One of the doyennes of positive reinforcement training, Karen Pryor, is also the author of A Dog & A Dolphin – An Introduction to Clicker Training. At first, the similarities between the two species may not be apparent, but for training, they’re much alike – if you do it right.
Training = Training
At our favorite dolphin facility, the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Florida, we’ve been privileged to watch and participate in training sessions with the dolphins. With dolphins, you have to use positive reinforcement. If the animal isn’t interested and engaged, willing to play with you – he or she just swims off. There’s not a thing you can do about it.
Should be SO MUCH FUN!
Dogs are sometimes “just not that into it.” If your dog disengages and goes off sniffing, it’s time to switch gears. We don’t “make” our dogs play training games with us. We make the games, and ourselves, so much fun that they want to play with us.
If you’re working on a “come!” and your dog doesn’t, think about what you can change to make yourself more appealing. Don’t beg your dog to come to you – run away from him! Or get down on all fours and call her to crawl under you. Slap a toy on the ground and drag it. Be creative.
Some dogs get over-stimulated during play sessions. If that’s the case and your dog is barking at you or excited and not listening, just sit down, without saying anything, and wait for a moment of silence. Then whisper something. Or gently blow on your dog’s face to get his attention. If he or she is too “amped up,” your dog may not be able to focus on what you’re asking.
One of our training mentors, when a dog is barking uncontrollably in class, yells “Goku needs a hug!” It stops the behavior and gives the dog a chance to refocus.
Sometimes a “time out” is needed
If nothing else works, either call it a day and end the session, or give your dog a little “time out” in the crate. It gives you and your dog a little break and hits the “reset.” The break doesn’t have to be long – less than a minute will do. He or she may come out ready to play with you again.
If that doesn’t happen, chalk it up to a bad day. We all have them. Even our dogs. You’ll have another chance later, or tomorrow.