontrollably in class, yells “Goku needs a hug!” It stops the behavior and gives the dog a chance to refocus.

Sometimes a “time out” is needed

If nothing else works, either call it a day and end the session, or give your dog a little “time out” in the crate. It gives you and your dog a little break and hits the “reset.” The break doesn’t have to be long – less than a minute will do. He or she may come out ready to play with you again.

If that doesn’t happen, chalk it up to a bad day. We all have them. Even our dogs. You’ll have another chance later, or tomorrow.

Yes, your dog is your baby

Whether you like the term “pet parent” or not, dogs are, in many ways, akin to human toddlers.

Consider these “Social Characteristics of Toddlers”

Toddlers are headstrong and negativistic.
They are naturally active, mobile and curious.
They are repetitive, rigid, ritualistic, and stereotyped in their behavior.
They tend to go into temper tantrums in order to control self and other.
Play is the work of toddlers. Through play they learn how to manipulate and understand their environment
Rituals increase in the toddler’s sense of security by making compulsive routines of simple tasks
Negativism can be countered by offering limited choices and the use of distraction in the handling toddlers whose favorite word is “NO”.

Sound familiar?

The reaction they get will determine whether they try it again

Training isn’t about controlling all aspects of your dog’s life. It’s about teaching him or her to cope with the world he/she lives in. Dogs like knowing what’s allowed and what isn’t. That doesn’t mean they won’t test the boundaries – just like any toddler. They will try to manipulate you, or “push your buttons” – just like a human toddler. The reaction they get will determine whether they try it again.

Say your dog barks at you. What do you do? If it’s a bark for attention – does your dog get it? Do you yell at him to “be quiet?” Do you bribe her to get her to shut up? Or do you ignore it?

Attention = Reward (for a dog)

If your dog was successful in getting you to pay attention – any kind of attention – the barking for attention worked and you’ll get more of the same behavior. Your dog tested and won. Even if all you did was get angry – you barked back and your dog got the attention he/she was craving.

If you ignored the behavior – either by continuing what you were doing or by leaving the vicinity, the barking didn’t work and you’ll probably see less of it.

Here’s a few seconds of the chaos and mayhem in our house before we told the dogs to knock it off:

Goof goodies

Everybody messes up. We’re human. It happens.

I goofed up! I should give my dog a "Goof Goodie!"

It happens in training all the time. We say the wrong thing, look the wrong way, click at the wrong time, turn in the wrong direction.

Guess what? You’re the only one that knows. Keep it secret from your dog!

When you make a mistake, give your dog a treat. Reward with a “goof goodie!”

Why?

It keeps your dog from thinking that it’s his/her fault.

Think about it. What’s everybody’s first reaction when they screw up? They sigh, or say “ugh” (or worse). How does your dog know you’re not talking to him? Whenever you’re together, you always talk to her!

A dog trained with positive reinforcement probably won’t repeat something that hasn’t been rewarded. And may avoid doing things that got a negative reaction. So if we say “dammit” out loud, the dog thinks we’re talking to him. And, because he’s a very good dog, he won’t do it again. Even if he was right and we were the ones that screwed up.

You may know you’re talking to yourself – metaphorically slapping yourself. But your dog doesn’t. And she’s the only other one there. Let her know she’s good.

Give her a Goof Goodie and let it go. You’ll do better next time.

Be the Senior Partner

You and your dog are a team, best friends, compadres. It’s a partnership – living together happily ever after. To make that true, you have to be the senior partner.

We meet lots of people whose dogs run their lives. They love their dogs and want them to be happy. So, if Fido doesn’t like company coming over, they don’t invite anyone over. If Fido doesn’t want to go to bed, they stay up. You get the idea. And we’re all guilty of bits of it.

But we’ll let you in on a little secret. Dogs don’t like being in charge. They’ll take the wheel if no one’s steering, but they’d rather be back-seat drivers!

Dogs love rules!

Dogs are addicted to rules and order. If your dog always eats at a certain time, have you noticed him getting discombobulated when Daylight Savings Time changes the clocks? No one told your dog, and he doesn’t much like it!

Another consideration is that dogs are akin to human toddlers. Taught to be polite, caring, and unselfish, they’re praiseworthy members of the family and a joy to be around. Left to their own devices, they can be selfish, rude, and destructive.

Letting your dog decide the rules of the house all the time isn’t fair to either one of you. Once in a while, there’s nothing wrong with being tempted away from household chores by those puppy dog eyes begging for a game of fetch.

The problem arises when the dog makes the rules. If your dog is restricting your life, if you’re foregoing activities or opportunities because of your dog, things need to change.

Both of you will be happier when you become the Senior Partner in your relationship with your dog.