Adding a New Dog to your Multi-Pet Household-Is It For You

I promised an article on how to add a new dog to your multi-pet household. But, I have decided to write about why do you want to add a new dog.

Make sure you are getting a new dog because you and your family want it. Not such a good idea to get another dog because your dog is a problem and you think a new dog might help. If you don't really want the dog for your own reasons, you could end up with twice the work, and a new dog might or might not help your problem dog.

I have multiple pets because I want each one, and I do love the interaction between my pets. It is nice for dogs to live with a friend, especially if you work as most of us do nowadays. 

I have always found I never have much nipping and mouthing of people when I get a new pup, they tend to nip and mouth my older dogs, who quickly, and appropriately, straighten them out. I also don't have much chewing or boredom behaviors, because with 5 cats, and three dogs, there is a lot to do in my house, and lot's of other animals to interact with.

I also find recall command (Come), is easier to teach, as my older dogs are trained, and the pup will follow them. They do learn good things like that from your other dogs.

However, if you have a dog with some problems, let's use the example of an excessive barker, there is a good chance your pup will pick up that bad behavior from your other dog. So if you truly want another dog for the right reasons, make sure you deal with any unwanted behavior with your other dog or dogs before you add a new dog or puppy. 

Something I have never personally done is get two puppies who are litter mates, or two unrelated puppies, at the same time. I find that when I work with people who have done this, they are astonished at the amount of work it creates, feels more like having four puppies I have been told. Also, they tend to bond more closely with each other, and you can be left out of the equation, which makes them harder to train. Imagine house training times two, two not listening to you together, two jumping all over your guests. My clients have gotten through it, but most say they would no do it again.

Another thing I see lot's of people do is to get a new dog when they see their older dog starting to have health issues, and they are anticipating that dog's demise, and don't want to be without a dog. This can be very hard for an elderly dog to have a younger dog or puppy constantly harassing them to play, and they just are not up for it. If you can't bear the thought of being dog-less, better to get the new dog before your dog is old, arthritic, and cranky.

All in all, I love each and every one of my pets, enjoy them all tremendously, and wanted each one for myself, not as company for my other pets. I think this is really the best way to go, it's worked out great for me.

Introducing a New Cat to a Dog & Cat Household

Last Saturday my husband and I rescued a new cat. I had lost my cat Moonlight back in February, he was 21 and died peacefully at home. He left a void in our lives, and I have been searching for a special male cat since March.
On Saturday we finally found him. His name is Bumble Bee, and he came from a home with other dogs, cats, children, and pigs (good to know if I ever get a pig).

I introduce new cats slowly. First I set him up in his own room with everything he needed, litter pan, water, food, scratching post, & cozy bed. I left the door closed for a day so he could have some peace, and my other pets could get used to his smell through the space under the door. I could see he was really mellow, and everyone else seemed just curious, not overstimulated or aggressive. 

So the following day I left the door open with a gate up. My various other cats were in and out of that room all day, except for one, who was giving this kitten the cold shoulder. My dogs got more of a chance to sniff him through the gate & to see him. Before I knew it he came out of the room on his own & started exploring the house. I followed him (and I put my dogs in another space), to make sure no conflict broke out between the cats. The only cat put out was my Female Diamond. She hissed a bit, I interrupted it with happy talk to her and petting each cat and offering my hand to each so they could smell the other without contact. He had no reaction to her hissing other than looking at her with an expression that I could only interpret as "what's the problem, I like you". I showed him where all of the other litter boxes were in the house, and was still feeding him in his room. Of course during this process I make sure I continue to give all of my other pets equal attention.

By Monday I took down the gate, he still had access to that room, and the dogs were included in the introductions. Thank god he is the kind of cat that rather than running away from the dogs, which only induces them to give chase, he just lay down as they sniffed him. That is why I wanted a cat that was already used to dogs. I also showed him & put him up on the various cat climbing furniture I have so he knew how to get away from them if need be.

Monday night we decided to close the door to his room as things were going so well, and he ate upstairs with all of the rest of the cats. I always separate dogs and cats at mealtimes to avoid food stealing and conflict. Things were going great, he ate with great gusto, used the litter upstairs, and no problems at all with the other cats at mealtime.

Monday night he appeared in our bedroom with all of the rest of my furry guys, and slept in the bed with us for the first time. Diamond was the only one who didn't join us, but she didn't start any conflict either.

Tuesday all cats were on the bed with us (the dogs have beds on the floor), and Diamond and him were starting to do some gentle sniffing without any hissing from her.

It's been a little more than a week and he is fully integrated into our household. Everyone is fine, the dogs love to watch him play which he does a lot as he is just 7 months old. I have a few toys that are circular tracks with a ball inside that the cat can't remove, but can get their paws in the tracks and chase the ball around. My dogs lie on the floor watching him for hours. The other cats are joining in when he plays, so all is well.

I would have adjusted the speed of moving things along if it had not gone as well as it did, and if you add a cat or new cat to your household you can do the same. This is the method I have always used, and depending on the cat, they are out of their room in a few days, or a few weeks. I have never had cats who fight with each other, but again, I adopt cats who have been around other cats only. In the beginning if they get tense or hissy, I am there to supervise and interrupt if need be. If they are really throwing a fit over the new cat, I will remove one of them if I feel I need to, and give them a chance to see each other later. I go at the speed the animals need to adjust, and never try to hurry things along, I go with their flow. 

My next article will address getting a new dog and how to introduce him to the dog or dogs you already have safely.

For now, may you have animal harmony in all of your homes.

Reflections on all creatures at my Koi pond

I have always assumed that the dogs I work with are intelligent, sentient beings, and that they will learn. Now science tells us that if you assume an animal is intelligent, the training of that animal will be better simply because of that assumption.

Since the weather has been warmer, I spend as much time as I can relaxing at the Koi pond that my husband and I put in ourselves 8 years ago when we bought this house. It's great. The sound of the waterfall, the other animals that come to have a drink of water, the hummingbirds in my garden that visit and stay until the fall.

My Koi are smart, aware of their surroundings, know me and trust me. From the beginning I fed them in one place. You can get these floating rings that keep the food from being washed into your skimmer box. But feeding in one place had training possibilities for me, as my goal was to be able to hand feed my fish treats. 

So slowly, first they got used to eating in one location. I always tap on the water twice before feeding them, so they are "tap conditioned", as a clicker wouldn't work with them.

So, tap, tap, and  my hand would be in the ring while they ate. They got used to this in about five minutes. Koi just love to eat. 

Next, tap, tap, and I am holding their favorite treats, dried krill. They do have personalities. The boldest fish that first accepted my hand in their feeding ring were also the first to eat out of my fingers, not without a lot of suspicious glances at the start. Now most of them will eat from my fingers, and if my guests have patience, they will take food from strangers as well. As I said, they do know me. 

In the winter Koi go into a state of semi-hibernation. We keep a submerged heater in the pond, as well as one that floats. If your pond ever completely ices over, good bye fish, as they will die because of no exchange of gases. We also use a submerged aerator instead of the waterfall in the winter. They don't get fed once the water drops below 55 degrees F, and we don't see much of them as they mostly hang out in their Koi cage at the bottom of the pond. The Koi cage is their to protect them from predators.

As soon as spring arrives, and the water is above 55 degrees, we start feeding them again. Even though I have not seen them since the Winter, they still recognize me, and take food from my hand in the same order as before. The boldest first, then the others.

We have two Fancy Goldfish that summer in the pond, but come indoors to a tank in the house for the Winter. They are not as hardy as the Koi & would not make it through the winter temperatures.

Today it is gorgeous. So I decided to release them into the pond for the summer. Only one of them was in the pond last summer, we bought him a companion fish so he wouldn't be lonely in the tank in the house.

As I floated them in a bag of their tank water for 15 minutes so they could slowly get used to the temperature change, all of my Koi ware gathered round checking out the newcomers. They were fascinated by them, poking the bag, swimming away and returning in a group.

Finally, I released them into the pond with the rest of the fish. Usually new fish hide in the pond, and may not eat for a few days or more until they get accustomed to their new environment.

But this year, the one fish that summered last year in the pond seemed to remember being there, and was immediately swimming around and eating. The new fish I got over the winter is hiding in the Koi cage.

So, what does this have to do with dogs. At the start of this article I talked about assumptions of intelligence and sentience. Assume your dog is brilliant and he will be. Be consistent, methodical, and kind when you teach her and you will have all you want in your dog. If my Koi can recognize people, remember them after not seeing them for months, and remember being there before, your dog can certainly learn basic manners. Assume the best, not a bad thing to apply to life in general, as well as to the people in our lives.

Peace, Linda

Electronic Fencing- A Positive Trainer's Viewpoint

Being a positive methods clicker trainer does not make me a big fan of electronic fencing as it is grounded in punishment based methodology. Dog nears electronic fence field and dog receives a warning beep and then if he doesn't immediately retreat, gets shocked. Call it electronic stimulation, saying it is like a static electricity shock, IMHO, just is not true. It is a shock, and needs to be strong enough to discourage the dog from going through the invisible line. Try it on your own neck if you would like to find out how strong it really is (kidding here, I would not do that, too close to my brain). You could however, put in on your arm to get a real idea of what your dog feels.

That being said, where I live, it is a reality that a high percentage of my clients install invisible fencing. For me, nothing beats proper height and well installed physical fencing. It is what I have with my own dogs. Keeps them safely enclosed, and keeps other animals out.

As a trainer I have had to learn to adapt and live with it, so here is my take on using electronic fencing properly:

1. It is not meant to be a dog-sitter. Dogs should be let out to go potty, or for extended periods for play, with owners present. You should always have your dog under your verbal control, and your dog should be off-leash trained BEFORE you install the electronic fencing. Otherwise, the only thing you will have is a dog that won't leave your property, but how do you get him back inside if he prefers to be outside.

2. Never leave your dog outside and go run errands or horrors!, go to work for the day. Your dog could get so distracted that he runs through it, receives the shock, and now won't come back in knowing he will be zapped again. Result, you could lose you dog, and you weren't even home to know where he went and were unable to do anything about it.

3. Prolonged alone time outside can cause your dog to be a neighborhood nuisance. Some dogs bark all day and run the fence line barking and carrying on whenever someone passes by. 

4. Over time this can cause an aggression problem. As your dog barks at people passing by, he believes his barking and guarding your property kept them away. The fact that they were never really coming to visit is something he doesn't know, and their continuing on their way is reinforcement for the dogs aggression. I can't tell you how many of my clients dogs have eventually bitten someone entering the property, despite my warnings not to use the electronic fencing with the dog unsupervised. You need to be especially vigilant if you own a breed bred to be a watchdog, your UPS man will not understand your excuses.

5. Fencing should not even be considered until your dog is completely house trained.

Getting shocked can freak out dogs so much that they revert to pottying in the house as they feel the outside is no longer a safe place to eliminate. 

IMHO they should be at least six months old. Baby dogs should not have to encounter this type of severe correction, it can traumatize them and cause them to be afraid of their own yards. Even with older dogs you need to often do a lot of play therapy outside to convince them are safe. I have seen dogs refuse to leave the front step or deck for months.

6. Don't include your driveway. Since electronic fencing has become so popular, I have known five dogs that have been either run over and injured or killed by a car in their own driveways. In one case the owner did it not realizing his dog was sleeping under his car to get out of the sun. And this dog was a puppy, what a tragedy for all.

Also, dogs will often jump on peoples cars in their eagerness to say hello to your guests. A great way to become more popular with your friends and family when your dog scratches their new vehicle. Again, dogs need to be supervised at all times.

7. Keep your flags up! I think this is only fair that your dog also have a visible reminder as to where the boundaries are. Since flag shaking, and running away and saying WATCH OUT are part of the training, why take the visible reminder that you used to train the dog away. When dogs get zapped by the fencing they often have superstitious learning anyway. They will think it was the rock they were standing by, or that pine tree, not really understanding that they need to stay away from the flags. So keep up your flag shaking until they understand fully, and don't then take them away when they finally understand. So unfair.

8. Don't ever cross the boundaries when your dog is outside with you. Your dog should never be punished for following and staying with you. That is what we all want, isn't it? So no crossing the line to get your mail, say hi to your neighbor, or having your children run in and out of the line. Dogs that follow their people are good dogs. If anyone is going to cross the boundaries, bring the dog inside first please.

9. Be real about your dogs limits. If you look out your window and see a herd of deer on your property, that may not be the best time to let your dog out on his electronic fencing. Some dogs have a really strong desire to chase fleeing animals, don't tempt fate and lose your dog. Maybe leash walk him instead, and when the deer have disappeared, then you can let him loose again.

10. Constantly maintain and check your system for proper operation. Check the batteries in the collar often. And please, don't think your dog is so trained he no longer needs to wear the collar. Use the equipment you paid for, keep your dog as safe as you can.

11. Supervise the person included in the electronic fencing package that is doing the training. They should never ask you to call your dog to get it to go through the fence. I had one client whose electronic fencing trainer did this because the dog would not cross the line to get zapped. That dog would not come to it's owner for months, and I had to be called in to fix the problem.

12. Be careful when you play fetch a ball, stick, or a frisbee. Don't throw toys across the line, not fair, and let's not tempt fate. You don't want to be the person who caused your dog to get shocked when he was just trying to play a game with you.

13.  Once again, not a dog sitter, Supervise, Supervise, Supervise. Remember it is not physical fencing, your dog can run through it, you need to be there if that should ever happen. Or better yet, have your dog under your verbal control (which means a trained off-leash dog), and prevent problems before they occur.

                     Love, Train, and Supervise your dog. Better safe than sorry.

Mother's Day Sale

Celebrate Mother's Day with a well trained dog. My positive, humane, & user friendly clicker training techniques will give you the companion you have always dreamed of. 

Sale Starts May 5th and end May 10th 2011. 10% off 6 lesson in home training package, and $40 off 4 lesson package. In your home training is a great way to address any problems you may be experiencing from house training issues through aggression. All ages, all levels, beginners to advanced training. Expert behavioral problem solution by Linda Lukens with more than 34 years experience.

Loving & Training

My life loving and training dogs and other animals. I do miss having my own horses, but am so grateful for the ten years I had of horse ownership and training. I miss all of the animals that are gone from my life, if only they could live as long as we do. Albert, my parrot is still with me, must be 28 years old by now. These pictures really bring back some warm memories for me,

In Gratitude and Love,

Linda

Spring is in the air -The Scoop on Poop

Well, I know Spring is in the air from the warmer temperatures, the snow is melting, and so are the poopsicles. 

Yes, it's that wonderful  time of year. The time for more outdoor activities, and inside my fenced in property, the time to pick up those thawing poopsicles.

There are many pooper scoopers available out there, but I like the one-handed operation kind, although I also own a metal set that consists of two parts, sort of like a broom and dustpan. I find the dustpan part particularly handy for chipping out those most stubborn and not quite thawed remnants.

Being a full time dog trainer, I do spend an awful lot of my time talking to owners about pooping and peeing, so I thought it was appropriate to write about dog scat and urine.

Both pooping and peeing are scent marking behaviors in dogs. I have seen small male dogs almost tip over in their efforts to place their calling card, or p-mail, as high as they possibly can. The higher the mark, the more other dogs think a large scary dog has been in the area, but I really don't think they are fooling anyone. 

Dogs mark their territory with both urine marking, scat, and scratching the ground with their paws which have scent glands, after they evacuate. Wolves in the wild like to place their scat on bushes or high grass so it not only says, "Hey, I live here" by scent, but also by the charming visual display. 

I myself have seen my dog Chicory (who has passed on) literally shit up a tree, depositing it on a fungal growth. I guess he thought that it made a nice shelf for displaying his artwork, sort of like our displaying our knick knacks. "Take that you other dogs, I can shit higher than you can!!".

Many dogs have quite ritualistic behavior during their circling routine. The funniest dog I ever saw indulge in this behavior was a Dachshund named Dixie, she simply had the most ornate poop dance I had ever seen in my life. Averaging about ten or twelve circles, galloping along at breathtaking speed, spiraling inward to a slowly decreasing circle size, and voila! Spinning in place, Dixie would then deliver her all important deposit. Dogs like to circle when they poop to deposit yet more scent from their paws around the all important star of the show. They also have anal glands that excrete a small but potent scent on their scat as well. As if it isn't smelly enough!!

And let's not forget the lovely habit some dogs have, copraphagy, or in layman's terms, eating their own crap. This can be a genetic behavior, or certain dog's will just  eat their poop out of boredom. Please don't let your dog get this bored, can you imagine being that bored, I can't. Poop eating does have it's origins in a Mommy dog eating the poop of their still nursing pups, both to keep the den clean, as well as to not tip off predators that nursing, vulnerable pups live here.

Many people ask me how to stop this lovely habit, and there are many solutions out there. I have heard it all. Putting manufactured products on the poop to discourage the copraphagy, feeding the dog certain products to make their poop taste yicky (you mean it's not yicky enough!), or putting hot sauce on the poop. Well I always tell them, rather than spending your time seasoning your dog's scat, just pick it up. They can't eat what is not there, and you never know, they just might enjoy it more with hot sauce on it. I know I prefer lot's of things I eat with hot sauce on it, so please, don't season your dog's poop. PICK IT UP!!

Let's not forget to cover another lovely canine habit, rolling in other dog's poop. When my son Justin was little we were at the park with my then puppy Bernese Mountain Dog Grimsby, who had found an especially wonderful pile of diarrhea.  He proceeded to roll in it, I didn't see this as I was watching my son at the time. But, I found out soon enough when he pranced back to us, jumped all around my son, and smeared Justin with his new found prize. Dog's like to roll in funky things, they like the novel scent, sort of like when we decide to wear a new perfume. I will never forget trying to rinse off both Grimsby and Justin from a small water fountain and a discarded dixie cup I had found. When it come to dogs and poop, the fun just never ends. Or as we say in the dog training world, "sh**t happens".

Sole rights for this article belong to Linda Lukens of Common Ground Dog Training. Cannot be reprinted without the author's permission.

Dog Training and Exercising in the Winter - "Baby It's Cold outside"

Dog Training and Exercising in the Winter - "Baby It's Cold outside"

How to keep your dog happy, exercised, and continue training through the coldest weather. Alternatives to outside exercise for dogs in harsh winter climates. Dog safety in cold and snowy climates.

When it is hard to work with your dog or properly exercise him, here are some ideas that can help.

Work in your garage-You can practice loose leash walking, heeling, stays, come when called. At least you are both protected from the wind and the snow. Be sure to use your clicker & your treats to mark and reward all good behavior

Play the recall game in your home- Call your dog back and forth between you and another person in your household. Use dog's name only, as soon as your dog turns toward you when he hears his name, click, praise like crazy (Yeah!!!!) and kneel down to welcome him to you. Give a yummy treat when he gets to you and lot of petting. Now the other person playing the game does the same. Back and forth your dogs goes, having fun, learning to heed his name, and getting some exercise.

Play retrieve- Play retrieving with a ball or favorite toy. First get the dog interested in the toy by waving it around, tugging, bouncing the ball, etc. Now throw it and say "Fetch" or "Get it". When your dog goes out to pick the toy up, call him using his name, and as he comes back, use your clicker, praise, praise, praise, and give a treat when he drops the toy.
Dogs like a high pitched voice, so you guys, get your girlie voice out. When he returns to you hold a treat near his nose to get him to drop the toy, click when he drops it, give the treat, and you are ready to go again. You can do this in the house or garage, just choose your largest room, and work in the longest space. Repeat until your dog has had enough exercise.

Play Stairball- Sit at the bottom or top of your stairs and play retrieve up and down the stairs, Follow above directions to get the dog to give you the ball or favorite toy. Don't play this game if your dog has any physical problems, and don't overdue even with a healthy dog. Running up and down stairs is good exercise but a little goes a long way.

Work on Attention-Say your dog's name in an upbeat friendly voice, when he makes eye contact, use your clicker, give him a treat and praise. Can be done all day long.

And let's not forget a nice romp in the snow for those dogs that enjoy it. Just keep an eye on your dog that his paws are not freezing. Lifting up a paw, limping, & whimpering are signs that you need to bring your dog inside. There are boots for dogs on the market, personally, my little dog Lola, an Italian Greyhound, always manages to get one off, which I then have to search for in the snow. But perhaps your dog will keep his boots on! It's worth a try, and protects their feet from not just the cold, but also salt if you take a walk on the road. If your dog is short haired, I feel they should be wearing a well fitting, warm coat, regardless of their size. All small dogs should wear coats, they are low to the ground and get colder, sort of like your feet getting cold in freezing weather due to their contact with the cold ground. When you come inside, if your dog is a hairy footed critter, you will need to melt or remove those snowballs they can get in their paws. A hairdryer set on low heat, and be sure to keep it moving so you don't burn your dog, can be very helpful here.

Linda Lukens
Common Ground Dog Training
http://www.commongrounddogtraining.com

Are you a good dog owner? (From a dog's point of view)

Did you do thorough research to make sure I am the breed for you, and not just picked me on my looks (charming though my looks might be). Please don't buy me from a pet shop, puppy mills are not kind to dogs or careful in their breeding, and that is where pet shop puppies come from. Find a local responsible breeder, or adopt me from a rescue organization, or your local animal shelter.

Are you home enough so I don't spend all of my time alone? (you are my life, I want to be with you)

Do you feed me a good quality, nutritious diet? So many dogs get cancer and other illnesses from too many additives and food coloring.

Do you take me to the Vet when I don't feel well? (even though I might not want to go) You can make it a better experience for me by feeding me really good treats that I just can't resist.

Do I have regular health check-ups?

Have you considered pet health insurance. There are many different companies that offer this, and it can really help with the Vet bills.

Do you give me the exercise I need every day? (I don't mean to get the zoomies in the living room, I just need to run....)

Do you exercise me in a safe enclosed place.? (I don't understand that cars can hurt me)

Do you let me play with other dog's? (one of my favorite things, and I do need to keep up with speaking dog)

Do you take me with you to different places to meet lot's of new people? (I like this so much, I love to make new friends)

Do you train me so I can understand what I can and cannot do? (humans can be so confusing, even though I love you)

Do you use positive methods to train me? (please don't yell at me, hit me, or choke me, so scary)

Do I live inside the house, where I am warm and safe? (please don't tie me in the yard, or keep me outside all day, I'm just a homebody)

Do you provide me with safe things I can chew on? (I need toys, don't mean to use your slippers as one, I just couldn't find anything else)

Do you brush and care for my coat? (I hate when I get matted, it hurts!)

Do you bathe me when I need it? (even though I might roll in that goose poop, I do like being clean)

Do you make sure the children don't disturb me when I am sleeping? I could overreact if startled.

Do you make sure your children don't fall or sit on me, that can hurt and scare me.

Do you keep the children away when I eat, everyone likes to enjoy their meal in peace. If they want to come near, give them really good treats to put in my bowl, then I will welcome them around my food.

Do you leave me unsupervised with the children, although I love children, I am a dog after all, and need supervision.

Do you teach your kids not to pick me up? If I am a small dog, they could drop me. I also don't like to be picked up all of the time, after all, I am a dog, not a stuffed animal.

Do you let your kids tease me by running around and getting me all excited, if I get too excited, I can become nippy.

Do you teach your children good ways to play with me, through toys, tug of war, fetch, hide and seek, and go find the cookie. I love to play with them, but it is better if it is structured and supervised, otherwise I can get overstimulated and wild.

Do you expect the children to be responsible for training me. They really can't, I need an adult to teach me. Kids can be inconsistent and confusing, so then I don't get trained at all.

Do you have a method that works to housetrain me? Please don't leave me in the crate all day, I need time to play and be with my family. Please watch me when I am learning not to soil the house, I needs lots of supervision so I can figure out what you expect of me. Don't leave me in my crate past my physical limits, if you work all day, you will need a dog walker if I am a puppy. I need to go potty as much as you do, and when I am a baby, that is a lot of potty breaks.

Do you let me sleep in your bedroom at night when I am little, this way I can tell you when I need to go out, and I won't cry from lonliness.

Do you feel a real sense of responsibility toward me, will you stick it out with me if I have some problems, and get the help of a dog trainer if it is something you don't understand how to fix. Please don't let me end up at the pound, they might kill me. And even if they don't, the more homes I have, the harder it will be for me to be a good dog (being abandoned by people you love can really mess with your mind).

Do you feel such love and gratitude for the loyal and loving companion that I have been, that you will be there at the end of my life to make my passing not so scary. Being held in your arms makes all the difference. I am like people, I don't want to die alone.

If you can do all of these things, you are a great future or current dog owner. Responsible, kind, and you have done your research and understand dog's and how they think and learn. Owners like you are a gift and a blessing, God bless, and thank you.

Written by Linda Lukens. Linda has been a trainer for more than 34 years. She shares her life with her husband, four cats, 3 dogs, a Blue and Gold macaw, and a pond full of Koi. 

   http://www.commongrounddogtraining.com          Article may be re-printed so long as article is printed in it's entirety, links are intact, and credit given to the author. Author retains sole ownership of this article

Teaching loose leash walking (teaching your dog not to pull)

I would say this problem is one of the most common ones I encounter as a trainer. It is so unpleasant to be dragged around by your dog, and depending on the size of the dog, can be painful or dangerous. A dog that has learned to walk on a loose leash (think of cooked spaghetti, your leash should be hanging limp, not taut), is an absolute pleasure to walk with and enjoy life together.
Many owners inadvertently teach this behavior to their puppies during house training. When trying to house train a new puppy, most owner's main concern is that the pup potty outside. The fact that they might be pulling is often overlooked at that time. What I mean by "owners teach this behavior" is that it is allowed at that time. If your pup learns that if he wants to get from A to B, and pulling you along on his leash works, he is being reinforced (rewarded) for that behavior. So if pulling you from A to B works for the pup, he will continue to do so.
Training a dog to loose leash walk takes a lot of persistence and consistency on the part of the owner. It is not an easy behavior to teach, but of course, you can do it if you are committed.

Defining loose leash walking
The dog walks with the leash loose (cooked spaghetti), not taut. He can be near you, out in front, or to the side. Leash is loose, and he is not pulling.
 First Steps
1. Start training in your house or garage, where your dog is not interested in going anywhere. At this point he is probably not pulling. Have your dog on a 4 to 6 ft. leash, and a flat buckle collar. With a six foot lead, take up about 2 ft. of the leash, so he can't go more than 4 ft. away from you.
2. Reward your dog for walking with the leash loose (cooked spaghetti). Do not tighten the leash at all yourself. Give frequent rewards while moving. I recommend every two to three steps to start. Make sure your treats are really special, either a high quality semi-moist treat your dog loves, freeze-dried liver, small pieces of cheese, etc. Your treats should also be cut up into very small pieces, no bigger than the size of your dogs dry food. It will be easier for you if you are wearing a treat pouch or fanny pack to hold your treats, thus freeing your hands. If you are familiar with the clicker and it's proper use (you can find links on clicker training on my links page), click when the dog is not pulling and then treat. If you are not using a clicker, praise enthusiastically while treating. Practice this for a few days, 3X a day for 10 minutes each time. You should see an increase in your dog's "looking at you", and "staying close to you", while walking. When you see this sign that your dog is getting it, you may start to label the behavior with a verbal cue. I use "let's go", or "walk".
 Train Outside
3. Time to go out and work some more. Start in a quiet place without many distractions. Use the same equipment as stated above, special treats, 4-6 ft. leash, treat pouch, and clicker if you are cognizant of proper clicker use. Start out by trying to reward your dog for the leash being loose, always try to catch your dog doing something right and reward it lavishly and often.  At this time your dog might start pulling as you are outside and that is a whole lot more interesting than your home or garage. As soon as your dog pulls (now the leash is like uncooked spaghetti), you can apply one of the following three solutions. Work with these solutions, trying them one at a time, to see which one works best for you and your dog. You can also alternate solutions, depending on the situation.
 The Solutions
 Solution A for loose leash walking: As soon as that leash becomes taut (and I do mean "as soon as", don't allow yourself to be dragged one single step). You are going to STOP WALKING. This method is often referred to as "be a tree". So when your dog starts to pull, you immediately and abruptly stop and become an immovable object, "be a tree". Wait quietly until your dog realizes his pulling cannot move you, and he notices the walk has halted. When the dog slackens the leash by coming back near you, or if they turn to look at you (but the leash must be slack, remember) praise, walk, and reward. Continue this method with consistency, don't get frustrated and give up, this takes time. Engaging your dog with some silly banter ,"Hi baby, are we having fun yet?"," What a pretty pup you are", will help him to look at you more often, and keep him interested in you, (instead of his surroundings). This gives you more opportunity to reward him and catch him doing something right. If he starts to pull at any time during your banter, please zip those lips or he will think he is being praised for pulling.
 Solution B for loose leash walking: Leash becomes taut, dog is pulling, immediately back up a few steps. This is often referred to as "penalty yards". When dog notices your actions, and stops pulling, praise, continue walking forward again, and treat. Continue consistently, same as above, and try to engage your dog to keep him interested in you, and to give you lot's of opportunity to reward him.
 Solution C for loose leash walking: Dog is pulling, leash taut, immediatelywhile moving. Practice, practice, practice. Be consistent, and engage your dog.
Why these methods to teach loose leash walking work:
They are all based on the same principle, the dog learns he cannot pull you to have a walk with you or to get to wherever he would like to go. When he does pull, you are either halting, backing up, or turning, thus he is never being reinforced for pulling. He will come to learn that pulling simply does not work, that it actually stops the walk whenever he pulls. The dog is also being lavishly praised and rewarded for whenever the leash is slack and he is paying some attention to you.

ADDITIONAL TIPS:

 Always walk your dog, not the other way around. What I mean is you decide the direction, the speed, which bushes your dog can sniff and visit, what side of the road you walk on. Never let the dog lead the walk, he goes where you go, you don't just follow him. You can, however, let him have frequent stops to pee, poop, get his P-mail from other dogs, say hello to other friendly dogs, or to people. You are deciding to allow him to do these things, not him. You can use a release word, said in a really upbeat way, such as "Okay" or "free", to indicate your permission. Balance socializing with people and other dogs, by sometimes letting him say hi, and sometime not. If you let your dog say hi to everyone, he will think that this is always allowed, and cause him to pull toward the objects of his desire. All other dogs may not be friendly, and all people don't want to say hello to your dog, so it's important that you cue him with the "OK" or "free" release word, so he knows that it is you deciding, and he waits politely for permission.
 ADDITIONAL ADVICE FOR SMALL DOG OWNERS:
 Rewarding while moving with a small dog is difficult, and for some with bad backs, not possible. I use a long wooden spoon, and then dunk it in some peanut butter or other soft substance like ground meat baby food, or mushy liverwurst. Hold it in your leash hand, and lower it to the dogs mouth for a quick lick. Be careful you don't wave it around and cause your dog to jump up for it. When you are not giving him a quick lick, hold it by the handle end vertically with your body facing up and out of his reach. Take some paper towels with you, tuck them into your waistband. Until you get the hang of this, it can be messy (picture your dog's head covered with peanut butter as well as your pants leg and shirt).

How to Clicker Train your dog

Use special treats:

Tiny pieces of hot dogs, placed on paper towels and nuked for 3 minutes until crisp

Freeze dried liver (available at pet supply store).

Cheese, cold cut pieces

No crunchy dog biscuits (they take too long to chew, and aren’t special enough)

First Step

Arming or
Charging the Clicker:

Click once, and give dog a special treat within 3 seconds. Repeat 10-15 times.

Second Step

Checking your dog’s response to click sound

Wait until your dog or puppy looks away for a moment.

Click clicker once.Dog should immediately look at you when he/she hears the click. 

Third Step 

If your dog looked at you when he heard the click, you are ready to continue to the next lesson

If not, do first step again until Second step is successful.

Happy Clicking! Now your dog understands that click equals treat

Never, ever, click if you don't plan to give a treat

Now you need to put the clicking and treating in a training context.The Clicker is an event marker, also called a behavior marker.It tells your dogs in a clear and concise way what action you would like him to repeat , and which ones earn the click and treat. Sort of like playing the "hot and Cold" game when you were a child.

Getting an Offered behavior

This is a vital step to your dog's understanding and becoming a clicker trained dog. Do this right after you have done the above clicker conditioning.

Step one

Saying nothing, and having your clicker and treats on hand, just stand up and wait for your dog to sit. He will eventually, wait, be patient.

Step Two

When he sits, Click & Treat. Take a few steps, he should follow you, then stand still and wait for him to sit again. Click and Treat. Try to click the moment his butt hits the ground. Continue this, again say nothing. We want the dog to make the connection between what he is doing and receiving the C/T. We don't want to blab at him, he needs to make this connection on his own, thinking it through, to become a true clicker trained dog. You will see the usefulness of this step in later posts.

Once you see that he is repeatedly sitting, you will see that he understands what is going on. His sitting should become faster and have an expectant quality. Now he knows that the sit is the behavior you will click and treat.

Step Three

Now you will start to teach him the word for this behavior. It is called the labeling step. As he sits, say "sit", and C/T(click/treat). Practice this for three days, short sessions, 7-10 minutes, three times a day. On the fourth day, you can give the command "sit" and he will sit with no problem. Now you have your sit on command or often referred to as the "cue".

Happy clicking, Congratulations! You have taught your dog what the clicker means, and you are teaching him how to become an eager, and thinking learner in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Planting the seed of Attention

One of the true seeds for a well trained dog is the ability of the dog to pay attention. Nothing can be learned without this important foundational building block. Start right away, no time to waste.
Start in the house or other non-distracting environment. Throughout your time with your dog, when he/she is near you, say his/her name, and when she looks at you, click and treat. Be sure your dog looks into your eyes, and make your treat a great one. Walk away, say name again, and when dog follows and looks at you, click treat again. Repeat throughout your time together, but don't overdue, spread this exercise out during your time together.
If you have a dog that is not very responsive to above method, try this alternate way of teaching attention. With a yummy treat in your hand, put the treat near the dogs nose, and then draw your dog's gaze upward to your eyes. Put treat near the outer corner of your eye, say name when dog follows treat to your eyes with his, and click and treat. Remember, yummy, yummy treats are important.
You are not only working on name recognition, but planting the seeds for a dog that will pay attention and thus be an exceptional learner for all future commands and work. http://www:commongrounddogtraining.com