Tag: 2-minute tip

Too many treats?

Some people have expressed concern that, with constant food rewards, their dogs will get fat.

No, your dog will not get fat!

While you may be increasing the number of food reinforcements your dog is getting – you don’t have to increase his/her overall calories. 

Some ideas …

Some ideas to keep the pounds away:

Substitute frozen green beans for a part of your dog's meal.
Substitute part of your dog’s meal with frozen cut green beans.
  • Especially if your dog eats dry food – use a portion of each meal as training treats. Many serious dog trainers “ditch the bowl” entirely and hand-feed every meal to their dogs, using meal time as training time.
  • Replace some of your dog’s meal with frozen, cut, green beans. Most dogs love frozen beans. We don’t know why – we just know it’s true.
  • Get a refillable squeeze tube (most camping supply departments have them) and fill it with low-fat yogurt. It fits nicely in your hand and you can squeeze out a dab as a reward quickly.
  • Include lots of low-calorie options in your training treat trail mix; Cheerios, pretzel pieces, diced-up carrots or celery. Hope’s Torque is bonkers for celery. We don’t know why. We just capitalize on the fact that he is.

Your dog’s consumption may go up – especially as you both realize how much fun training is and do it more often. It’s somewhat offset by the increase in activity for your dog. Instead of lying on the couch, he/she is actively engaged and burning more calories.

No need to resist those big brown eyes!

Relax. You don’t have to resist those puppy-dog eyes. Find some alternatives that work for you and your dog.

Don’t help!

Is your dog helpless? Find out how you can help him help himself!

Resist the temptation to “help” your dog figure stuff out!

Teddy was proud of himself after figuring his way out of a tight corner!

One of our best dog-training mentors said “The more you help, the more helpless you make your dog.” 

Remember when you were a little kid and you were practising a new skill (maybe tying your shoes)? And your mom or sibling jumped in and interrupted? You forgot where you were and you had to start all over again.

Your dog needs time to think things through and practise his/her thinking and decision-making skills. 

If your dog is frustrated, he/she may look at you for help. Bark, fuss, make eye contact, and try to get you to help, Don’t do it! As long as he/she is trying – resist the temptation!

If your dog turns away and gives up, then you can move on to something else and try again another time.

Hope’s Teddy (French Bulldog) wasn’t the brightest bulb in the chandelier. He heard a noise in the alley and dashed underneath and around some yard equipment to get down a narrow path to check it out. When he was ready to come back, he couldn’t figure out how he’d gotten there. 

He started fussing and looking for some help. Instead of clearing the way, Hope just waited for him to figure it out – as noisy and difficult as that was. In time (it was only a few minutes), he did figure out a path back and was proud of himself for the rest of the day!

So – don’t be so quick to help. Encourage your dog’s problem-solving ability.

Give Your Dog a “Secret Identity”

When you want to yell at your dog, don't use their name! Make up a "Secret Identity" name!

When you’re frustrated or angry with your dog – don’t use his/her name. Give him a secret identity. The sillier, the better!

Yelling “Bingo!” instead of your dog’s name will make you feel better, change the mood, and keep your dog’s name from becoming a curse word.

It’s crucial that your dog always thinks his/her name is a good thing. When you say it, your dog’s tail (if he/she has one) should wag, never sag. Calling your dog should always be a good thing. 

So next time your Fido overturns the wastebasket, or goes counter-surfing, or knocks over your plant; by all means yell. At the top of your lungs scream “Gosh darn it, Jehosephat! Didn’t I tell you not to do that about a million and a half times!” As long as your dog’s name isn’t Jehosephat, you’re golden. 

If your dog’s name is Jehosephat – you need to pick an easier name!