A NONPROFIT IN ROCKVILLE, MD WITH FORCE-FREE, POSITIVE DOG TRAINING, WORKSHOPS & ADVICE
SQUIRREL!
We all got a kick out of the “talking” dog in the Pixar movie, Up. He’d be doing one thing and suddenly…
SQUIRREL!
…he’d be distracted and totally focused on the potential squirrel.
If this sounds a bit like your dog, we have a class that is perfect for you. Formerly known as “Control & Focus,” the class is now entitled Distracted Dog Class.
[Read more…] about Is Your Dog Like the One from the Movie Up? (SQUIRREL!)
We often get emails and phone calls with questions that start: “How do I get my dog to stop __________?”
Insert unwanted behavior: Jumping. Nipping. Counter surfing. Pulling on leash.
Here’s what you need to know: A dog will only do things that they find reinforcing.
When your dog is engaging in a behavior, ask yourself:
“What is my dog getting out of this behavior?”
If you can identify the reinforcement and remove it, you have removed your dog’s reason to do that behavior.
Meet Titania. She’s an 8(ish) year old cocker spaniel I adopted from OBG Cocker Spaniel Rescue in 2011.
Her favorite spot in the world is on the back cushion of the sofa.
This was fine with our old sofa. However, our new sofa has a much higher back, which makes it unsafe for her to be jumping up and down to get to her favorite spot. Titania has some slightly herniated discs in her back and her physical therapist confirmed at her last appointment that we needed to prevent her from jumping up to the back of the couch from now on.
Question: Why did Titania like to perch on the back of the sofa? What is rewarding to her for the behavior?
Answer: It was because she could watch the world go by through the window. (The clings are semi-see-thru.)
I bought two science fair style pieces of cardboard from the local craft store and put them up in the window.
Now, it ain’t pretty. We’re not going to be on HGTV anytime soon with this setup. (I had considered curtains but Titania is the type who would just nose her way under or around them.)
Reinforcement (the view outside) has been removed.
Suddenly — as if by magic! — the dog bed on the floor is her new favorite place to chill out. I can make the dog bed even more reinforcing by giving her treats there. (But it’s already really comfortable, so that’s a good start!)
Think of a behavior you’d like your dog to stop doing.
Identify what the dog gets out of the behavior. (Food? Attention? Entertainment?)
Remove the reinforcement. (Put the food out of his reach. Ignore him when he jumps on you. Cover the window.)
…and step 2: REWARD the behavior you like. (Treats for good behavior. Pay, pay, pay your dog!)
Let us know what happens!
Lisa’s Dog Tricks class just finished up their 3rd class, so we thought we’d show off a bit of what they’ve learned.
Check out these super duper pups: Bodhi the collie, Beryl the lab, Syrio the cocker spaniel, and Xander the beagle mix.
Other tricks (beyond the video!) the class has worked on so far:
If you’re interested in signing up for Dog Tricks the next time it’s offered, you can learn more about the class and put your email on the wait list by going to the class page. (Waitlist is at the very bottom.) Have a young human (ages 9-13) that wants to learn how to teach tricks? Our kids’ instructor, Hedda, offers a Kids & Dogs: Tricks class.
We look forward to seeing you in class!
I can’t believe I’m going to share this secret with you. Especially if you shop at “my” Safeway (the new one on Rockville Pike). If there’s a sudden lack of my secret dog treat weapon, I’ll have no one to blame but myself for telling you all about this…
But it’s okay because Your Dog’s Friend fans deserve it.
At Safeway, there is a cooler where they keep hand-trimmed chicken breasts. Next to those beautifully trimmed chicken breasts are packages labeled “Chicken Fat.” They are $0.79 a pound. Grab a package of about 1.5 lbs (under $2!). Look for one that appears to be more meaty than fatty.
These are the trimmings from those expensive chicken breasts. They have fatty bits attached, but getting rid of the fat is as simple as boiling water.
Go home, fill a pot with water and put the chicken in it. Boil for 20 minutes or so. This will render off the majority of the fat, leaving just chicken. Scoop out the chicken pieces, rinse them (if you want), and bam, you get about 12 ounces of perfectly useable boiled chicken!
Cool off the chicken. Chop it up. Toss it in your treat pouch and bring it to class.
You can use the fatty broth for anything else you like. Make soup. Mix it into mashed potatoes. You get the idea.
Ingredients
Instructions
You will now have a pan of delicious homemade chicken treats!
Slice them into whatever size works best for your dog.
One they’re cool, store them in a ziplock bag or sealed tupperware in the fridge. They’re usually long gone before you have to worry about them going bad.
Enjoy!
You have holiday guests coming, but your dog is either going to be terrified and hide or bark his head off at them, trying to scare them away. What can you do to make the day stress-free for everyone? We have tips… and a GIVEAWAY!
If your dog has a serious fear problem, there are medications that can help, including daily pills or pills just for those tough days.
If you’re using a situational medication, be sure to “test drive” a dose on a normal day so you can monitor your dog’s reaction. Ask your vet about when you should administer the medication so it will be at its most effective when your guests arrive.
If the fear is only in very specific situations that you can avoid most of the time, medication is likely not necessary.
Your number one priority is to keep your dog feeling safe. If your dog enjoys being in his crate, you’ve already got this in the bag! You may consider tossing a sheet over the crate to eliminate visual stimulation. Rex in the photo above is all cozy in his bed in a covered crate while guests are on the other side of the house.
Does your dog hate crates? Check out these other ideas for bunkers from Eileen Anderson.
If your guests will be on the other side of the wall from your fearful dog, try a white noise machine near the crate or a radio tuned in to NPR.
Important: Guests should not enter the room where the dog has his bunker.
Stuff some Kongs the day before with all sorts of goodies: wet food, leftovers from your dinner, cheese, peanut butter, fat-free plain yogurt… then put them in the freezer so they will take even longer for your dog to unpack the day of the party.
Break out the treat balls and puzzles for breakfast. If you have time, do a quick training session to work that doggy brain even harder. If your fearful dog can take walks in your neighborhood, take a nice long walk and let him sniff everything. (Sniffing gets those neurons firing!)
Before your guests arrive, move your dog to his bunker and provide him with a Kong and/or bully stick to enjoy. During the party, check in on him from time to time, bringing a fresh Kong or a few treats to nibble.
If you have to take your dog outside for a break during the party, move your guests out of sight so you can slip out for a quick walk and back in to the bunker without your dog seeing the strangers.
At Your Dog’s Friend, we understand how stressful it can be living with a fearful dog. We offer several classes that can help your dog build confidence. Here they are:
All classes are offered at our training center in Rockville, Maryland.
Go to our Facebook page to enter the giveaway for two wonderful books by trainer Debbie Jacobs, CPDT-KA, CAP.
These books are truly the gold standard in fearful dog rehabilitation and training.
The winner must pick up their books at our training center in Rockville, Maryland.
Data gathered from Your Dog’s Friend student registrations from January 1 – November 24, 2015.
