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Is Your Dog Confused?

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Confused Dog: Dog Training Tips

Confused Dog
Huh? What do you want?

If you’re wondering whether or not your dog is confused, the answer is probably yes!

I will say it: it’s our fault when a dog becomes confused. We didn’t give clear instructions. Many teachers are quick to blame their students, but it’s not the students’ fault when they make mistakes. The teacher wasn’t clear enough for the students to understand. Students must be successful within 1-2 attempts. If not, they will become confused.

Don’t allow your dog to make mistakes. If he doesn’t understand within 1-2 attempts, stop and make the next attempt easy. Mistakes are part of the learning process, but too many mistakes cause frustration, which stops the learning process.

What does a confused dog look like?

Confused dogs display many signs, such as:

During group dog training class, when I notice a confused dog, the owners are usually very frustrated at this point. They feel the dogs are blowing them off. I gently explain their dogs are simply confused and they should take a break. If you keep pushing, your dog will shut down completely, and we never want to get this far ever.

What should I do?

When you have a confused dog, remain still and drop 10 treats on the ground for your dog. Take 5 deep breaths and relax for a few minutes. Continue relaxing until you and your dog feel better. Pushing, pulling, tugging or yelling will only make the situation worse.

In a few minutes, your dog will look up at you, so smile and ask your dog to “touch.” Touch is an easy cue, which sets your dog up for success immediately. We all like small wins, right? Now, you and your dog are feeling much better, so you can get started again.

VIDEO: Teach the “Touch” Behavior

How to Prevent Confusing Your Dog Again

  • Use treats your dog loves! Confused dogs are more forgiving if you’re using fabulous treats. 🙂
  • Take lots of breaks: Let your dog drink some water, enjoy a quick play session in the backyard or let him sniff outside. Meanwhile, you should sit and relax, drink some water, or read the paper.
  • Keep dog training sessions short: Think 1-2 mins.
  • If your dog becomes confused and isn’t successful within 2 attempts, this means it’s too difficult for him to understand. End the dog training session with an easy behavior, such as “touch.”  Then, try to simplify the behavior further by breaking it into smaller sections.
    • Example 1: Your dog will stay until you step away. This is normal, as your dog has learned that your movement means he’s moving too.
    • Instead of stepping away, shift your feet while remaining in the same place.
    • When your dog is successful, take one step back and then one step forward, and so on.
    • Move at your dog’s pace until he learns “stay” means to remain in this spot while you walk away.

Prevent Learned Helplessness

Learned helplessness is when your dog shuts down, meaning he’s become so discouraged. Make sure to listen to your dog.

It’s your turn! When does your dog become confused?

READ ALSO: Leash Corrections & Leash Pops Don’t Work

Desensitization Training

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Desensitizing DogsDesensitizing Dogs

Desensitization means to become less sensitive over time to something you do not like.

Desensitization teaches a dog to become less sensitive around other dogs. Counter conditioning changes your dog’s uncontrollable reaction when around something scary (like other dogs). Counter conditioning and desensitization work together as a team. Counter conditioning is used in human and dog behavior to change a negative reaction (barking at a dog) to an accepted behavior (not barking at a dog).

How does desensitization work for dogs?

To begin the process, it’s vital to break the scary or unpleasant thing into tiny pieces, and become less sensitive to one piece at a time. While this seems simple to do, it takes lots of time working within a dog or person’s under threshold. Under threshold refers to maintaining a low level reaction to something scary so your dog can still learn. The term over threshold implies that you have moved too fast and now your dog is barking at the other dogs, animals, people or objects that he is scared of.

Desensitization Examples

Dog barks at other dogs:

  1. Move away from other dogs until the dog will look at you instead of other dogs. This is your threshold, or safe distance, and it means your dog is comfortable and not worried that other dogs will get them.
  2. When your dog ignores other dogs, click and treat. This is when counter conditioning comes into play, as you are associating yummy treats with other dogs.
  3. Move one foot towards other dogs in the distance. Click and treat when dog ignores them.
  4. Continue to move slowly until your dog can stand within 3 feet of another dog. Click and treat.

Threshold Examples:

  • Dog runs toward your dog and base his safe zone.  Dog becomes scared and barks at other dogs.
  • When you move dog too close to other dogs, your dog barks at other dogs.

Desensitization always works for training dogs if done correctly.

When desensitizing your dog, it’s always best to involve a professional dog trainer for the best results. If your dog has moderate to severe reactions, it’s best to partner with a qualified animal behaviorist.

Now it’s your turn. How would you use desensitization when training your dog? I want to hear from you!

READ ALSO: Prevent Resource Guarding

Supervised Dog Tethering

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Tethering Dogs

Supervised tethering is an invaluable dog training tool and can be used for potty training and teaching your dog new skills, such as calm behavior.

Dog Tether
What a good boy!

What is Supervised Tethering?

Tethering means to connect a dog to a stationary object (wall mount, your body or heavy furniture) using a 4- to 6-foot leash. Supervised tethering means you are always able to visually watch your dog.

  • Connect to dog. Attach tether to dog’s flat buckle collar or body harness. I prefer using a body harness so the dog is comfortable. Never use a slip collar, which can choke your dog.
  • Tether. Use non-chewable materials, such as cable cord or thin chain leashes with a snap on one end and hand loop on the other end. Long tethers (longer than six feet) are cumbersome, tangle easily and become caught on furniture.
  • Stationary Object
    • Wall mount. Chose an eye hook mount and drill in a wall. Always drill into a wall stud for maximum strength.
    • Heavy piece of furniture, especially useful if you are sitting on it, which provides additional weight.
    • Your body. Try leash around your waist or tether to a belt loop. I prefer to use a hands-free leash combo, which attaches the leash to a built-in belt designed to fit most people.

How to Use a Tether

You’ll need a clicker, lots of yummy pea-sized treats, your dog’s favorite chew stick or a food stuffed toy.

  1. Click/treat while snapping the tether to your dog’s harness. Your dog learns it’s fun to be tethered.
  2. Reward your dog when the leash is loose (he is not pulled against the tether).
  3. When tethered, always provide a favorite chew stick or food stuffed toy so your dog learns that tethering means yummy stuff!
  4. If your dog barks or whines while wearing his tether, ask him to sit instead and unsnap the tether. Never unsnap a tether when your dog is barking or whining. He will learn to bark and whine until you remove the tether. 🙂
  5. When your dog is tethered to you, call his name before you begin moving. This will teach your dog to focus attention (by using his name) and prevent you from pulling your dog around.

For safety concerns, never leave your dog alone when tethered (either indoors or outdoors).

  • When left alone, your dog can chew through the tether and escape.
  • Tethers can wrap around your dog’s body and cause major damage. I’ve witnessed dogs jumping over furniture and hanging themselves.
  • When leaving your dog alone, put him in his crate with a food stuffed toy.

When to Use Supervised Tethering

Potty Training

  • Pet owner learns puppy’s cue for “I need to potty”: If your puppy becomes squirmy or stares at you, bring him outside. Your puppy will learn to cue you by staring at you that he needs to potty.
  • Tethering provides supervision, which prevents your puppy from wandering off and pottying in inappropriate places.
  • Tether dog while everyone is in the same room, such as eating in the dining room or watching a movie in the family room. This prevents potty accidents, your dog wandering off and your dog chewing on inappropriate objects.
  • I recommend tethering in conjunction with crate training. When I leave, my dogs are in their crates. When I’m home and need to supervise a puppy, I tether him to me or furniture. This provides plenty of opportunities to learn calm behavior outside of his crate.
RELATED: Housebreaking a Puppy

Teaching Self-Control (It Pays to Be Calm)

  • When watching TV, tether your dog near you, preferably to the chair you are sitting in.
  • Click and treat when dog is calm, chews on his favorite chew stick or enjoys a food stuffed toy.
  • If your dog gets up and pulls on the tether, ignore him. When your dog stops pulling on the tether, click and give him a treat.
  • Every night, while watching TV, tether your dog, so he will learn to settle down while you are settling in for the night too. 

Multiple Dog Environments

  • One dog harasses the other dog: Tether the dog doing the harassing dog. This works perfectly for a young puppy, which constantly harasses an older dog.
    • Example: Sobek (large puppy) would chase Stella (small adult dog), trying to elicit a play session. Stella refused to play and preferred a nap instead. I tethered Sobek to my chair, provided him a wonderful food stuffed toy and clicked/treated when he did not pull on his tether. Sobek learned calm behavior is more rewarding than harassing Stella for a play session. Plus Sobek learned to enjoy being calming instead of relishing the excitement of hyperactivity!
  • Two hyperactive dogs: Tether both dogs. However, separate them by tethering them across the room from each other. Use visual barriers, so they cannot see each other. Examples of visual barriers could be furniture, a person sitting in between, etc.

More Tethering Options

  • Tether your dog while eating dinner. This will eliminate begging at the table.
  • If your dog likes to dash out an open door, tether him.
  • Your dog bugs you for attention, tether him.
  • Dog jumps up on guests, tether him.

Are Tethers Forever?

Nope! Tethers are a tool used to teach your dog polite behaviors. Once your dog learns how and can remain calm, then discontinue use of tethers. Dogs should earn privileges, which means if they remain calm, then no tether. If they begin harassing a resident dog or sneaking off and causing mischief, they are tethered until they learn calm behavior pays.

Now it’s your turn! How can you use tethering to teach polite behaviors? Comment in the section below. I want to hear from you!

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Choosing the Right Dog Trainer

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Find a Trainer for Your Dog

Dog Trainer
Happy dog trainer!

How do you pick the right dog trainer for you and your dog?

Dog Trainer Requirements

  1. Use positive reinforcement training. This means he uses treats to reward good behaviors and redirects or ignores bad behaviors. Positive reinforcement works!
  2. Use positive reinforcement on humans too! Basically, dog trainers are teaching you how to train your dog. And if it’s not fun, who wants to do it, right? 🙂
  3. Provide a safe, clean and fun learning environment. Potty accidents must be cleaned immediately. Dogs should not be allowed to bark and growl at each other. Good dog trainers will provide visual barriers to ensure everyone is safe and having fun! If a dog is barking constantly, the dog trainer should be offering the pet parent tips to manage this barking.
  4. Has excellent communication skills. Dog trainers should smile, encourage, ignore mistakes, offer different tips to ensure success. Students should feel comfortable and encouraged.
  5. Understands dogs are individuals. Dogs learn differently, just like humans, so a dog trainer should have plenty of fun ideas in his Dog Trainer Tool Box. He needs to find what works for your dog.
  6. Provides plenty of time to practice behaviors during class. While your dog trainer will explain how to teach a behavior, his stories should be kept to a minimum. About 70% of class time should be focused on practice time.
  7. Shows up on time for each session and is available to answer questions after class.
  8. Helps pet parents meet or exceed their training goals. Dog trainers should check in with each team before, during and after class even if it’s a “thumbs up”or “high five” when they reach their goal 🙂
  9. Leaves you feeling empowered. You must feel successful during and after each class. Fabulous dog trainers strive to ensure you and your dog are always successful.

For additional details, click here.

Locating a Dog Trainer

My advice is to begin searching for dog trainers at Animal Behavior College Certified Dog Trainers, Karen Pryor Academy, Council of Certified Dog Trainers Database, International Associates of Animal Behavior Consultants,  and American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior Consultants.

Interviewing a Dog Trainer

Now that you understand the requirements and have located a dog trainer, it’s time to interview them. It’s best to speak with dog trainers on the phone and ask to observe a class in session. Dog trainers are honored when pet owners ask to observe a class because they can show off their skills. Using your list of dog trainer requirements, observe a group class in session. Are they meeting your requirements? If, at any time, you are not comfortable observing/practicing any techniques, stop and speak with your trainer. I’m empowering you to be your dog’s voice. 🙂

Tell us about your dog trainer in the comment section below!

More: 
Dog Trainer Fanna Easter 
Dog Trainer Karen Pryor 
Dog Training Classes 
Dog Obedience Training

Dog Obedience Training Techniques

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Which Dog Obedience Training Technique Will You Use?

Dog Obedience Training
What’s the difference?

When training a dog, consequences (i.e. a result or effect of an action) are rewarded or punished. For example, you go to work and then you get paid. You don’t go to work and then don’t get paid. Not receiving a paycheck is a punishment, which is what you learn to avoid. Thus, you go to work. Receiving a paycheck is a reward, so you go to work more often. This is the basis of how we all learn. Let’s discuss the three most popular dog obedience training methods, which are food rewards, clicker training and corrections.

Food Rewards (Positive Reinforcement )

Positive reinforcement dog training is a large umbrella, so let’s make it simple. Reward behaviors you like. Ignore or redirect behaviors you don’t like. Positive reinforcement means to reward a dog’s behavior, such as “sit,” so your dog will sit more often.

  • Rewards can be food, toys or games. Your dog should choose his reward, as it’s his currency.
  • Many dog trainers use and recommend food rewards because it’s user-friendly for pet owners and dogs love food. This method is very forgiving for both you and your dog.
  • If a dog refuses to eat his food reward, this is usually a clue that your dog is too stressed or fearful to learn or doesn’t like his reward.
  • Food rewards fade. Once the dog knows the behavior, he will do the behavior on cue 80 percent of the time. You don’t need to carry treats in your pocket all the time. 🙂

RELATED: The Right Way to Do Lure Reward Dog Training

Clicker Training

Clicker training has become widely popular lately. Clicker training uses the same premise as positive reinforcement training except you use a clicker to click when the dog performs a good behavior.

  • The click is used to mark the good behavior and means the dog has earned a treat.
  • Before using a clicker, dog owners need a firm understanding of clicker mechanics, which means they should learn perfect timing of the click, shaping and capturing a behavior, and basic guidelines for using a

Corrections (Compulsion Training)

Compulsion means “to compel or coerce.” In dog training terms, this means to physically place (i.e. using your hands) a dog into a behavior and use leash tugs and verbal sounds as corrections.

  • This method of dog training was hugely popular 15 to 20 years ago, and was based on military dog training.
  • Some dog trainers don’t use food rewards. Rather, they correct a dog until he does the right behavior, such as “sit,” and then praise the dog. In my opinion, this is a difficult way to learn.
  • Now, I’m not saying punishment doesn’t work. Think about speeding on the highway and a policeman gives you a ticket. You learn to drive slower for at least awhile until you learn to scan your area for policemen.
  • Punishment works, but it has fallouts. Punishment teaches a dog to become helpless and confused, so he offers nothing. This is sad.
  • This dog training technique isn’t user-friendly. You must know what you’re doing and give the smallest amount of correction to stop the behavior or else you can damage a dog. Also, when giving corrections, most pet owners go overboard. Punishing is very rewarding for the person doing it, as he’s releasing his anger.

What questions do you have about dog obedience training methods? Please comment in the section below.

More:
Choosing the Right Dog Trainer
3 Behaviors All Dog Trainers Should Know
Handling Difficult Dog Training Cases
Best Dog Training Books

Dog Training Nation is a dog training blog for pet owners and dog lovers. We cover a range of topics from puppy socialization tips to dog aggression to dog health. It is our hope you share our content to make the world a better place for dogs.

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