You Dont Have To Be Cruel To Be Klnd

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You Don’t Have To Be Cruel To Be Kind

October 5, 2009 by admin
Filed under Featured, Getting Ready to Train Your Dog

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There is a very commonly used phrase that most of us have heard and many have used, which goes as follows: “You have to be cruel to be kind”. Others among us will look at that phrase, or hear it said, and point out the inherent flaw in it. You do not have to be cruel to be kind. You have to be cruel to be cruel, and kind to be kind. In actual fact, cruelty and kindness are very rarely mutually applicable. Getting that straight will sort out a lot of problems, in life and when training your dog.
Now, certainly, there are times when you will need to be stern with your dog. Sometimes it will exhibit behaviors that you would really rather it did not. Some owners will tend towards the cruel side of things when punishing these behaviors, often punishing their dog with a physical blow. It should be recognised that punishing a dog consistently with physical reprimands will lead simply to either a hostile dog who will lash out without warning, or a lifeless dog which is scared to do anything for fear of reprisal.
There will be times when you need to reprimand your dog physically. A quick tap can often suffice when it is behaving in a threatening manner without good reason. Restraining it by the collar when it goes to attack a person or another animal is fine. But by beating your dog, all you are doing is removing the essential element of all pet-owner relationships – friendship.

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Impulse Control and Dogs if dogs had any they wouldnt be dogs would they

Today was session number four of my dog training Manners Class at the inquisitive canine studio. Its one of my favorite to teach, but also one of the most intense and informative. Why? Because this session starts to bring all of the previously learned elements together, along with learning all about impulse control, and how to teach your dog to have a little!

We started with puppy push-ups, practicing the separation of verbal and visual cues (two separate languages you know), then loose leash walking part one exercises. This was a nice way for everyone - dogs and humans - to warm up their mechanical skills, and their brains. One we were all warmed up, it was time for teaching the technique of "reward removal", or, punishment!!! Yep, just because Im a positive reinforcement, non-coercion, and non-aversive dog trainer, doesnt mean I dont use punishment. Sure I do - but its the type that shouldnt cause the nasty side-effects the other old fashioned nasty methods do. 

Okay, so now it was time for the impulse control specific exercises:

• Greeting nicely
  
• Waiting at doors
• Taking treats gently

The first step of any new behavior: reward what you want. I had the humans practice their first visualization exercise: paint your Norman Rockwell picture - thats what you reward! For many it was:

• Sitting for greeting others (or four-on-the-floor) while others approach, dog gets up or lunges forward, dog doesnt get to say hello. 
• Butt on ground makes door open, dog gets up and door closes.
• Treat presented to dog, not dog snatching treat out of hand.

I saw many people practicing perfect skills! You can see Riley here in this photo - he learned very quickly if you sit, your own guardians give lots of treats, plus other humans say hello too. 

Jacob learned to take treats gently, and Esi figured out that sitting at the door made it open more quickly. 

As for the myth busting, we had some of that too. Not sure who came up with dogs wanting to be dominant or aggressive by going through doorways first - how silly is that? I believe its just theyre a lot more excited than we are about getting to the other side first. However, having them sit first, or at the very least waiting until you give them an "okay," is appropriate. 

Maybe we could learn a little something from our exuberant pooches. Life would be much more exciting if we humans were that happy about every little thing that happened in our daily lives...

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Why doesn’t my dog like to be handled

Why doesn’t my dog like to be handled?

All dogs have different handling and training thresholds. As far as washing and brushing goes for dogs, the dog-grooming business is a flourishing industry: for just a small amount and fee, you can get your dog washed, groomed, clipped, brushed, and whatever else you may require by experienced professionals (again, make sure you tell them about your dog’s reaction to the experience first!)

All dogs have different handling thresholds. Some dogs like lots of cuddles, and are perfectly content to be hugged, kissed, and have arms slung over their shoulders (this is the ultimate “I’m the boss” gesture to a dog, which is why a lot of them won’t tolerate it.)

Others – usually the ones not accustomed to a great deal of physical contact from a very young age – aren’t comfortable with too much full-body contact and will get nervy and agitated if someone persist in trying to hug them.

Another common cause of handling-induced aggression is a bad grooming experience: nail-clipping and bathing are the two common culprits. When you clip a dog’s nails, it’s very easy to “quick” him – that is, cut the blood vessel that runs inside the nail. This is extremely painful to a dog, and is a sure-fire way to cause a long-lasting aversion to those clippers.



Being washed is something that a great many dogs have difficulty dealing with – a lot of owners, when confronted with a wild-eyed, half-washed, upset dog, feel that in order to complete the wash they have to forcibly restrain him.

This only adds to the dog’s sense of panic, and reinforces his impression of a wash as something to be avoided at all costs – if necessary, to defend himself from it with a display of teeth and hackles.

Can I “retrain” him to enjoy being handled and groomed?

In a word: yes. It’s a lot easier if you start from a young age – handle your puppy a lot, get him used to being touched and rubbed all over. Young dogs generally enjoy being handled – it’s only older ones who haven’t had a lot of physical contact throughout their lives that sometimes find physical affection difficult to accept.

Practice picking up his paws and touching them with the clipper; practice taking him into the bath (or outside, under the faucet – whatever works for you, but warm water is much more pleasant for a dog than a freezing spray of ice-water!), and augment the process throughout with lots of praise and the occasional small treat.

For an older dog that may already have had several unpleasant handling/grooming experiences, things are a little more difficult. You need to undo the damage already caused by those bad experiences, which you can do by taking things very slowly – with an emphasis on keeping your dog calm.

The instant he starts to show signs of stress stop immediately and let him relax. Try to make the whole thing into a game: give him lots of praise, pats, and treats. Take things slowly. Don’t push it too far: if you get nervous, stop. Dogs show aggression for a reason: they’re warning you to back off, or else! If your dog just can’t seem to accept being groomed, no matter how much practice you put in, it’s best to hand the job over to the professionals.

Your vet will clip his nails for you (make sure you tell him first that he gets aggressive when the clippers come out, so your vet can take the necessary precautions!). As far as washing and brushing goes, the dog-grooming business is a flourishing industry: for a small fee, you can get your dog washed, clipped, brushed, and whatever else you require by experienced professionals (again, make sure you tell them about your dog’s reaction to the experience first!)

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Walking Your Dog on Leash Doesnt Have to Be a Huge Production

"My dog pulls like a maniac when I walk him on leash!" "My dog barks at everything when were out walking." "My dog wants to pull me down the street whenever she sees something run by - even a leaf!"

These comments are just a few examples of what I hear every day from various dog owners. Whether it be attendees in my dog training classes, my private dog training clients, or those who have written in to the dog behavior advice column Poncho and I write for, everyone seems to be in the same leash-pulling-boat.

As Ive said in other posts about walking dogs on leash: "Dogs werent born knowing how to walk on leash. And us humans werent born knowing how to use one." Then why is it we think we can just leash up our dogs and head right out the door into a world that, to our pet dogs, is probably more like an amusement park than anything else, and think they would understand exactly what we want? To me, a certified professional dog trainer, this is one of those "unrealistic expectations" kinda moments. Leash walking is an art, a science, and definitely an act that requires practice! And just like any new skill, its best to start out slow and simple, and then build as you (and your dog) progress along.

I like to break down the leash walking behavior I teach my dog training students into three sections.

• First and foremost: Reward what you want!!!! If you want your dog walking next to you, then reward him or her with yummy treats while they are next to you. Lure your dog into position and reward them. Its that simple.
• STOP! If and when your dog does pull, stop dead in your tracks! They will soon learn that pulling gets them nowhere, but walking next to you gets them yummy treats and walkies.
• Use your dogs environmental motivators as rewards! Okay, remember, our dogs walkies should be about them, and not always about us. They want to sniff? Mark? Say hello to another person or dog? Roll in something dead? Well shoot, use that to your advantage. Ask for a "sit" or "Watch me", then allow them to go and do their doggy thing. It doesnt always have to be about food.

Establishing boundaries to avoid doing a face-plant into the sidewalk makes for a nice outing, for both you and your dog.

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Dog Training Book Will It Be Valuable

Like several pet owners, you need todo dog training so that each you & your dog can appreciate the advantages of appropriate behavior. Possibly you are confused or only need to understand much more about the several techniques available. If this is you, then you ought to think about purchasing a few dog training books about training your dog as they could be beneficial in offering you with further understanding in this region.

Your dog is prepared to give you unconditional like & play with you & will eat whatever else you feed him (& additional). Unless you effectively & effectively train your pet, the advantages you will enjoy from him are much limited to that... & some negative behavior that could involve chewing up your furniture, shoes & something else that may well be about. The negative behavior could not be restricted to chewing. It could also incorporate barking out of control & not listening to you or any of your commands.
In the event you need to stay clear of negative dog behavior, you need to train your dog. Coaching a dog is a subject worth learning much more about for any who is thinking about becoming a dog owner. Numerous dog training books are offered to teach everyone how to adequately train their canines. You only must commit time & patience to read & discover.

By becoming constant in your dog coaching efforts, your dog will soon fine-tune his behavior & the positive aspects you reap will be worth it. You can purchase books with no even leaving the comfort of your dwelling thanks to the numerous sites that supply affordable dog training books on the net. Dog training books can be helpful for a lot all dog owners. There is usually thing new to find out about dog training, so you cannot ever read a great deal about it. Each you & your dog can benefit from learning thing new about dog training. Fundamentally take the time to train your dog & teach him everything they demands to know.

Rewarding your dog is the finest way to get him to adhere to your commands. Of coursework, you also must be persistent. Canines discover greatest by repeating actions over & over again. Dont despair, prior to you know it, they are going to be well trained & properly behaved. Your dog can be like other brilliant & incredible canines out there as lengthy as you devote top quality time training him & rewarding him.

Dog training books include lots of useful knowledge. You need to usually try to read more of these dog books as you might be amazed when you discover how considerably valuable facts is in these books. Each you & your dog will tremendously benefit from the knowledge you get from reading these dog training books & there is no doubt that you will be thrilled by the results.
Go ahead & talk to some close friends who have trained their canines. Ask them what they think of these books. They will definitely recommend a specific dog training book that could be helpful in coaching your own dog.

If youd like to know even much more ways to train your dog to be nicely behaved, play secure & respect your every command, then check out this review of the finest dog training ebook currently & see how someone, such as you & your dog, can learn to live in best harmony with no frustrating & aggressive episodes of bad dog behavior.

So it seems the question still remains, and thats will dog training book will be valuable or useful to collect?

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Teaching a dog previously kept outside to be calm inside the house

I have published the first tip of 25 for this year on my website.  You can view the article by following this link:
Teaching a dog previously kept outside to be calm inside the house


 
25 Dog and Puppy Training Tips:

For each month of the year, I will release 2 training tips that will be accessible for free at dogmantics.com.  If you simply cannot wait for the information to be published online, you can buy the collection of all 25 training tips in an ebook format here: 25 Dog and Puppy Training Tips
This is a list of all the tips included in the ebook, and that will be eventually available online:

1. Teaching a dog previously kept outside to be calm inside the house
2. The problem with ignoring unwanted behaviors
3. Fading a lure
4. Adding a verbal cue or changing a cue
5. Dogs and babies
6. Socializing tips- Our world can be a scary place!
7. What to do if your puppy bites you OUTSIDE of a training session
8. Changing your thinking from “I don’t like” to “I need to work on”
9. What to use as reinforcement
10. Treat deliveries
11. Teaching your puppy appropriate greetings on leash
12. Teaching “All done” for training sessions and dinnertime manners
13. Variety is the spice of life… and training!
14. Teaching your puppy to walk off leash
15. Don’t let your dog free feed
16. Don’t only work on one behavior at a time
17. Separation training tips
18. Monkey see, monkey do- Take advantage of social facilitation
19. Always remember to release your dog!
20. The importance of handling
21. Chewing
22. Teaching “Drop” and “Get it”
23. What to do if your puppy sits and refuses to budge on a walk
24. Generalizing
25. Training your dog to do absolutely… NOTHING!

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Could this be the next horse for me

Meet "Steel Lass," a retired 12 year old thoroughbred racehorse. 

Jake (also very enthused about horses) made this video, which shows Steel probably enjoyed running on a muddy track ;) It starts AFTER she rolled in the big puddle, and shows how much fun she has playing in it:

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