positive reinforcement dog training Archives

The Doggy Paycheck: Why Your Pup Won’t Work for Free

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Positive reinforcement training is based on one single premise: dogs will always, without exception, do what is most rewarding to them.

The focus of your training has to be making what you want the most rewarding option. Your choice has to be, in the dog’s opinion, the best thing available.

To convince your dog, you have to build a history. If your dog always gets rewarded for doing what you want, they’re more likely to continue doing it. They get their doggy paycheck every time they do what you want.

If, however, your rewards are inconsistent or absent, the dog has no reason to do what you want. There’s always something interesting to do. It may or may not be what you want them to do. The environment is your biggest competitor. If a squirrel is a $100 bill and your treat is a nickel, the squirrel wins every time.

Hierarchy of rewards

One of the first lessons of reward-based training is figuring out what’s valuable to your dog. You may want your dog to love the expensive, organic, healthy treats you bought. But you can’t make that love connection happen. In our classes we always have extra treats available for our students. The treats we provide aren’t healthy, good-for-dogs, or expensive. They’re the junk food french fries of dog treats. Because they work. Dogs love them.

We’re not saying you have to buy junk dog treats. We’re saying you have to find the rewards that your dog would (virtually) run through fire to get. Don’t be surprised if it’s something weird. One of our dogs would kill for celery. Another thinks celery is poisonous. It’s not our choice, it’s the dog’s.

Transfer of value

Let’s use Torque, the celery fiend, as our example. If he always gets celery when he does Puppy Push-ups, before long he’s going to get all excited to do them. In his little doggy brain, that incredibly yummy treat is paired with Puppy Push-ups. The value of the treat is associated with playing that awesome game. And he loves doing it.

Once your dog has made that pairing, your reward delivery can become more random. But it can’t go away forever. If it does, the behavior will, too.

Think of it this way: You love every single aspect of your job. Your work is fascinating. Your colleagues are awesome. You even get a catered lunch every day. Are you still going if you don’t get paid? Of course not. Your bargain with your employer is to complete assigned tasks in exchange for compensation.

Your dog gets the benefit of the same deal. Their task is to be a good dog. Their compensation (doggy paycheck) is the rewards you provide.

Just for the fun of it

You don’t have to reward your dog constantly for just being good. If they’re doing something you didn’t ask them to do, just a pat or a “good dog!” is fine, if you notice it.

But if you’ve told your dog to do something and they do it, that good behavior should be acknowledged. That’s good training and living up to your side of the deal.

Dog Training Game- 4 On The Floor

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Dogs always do what’s most rewarding for them. Our “job” as dog owners is to make what we want the most rewarding option.

One of the most common rude dog behaviors is jumping on people. For dogs, it gets them exactly what they want: attention. Dogs don’t really care if that attention is yelling at them, or batting at their feet, or even shoving their chest. For your dog, who loves you, any attention you pay to them is wonderful. That’s unconditional love.

Change is hard

To get your dog to stop the behavior, you have to make something else more gratifying than jumping. It’s time to play “4 On The Floor.”

With a bunch of really yummy treats in hand, walk into the room where your dog is hanging out. Get your dog all excited, by whatever means necessary. Talk excitedly, jump around, pretend to throw a ball, whatever gets your dog to perk up and pay attention.

When the dog is standing, lean over very close to your dog and start feeding high-value treats. One after another. Be sure you don’t stand up, you don’t want your vertical motion to trigger your dog’s jumping. Let your dog know the cue for standing there getting fed: “Good 4 On The Floor.” “Nice 4 On The Floor.” “I like your 4 On The Floor.”

Use whatever cue you want for the behavior. We use “4 On The Floor” because it describes what we want and everybody knows what it means. It is longer than most dog cues, so choose one that works for you.

Watch carefully

Your dog may get all excited and start to jump up. If they show signs of jumping, freeze in place. Stop rewarding and wait. If your dog does jump on you, try not to move. Don’t say anything. Ignore the behaviors you don’t want. It’s tough, especially if you have a big, powerful dog. But be patient.

When the rude behavior gets the dog nothing, chances are they’ll go back to what they were doing – standing there and getting treats. As soon as the dog has four feet on the floor, go back to rewarding and praising, giving your dog the cue you’ve decided on.

Dogs catch on quickly

After just a couple of times, your dog should start recognizing the cue “4 On The Floor.” When you’re pretty sure they have the idea, recruit someone the dog knows to help out. If the person is okay with it, have them do exactly the same thing, bending over and repeatedly rewarding. If the person can’t, or won’t, then you bend and reward as long as the dog has “4 On The Floor.”

You’re building a new behavior that the dog will find more rewarding than jumping. They get the attention they crave, as well as many treats, for behaving politely. It becomes the most attractive option for the dog.

Expand the experience

When your dog is pretty good about staying off of people at home, add on by having someone come in the front door. Entries and exits are the most likely times for dogs to jump on people, so it’s up to us to make it normal to greet people with all four feet on the floor.

Once your dog is proficient at entries and exits, it’s tempting to take it for granted. If you completely stop rewarding, the dog will revert to behavior that’s more fun for them. You won’t have to reward every time, or multiple treats all the time. You do have to randomly reinforce good behavior to maintain it. Dogs live in hope that something good is coming their way. If they’re good, make that wish come true. At least every once in a while.

Are you a dog-control freak?

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How much of a control freak are you with your dog?

As the dog trainer associated with a doggy day care facility, the staff sometimes asks Hope to consult with a dog owner that has some issues in the play group.

Not long ago, she talked to the owner of a dog that was, putting it mildly, inappropriate with other dogs and staffers at day care. While the play supervisors had repeatedly mentioned the problems to the owner, the dog’s person dismissed their concerns.

Not a fun phone consult

The dog repeatedly charged at and nipped other dogs, even staff, trying to get somebody to play with her. They weren’t casual invitations, and the dog wouldn’t take “No!” for an answer. The dog clearly had no idea of manners.

When Hope finally was able to speak with the owner, his answer was “She always does what I tell her.”

And that, right there, is the problem. If you always tell your dog what to do, what happens when you’re not there?

Banned from daycare

This particular owner clearly had no interest in training his dog to learn impulse control or manners. He thought it was adequate “training” that she obeys him. It didn’t concern him that the rest of his family couldn’t get the dog to obey. It didn’t bother him that the dog has no manners in day care and doesn’t listen to the staff. The dog was banned from play groups.

The kind of blind obedience this man requires from his dog may suit him. Decades ago it may even have been the norm to be a dog control freak. Now, it’s not good enough.

Giving up control

Letting your dog exercise some autonomy makes life easier. Teaching them to make good decisions, giving them credit for controlling their impulses, frees you to enjoy your time together. It’s stressful to always be the one making every choice for everybody.

There’s no helping the control-freak man. We tried, and were unable to convince him of the benefits both he and his dog would experience. His repeated response was “She does what I tell her.”

We agree that it’s easier to just tell your dog what to do. A friend of ours had major difficulty guiding her dog into making good decisions, rather than telling her all the time. This particular dog has major confidence issues. Both dog and person felt safer with the owner giving orders all the time. But that wasn’t helping the dog’s timidity.

Confidence boost

It’s scary ceding control to another being. But, with children and dogs, letting them make good decisions boosts their confidence. When your dog knows what’s expected of them, even when faced with unfamiliar situations, they’re more likely to demonstrate good judgment.

It’s hard giving up control and allowing the possibility of mistakes. It helps the dog’s confidence when errors are overlooked rather than punished. They try, and try again, mostly because it’s fun to finally get it right.

We couldn’t help the day care dog. Our friend, on the other hand, won High In Trial in Obedience with her dog last weekend. Patience pays.

Dog Training Game “Stomp”

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“Stomp!” evolved from our involvement in the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Florida. One of the cognition studies we saw in action was getting the dolphins to “imitate” what another dolphin was doing. The first dolphin was given a specific behavior to perform, like a circle spin. The second was instructed to “imitate.” The trainer never asked the second dolphin to do a circle spin, just to do what the first dolphin did.

Dog And A Dolphin

Much of modern-day dog training can be traced back to Karen Pryor’s ground-breaking book “A Dog & A Dolphin,” so we’ve always figured anything a dolphin can do, a dog can do, too.

Coming up with new training games is part planning, part evolution, and part learning to follow where the dogs lead. Sometimes it doesn’t work out. Our attempts at color discrimination haven’t panned out. Every once in a while we come up with a new idea and try it again. But it’s been shoved to the back burner.

We started thinking of ways to translate the dolphins’ imitation behavior to dogs. We’ve seen many instances where dogs learn by watching each other. And we know that our body language matters – a lot. But would they imitate us, too?

Give it a shot

Teaching our dogs to “Stomp!” was as simple as having them stand in front of us and alternately stomping our feet. At its core, it’s marching in place, with an audience of one – your dog.

As soon as they lift a paw, name it and reward it! You can call it whatever you like: March!, Stomp!, High-Stepping!. What’s crucial is the timing. It’s important to mark the behavior and immediately reward it.

That’s really all there is to the dog training game “Stomp!” Demonstrate it for your dog. Invite them to join the party. Once they understand the goal of the game, you can stretch out the rewards so they continue “Stomping!”

Copying what people do

Dogs will copy what their people do. The recent social media “Hands In Challenge” proved that dogs with little or no other training would imitate their people’s actions. Try it for yourself. The videos are mostly adorable. Whatever their dogs can do, yours can, too!

Walk This Way! Teach Your Dog the Fun “Sideways!” Game

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Why does your dog need to walk sideways? The short answer is, they don’t. The good answer is that it increases body awareness, balance, and works some muscles your dog may not usually use. The best answer is that it’s fun!

Part of the package

Dogs (and people) have these great machines for doing all kinds of things. Bodies are pretty amazing. They function automatically for lots of things, like breathing and digesting. But there are some things they may not do unless they’re taught. Like building a strong core to keep us upright and functioning. And using legs for stuff other than walking or running.

Teaching your dog the Sideways! game goes along with games like “Paws & Boots” to get your dog moving in ways they may not do on their own.

Easy does it

All you need for “Sideways!” is some treats and your dog. It certainly helps if your dog knows a “Stand!” command, but it’s not crucial.

A woman standing perpendicular to a dog, which is also standing to demonstrate the positions for "Sideways!"

Stand perpendicular to your dog with one foot under their chest and your other foot in front of their front feet. Have some treats in the hand closest to your dog’s face. Show them the treat while you gently contact your dog’s ribs with your leg as you move slightly forward. This puts pressure on the dog for the sideways motion.

You can say “Sideways!” as you shuffle forward to keep your dog moving in that direction. Don’t try to cover much territory. You’re just trying to familiarize your dog with the idea that they can move to their side.

After a few steps sideways, go around to your dog’s other side and do it again. All one-sided training like “Sideways!” should be done on both sides.

Build on success

Just like us, if the dog is using “new” muscles, they may be sore the next day, so don’t try for any real distance at first. If you just get a couple of steps, that’s fine for an introduction.

Take note of your arm position when you’re playing “Sideways!” Once your dog catches on, you shouldn’t need to lure, but you can use that same hand/arm signal as a cue for your dog. Most dogs like going “Sideways!” so it’s both fitness and fun at the same time.

Holiday Dog Dilemma: When Your Dog Isn’t Party-Ready

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“We can’t host Thanksgiving for the first time in decades!” One of our trainees was almost distraught at the thought. She loves her adopted rescue dog, but knows the dog isn’t party-ready. She has a holiday dog dilemma.

The dog is fearful around strangers, and will bark and snap.

She is helping the dog overcome his fear-aggression but realizes it’s a process that probably won’t meet her Thanksgiving deadline.

Dogs not invited

We love dogs and truly think the world would be a better place if everyone agreed with us. But we do recognize that dogs are only a part of our lives. Everyone has multiple priorities that require our time and attention. Family is first. And family traditions, like Thanksgiving, take precedence over dog training.

Just because dogs are members of the family doesn’t mean they have to be included in every family event. Especially when it would cause tremendous stress for both you and your dog.

Always another option

If our trainee’s event was only a single afternoon, it would be fine to confine the dog to a room far away from the festivities. If the dog is comfortable in a crate, use it. Turn on the television or a radio, give the dog a special treat, and leave the dog alone.

With a more extended event, if people are coming for several days, you can think about boarding the dog. There’s plenty of time between now and the holidays for you to check out boarding kennels near you, both their reputation online, and their physical facility. If possible, you can even book your dog in for a “practice” night.

Teaching party manners

Our student is relieved that she can continue both her family Thanksgiving and her pursuit of better socialization for her dog. Her goal is for her dog to be part of the festivities at home next year and avoid the holiday dog dilemma.

She’ll achieve this by building her dog’s army of “Cookie People,” both in her neighborhood and at home. She can enlist friends and neighbors to come over specifically for short dog-training sessions. It only takes a few minutes and does the dog a world of good to meet new people at home in a non-threatening way.

The objective isn’t for your dog to love everybody and be their best friend. It’s equally stressful if your dog jumps on your guests and won’t leave them alone.

The ideal is for your dog to say “Hi!” politely and then resume normal behavior. The dog shouldn’t be the life of the party.

Develop some “cookie people”

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Some dogs are people-oriented and love everybody. Other dogs love a select few and are indifferent to anyone else. And then there are dogs who actively dislike anyone outside of their family and friends circle. These dogs can be challenging to live with, difficult to exercise, and impossible to bring anywhere with you. These are the dogs who most urgently need Cookie People.

The last kind of dog is also the one that might get labelled as “reactive.” While they may react rudely to strangers or unfamiliar situations, please don’t call them reactive. That word is often used interchangeably with “aggressive,” and that’s not the reputation you want your dog to have. Instead, if you must call them something, try using “excitable.” It conveys the same message, without the negative layer of meaning.

Toning down the conversation

Your dog falls into the “excitable” category if they bark at people for no reason, pull toward (or away) from strangers, and offer anti-social behaviors in new situations. In most cases, it’s probably fear-aggression. The dog is trying to act tough so no one knows how frightened they are. But we’ll never really know why. Instead, it’s up to us to teach the dog how to greet the world calmly.

One of the best techniques for chiseling away at the fear wall is to enlist an army of “Cookie People.” This may be well outside your comfort zone, but it’s necessary for your dog’s wellbeing. It’s easy enough. Just stick a bag full of your dog’s favorite treats in your pocket, leash up your dog, and go face the unsuspecting public.

Confronting strangers

The goal is to convince your dog that people are harmless. That means getting out there and talking to at least one person every day. While it can’t be the same person all the time, you should, at least for the first day, pre-arrange the encounter.

Call a friend and arrange to meet them somewhere in your neighborhood at a specific time and place. The friend should know the “script” for your encounter, which looks like this:

You and your dog are walking in the neighborhood. Up ahead, you see the fake “stranger” headed in your direction.

When you are within a few feet of each other, you ask the “stranger” if he/she will toss cookies to your dog.

The “stranger” agrees. You ask him/her not to look directly at the dog, just please toss a few treats (at least four, as many as 10) on the ground close to your dog. While tossing the treats, have a chat with the stranger, both of you ignoring the dog.

When the treats are all tossed, you and your dog say “goodbye” and continue on your walk, as does your fake “stranger.”

Rinse and repeat

If your dog is visibly upset, or won’t eat the treats, don’t push it. Don’t let the dog get close to the other person. Until their excitability is resolved, there could be trouble if your dog jumps on someone or causes them to trip.

If the dog won’t eat the treats today, try again tomorrow with better treats. This is an exercise in behavior modification and requires the treats your dog loves more than any others.

If, on the other hand, your dog was successful at disregarding the other person and enjoyed the treats thoroughly, it’s time to grow the behavior. Prepare to start confronting total strangers.

Socializing right

This socialization game is one we always play with new puppies or foster dogs in our lives. The pandemic caused some modifications in the original game, but it still works. We used to ask people if they would toss treats to our dog. When they agreed, we would just hand them a few treats. Nowadays, we pre-package a few treats in little plastic bags to give people who agree

It’s surprising how many people are willing to do you a favor, especially when you have a cute dog at your side. Since you aren’t asking for any interaction between the person and the dog, even some people who don’t like dogs will help you out. People who love dogs may be more of a problem. They may want to greet your dog, pet your dog, or deliver the treats by hand. Don’t let them. If you have to, admit that your dog is afraid of people and their behavior isn’t reliable. Make it clear that you’re in control. If the person tries to convince you they know better,, thank the person and leave. The last thing you need is someone putting pressure on your dog. If the person is too pushy, the dog may feel trapped and lash out.

Keep at it

Try to “meet” a few people every week. The more people who toss treats at your dog, the more your dog will be convinced that people are worth knowing.

We know that introverts are going to find this difficult. You can do it. Most people will be sympathetic and help. In the situation we know best, Fran’s dog Tango collected dozens of treat-tossers before he was at ease in new situations. Now, at 16 years old, he still adores some of his original Cookie People.

Your dog can control his impulses

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If you think your dog is demonstrating impulse control when they sit motionless waiting for their food, you’re wrong.

You’re also wrong if you think impulse control is greeting guests with all four paws planted on the floor.

Both of these examples are trained behaviors, not impulse control. They’re both excellent things to teach your dog. But neither teaches the dog impulse control

What is impulse control?

Simply put, impulse control is the ability to think before you act and make good choices. In the examples, the dog has no choice. They’ve been taught what to do in each scenario and they’re doing it. They’re not “choosing” to be good. They understand what they should do and do it.

Years ago it was considered good dog training to tell your dog what to do at all times and make them do it. Our first mentor in training said “Never let a dog make a decision. They’ll always make the wrong one.” Fortunately, he’s changed since then. Now we know that good dog training is teaching dogs how to make good decisions. Impulse control is at the heart of good decision-making.

Ready for anything

Trained behaviors, like waiting to be released before eating, are perfectly fine for things that happen all the time. Mealtimes probably happen about the same time, in the same place, and in the same order every day. It’s an entirely predictable sequence that both your and your dog know and one that works for you.

Impulse control is the valuable tool your dog will need when confronted with different, unexpected, and unpredictable circumstances. Dogs’ innate instincts tell them they have two options, fight or flight. Dogs taught impulse control know that their first reaction isn’t necessarily the right one.

Give them the tools

If your dog acts without thinking it’s time to teach them the skills they need to make good decisions. A good place to start is our e-book Impulse Control.

Just this week we taught the game “Whatcha Gonna Do?” to our competition Obedience class. One woman, who has a Labrador Retriever, was convinced her dog would never catch on. He continued to lick and nibble on her hand, not trying anything else. But it only took about five minutes before he got the idea. She was ready to give up after three. Impulse control training may test your patience, as well as your dog’s. But many worthwhile things in life aren’t easy.

It may not be the fastest, most entertaining training game you play with your dog. But it may prove to be the most valuable training you ever share with your dog.

Positive reinforcement works on people, too

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We were fans of the tv show “The Big Bang Theory.” One episode featured a classic example of positive reinforcement training.

If you watched the show, you know that the primary characters, Leonard and Sheldon, were scientists. Sheldon, in generous terms, wasn’t adept at social interaction. In this episode, Leonard, his girlfriend Penny, and Sheldon are watching TV. When Penny talks over the program, Sheldon gets annoyed. He gives her a glare and she promises to be quiet. He offers her a chocolate. Penny’s phone rings and, after a glance at Sheldon, says she’ll go into the hall to talk. Sheldon offers her a chocolate.

Sheldon’s applying positive reinforcement to get what he wants. Leonard notices and says:

“Sheldon, you can’t train my girlfriend like a lab rat!”

Sheldon replies “Actually it turns out I can.”

Not a new concept

While most sources attribute positive reinforcement to B.F. Skinner’s development of operant conditioning in the 1930s, the concept is much, much older. Ever heard the proverb “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar”? Ben Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac cited it in 1844.

Positive reinforcement is one of the quadrants of operant conditioning. Explaining the other three would dive deep into weeds most people would rather not explore. If you, too, are nerdily interested, there’s lots to find. Have fun!

The point is that positive reinforcement works on people as well as dogs. Everybody is more interested and eager if they know their efforts will be appreciated. Sometimes that’s a simple “thank you!” or “well done!” And sometimes it’s a piece of chocolate.

Getting where you want to be

Research has proven that positive reinforcement works better for learning and retention than punishment-based training. “Reward-based dog training offers the most advantages and least harm to the learner’s welfare,” according to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, which says there is no evidence that aversive practices are necessary for dog training or behavior modification.

It’s also true that positive reinforcement training requires time and patience. Having a background in correction-based training, we know that a few strong “collar pops” will probably stop a dog from pulling. It will also make the dog fear the collar and cause pain. Punishment-based trainers have euphemisms to describe what they do. “Collar pop” or “correction” sounds better than yanking on a dog’s collar to hurt them.

Getting a dog to understand what you want is like playing charades with an alien. You don’t have a common language, you can only communicate through motions and rewards. It takes time to reach understanding. Once your dog realizes that every little training game will be fun and rewarding, they’ll love those sessions.

Take a breath

It may take a while for the light bulb to turn on in your dog’s brain. You may get to a point where, after a week or two, you’re wondering if you’re doing something wrong or if you have the dumbest dog on the planet. That’s just about the time when you can expect your dog to come up with flashes of brilliance. Just when you’re starting to despair.

Sticking with short, fun training games isn’t a huge commitment. Devoting ten or 15 minutes a day to your dog should be something you look forward to. The best way to start the day is playing a couple games with your best friend. Just ask your dog.

Muzzles are good management

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What do you think when you see a person walking around with a muzzled dog? Are you wary? Do you grab your dog and cross the street? Thinking needs to change. In fact, muzzles are good management.

Sadly, the stigma attached to using a muzzle for your dog prevents many people from using one of the least intrusive, most useful dog management tools ever. Using a muzzle prevents your dog from starting any trouble and insures they won’t contribute to any they find.

Everyday wear

Take the case of a dog from our “Impulse Control” class. He’s a young dog, a medium-sized terrier. Let’s call him Sam. Sam is the first dog of a very nice young couple, and he does great in their apartment. He does okay on walks. He’s nipped two people in the elevator. That’s a problem. And a pretty big one.

Sam isn’t a mean dog. He’s a young, scared dog who doesn’t get the distance he needs to feel safe when he’s in an elevator. The absolute cardinal rule for fear-aggressive dogs is “distance is your friend.” The fear reaches a boiling point when the dog is trapped and unable to move away.

Sam’s people have to take the elevator. Sometimes they’re not going to be able to wait for an empty car, or be able to ask other people not to get in. Everybody’s got places to go and schedules to keep. What they can do, to make sure that everyone, including Sam, is safe.

Muzzle your dog

We started muzzle-training the dogs in impulse control class. Every dog should be accustomed to a muzzle – you never know what circumstances may require it. If your dog is injured, they will also be frightened. And they might lash out at people who are trying to help. Emergency vets and technicians routinely muzzle dogs – you can’t know how much pain a dog is in, or how it will react. Most dog owners, fortunately, don’t know how their dogs would react to an injury. Muzzles are good management – even the calmest, most well-behaved dog might react poorly to a perceived threat – especially if the dog is in pain. Plus, a muzzle means that your dog won’t pick up strange objects in the backyard.

The first step in muzzle-training is like any other game. Get the dog familiar with the object and reward interaction with the thing. Looking at it, sniffing it, pawing at it, taking it in their mouth – all are steps in familiarization. Reward each interaction. Ideally, put your hand through the muzzle to reward your dog, so the muzzle becomes part of the interaction.

Over the course of a few 2-Minute sessions, accustom the dog to the muzzle. Depending on the kind of muzzle, you can put your hand through while giving your dog treats. Start asking your dog to stick his nose/muzzle in the muzzle. If you don’t have one, or if the dog needs time to get used to the muzzle, use a plastic glass or cone and ask your dog to stick their nose in. Reward in or by the thing to build value in the interaction.

If your dog is skittish, don’t even try putting the muzzle on until your dog has made friends with it. We want dogs to believe that muzzles are no big deal. Because they’re not. Or at least they shouldn’t be. Muzzle-training your dog means you care about everybody’s safety in any situation. It’s “what if” training that we hope your dog will never need.

Not always everywhere

In Impulse Control class, we had no muzzles, so we used plastic cones to simulate something for the dogs to stick their faces into. Once they figured out that treats were involved, they were shoving their noses in as far as they could go.

Sam’s parents have the task of finding a muzzle that works for them and their dog. (For a description of various types of muzzles, see “Every dog needs a muzzle.”) They asked if they had to use it all the time. The answer is yes. And no. Since Sam’s issues are in enclosed spaces, he needs to wear it in the apartment building and elevator. Once they get outside, it can come off. They can achieve the distance from other people/dogs/objects that Sam finds scary.

The elevator trip back home also requires the muzzle back on. And, if friendly neighbors are sharing the ride, by all means ask them to give Sam treats.

Defy dog logic

We’ve had people who say “I’m not giving a dog treats for growling at me!” That’s a complete misinterpretation of what’s going on. You’re not rewarding the growling, or reactive behavior. Instead, you’re proving to the dog that you’re not frightening and you’re a nice person. All people are nice.

That’s the message dogs should get from all strangers. Especially dogs who are somewhat fearful. The objective is to reassure them that you’ll keep them safe. They have nothing to fear. Not even fear itself. And muzzles are good management.