The One Year Old Dog Can You Get Past This Destructive Stage Part 1

My son was at a birthday party recently when one of the moms wanted to know if she could ask me a dog question. (This happens quite often actually. Once someone finds out that I train dogs, they almost always want to ask my advice... which Im happy to give.)

She wanted to know what to do about a dog that was starting to chew things up. My question was, "Is your dog a year old?" She looked surprised and said yes. 

I cant tell you how many times I am contacted by owners of a one year old dog (or close to a year old). Just when people think they are past the crazy puppyhood stage and their dog is in his or her now mostly grown body and therefore must surely be starting to act like an adult dog, whamo! Surprise! Your couch is gone! Your new shoes are in shreds. Your sprinkler system is in pieces. You have a new hole to China in your backyard. Your remote control has been molded into a new shape by canine teeth. I mean, cmon, a remote control? How could a dog possibly find that tasty?

One of the first things I tell people who own a young puppy, like 4-5 months old, is that the stage they are in is called the teething stage... goodbye sharp puppy teeth (yay!), hello dull adult teeth (yay... for the moment!). But this is NOT the worst stage. This is NOT the chewing, destructive stage. Save that for the one year old dog. 

Ever been to an animal shelter? Ever looked into the eyes of the eternally hopeful, wondering what they did wrong, why their families abandoned them? Ever noticed that the vast majority of those dogs are around 1-2 years old? Most people dont realize how destructive dogs can be at that age and simply put, they are unwilling to accept it or do anything to help solve the problem. Bye bye, Fido! You ate our kitchen cabinets and now you can be someone elses problem... and thats if youre lucky enough to get out of the shelter.

The most important thing to realize is that almost all dogs will chew and be destructive. (I mean, there are web sites dedicated to Dog Shaming so you know if you own a destructive dog, its not just you!) But it wont last forever! There is a light at the end of the tunnel! And although you may not be able to bi-pass this stage completely, you can get past it with minimal damage if you do the right things. 

To find out how you can survive this stage, stay tuned for Part 2 of this blog. 

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How to get your dogs attention

Here is a long overdue training post on what I consider the beginning of focus work.

Getting your dogs attention is the first step in building your foundation to having a really reliable recall and for focus work later if needed. To accomplish this the first thing I do is teach the dog that its name is valuable. When I say the dogs name "Fido" and they look at me I praise them verbally. "Good dog!" A happy tone of voice is important for verbal praise. Otherwise it has no meaning to the dog. If the dog comes over to me I will also add physical praise like petting and stroking if they like it. Note: not all dogs like to be handled, some are touch sensitive. Skip petting for a touch sensitive dog. Do not pet your dog on the top of its head. Most dogs dislike this form of petting. (Watch your dog closely when you do this, do they pull away or duck? If so they are trying to avoid it.) I will also have a happy facial expression whenever I praise a dog. Remember body language is our dogs first language so they learn to read our body and facial expressions very quickly. If they come over I might also add play and/or a food reward. Our goal is to build a positive association to their name and our contact with them.
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A review about using praise ~ The 5 most commons ways we can praise our dogs are:
1) verbally - in a happy tone
2) physically - if they like being touched
3) by smiling - communication in language they understand
4) engaging in play - fetch, tug, games they enjoy
and
5) using food rewards - high value treats
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Because we cant call a dog to us unless they are paying attention we need to teach the attention first. We cannot guarantee we have that attention unless they are physically looking at us. Even then remember that we are competing with things we dont smell or hear so we may not have 100% of their attention, especially if we are outside. If they are sniffing something or looking at something else they are not trying to ignore you. Most times they are just focused on what has their attention and they dont hear us. Saying the dogs name and rewarding them for looking at us is the start of building great focus.
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The next step is teaching the dog what the word "come" actually means to us. Now because I want "come" to always mean come to me and sit I teach it that way. If you want the dog to just come closer use a different word. Example: I use "lets go" to mean come along with me. One of the most important things to remember when using the word/cue "come" is to never use it for anything the dog considers a negative reason. For instance if they hate getting a bath and you call them to you and then stick them in the tub you will poison that cue. They will pause the next time you call them because youve used it with a negative association to them. For this reason I also use a completely different word for lets go back into the house or playtime is over. (sidenote tip: to get dogs to want to come back into the house or car toss some well loved treats and/or a favorite toy on the floor as you go out so as soon as the dog walks back into the house or car they get magically rewarded.)
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You can teach your recall in a few ways, this is just one of them. I tend to begin with lure reward training especially if the dog hasnt learned his name means anything. Put the treat in front of the dogs nose and back away from them a few steps pulling the treat in front of your legs so they target their nose on it. AS they are coming towards you say the cue word "come". The reason you say the word as they are doing it is to pair the word with the action for the dog. Dont repeat your cue. When the dog gets to the treat simply raise it slightly back over the dogs head so they sit. You can also say the word sit AS they are sitting. Say "yes", your verbal marker (or click) and give the treat after they sit. My hand action pulling the treat towards me, and pulling the treat up, also become hand signals later for the commands. (Lure reward training is also excellent to use with deaf dogs. Use a thumbs up signal for your reward marker signal.)
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If you teach your dog its name has meaning you will notice the dog starts coming to you before you say the actual cue word "come". It can become its own pre-recall command so make sure you separate the name from the come command with a few seconds. Otherwise "Fido come" becomes the command which isnt the goal because then when you say the word "come" alone they may not understand what you want. "Fido" should mean look at me so you can pair it with other things later, not just for the recall. Whenever my dogs come to me I always reward them in some way. EVERY time. This keeps the recall worthwhile to them. Remember that dogs are very much "Whats in it for me" creatures. Rewarding them also establishes that coming to me gets them good things and therefore makes the recall a positive association. Most people have problems getting a dog to come when called because they try calling them when the dog is engaged in a more fun behavior. If we make the recall more fun than everything else that problem will resolve.
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Now I know some clicker trainers prefer to get the dog doing a behavior reliably before they name it for the dog. This is also ok as long as everyone understands what they need to do to make that work. I find some people have a hard time not speaking to their dogs so I think this way accommodates that issue. There are some things I also teach before naming and putting on a cue, this just isnt one of them. (for me)
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Trouble shooting: If your dog doesnt look at you when you say its name add sound. Clap your hands or make kissing noises. Say the name happily when they do finally look. Shake a toy when they look. Make them want to come to you. Whatever you do do NOT get annoyed and yell at them. Remember we are making positive associations. Practice inside first where there are fewer distractions. When moving your recall practice outside the house start out closer to the dog to be sure you can get their attention. Increase your distance over time. Do NOT say come until the dog is looking at you and on its way towards you. Make sure you remember to have them sit when they get to you. Dont repeat your cue "come" but you can make other noises to encourage forward movement. Keep practice sessions short so they stay fun.
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Happy training!
Marie Finnegan

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Browse > Home / Dog Training Tips, Featured / All The Help You Can Get To Train Your Dog

All The Help You Can Get To Train Your Dog

October 5, 2009 by admin
Filed under Dog Training Tips, Featured

3 Comments

No-one is about to claim that training a dog is an easy thing to do. Dogs are animals with personalities, and whether or not those personalities are amenable to training, they will present different challenges with each different dog. It cannot be denied that some are easier to train than others, but no dog is untrainable. It is simply the case that some dogs need to be given more of a chance than others to pick up what their master wants them to learn. After all, humans are the same – if you got straight As in your freshman year of high school, congratulations, but you are in a minority.
So it makes sense that there is help that can be found to improve the behavior of a dog you are finding hard to train. As ordinary “civilians” when it comes to the overall behavioral patterns of a pet dog, it goes without saying that we will not magically have access to the “button” inside a dog’s mind that makes it behave well, perform tricks or anything else you want it to do. There are professionals who have written books and made DVDs showing helpful tips and hints, and a wealth of websites which do the same.
You may even take your dog to a trainer who will be able to identify ways to get it behaving the way you would like. The expense of doing this makes it something that you may not want to do too regularly, but if all else fails it can be beneficial to you and to your dog.

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Giant Dogs How Big It Can Get

A giant dog breed is any of many dog breeds whose height and weight put them at the largest end of all dog breeds. But how big it can get? There is no universal height or weight at which a breed is classified as a giant breed; any very large dogs fall into this category, although some groups define "giant breed" based on a certain height or weight, such as 100 pounds. Giant breeds grow rapidly, but take longer to mature into their full adult sizes than smaller dogs.

Well that is the series of Giant Dogs, How Big It Can Get?...

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Turns out it can always get worse

Jenny is NOT a happy camper. Yesterday she was very red and she started to have a flare up again. So I gave her a medicated bath and put the benadryl to her. At lunch time today she didnt look to bad. I had given her things to chew to keep her busy and I thought she even looked a bit better. Then I came home tonight to this:

WTH? She was miserable. So back into the tub she went. Luckily I also picked up more cipro for the infection. I grabbed a different antihistamine to try because the benadryl seems to not be as effective as it used to be. I am SO glad I made the appointment with the specialist but I am feeling very frustrated that she has to suffer so much in the meantime. Im really hoping there is an end in sight to this. I feel so bad for her.

(She is currently curled up beside me sleeping. Maybe this means the chlorpheniramine has kicked in. Fingers crossed.)

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Flattery will get you everywhere

http://www.vet-tech-schools.org/dog-training

Click the link and check it out:
http://www.vet-tech-schools.org/dog-training

Im not gonna lie. I am hugely flattered by this. Some of those other blogs they list are awesome! And here is the post of mine that they reference on The Dog Whisperer. Its always nice to be noticed for the work you do. Talk about positive reinforcement!!

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How to Stop a Dog Barking and Get a Good Night Sleep

Perhaps one of the most persistently complained of dog behavior problem is barking. Fortunately, the question of how to stop a barking dog is something that most owners should be able to answer provided they properly understand the underlying causes of this particular type of dog behavior problem, and implement strategies to address it...

Firstly, its important not to forget that dogs are supposed to bark. Its an inherent dynamic of their psyche, its one of the ways they communicate. Consider this, if someone was entering your back yard with a view to burgling your home, youd want your dog to bark, right?






However, if your dog barks to a degree which far exceeds need or duty, it is possible to stop dog barking by consistent conditioning, thereby eliminating the unnecessary and often frustrating noise (the part driving you and your neighbors increasingly nuts). By doing so, youll improve your relationship with your pet by being prepared to listen and respond appropriately when your dogs barking response is invoked (not to mention improving your relationship with those suffering needlessly next door). Your goal is to be able to fulfill the dual role of master, and best friend.

Fear Based Barking

Most dog barking problems develop during 6-8 months of age, during a period where your dogs barking is more likely to be fear based than protective. The problem is exacerbated in dogs with limited socialization. The less confident your dog, the more likely they are to be prone to excessive barking. Positive experiences and reinforcement of your dogs level of confidence can have dramatic effects on their levels of barking, particularly during this phase of their development.

Whether your dog is young or older, it is essential that problem or fear based barking is not reinforced by your response to it. You want your dog to feel confident. When your dog displays uneasy behavior (such as shackles risen) its often our natural reaction to try to reassure. We might pat them, and tell them ok, but frequently in doing so we communicate with a slightly concerned tone. We of course are concerned...we want our dog to be calm! But to our dog, they interpret this as us reinforcing that there is something to be fearful of. The best response is to simply and confidently tell your dog theres nothing wrong. Adopt an everything is great attitude, and your dog will follow.

Assertive/Alert Barking

Beyond fear based barking is your dogs need to assert themselves as being on alert. Frequently this results in them spending an hour barking like crazy at the garden hose rather than achieving any purposeful watchdog role. This too can be curbed by understanding why it is that your dog is acting this way.

Your dog understands that its their duty to alert their owners. What they often need to have reinforced is that whilst their job is to alert their owners, barring extreme circumstances, they are then supposed to hand responsibility to responding to any perceived threat over to you. That is to say, youre the leader, your dog is part of your pack, and you must take responsibility for that dominance.

How do we achieve this? Firstly, give credence to your dogs barking. Take a look why they might be creating a fuss. Dont just tell your dog to be quiet from inside the kitchen, head on out and see whats the cause. It might be a neighbour, it might be the mailman (it really might just be the garden hose). But whatever it is, do your part and see. If your dog persists with barking once their role is fulfilled however, then its not only appropriate but essential that you let them know they are overstepping the line. Youre the master. Once your dog has seen you have assessed the situation, then you should confidently and clearly reprimand them for continuing to bark. Take it one step further. Call your dog over, and with your sitting next to you take hold of their collar with one hand. With your other hand, carefully but firmly place your left hand over your dogs muzzle and press down (be sure the pressure is not uncomfortable). At the same time, issue a single command in a calm but confident voice, such as "Quiet". Dont yell at your dog. They will hear this as similar to a bark and it only serves to reinforce that there is something worth barking at. Its imperative to remember that dogs dont communicate the same way we do. By commanding them to be quiet calmly and confidently, together with imobilising your dogs head with your hand, you are exerting your dominance in a manner similar to that which might be displayed by a normal dog pack leader when silencing a noisy dog. By doing this anywhere up to a dozen times, your dog will begin to associate the command "Quiet" with the need to stop barking.

You can in fact set up this conditioning without having to wait for situational barking. Find something that triggers your dogs warning barking. It might be knocking on the door for example. After one or two barks, stop knocking and do something to get their attention. As soon as their attention is drawn to you and they stop barking, say "Quiet" or whichever command you have selected, and reward your dog. Positive reinforcement when your dog stops barking can be assisted by aids like food treats. Apply this when first training your dog with this technique, and gradually decrease the use of food treats. You should aim to get to the stage where you can simply pat your dog or say "good dog" or a like comment. Its important to apply this technique only when your dogs barking is unnecessary. As stated earlier, there will be situations where you want your dog to bark, and the bark response is not something you may want to extinguish completely.

Dog Barking Triggers

If you cant get your dog to stop barking at anything and everything, attempt to eliminate some of the triggers which set off the dog barking. This might be as simple as removing their exposure to the trigger. For example, put them in their enclosure if a neighbor is expected. Say your dog guards the north side of your fence from the neighbors dog it might seem obvious but remove your dogs access to his post. With the absence of temptation comes salvation.

If outright isolation from a trigger is not possible, before a barking trigger event occurs (such as the mailman arriving) call your dog and instruct it to sit. Provide your dog with praise and reinforcement for compliance. Better yet, eliminate the trigger as being perceived as a potential threat. Introduce them to the neighbor or mailman, let them give your dog a treat. If necessary, have them start off from afar, and reassure your dog calmly and confidently as they approach. Let them throw treats to your dog, and as they get closer, hand them directly. Engendering loyalty in dogs with your encouragement to others, or by way of controlled exposure to something causing your dog concern, is a great way to eliminate alarm.

Attention Seeking

If you cant stop dog barking because your dog wants attention, this requires some more interventionist methods, and the appreciation that your own actions may at some stage have contributed to the problem. Attention seeking barking is a learned response. Like children, dogs find out what works, or what they can get away with, and repeat it. If you let your dog into the house whenever he barks, whenever he wants to get in hell bark. If you try and ignore them, the barking will become more persistent, often to the point of extreme frustration. Worse still, if you ultimately accede to their demands (say at 3am, out of desperation) it only reinforces that persistence results in success. Instead, try waiting for a point where they stop barking, then let them in. For particularly determined barkers, try coupling this with a deterrent, such as a squirt bottle, for more rapid results. Diverting this type of barking behavior may take more time, and success may be gradual, but it is achievable.

Boredom Dog Barking

If your dog is barking because they are bored, then your attention to their needs may be the simplest and fastest solution. There are a mass of dog related products on the market which are relatively inexpensive. Chew toys, balls, and a range of other toys can keep your friend occupied until you get home to give them their much needed exercise. Try altering their routine and give them plenty of options to keep them quiet.

Frequently, being able to isolate your dogs anxieties, needs or motivations is key to achieving that which you both want, which in your case is a happy (and quiet) pet.

To your success in dogtraining

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