Helping Dogs That Become Stressed When Guests Visit

June 26, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Greetings for Stressed Dogs

Dog Afraid of Guests — nukul2533/Adobe Stock

It’s uncomfortable and awkward meeting new people. Both parties are unsure how to greet the other person respectively. One person may try shaking a hand while another opens his arms for a hug. This awkward greeting results in everyone standing stiffly and trying to think of common topics to ensure no one feels awkward. If a person is easily stressed, then meeting new people can be downright frightening.

Well, this applies to dogs too! Some dogs are afraid of guests and will start barking or become aggressive. Instead of asking guests to pet your dog, try this dog-friendly greeting instead.

Treat & Retreat

When guests enter your home, it’s best if they completely ignore your dog. Ignoring means no making eye contact with, walking toward, touching or petting your dog. Dogs should be allowed to approach a person in their own time if they even decide to approach. Allow a dog to make her own choices.

If your dog gets stressed when guests come over, and the ignoring tactic is causing a barking frenzy, try playing “treat and retreat.” Ask a guest to stand still; I find asking him to stand against a kitchen island works best because it prevents him from wandering around.

With your guest standing sideways toward your dog, ask him to toss treats behind your dog. It doesn’t matter where the treats land as long as your dog is able to turn away from the guest and eat the treat. Then, your dog can decide whether or not she’ll get closer to or look at your guest for more treats.

Rules of the Game

Now, there are strict rules for this dog game. This game is all about choices, and it’s your dog’s choice to walk closer to or look at the person. A guest should not advance toward the dog—ever. Guests can reward your dog for taking steps closer to him, but continue having them toss treats behind your dog.

Never drop treats close to a person and expect your dog to creep up for treats. This never works. If a guest has a difficult time following these guidelines, even with your helpful reminders, then it’s best to choose another guest to play this game.

Start playing this game in a controlled environment with one person for a few minutes, then put your dog in a safe room with a food stuffed Kong. This is hard work for your dog, so she must have breaks. Once your dog is safely relaxing in another room with soft music playing, you can sit back, relax and enjoy your guest’s company.

Add another person only when your dog is comfortable approaching a new single person. Start slow with one person sitting down while the other person tosses treats. Then, they can switch. After a few minutes, put your dog in her safe room with a food stuffed toy.

What Your Dog is Learning

Pairing good things with something works. The perfect example of this is our patience in long lines for a Starbucks drink. 🙂 This game teaches dogs that good things happen around people and provides them choices.

Choices are powerful and are just as rewarding as food treats for dogs. Dogs learn how to greet people politely without charging toward and barking at them. Plus, they learn to disengage and turn around during stressful situations instead of lunging and biting. When a dog chooses to disengage, reward her profusely!

Getting Help

Sometimes dogs need help, so please contact a positive reinforcement dog trainer who is experienced with fearful and anxious dogs. If needed, contact a veterinary behaviorist too, as he will have a wealth of information.

WATCH: Greetings for Stressed Dogs

3 Common Dog Fears You Should Know About

May 31, 2017 by Fanna Easter

How to Help Your Dog With Common Dog Fears

Nearly everyone has his fears and phobias, including your dog. To change your dog’s behavior around common dog fears, it’s important to pair good things with those scary things. If, at anytime, a dog panics around these stimuli, partner with an experienced dog trainer and/or a veterinary behaviorist.

1. Sounds

Fear of certain sounds is pretty common among dogs, but most dogs recover quickly after their initial startle. Unfortunately, some dogs don’t recover as quickly and become incredibly fearful of sounds.

Sounds that can be scary to your dog may include:

Fireworks
Thunder
Lightning crackles
Sirens
Loud booms
Screaming children
Smoke alarms
Loudly shut doors

Personally, I live with a dog terrified of food sizzling in a pan. Scary sounds can be anything.

Usually, dogs with a noise phobia have underlying anxiety issues, so these issues should be approached from many different directions. Pairing good things with scary things works extremely well, but only if a dog is kept below threshold (i.e. kept calm around the stimulus).

Giving bits of super yummy food when a dog hears a sound, or playing a fun game while food sizzles in the background, will teach your dog that scary sounds make fun happen. If it rained $100 bills when an old house creaked spooky sounds at night (a fear of mine), I would look forward to that sound.

Now, if a dog panics around certain sounds, using medications can certainly help the learning process, but partner with a veterinary behaviorist first.

2. Fast Movement

No one likes fast movements, not even humans, so it’s understandable why this is a common dog fear. While fast moving objects are unsettling, it’s even scarier when fast moving objects are moving toward you.

Examples of fast moving objects include:

Dogs
People
Bicycles
Joggers
Skateboarders
Loud trucks

Most dogs will ignore, or try to ignore, something moving in the background, but they become really stressed when these things move closer. Most dogs learn that approaching people will try to touch them, a strange dog will try to sniff them (or attack them), and bicycles will get too close during walks in the park. Eventually, dogs will start to bark at these fast moving objects to keep them away.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]If someone asks to pet your dog, allow your dog to make the decision.[/perfectpullquote]

Teaching dogs that fast moving objects are normal parts of the environment is key. When a dog looks at something moving past, click and treat as she’s looking at it. She will learn that fast moving things make treats appear.

Also, it’s important to keep your dog safe. Never allow strange dogs to approach your dog. Most dogs strongly dislike meeting other dogs. The same applies to humans. If someone asks to pet your dog, allow your dog to make the decision. If your dog moves forward and happily greets that person, that’s great. But if your dog hides behind you, listen to your dog and explain that your dog is just not a big greeter.

RELATED: Dog Socialization Tips

3. New Situations

New situations can be super scary to dogs. People don’t like them either. One place most dogs fear is the vet’s office. Sitting and waiting in a vet’s office can freak most dogs out.

When bringing your dog into a new situation, be prepared. Before leaving, pack lots of super yummy treats, fill Kongs with peanut butter and teach your dog the “touch” cue. In the new environment, play “touch” with your dog and reward with yummy treats or a food stuffed Kong to enjoy. Pairing good things with stressful situations works. Think about it this way: What if it rained $100 bills every time you were in gridlock? You would probably look forward to seeing a sea of red brake lights!

Make it rain $100 bills for you and your dog today!

Is Your Dog Bored?

May 26, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Bored Dog: Symptoms and Solutions

Signs of a Bored Dog — Patryk Kosmider/Adobe Stock

Most dogs are bored, especially if they’re left home alone while their pet owners work all day. For the most part, dog boredom behavior resembles excessive behaviors because bored dogs are trying to expel excess energy.

Being bored is not a good thing for dogs, and most don’t appreciate it like humans. Think of a bored child; that’s how a bored dog feels. If your dog displays these bored dog behaviors, check out the following boredom busting solutions!

Signs of a Bored Dog

1. Excessive Barking

Easily, excessive barking is the most common behavior of bored dogs. Most pet owners assume dogs bark to protect their property, but that’s not exactly true. Bored dogs look for something to do, and barking is an easy outlet.

Excessive barking can happen anywhere, but it most commonly happens when dogs are left alone in backyards or inside their homes. Bored dogs will bark at anything—even at noises a half-mile away or falling leaves (this is quite common). Dogs left indoors usually sit on windowsills barking at anything and everything that passes by.

Many pet owners assume barking is a good thing; it gives their dogs something to do and keeps intruders out. But excessive barking teaches dogs to bark to make things go away. As a self-enforcing behavior, barking provides some type of satisfaction to a dog. Think about it this way: When a dog barks, it makes a squirrel run away, mail deliverer leave or jogger disappear.

Barking is a slippery slope, and it can become a habit rather quickly. Your dog will eventually learn to bark aggressively to make something scary go away, such as house guests or the veterinary staff, which isn’t a good thing.

2. Destructive Behavior

When dogs are bored, they’re looking for something to do. Your drapes, pillows, bedding, toilet paper, kitchen counters and trash cans are all fair game. So often, pet owners return home to a living room filled with pillow stuffing and an exhausted dog snoozing right next to it. If this happens, just pick up the pillow stuffing and vow to provide boredom busters to your dog daily.

Never get angry. It’s just confusing to your dog, and remember dogs do not feel guilt. Rather, dogs are freaked out by your angry behavior. Channel your dog’s pillow popping energy toward something else. 🙂

RELATED: Is Your Dog Confused?

Boredom Busters for Dogs

Daily physical exercise and mental enrichment are key boredom busters for dogs. Mental enrichment is just as important as physical exercise, so choose three boredom busters from the list below and provide daily. For maximum benefits, rotate between each boredom buster to keep your dog busy while you’re away.

10 Boredom Busters

Feed all meals inside of a Kong (freeze to last longer). Toss food stuffed toys as you leave for work.
Fill puzzle toys with high value treats.
Walk your dog for 30 minutes. Hire a pet sitter if needed.
Play fetch.
Practice dog training skills (e.g. touch, down, sit, loose leash walking, come when called, etc.) once you return home from work.
Grab a few boxes and toss treats inside one. Nose games are exhausting and fun and a great way for dogs to find their dinner.
Once home, play tug for 20 minutes.
Have fun with a flirt pole. A flirt pole mimics a running squirrel. This is a great activity for late afternoons.
Before leaving for work, toss a handful of high value treats in the yard (or high pile rug). Your dog will have to hunt for each kibble.
Take your dog on a car ride.

Give your dog something to do, so he doesn’t find his own boredom busters!

Solutions To Common Dog Training Mistakes

May 24, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Don’t Make These Dog Training Mistakes Again

Everyone makes dog training mistakes; it’s part of the learning process. When mistakes happen, it’s important to recognize and learn from them and leave frustration at the door. If you’re making these common mistakes in dog training, give these simple solutions a try!

Mistake #1: Ego Getting in the Way

Solution: Record Your Sessions

Human egos can quickly interfere a dog training session. When pet owners justify that their choices were right and their dogs were wrong, that’s ego creeping in. Justification rears its ugly head when pet owners blame their dogs for certain choices when actually their dogs didn’t know what else to do instead.

It’s hard to hear it, but the human ego is part of each dog training mistake made. As humans, we assume we’re right and our dogs are “just not getting it.” Instead of assuming, look at each dog training session from the perspective of a learner.

Still not convinced? Record your dog training sessions using a dog camera and review afterwards. Are your instructions clear to you? If you’re still not convinced, mute the video and ask a truthful friend what behavior you’re teaching in the video. If you nor someone else aren’t sure, then your dog certainly isn’t either.

Mistake #2: Touching Your Dog

Solution: Use a Clicker and Treats

Humans are very tactile, resulting in numerous mistakes during dog training sessions. When teaching new dog training behaviors, refrain from touching, pushing, pulling or forcing a dog into a behavior. Physically reaching out and touching dogs get in the way.

Use a hands off approach via clicker and treats instead. At first, it might be difficult using new dog training techniques because you’re learning something new, but it’s so worth it. (Remember, your dog is learning to adapt to this training technique as well!)

Hands off dog training means no physical or verbal corrections either. Remove your dog’s leash when practicing behaviors in your home. If your dog disengages, then you need better treats or your dog will become completely confused. For dog training sessions outdoors, attach your dog’s leash to a body harness instead of a collar. This prevents collar corrections.

Taking a hands off approach to training your dog will boost your dog’s success. Quickly reward any of your dog’s attempts toward the desired behavior. As a rule, you should be rewarding more than withholding treats.

If your dog makes a mistake—remember, it’s part of the learning process—just withhold a treat. Take a break and rethink your training plan, and keep your ego in check please.

Mistake #3: Using Low Value Treats

Solution: Use Treats Your Dog Loves

Dog training treats are your dog’s paycheck, so pay him or her extremely well. Using treats during training is not bribery; it’s far from it. Rewarding good behaviors with yummy treats works, and it works super fast. High value treats include chopped up hot dogs, baked chicken, cheese cubes or anything your dog absolutely adores. Using a high value treat will make training your dog so much easier because your dog wants to earn it.

Mistake #4: Using Huge Cheese Chunks

Solution: Break Treats Into Small Pieces

Break training treats into small pieces. Pea-sized treats work best for all dogs. Clicking and tossing pea-sized treats ensures excitement during training, and sessions move quickly with lots of success.

While it’s tempting to toss a huge cheese chunk every time, it’s actually slowing down the process. Dogs take forever to eat a cheese chunk (well, most do), and they’ll fill up on the treat fast. There’s nothing wrong with tossing a cheese chunk, but use it strategically.

Save large cheese chunks for breakthrough moments, such as your dog responding to a cue for the first time, ignoring another dog or coming when called.

Mistake #5: Making Assumptions

Solution: Practice the Behavior

Again, the human ego is the cause of this common dog training mistake. Pet owners assume things too quickly, and will justify why their dogs should know a cue. Do the following sound familiar?

“But he’s done this behavior before.”
“He knows how to do this.”
“She’s ignoring me.”
“She knows better.”
“He’s choosing not to listen to me.”
“This is the first time this has happened.”

This is justification. Instead of assuming and justifying, teach your dog the behavior. 🙂

Dogs ignore a cue for two reasons: 1) They’ve never practiced the behavior in a specific situation before (e.g. a squirrel runs in front of them) or 2) They’re confused. So many times, pet owners convince themselves that canine confusion doesn’t exist, and their dogs should know the behavior.

Yes, human ego rears its ugly head again. Practice a behavior in a myriad of situations, including an environment where a squirrel runs in front of your dog. Always remember, dogs are a living soul, not a robot, so understand they may not respond every time.

Happy Training!

Does Permission-Based Dog Training Work?

April 26, 2017 by Fanna Easter

A Look Into Permission-Based Dog Training

While researching scientific data to support another article, somehow I bumped into a dog trainer claiming that permission-based dog training works. As a professional dog trainer, I base my dog training methods on scientific research, which promotes force-free training methods.

Do know, I’ve been around the dog training block for two decades, and I’ve seen dog training fads and concepts come and go. In other words, I certainly have an opinion on this type of dog training. 🙂 Let’s explore the concept of permission-based dog training together.

What is Permission-Based Dog Training?

Permission-based dog training is marketing verbiage for promoting dominance-based dog training. Training a dog based on dominance involves verbal and physical corrections that promote permissive dog behavior. In a nutshell, a dog must ask for permission to eat, walk through a door, go outside, take a treat, bark, climb onto furniture or even urinate. That sounds like ego dog training to me.

Permission basically means a dog must be verbally released and perform a behavior (e.g. sit) or look at the pet owner before doing anything. This concept takes self-control exercises to an entirely different level. It creates dependence on humans. Teaching dogs self-control is important, but adding a layer of strong human dependence is wrong.

Does Permission-Based Dog Training Work?

No, permission-based dog training doesn’t work. Teaching dogs to rely on humans for “important” decisions molds a living being into a robot. Don’t get me wrong, dogs should learn polite manners, but training a dog to focus on his or her pet owner only is overkill.

Dogs are completely capable of learning how to behave politely in situations, and don’t need pet owners telling them what to do next. Teach a dog how to react, and then reinforce it when he or she chooses to respond politely. This is learning.

Take this example. A pet owner has a human aggressive dog. Permission-based dog training would entail the pet owner teaching his dog an “ignore” cue, which would signal to the dog to stop growling, barking or lunging at a person.

While it’s empowering to “call off a dog,” teaching this cue won’t benefit the dog. A better solution would be to teach the dog to ignore humans regardless of whoever is standing by. Even better would be to teach a dog that humans make treats appear and then the dog learns that good things happen around humans. (If you’re thinking this is bribery, it’s not. It’s counter conditioning and based on scientific data.)

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Teaching human dependence is a disservice to dogs. [/perfectpullquote]

Does It Teach Self-Control?

Permission-based dog training probably started off with self-control exercises in mind, but then took a slight detour. Dogs (and humans) must learn self-control; they should learn how to politely behave within their environment.

Teaching a dog to rely on humans for permission or answers is when teaching dogs self-control took a detour. Dogs are fully able to make good choices, especially when they’re rewarded for them. Teaching human dependence is a disservice to dogs. Instead, train your dog how to react politely regardless of the situation. In human terms, it’s like teaching a teenager to say no to drugs in all situations. Empower your dog to make good decisions in all situations and not just when you’re present.

Training a dog how to react politely in a situation, without human reliance, is powerful.

Helping Dogs That Become Stressed When Guests Visit

Greetings for Stressed Dogs