Ask The Dog Trainer: Why Is My Dog Stubborn?

May 23, 2016 by Fanna Easter

Dealing With a Stubborn Dog

It’s highly unlikely your dog is stubborn—he’s probably confused—but not stubborn. With that said, when a dog chooses to chase a squirrel instead of coming when called on cue, that’s not stubbornness; that’s lack of training around such distractions. And know that it happens to the best of us. Dogs are not robots nor should they be expected to be, but stubborn they are not. When a student starts using the word “stubborn,” I know her training message is not clearly reaching her dog.

Getting stuck during the learning process is a valuable part of learning, believe it or not. As the teacher, it’s your job to figure out what will work, so your dog understands not to jump on people, chew your hands or jump up on furniture. You probably just need a few tweaks to make sure your message is crystal clear to your dog.

The Word “No” Means Nothing

If your dog is jumping up or chewing on your hands, figure out what your dog could do differently, so they’re unable to do those annoying things. So many pet owners say “no” loudly or over and over again, which basically means nothing to their dogs.

Since I love a good analogy, let’s look at this from a human perspective. If you walk into a room and someone says “no, no, no,” you would become completely confused. What does “no” mean? Stop? Don’t walk, don’t stand, don’t look, don’t breathe, what? The word “no” is meaningless communication and can cause confusion quickly, so throw that word in the trash can. 🙂

How to Train a Stubborn Dog

Ask For Something Different

Now that we understand “no” means nothing, it’s time to reward your dog for doing something else. If your dog barks, reward him for being quiet. Here are a few other examples:

Reward your dog for keeping all four feet on the floor instead of jumping up. It’s impossible to jump up and keep your feet on the floor.
The moment you feel your dog’s (or puppy’s) teeth on your skin, leave the area or redirect him to another toy. By getting up and leaving whenever your dog’s teeth touch your skin, your dog learns to keep his teeth to himself.
Teach and heavily reward your dog for lying on anywhere else but furniture. Crate him when you leave, so he doesn’t learn to relax on your expensive sofa while you’re away. It won’t be forever; just until your dog learns what is expected.

Take a moment and think about what you want your dog to do instead of an annoying behavior. Usually the opposite behavior is key, such as standing still at the doorway instead of dashing out. If you can’t decide on an opposite behavior, you can always teach stationary behaviors, such as “sit,” “down” or “place.” Usually, dog movement is an underlying part of an undesirable behavior for people (e.g. pulling, running away, jumping up, dashing out doors, knocking people over, etc.).

Remember, teaching your dog an alternative behavior is much more effective than punishing him.

Make Sure Everyone is on the Same Page

To keep confusion to a minimum, make sure each family member understands how to manage a puppy chewing on his hands or what to do when a dog jumps up. Let’s use another analogy to further explain this concept. If you’re learning a new language, let’s say German, and each family member pronounces things completely different, it would be very challenging to learn German.

With that said, once you have figured out when to reward your dog, hold a family meeting to discuss and practice your dog training solution, so everyone is on the same page. I ask clients to keep homework directions in a highly visible place like the refrigerator, so each family member gets a quick refresher every time she grabs a beverage or food.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Now that you have developed a crystal clear solution for your dog’s unwanted behavior, practice it several times a week with really good rewards in a low distraction environment. Once your dog understands to stand instead of jump, keep teeth off human skin, be quiet instead of bark, or lie on his bed instead of the sofa, it’s time to practice with family members around for distractions. Expect a few hiccups until everyone gets into a rhythm and keep dog training sessions short (1-2 minutes long).

It’s impossible to be fluent in German without practicing it over and over—the same goes for dog training. 🙂

Dogs Forget Just Like We Do

Let’s take a step back to the foreign language analogy again. If you don’t practice speaking German several times a month, you’ll likely forget how to pronounce even the easiest words. Well, this applies to training your dog too. If your dog forgets, take a few steps back and practice your crystal clear solutions again. Going forward, vow to practice every week, so your dog doesn’t forget. We all forget; it’s not stubbornness. It’s either confusion or lack of training. 🙂

Do Dogs Like to Be Hugged?

May 2, 2016 by Fanna Easter

No, Dogs Don’t Like Hugs

There’s a pretty good chance you’ve read the latest research showing dogs don’t like to be hugged. This message is spreading like wildfire. It was covered on our local news last night and it’s been trending for several days on social media. Personally, I’m pretty excited this message is finally getting out there because it’s actually true! Dogs don’t like to be hugged.

While there is a very small percentage of dogs that enjoy hugs from their pet owners, the majority of dogs find hugging simply rude. Humans love physical contact; it’s in our DNA and it’s pretty hard not to hug someone you love. Instead of hugging your dog, try these physical contact behaviors instead.

Hugging Dogs May Upset Them

You’re probably thinking this research about hugging dogs is exaggerated since your dog loves hugs and close contact. However, I would challenge that. As a professional dog trainer, I hear: “My dog’s bite (growl) came out of nowhere” or “My dog has no reason to become aggressive; he just turned on me” every day. Honestly, I can tell you these statements are not true. Dogs are always telling us how they feel. We just don’t listen to them and assume dogs are little furry humans. If we don’t listen and continue to push, dogs will resort to growls, nips or bites, if they can’t get away.

If your dog’s body language is happy and he seems to enjoy hugs, then hug away. But don’t expect your dog to enjoy hugs from visitors; it’s different. If you’re not sure, ask a professional dog trainer for his or her opinion. Don’t rely on a friend’s or dog savvy person’s opinion. The person you ask for advice should be an expert (meaning he or she has earned dog training credentials) at reading dog body language.

How to Embrace Your Dog Without Hugs

Pet Your Dog’s Chest

People love to pet dogs. I’ve noticed a huge increase of pet owners petting their dogs when they’re happy, nervous or stressed. Petting your dog is fine; just do it politely. Trying petting your dog on the chest or under her neck instead of on top of her head or back. Head pats are just rude behavior from a dog’s perspective. Yes, some dogs learn to deal with it, but it’s still rude. Think about it from your dog’s perspective: would you enjoy someone patting you on the head whenever he meets you? And when you backed away, this person continued to follow you with an outreached hand trying to pat your head. Creepy, I know, and dogs feel this way too.

When petting a dog, allow your dog to walk up to you first. Slowly pet or scratch your dog’s chest while refraining from making eye contact. Some dogs enjoy scratching under their necks (under their jaw), so slowly move up. While petting your dog’s neck, refrain from bending toward your dog. This keeps your face out of her personal space. If your dog moves away, don’t take it personal and stop scratching her.

Scratch Your Dog’s Back

Dogs love to have the top of their rumps scratched, and will easily swing around for it. There’s nothing wrong with it. Plus, you’re politely keeping your body out of your dog’s personal space. If your dog is comfortable, scratch or rub from your dog’s rump to his rib cage, moving alongside his spine. If your dog moves away, stop scratching and don’t take it personal. 🙂

Let Your Dog Initiate Cuddling

You’re probably looking at your gregarious greeter and thinking, “My dog loves to cuddle and hug.” Well, I live with two super friendly dogs that love cuddling and neck nuzzles too, but, if I initiate cuddling or hugs, it creeps them both out.

When dogs are “creeped out,” you’ll notice their bodies stiffening, ears laying flat against their heads, eyes widening, mouths clamping shut and tails dropping to the ground. Your dog will lean his body away from you and perhaps even growl. It this happens, slowly move away when your dog backs away, and remember not to do it again.

Connect Through Training

Grab some super high value treats, a clicker and your dog, and teach her a new trick. It can be a silly or functional trick–it doesn’t matter; just have fun. What matters most is that you and your dog are bonding through training, and your dog is learning you can both speak the same language.

Dogs are different than people, so respect their space etiquette and ensure children and families do too.

Best Store Bought Dog Training Treats: Dog Trainer Recommendations

April 22, 2016 by Fanna Easter

Best Store Bought Dog Treats

Best Store Bought Dog Training Treats — BettinaSampl/iStock

As a professional dog trainer, super yummy treats are a must-have during dog training sessions. Dog treats are your dog’s paycheck for choosing a polite behavior, and we all work for paychecks. The better the paycheck, the faster good behavior will happen. Fresh soft dog treats are easily the best option for training dogs. Check out why and which dog treat brands are best.

Soft or Hard Store Bought Dog Training Treats?

Oh, there’s a huge difference between soft dog treats and hard dog treats! When teaching new behaviors, you want fun and exciting sessions with lots of yummy treat rewards, but some treats will hold back the process.

I don’t recommend adding low value (dry pieces of kibble or biscuits) with high value treats. When teaching a new dog behavior or changing a dog’s perspective on something, always use high value dog treats every time. When weaning a dog from treats, using a variable schedule of reinforcement (i.e. rewarding the best “sits, downs or whatever” instead of every attempt) works much better once a dog understands a cue in all situations.

Soft Fresh Training Treats

From my experience training thousands of dogs, fresh training treats work best! When selecting dog treats, “fresh” means treats that contain higher moisture content that enhances aroma (smells strongly) and heightens taste. Additionally, fresh dog treats can be easily broken into pea-sized portions, quickly chewed and safely swallowed whole. Most fresh dog treats contain high percentages of meat, which means meat is usually the number one ingredient with a small percentage of vegetables or grains sprinkled in.

Dry Training Treats

Dry training treats can become a nuisance during training. They have little smell. If you don’t believe me, take a whiff of freeze-dried cow liver; it smells like nothing. No one enjoys eating scentless food because there’s a pretty good chance it will be tasteless too (hence rice cakes, yuck). Plus, store bought dry dog treats crumble easily, especially when breaking them into small portions for dog training sessions. There’s nothing worse than asking your dog to “down” and he’s busy hunting each and every dropped crumb instead of focusing on you.

If you’ve ever used dry training treats with an easily excited dog, you’ve probably witnessed your dog coughing or hacking after he swallows a dry treat whole. For smaller dogs, they will take their sweet time chewing a dry treat, which quickly deflates a high-energy training session.

Lastly, some pet owners swear their dogs love dry treats, but when I offer a fresh treat instead of a dry treat to their dog, the fresh treat is always gobbled up quickly. Plus, dogs tend to focus on other pet owners carrying fresh treats instead of their owners holding dry treats in their bait bag. Still don’t believe me? Place dry kibble or biscuit next to a chunk of tuna fish–case closed. 🙂

Recommended Dog Training Treats

As promised, check out a couple of brand names I highly recommend. All recommendations can be purchased at your local pet retailer and even large chain versions.

Freshpet

By far, Freshpet is my favorite! Due to an upsurge interest in cooked and raw food, Freshpet hit the pet and grocery store markets several years ago with a bang. Basically, this is a refrigerated cooked dog food with chicken as it’s first ingredient and a bit of vegetables and brown rice mixed in. Also, there’s a grain-free option for dogs watching their carbs. 🙂 Fresh Pet is a balanced dog food, which means it meets a dog’s daily needs if fed as a meal. It’s also made in the U.S.

Personally, I like the resealable bag option of Fresh Pet because it’s super convenient. No chopping needed. Just dump in your bait bag and go! If chopping is your thing, then choose from grain-free or regular rolls options. Now, Fresh Pet needs refrigeration, so I recommend freezing it a bit (1-2 hours max) during warmer months before heading out to group dog training class. As you arrive at the dog training facility, you’ll notice these treats will thaw a bit, but still remain cool during training sessions. Discard any remaining treats. I dump my bait bag contents on the floor for my dog to enjoy as class wraps up. Always wash your hands thoroughly afterwards, and don’t forget to wash your bait bag too.

Natural Balance Rolls

These rolls have been around for a long time, and I still use them during training. Meat is the number one ingredient in each role variety. Natural Balance rolls are nutritionally balanced, meaning these rolls can be fed as your dog’s regular meal (it would get expensive really quick though!).

Unfortunately, Natural Balance tweaked their roll recipe recently, which causes treats to crumble a bit when chopping. A tip: when chopping pea-sized treats, make sure the roll is nice and cold before cutting. This will keep crumbling to a minimum. I must say, dogs love this stuff–crumbs and all! Plus, there’s many protein options if your dog is unable to tolerate chicken or beef.

Natural Balance rolls must be refrigerated too. Freeze chopped treats (about 1-2 hours max) before heading out for training during warmer months. After training, discard any leftover treats. I usually dump my bait bag contents on the floor for my dog to enjoy at the end of class. Always wash your hands thoroughly and your bait bag too.

Regardless of which brand you choose, make sure your dog absolutely adores his or her treats. Fabulous dog treats make training dogs much easier!

Help! My Dog Barks Relentlessly At My Neighbor’s Dog

April 20, 2016 by Fanna Easter

How to Stop Your Dog From Barking at Your Neighbor’s Dog

When your neighbor’s dog barks relentlessly at your dog, she will probably respond back. It’s like having someone yelling at you through a fence; eventually, you’ll become frustrated and yell back.

However, it doesn’t always have to be this way. Instead, teach your dog to ignore the rude neighbor dog’s barking. I know, you’re probably thinking you’ll have a better chance at seeing a unicorn grazing in your backyard than this working for your dog, but it works quickly and reliably! The only thing you need is a leash, super yummy treats and lots of patience.

Don’t Let Dog Barking Become a Habit

We assume barking is natural dog behavior; dogs should be allowed to speak when they want to. Well, that’s all fun and games until your dog becomes the neighborhood yapper. If dog barking behavior is practiced over and over, it becomes tougher to change.

If your dog has practiced this behavior so much that she immediately runs out and barks at anything and everything, it will take a couple of weeks to change this behavior. While this seems like a long time, think about habits for a moment. When trying to lose weight, it takes time to lose it effectively and permanently. Quick fixes never work in the long run, and weight sneaks back on.

Like all habits, it takes time and due diligence to change a behavior reliably, so it’s always best to prevent. Although I have a few dog training tips that work really well to change behavior too if it has already become a habit.

Prevention

Let’s look at prevention. This is the easiest way to keep unwanted behavior from sneaking up. First, let’s review barking a bit. Barking is a slippery slope. It’s very self-reinforcing, meaning dogs will learn to bark when bored, scared or frustrated. Interestingly, barking becomes a way for a dog to self-soothe herself like humans yelling when stuck in traffic, biting their nails or eating during stressful times.

Prevention means you’re rewarding your dog whenever she ignores your neighbor’s barking behavior. Reward with treats. Usually, I’ll toss super yummy treats away from the fence of the barking dog. This not only rewards my dog, but also teaches her she can move away from the stressful situation.

How to Stop a Dog From Barking

We recently experienced our dog barking at our neighbor’s dog when moving back into the suburbs. During the day, many dogs are left in the backyard while pet owners are at work, which teaches dogs to relentlessly bark at neighbors, dogs or the air just to hear themselves bark. Privacy fences prevent dogs from seeing each other, but dogs can still learn to fence fight, which is a horrible habit. Check out this article for tips on creating a visual barrier.

Bring Your Dog Out on Leash

As an example, I’ll share my story. Our backyard fence is made of cinder block, so dogs were unable to see each other. Stella, my little Bull Terrier is a typical Terrier; she will bark back at other dogs whenever she has a chance. The moment we moved into our new home, our neighbor’s little dog welcomed us with rapid non-stop barking whenever anyone was out in the backyard. The second Stella heard her rude doggie neighbor yelling at her, hackles went up and growling started.

For two weeks, we brought Stella out into the backyard on a retractable leash (the only place retractable leashes should ever be used) and I was armed with lots of yummy treats. Having Stella on leash prevents her from running away, engaging in barking behavior and going over threshold. Once a dog goes over threshold, she is oblivious to treats, yelling and anything else. Basically, never allow your dog to “go there” during dog training. If it happens, you’ve just taken 10 steps backwards. While it’s tempting to give quick leash corrections, it will only make it worse as your dog learns that pain happens whenever that dog barks, so your dog’s behavior will become much worse.

Ask Your Dog to “Touch”

The second I heard our neighbor’s dog start barking, I asked Stella to “touch” my hand and rewarded her generously (3-5 treats in a row). Understand, it’s hard for Stella to ignore a rude dog so close to her, but after a couple of “touches,” her hackles went down and her tail started wagging loosely.

Keeping Stella next to me sets us both up for success. It keeps her under threshold and allows change to happen. By asking Stella to do another behavior (touch) instead of letting her bark, it gives her something else to focus on rather than the barking dog next door. Additionally, it teaches her another way to react to a barking dog instead of barking back.

Our Success

Now, when our neighbor’s dog comes running out barking, Stella either ignores it completely or walks over and touches my hand. Do know, I never take her good behavior for granted, so I randomly reward her good behavior. Many pet owners set themselves and their dogs up for failure the moment they forget to reward good behavior. Always let your dog know she made the right choice.

You can use these same protocols to prevent your dog from barking at your human neighbors too!

Talk To Your Neighbor

This is easily the most difficult part. Start by keeping the conversation light and explain you want to keep the peace between both dogs. With our neighbor, she admitted she didn’t hear her dog bark anymore. She became used to it. I provided a few suggestions, and now she brings her dog indoors the moment she starts barking. You don’t have to be a dog trainer to provide suggestions. Just print these barking tips for your neighbor. Our neighbor was actually grateful.

If Habits Sneak Back In

Habits are tough to break, so expect some slip ups between both barking dogs. Take a few steps back and grab your leash and yummy treats to practice a bit more. Don’t forget to reward good behavior–that’s the key to success when tackling strong habits.

Good luck!

Why Group Dog Training Classes are Worth It

March 25, 2016 by Fanna Easter

Cost of Group Dog Training Classes: Worth the Tiny Investment

I’m often asked if the cost of group dog training classes is really worth it. As a dog trainer, and pet owner, it’s worth every penny and actually a tiny investment that provides a huge impact. Allow me to explain a bit further.

What are Group Dog Training Classes?

Group dog training classes are structured for pet owners and their dogs. They’re usually held once a week on a specific day and designated time. Most group classes range between 6-8 weeks; however, many group classes are now 4 weeks with a condensed curriculum. Personally, I teach 4-week classes because most pet owners have a difficult time committing to 6-8 week courses. Keep in mind that just because a group class is shorter, it doesn’t mean you’ll learn less. It’s actually the opposite. Since it’s condensed, you can expect more homework.

Cost of Group Dog Training Classes

With that said, group dog training classes can range between $85-$200, depending on how many weeks are included. Generally, 4-week classes are less expensive because they’re shorter while longer group classes can cost more. Additionally, special focus classes may cost a bit more due to an increased dog trainer skill level, different location or limit on participants.

Now, let’s do a bit of math. If a 4-week class costs $85, that’s $21 per class. That’s pretty cheap considering pet owners and their dogs learn 3-4 new polite behaviors per class. Also, if your dog chews the sofa or a pair of your shoes, it will likely cost way more than $85 to replace or repair it. For 6-8 week classes that cost more, each class averages around $25 per session.

What You and Your Dog Will Learn

For the popular Adult Manners group classes (for dogs 6 months and older), expect to learn at least 10-12 new polite behaviors, such as sit, down, walking on a loose leash, stay, heel, sit-stay, down-stay, touch, leave it and come when called. Also, pet owners learn how to manage digging, chewing, barking and jumping up behavior plus answers to any questions they’ll likely have at home.

Puppy and Adult Manners group classes provide many distractions (i.e. other dogs, people, sounds, smells and movement) with a skilled dog trainer to navigate you both successfully, which is worth every penny. Remember, dog trainers are teaching pet owners how to teach their dogs polite behaviors, so they’re able to continue progress at home. Additionally, many skills take several weeks to perfect, so pet owners will have plenty of time to practice with the guidance of the dog trainer.

When pet owners claim their dogs already know how to sit, down and walk on a loose leash, can their dogs do all of that around distractions? That’s a huge benefit of signing up for group dog training classes.

Where to Find Group Dog Training Classes

Now you understand the importance of group dog training classes. Find a professional dog trainer in your area by using these resources and websites. Tell your dog trainer I sent you!