Dogs don’t judge

Afraid of doing it wrong? You don’t have to be. Dogs don’t judge. 

Some people are reluctant to try new things. Especially if they’re in a public place, or if they’re being watched. We see it in our dog training classes all the time. We have to encourage people to be louder, more active, keep trying, talk to their dogs, etc. Because we’re all afraid of being judged.

Dogs don’t judge

One of the best, and most fun, things about 2-Minute dog games is that there’s never a buzzer or anyone yelling “wrong!” You can play and adapt every game to where you and your dog are right at that moment. And dogs don’t shut down or quit – they’re encouraged to keep trying.

“Try again!” is a phrase that makes our dogs wiggle their butts – it means they get to keep playing. That particular attempt may not have been rewarded, but they get to keep playing and discover what does get the cookie.

You can’t “break” your dog

Positive reinforcement training will never “break” your dog. We have seen dog victims of harsh methods who may never recover to become normal dogs. That doesn’t happen with training games. The “worst” consequences for the dog is not getting a treat. And another opportunity to try.

You also don’t have to worry about getting things right every time. Just like our dogs, we have another chance to play and try again.

This week we’re playing a new game with our dogs. We’ve seen videos of dogs riding skateboards and thought it looked pretty fun. So we got our dog a skateboard!

See what they think

Whenever we introduce a new training tool (toy!) to our dogs, we take the first session or two to see what they think of it. If it’s something that’s familiar, the introduction doesn’t take long and we can start a new game behavior quickly. If it’s something as alien as a skateboard, we want to see how the dogs react before we formulate a game strategy. That’s exactly how we start even the very first dog training game, “Boxey.”

Each of Fran’s dogs reacted a bit differently:

Booker's second time on the skateboard. Dogs don't judge - he was all about the fun.

Booker (8-year-old Boston Terrier) dashed right over, put multiple paws on the deck, and wasn’t fazed in the least when it started moving. His game will emphasize putting three paws on, then moving it with purpose.

Tango (12-year-old Brussels Griffon) doesn’t see too well at this point, but is so familiar with training games that when he noticed something new in the space, he went over to it. He sniffed it, got paws up on it, and was clearly willing to play.

Simon (2-year-old Boston) ran over to the skateboard and was in constant motion. “You want this?” “How about this?” “I’ll try this!” “One paw good?” “Three paws?” “What about shoving it across the room?” 

Clearly none of them was afraid of the item itself, or its movement. And we’ll play games tailored to each dog. Booker’s game will work on refining technique. Tango will probably learn “go for a ride” with us moving the board. Simon’s game will focus on focus. That pup is smart as can be, but still has the attention span of a puppy Boston.

Dogs just want to have fun

We didn’t worry about doing something “wrong.” The dogs got to “meet” their new toy, and we were able to get an idea of each dog’s training game. The next time the dogs see the skateboard, we’ll have a plan for each one – what action will get a “click and treat,” and which one will be ignored. 

The plan doesn’t always happen. Because they’re dogs. That’s okay. We don’t have to be perfect, and neither do the dogs.

You don’t have to worry about getting things “wrong” in a dog training game. Dogs trained with positive reinforcement games will keep trying, keep exploring. Rewards are great, but most dogs adore playing the game. Most will keep trying, just because playing with you is fun.

And if you click at the wrong time? Just give your dog the cookie and try again. Nobody’s perfect and your dog will forgive you. Your mistake may confuse your dog for a minute, but that’s okay. Nobody got hurt. Nobody saw. Dogs are adaptable. Dogs don’t judge. And your dog loves playing with you.

Stay positive in dog training – results come in time

It’s extremely rewarding to see the results of your training. It’s sometimes hard to stay positive in dog training and have faith that you’re making a difference. Lately we’ve had a couple of wonderful examples of how patience and positivity work. We’re changing lives, especially our own, with the power of positive reinforcement training.

By Simon, we think he’s got it!

Simon, Fran’s 2-year-old Boston Terrier is a nosey fellow. He has to check out everything that’s going on, and right in the middle is where he wants to be. Like most Bostons, he’s also incredibly friendly and wants to run up to everyone for overly-enthusiastic greetings.

Simon, demonstrating his jumping prowess. By staying positive, results come in time.
Simon, demonstrating his jumping prowess.

Our yard is surrounded by a four-foot chain-link fence. Our neighbor was out in his yard and Simon felt compelled to run over to say “Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi!” And repeatedly jump, bouncing off the fence at about 3.5 feet. 

The neighbor is a very tolerant man, and accustomed to living next door to dogs, so he ignored Simon entirely. Which gave Hope the opportunity to get close, say Simon’s name, and instantly reward when he turned to look at her. We could see him think about resuming the jumping, greeting craziness, but he didn’t. We could actually see him decide. Paying attention to Hope was more rewarding than greeting the man. 

Laying the foundation

Simon’s good choice was something we’ve worked on forever. He’s finally becoming mature enough to make choices. Essentially, Simon is an adolescent with all the decision-making skills of human teenagers. And since he was a puppy, he’s been rewarded for choosing us over anything else. 

Our dogs are always rewarded for coming to us. Always. Every single time. Because we always want them to come to us when called. If they’ve been incredibly naughty, we don’t call, and we don’t say their names. We go to them for the ensuing discussion. Our dogs’ names and “Come!” always have to be linked to something good. (See “Get your dog to come dashing to you every time.“)

We always want to stay positive in dog training. There’s good reason for this. We always want our dogs to come running happily to us when called. Especially if there’s a skunk in the yard. Or the handyman left the gate open.

Positive works on people, too!

It occurred to us this week that the “stay positive” message has worked in our retail life, too.

When our current mail carrier first came on the route, he was not communicative, did his job reluctantly, sometimes didn’t bother showing up, and was generally surly and unpleasant.

Over the course of months, that’s changed. He now comes into our shop with a smile on his face, a friendly greeting, and looks out for us. He even went out of his way to learn a new way of using his equipment to help us get our outgoing packages into the postal system computer faster.

Also a dog person

All we did to change things around was stay positive. Regardless of his demeanor, we greeted him with a smile. Thanked him for everything he did. Gave him treats for his dog. Some days it wasn’t easy. Especially when he “forgot” to come back to pick up our outgoing mail, and we had to rearrange our schedules to go to the post office. 

Over the course of months, our mail carrier has learned that coming into our shop will always be a pleasant experience. We’re never going to yell at him, never take our bad mood out on him, and always going to be happy to see him – even when he’s bringing monthly bills.

You may get the impression that we’ve “trained” our mail carrier to be the service person we wanted. You would be right. And all through our determination to stay positive.

Training Game: teaching your dog to tap

Teaching your dog to “Tap” is another little training game to play anywhere. 

Little games that don’t need anything but you, your dog, and some treats are useful wherever you go. If you’re waiting at the vet’s office the game can help reduce your dog’s stress. If your dog obsesses on the neighbor mowing the lawn, you can get attention back by playing a game. Whenever you need to reclaim your dog’s focus, having a few games to play will make it easy. (“Touch” is another game we talked about a couple of months ago.)

Making sure that every interaction with your dog is positive and fun ensures that your dog will want to engage with you. If he/she can always count on having fun (and treats!), there’s nothing better. Not even the squirrel climbing the tree across the street.

Teaching “tap”

Does your dog use his/her front paws to get your attention? Many dogs do, and you can make use of this habit to lay the foundation for the game. 

For us, Booker is the one who uses his paws the most to get attention. As a matter of fact, it’s really annoying. You’re sitting there on the couch and he comes over next to you and grabs your hand. Which is how television channels change and texts turn into gibberish around here.

Instead of getting annoyed, use the dog’s natural habit to play the game. 

Tapping the shoe

Our vision of the game has the dog “tapping” the toe of a shoe with his paw. To change Booker’s annoying habit into a fun game, we brought a shoe with us when we went to relax on the couch. Teaching your dog to tap may require equally strange props!

With the shoe either next to us or on our lap, we ignored Booker pawing at us until he touched the shoe with his paw. Then he got attention, pets, and treats! That’s really all it takes to get a dog choosing to play a game. It’s fun to watch them figure out what action is triggering the reward.

Do it again!

The hardest part is being patient. Booker “patted” lots of different things until he zeroed in on the shoe. The game stays the same until the dog figures out that tapping the shoe is what gets the cookies! 

Once your dog is successful about three-quarters of the time, it’s time to start asking for more. If the shoe was on your lap, can the dog tap it when it’s next to you? How about if the shoe is on the floor? Across the room? And finally, how about on your foot?

Tap dancing

The goal of the game is for the dog to tap your toes alternately, left and right. Once your dog has the idea of tapping a shoe, the rest should be relatively simple. Remember to keep moving forward, but not so fast that your dog (or you!) get frustrated. If your dog is having some trouble taking the next step, wherever you are, just go back and reinforce where she was successful. Small steps get you there! 

Torque taps Hope's shins. Teaching your dog to tap is fun.

It’s okay to set your own criteria for every game you play with your dog. Torque, Hope’s French Bulldog, likes to “tap” her shins rather than her shoes. It wasn’t worth it to Hope to change his mind – he’s engaged, having fun, alternating his “taps,” and playing with her. Shifting his focus down to her shoes didn’t seem important. Especially when it’s easier to see his cute little face when he taps her shins!

You can bank on your dog training games

Can you bank on your dog coming when called? Every time? In any situation?

Can you bank on your dog's recall if there's a skunk?

Let’s set up a scenario. You’re in the back yard with your dog after dark. You both hear a sudden rustling from the cluster of daylilies in the corner. 

You catch a glimpse of a black critter with a long white stripe down its back and scream “Razzmatazz, COME!”

Does he? 

Tilting the odds in your favor

In this case, which was very real, Razzy came bounding over. Hope grabbed him and ran for the house. The skunk was gone by the next time we went into the yard.

Were we absolutely sure that Razz would obey in the face of a fascinating and smelly distraction? No. But we tipped the scale in our favor by playing dog training games.

Money in the bank

Every time you reward your dog for making a good decision, like “Come!” you’re tilting the scale in your favor. Your dog will remember that “Come!” always results in something good happening. 

Building up that account of “good stuff” lets you get away with the occasional time when you don’t have a reward handy, but you really need your dog to obey. Like when there’s a skunk in the yard.

Razz did get a bunch of treats when we got inside.  And our eternal gratitude for being such a good Griff. 

But the account was depleted just a bit. That happens whenever the payoff isn’t immediate. Which means you have to build it back up, rebalance the scales, to make sure the account is full next time you need it.

Always pay your dog

Many people look to lessen or stop rewarding their dogs “after they’re trained.” There is no “after.” Dogs are always learning and paying attention. If you stop rewarding a behavior, the dog will stop doing it. See “Food is dog training currency.”

Wouldn’t you stop going to work if there was no paycheck? Or, even worse, if it bounced?

Every training game you play, every reward you deliver, is money in your dog training account. If you have to “spend” that balance to be safe from the skunk, be sure to replenish the account on a regular basis.

If you do, you can always bank on your dog.

Training is all about your bond with your dog

There are all kinds of reasons to play training games with your dog. There’s a whole list of positives: improve manners, build trust, inspire confidence, etc. But the most important one for most people is that it deepens and strengthens your bond with your dog.

Many people think that because there are multiple people living in a home that the dog is a family pet. Maybe. But if one person is primarily responsible for that dog’s care, their bond is stronger. And if one person is always the one to play training games with that dog, that bond is powerful. If the same person both cares for, and plays training games with that dog – that relationship is unbreakable.

Unbreakable bond with your dog

Fran has trained Tango (Brussels Griffon) to put his toys away, into a bin. Training games strengthen the bond with your dog.

We got an illustration of that this week. Fran’s 2-year-old Boston Terrier Simon is in need of some road work to build his stamina before his agility career takes off. Fran’s taking him for his workout at the time she’d normally play training games with her two other dogs, Tango and Booker.

Tango is a 12-year-old Brussels Griffon. If you don’t know Griffs, know that they’re generally one-person dogs. Tango was extraordinarily so when he was younger. You can read all about it in Fran’s book Tango: Transforming My Hellhound. He tried to bite anybody else. 

He has mellowed through the years. Now Hope can handle him easily, and he generally pays pretty good attention to her. When Fran’s not home, he’s happy to follow Hope around instead.

But he doesn’t “get” playing training games with Hope. That’s reserved for his person. And Tango adores playing his training games. The game today was supposed to be “Put your toys away” which is his favorite in the world. He bounces when he retrieves the toys from the pile, he bounces when he heads over to the toy box to put them away. 

Never heard it before

Tango is adorable when he sits there, stares at you, and has a completely blank look on his face. He never heard “Put your toys away!” before. Unless Fran says it. 

The take-away here is that if you want your dog to be a family dog, everybody needs to play training games with him/her. (We wrote about this a couple of months ago too.) You can all play the same games. Or each person can have a unique training game. But everybody has to play.

If, on the other hand, your objective is that unbreakable bond between one individual and a dog, that person should play training games. Just once a day helps. Several 2-Minute-Training games per day will cement the relationship forever.

Positive reinforcement works

This week we are grateful to the people and government of the great state of Ohio for proving that positive reinforcement works.

It wasn’t an experiment, and it wasn’t dogs that proved it. (Although our dogs prove it every day, through our commitment and philosophy.) People respond to positive reinforcement, consciously. It’s a shining example of the power of this method of training.

Deadly serious

If you watched the news this week you know that the rate of vaccination against COVID 19 has been dropping. Officials, both medical and governmental, around the nation have been scrambling for ways to get more people to overcome vaccine hesitancy and roll up their sleeves.

Getting a vaccine so you’ll be protected against a potentially deadly disease sounds like pretty good motivation. But it wasn’t enough.

Protecting your friends, loved ones, and people who you come into contact with is another good reason. Again, not enough.

Being able to ditch the mask, go places, and do things is an excellent reason to get vaccinated. And it still wasn’t enough.

We’d equate it to giving your dog a pat on the head and saying “Good dog!”

What worked

The State of Ohio got creative. 

The state is sponsoring five $1 million dollar drawings open to adults getting the first dose of vaccine. Sign-ups increased by 28%.

Ohio is also offering a chance at one of five full-ride scholarships to any in-state college or university for teens age 12-18 getting a first dose of the vaccine. Vaccine sign-ups skyrocketed by 94% among 16 and 17 year-olds in the state. (Here’s the Ohio Department of Health’s release about the success of the program.)

This is positive reinforcement. This is how people react to the possibility of a great reward.

Pay your dog

Simon is proof that positive reinforcement works.

Yes, your dog loves you and will “work” for you. A pat on the head and “atta boy!” is nice. If you want enthusiastic, eager attention and active learning, pay your dog. The better the reward, the better the response. You’ll find the statistical proof in Ohio.

Dog manners for greeting visitors

Is your dog a nut job when company comes? Do you wish your dog had better manners for greeting visitors?

It’s been especially tough during the pandemic – not many people were open to visiting. Many dogs either forgot the manners they had, or never had a chance to learn polite greetings. You can turn that around, with some basic training games to teach your dog what to do when the doorbell rings.

Doorbell behavior

It’s always easier to teach something “to” do, rather than “not to” do. If your dog learns that the doorbell, or a knock on the door, is a trigger for a specific behavior, you’re giving them a familiar goal. 

You won’t necessarily be able to stop your dog from giving a startled bark. A doorbell is meant to alert the household that someone has arrived. What a learned behavior will achieve is making the aftermath of the doorbell sound into a familiar routine.

Teach “Place”

Booker in his "place!"

If space and your routine allow it, have a dog bed or mat in view of the door. When you teach your dog “Place” (2-Minute-Trainer.com Book 1) your dog will know that his/her “job” is to run to the bed when the doorbell trigger sounds. It’s really an ideal scenario. Your dog will be able to see what’s going on, you’ll know where your dog is, and whoever is at the door will be able to deliver your pizza without fuss. 

If you’re not in the habit of getting deliveries, set up the scenario with a friend or family member when your dog has mastered “Place,” and will dash to the bed or mat as soon as you say your cue word. It doesn’t have to be “Place.” If a different word comes more naturally to you, by all means use it and teach that word to your dog so that he’ll develop better dog manners for greeting visitors.

Choose a different behavior to “do”

One of the biggest obstacles in teaching dog training is getting people to change from the “don’t” words to the “do” words. It’s natural to tell your dog “Off!” when she’s jumping on your friend. (Never “Down!” – that means lie down. Each word has only one meaning for your dog.) 

But it’s not helpful. It doesn’t give your dog anything to do. “Stop” doesn’t mean anything to dogs. She’s doing lots of stuff – walking, jumping, sniffing, licking, etc. What do you want her to do?

It takes time and conscious thought to change the “stop doing that” into “Sit!” or “Touch!” Giving your dog a task to perform, one that’s familiar and is always rewarded, if more likely to be successful. 

Just like kids

If you’ve ever witnessed, dealt with, or been with squabbling children, it’s a very similar situation. We’re convinced it’s how the vast majority of “road trip games” came into being. Giving them a task, like license plates to look for, is more effective than saying “Stop touching each other!” It separates the children to look out their own windows, and occupies their minds. Do the same for your dog and manners will improve!

Look out for your dog – be an advocate

It looks like the world is starting to open up again. With more events and activities available, it may be time to think about taking your dog to an in-person dog training class. If you do – look out for your dog!

If you’re here, you’re on board with training your dog at home, often, with short, fast, fun, and effective dog training games. It’s a great way to build a strong, consistent, clear relationship. In-person classes are a great adjunct to your at-home sessions – as long as you look out for your dog. We’ve talked before about training classes, and the importance of making sure your dog gets everything out of them.

Respect, but don’t concede

Check out a training class so you can look out for your dog!

Ideally, before you sign up for any dog trainer’s in-person class, you would have the opportunity to observe class and talk to some current and former students. These days, that’s probably not possible. 

Instead, you have to thread the needle between enthusiastic participation and critical judgement. The easiest way to say this: Don’t do anything to your dog that makes you uncomfortable. No matter who tells you.

And don’t hand over your leash to anyone unless you’re comfortable they would treat your dog as you would.

Know better, do better

For many years the accepted and universal method for dog training involved physical punishment. Collar “pops” were the order of the day. We cringe when we remember how we were taught. And we’re embarrassed and ashamed by the pain we inflicted on our wonderful dogs.

What do you do if the instructor asks, or tells, you to use negative reinforcement on your dog?  It could be a choke collar, prong collar, electronic collar, yelling, hitting, any physical or intimidating method. 

Avoid confrontation

The simplest thing to do, and we must admit we’ve used this ourselves, is simply to say “Okay” and then ignore the advice. The instructor may think you’re not very bright, but that’s better than damaging your relationship with your dog.

If the instructor thinks you’re just not “getting it,” he or she may reach for your leash to take your dog and show you how it’s done. Don’t let them. Just say you’re not comfortable with that.

Should the instructor persist, it’s time to let them know why you’re not following their instructions. You are a positive reinforcement trainer and prefer to stick to non-punitive methods. 

Look out for your dog 

You are your dog’s advocate. Stick to your guns and be strong. Both the science and results speak for themselves – positive reinforcement works. You may have to find another class – or stick to home training if there are no other choices. 

Your dog would thank you for it, if she knew how you advocate for her.

Even finicky dogs work for food & Puppy Pushups game

It seems counter-intuitive. Even if there’s a full bowl of food available, dogs work for food. The exact same food that’s in the bowl.

People do the same thing. The psychologist’s name for it is “contra-freeloading.” Even when “free” stuff is available, people will still work for reinforcement, whether it’s money, food, or other valuable rewards. Some of those rewards may be intangible, but they still exist. 

More than just the food

We’ve all heard the saying “When you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Dogs love “working.” Even when your dog knows the house rules and grows into a beloved family member, training should be part of life. It’s how we create our dogs’ best life. That’s something we want for everyone we love.

Try it yourself. Your dog will absolutely choose to play training games with you and work for food. If your dog is indifferent to food in a bowl, turn that meal into a training game. Ask for anything! We just gave a step-by-step for the “Touch!” game – alternate hands. Move around. Just don’t bop your dog in the nose with your “Touch!” hand! See if your dog doesn’t get excited about the game and the rewards she gets for playing!

You’ll see a change from fussy eater to eager worker, probably in that first 2-Minute session. And the faster and more fun your game is, the more food will disappear.

Puppy push-ups

Simon is sitting in his work for food session.

Another good mealtime game is “Puppy Push-ups.” Traditionally, it’s a fast-and-furious timed game. How many times can your dog go from “Sit!” to “Down!” in one minute. We like to add another position cue – “Stand!” That way we can mix it up. If your dog doesn’t know all three, now is a good time to teach that, too!

If the game only has two positions, your dog knows what comes next. He doesn’t have to listen or pay attention if he knows what’s coming. Since we want the dogs to actually understand and listen, what comes next should be a surprise. Adding the third position command to the mix does the trick. Your dog never knows what you’ll ask for next, so she has to listen and be ready!

Reward for speed

The more enthusiastic you are about the game, the happier and more excited your dog will be. Dogs feed off our energy. If you’re tired after your day, fake it. It turns into genuine enthusiasm when your dog responds and gets excited to be playing with you.

In the throes of the game, keep your criteria for rewards clear. While it’s better to give too many rewards than too few, try to stay on track and only reward when your dog performs the position you called. If you ask for a “Sit,” and your dog lies down, then stands, or looks confused, wait a few beats before you repeat the command. If he still doesn’t get it, take a tiny break for him to get his head together. Take a step to the side, ask for a touch, and start over. 

Just like us

When dogs get too excited, they can stop listening and start doing any old thing to make you smile. It’s adorable, and you can certainly switch gears and have a “freestyle” session. That’s one where you don’t ask for anything, but let your dog have fun and reward the creative behaviors that she creates.

If it’s not what you intended, it’s still okay. You may want to move to a different spot to indicate that it’s a change of games. You can play any game at any time – that’s the beauty of having an entire repertoire of choices for you and your dog.

Being good is not a dog goal

Your dog doesn’t care whether he’s “good.” Good is not a dog goal. Dogs have no “higher purpose” or ambition in life. They have no “moral fiber” because it’s just not a dog thing. Right and wrong, good and bad – those are people things. Dogs don’t care.

What dogs really care about 

Simon cares about playing. Good is not a dog goal for Simon. His goal is to play more, and get more treats.

Dogs do care about some things: you, food, comfort, toys, playing. All of those are tangibles. We don’t know what dogs actually think about, but we’re pretty sure it’s not good and evil. 

It’s also a big stretch to attribute “spiteful” tendencies to dogs. So many people think their dogs act out when alone due to “spite” or “revenge.” Not true. Dogs act out either because they’re suffering from separation anxiety, or because the impulse to act is more rewarding than not. Dogs always do what they find most rewarding. 

No difference between good and bad

Let’s say the dog is craving attention. She knows you fuss when she turns over the wastebasket. She’s going to turn over the wastebasket to get your attention. That’s a dog equation. Attention is all good – no difference between positive and negative. The nebulous concept of good is not a dog goal.

“I shouldn’t turn over the wastebasket because Mom told me not to” is a people thought. Dogs don’t really look into the future, or recognize consequences of their actions. A classic example is the dog who’s punished when the owner discovers a “mess” on the floor. Punishing the dog after the fact doesn’t teach the dog not to mess in the house. It teaches the dog that bad things happen when Mom discovers the mess. Therefore: hide the mess. Which is later discovered behind the couch.

Being good is not a reward

For people, knowing you’ve done the “right” thing, even in difficult circumstances, is satisfying and rewarding. For dogs, not so much. We’re constantly reminding people to “Pay Your Dog!” When your dog does make a good decision – let him/her know. Every single time. 

The “pay” doesn’t have to be food. Playing with a toy, a vigorous scratch behind the ears, sincere praise all work, depending on the situation. Let your dog know that you like what he’s done – even if all he’s doing is sitting quietly while you’re busy working from home. Take the time to reward “good” behavior.

True dog goals

Your dog doesn’t care about “good.” He cares very much whether you pay attention. If you pay extraordinary attention to the behaviors you like, you’ll see more of them. 

It takes conscious thought to praise your dog for doing stuff you like. If your high-alert dog finally lets a leaf blow down the street without comment, it’s easier to just appreciate the quiet than to get up, get a treat, and “mark” the behavior. But if you don’t – how does your dog know it was “good?” 

Clearly communicate “good” to your dog and she’ll find it more rewarding every time. It’s not easy to remember, but it’s worth it. (We’ve talked about clarity before, and it’s still important!)

It’s even harder to ignore the stuff you don’t like. It’s upsetting when you realize that, despite what you’ve tried so far, your dog still doesn’t understand. But if you only “mark” the naughty stuff, that’s what you’ll see more of. That’s the way dogs think. 

Good is not a dog goal. Being happy is. You’ll both be happier with clearer communication.