Humans Hugging Dogs

 

 

 

Much to people's surprise, dogs don't Hug and they don't Kiss. This is not to say dogs don't show affection or enjoy touching. But let's remember dogs are Canis lupus familiaris and we are Homo Sapiens. We are closer to monkeys. Monkeys can reach out with 2 arms. Dogs have 4 legs. So it is the human doing the hugging.

We also like to think our dog is giving kisses when in fact they are licking and tasting. (Yuck, right?!) This could be viewed as a sign of submission but that's about as close to kissing as it comes for dogs.

Dogs are social creatures but there are limitations. Fortunate are the dogs that truly enjoy being hugged. They can't get enough of it. Most dogs tolerate hugging and put up with it thinking" OH Alright...get it over with!" Some dogs may deem it as being molested and let you know it. Dogs with that attitude need to be approached in a non-threatening manner.

For those dogs with an aversion to hugging, keep this picture in mind the next time you or someone wants to hug your dog. "You are a parent on the street corner and a Stranger runs up, grabs and hugs your child without asking". You wouldn't be happy with that scenario so be your dog's advocate, and stop people from having bad manners that make your dog uncomfortable.

No matter the temperament of the dog you should be careful putting your face right in theirs. When thinking you are going to get a kiss you may receive a bite. Keep a watchful eye on little children. Dogs can be nervous by a child's quick and unpredictable movement. Pictured above is a nice illustration of appropriate petting. It can never be said enough..."Never leave your child unsupervised with any dog".

So Yes! We love dogs! Big, small, hairy, hairless and all kinds of breeds. But know your dog. Learn their Love Language and you will have a great relationship.

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net
Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070

 

Let's Play!

Come and play
Everything's A-OK
Friendly neighbors there
That's where we meet

Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Sesame Street                                                    

Wasn't Sesame Street ground breaking for children's learning?        You bet! Little did our children know they were actually learning something while having fun. It also taught us that learning in small spurts was more beneficial. So is playing with our dogs. Sure we could a toss a ball, toy or stick just to tire our dog out but like Sesame Street we can sneak in some learning and obedience. This makes training easier and fun. The best way to learn!

A favorite way for me to play with a dog is Tug. There are many opinions against playing Tug most often heard is that this will make your dog mean and aggressive. I wonder about that but I see how happy dogs are while playing and how much calmer they are after playing. Besides you can't be Happy and Mad at the same time. And of course there are rules how to play as in any game. And remember Tug is a game.

1. Who bought the toy? You did, so you own and will only bring it out when  you are ready to play.
2. Keep a leash on your dog so they can't run away with the "Treasure". Make your dog bring you the toy every time.
3. Teach your dog an "Out " Command.
4. End the game before your dog decides to quit. Put your toy away. Doing this makes your dog want to play with you next time.

So how do we sneak in obedience? Since our dog really wants what we have, he will work really hard to get it. Sit, Down, Come, Fetch and Stay are all at our finger tips to teach our dog. Tug will bridge the gap because in itself it is rewarding.

Our Event Marker Word system works well in Tug because hearing YES predicts for the dog the toy is coming. Knowing that, our dog will learn to let go of the toy quicker because he will get it back as soon as he hears Yes. This makes teaching Out easier. The tricky part is waiting for the dog to let go.

And wait you must. We need to show our dog that an active toy means tug. Where as when the activity stops they must let go. So all play stops as you hold the toy steady and wait from them to let go. Quietly you name this OUT and as soon as they let go quickly present the toy for them to grab again.

Here is a video of Tug. In it you will see Daisy playing, letting go and doing commands. Also you will see Lola, a 4 month old Cavalier King Charles puppy. This show her great ability to play, listen and learn.




Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.com
Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070

The World is My Toilet

Yup! Fair game. Any tree, bush, mailbox, pole, door frame, table leg, cupboard, staircase, bedpost, you name it, any upright object can be claimed by a dog that marks his territory.

But first let's not confuse potty accidents with urine marking. If you come across a large puddle of pee, mostly likely that is a "I really had to Go" spot. Or your dog spritzes out pee while being greeted that is submissive urination. But when you come across a newly damp or dried, yellowed, sprinkling of urine on some piece of furniture or the corner of your bed that is marking.

A lot of times your dog would never consider peeing in the house. While outdoors we may deem it harmless that the dog leaves "Pee-Mail" on every tree you pass while on a walk. By allowing this to happen you are giving your dog permission to claim your property or the neighborhood as their own. And remember a good rule to live by is that a dog owns nothing. Besides, this also helps dogs get into the habit of peeing to mark becoming a learned behavior.

Marking is an Equal Opportunity activity. Both male and female dogs will mark. Have you ever seen this? One dog will pee then another dog will come along to pee on the same spot. Some times it's like a sandlot game of baseball, where the captains choose first pick by gripping the bat, hand over hand till one captain reaches the top.

Why do dogs Mark? Because they can. Dogs are territorial and protect/claim what they believe is theirs or want to be theirs. They use their urine with their scent to say this is "Mine". This isn't out of spite or because they are jealous. They are just saying I want it to smell like me.

Think about this picture....your dog has just relieved itself: a good healthy pee. Then trots along the perimeter of the yard, he stops to sniff, then lifts his leg. Only a squirt of pee comes out. Then he moves on to the next spot. Stop, Sniff, Squirt repeating this pattern until the dog is satisfied with a job well done. I bet you are thinking "How can he go that much?" Because he saves it as a reserve.

Prevention and Supervision will be the key to rehabbing this behavioral issue. It is totally up to you to stop this behavior that the dog thinks is just fine. But a leash will help and a Belly Band for indoor marking. A Belly Band is a piece of wide fabric that will Velcro around the dog's midsection covering the culprit. If your dog is a habitual marker this just may be the solution.

So before you head out for a walk give your dog a chance to potty at home in the potty spot. Make your dog walk next to you. Don't let your dog drag you along their Pee-Mail Trail.

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net
Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070

Come!!? Really?!! Yes, Everytime.

 

It can be maddening if not terrifying when your dog doesn't come when you call. Doesn't your heart just about stop when your dog is running away towards the street or off into the woods after deer? On the flip side, how about when your dog deliberately looks at you but continues going along on their own "sniffing" agenda. That really makes me mad.

So to prevent any of that from happening, from fear to embarrassment, people keep their dog on a leash FOR LIFE. Yikes! I don't want that either but how do I get the dog to come?

On a side note, I do recommend that puppy owners keep a leash on their puppies at all times for many months both inside and outside. If your puppy learns that they can never out run you and they are always caught when they do run, we can shape their beliefs about getting away and always coming. This is a great way to condition the Come Command.

What if you didn't do this or have an older dog? I have some other ideas that can help.

 First, start over, rebuild a good relationship with your dog. One that the dog understands how to live with you by You setting up Rules, Structure and Leadership.

Another way is to play games. A favorite game I play is called Rocket Recall. Every mealtime is an opportunity to practice. And it takes less than 5 minutes! Think of all the training you can do even though you are busy.

1. Have two bowls ready. One will hold your dog's food, set that on the counter. The other is empty, set that on the floor.

 2. Get your dog's attention by saying their name. Then toss a small handful of food into the empty bowl. Say GO and let your dog eat the food.

3. Call COME when they finish eating the bowl food. Say YES (Event Marker Word) as they commit to run to you for more food to eat from your hand.

Repeat these 3 Simple steps until the food is gone. As time goes on you can increase the distance between the dog and the bowl. Greater distance increases the speed of going and coming. You can also add more obedience by having your dog Sit/Stay while you walk over to fill the bowl. Then you can send them on the GO Command.

 

click to enlarge photo

 

 

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net
Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070

It's a Dog's Life

Here's a saying we all know "It's a Dog's Life". Would you trade your life for the life of a dog?  Dogs get to sleep all day, have all their needs lovingly provided, take naps when ever they want and all they have to do to earn these privileges is be happy to see us and go on walks. Yeah I would trade!

If dogs really had it their way they would be living in a Doggie Kingdom with all their Doggie Freedoms. In the Doggie Kingdom, there would be doggie rules. Dogs get to chew on anything they want, poop and pee where ever they can and run around with abandonment. Best of all, for sleeping, they would choose the comfiest place in the kingdom: most likely your bed!

Is this your house? It doesn't have to be so let's give you back the Keys to the Kingdom.

One way to do this is by adding structure to your dog's life. Dogs are creatures of habit. They need and thrive on routine. So plan out your day to include time with your dog. I find my dogs in training do best on a routine that includes movement then rest.

I always start the day with Leadership walking. Early in the training phase I use a long line and walk back and forth across the yard. This teaches the dog that I am in control of direction and space. Once I have the dog conditioned to Let's Go (Hey! I am going this way, follow me!), the dog starts to pay attention to me and avoids self correcting at end the line. Voila! We begin compatible movement.  Later as the training advances to the remote collar (my invisible leash)  and the dogs have a solid recall, I can then go to larger areas and to let them run off leash. I am still in control of direction and space but I can give the dogs more liberty within my Kingdom.

Here is the best part, after they have run their legs off, sniffed, peed and pooped to their hearts content, we come home and they crash. Why? Not just because they have exercised their body but their brain as well, because during our time together they have had to listen to me. I am the Queen (since I am a girl) who says what, where, when and how. The dogs work hard to earn their freedom. I reap the rewards of having well trained, happy dogs. Oh and when we get home, I get to tell them where they will rest as I hang up my Keys to the Kingdom.

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.com
Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070