dog behavior training

Sit is one of the most useful commands and also one of the easiest to teach. Three reasons for it being useful are:

1. if your dog is in the sitting position, it takes just slightly longer for it to move to another activity and that moment’s delay can be useful, e.g. prior to crossing a road,
2. the sitting position usually means that your dog is focusing on you, ready for the next signal,
3. in a crude form, the sitting position signifies an aspect of submission from your dog, reinforcing that you are the leader.

First get your dog close to you, perhaps initially using a fixed leash if necessary. Then tell him to Sit and apply gentle pressure downwards on the top of his hindquarters, just in front of the tail, at the same time as giving the command. Do not push excessively. If carried out before meals - he’ll start to do this naturally pretty quickly!

Using a small food reward which you move above his head will also usually result your dog naturally sitting down as he lifts his head up. If using rewards for the Sit training, delaying the giving of the reward, though not for too long, will encourage your dog to learn to Sit and Stay until released, which will prove useful.

In addition, telling him to Sit when he is starting to do it anyway, then holding him gently in the Sit position and praising is excellent reinforcement for a young dog.

Playing with your dog has many benefits:

• provides fun, exercise and training opportunities
• uses surplus energy in your dog
• stimulates your dog
• helps your dog develop
• greatly enhances bonding between you and your dog
• considerably benefits health, possibly in you as well as your dog!

Playtime can be as silly as you like. Play is really helpful as it can be used to build on the training you may be trying to accomplish. There are lots of ways of varying playtime with your dog:

• Chasing is a natural activity for a dog so ball or frisbee games, including throwing and hiding, are an obvious choice
• Larger dogs and robust smaller ones enjoy a rough-housing session
• Old socks tied in knots make great toys for throwing
• Most dogs use their sense of smell to differentiate between a child’s ball and their own
• Tickling your dog’s tummy is a great favorite
• Carrying objects while chasing about is enjoyed by many dogs
• Hide and seek, including while out walking

In your garden or backyard you can adapt old stuff to create other ideas:

• Putting planks on blocks to make equipment for your dog to jump over or walk along
• Old children’s slides can be used for dogs to play on, and some dogs will quickly learn to climb the steps as well as the slope
• Old paddling pools can be used with shallow depths of water to put ice or apples in for your dog to retrieve
• Putting rewards or toys under one of a few old sand-buckets, a variation on magic acts, works well with playful dogs

Many of the above activities will create lots of opportunities to build on standard commands and develop various aspects, for example reducing the need for food rewards and replacing them more with praise and affection.
Opportunities for trick training will also be provided within some of the above, creating yet more variation and enjoyment for you and your dog.

Finally, some points worth bearing in mind when playing with your dog:

1. Don’t play for too long as it loses its impact
2. End all play sessions on a positive note by praising and stroking your dog
3. If playing any game of fetch or similar exercises, always get the object back from your dog
4. Young dogs shouldn’t be over-exercised as their bodies are still developing
5. Old dogs will still play but at different speeds and levels to their younger counterparts. Just because your dog is ageing, if it is in reasonable health the fun does not have to stop.

Have fun!

Training an older dog is more often than not a case of changing your dog’s habits where required. Allowances have to be made:

• these are established behaviors for the dog
• things will happen more slowly
• your dog is more likely to only want to pay attention for short periods
• there may be physical constraints involved, e.g. slower limbs, possibly more deafness, etc

As always, consistency is essential and perseverance on your part if trying to modify an embedded pattern of behavior. The type of exercsie need not be overly different, but your approach will need to be. A lot of repetition may well be required which, coupled with the probable necessity for shorter exercises, will mean more time spent than would be the case with a younger dog. It will also be necessary to leave longer rest periods if using physical exercise.

Rewards using food will have to be used more sparingly, not just because your dog will be more prone to putting on weight, but because she will also be getting wiser and more wily with age.

What does this mean? Simply that to be effective a little more thought and preparation is required if time and effort by both you and your dog are not going to be wasted. Ideas that will help are to make the training patterns as regular and consistent as possible so that your dog is more familiar and hence more attuned to what is required.  This can be done in terms of both time and place. It will be more routine but probably welcomed by an older dog, as it is in effect less wearing.

Another aspect to bear in mind is to recognise that the dog is older this time around, and play to its strengths; if necessary, recognise from the beginning that some things might not happen but focus on the things that do need to change.

Old dogs will learn new tricks, sometimes it just takes a little more time…

In my experience, German Shepherds are one of the easiest dogs to train if trained from young, particularly if as the owner you make use of their natural characteristics.

The stages for training them from young are outlined in click here. Here we’ll look at some of the behaviors an owner might become accustomed to and some useful pointers on specific training tools for German Shepherd (GSD) training.

Strong chewable toys that contain “puzzles” and strong objects for GSDs to chase are both good investments. The toy helps distract them from chewing something else and the ball, ring or frisbee is key to channelling their chasing traits along the right lines before they are adults.

Their liking for a challenging obstacle will be clear when they are out exercising off the leash, but an obstacle course in the yard or garden will also prove stimulating to a German Shepherd. Hurdles, tunnels and different levels made of wood, plastic and metal, if space and materials are available, will be utilised and appreciated, and can be used as an occasional substitute for walking or more normally as a game associated with commands and training.

If they exhibit their natural trait for chasing animals, then they must be kept on the leash when near horses, sheep, etc, and a verbal command and tug on the leash or harness when showing signs of erring towards animal enclosures.

German Shepherds are unlikely to be passive and they don’t get scared. Interacting with other dogs they are clever, even wily and if trained properly from young will usually only react if provoked.

They are very versatile dogs, able to be very agile but at other times unusually relaxed and composed. Unlike many breeds, they are able to lie for long periods watching. At all times they can be seen to be protecting their owner and home, but usually almost as a sentry. They can often be seen patrolling boundaries early and late in the day, which is a natural instinct for GSDs.

Trained and socialized properly from young, their behavior towards visitors to the home can and should be trained from early. They will quickly learn the difference between friend and foe and will adapt to the combination of a unique hand gesture and vocal command for each. They are usually very good with children.

It is unnatural and not normal for a German Shepherd to bite unprovoked. Their bite is more of the crushing type relying on the considerable strength of their jaws, which bruises under a human skin, and it isn’t normal for them to apply such pressure beyond the puppy stage unless trained to do so.

For more advanced training of your German Shepherd, click here. Enjoy!

The numerous varieties of spaniel can be broadly grouped into three types, each of which contains various breeds:

• Cocker Spaniels
• Springer Spaniels
• Toy Spaniels

All spaniels are naturally very enthusiastic, positive and fun-loving. Their high energy levels mean that they can get bored if inactive and start to cause problems. They will normally pick up basic training easily at first, but it is advisable, especially with the Cocker Spaniel and Springer Spaniel, to spend a little longer than normal on the basic training and if possible to then move onto more advanced training, to which they will react very well, in order to make the best use of their energy. Fun training is definitely to be recommended with these athletic dogs.

These dogs were originally bred for tracking, flushing out and retrieving game birds. They can have an independent streak and given the chance they will catch a scent and go hunting on their own if not well-trained early in their lives.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the King Charles Spaniel (also known as the English Toy Spaniel) are very sociable and while they do not need as much exercise as Springer Spaniels, they do not always react well to being left on their own for long periods. They much prefer human company to other animals and will adapt to an energetic or a relaxed lifestyle. They can be harder than some breeds to housetrain but once settled and maturing, are well-suited to apartments.

All these types of dog needs socializing when young and an owner must be aware that even as they grow older, they often cannot resist their innate traits to chase small animals, including other pets. Generally though, if trained well and observing the points metnioned, they all make fun-loving and enthusiastic pets.

Dog agility training is a sport with organized competitions in many countries. It is most appropriate for dogs that have been trained in all the basics from an early age and is good for reinforcing the bond between dog and keeper as well as being good, energetic fun.

Agility equipment for building agility courses includes tunnels, A-frames, hurdles and fences, see-saws, weave poles through which the dog weaves in a specific way to meet competition rules and pause frames on which the dog has to pause while competing.

Training usually starts at an organized club from when the dog is around twelve months old though dogs are not allowed to participate in any of the many forms of competition until at least eighteen months old and older in some cases. Mixed-breed dogs are allowed in some competitions and while some dog breeds are perceived to be more difficult to train for agility competitions, there are so many exceptions to this notion that in reality it appears to be more the case that the dog’s capability is formed from its early training and individual characteristics.

The equipment is so varied, even by its basic type, e.g. collapsible tunnel compared to see-saw, that specific training techniques and exercises are required for each type. Usually the dog will have to be led on a leash initially, quite slowly into, onto or over the obstacle and gently encouraged then rewarded in series of stages, then as its confidence grows, the difficulty increased. Eventually the completion of the task will have to be speeded up in order to compete, as competitions require accuracy, accumulating faults similar to showjumping and then fastest times determine the winner.

Because accuracy is essential while training, this should be the focus of the keeper, then speed can be acquired as experience is gained in competitions.

Dog owners contemplating agility competitions should also be aware that you will have to be fit as well! There is a lot of running near or on a par with the dog as it competes. Great fun though, especially if you can find a dog that is well-suited to showing off its energy and exuberance this way!

Positive reinforcement is one of the most popular modern methods of training your dog. It basically means rewarding good behavior and ignoring bad behavior. It works very well, confirming that ignoring your pet dog is one of the most effective methods of communicating your disapproval. Repeating and being consistent with positive reinforcement methods achieves results.

One of the best aspects of positive reinforcement is that it enables your dog to learn almost of its own accord and through this the appropriate behavior seem to be learned so much more effectively. Beyond the simple idea, there are several techniques for rewarding and ignoring that are worth familiarising yourself with.

Use meaningful rewards

The most effective rewards are treats and physical affection. Too many treats might lead to an overweight dog but also become boring for a dog after a while. So do simple pats on the head, so variation should be included in order to maintain your dog’s interest and motivation to improve again in future. Dogs like being stroked on their back near the tail, and on their chest. Scratching near the ears also appeals to most dogs. These are just examples of ways to vary the reward; others include favourite toys, ball chasing, etc.

Time things properly

Required behavior will be much more quickly understood by your dog if you ensure that rewards or positive signals are given at just the right moment, immediately following the correct behavior. A positive verbal sound or gesture will work if timed right, but clickers are also highly appropriate here. A separate post will follow about clicker training.

Be consistent

Positive reinforcement lends itself to planning and preparation, especially because it can be done in short bursts until it becomes part of your natural day-to-day interaction with your dog. Part of the planning is to be clear from the outset which commands and gestures you want your dog to understand and then consistently train using them.

Ignoring is a technique

A key aspect of being consistentwith this process is for the trainer (you) to understand that the negative reaction of ignoring means precisely that. The failure to react at all to the poor behavior registers with your dog. A negative reaction also registers and some dogs will seek that rather than total ignoring in order to get any kind of interaction with you. Showing no reaction also emphasises the effect of the positive reaction you give for good behavior, so uncomfortable as it may seem to some pet owners, ignoring is the right thing to do.

A healthy dog is easier to train, and as diet is very important to health then a good diet will support your training process. A common ratio for an appropriate dog diet is 40% meat, 30% vegetables and 30% starch.

A good quality dry dog food should be a key constituent in what you feed your dog. It helps both offset the cost of meat and starts to balance the diet. Dog foods are labelled with a list of ingredients, with the highest proportions listed first, through to the smallest at the end.

In the “Ingredients” or “Typical Analysis” section described on the packaging, a good dog food will have little, and in many cases, no “waste” animal content, which are sometimes described as “by-products”. These products are often unfit for human consumption. Any dog food that does have waste or by-products in any sizeable amount should really be avoided. It might be cheaper and the products themselves do not necessarily make the product dangerous, but they do carry higher long-term risk to muscles, bones, coats and the general health of dogs, especially if a part of their regular daily intake.

A number of points pertinent to achieving the 40/30/30 ratio:

• Meat - Lamb, beef and chicken provide protein, good for healthy coats and musculature. As an aside, it’s a bad idea to let dogs, cats and similar pets have chicken bones as they splinter easily and can cause choking.
• Vegetables - carrots and greens are a good balance for dog nutrition, providing the vitamins and minerals essential to good bone development. They also provide the right levels of hormone and enzyme for good health. I’ve always found that different individual dogs are partial to a particular vegetable but don’t like others, which is useful to explore when assessing what to feed your dog.
• Starch - the usual provider of this for a dog is brown or white rice, though not in too large a quantity, especially not in an older dog. Starch provides the carbohydrates to build energy and maintain strength.

Some breeds are often stated to be sensitive to certain foods but this varies in individual dogs. There will also be exceptions when a dog is unhealthy for a little while.

Small amounts of water can be added to dry food to make it more palatable for some dogs.

The sheen on your dog’s coat, the state of its eyes and what is coming out at the other end are the most easy indicators to allow you to assess your dog’s health, but a balanced diet helps provide these. Spending just a little more on better food for your pet is worth it in the long term.

Click here for a free 6-day email course. It will give you a LOT of information and includes solutions to:

• dogs ignoring commands
• dogs pulling on leashes
• dogs jumping up
• manic barking

and a whole lot more. Or you can click here if you like. It’s well worth a look.

Tricks don’t have to be complex routines but might be perfectly simple, such as sit up and beg, shake paws, etc. On the other hand, complicated tricks are usually taught, and learned most easily, by building up a series of short, simple routines. Also they can be done in stages, building, for example, distances and complexity.

Pointers to training your dog to do tricks include:

• Work with your dog’s inclinations and not against them. It’s worth researching some of the breed traits to see which type of trick might be relatively easy to begin with.
• Try and extend or adapt your dog’s current behavior, initially using rewards and linking a command or gesture. To give a simple example, extending the sitting position to lifting your dog’s paw then giving it a reward will soon lead your dog into doing it naturally.
• Similar examples would be training your dog to wheel around you on command with “spin” if it has learned to heel properly, or telling it to “roll” or “play dead” from a lying position, associating a gesture and initially rewarding.
• Gradually, praise will be sufficient to replace the reward, and this should be an early objective as well as the behavior itself.
• Even the initial or some of the early rewards don’t have to be food, in some cases a favorite or even a new toy will suffice.
• There is no doubt that food does work well, though, and by being a little creative with how the food is positioned relative to the dog’s body, without going to silly or frustrating (for your dog) extremes, you might be surprised how quickly your dog learns!

Above all, remember that your dog should be clearly enjoying the activity, so that you can too!