How To Keep Multiple Dogs Calm When The Doorbell Rings

February 3, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Training Multiple Dogs to Stop Excessive Barking

A new client with three small dogs recently contacted me about excessive dog barking. She explained how her three dogs would bark insanely whenever someone rang the doorbell or knocked on the door. She’d get extremely frustrated and embarrassed when guests came over, and she just wanted her dogs calm when the doorbell rings.

When I arrived and rang the doorbell, I’m sure her neighbors three blocks away heard these dogs barking. We quickly went to work during our private consultation, and we taught each dog how to keep calm when the doorbell rings or someone knocks. Even better, my client learned how to reinforce quiet behavior.

Changing the behavior of multiple dogs may seem daunting, but it’s actually quite simple when following a few dog training tips. During our private consultation, it took 10 minutes to teach three small dogs to bark only once when the doorbell rang, and this included breaks. My client seems to be having tremendous success as well. 🙂

How to Train Multiple Dogs to Stop Barking

Choose High Value Rewards

When training multiple dogs, it’s best to use super yummy rewards. Remember, treats are a dog’s currency; it’s how he’s paid for doing a good job. Dogs love baked chicken, cheese chunks or diced up hot dogs, which can be found at any grocery store. Before a dog training session, chop treats into pea-sized bites and place inside a plastic zip bag for easy access.

Teach One Dog at a Time

It’s easiest to train one dog at a time, and then slowly add another dog into the mix. When choosing your first dog to teach, select the barkiest dog of the bunch. Usually, one dog starts the barking session and gets the others riled up—choose this feisty little one.

It’s important to focus on the barkiest dog first because it sets the other dogs up for success. Keep the other dogs in your bedroom with the door closed. If they bark while you’re training the first dog, know that it’s OK and it won’t affect their training later.

Teach Self-Control First

Grab your diced up dog training treats and get started. While standing, reward your dog for keeping all four feet on the floor or for sitting. You don’t need to cue your dog; just wait for it to happen. Reward your dog every time he chooses to stand or sit, so he quickly learns that this behavior makes hot dog pieces rain from the sky.

If your dog remains sitting and standing, which is the goal, toss his earned treat about 2-3 feet away from him. This way, he must stand up and walk away to get his earned treat. When this happens, wait for him to sit or stand next to you again, then reward. Trust me, once your dog figures out that “four feet on the floor” makes hot dogs rain from your hands, he’ll happily stand for you.

Rewarding a dog for sitting or standing teaches him self-control, rewards him for quiet behavior and teaches him how to earn treats. Once your dog can stand or sit for a few seconds, it’s time to focus on the ringing doorbell.

Have Someone Ring the Doorbell

Ask a friend to step outside and ring the doorbell. Usually, a very barky dog will bark a couple of times, then suddenly remember that standing or sitting quietly makes treats appear. The moment your dog stops barking, say “yes” and reward him by tossing a treat by your feet. Continue having your friend ring the doorbell a few more times and reward your quiet dog.

Tossing food next to your feet teaches your dog to stay or return back to you, which prevents him from running up to the front door. If your dog continues to bark, say his name, which will likely cause him to stop barking. When this happens, say “yes” and reward. Take a short break before introducing the second dog.

Now, Train Two Dogs

Once your first dog learns to bark once or twice at the doorbell, then sits or stands quietly, it’s time to introduce your second dog. Walk over and let the second dog out for a dog training session. Usually, the second dog will come running down the hallway, because she’s excited to participate in the fun.

Reward both dogs for sitting or standing still next to you. When giving out treats, prevent your dogs from fighting over treats by extending your hand out and placing the treat in the dog’s mouth that earned it. Then, reward the dog that offers the sit or stand behavior first, and wait for the other dog to figure it out.

When training two dogs together, it’s amazing how fast the second dog learns when watching the first dog. Once both dogs will stand or sit next to you for a few minutes, it’s time to practice with the doorbell.

Ask a friend to step outside and ring the doorbell again. As the doorbell rings, your second dog will likely look over at the first dog, bark a couple of times, then choose to stop barking just like your first dog. When this happens, reward both dogs for being quiet. Continue to practice and reward both dogs for choosing to remain quiet. After 1-2 minutes, take a short break before adding the last dog into the dog training session.

Train All Three Dogs

Now that two dogs have learned to stand or sit quietly when the doorbell rings, your last dog will quickly pick up this dog behavior. Ask a friend to step outside again and ring the doorbell. The moment each dog chooses to be quiet, say “yes” and reward. Practice a few more times, then end the session.

Practice Several Times Per Week

In the beginning, practice 1-2 minutes per day. During the first week, you’ll notice a huge decrease in dogs barking at the doorbell. After the first week, keep practicing 3-4 times per week with dog training sessions lasting 1-2 minutes. Use high value treats or bits of your dog’s kibble during mealtime. Practice reminds each dog how to keep calm when the doorbell rings regardless if it’s visiting guests or the FedEx guy.

Soon, you’ll happily show off your dogs’ polite doorbell skills to guests. 🙂

How To Bring An Aggressive Dog To The Vet

February 1, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Bringing an Aggressive Dog to the Vet

Living with a reactive dog certainly brings everyday challenges. One particular challenge is bringing an aggressive dog to the vet. All dogs need regular veterinary care, so it’s important to take a few precautions when scheduling, arriving, waiting and leaving a vet’s office with your aggressive dog.

Why Dogs Get Aggressive at the Vet

Before diving into tips on bringing your aggressive dog to the vet, let me explain why a reactive dog (i.e. a dog that reacts to a situation) acts aggressively at a veterinary clinic. Dog aggression is a symptom of fear. Dogs will stare, growl, lunge, bark, snap and bite to stop something scary from walking toward or touching them. When scared, dogs will flee, fight or freeze similar to humans. If a dog is unable to flee, she will fight or freeze. When a dog freezes, she’s not coping with the situation; she’s shutting down. Plus, freezing will eventually turn into a fight, which we want to prevent.

How to Bring an Aggressive Dog to the Vet

Pet owners can reduce aggressive dog behavior by preparing for a vet visit that includes an exit strategy. At least four weeks before your dog’s vet visit, teach your dog that body handling and wearing a muzzle makes hot dogs rain from the sky.

Schedule for the First or Last Appointment

When scheduling a vet visit, ask for the first or last appointment of the day. Since these time slots usually fill up, you should call two to four weeks in advance. Choosing these specific appointment times will prevent a reactive dog from encountering other dogs and people in a waiting room and busy parking lot. Plus, it’s usually the quietest time in a veterinary clinic.

The first appointment of the day is usually better because there aren’t any wait times. Some clinics complete surgeries in the morning though, so ask for the first appointment after surgeries or schedule your aggressive dog first thing on a non-surgery day.

Wait in Your Car

Park your car far away from the front entrance of the clinic. This way your dog can’t see anyone moving around. Bring two sets of keys, so you can leave your dog with the AC running and securely lock your doors. Check in with the receptionist and tell him you’ll wait in your car until it’s time to be seen by the vet. While it’s tempting to sit in the exam room waiting, this can send a reactive dog over the edge. Veterinary clinics are full of scary sounds and smells. When people and dogs walk quickly past an exam room door, this can cause an aggressive dog to panic. Most veterinary clinics will easily comply—just make sure to politely explain your dog’s needs during check-in.

Exit in the Back

Once your aggressive dog’s vet visit is complete, poke your head out the door to ensure the coast is clear. If it’s difficult to see, ask the vet tech if you can both slip out a back door or ask him to clear a path for you. Bring your dog back to your car, turn on the engine and AC, and lock up the car. Now, head back in and pay your bill. Don’t forget to take a deep breath. You did it!

Be your dog’s voice, and take charge of the situation. Trust me, veterinary clinics will easily comply with your dog’s needs. Their goal is a quiet veterinary clinic as well. 🙂

What You Need To Know About HOA Pet Restrictions

January 30, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Homeowners’ Association Rules and Regulations

HOA Pet Restrictions

Recently, we were house hunting in a state saturated with homeowner associations (HOA). It seemed every neighborhood had some type of strict HOA rule. This was our first HOA experience, and we were a bit nervous because we share our home with a Rottweiler and Bull Terrier.

As many pet owners are aware, these dog breeds are usually restricted by insurance companies, HOAs, hotels and so forth. When searching for a home, we were very leery and cautious of HOA pet restrictions. Thankfully, we finally found a great home with no dog breed restrictions listed in their HOA laws. However, not all homeowners’ association rules and regulations are alike. Before locking in your new home, follow these tips to ensure your dog is allowed.

A Savvy Realtor is Your Best Friend

By far, this was our ace in the hole! We found an amazing realtor who showed Rottweilers, so she was fully aware of breed-specific regulations. When narrowing down our home search, and before we even stepped into a home, our realtor contacted each home’s homeowners’ association.

Most realtors are well versed in homeowners’ association laws, so they can quickly detect an issue for you. Ask your realtor to contact each HOA to verify breed restriction laws beforehand. Trust me, it’s not worth falling in love with a home when your dog isn’t allowed. When searching for a dog savvy realtor, ask the local kennel club or dog trainers for recommendations.

Many HOAs Restrict By Weight

Several states have finally realized that breed-specific legislation doesn’t decrease dog bites, so they removed breed-specific laws. Arizona recently overturned breed restrictions, but HOAs still found a way to discriminate dog breeds.

Some HOAs enforce pet weight limits (usually under 20 pounds), which keeps large dogs out of the neighborhood. Even though specific dog breeds aren’t listed in the homeowners’ association rules and regulations, read the pet policy carefully for pet weight restrictions.

HOA Bylaws

Once you’ve selected a home, ask your realtor for a copy of the HOA bylaws. Read through each paragraph carefully, focusing on pet restrictions. Many HOAs limit the number of dogs per home and, of course, mandate leash laws (which is a good thing).

When in doubt, contact an HOA representative before making an offer on the home. Note the name of the HOA rep plus the date and time of your conversation.

Read and read again before making an offer on your home. 🙂

Dog Massage Tips For Anxious Dogs

January 27, 2017 by Fanna Easter

How to Massage a Dog With Anxiety

Living with an anxious dog is tough; you literally feel like the world is going to harm you. As a dog trainer, my heart hurts for dogs with anxiety because I completely understand the “tug” of your conscious mind fighting the “pull” of your panicking mind. Massage is a wonderful tool that will calm an anxious dog. When trying to massage a dog with anxiety, it’s important to teach your dog that massage is harmless, and touch is actually relaxing.

Introduce Touch First

Most dogs with anxiety flinch or step away when someone reaches out to touch them. Anxious dogs are scared, and usually move away from fast movement, which includes hands reaching out to pet them. These dogs have learned that people will try to reach out and touch them even if they don’t want to be touched. Think about it this way: If you’re scared of spiders and one tries to reach out and touch you, that’s scary!

It’s important to teach your anxious dog that hands make good things happen. Instead of reaching out to your dog, play a game of “touch.” The “touch” game teaches a dog to walk over and touch your hand. Choices are super rewarding for dogs, and “touch” gives dogs choices. If they want a treat, they can walk over and touch a person’s hand. If not, that’s OK too. Giving dogs with anxiety choices is paramount.

Now, slowly reach toward your dog (but don’t touch her yet). As you extend your hand out 1-2 feet from your body, say “yes” and toss her a treat. Continue to practice, slowly increasing the distance between your hand and her body. Once your dog will stand still and actually walk toward your extended hand, it’s time to touch her.

Start with your fingertips first, and reward her as you’re touching her. Say “yes” and give her super yummy treats. Continue practicing until she’s comfortable with hands touching and petting her.

Start Where She’s Most Comfortable

When sitting down in a chair or on the floor, your dog will likely walk over and present her head or butt for petting. This is the area she’s most comfortable for a massage. Place both hands on the area and slowly move one hand a couple of inches up and slowly slide along her body. Your other hand should remain in the same spot.

If your dog presents her face for petting, then start with slow hand slides along the side of her neck (move over ear, neck, shoulder). For your dog’s behind, place your massage (moving) hand on your dog’s side (where the ribs end, and on the side of the spine). Move your massage hand toward you (move over midsection, hind legs, rump).

Be Conscious of Your Hand Movement

Keep strokes short, slow and gentle. Apply just enough pressure to move your dog’s skin, but not muscle. When your dog is comfortable, take longer strokes. When stroking, place your entire hand on your dog with your palm touching her. Keep your fingers together, and stroke with your entire hand. Be conscious of your hand movement and refrain from pushing inward (you’ll see your dog’s body move the opposite way).

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Allow your dog to decide when the massage is over. [/perfectpullquote]

Take a deep breath in as you stroke her side, and exhale as you lift your massage hand up to continue another stroke. Breathing will create a constant rhythm, which is important for relaxation.

Let Your Dog End the Massage

Allow your dog to decide when the massage is over. In the beginning, your anxious dog will walk away after a few seconds or minutes. Slowly, she’ll learn to enjoy massages and will stick around longer though. Now, if your dog becomes a massage junkie, end the massage once your dog has relaxed. Then, pat yourself on the back for teaching your dog with anxiety that massages are wonderful.

Goal of Massaging a Dog With Anxiety

Massage goals are different when massaging a dog with anxiety. Your main goal is to relax your anxious dog instead of releasing muscle tension or giving your dog an entire body massage. Relaxing massages teach a dog with anxiety that hands make good things happen. Remember to always use slow strokes to promote relaxation and to take deep breaths. It may seem odd, but dogs do respond when pet owners take deep breaths, and they’ll likely take one shortly after you do.

Breathe deep in through the nose, and slowly exhale out through the mouth.

Pet Tutor: The Dog Treat Dispenser You Wish You Had

January 25, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Pet Tutor Dog Treat Dispenser Review

Technology continues to advance within the pet industry at lightning fast speed. Several new pet-friendly apps, dog monitor camera systems and remote training devices will positively change dog training forever.

At the top of the technology heap is Smart Animal Training Systems’ Pet Tutor. The dog treat dispenser is a shining star beaming with endless pet training and enrichment opportunities for dogs. With Pet Tutor’s technology, endless options and a savvy dog trainer, this tool has the power to replace shock collars. The only limitation to the product is a dog trainer or pet owner’s imagination.

What is a Pet Tutor?

Pet Tutor is a computerized dog treat dispenser programmed with different dispensing settings, which can be controlled through a smart remote or mobile app. Pet Tutor’s tube is made of stainless steel and lexan, which is a clear and super strong polycarbonate. Lexan is so strong that it’s considered bullet resistant, and used in safety glasses.

In addition, this blue cylindrical device is mobile. You can place it on the ground, mount it to a crate or hang it from a wall with a 3M removable hook.

Setting Up Pet Tutor

Pet Tutor sets up easily, dispenses dog treats soundlessly, and offers endless mental enrichment ideas and training possibilities for your dog. It only takes a couple of seconds to set up the treat dispensing function. If you’re using the training system’s more advanced settings, such as installing a Bluetooth app, setup can take 5-6 minutes.

Dispenses All Types of Treats!

Another huge bonus is Pet Tutor will dispense different types of high value treats. Smart Animal Training Systems has a patented treat dispensing design that prevents training treats from jamming, so any type of treat can be used. Think kibble, chopped up hot dogs, diced string cheese, etc. Some animal trainers use chopped up carrots to teach horses to stand still during grooming while others are dispensing birdseed when teaching birds new behaviors.

Pet Tutor Creator

Wes Anderson created Pet Tutor as a fun game that infuses and combines positive reinforcement training principles and mental stimulation. In the past, Wes worked as an electrical engineer and statistician. He studied neuroscience with a focus on Alzheimer’s research. Recently, Wes decided to focus on another passion and became a dog trainer. Using his extensive knowledge, he designed and created Pet Tutor and committed himself to offering the latest updates as technology advances.

How Will Pet Tutor Help My Dog?

Pet Tutor is a game changer in the animal behavior world. This dog training tool can slow down fast eating dogs, offers different forms of mental stimulation and teaches a dog that barking doesn’t pay. Yes, this dog treat dispenser will certainly help dogs.

Slow Fast Eating Dogs

For fast eating dogs, Pet Tutor will slow down meals by dispensing one kibble at a time. Instead of inhaling food within seconds, dogs may take up to 20 minutes eating their meals, depending on your chosen setting. All you have to do is go on the Pet Tutor smartphone app and change the setting to dispense treats over a period of time and voila! With a few taps, you’ve maximized your dog’s mealtime.

Provide Super Powered Mental Enrichment

Take mealtimes up a notch by teaching a dog to walk over and touch a Kong Wobbler. The dog learns that touching a Kong Wobbler, that’s sitting on the ground, will dispense a treat from the device. Simply place a smartphone that has the Pet Tutor app, or remote, inside a plastic Kong Wobbler to get started!

Stop Dog Barking

Pet Tutor’s technology will dispense treats while a pet owner is away or out of sight. Using a smart remote or app, pet owners can reward dogs for quiet behavior from another room or even online. When away, you can use the training system to reward your dog’s quiet behavior for you. Dogs quickly learn that quiet behavior pays well and barking becomes a thing of the past.

Help Dogs With Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety in dogs is much more than excessive barking; it’s a very serious issue. In short, dogs with separation anxiety panic when they’re left alone, which can result in them seriously harming themselves. The training system can certainly help with separation anxiety, but it requires the expertise of a professional dog trainer or veterinary behaviorist for best results.

Smart Animal Training Systems is committed to evolving its products as new pet technology is discovered. Pet Tutor offers remote rewards through a smartphone or tablet. Pet owners can check in on their dogs using Pet Tutor’s tablet or smartphone app. Additionally, pet owners can instantly dispense treats to reward good behavior remotely.

While many dog camera systems offer this option, there’s a slight delay between pressing the treat dispense button on a smartphone and the treat being dispensed. When changing dog behavior, timing and speed is essential.

https://youtu.be/Jrlrj62-GMY