dog training the fun way Archives - Page 6 of 10

Cue your dog and all his cuteness

Booker's head tilt - cue your dog. — Booker’s almost got that head tilt

You know that adorable head tilt your dog does whenever you whistle? Cue your dog’s cuteness! Dogs are capable of understanding hundreds of words – give the behavior a unique name and make it part of your dog’s repertoire!

For example: Years ago we had a Boston Terrier named Daemon. So many years ago that one of the songs on the radio all the time was Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” Every time he heard that song, Daemon would howl, like he was trying to sing along. It was the only time he ever did it. We thought it was hilarious, and adorable. So we named it and gave him treats every time. In just a few weeks, Daemon knew it. Many days were brighter when we asked: “Daemon, are you the Piano Man?” and listening to his adorable response.

Logic isn’t necessary

Of course Daemon wasn’t the Piano Man. But he didn’t know that. You can name behaviors whatever you want. The words you use will only have that particular meaning to you and your dog. Some people use foreign phrases, made-up languages (like Klingon), or nonsense syllables. It doesn’t matter to anyone but you and your dog. If it makes you smile and you won’t be embarrassed to say it in public, go ahead!

The public part is worth noting. Because you’re going to want to show off your dog’s new trick at the next family gathering, or get-together at your place. And you want to be able to say it in front of your grandmother. Or post it on social media and make your dog an internet sensation. Without getting “bleeped.”

Anything can become a cute trick

The behavior you cue doesn’t have to be anything particularly special. Put a name to something your dog does naturally. When your dog gets up from a nap, does she stretch in a particular way? Have some treats handy and say “Good Stretch!” and reward. You can probably even predict when she’ll do it, so you can be ready. Just saying “Good Stretch!” every time you see your dog do it will evolve into a cue for the behavior. It may take a while for your dog to realize what you’re rewarding for, but it will happen. Hope was starting to teach Torque “Stretch!” He still hasn’t quite picked up on it, but Fran’s Booker did.

“Shake!” is a good one to cue your dog with, too. Not all dogs shake themselves, and they certainly don’t all do it the same way. Fran’s Brussels Griffon Tango has the most adorable way of shaking himself from front to back – almost like “The Wave” at a stadium. If it makes you smile, it’s worth trying to cue it.

Look for special everyday

Even if you have multiple dogs of the same breed, over time or together, you know that each dog has their own personality. Those individual distinctions are what make each dog special. Capturing those with cued, natural behaviors lets you preserve each dog’s uniqueness. And the time you spend together, learning, practicing, and performing, become precious memories.

Take dog training games to the next level

Take your dog training games to the next level by combining tricks. What can Torque do next? — Torque “hides.”

After you’ve been playing training games with your dog for a while, you might have trouble coming up with new ideas. But you don’t always have to come up with something new. You can take your dog training games to the next level by putting them together.

Inspirational dog training

We’ve always loved dogs. But getting hooked on the training part came much later. Dogs are great, adorable, cuddly companions and friends. But the partnership truly blossoms through training. One of the very first, inspirational dog/people partnerships we saw was Carolyn Scott and her Golden Retriever Rookie:

That video is from 2006, competing in “Dog Freestyle,” or “Dog Dancing.” When you watch the video, you’ll see that nothing Rookie does is beyond your dog’s ability: spins, heeling, back up, around, etc. Fran is even working on the “Twine” behavior with Simon, where he “twines” between her legs as she walks.

Only limit is imagination (and thumbs)

If you search for “dog dancing” or “dog freestyle” you’ll see tons of videos from around the world. Routines that people have come up with are truly amazing. Some use props, others, like Scott & Rookie”s routine, don’t. The only limit is what dogs are actually capable of manipulating without having thumbs.

If you and your dog have mastered a couple of behaviors with 2-Minute Training games – how about putting them together? Then you’ll have a whole new trick and possibly the start of a dog dancing routine. Hope and Torque’s trick “Troll Under The Bridge” is actually three behaviors strung together: Come, Circle to Middle, and Back Up.

Could it be a component of a dog dancing routine? Absolutely!

Dog dancing, or freestyle, is the precursor to the Elite Performer, or top level of AKC’s Trick Dog program. And you can still earn any level of Trick Dog title virtually. It’s a great way to show off your dog’s skills.

Use music for inspiration

If you have a favorite song, why not try to choreograph something for you and your dog? A complete song would require an enormous amount of planning, endurance, and training. But a 15-second snippet is both doable and fun. You already know how much training gets done in just two minutes. 15 seconds would definitely let you string together at least three to five behaviors.

It’s another way to have fun with your dog. What’s better than dancing the night away?

Training multiple dogs at one time

If you have more than one dog, is training multiple dogs at one time possible? Or even desirable?

Yes and no

It depends on what you’re training, how experienced the dogs are, how well they know each other, and how good you are at multi-tasking, and how many people are involved in the training. In other words, maybe.

If you have one person for each dog – absolutely possible! We recently talked about having our dogs run (walk really fast) on the treadmill to get in some exercise when it’s too hot to go out. One of us is “walking” the dog right next to our little training area. The other is having fun with a different dog, playing training games.

At first, the “walking” dog was more interested in the training games. All of our dogs adore their 2-Minute sessions and thought they were missing out. They learned quickly that rewards come for road work, too. All are now fine with having “entertainment” while they get their miles in.

If you’re on your own, it gets a bit trickier.

To each, his own rewards

You can start by playing the same game with both dogs. Simple things like side-by-side sits, downs, spins, or even “Touch!” holding out a different hand to each dog. The key is to make sure each dog knows he’s not forgotten, and gets a “turn.” Dogs are generally great at being fair – as long as they get some time, attention, and treats!

All four of our dogs "Line up!" after coming in the house to get out of the crowded entryway. — “Line up!”

One of the group games we play is “line up!” We have all the dogs sit in a line and stay. Rewards are given to each in turn. The game originally came from trying to move all the dogs out of a narrow entry. Because dogs always stand in the most crowded doorway. That’s where the action is – that’s where they want to be.

Instead of saying “Move!” or trying to step around them and kill ourselves, we developed the “Line Up!” game. As they come in the house, we say “Line Up!” and they run over to sit on the kitchen mat. We say each dog’s name as we reward them, so they know whose turn it is. If somebody moves out of line, or tries to grab somebody else’s treat, the game stops. When everybody remembers his manners, the game resumes.

We’re not entirely sure that “social pressure” works on dogs. We do know that when the game stops abruptly, the “good” dogs give the “naughty” one a dirty look.

Next step

The next step is to call one dog out of line. This lets the dogs know that they have to pay attention. You can either ask them to play a little game, or release them from “Line Up!” Call each dog for a game and/or release. And you’ve trained multiple dogs at once!

It’s also fun to try little behaviors in pairs. Both Obedience and Rally have “Pairs” competition. It’s a just-for-fun, or “non-regular” class of competition. And it always draws competitors, and audience, because it’s such a joy to watch.

Just hanging out in the yard, we’ll ask a couple of dogs for a simultaneous “Spin!” or “Front!” just because. They love doing it, and we love seeing them so happy and accomplished. These are the tiny little games you play just to have fun with your dog wherever you are, anytime you like. We also sometimes do a group recall for fun – when the dogs are wandering at the other side of the yard, call everybody and see who gets to us first. (“Get your dog to come dashing to you” has some great tips for the recall, or “Come!”)

Scaling up

A friend of ours who’s also addicted to playing training games posts trick training videos on social media. She’ll often have another dog hanging out on a cot in the background. It’s another level of training, and it didn’t happen all at once.

Our friend frequently rewards the dog hanging out on the cot. It allows both dogs to adjust to the idea that they don’t have to be the center of attention all the time. That you do remember them. And that they’ll be rewarded for remembering the game they’re playing.

Just hanging out on the cot is an active game. Most people who have trouble with their dogs’ “Stay!” tend to think that their dog isn’t “working” when they’re staying. They are. And for active dogs, it can be the hardest game of all.

Choose one or more

It’s up to you whether you choose to train more than one dog at a time. It’s certainly easier with just one. But two (or more) can multiply the fun!

Dealing with distractions in dog training

There are always going to be real-world distractions in dog training. It’s how you cope with them that matters.

You never know when “SQUIRREL!” will cross your path. But you can prepare your dog to deal with distractions.

Fran and Simon, her 3-year-old Boston Terrier, competed in his second agility trial recently. It was a familiar environment – the same place they have weekly classes. The obstacles and jumps were ones he knows. And yet – he was completely distracted. Why? There were people in the ring with him!

In agility, volunteers are dispersed around the field to pick up dropped bars, reset jump heights, etc. to keep agility trials moving efficiently. But Simon had never seen people sitting on chairs in the ring before. So he felt compelled to go and say “Hi!” to all of them.

Distraction dog training

Dogs, like Simon, are going to notice things. That’s their nature. You can’t stop your dog from seeing and hearing the world around them. What you can do is show them how to stay focused despite distractions.

Fran and Simon are training for distractions. — Simon’s paying attention to Fran instead of the distractions around.

How is Simon going to learn to pay attention to Fran (and what he’s supposed to be doing) instead of visiting? This week in class, she’s going to ask her classmates to pretend to be those trial volunteers. And she’s going to be more fun than people sitting quietly in chairs. When Simon goes to say “Hi!,” those classmates are going to sit still and look anywhere but at Simon. Fran’s going to run away from Simon (triggering his chase instinct and his inherent curiosity), calling him. And when he comes dashing after her, she’s going to reward him mightily. And then they’ll continue running their agility practice.

The real-world application is the same.

How to train for distractions

The key is right there. Be more interesting than the distraction. Our students are often hesitant about being noisy, or playing with toys, or over-rewarding their dogs in class. People are taught to not be “disruptive” or make a fuss in public.

Get over it. Your dog isn’t going to pay attention if you’re boring. And, realistically, no one’s paying attention to you, anyway. They’re watching your dog. What they see in your dog is up to you. They can admire the cute, well-trained dog with you. Or they can “tsk” and shake their heads over the poorly-behaving hooligan.

Time & patience

It’s really difficult for people to embrace the idea of rewarding your dog every single time he looks at you. It’s hard to watch your dog’s face and look where you’re going. That’s why you practice in familiar surroundings and straight lines, so you don’t trip and hurt yourself. But that focus on you – rewarding your dog EVERY SINGLE TIME they look at you, is the foundation for all good training. Focus is key. (Check out the Looky Loo game for more distraction work.)

It doesn’t mean your dog stares adoringly into your eyes all the time, for every step. It means that they check in with you on a regular basis. Because they know it will be rewarded. What gets rewarded, gets repeated.

Calling it something

When you’re building the “check in” habit, you can call it “watch,” “here,” “check,” or whatever works for you. But it shouldn’t just be the dog’s name. Dogs hear their names constantly, with little or no information attached to it. So, more often than not, they ignore it. We have one student who says her dog’s name all the time, despite us hounding her not to. And when he hears it, he tends to look away, rather than at her. Because she’s reluctant to reward. When he does look at her, he gets an occasional “good boy!” even with us yelling “Reward that!” “Cookie him!”

Building the “check in” behavior pays dividends in the real world. If you’re out walking and see “SQUIRREL!” use your check-in and have rewards ready. The better the reward, the more likely your dog will find you more interesting than the distraction. In your dog’s opinion, you should be more interesting than anything else in the world. It’s not hard to do – they already adore you!

Eyes on the Prize

Setting priorities in dog training

When your dog does something unexpected in a training session, how do you react? Do you remember your priorities in dog training? Or do you allow your focus to wander?

Torque gave Hope a lesson in keeping priorities straight. In the middle of their 2-Minute Trainer video of the week, he decided to take off with the training game’s object, carry it off to a corner, and shred it to bits.

So she screamed “NO!” at him, wrestled it out of his mouth, smacked him with it, and crated him immediately.

Of course not. You can see in the video that she takes a pause to figure out what Torque’s up to. Removes the toy, and attempts to regain his attention and focus. It’s semi-successful, but calls for a change in the plan.

There are two paths forward:

Change directions and teach Torque to use pool noodle pieces, not eat them.
Use something else for the “Push!” game and get on with life.

Decide what’s important

Is it worth it for Torque to learn not to eat pool noodles? When we think about how often he’ll encounter them, not really. If we used them for anything but dog training games, it might be important. But we have no pool, and he’s never going anywhere without us. The chances of him encountering and destroying other people’s pool noodles in the wild is minimal. So we’re going to make a different choice for his training games.

That’s how you keep your eyes on the prize. Torque showed us the object we were using for the game isn’t a viable option. So we’ll use something else. That’s keeping your dog training priorities in order. We talked about training certain behaviors regardless of the public’s perception of any breed’s intelligence some time ago.

Be ready to shift gears

“Shifting gears” used to be something every driver had to know how to do. Nowadays, most people probably don’t even know the origin of the phrase. But it’s still a good one. Drivers of manual transmission cars had to pay attention to multiple inputs (speed, traffic, signals, etc.) and be ready to literally shift gears to adjust. Constantly.

Dog training requires that you’re paying attention to what your dog is telling you and be ready to shift gears and adjust. Torque’s theft of the pool noodle was him saying “I don’t know what you want, so I’m leaving.” His repetition of that means “Shredding this thingie is highly rewarding to me, so I’m going to keep doing it.”

Given a choice, dogs will always opt for the most rewarding action. At that moment, shredding the noodle was more rewarding than playing with Hope. Gears have to shift. The game has to get more fun, and the object less so.

Always communicating

Your dog is always providing feedback on your training. If you pay attention to what their behavior and body language tells you, your partnership will thrive.

And be ready to shift on the fly (back to car references!). If, instead of a pool noodle, Torque had suddenly decided that books are wonderful to destroy, we would have to address that. If it matters to you, you can make it matter to your dog. You set your own priorities in dog training.

Freestyle dog training game

How do you make up new training games with your dog? Let your dog lead the way with the Freestyle dog training game.

The hardest thing about playing the Freestyle game is letting your dog take control. You don’t decide any part of the Freestyle dog training game, other than when to play and how long.

It goes like this: in a safe space, put out a few different objects and let your dog have fun. There are no “wrong” answers. The only thing you can do to guide your dog is stand next to or look at one of the objects. Anything the dog does is “clickable” as long as he/she isn’t trying to eat it or run off with it.

Boom game

Some dogs are more creative than others. Some dogs make up all kinds of games and behaviors and do things we never would have thought to teach them. Other dogs rely on known games and adapt them to new circumstances.

By observing what your dog does, the things he/she particularly likes, and what he/she does with them, you can develop new games.

Two of our most recent examples:

Booker playing his own Freestyle dog training game, "Boom!" — Booker playing his own Freestyle dog training game, “Boom!”

Boom! Dog training game. Booker (Fran’s 9-year-old Boston Terrier) loves knocking things over. Fran made note of it and developed his “Boom!” game. She puts out a series of soft, vertical objects (foam rollers, yoga mats, pool noodles stuffed onto dollar-store paper-towel holders). And Booker goes through the maze knocking them over one by one. By saying “Good Boom!” he’s learned the word and now will run over to “Boom!” any vertical object. Fortunately, he’s too little to apply the behavior to people.

Fran’s younger Boston, 3-year-old Simon, is a bit of an obsessive/compulsive personality. When he puts his toys away, he tries to stack them neatly. Especially empty tuna cans. He carried the tendency over into his Freestyle game, always trying to stack objects. So Fran picked up some little stacking bowls (did we mention the dollar store is one of our favorite places for dog training equipment?). She was right about his neatnik tendencies – in Simon’s very first “Stack It!” session he caught on. Fran’s only played “Stack It!” with him a couple of times so far. And he doesn’t yet understand multiple bowls can go in the same stack, not just two. He’ll get there.

Let your dog show the way

Freestyle sessions are also great when you’re out of ideas and don’t feel like playing an old standard. It’s also a great game when you’re tired. All you have to do is stand there, click, reward, and say “good.”

The hardest thing about Freestyle is resisting the temptation to guide your dog. Our first exposure to dog training was with a trainer who told us “Never let a dog make a decision!” (See our article, “Follow your dog’s Lead.”) When, in reality, we strive to do exactly the opposite. Training is all about teaching dogs to make good decisions.

Dog training step by step

We’ve all heard the saying that “the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” That’s true for dog training, too. This is a journey that we’re on, and since it lasts the dog’s entire life, we all hope it’s a very long one. Dog training step by step means your dog thoroughly understands, trusts you completely, and loves you completely.

Sometimes it may seem like you’re not getting anywhere fast. And you may not be. Steady progress is difficult to measure. Especially when you have a 2-Minute game session that doesn’t go particularly well. That’s one of the beauty parts of the system – even the worst game session is only two minutes long. While we often want the good ones to last longer, we’re grateful the bad ones end quickly.

Baby steps get you there

If you have a dog who loves playing fetch, it’s a great game. If your dog doesn’t understand any part of it, it’s a complex behavior that your dog can learn to love playing. There are lots of moving parts to fetch:

Wait while you throw the toy.
Run after the toy.
Find the toy.
Pick up the toy.
Hold the toy.
Run back with the toy.
Drop the toy.

If you have a non-fetching dog, not a single one of those steps comes naturally to your dog. Every one of them can be taught as a separate game. But if you’ve ever thrown a toy for a dog who sat there and looked at you, you know it’s impossible to teach the entire game at one time. If your dog is a “if you wanted it, why did you throw it away?” kind of dog, you know what we mean.

Keep it small and doable

Torque looks confused - whenever it's not dog training step by step. — Is Torque confused because the step was too big?

When every step is its own game, with a reward for small steps, no one gets discouraged. If you ask too much of your dog, they may disengage. Stress behaviors might include walking away, turning their head, licking their lips, yawning, or scratching. If you see any of those, it’s time to step back and assess the situation. Did you ask too much? Is the step you’re taking too big? Can you break it down smaller? We recently broke down the steps for Tango’s favorite game – “Put your toys away.”

Recently Hope was starting to teach the Utility Obedience exercise “Directed Retrieve.” In this exercise, three gloves are evenly spaced apart at one end of the ring. The dog is supposed to fetch the glove his owner points at. Hope’s French Bulldog Torque knows how to go get stuff and bring it back to Hope. He loves the dumbbell retrieve that’s another Obedience exercise.

Torque was completely flummoxed by the Directed Retrieve. Even though he knows “Get It!,” he was unfamiliar with the gloves, the multiple objects, and Hope’s directional signal. So Hope’s breaking it down. After a few 2-Minute games, Torque will now pick up the glove and carry it. He’s working on dropping it on command. And he’s still figuring out how to tell which one to get.

Too much to swallow

It’s discouraging to fail. Torque didn’t recognize that “fetch the glove” was pretty much the same as “fetch the dumbbell.” We’ve mentioned before that dogs don’t generalize, and here was another proof. Now each part of the exercise is a separate game.

If your dog truly isn’t making progress with something you want to teach, think about the smaller steps you can take. The way to keep your 2-Minute dog training games fast, fun, and effective is to keep the steps small. You’ll get where you’re going, whether you take small steps or giant leaps to get there.

You can’t cram dog training

Scenario: You’re hosting a big, buffet-style party in a couple of weeks. Your dog is a counter-surfing expert. Nothing on any flat surface is safe. Sadly, you don’t have time to change that. You can’t cram dog training.

In this case, managing the situation is the best you can do. You can either secure your dog away from the food, or have him on leash and tethered to a responsible person throughout the party. Left to her own devices, your dog will find the most rewarding option. Which would be a festival of party food.

Assigning someone to guard the banquet isn’t ideal, either. That person’s only option would be to reprimand the dog for being naughty. If your dog doesn’t know the “right” choice, they default to what’s most rewarding. In this scenario, it’s a feast.

Crisis training doesn’t work

You can't cram dog training. Simon thinks he can help himself to the salad on the kitchen table. — Simon thinks he can help himself to the salad on the kitchen table.

You can’t train a dog “stay off the counter” during a party. Likewise, you can’t train a dog to “stay” when the delivery guys are currently in and out of your house. If push has come to shove, your option is to manage the situation and the dog. (We talked about setting your counter-surfing dog up for success a while ago.)

Remember there are three ways to deal with dog behavior; ignore, manage, or train.

If you choose to ignore something your dog does, they’ll keep doing it. That’s okay, since it doesn’t bother you enough to do something about it.

In an urgent situation, like our fictional party or deliveries, the best option is management. Without a thorough understanding of what to do, your dog may get in trouble. If you need your entire attention on other chaos, manage your dog’s access. Securing your dog in another room or in a crate is a viable management choice. Trying to cram dog training in before a deadline is a losing proposition.

The long-term solution is to train your dog to cope with temptation and excitement. Athletes, musicians, and dancers practice constantly to build their “muscle memory.” Similarly, dogs rely on well-trained responses to decide their actions in somewhat familiar situations.

Set up for success

If your dog is a counter-surfer, set up training sessions to teach them how to react. This is a perfect time for a 2-Minute session.

Put a handful of yummy food on the counter and stand there. If your dog sniffs at it, paws at it, attempts to reach it in any way, cover it. You can use your hand or a bowl or container.

When the dog backs off, click (or praise) and reward. If the dog sits, even better! Praise and reward from the handful of food that’s already there. You’re teaching your dog that you are the source of all good things. She doesn’t get to help herself.

It’s an easy concept for people. Ask politely and you’ll get what you want.

Since we want our dogs to be comfortable in human society, they need to learn manners. Dogs have instincts. Manners must be taught. We empower our dogs by giving them the tools, and manners they need.

Dog Training Game: Drop it!

“Drop it!” is a command, like “Come!” that could potentially save your dog.

It happened to us, quite a few years ago. One of our neighbors made profligate use of rodent poison sticks in his yard. Not realizing, or not caring, that wildlife would carry the sticks throughout the neighborhood. Hope’s first French Bulldog, Dax, got hold of one. If she hadn’t known “Drop it!” she may have died that day.

“Drop it!” is almost as difficult as it is important. It requires the dog to give up something of value.

How much they care

The value of the item may be very temporary – they saw something interesting and just grabbed it in passing. Those are the easier ones for “Drop it!”

In the middle ground are things that dogs snatch because you’re interested in them. These are the things, like socks, that your dog sees you interact with. Your dog may not actually be all that fascinated with it, but because it smells like you, and you are “playing” with it, it has value.

The third level is the most difficult to get your dog to “Drop It!” These are the things that your dog adores, wants to keep, and is extremely reluctant to lose possession over.

Level of importance

The mechanics of “Drop it!” are pretty simple. You’ll “trade” something for the object your dog is holding. Ideally, what you’re offering is “better” than what the dog has, so your dog always thinks they’re “trading up.”

Just like your dog’s degree of interest in the snagged item, “Drop it!” works with a hierarchy of value. For a minimally-important item, your dog may trade it for a low-value treat, like a piece of kibble. For the highest-value objects, the ante has to be higher. Whatever your dog values most should be in your toolkit for this game. The better the “trade” item, the more likely your dog will be to “Drop It!”

That being said, the success of these games rely on being able to control the situation and the circumstances. Fran’s Boston Terriers are amazing at “Drop It!” She played the trading game early and often, and both Simon and Booker know the fun isn’t over when they obey.

Torque is reluctant to play "Drop it" with his ball. — Torque is reluctant to play “Drop it” with his ball.

Torque, Hope’s French Bulldog, is a harder case. He’s great at “Drop It!” for almost anything. And the exceptional things are, in order of importance: 1: balls 2: balls 3: balls. The only thing as good as a ball, for Torque, is another ball.

Trade goods

If your dog is like Torque, have two or more of the exact same item. Torque learned to “Drop It!” only when he found out that what he was getting in exchange for his precious ball was another precious ball. With the added bonus of being able to chase it down. He will now play “fetch” – as long as there are multiple balls in play.

Trading is a valid way of getting your dog to release something. And if you’re starting from scratch, it’ll work like a charm.

But what if you’re trying to change an already-established pattern? Like stealing socks?

Make it boring

If it’s something you can get hold of, do so. And don’t let go. But also don’t let it turn into a game of tug. If your dog starts to back up and tug, move with your dog, so there’s no tension on the object. When Torque was learning this command, he would back up all around the house, Hope hanging onto the toy. She didn’t allow any tension – if he moved, she moved with him. It was a frustrating non-game for Torque, but he learned.

If you can, hold the object with one hand on either side of the dog’s mouth so your dog can’t change grip. You can even push it slightly, so it’s even further into your dog’s mouth. Most dogs don’t like that very much.

While we make every effort to avoid using aversive methods, getting a reliable “Drop It!” command is worth bending the rules a little bit to keep our dogs safe. There’s no punishment, it’s just refusing to engage in the dog’s game. While they may not like it, it’s harmless. And we guarantee that the trip to the emergency vet, endoscopy, and the subsequent bill are things that you, and your dog, will like even less.

Body language wins

It was like a revelation to our puppy class students. When you want your dog to release something, you don’t tug on it. That’s just common sense. One of dogs’ favorite games is tug. Being the logical creatures they are, dogs think that if you’re tugging, you’re playing. If your mouth is saying “drop it” or “let go” but your body language is saying “PLAY WITH ME!” – body language wins.

As a matter of fact, body language pretty much always wins. We’ve mentioned before how dogs are wonderful at reading signaled behaviors. It’s even a requirement in competition obedience. Not a word, just a gesture clues your dog into what you want him/her to do.

Try it yourself. If you’re like most people, your dog knows both the word “Sit!” and some kind of gesture that you always use that goes along with it. While you’re making the motion for “sit!”, say “Down!” instead. We’d bet your dog puts the emphasis on the motion.

Hard wired for motion

It makes sense. Dogs are predators. They’re attracted to motion. It’s exciting and gets their attention. They’re not animals that communicate with sound. We must make a conscious effort to teach our dogs to listen to the actual words we’re saying. Otherwise, we’re doomed to sound like the adults in the Peanuts cartoons “wah wah wah wah wah.”

Torque starts with a sit on the stool. — Does Torque “have his ears on?”

It can be done. Every other morning Torque, Hope’s French Bulldog, does specific exercises on a low stool that involve his hips/knees/ankles. Frenchies are notoriously front-heavy, so we make sure he works on strengthening his back end. The specific commands Hope uses are “Squat!” for him to put his front legs on the floor with his back end on the stool, and “Crouch!” for him to move off the back end with his front on the stool.

Hope is sure to “mix up” the order (with a “Sit!” on the stool between). Not knowing what’s coming up next, Torque has to listen. And Hope has a good indicator of how attentive he is that day – whether he “has his ears on” or not.

Get something to trade

So, when your dog steals your underwear out of your drawer and your natural instinct is to grab it, what are you supposed to do? (By the way, it’s best to address those bad habits now, because puppies don’t usually “grow out” of them.)

This was one of our puppy students’ real-life scenarios, and it ended with a trip to the emergency veterinarian’s office when the puppy ate the undies.

So yes, grab it. And hold on for dear life. You don’t want to make that trip to the vet.

But don’t pull. Just hold on. If you can, hold with both hands, one on either side of the dog’s mouth. And stay as still as you possibly can. If someone else is there, have them hold the dog so she can’t initiate the tug game. (Because, again, body language wins. If you’re calm and still, chances are your dog might be a little more calm.) If you’re alone, move forward, backing the dog into a dead-end space, if you can. Sometimes, just the action of moving the item further into the dog’s mouth will get them to release it.

Try to speak calmly and say whatever you want in a nice voice. If you amp up the volume, your dog will get more excited. The objective is to make the situation as un-game-like as possible. If there is someone else there, or if you can reach something, offer a particularly delicious treat or favorite actual tug toy in exchange.

Next week we’ll work on the “Drop it!” game