fun dog training Archives - 2 Minute Trainer

Being nice isn’t dog training

What do you do when society’s dictates conflict with your goals? If you’re out trying to train your dog and somebody wants to “say Hello!” to your dog? You want to be nice. But being nice isn’t dog training.

A longtime friend who’s also a very experienced dog trainer is a student in our Puppy Obedience class this session. While it’s always great to see friends, most people would wonder why she’s there. After all, she’s been training dogs for many years. And even though she does have a new puppy, she pretty much knows all the ins and outs of household obedience training.

She’s there for the same reasons we take our own dogs to someone else’s puppy classes. One is because we want our puppies to go to new places, experience new things, and learn how to act in public. That’s the socialization part.

The other part is that most people, from family and friends to complete strangers, won’t pay attention when you ask them to help further your training.They won’t follow your instructions on how you want puppy interactions to go. And a good proportion of those people will undermine what you’re doing. If not deliberately, then accidentally.

Hop on Pop

The easiest example most people can identify with is when your puppy (or dog) jumps on people to say hello. Almost every single person will give the puppy the attention he’s asking for. Which is rewarding the dog for misbehaving, guaranteeing that it will happen again. And again.

It’s hard to find people who will stand like statues and stare at the ceiling while an adorable little puppy is jumping on them, pawing them, nudging them, and begging for their attention. It’s almost as hard for the owner of the puppy to let it happen. Your first instinct is to make it stop, even if you have to grab the puppy by the collar and haul it away. Again, that gives the puppy exactly what it’s looking for – attention.

Good or bad doesn’t matter

Dogs want attention. They make absolutely no distinction between positive and negative attention. If you’re focusing on them, they don’t care whether you’re yelling or praising. Dogs seem to be hard-wired to accept all attention from humans as rewarding. And dogs always do the thing that’s most rewarding to them.

The result is that our job as a puppy instructor rarely allows us to interact with the puppies. That’s painful because we love playing with puppies. We love it even more when they’re not our puppies to clean up after and we get to send them home with someone else.

But we don’t get to do that. We get to stand there with our arms folded, staring at the ceiling, until the instant the puppy has “four on the floor.” At first, that “Good Off!” moment only lasts an instant, and then we’re staring at the ceiling again. By the third week of class, most puppies are sitting politely when we come to say “Hello!” And the bargain is sealed. The dog gets what it wants (attention) when we get what we want (polite greetings).

Be rude if you must

So what can you do when people don’t cooperate? Advocate for yourself and for your dog. If you’re walking your puppy (or dog) and a stranger asks if they can say “Hello!” or pet your dog, you set the rules. Most people will get it if you say “Only if he sits by you.” They probably won’t notice or pay attention when the puppy pops out of position with the first touch. Then you have to step in and ask them to stop until the dog behaves again.

The frustration comes when the person doesn’t comply. “Oh, he’s fine, let me say hello.” And you’re considered a meanie if you don’t allow it. Much as you want to be kind to strangers, your dog is more important than that person’s urge to pet the puppy. Your dog, your rules. Just say “I’m sorry, but we have to go.” And do it. Then come to our classes. We’ll ignore the heck out of your puppy.

Make a game of stuff the dog hates

Everybody has stuff they have to do and don’t like. The same holds true for most dogs. Some dogs love to ride in the car. Others are fearful. Dogs don’t necessarily love getting brushed. Some do, but others just put up with it. If you make a game of stuff the dog hates, you’ll both be happier.

As adults, we all do things we find unpleasant because we either should, or must. Whether the reason is for your own well-being (like going to the doctor), or your life’s obligations (like working), you do it. You may not be overjoyed about it, but you do it.

There are also things our dogs don’t like doing. It could be tooth-brushing, getting in the car, or putting on a harness or collar. Our dogs don’t understand that all of these things are for their own good. They don’t understand long-term consequences. Dogs exist in the now. And if they don’t want to, they’ll do everything they can to get out of doing it.

Give this dog a choice

This weekend we met a dog who gets a bit mouthy and aggressive if he isn’t given a choice. He objects to being pressured into action. The most notable reaction was when he refused to get into his owner’s car after our session. He wouldn’t be coaxed or lured and got mouthy when a hand went to his collar. If Hope hadn’t heeded his warning lip-curl, she would have been bitten.

Imagine our surprise when, with both back doors open and the dog’s leash tossed to the opposite side, he hopped into the car when no one was next to him. It was his choice, so he did it.

Some people would call it stubborn. It’s not. For reasons known only to the dog, he fears being forced into action. We’ll never know why. We can only assess what’s going on and counter-condition it. If this dog reacts badly where he has no options, it’s our job to make sure his options are all good ones.

Make it a game

We faced a similar situation (without the bite threat) with our own dogs. There was a next-door neighbor dog that would bark and fence-fight with our dogs. The neighbor was uncooperative, so there was no way for us to train our dogs not to react when they were off-leash. Our solution was to leash our dogs and “walk” them – even in our own back yard. On the rare occasion the neighbor dog wasn’t outside, we removed the leashes.

Our dogs didn’t much like it. They were accustomed to roaming the yard, sniffing and checking stuff out. When they saw us reach for their collars, they would back away trying to avoid getting hooked up. While we had no choice about leashing them, we also didn’t want them to hate it.

So we made a game of it. Randomly, throughout the day, we would grab a collar and say “Collar!” At first, the dogs were reluctant, but they did it. We put on the collar, rewarded the dog multiple times, repeating the word “Collar!” and “Good Collar!” Then we took the collar off, repeating “Collar!” and the dog was free to go.

It didn’t take long for our dogs to understand that standing still to get their collars earned them rewards. Now when we say “Collar!” they even stretch their necks out to have it on. Just by making a reward-based game out of it, we turned the situation around. Do they love the restriction? No, but the rewards are sufficiently valuable to make it worth their while. We make everything a dog training game!

Allows vs. Loves

There’s a difference between the things your dog will let you do, and loves for you to do. Some dogs love getting brushed. Others tolerate it. Still others resist and make it miserable for everyone. If your dog falls into the last category, think about the steps you can take to turn it around. If your dog is generously rewarded every time they see the comb or brush, they’ll like seeing it. The next step might be touching the grooming tool to a non-sensitive area. And generously rewarding. Then a small, gentle swipe with the brush, gradually building up your dog’s tolerance for the activity.

We’re not saying your dog will ever love getting brushed. But tolerating it with ease is sufficient. There are things that we have to do to keep our dogs healthy and well-groomed. Like us, they don’t have to love all of it. But they shouldn’t be miserable and neither should you. And that’s why we make a game of stuff the dogs hate.

Dog training requires your presence

If you’re not there, you can’t train your dog. Dog training requires your presence, both physically and mentally. You can’t do it remotely, phone it in, or hire someone else to do it.

This week one of the places where we hold classes had an open house. It was a terrific event and let us talk to all kinds of people about their dogs. It’s nice to be in a place where everyone instantly has something in common. As resident dog trainers, we were able to talk about how much fun it is to play training games with your dog, how gratifying it is to see the dogs’ joy, and answer lots of dog issue questions.

The most surprising thing to us was how many people don’t understand their presence is required on a one-to-one basis with each dog. That’s a monumental difference between people and dogs. Children can learn as a group in full classrooms. Dogs need to be tutored individually. Once all your dogs know how to do something, they can practice together. Until then, it’s just not possible.

You’re the tutor

One person asked us how she can get her two dogs to stop barking when they’re in the yard. When asked, she admitted that the dogs were out by themselves, for some extended periods of time. There’s no way to train a dog to do something if you’re not there. If the dogs are on their own, they do what they want. And if there’s more than one, they’ll probably follow the worst-behaved dog’s lead. Because that’s the dog having the most fun.

Another person asked about their dog being a terrible “host” when people come over. Their dog is dictating their social life. He was rueful about the fact that his dog has been through two board-and-train sessions and still is reactive when company comes. Then he admitted he and his partner haven’t followed through with any advice the board-and-train place gave them.

Somebody else asked about stopping their dog from eating nasty stuff in the yard – both her own and others’. And again, the dog was mostly alone in the yard. When she did have company, she wasn’t on leash and the person had no supplies to reward for good behavior.

Don’t complain – train!

If you don’t do the work, you’re not allowed to complain. When you’re down there in the trenches trying to take care of business, then you’re allowed to complain all you want. If you don’t vote, you can’t complain about the politicians. You have to participate to solve the problem, any problem.

If you want your dog to stop eating poop in the yard, you have three options. One is to pick it up immediately when it’s produced. That works for dogs’ stuff, but not rabbits’. You can take your dog out on leash, and train them to ignore it. Another option, if being there isn’t possible, is to train your dog to wear a muzzle.

Start small

We honestly can’t understand why so many people want to hand the training reins over to strangers, or not do it at all. Playing training games with our dogs is one of the highlights of our days. We can see how much joy the dogs and people have in our classes when the team starts to mesh. Having a dog means getting to spend time and energy with someone who loves you unconditionally. And is fun. Also never talks back, rolls their eyes, or ignores you.

Yes, dog training requires your presence. But just a few minutes a day playing training games can make your life calmer, more controlled, and certainly more joyful. Dogs aren’t hobbies that you take out and play with when it’s convenient. They’re always there, hovering at the edges of your life, anticipating the times they get to be the center of your attention. If you can’t give them a few minutes, why do you have a dog?

Boxey revisited: let the dog do the work

For whatever reason, Hope wasn’t feeling very inspired with training games this week. Her French Bulldog Torque is always an eager participant, but Hope just wasn’t feeling any creative spark. What do you do when you don’t know what to do? Go back to the very beginning. It’s a very good place to start. And let your dog do the work for you.

Hope dug out a big old cardboard box, sat on the floor with a bowl of treats and told Torque to go for it. He’s been playing “Boxey!” since forever, but it’s been a while since Hope hauled it out.

The dog did not disappoint! He came up with two new games in just five minutes!

Let the dog do the work

Whoa! How did that happen?

If you need a Boxey refresher, it’s one of the first games we use to teach dogs how to learn and create. You just get a box, large enough and shallow enough for your dog to get into, and wait. You sit there on the floor near the box and let your dog figure stuff out. Whatever your dog does gets rewarded. (Except for trying to eat the box.) Every time they do something different, you throw a treat in the box.

That’s it. Simple enough. And yet there are still people who try to “help” their dogs. Yes, you may talk to your dog, encourage your dog, even pet your dog. You’re not allowed to tell them what to do. Let the dog do the work. Whatever they do is perfectly fine. Just be sure the box you use was headed for the recycle bin anyway.

Why so strict about not instructing your dog? Because the point of this game is to have your dog be creative. Whatever they come up with will give you some insight into what they understand, which games they like the most, how creative they can be, and how much they enjoy learning.

All that from a box

Dogs who aren’t trained with games and positive reinforcement from puppyhood may take a while to engage with the box. All their lives they’ve been strictly monitored and told what to do, when to do it, and how to act. They’ve never had to make a choice, so they don’t know how to choose. Some sit for the entire session, staring at the box. Their dogs are afraid to make a “wrong” choice, so they do nothing.

If that describes your dog, dig deep and call on all your patience. You can certainly talk to your dog. Be upbeat and keep up the chatter. Just don’t give them commands, orders, or instructions. If you’ve got nothing else to say, sing a song, share a poem, recite the Gettysburg address. It doesn’t matter, as long as you let your dog know you’re not upset or angry with them. The tone should be encouraging and happy.

It doesn’t matter

Whatever your dog does with the box is fine. It gets rewarded. Once they catch on to the game, they’ll love it. They get to play with their people and have fun. Because there’s no goal to the game, it takes the pressure off everyone.

You’re probably wondering what new games Torque made up with his latest Boxey session. The first was an extension of something we’ve done out of the box. He jumped into the box and went into his “Stomp!” behavior. It was adorable and we wish we had video.

“In and Out”

The second was brand new. When he’d been rewarded for “Stomp in the Box!” a few times, Hope said “We’ve seen that. What else?” He tried a few familiar behaviors (sit in the box, bow in the box), but Hope asked for something else. He moved his two back feet out of the box and then in again. Torque’s new game is “In and Out!” Like all new games, it needs some more practice before it’s polished. And Hope knows she truly has a partner. When she couldn’t come up with something new, he did. That’s the beauty of playing training games with your dog. Sometimes you let the dog do the work. And the partnership is always amazing.

Double down on dog training distractions

Does your dog lose focus easily? Does any sound or movement get them off their game? If that describes your dog, it’s time to double down on dog training distractions.

One of the nosiest dogs on the planet lives right here with us. Simon has to know what everybody’s doing at all times. And if it’s something he’s interested in, his brain melts out of his ears and his focus is gone. How does Fran get it back? She has the yummiest treats, the best toy, the most enthusiastic attitude. The objective is to let Simon know that what he’s supposed to be doing is more fun and more interesting than anything else happening.

Calm isn’t the answer

Like parents of newborn babies, the natural instinct is to hush everything when you’re trying to get baby to sleep or dog to focus. But that’s not real life. Babies have to learn to sleep through normal household sounds. And dogs have to learn to pay attention through everyday distractions.

You may want to limit distractions when teaching your dog a new game or behavior. When dogs don’t know what to do, many will sidetrack or disengage rather than be “wrong.” Others will start showing off all the tricks and behaviors they know, trying to figure out what you want. The initial phase of any new training game is when you want to control the environment and keep dog training distractions to a minimum.

Increase dog training distractions during familiar games

But once your dog is familiar with a new game, it’s time to let chaos reign. Today Simon’s focus and concentration was severely challenged. Fran was planning to practice the Directed Retrieve with him. In non-obedience terms, that’s where you put three gloves out, spaced pretty evenly apart, and tell the dog which one to get. They’re supposed to bring it back to you, sit in front of you, drop the glove on command, and go back to heel position when directed. It’s a complex behavior with lots of parts to train.

Take it to extremes

Simon was doing okay with it until the other dogs started squeaking their toys in their crates. Everybody gets their turn, both playing training games with their person, and waiting in their crates. Today Torque and Booker got new toys, the squeakers were still intact. That won’t be true for long, but it was today. (Simon got a new squeaky toy, too.)

As soon as the squeaking started, Simon’s head swiveled to see where it was coming from. Another squeak and he dashed over to see what the other dogs had that he didn’t. Fran ditched her plan for the session and went into “dealing with distractions” mode. We’ve talked about this before, with the “Look- Loo” game, but this is taking the game up a notch, with the squeaking.

That’s not chasing him, yelling at him, or scolding him. It’s changing what you’re doing so you’re more interesting than the distraction. As soon as Simon glanced in her direction, Fran praised him and started running away. The fastest way to get a dog to come to you is to run away from them. When he followed, she gave him multiple high-value treats, praised him, and started a very-familiar routine. In Simon’s case, he loves heeling practice, so that’s what she did. She kept her eyes glued on his face. Every time he made eye contact, she praised and rewarded.

Watch where they’re looking

Dogs are pretty easy to read. If they’re not looking at you, chances are they’re not paying attention to you. If you tell them to do something at that point, it’s probably not going to happen. We’ve seen it lots of times, especially in an exercise like the “Recall,” or “Come!” If you’re across the room and your dog is looking right at you, you can say “Come!” and they probably will. If they’re watching something else, that’s where they’ll go when you call.

That’s when you use your dog’s name before the command. If your dog doesn’t look at you, don’t continue. Go back to your dog and start over. The last thing you want to do is set your dog up for failure. You do want to work through the distraction.

With the squeaky toys, we couldn’t predict when the other dogs would make noise. To target working on Simon’s focus with a squeaker distraction, Hope picked up a toy and made noise at regular intervals. Fran was able to focus on getting eye contact with Simon and continue her 2-Minute session.

Was Simon perfect after a couple minutes? No, of course not. But he made some progress and happily played with Fran. Tomorrow’s another day to try again.

Help! We broke our dogs!

We broke our dogs! Hope’s Torque is broken. So is Fran’s Booker.

Not physically. But some training games have apparently been erased from memory. Absolute rock-solid training games have been corrupted or are missing entirely.

Not to worry – when you train step-by-step, you can always recover what was lost. You just go back to the beginning, step-by-step, and see where the behavior falls apart. And take it from there.

Similar and different

It’s just coincidental that both of our dogs are broken at the same time. We play training games with the dogs individually, so there isn’t any cross-contamination. And the circumstances are different, too.

In the case of Fran’s Booker, it’s his Ring-Stacking game that’s gone with the wind. He’s always been a special dog. If he were human, he’d be tested for where he falls on the spectrum. Being an 11-year-old dog, we pretty much stand back, assess what he’s up to, shrug and say “Bless his heart.”

Booker discovered that stealing the rings, sticking his cute little butt in the air and chewing on them was more fun than carrying them to the post and stacking them. He’s okay for the first one, but then it’s like his brain glitches.

Fran’s taken it back to the start. Heavily rewarding him for picking up the ring, carrying the ring, taking it over to the post, and putting it on. Each step is deliberate. And she’s no longer tossing a dozen rings out for the game. One at a time. Heavily rewarding for each step of success.

We don’t know if Booker will ever play a full Ring Stacking game again. It doesn’t really matter. He has fun. Every dog in your life teaches you something. Booker has been expanding Fran’s capacity for patience for years.

Hope busted Torque herself

Hope’s always pushing the limits of what she asks Torque to do. One of her recent ideas backfired – big time.

At the end of Torque’s Bowling Game, Hope decided that he could help “clean up” the bowling pins. She asked him to “get it,” a behavior he already knows. He did, and even brought it over to the basket where the little plastic bowling pins are stored.

What she didn’t figure on was how much Torque would enjoy fetching and squishing the bowling pins.

When Hope says his “Go Strike!” command, he runs to the pins, knocks over a couple, then starts grabbing them and squishing them. Oopsy.

Fortunately, he drops them when told. He even puts them in the basket. But for the moment, his “Go Strike!” is striking out. So sad that we broke our dogs.

The action plan is to go back to the beginning and use incredibly high-value treats to reward Torque for just knocking the pins down. We’ll start one at a time, and discontinue the clean-up part for now. He just needs to remember what this game is about. So even though we broke our dogs, we’ll get them back.

Does it matter?

Yes and no. No, we really don’t care if our dogs are whizzes at Ring Stacking or Bowling. What does matter is that we all agree on the rules of the games we play.

Dog training is a constant give-and-take bargaining with your dog. They get what they want (your attention, treats, praise) when you get what you want (good choices).

You get to define the rules for every single game you play with your dogs. Your dog, your game, your rules. The secret to success is keeping those rules crystal clear for your dog.

Get your dog to stop pulling

Dogs love routine. Dogs love patterns. You can take advantage of this, and cure your dog’s pulling on leash, with 3-step Pattern Walking. It’s a great way to get your dog to stop pulling.

3-step Pattern Walking is easy to learn for both you and your dog. The key aspect is to be absolutely reliable in your treat delivery. Never lie to your dog. If Phydeaux hears the magic word, even if you say it accidentally, Phydeaux gets a treat.

Get started

Pick a three-word phrase you can remember easily. It can be anything you choose – it will only have meaning for you and your dog. One-Two-Three. Do-Re-Mi. A-B-C. Wa’-Cha’-Wej. Whatever you like is fine.

Get a handful of treats and start teaching your dog your pattern words. Say the third word in your sequence and give your dog a treat. Five times. Just the third word and a treat. Your dog doesn’t have to do anything. You’re just familiarizing him/her with the idea that every single time they hear that particular word, they get a treat. That’s your magic word for your dog.

It bears repeating: Every single time you say the third word in your sequence, your dog gets a treat. Even if they’re not paying attention, even if they’re howling at the moon. If they hear that word, they get a treat. A really good treat – top tier nummies.

Next step is to say the last two words in your sequence. When you say the third word, give your dog a treat. You’re teaching your dog the pattern that leads to the golden ticket – your third word. Repeat five times.

Obviously, the next part is to say all three words and give your dog a treat when you say the third word. Repeat five times.

Dogs are smart

Most dogs catch on pretty darn quick. Getting 15 treats after hearing a single word is a powerful signal that it’s a wonderful word to hear. It’s pretty amazing watching them figuring it out.

How does this turn into loose-leash walking? How does this get your dog to stop pulling? By adding movement to your three-word sequence. One step for each word, reward on the third word. Every single time.

Remember that dogs learn by the timing and placement of rewards. For Pattern Walking, that means keeping the reward close to you. If you want a traditional “heel” position, hold the reward by your left thigh.

What if your dog is ahead of you or behind you? It doesn’t matter. Keep the reward where you want your dog to be. You’re showing your dog exactly where he/she needs to be to get the treat.

Stretch it out

As your dog learns the pattern and gets better at staying close, you can stretch out the sequence. Maybe say two steps between each of the three cue words. Pay close attention to your dog’s reaction. If your dog is staying with you, add more steps. If they’re wandering off, or starting to pull, keep the sequence a little tighter.

Most dogs catch on to Pattern Walking quickly. If your dog is still pulling, stop when you say the third word and wait for your dog to come back to you to give the reward. Don’t reach to give the reward – let your dog come back into position.

Don’t ruin your word

If you run out of treats, or forget them on an outing, stop using the three-word sequence. For it to remain valuable, you have to deliver a treat every time you say the third word. Failing to deliver on the promise will lessen, or eliminate, the value of the word. Reliably delivering on the promise you make to your dog will cement the behavior you want.

Spin! Dog Training Game

The “Spin!” Dog Training Game is not only fun, but has some practical uses, too. There are a bunch of variations for the spin behavior; in place, around objects, up on hind feet (that’s “Dance!”).

“Spin!” is one of the behaviors that’s easiest to teach by luring your dog. It’s pretty simple. Show your dog you have a treat by holding it close to your dog’s nose. Then move your hand back towards your dog’s shoulder. They should naturally turn their heads to follow your hand. Reward as your dog starts turning toward their own shoulder. Each time, take the treat a little farther back along your dog’s side as he/she catches on.

Common pitfalls

Watching our dog training students playing “Spin!” with their dogs, we noticed most people allow their dogs’ motion to create distance between them and their dogs. The dog doesn’t understand what you’re up to, so they move away to get a better look. The result is that you can no longer reach all the way around your dog, and everyone winds up confused.

This exercise is very close work. Your dog should be right with you, and, when your dog spins, should end up in exactly the same place they started. It’s an in-place movement.

You may also run up against your dog having a preference turning to one side and not the other. Most dogs, like most people, are either right- or left-handed. Unlike people, most dogs are lefties. It doesn’t really matter, except that you’ll probably need to practice the “Spin!” more on the dog’s non-dominant side. Don’t let your dog become a one-way spinner! It’s tempting to let the “easy” side prevail, but your dog will build lop-sided muscles.

Benefits of “Spin!”

Aside from being an adorable party trick, the “Spin!” can be useful, too. The first variation, teaching your dog to spin around an object, works when you’re out walking and your dog goes around the wrong side of a tree. Just asking him/her to “Spin!” back to you takes care of the problem, without any leash tangles.

To teach your dog to “Spin!” around something, try using a chair. Stand by the chair with your dog at your side. Again, show your dog you have a treat and guide him/her around the object, rewarding when they reach your other side. Take note of the motion you make with your hand, like a giant stirring move. This is an ideal hand signal to use for “Spin!” – it indicates what, as well as which direction.

Practice the “Spin!” Dog Training Game in both directions, in place as well as around an object. Always use the hand closest to the dog to reward. For the “Spin!” around an object, when your dog starts to get the idea, step away from the chair so the dog can make a complete circle.

Turn it into a “Dance!”

It doesn’t take long for most dogs to learn “Spin!” and to love it. When your dog is spinning like a top when you wave your hand in a circular motion (stirring), it’s time to take it up high, for a “Dance!” Having your dog twirl around on their hind feet is cute as heck. It’s also a good indicator of their leg and core strength.

To teach “Dance!” just hold the treat up higher than for the Spin! Dog Training Game. Keep it at a level where your dog has to reach up to get it – high enough so their front paws have to leave the ground. If your dog can’t sustain it at first, that’s okay. But be sure to reward while your dog is reaching, ideally with front paws above the ground. Remember, dogs learn from the timing and placement of rewards. If you want your dog up, keep the reward up.

Get them in shape

If your dog isn’t able to “Dance!” quite yet, check out the exercises for core strength and balance. And always try to train both sides. Start with your dog’s non-dominant side, so the training and exercises are “easier” when your dog’s a little tired.

Even the exercises we advocate only take a couple minutes at a time. And they should always be fun games your dogs play with you – not chores to be accomplished. Those of us who hate working out (both of us!) keep it fun for our dogs. If you make it fun, your dog will believe it is.

Manage your dog’s fear of fireworks

You can train your dog to ignore fireworks. But it’s a process that takes time. If you’re here to get help for July 4, 2023, call your veterinarian instead. Start the training, but less than a month isn’t enough time to make the behavior secure. And call now, not on July 3. Some medications need to build up in the dog’s system. In other words, there are no fast and easy fixes for fear of fireworks.

What to do now

For this year, just talk to your vet about your dog’s intense fear of fireworks and pick up whatever prescriptions, supplements, or herbals they recommend. Then start making your plans for the nights the fireworks are worst in your area. The last couple of years have been particularly noisy – starting at around Memorial Day and continuing through July 5. We’re very lucky that none of the current crew cares about the noise. We had a dog with tremendous fireworks and thunder anxiety, so we empathize completely with those who do. It’s not easy when someone you love is terrified. There’s no way to explain to them that the fireworks (or thunder) can’t and won’t hurt them.

What you can do is make plans to occupy your dog (and yourself) with fun and noisy things. With the windows covered, and loud distractions happening inside your home, the impact is lessened. Oddly, most dogs are perfectly fine watching loud fireworks on TV. If you want to watch the holiday coverage, it’s not necessarily a no-no, even if your dog is frightened.

Don’t let them hide alone

Some dogs are so terrified of fireworks that they seek out small, enclosed places. We’ve heard many stories of dogs hiding in bathtubs during fireworks displays or thunderstorms. Dogs tend to like small, enclosed spaces. Especially when they’re feeling insecure.

One of the benefits of becoming your dog’s training partner is establishing yourself as a safe space for your dog. While it may be too late to alleviate your dog’s fear of fireworks and change your their reaction for this year, you can make a difference by staying with them. And make sure they’re securely attached to you whenever you take them outside that day. The 4th of July is the number one day of dogs getting lost. Shelters report that July 5 is always their busiest day. If a firework blast goes off suddenly, even the best-trained dog may take off running. Don’t take a chance. Hook them up for the holiday.

If there are scheduled fireworks displays where you are, time your outings for before and after the shows. Most start after sundown, so time your longest walk for the daylight hours. You can’t do anything about individuals shooting off fireworks, but you can avoid the planned show times.

Make it loud inside

Do you like adventure movies? Pick a line-up of your favorite, noisy movies and play them, loudly, all day (or videos of football games!). Close the blinds. Make some popcorn. And teach your dog to catch the popcorn. You probably shouldn’t play any training games that matter – your dog will probably be distracted. But some aromatic and delicious popcorn (no butter or salt!) may be worth paying attention.

Close the blinds or drapes. Make the inside bright, turn on every light around. It’s easier for both dogs and people to be frightened in the dark. If you have an inside room or basement, try to make that your hang-out space during the loudest hours.

Plan ahead for next year

You can start training your dog to ignore the booming of fireworks. Find a recording of a fireworks show and play it, softly, while you’re playing training games with your dog. As your dog learns to ignore it and have fun with you, you can gradually turn up the volume for each 2-Minute session. This is another example of “Real World Dog Training.” If your dog loves the popcorn-catching game, save it for fireworks. Your dog will come to associate something they love with fireworks, instead of being terrified.

Your dog may never be able to calmly go with you to the local park for the Fourth of July fireworks show. That’s okay – it’s not the goal. Success is your dog acting like it’s just another day playing with you, instead of shivering under the bed.

Wait for your dog

Are you a good enough dog trainer to wait for your dog? Do you give them the time they need to process and take action?

Everybody wants their dog to get things right. Especially when they’re out in public. It’s understandable. We all want the world to know how wonderful our dogs are. And they are. If they’re allowed the time they need.

We’ve said before that the hardest part of dog training is doing nothing. Just waiting for your dog can be agonizing. Whether it’s remembering something they should do, or trying something new, dogs need time to think, process, and react.

Building patience

Just this week in Hope’s Obedience competition class, one of the dog/handler teams had a moment. Jessie, a gorgeous Bouvier des Flandres, and his dad were doing the Recall. (Handler leaves dog in a sit/stay, walks across the room, turns and faces dog, calls dog, dog runs and sits in front of handler.) David called Jessie, who bounded across the room (good boy!). And stood in front of David. Just stood. (Image from akc.org.)

Hope told David to wait. To look at Jessie’s butt. And wait. Don’t say anything, don’t do anything, don’t move. Just wait.

David and Jessie have been in class long enough that Jessie knows what he’s supposed to do. But Jessie’s young, and a bit silly and pushy. He tests what he can get away with. And, like every single person on the planet, David wanted to “help” his dog get it right. We could all see him itching to say “Sit!”

But he didn’t say it. And, after what seemed like half an hour to everybody, but was probably less than a minute, Jessie sat. David celebrated with his dog and everybody else cheered. We’re not sure if anyone else was holding their breath, waiting for Jessie, but we certainly were.

No matter how long you’ve been training dogs, no matter how well you know the dog, they’re still dogs. There can always be a surprise factor, a random distraction, a momentary brain glitch.

How do you know how long?

One of the questions people have is “How long should I wait?” The simple answer is “as long as your dog is still trying.” If your dog is still engaged, still happy to be playing the training game with you, keep waiting. But if your 2-Minute timer buzzes, keep waiting if you have some extra time. As long as your dog is paying attention, interested in the game, and not quitting on you – give them all the time they need. Wait for your dog.

Some of the very best training is achieved by letting the dog puzzle it through. We can all think of a situation where we figured out how to do something, instead of being told. And just by figuring it out ourselves, we knew it forever. Thinking through a problem cements the solution in your memory.

Did it work?

In competition class, everyone takes turns doing the Recall. We usually practice it two or three times. And it would be lovely if we could report that Jessie’s second turn this week had a triumphant, instantaneous “Sit!” That didn’t happen. Same thing – he ran over and stood in front of David. But this time, there was a difference in Jessie’s attitude. It was almost like he was asking David if he really meant it. David stood quiet and let Jessie think it through. Jessie sat.