Dakota
The family of a Siberian Husky who I knew very well came to me with news that he had gotten out of his fence and was struck by a car. The police indicated that he probably died instantaneously, thankfully. This family had taken a very difficult dog and given him a wonderful and loving home – I hope they never regret it for a minute. Goodbye Dakota.
Arctic White Wolf – Canis Lupus Arctos
Arctic White Wolf – Canis Lupus Arctos, originally uploaded by Abo – Julien Robitaille. <!– @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –>
Barking, Part 1
Barking is a complex area of dog training that people come to me about for a wide spectrum of reasons. Problem barking can completely disrupt a family’s daily life when it causes conflict with neighbors and other dogs. Remember, though, that humans have depended upon dogs for thousands of years to warn us of intruders and discourage whatever ill intentions are brought to our door. They bark to do this – we have created and encouraged it.
Problem barking, though, can have seemingly countless causes and it is critically important when dealing with it, to identify the cause. Some of these are rooted in separation, anxiety, fear, or attention seeking. Others may stem from needs that they need to express from hunger, thirst, pain, or needing walkies.
Okay, so lets consider one example – your dog barks when you leave the house. You come back home and the neighbors are giving you dirty looks and there’s a friendly note from your landlord taped to the door. It’s time to do something. Start by going to the door and opening it. Chances are your dog will come running. Calmly use the “sit” and “stay” command. Controlled, positive energy is very important here. Slow your breathing and speak softly. Mark and reward periods of quiet calm, regardless of how brief. Start with what they can do and build on that. Work toward being able to open the door without barking, then step outside briefly, then close the door for a few seconds. Build on this slowly.
In dog training, it is important to analyze a problem and identify its roots. Then decide upon and implement an approach to deal with it. Be ready to break things down into as many small steps as necessary.
The Naughty Beagle (Exhibit B)
Walkies –
Potty Training -
There are so many good articles online and books on potty training. I think it is best to approach potty training while looking at triggers (things that cause your puppy to go in the house) like excitement and playing, fear and anxiety, environmental changes, etc., while at the same time attacking the issue behaviorally.
First of all, NO rolled up newspapers and NO doggie noses in the mess – PLEASE. Physical punishment will cause fear and make things worse – sure they will get the idea eventually but it will take longer (by typically around two weeks). Use treats and attention when they do well, withdraw attention and move on when they don’t. In other words, emphasize the good they do, de-emphasize when they make mistakes. Positive reinforcement.
Three Dog Road Trip
Dogs and cars – a potentially troublesome mixture. Alot of people express to me concerns having to do with their dog’s fear or aversion to riding in them. I try to start by having a dog sit calmly in the back seat with all the doors open for a few minutes (or seconds if that is all they can do). Click and reward for calm responses to this – start slow. If the dog is quiet for 5 seconds, reward that and build on it, up to maybe a minute or so. Then work toward being able to close doors. Then gradually build toward putting the key in the ignition and eventually start the car. Don’t be discouraged if this can take weeks.
Keep building on this and eventually you will be able to drive around a bit. Patience and refraining from pushing them too far too fast are very important.
Photos Finally Up Now
I played around with ZenPhoto some and came across a theme I like and as promised to some, I now have pictures posted here. I’m looking for a way to incorporate Lightbox 2 which I still think is the coolest way I’ve seen to display graphic content. But for now, this will definitely get things rollong. As of now the only way I have of getting pics to me is by email at wolsen@sheepdog616.org.
A Dog’s Life by davedehaan. www.deviantart.com
photo
I found this somewhere online – please don’t sue me if it’s yours.
Show me yours – dog pictures
I love to see pictures of people’s dogs. My latest solution to sharing them through this site can be found here . Mail photos to wolsen@sheepdog616.org and I will post them here. A couple of them I have received already are there – Boots and Casey, a couple of wonderful canine souls who I had the pleasure to work with and I am so proud of.
Marking…no, not peeing
“Marking” in dog training can actually mean two different things. Many people automatically associate the term “marking” with urine marking as a territorial behavior. A much different meaning for this term has to do with providing immediate feedback when a dog responds to commands or prompts, or performs a task or behavior we want to establish.
One of the factors that determines how well a dog will respond to training has to do with the timing of praise and rewards. A dog needs to know that he/she has done something good the instant it happens. When teaching “sit”, for example, you need to mark (say a marker word like “good” or use a clicker) the instant the dog’s backside hits the ground – and then use a reward like attention or a treat. If you mark two seconds later, a dog will think it’s being rewarded for sniffing or turning its head.
Notice that marking and rewarding are two different things. Marking refers to the immediate feedback and the reward is given to reinforce the marker. Consider for example an attention excersize that I begin any beginning level class with. You would begin by luring the dog’s eyes to you with a treat and say “look”. Then, once you establish eye contact for the appropriate amount of time you would say “good” or use a clicker. This is the marker. You would then give a treat, which is the reward.
Hi All…
As promised I have finally gotten my dog training weblog started, which will hopefully provide useful information and resources for my dog training students and anyone else who is interested. If I have given you instructions as to how to reach this site, please leave a comment and let me know you found it. Please include your dog’s name – I try to warn people that I’m more likely to remember people’s dog’s name rather than theirs. Sorry, it’s just how my brain works…
Bill