Should You Treat Dogs Like Humans?

June 13, 2016 by Fanna Easter

Do’s and Don’ts of Treating Dogs Like Humans

It depends. There’s a long, fancy word for treating dogs like humans, and it’s called anthropomorphism. Anthropomorphism is defined as the “attribution of human traits, emotions, and intentions to non-human entities and is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology” (Oxford Dictionary, 1885).

You’re probably wondering how anthropomorphism applies to you and your dog, which is a fair question. As a professional dog trainer, I have mixed emotions about ascribing human feelings to dogs. I think there are good and bad parts of this puzzle, so let’s discuss whether or not you should treat dogs like humans.

DO: Treat Your Dog Like a Human

Some aspects of anthropomorphism are good. In my opinion, I believe pet owners can relate to pets by attributing certain human characteristics to their puppies and dogs. As pet owners, we watch our fuzzy family member closely. We try interpreting her facial expressions, wagging tail and body positioning to understand her needs. Of course, as pet owners, we tap into the only knowledge we have, which come from our own emotions and body language.

As pet owners, when our dog or puppy whimpers, we run to console her because the sound resembles a small child in need. We want to protect, nurture and love her; it’s normal human behavior. I believe anthropomorphism creates empathy, which I feel is a good thing between pet owners and their precious dogs.

When pet owners dress their dogs in darling little dresses, place barrettes in their hair or push their dogs in baby strollers, this is an example of anthropomorphism. Some pet experts feel treating dogs like human children is taking the behavior a bit too far, but honestly, I don’t have an issue with it. When I see a dog wearing a fabulous polka dot dress or sporting a trendy bandana, I see this as the pet owner loving and caring for his dog intensely, and I feel all dogs deserve this type of love and devotion.

RELATED: What to Do When Your Dog Bites

DON’T: Attribute Guilt or Vengefulness to Your Dog

Attributing human feelings and emotions can get a bit tricky in certain circumstances, and pet owners have a difficult time understanding how dogs really think in these situations. Sometimes, a dog’s body language will portray a certain human emotion, but it’s not always what it seems.

Guilt

Guilt is a big one and probably the most challenging part of anthropomorphism toward dogs. This is the truth: dogs don’t feel guilt. I know you could swear on your life your dog was ashamed for chewing your shoe when you showed it to her, but she wasn’t feeling guilt. Instead, she was scared.

When dogs pin their ears back, freeze, walk away, blink quickly, lick their lips, flick their tongues, turn their head sideways and lower their bodies downward, they’re actually reacting to your angry body language. When you’re angry, your dog’s slinking behavior is trying to calm you down. Your dog isn’t guilty; he’s scared. You don’t even have to say a single word to your dog. Just standing still, staring and breathing deeply in front of your dog will cue her that you’re angry. Still don’t believe me? There’s plenty of research proving that dogs don’t feel guilt; and, as a human, I wish I didn’t feel guilt either. 🙂

Dogs don’t feel guilt. They just don’t think that way.

Revenge

Dogs don’t seek revenge. They don’t pee on your bed because you left them alone all day. Your dog didn’t chew, urinate and poop on your favorite shoe because you yelled at her earlier. Dogs aren’t spiteful.

When I explain how this anthropomorphism concept isn’t true during group dog training class, some pet owners will look at each other with confused expressions and then ask, “So why did my dog do that?” Dogs chew on shoes because you left them out, dogs potty on bedding or furniture because they’re scared from being alone all day or hearing thunderstorms, and dogs poop because they’re practicing marking behavior.

I know, you’re probably saying, “But my dog hasn’t chewed my shoes in over a year.” If the right opportunity presents itself, your dog will chew your shoe no matter how long it’s been since the last incident. Personally, I think this is where dog behavior supersedes human behavior, as we all know revenge and spite will eat you alive.

It’s not revenge your dog is after; it’s opportunity. 🙂

What This Means for You and Your Dog

Continue singing your dog little songs, use baby talk to convince her meal times are a good thing, dress her up in a darling dress, love her, nurture her, protect her and cater to all of her needs, but don’t assume she’s guilty or vengeful. Keep anthropomorphism in check, please. 🙂

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Can You Stop Dog Aggression?

May 26, 2016 by Fanna Easter

How to Deal With an Aggressive Dog

Stop Dog Aggression — Eldad Carin/iStock

Within the dog world, dog aggression is an extremely controversial topic. Not only is this topic hotly debated among dog trainers, but it’s also an explosive topic within the dog rescue world too. Many experts have strong lines drawn in the sand on both sides, so it’s become extremely difficult for pet owners of aggressive dogs to seek concrete answers. I’ll give my honest opinion as a professional dog trainer who has intimately worked with dog aggression cases for more than 20 years.

Aggression in Dogs Never Really Goes Away

It’s true, you can’t stop dog aggression completely. While this seems like grim news, it’s important for pet owners to understand that dog aggression never goes away. Once pet owners are empowered with this knowledge, they can positively change the majority of their dog’s aggressive behavior. However, they must know that aggression will always linger. With that said, pet owners shouldn’t become discouraged. They can certainly teach their dog to react differently in certain situations, but they must have realistic expectations.

Living in a reactive world is a tough path to follow, and I don’t believe dogs enjoy living in a constant state of anxiety, panic and fear. Anxious dogs learn that aggression works to stop a scary behavior from happening. Or they become so anxious, they just freak out and panic. Do know, aggression in dogs is genetic too. If a puppy’s parents and grandparents were fearful or reactive, there’s a high chance the puppy will be predisposed to reactivity.

Can We Rescue All Aggressive Dogs?

I don’t believe you can. Some dogs just can’t fight their anxiety demons and become a danger to society. It’s a horrible decision to make, but sometimes releasing these precious souls from their ever-haunting demons is the best thing we can do.

Have Realistic Expectations

Pet owners of aggressive dogs are probably wondering what exactly to expect from their aggressive dog during and after behavior protocols. Honestly, that’s a fair question.

Before I get into specifics, do know I’m speaking about realistic expectations for the majority of dogs. A small percent of dogs will blossom into friendly extroverts, but that’s a rarity. For the most part, the majority of aggressive dogs can successfully learn to offer a different behavior when they’re face-to-face with a trigger (i.e. thing that causes a dog to react). However, it takes time for an experienced dog trainer to coach an aggressive dog and lots of practice in a multitude of situations while keeping a safe distance away.

How to Deal With Dog Aggression

Dog Aggressive Toward Other Dogs

If a dog has been aggressive to other dogs, don’t expect him to enjoy playing with other dogs. The dog has been pretty clear in letting you know he doesn’t like other dogs, so listen to him. 🙂
Never allow a dog that has been aggressive to other dogs off leash to greet another dog. If this happens, you’re playing Russian roulette with the other dog’s life, which is cruel and punishable by law.
Expect your dog to politely ignore another dog from a safe distance, and your dog to determine that distance. Honestly, that’s a huge win in my book, especially if a dog constantly barks and lunges every time he sees a dog anywhere.

Dog Aggressive Toward Humans

It’s important to understand that a dog aggressive toward humans will never become a gregarious greeter.
If your dog has been aggressive to men, women or children, don’t expect him to enjoy interactions with people. You may need to crate your dog in another room, away from guests, which is what your dog wants. It’s not worth unraveling all your hard work due to a scary encounter with a person, which will likely end up with a dog bite.
Never force a human aggressive dog to meet people; you will only make it worse. Most fearful dogs will run away, which is a good thing! When a scared dog is unable to get away from a scary situation, he will likely bite, which can permanently damage a person and is punishable by law.
Do expect your dog to politely ignore a person from a safe distance, and understand your dog determines that distance with lots of practice.

Pet owners should stay away from false promises and unrealistic expectations from using specific aggressive dog training methods. There are no guarantees in dog training just like there are no guarantees in permanently changing human behavior. Some people will always be afraid of spiders, snakes, heights or dark rooms, but they learn to cope around those triggers.

Don’t Be Fooled By Shut Down Dogs

Just turn on your cable TV and watch a famous dog trainer punish a dog until the dog shuts down. While it looks like the dog is learning to tolerate humans or other dogs, he’s actually learning to shut down around these triggers. You may think “shutting down” is good right? The dog stops doing the behavior, so he must be fixed right? You’re wrong.

Shutting down is a false sense of hope that never lasts, and it’s cruel to dogs. If I punished a person so harshly that he rolled up into the fetal position while spiders crawled over his body, he’s not learning to not be afraid of spiders. Instead, he’s shutting down. He’s learning that spiders are truly horrible creatures, and his fear will become worse. If you’re afraid of strangers, can you imagine being punished harshly and frequently until you allow a stranger to touch you? That’s how a shut down dog feels, and that’s an awful way to live.

When Aggression Does Rear Its Ugly Head

Dogs (and people) can learn to tolerate and react differently (instead of freaking out) around their triggers, but if a scary thing sneaks up on them, they will usually revert back to old behavior. If a dog or person suddenly rounds the corner or pops up in your dog’s face, your dog will likely react. If you allow a dog aggressive dog to meet another dog, your dog will react. If you insist someone greets your human aggressive dog, he will react. Distance is your friend here, so use it often to prevent aggression from rearing its ugly head.

Most aggressive dogs can learn to react differently—they’re actually relieved to have options when it comes to dealing with their triggers. Just never push your dog into a situation he’s unable to handle.

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!

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