Are we misusing the eCollar?

I love the eCollar as a tool. I initially didn’t want to use it, but when a client insisted, I learned how to use an eCollar. I was honestly astounded by how effective it was. The collar accomplished in two weeks what my other training techniques hadn’t in two months. Their Australian Shepard, who would regularly gallivant in the woods, became a safe and cooperative hiking companion who could enjoy the trails without risking getting lost in them. She responded to that type of pressure intuitively and with irritation at worst. She didn’t yelp. She wasn’t upset when it went on. She learned her job was to come back to me. Because of the eCollar she enjoyed a lot more freedom and she really enjoyed no longer getting into trouble. 

Despite how effective I have found it, the eCollar is often the last tool I recommend. I don’t want my clients to spend the money if they don’t have to. I don’t want to jump to one of the most intense tools before trying the more subtle techniques I have found to be miraculously effective. I want my clients to invest time in the foundation of their relationship, to go back to basics, to make changes in the way they see their dog and become more aware of their relating dynamic. I teach my client to understand their culture, their body language and learn to speak dog.

The way our dog sees us, the way they feel about us, and how that makes them feel about the world plays in to every training situation I’ve ever been in. Whether you follow through on commands, how often you advocate for them in public, and whether or not you move through your life reinforcing good manners can all have a huge effect on whatever is going ‘wrong’ for your dog. Before we address what we are asking the dog to do, we have to ask if we are the kind of person our dog wants to listen to? People are not aware of their behavior is being interpreted by their dog and often our most loving behaviors can have an adverse effect on our dogs.

I don’t use the eCollar until I have made sure my clients have an effective way of communicating with their dog. If they talk to their dog without relevant content such as a command, their dog is less likely to listen in general. If my clients give up and don’t follow through on commands, cooperation becomes optional. If there is no consequence for ignoring commands, their dog has no incentive to listen. Making changes in how they communicate with their dogs can completely shift how responsive the dog are to them, no eCollar necessary. 

I don’t use the eCollar until I have made sure we have clearly explained how we want the situation or action to look to the dog. We set up many moments throughout the day to practice this new way of doing things. I teach a client to read their dog’s stimulation and excitement level so they can shift their communication to be effective in that moment, pause or retreat as needed. I make sure they redo each action if they don’t get it right the first time so the dog learns the new way is the only way from now on. I have them slowly build the stimulation level as the dog is reliably successful so we don’t put them in a situation where they regress to the less desirable or problematic behavior. 

Dogs that tend to respond well to the eCollar aren’t motivated by incentives or rewards like treats, activities, affection and attention. They aren’t effectively and reliably deterred by energetic, body language and leash corrections. Some dogs are thick skinned - literally. They need more disincentive than I’m capable of giving. The eCollar provides subtle then incrementally more of an uncomfortable feeling until the dog decides it’s annoying enough to change course. The stimulation levels on the collar I like go so low that humans can’t feel it. At the lightest stimulation your dog responds to it’s a light tap or tingle, just enough to get a calm dog to check in with you. You incrementally increase the stimulation as you move through the command structure I teach. 

Say it clearly, but pleasantly. Wait a beat to see if you get a response from them or not. Say it again adding your dog's name and a clap if they are at a distance. Wait a beat. Give the command more sternly, using your energy, posture, facial expression and a stern, gravely tone of voice. Wait a beat then go make whatever you asked for happen or change the situation. With the eCollar, we add in a low level stimulation if our dog doesn’t respond when we wait a beat after the third time we give the verbal command then increase it incrementally on each repetition.

It takes time to acclimate a dog to the eCollar. Ideally they have a day or two to smell it and wear it around the house. On leash or a long line, set up minor situations where your dog may ignore you and starting at level 1 find the lightest stimulation that will cause them to pause or bring their attention back to you. If there is a twitch or yelp you are too high and I just told you to start at level 1. When they feel the stimulation, use the leash and your body language with verbal commands to guide them into whatever you just asked them to do. Just like everything else, introduce these concepts in the quietest possible situation and as they understand and become reliable, increase the distractions - like practicing in a hallway or the yard, then in busier and more interesting areas incrementally the more reliable they are and take a step back if they start to fail. You want your dog to associate the stimulation with checking in with you, coming back to you, or stopping ignoring you.

There are certain training challenges that the eCollar is well suited for. I have used it most often for training reliable recall for dogs that want to go off leash hiking. These dogs may have a high pray drive and could die or get lost chasing wildlife. Sometimes dogs are more defiant, willful or stubborn. They cannot be incentivized to be cooperative. The collar, like a big speed bump or a speeding ticket, creates and unpleasant, but not painful or traumatic consequence for ignoring us, the kind humans who cherish their health and safety above all and need for them to listen. Using the collar, these dogs’ attitudes have shifted and their singlemindedness decalcified. They become dogs that are happily in the habit of being cooperative and they bloom as a companion.

If your issue is something that happens only when you aren’t in the room, the collar can be useful for ‘touching' your dog when you aren’t close. Counter-surfing, chewing, climbing on furniture, digging in the yard, eating poo, nuisance barking. Some of these require setting up a camera or video calling yourself so you can spy on your dog and use the stimulation at the appropriate timing and level to deter the behavior, watching their body language . You have to practice for long enough and often enough to truly break these habits. A few set ups isn’t enough unless you use the collar at a traumatic level. You have to carry the collar on you constantly to get the timing right. It’s a commitment and not a quick fix.

Occasionally I have used the eCollar on a dog who is pulling on the leash in a way that is physically dangerous to them and to me. The collar can provide added incentive after we have addressed this pulling at the foundational training levels of building a respectful relationship, practicing self regulation and impulse inhibition, and giving clear commands with appropriate rewards and a clear consequence structure. This tool doesn’t physically hurt your dog, but years of dragging you on a taught leash can. It is also socially responsible to take strong steps to address this as it could be dangerous for you, your dog and others out in public. A dog who can drag you is a serious situation.

After my initial training approach has time to take effect, usually 6-8 weeks, I will sometimes use the collar on reactive dogs. The collar can be a way of reaching a dog beyond his mental capabilities in a strong reaction. When a dog is reacting, they aren’t in their thinking brain. They can’t process language into the alternative appropriate action. They probably can’t even hear you. If my initial recommendations of giving clear commands with a clear consequence structure, building a respectful relationship, and slowly working with the trigger in incremental stimulation levels fails, we add in the stimulation of the collar to get their attention and disincentivize the reaction. Many of us learn at an early age we will get in trouble for hitting. In that moment of anger the threat or memory of the potential consequence is enough to get us to figure out how to process those difficult feelings in a different way. When a dog doesn’t like how they feel when they react they will find an alternative, take the quit cue earlier and more gently, and start behaving more thoughtfully. It is essential that a reactive dog trust you before introducing the collar in this training scenario.

I sincerely believe the collar is a great tool. It has solved training challenges that other tools failed to shift. I have been living on the road for six months and I have one in my car. I’ve been staying with dogs, but I haven’t had to use it once. Why? Because the relational shifts and the way we move about the world with creating the dog we want in mind was always enough to guide a dog out of bad habits and into new, better ones. When a trainer tells you to put a collar on your puppy, gives you a collar at the first session, advertises themselves as eCollar trainers, or suggests the eCollar without teaching you about how your dog sees you, is using the tool because it’s fast and easy and not because it’s really right for you and your dog. 

As a dog owner you have to look at any problem you are having with your dog and consider whether or not, in general, they respect you enough to listen to you. You need to clear up your communication so you can show your dog exactly what you want. Ideally you are practicing the skills you need to be successful and building the thoughtful, cooperative mindset your dog needs to become a true teammate. Have you set them up to meet this challenge? Have you moved incrementally through stimulation levels, showing them what you want and making sure they experience success? 

To me, this is what dog training is. Understanding how we affect our dogs, becoming more aware in our interactions, setting our dogs up to win and seeking to truly understand them instead of jumping to a quick fix and essentially relying only on pain to teach them.

I love the eCollar as a tool, but it concerns me that the article teaching how to set it up is the most popular article in the ‘how to’ guides of my website. It concerns me how often I see dog trainers extolling it’s benefits and effectiveness to owners who are desperate for a fast resolution to their frustrations. I am deeply worried when I hear owners recommending it to each other on forums as a first step, especially when they don’t also recommend having a trainer teach you how. I will always be open to using the eCollar, but I will continue to use it after other approaches have fallen short and no earlier in the training than that.

European dogs are better (and it’s all our fault)

I have been in Italy and Switzerland for the past three weeks and one thing I noticed right away is that European dogs are better behaved than American dogs.

There seems to be slightly less dogs here, but they are in more places. Dogs in restaurants. Dogs on buses or in the train station. Dogs in shops. The dogs go everywhere with the owner, many walking on a harness with a loose leash and being very settled and calm in their mentality.

These dogs are out and about. They look around. They enjoy the scenery and smells of the world. They are having a good time. One very clear difference that explains why these dogs are so good out in public is that no one on the street stops to greet or pet them therefore they don't excitedly pull towards anyone walking by because they have no expectation of a potential reward.

This may seem counter intuitive - less attention equals more happiness? Many of the issues I see in dogs at home is that they are at a baseline of being overstimulated and overexcited. From that overexcited mindset when they are out of the house they can't make good choices socially and engage in impulsive behaviors like pulling on the leash or dragging towards objects of interest like other dogs, people, squirrels, or smells.

All the petting by strangers actually rewards that impulsive and excited mindset. First of all, dragging towards someone gets rewarded with pets so that is a behavior a dog will continue to engage in because it was successful. Second, the type of mindset that would drag is rewarded, creating positive associations with being in that mindset.

This is all because the owners or the people doing the petting don't know that most dogs they see are overexcited. They also would never think not to pet an excited dog. Why wouldn't we want to reward excitement? We as humans covet that state! This could also be because the owners don't feel comfortable risking being seen as rude by asking people not to pet their dog or to wait until their dog is calm. They may not even know how to calm their dog down!

I had heard this about Europe - that many dogs are able to walk happily next to their owners off leash through busy streets because it isn't customary to pet other people's dogs, thus the dog is able to calmly focus on his job and enjoys quite a bit more freedom than our over-pet American dogs do. Do you think a dog would rather get less pets and enjoy a life of going everywhere with their owner off leash or more pets but less outings and a life of pulling on the leash?

To be fair, I have noticed that while the European dogs are much better behaved around people, the dogs here tend to react badly when they see another dog. That same calm dog will begin barking and the owners, much like their American counterparts, will either ignore it, give a too subtle correction that goes unnoticed or unheeded by the dog or, worst of all, pet their dog in an attempt to calm them which accidentally rewards the very behavior they are trying to disincentivize.

Because dogs are primarily human companions, many dogs in today's world don't know how to dog! They don't know how to interact or how to react when they see another dog. A dog will bark either out of overexcitement, an attempt to interact or a reactive knee jerk response because they feel the other dog is a potential threat or that they need to protect their owner.

While there are actions we can and should take in the moment to dissuade our dog from barking such as giving a stern 'No' at an intensity that draws our dog's attention, creating a pulsing pressure on the leash that brings their focus back to us or giving them something else to focus on, like walking back and forth, in a circle or in a figure 8 until they settle down, I think it’s vital to look at the cause of the barking to be able to address the problem at the source and solve it instead of only managing it in the moment it occurs.

If a dog is under-socialized and doesn't know how to act around other dogs, it's our obligation as owners to socialize them. This can be done at a competent daycare, but should be begun slowly and early in their life (see our Dog Dating article for more tips).

If your dog is over excited, look at all the places in your life where you reward an excited mindset. Do you pet your dog when they are in a stimulated state or every time they solicit attention? Do you leash a dog that is barking, spinning in circles or jumping on you? Do you leave the house after your dog dragged you down the hallway? Do you feed a dog that is shoving his nose in the bowl before it can reach the ground? Do you let a dog out of the door that gets in front of you and pushes his nose into the crack the moment it opens? Does your dog leap out of the car the second the door is wide enough? Can your dog get off and stay off of furniture when asked? If you 'reward' these impulsive driven behaviors by giving the dog the thing they want of course you will get more of the same and in moments you don't want it. As trainers, we take the natural rewards of life and use them as moments to practice being calm and patient to encourage that mindset. The more a dog is asked to go from an excited state to a calm one, the more accessible and normal that calm state will be.

Finally, if your dog is reactive or feels he needs to protect you, it's important to look at how your dog perceives you and your relationship. When dogs greet each other for the first time, they immediately begin to feel each other out so they know where they fall in the social system. Often one dog will do something rude and see if the other dog submits to it, tolerates it or doesn't allow it. This gives response gives them feedback about their relationship and what they can and can't get away with when it comes to interacting with that dog. Sometimes dogs need to have this conversation over and over depending on the combination of personality types.

Back to us humans. Many behaviors that we think are cute, sweet or loving are actually, unfortunately quite rude in dog culture. They amount to a dog 'feeling us out' and seeing what they can get away with. By allowing these behaviors, or rewarding them, we show our dog that we are a sucker and they can walk all over us - often literally. When a dog sees us as a bit of a push over and feels they are 'above us' there is a downside. In their culture, being ‘above’ someone means they are responsible for them. If they are responsible for us and a potential threat, like another dog, is approaching, well, the best defense is a good offense. From here we get barking, growling, lunging, the raising of hackles and other antisocial behaviors from dogs that aren’t truly aggressive, just confused.

Luckily, the cure for this unfortunate dynamic lies within our power. If we can learn dog language and culture and shift how we respond to certain behaviors we can change how our dog sees us and the world. This will improve their lives in so many ways. While they may enjoy it, they don't 'need' unlimited love, instant gratification, affection from strangers or a lack of boundaries at home. What they most need is a sense of safety: to know that someone has their back and will advocate for them and to feel that they have a competent leader they trust to receive direction from. They don’t need an overly permissive parent to enjoy life, they need a good boss.

When I shifted my relationship with my dog from an indulgent one to a more structured one the transformation I saw in her was nothing short of miraculous. Our relationship became more subtle. There was room for her personality to come out. Her interactions with other dogs, which at the point I applied this training intervention were devastating and dangerous, became calm and confident. Honestly, remembering and writing that makes me tear up. In shifting how I interacted with my dog to a style that was more focused on what was actually good for her and less about what I wanted to be good for her or what felt good to me was love in the most pure and selfless form. It changed her life and my life, too. I'm so grateful I get to share this information with others and help improve the lives of dogs and their owners around the world.

Is your dog a good houseguest?

Imagine if your friend asked if they could bring a friend over to your house. This friend of your friend barges in and immediately starts inspecting every thing you own. They open your cabinets, rummage through your fridge, jump on your bed, then go dig a hole in your yard. After that they track mud in and lay down on your couch, kicking their dirty feet up on your favorite pillow. By this point you have served food and it looks good to your new houseguest, so they reach over and grab a bite right off your plate. Meanwhile your friend is oblivious. They have a close relationship with this person and aren’t really paying attention. In fact, they assume you must like them as much as they do!

I don’t usually let people bring their dogs to my house, but this describes a porch visit this week when a friend of a friend brought her dog over. This behavior is slightly more acceptable from a dog than a human, but still rude and ultimately unnecessary.

If you want your dog to get an invite back to your friend’s houses, be sure you have covered the following skillsets at home before you venture into new environments.

Pay attention to your dog

Your dog is your responsibility. As part of our training we teach owners to be subtly tuned into their dog at all times. Just like checking your blind spot before changing lanes is an ingrained habit, checking on your dog when they are off leash in a new environment - even a fenced one - should become a habit to the tune of a glace every few seconds, especially for the first hour you are there. I recommend bringing your dog over on leash and keeping them on leash until they have time to acclimate to the environment and calm down. Then watch as they start to explore, checking in with them and maintaining the good boundaries you have at home. A light "eh-eh" command in time is worth 100 loud ’"No’"s too late.

Stay off the furniture

We teach the ‘off’ command as part of our basic training and ask that dogs stay off the furniture for a period of time. Not only does staying off the furniture change the way our dogs view our relationship dynamic and help them listen better, but we are laying the foundation for an important skill: the ability to stay off furniture when asked. This is because at some point in your dogs’ life they will encounter a couch they need to stay off of. If you can’t keep your dog off the furniture at home, you won’t be able to in a new environment. We recommend setting boundaries around your couch and bed, only letting your dog up when invited and only if they get down promptly and willingly with one "off.”

Avoid human food

We don’t recommend feeding table scraps to dogs because it creates an unhealthy association that can lead to problematic behaviors including begging and stealing food off the table. You don’t want everyone present to have to guard their plate or be mindful of where they leave food because your dog can’t help themselves from stealing it. At home keep your dog out of your space while you eat and don’t build an association between you eating and them getting a bite.

Respect personal space

We teach that your personal space bubble is about the length of your wingspan. Put your arm straight out from the shoulder and imagine a line going down to the floor around you. That is your bubble! We ask that dogs stay out of this bubble unless they are invited in. The reason we ask owners to be mindful of enforcing this boundary with their dogs at home is so dogs default to it when meeting new people and dogs. You don’t want your dog to be jumping on people, climbing into their laps, squeezing next to them on furniture or putting their dirty paws up on people’s legs. Help your dog to understand barging into people’s space is off limits with you and everyone.

Respect property

Let’s start with no digging and add no destroying things, dog toys or otherwise.

As a dog trainer, I am very picky with which dogs come over to my house. On walks I prefer to take the leash from my friends, finding it easier to work with a dog than watch my friend halfheartedly fumble through cues and commands. At home I like to relax.

The reason I prefer to not have dogs at my house is that most owners don’t have options with their dog and that is one of the most important things we teach our clients.

I want the option of keeping my dog off the furniture in case I go to someone’s house who prefers dogs stay off the couch. I want the option of keeping my dog near me instead of running around. I definitely need to stay tuned in enough to my dog so they don’t dig or steal food. I want a dog who doesn’t embarrass me or stress out my host, or, worst of all, destroy anything.

In order to be a good houseguest, make sure your dog can do the following:

-Enter new places calmly

-Potty before entering

-Politely greet humans

-Be respectful to other pets in the house

-Sit on leash inside with distractions

-Stay off the furniture

-Respond with alacrity to ’no’ or ‘off’ commands

-Be around food without counter surfing, begging, or stealing off plates or out of hands (seriously!)

-Not dig or bark in the yard

How to politely greet guests at the door

Comings and goings are exciting times for dogs. When a dog barks and runs up to the door, barges up to, or jumps on our guests, while smelling them and asking to be pet we usually say ‘oh, that’s just what dogs do!” In a sense, that is true. I call that the standard package. Unless you teach your dog otherwise, that is how they are inclined to behave in such a moment.

This behavior is so ubiquitous that people consider it the norm. We even think the dog is excited to see us personally and take it as a compliment. However, guests with children, with injuries, who are scared of dogs, who are not dog-people or who are dog trainers (ahem) will not look forward to coming to your home if they are bombarded in this way. Guests with dogs who don’t do this will judge you for not having training or controlling your dog and being oblivious to the problem. Some poeple will never come back. Honestly. People tell me stories about friends whose houses they refuse to go to because of an annoying dog.

Cassie waiting patiently for me to open the door from out of the entry way

It is possible for your dog to be excited, but still be polite. You can teach your dog how to do this by guiding them in the exciting moments, showing them what you want from them, and ensuring that becomes the norm through repetition and correction. This also provides a perfect opportunity to practice two important concepts ‘impulse inhibition’ and ‘down regulation.’ This means that your dog will be asked to exercise the muscle of self control in order to help them resist engaging in undesirable behaviors and be asked to go from a very excited state to a calm one. Practice makes perfect so if it’s hard or messy at first don’t give up.

Usually, when the doorbell rings, we are in such a rush to get to the door we don’t think about using this moment as a training opportunity. While you work on your dog’s door manners, I recommend that you put a sign on your door that says, “please give us a moment to answer, we are training our dog.” The more consistent you are, the less time it will take to establish a new norm for greetings.

When I hear the doorbell, I call out “one moment” and put my attention on my dog. When you start out teaching good door manners, you will need to have your dog on leash. Holding your dog’s collar means holding your dog back and preventing the behavior in that moment, but it doesn’t deter that undesirable behavior in the future or show your dog what you do want. Fussing at your dog when you haven’t explained what you are looking for isn’t a fair training approach. Read over these instructions so you will have a plan in place before someone comes over.

Print out this sign!

Tape it on your door and breathe a sigh of relief. Now you don’t need to rush to open the door before your dog is calm and under control.

Here is your step by step guide for when guests arrive

Ask for a heads up from guests: Talk about your training plan to get guests on board before they arrive. Ask them to let you know when they are on the way and then give you another call or text when they park. When your company is 5-10 minutes out, put the leash on and chill, as if you don’t know something is about to happen. Make sure your body language an energy is very ‘chill at home’ and not ‘guest prep.’ The house is clean enough, I promise. Putting the leash on after the doorbell rings or picking it up once your dog is already activated sets you up for failure, especially early in the training process first.

After you get the ‘we have arrived’ text, don’t let on to your dog that something is happening until the doorbell rings. We are trying to mimic life without the prep work so if you head to the door before someone knocks that is very ‘never going to happen again’ so it isn’t useful as a training strategy. Let’s be real, you are just trying to short cut the barking, you cheater you! I get it, but I also go you. Let’s fix it together.

Immediately take charge: Bring that boss energy!! Let your dog know that you have GOT THIS. Know what behaviors you want (dog quiet in a heel on leash behind you waiting to take cues) and what you don’t (barking, pulling, whining, excitement peeing, rushing to the door, running in circles).

Deter barking: Verbally or with touches on the leash, let your dog know they are not to bark at the sound of a knock or the doorbell. At first you may need to become bigger and louder than you’d like, moving in to their space and gesticulating, but it’s all an act, a strategy to shift your dog’s focus off the door and on to you, because damn, you looking ferocious. (Disclaimer: no ferocious actions need to be taken, this is performance art for the purpose of dog training.)

• When your dog stops barking and brings their attention to you, take a deep breath as you shift back into your normal energy and body language. If they go back, you go back, but if they stay calm, then you can start navigating towards the door.

• It’s also going to be good for you to try and differentiate if your dog is barking because they are excited or if they are protective. What this article describes is ‘spot correcting’ by just addressing this one training situation, but my training approach is successful because it’s holistic. If your dog is excited, you want to do lesson 5 of my eCourse on impulse inhibition. If they are protective, focus on lesson 2, which addresses the foundation of your relationship and how your dog sees you. Everyone will benefit from lesson 3 and 5! Both of these states are stressful for your dog and teaching them to be good for company doesn’t address the root cause.

Move slowly: Approach the door slowly, ideally in a heel with a loose leash, keeping yourself between your dog and the door. If your dog is pulling, turn and walk away from the door until they come willingly, then try again. If you are dragging your dog or if their focus is on the door, you aren’t ready to turn around and move towards it again. I don’t care if you need to walk circles around the couch or literally go into your backyard. They decide when it’s long or far enough, not you.

• Once your dog is mentally with you, start moving towards the door again. At first this may take a while, but every time you stick with it and get your dog truly chill before moving forward, it will go faster and faster in the future.

Set a clear expectation: Don’t go on autopilot and get in a hurry when you are close to the door! Let your dog know to stop a few feet back from the door with a verbal cue like ‘stay’ or ‘wait’ and a little pulse on the leash like you are tapping the breaks. Don’t hold tension on the leash to keep your dog in place. That’s cheating.

• If you don’t make it clear to your dog that you want them to stop, it is natural that they will keep following you all the way up to the door, so this is an important communication to give. You want your dog to stop far enough back so you can open the door, but don’t ask them to stop too far back so the leash doesn’t reach when you move forward to grab the handle. If you have a rug as a marker, that is great. Also consider some painter’s tape so you both have a visual marker of where your dog has to wait.

• You also 100% need to practice this every time you go out a door and not just when company comes over because this is a terrible moment to introduce this skill. Luckily you all walk your dogs once to twice a day (right?) so you can get plenty of practice. Heck, practice every hour on the hour if you want! You’ll be surprised how quickly it will become normal.

Opening the door

• With your dog locked in place, take a step forward towards the door, never letting your dog enter the space between you and the door

• Fully expand your wingspan with one arm open back towards your dog and the other arm open to the door knob, ‘pulse’ on the leash and say ‘wait’ again since you know that hands on door knobs are exciting. Sometimes I’ll do a little test turn so the door makes the sound and see if that causes my dog to jump out of place. If so, back them up and start over. If not, continue.

• Slowly open the door, closing it again if your dog barges forward. Once the door is open, wait a beat with no pressure on the leash, but keep it short enough to not give your dog room to get closer to your guest if they do get over excited and try to lunge.

• After a beat (don’t try to beat the clock, but also don’t wait too long and over challenge your dog) walk into the house and ask your guest to let themselves in, close the door and follow you in to the living area or wherever you want to visit.

The start of your visit

The work isn’t done yet! The entry process is complete when your dog is calm, not when your guest comes inside. If you are reading this article, you know exactly what I mean.

If I wanted to open the door, I would ask these sweet pups to back up so I could address my company and keep them calm

• Stand far enough away to where it’s physically impossible for your dog to jump on anyone given the length of the leash, which you will also be holding shorter than where the handle is, but not so short that there is tension. If there is any tension on the leash, you are physically holding your dog back. That is cheating and they aren’t learning. Correct, don’t restrict.

• Ask your guest not to look at, talk to, or touch your dog until they are ready (ie till your dog doesn’t care anymore).

• Have your guests sit far enough away to not over challenge your dog and you sit on the end of a couch or on a chair where your dog can lie on the floor near you, but not be on you. No dogs between couches and coffee tables and definitely 1000% not on the furniture.

• Don’t ask your dog to do anything but stay in a space bubble you set that is close enough to not strain the leash, but not so close they are on you. You will see them sit, down, then fully relax on their own. Giving commands is a cheat - just ask them to not pull, bark, whine or climb on you. It doesn’t matter what position they are in.

• When your dog finally fully regulates (sigh, fully down with flopped hips and head on the ground, relaxed muscles, falling asleep) then you can ask your guests if they would like to greet your dog. Have them put their hand down with their arm straight so the dog has no reason to enter their personal space. Let your dog smell their hand, but not get closer to them or flip their hand for more pets, and pull back if their energy and excitement escalates. After a quick scratch (10 seconds tops. Seriously.) call your dog back to you and ask them to stay in the bubble again.

• Once back in their spot will regulate faster now that they know their job and you can try dropping the leash. If they immediately perk up and head for the guests, no big deal! Grab the leash again and keep them on the rest of the visit or try again later.

• If your dog is really struggling, stand up to have a more ‘in charge’ body position, walk back and forth or practice commands to give your dog a task, get their bed to put by your chair as a cue that you want them to relax in that spot, grab a toy to give them an outlet for their excited energy (not to play with, nothing squeaky), walk out of the room and back, take them to potty and come back, crate them if you really have to and take them out again once they have time to relax (this will not be a good plan if your dog is in the crate whining, barking and freaking out.)

If a mistake happens along the way, that is no problem! Learning happens over time and mistakes are great opportunities for reminders and clear communication. Learning what ‘calm’ looks like is a process and you won’t get it right away. After 15 years I still get it wrong sometimes! Our eCourse covers how to lay the foundation for a calm dog that you can communicate with. You will find life will be so much easier when your dog can calmly greet guests, and I guarantee your company will be impressed as well.

What kind of dog are you creating?

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Time and time again, I think of how this story applies to dogs and the training philosophy I teach. In horse training they say, in every moment you are either training or un-training your horse. I want to approach in a way that is respectful, calm and confident, an approach that is likely to be successful in my mission of catching them from the pasture or putting a halter on in the stall. This involves reading their body, adjusting my pace and body language, and moving in a way that indicates I will achieve my goal, sometimes blocking or leaning to show I’m able to anticipate their intention if they are going to try to evade me.

From the moment I walk into a client’s home, every action matters. I know some clients are taken aback when I ask them to leash their pup to prevent them from barking or jumping on me. I don’t greet the dog while they are excited that a new person has entered. I don’t let the dog approach me or put their nose on me to have a sniff. When we sit, I ask that the dog sits nicely next to, but not on top of the owner. In fact, I pretty much ignore the dog unless I’m giving them a command to indicate where I want them, a correction when they engage in an undesirable behavior, or a reward for relaxing into the behavior I want. 

All these small moments matter because I need to get out on the right foot with a dog. I need to create a dog that will listen to me, respect me and trust me. I need to encourage the dog to be calm, aware, and respectful of boundaries. When I ask for all this, the dog settles down, tunes into me and looks to me for cues on what to do. All the while I’m seemingly ignoring them, but actually guiding and correcting them. 

In each moment, in each small interaction, I’m creating the dog I want. While we are dealing with a problem behavior, it is essential to be crystal clear about the hierarchy in the pack (who gets their way, who listens to who), the expectations and boundaries I have, and my dedication to achieving or enforcing them. There are still rewards, but it is more subtle than most people are used to. Just like the friend who rarely gives you compliments, my rewards carry more weight because they need to be earned and aren’t given freely. 

If I reward a dog that jumps with attention, if I reward a dog that pushes to the door with opening it, if I reward a dog that barks with attention or affection, I’m creating more of just that, a dog that is excited, a dog that is pushy, and a dog that is demanding. It feels good to provide and receive instant gratification, but just like eating rich, fatty food, that instant gratification isn’t good in the long term. Don’t you appreciate that chocolate cake or those french fries more if you mostly abstain?

When new clients embark on their training journey, I describe what we do as a behavioral elimination diet. There is something in our dog’s lives that is making them think it’s okay to do that undesirable behavior, that they don’t need to listen to us or that they don’t need to exercise the self control required to resist temptations and not react to certain stimuli. When we shift our perspective, adjust our behavior, and have clear expectations, our dogs respond. The same way a dog is immediately responsive to me because of the way I enter the home, your dog can be more responsive to you if I can teach you to act like me. 

Once we get back to basics, get on that bland diet, and your dog’s behavior begins to stabilize, then we can start playing with the different elements of our lives together, relaxing some rules and boundaries, and adding in privileges, but all one by one so we can tell what it is that tips the scales for our pup. 

When I did this with my dog, Harley, pulling back allowed her true personality to come out. I discovered she didn’t like being pet as often or in the way I was petting her. By abstaining, she was able to show me when she wanted attention, and because her attitude was cooperative and respectful, I could choose when I wanted to meet her desire for affection and when I wasn’t able without her becoming pushy or demanding. I found that talking to my dog as much as I was was confusing and stressful for her. She never knew when I was going to disturb her with my voice and attention, and when I did, it wasn’t clear if I wanted anything or was just, essentially, bothering her. 

When I started pulling back, Harley settled, became more confident and more responsive. She developed a sense of self and safety after a lifetime of separation anxiety. Her interactions with other dogs changed. She relaxed, listened to me better, and trusted me more. All by shifting my behavior and the manner in which we had our interactions! The changes in Harley astounded me and improved her life exponentially. That is why I’m so excited to share this method and knowledge with my clients, because it works. It is practiced in small moments instead of taking out 20 minutes a day to rehearse a routine of tricks.  In every interaction ask yourself “which dog I am feeding: a calm, responsive dog or an excited and impulsive one.”

How to potty train your dog: a very thorough guide to housebreaking

Taking the time to properly housebreak your puppy is one of the most important things you can do! Whether from a breeder or from a shelter, it’s likely your dog has only had the experience of going potty inside or on man made surfaces. Transitioning to a new home is the perfect opportunity to change where your dog understands they are meant to use the bathroom. As is always my feeling with dogs, it’s easier to get out on the right foot than to make mistakes and spend time undoing them. 

Download our potty training sheet here.

• In the style of potty breaking I teach, if your dog has an accident, think of it as your fault versus theirs. Your puppy has no idea where they are supposed to eliminate. All they know is that when they have to go, the emptying of their bladder or bowels feels great! Mission accomplished. They walk away happy, leaving the mess behind where it doesn’t affect their life. Because housebreaking is something you need your dog to learn, it’s up to you to take the time and give your dog the guidance they need to get with the potty program.

How We Do It

-My program involves three different stages: Free time, Restricted time and Lock Down. After your dog potties, they get some free time in the house. When enough time has passed and I’m no longer positive that they are safe from potential accidents, I put them on restricted time. 

Restricted time can look like:

-Being in a puppy pen

-Tethering a leash to a heavy piece of furniture

-Looping a leash around your foot or wrist or clipping to a belt loop - known as an umbilical leash

-Being in a room with you if you can actively watch them - really watch them, not just sort of watch them while you focus on something else

-Or, going in their crate

Depending on where you are in building your dog’s bladder control, they can go out after free time or after a little while of restricted time. We are trying to build their bladder control, but not allow it to go past capacity. Having your dog in your sight while on restricted time will allow you to notice the signals of having to go and get your pup outside right away. 

If you are unable to watch your pup, go straight from free time to lock down in a crate until the next potty break! Two hours tends to be a good guide for most puppies, but adjust the timeline in accordance with their feeding schedule, water intake, vigorous play or waking up from a heavy nap. You should take your pup out after every big shift in energy.

How Do You Know If Your Pup Needs To Go?

A puppy won’t be able to cue you the way an adult dog may, so don’t expect a formal invitation from your dog to go outside. With puppies, start to go on alert when your dog:

-wakes up from a nap

-stops play

-starts to sniff or move towards carpet

-circles

-goes into a squat

-wanders into another room or around a corner

Do your best to preempt an accident by bringing your dog outside before anything can go wrong. Usually, if your dog does have to go and you bring them outside and cue the potty, they will go within a few minutes.

 How Long To Stay Outside

It can be tempting to stay outside until your dog goes, but this can be trouble in the long term. You want your dog to know that they only have a short window to use the bathroom instead of holding their bladder as leverage to stay outside longer. This can really get you in trouble when you are in a hurry to leave the house and need your pup to go so you can go. 

Limit each potty break to 5 minutes and keep poty walks under 15 minutes. If your dog doesn’t go, they can hang out in their crate and you can try again in 10 to 30 minutes. By keeping each break short, your dog learns that they need to take this chance to go or else they will be stuck with a full bladder. 

Getting With The Program

Potty training begins first thing in the morning. When you wake up, immediately take your dog outside. This will be known as zero hour. 

If possible, try to have your pup walk instead of being carried. This can be tricky in apartment complexes or anywhere that they will have a chance to squat and potty along the way. 

Leashing from the crate to the yard is a good idea to help your dog hustle outside without squatting in the house. You should always try to use the leash in pulses, giving your dog the opportunity to follow along of their own volition instead of dragging them with steady pressure. This will help your dog figure out that when they trot along with you, the pressure goes away and therefore encourages more of that behavior in the future.

Cue The Potty

Go outside with your dog and use your cue word to indicate this is the time to eliminate. I like ‘go potty’ because it has a unique cadence and can be said in a sing-song voice. 

Have your dog on leash, even in a fenced yard, because then you can touch the leash to encourage your pup to stay focused on the task and keep sniffing around to find a spot instead of looking around or sniffing the air or playing with a leaf or chasing a butterfly - you get it, puppies are cute. When you are on a potty mission, pinch the very tip of the leash handle and follow along with your dog, keeping the leash slack.  You want them to have the space to explore and find that perfect potty spot, as long as  don’t drag you or dive bomb into a smell,

How Much Is Enough

Your dog will likely pee first. Over time you will get used to how much your dog pees so you can tell if it’s a mark, a partial pee or a full bladder empty. Ideally, first thing in the morning, you get the full bladder. After the pee, reward your pup, but do it in a way that will allow them to stay focused on doing a full system empty and get a poo in, too. Not every dog wants to poo first thing in the morning. Give your dog 5-10 minutes of walking and sniffing around to have a chance to go.

When you go back inside, you should be pretty sure your dog is empty and won’t eliminate while you are feeding breakfast. If you suspect that your dog isn’t empty, keep them on restricted time when you come back in. This could mean being on the leash, in a crate or in a sectioned off part of the house, ideally without carpet.  If you feel confident your dog is empty, they can have free time! You want your dog to start associating going potty outside, with being free to have fun inside.

A Sample Schedule

7:00am Wake up

7:00-7:10 Outside, ideally pee and poo

7:10 Feed breakfast at this time

7:15 Take a trip outside right away

7:30-7:40 Another potty break if your pup didn’t go

7:40-8:40 Free time if empty or restricted time if he didn’t 

8:40 Potty break - record when he goes and what in your potty journal!

8:45-9:30 Free time

9:30-10:30 Restricted time

10:30-10:40 Potty break

10:40 - If he goes, free time, if not ask him to kennel up

10:55-11:00 Potty break, no potty

11:00-11:15 Kennel with water

11:15-11:20 Potty break, potty!

11:20-12:30 Free time!

Hopefully this gives you an idea of what to do. After a potty, your dog gets free time. When they are not 100% safe, they go on restricted time or go escorted outside. If they potty, great! Back to free time. If not, they should go in the kennel. We want your pup to associate not going potty when taken outside with being put in the kennel and going potty with getting to be free to have fun in the house!

Learning Your Pup’s Timeline

It takes time to learn your dog’s body language, cues, schedule and preferences. Don’t worry that it takes some time to get to know them. That is totally normal! The potty schedule will help you stay on track so you are giving your pup plenty of chances to go,and you are keeping them contained when you are worried they need to go, but haven't yet.

 Keeping a potty journal will help you see how often your pup is going so you can adjust your schedule to their current bladder capacity. Luckily, as your dog grows, so will their bladder and the space between potty breaks gets longer and longer. For your adult dog, you should try and get them out every 4-6 hours, after a nap, or after getting home if they exercised and drank while you were out.

Rewarding Potties

It’s a great idea to use treats, physical affection, and verbal praise to make going potty outside as fun and exciting as possible. This is a place where you can throw your dog a parade! Make going outside the BEST thing. 

It can be hard to grab a treat on the way outside, especially if you are in a hurry, so keep a sealed and hard-sided container of treats by the door. Ideally, you are putting a treat in your dog’s mouth within 3 seconds of when they finish going. If you don’t have a treat, praise, pet, and play with your voice, touch and energy. Getting low, making high pitched sounds, and running around while they join in are all happy and exciting. 

Punishing Accidents?

Dogs do not understand punishment, but dogs do understand an in-the-moment consequence. If you find an accident, do not rub your dog’s nose in it or bring them over and spank them. They won’t be able to put together that the bad part was before, when they created that mess. This is where your schedule with free time and restricted time comes in! It’s on you if they sneak off and got an accident in.

The best thing is to prevent any accidents and teach your dog right away going potty happens outside. The next best thing is if you can catch your dog in the act. If you see your dog going potty inside, you want to make it unpleasant and a little scary. The association with going potty inside should be a bad one. You want to run up on my dog quickly and loudly yelling “NOOOOOO” then scoop them up or lead them outside by the collar as fast as you can. If you were fast enough, they should still have some pee left and finish going outside, for which you will then reward them. 

Preventing Accidents

Your pup waking up, stopping playing or walking out of sight are all things that should set your alarm off to go watch them, call them back, or get them outside. It takes time to develop that sensitivity and sixth sense. 

Having a collar with a bell or a thin leash on in the house will help get your attention when your pup is on the move. 

Don’t leave your dog alone out of the crate. 

Pick up all rugs that can come up for at least a month or until your pup is pretty solid on being able to hold his bladder and knowing where the bathroom is. Rugs are great to go on because they absorb the urine, whereas hard floors splatter and spread onto your pup’s toes. 

Cleaning Accidents

The same way we know where the bathroom is because it’s the tiled room with porcelain furniture, your dog knows the bathroom by scent. This is why it’s important to clean pee stains by fully sopping up as much urine as you can with paper towels then soaking the area with an enzyme dissolving cleanser like Nature’s Miracle. It is very important to erase the potty smell so your dog doesn’t start to associate that spot with bathroom activities. Even poo stains need a scrub with Nature’s Miracle. Antibacterial spray is good, but it won’t dissolve all those enzymes and our dogs have much more sensitive noses than we do.

Using the Crate

Most crates come with a puppy divider to gradually increase the size of your crate as your dog grows. This is so your puppy doesn’t have a mansion of a crate where one corner can be the bathroom and they can walk to the other side to get away from their mess. 

Most dogs won’t want to mess where they sleep, so being in just enough space to spread out and lay flat is a good way to dissuade them from going in their crate. 

Again, if you find an accident after the fact, it’s too late to correct them for it. Just take them outside and wash the bedding. Dog bedding is a privilege, not a necessity. It can be a good idea to start with a cheap towel instead of jumping in with a luxury sheepskin crate pad right away. If you dog messes in the crate a few times, leave them in there with no bedding so there is nothing to absorb the pee. Just like how your dog happily naps on the floor, they won’t find a plain crate as offensive as we do. Bedding is a privilege they can earn by holding theri bladder in the crate. 

Limiting Water

It’s a good idea to monitor your dog’s water intake. For new puppies, limiting water in the evening to help them sleep through the night is very helpful. 

I advise doing a 3-meal schedule where dinner is fed around 5/6pm. Dogs need water to hydrate their kibble, so be sure that as your puppy eats they have full access to water for about an hour to an hour and half. After that, pick up the water, giving them three chances to drink before bed. Only let them have a few sips, the way you drink when you go on a road trip. 

While your puppy is housebreaking and crate training, you have to do what you can to help them gain bladder control. If your dog doesn’t know they will be contained for 6-8 hours while you sleep, they will drink to their heart’s content then need to go in the middle of the night. Limiting water will help them have a manageable amount in their bladder so they can start to sleep through the night. 

If you are worried they aren’t getting enough water, lifting the skin on the back of their neck is a good hydration test. If the skin quickly slips back into place, they are well hydrated. If it stays peaked and is slow to slide down, they need more water. Water restricting at night should not be dehydrating. Be sure you are finding the balance between enough water and too much water.

Visiting Friends

When going over to someone else’s house, it’s a good practice to ask your pup to go potty before going inside. An empty dog is a safe dog. It’s easy for a pup to sneak off in a new space. When you go somewhere new, close all the doors and keep your dog on-leash for a while. Your dog will learn that the way to get inside a new place is to go potty outside- then we go right in. This is a great association to make! We don’t go inside till you squeeze out a little potty.

Be careful of rugs, blind corners or hallways, and, as always, food, cat food, and litter boxes. 

If your pup doesn’t potty outside before going in, keep them on a leash in the house so they can’t wander off then go back out after 10-15 minutes. Just like with the crate at home, the way you earn your freedom is to go potty in the right place.

Bringing your pup over to a friend’s house with a healthy and polite dog who enjoys or tolerates puppies can be a great double hitter for socialization and potty breaking. Dogs will instinctively want to pee on another dog’s pee, so if the dogs play then go for a potty together, your puppy will likely copy the older, housebroken dog and go outside. 

Just like exercise, play gets the pipes moving, so be sure to take your pup out more often, especially if they are drinking more than usual.

Dog Doors

Dog doors are convenient, but often create a dog that isn’t fully housebroken. Just like a baby in diapers, a dog with a dog door never learns to hold their bladder because they can go potty whenever they want. If you move, if you board your dog, or if the dog door is closed, your dog likely won’t be able to hold their bladder. 

Dog doors also prevent you from knowing if and when your dog has gone. When first potty breaking, I recommend not using dog doors so you can go out with your pup every time and make note of what they do and when. There is always time to add on extras like dog doors later on, but for the initial potty training process, it’s important to avoid them.

Pee Pads

Pee pads are tough! Unless you live in an apartment and plan on using pee pads throughout your dog’s life, it’s better to not use them at all. 

When you bring your dog home, it’s important to create a distinction from the breeder or kennel they came from and their new life, where they only potty outside. 

While potty pads can be an easy option at first, they are a hindrance for long-term house breaking as it will be another hurdle weaning your dog off them when you eventually pick them up. 

They are unsightly, smelly, and, unless your dog has perfect aim, are prone to having pee spill off the edges. 

Pee pads are too similar to rugs, which we don’t want our dogs to potty on and create too much nuance between going ‘here’ inside, but not ‘there.’ 

Free Feeding

The way that dog’s stomachs are designed, grazing is particularly bad for them. Instead of leaving food down all the time, offer oury puppy 3 meals a day. Put the food bowl down for 15 minutes, saying “are you hungry?” then pick it up until the next meal. This will teach your dog to eat when food is down or else they will go hungry. 

Feeding on a schedule will also help you estimate when your pup is likely to poo. If your puppy can free feed, it’s hard to know when they will need to go out since you don’t know how much they ate and when.

Health Risks

It’s hard to balance the advice of your veterinarian and trainer. A vet will say that the risks of exposing your not fully vaccinated dog to the diseases that can be passed through the environment or contact with other dogs is not worth the risk. A trainer will say that the socialization and potty training dogs get in those first four to eight weeks at home is invaluable. Having a yard is a huge help in keeping your dog safe from environmental diseases. If you don’t have a yard, try to pick a quieter out of the way area where you can take your dog to potty.

How to make your dog’s crate a great place

That is a fabulous idea! When determining if a dog was eligible to board with us, we always ask if the dog is crate trained. Trainers do it. Vets do it. Groomers do it. Airplanes do it. Boarding facilities do it. At some point, your dog’s life will include being crated, so you should do it, too.

I am a trainer who loves crates! I love them because I know that my dog and my home are both safe when I’m out. Dogs love being in crates  when the crate is comfortable, covered with a sheet, and feels like a den. As long as your dog is getting enough exercise every day, they don’t need to be free in the house while you’re out. Being free in the house can sometimes be stressful for a dog. Especially when our dogs are home alone. Having free run of the house can feel like we are asking them to protect the house. This can be taxing and exacerbate stress barking or separation anxiety. It can also lead to scratched doors, chewed furniture and potty accidents.

No dog is too old: but it's a good idea to introduce your dog to the crate as a puppy. 

It’s better to create a positive experience than to try to fix a bad one, so take your time. 

Picking the right crate

As you can see in the photos, my favorite crate is wire because it allows for maximum airflow. Unless you are conditioning your dog to fly in an airplane there is no need to get a solid plastic sided crate. The soft crates are relatively useless because they are so easy to get out of and should be avoided. Expensive heavy duty crates are only necessary for true escape artists - which your dog isn’t likely to become if you introduce them to the crate in the way I describe.

You can easily find a used wire crate on Craigslist, Nextdoor or Facebook Marketplace for under $50 and disinfect it with a diluted bleach solution that you then rinse off and let dry in the sun. If you have a growing puppy this can be the best option. You might buy a larger crate for the size you expect them to be and block off unneeded space as they grow, but if you err on the side of too large you may end up trading it out anyway.

To find the right size measure your dog from nose to tail and top of head to the floor. That should be the bottom dimensions so your dog can lay flat on their side with their legs extended. You also want to make sure the height allows for them to stand without ducking. You don’t need to feel guilty leaving a dog in a well sized crate because they can’t be more comfortable than that outside of it. If your crate is so small that your dog has to curl their legs to lay down and they don’t have room to stretch that is similar to trying to sleep in the backseat of a small car with no room to stretch your legs and it would be understandable if they didn’t like spending time in there.

Generous pet owners may try to get a larger crate, but your dog doesn’t really need room to take any steps and for potty training puppies more space could allow them to designate one side as the bathroom and the other as the bedroom, which we don’t want.

Start by making your crate a nice cozy space in the common area. You could even pick up your other dog beds so the crate is the comfiest place in the room. Think of it like their bedroom or a little dog cave. 

• You can get a cute vintage sheet from a second hand store large enough to drape over your crate so it reaches the floor. A nice color or pattern keeps the crate from being an eyesore and a covered space feels more contained to your pup, like a bedroom or cave. You want to be sure you invest minimally at this point because your crate cover could get torn up in a frustrated moment during the learning process. Do NOT use a blanket or towel or custom crate cover because these do not allow for as much airflow and trap the body heat dogs let off. You want your dog’s space to be the same temperature as the climate controlled room they are in.

• For the bedding, start simple with a bed or towel. There is a chance that it may get chewed in the learning stages, so don’t start out by putting your finest dog bedding in there. 

  • Lots of owners wash blankets before it goes in the crate. I can assure you that your dog does not appreciate the fresh scent of Tide. The best bedding is something you have slept with, sat on or otherwise gotten your scent on. Shoving new blankets in the dirty clothes bin (after an initial wash for chemical residue) is heavenly for a dog. Don’t judge ‘em! Show your love by giving the pup the stinky bedding they want.

After you have made the crate as cozy as possible, start making it happy by building positive associations.

• First get some really high quality treats. From now on, at least for a while, this will be a crate only delicacy - gotta be in the crate if you want to enjoy it! 

  • For this I like freeze dried treats, bully sticks, pigs ears, frozen marrow bones or whatever else makes your dog happy.

• Lead your dog to the crate, toss the treat in the back, then help guide your dog in with encouraging words, and happy energy. You can stick your arm inside to pat the bedding and wave the treat. Once they pop in, give pets, scratches and verbal praise,

  • If this doesn’t work, you can add a few little leading tugs on the collar or ‘pulsing’ pushes on your dog’s booty. 

• Then, once they are able to stand in there for a few seconds without you holding or blocking them, slowly let them out. You don’t want a starting gate break, just a casual saunter. 

  • If you are feeding a long chewing treat like a bully stick or marrow bone, toss it back into the crate if they try to bring it out to enjoy. 

  • You can sit by the open crate or close it and stay within the view of the opening that isn’t covered by the sheet.

  • If the treat isn’t enough to keep your dog occupied, take time sitting with them by the open crate and petting them while they are inside. *Whatever motivates your dog, reserve it and try to associate it with the crate. 

Once your pup is comfortable with the space, start feeding all meals in the crate. For most dogs, you haven’t shut the door yet as we are just acclimating. 

• Food should be placed against the back wall. 

  • If your dog chooses to miss a meal avoiding the crate, that is okay! Sometimes people skip meals too and they’re alright. Your dog will likely eat the next one. Good things come to those who get in their crate.

When your dog has a meal or two in the crate, go ahead and try shutting the door while they eat, first staying in the room. 

• Shut the door. Open the door. 

  • The door is shut momentarily at first so your dog knows they won’t be in there forever. You can do this many times a day, leaving the door shut for seconds, then minutes, growing longer each time.

• Shut the door for the whole meal and let your dog out after they are done but before they whine or fuss. 

  • If your dog does start to whine, it’s very important that you don’t let them out till they have settled for at least 5-10 seconds. Otherwise you teach them the way out is to whine and you will very much regret creating that association! An important factor in crate training success is how tired your dog is. Trying to get an energetic dog to settle and be happy in a crate is an uphill journey.

• Try to work your crate training schedule to follow some good vigorous exercise, some water drinking, then potty time. Your dog should be happy to kennel up at that point!

  • If you have a lot of energy, you don't want to be forced to sit still! If you are exhausted, however, you are happy to bring on a comfy place to rest where you don’t have to worry about being bothered. The first time you leave your house, it’s only going to be for a second. Literally a second. 

• Crate your dog, walk around the house for a few minutes doing chores or something other than your ‘getting ready to leave’ routine. Then without saying anything to your dog, walk out your door, shut it, take one breath, then walk back in, again not saying anything to your dog. 

  • If your dog is alert, but not whining, you can let them out, being sure to ignore any excited behavior. 

  • If they are whining, wait for them to settle. 

  • If they are pretty content, maybe try leaving them in and going outside for another round. 

• You want to briefly crate your dog then go in and out of your door as many times as possible this week, making it longer and longer till you can sit outside for 15 minutes playing on your phone or doing those push ups you have been putting off. 

• After that, try to go run a quick errand.

Coming out of the crate is a great opportunity to practice the ‘wait’ command. In our training sessions we talk about impulse inhibition, your dog’s ability to regulate himself and his emotions. 

• Wait until your dog has calmed themself before you even approach the crate. 

  • If your dog’s excitement level rises as you approach, stop, turn away, take a few steps back, or even leave the room so your dog can calm down.

  • You want to teach your dog that only a calm pup gets let out.”Calming down is the toll you have to pay at the crate door.”

• Lean down to unlatch the door and say “waaaait” in a calm, low voice. 

  • If your dog is overly excited they won't do very well here, so their excitement level has to be at a moderately contained stage before we begin.

• Start to open the door,  and say, “wait” again, and slowly increase the size of the gap, staring at the base of the crate and watching your dog from your peripheral vision. 

  • If your dog makes a move for the opening,quickly close it. Even if your dog has squeezed part way through, grab them and put them back in. 

  • It is really important that they don’t dart out of crates, or out of any doors. To be honest, there should not be a lot of darting going on, period. 

  • Frantically rushing out the opening can make your dog feel more anxious about being in and let out of your crate. 

• Once the door is fully open, slowly stand up, still watching your dog out of the corner of your eye. Be ready to shut that door if your dog makes a run for it. 

• After you get all the way up, I’ll take a breath and wiggle your shoulders to be sure your tension isn’t what is holding your dog in place. 

• Then, with calm energy say “okay” or “let’s go” and slowly start to walk away, ready to correct any jumping, whining or over excitement.

 Many a crate training has been disrupted by whining. When people hear a dog whine, they associate it with crying and assume their dog is distressed. Most of the time it’s more of a temper tantrum. Your dog is frustrated because, likely, they almost always get what they want and right now they want to be with you instead of in their crate. When we let our dog out in response to whining we teach them that they can have their way and that whining is the way to get there. You will surely earn yourself more whining by responding favorably to it. Even though, whining is unpleasant, your dog needs to understand, just like a toddler, that ‘go to bed’ means ‘go to bed’ and it isn't a negotiation. 

• First ignore the whine, go about your business. This is called waiting for the behavior to go extinct by not rewarding it. Sometimes it works, so always try it first, but often this alone won’t do the job.

  • Be prepared for the ‘extinction burst.’ This is another term that means it will get worse before it gets better. Basically, your dog is going to pull out all of the stops, and if not even that works, then, and only then will they extinguish the behavior.  

If ignoring the whining doesn’t make it stop,don’t suffer in silence. Try to find a way to express to your dog that nothing bad is happening and they need to accept that the crate, like a dentist appointment, is just part of life. 

• Start with a verbal correction that you will deliver without going into the room or, ideally, even stopping what you are doing. Call out a firm, but gentle “eh’eh” or say “dog no” or “quit” and then wait a beat to see what happens.

  • If your dog stops, great! If not, increase the pressure. Call again with more intensity from another room. 

  • If your dog is really fussing, go right into the room where the crate is and repeat your verbal correction. 

  • It’s important to remember that your dog wants you to come into the room to let them out, so you need to be sure that your dog knows the moment you cross the threshold that the desired result has not been achieved. In fact, this isn’t a version of you he recognizes at all. You have booty kicking energy and should not be messed with. Say “QUIT” in a loud, sharp voice then stomp out of the room, closing the door. 

  • If this doesn’t work, it’s trainer time! Give us a call to get a hand dealing with the tough to train pup who seems resistant to my ‘best of crate training’ suggestions. Sometimes there are relational cues that we give our dog in other areas that can undermine our training results.

How to teach your dog to fetch

Our own Haley Benardino stepped off the trails and behind her computer to write today’s blog on fetch

Fetch is a great way to exercise, play and bond with your dog. We love fetch because it can help your dog direct  their  energy while using their mind in a constructive way. Some dogs are born understanding how to chase and retrieve. Others might have a bewildered look on their face when you toss a toy. Fetch should always be fun for your dog! Keep your energy happy and playful and offer fun rewards for their participation. This means you have to figure out what motivates your dog. It could be verbal or physical affection, treats, or play. 

CHOOSING THE RIGHT TOY

Finding that perfect toy for your dog is one of the most important steps. Some dogs prefer a ball or frisbee, others a plush toy. It may take a few tries to figure out what type of toy gets and keeps your dog’s attention. 

• Be sure to pick a toy that is not small enough to be accidentally swallowed. Also beware of toys that can be broken into pieces or are too hard or sharp on the edges. 

• Frisbees that are not designed for dogs can chip dogs’ teeth. The frisbees that are made for dogs have soft rubber edges that are much easier and safer to catch mid air.

Chuckit brand soft side flyer, Flying Squirrel, and Tail Spin Flyer

• Chuckit ball thrower (helpful for those slobbery pups or the ones that enjoy running a longer distance)

• Squeaky balls (that squeak when squeezed), whistle balls (whistles when thrown), or any kind of noise making ball are a favorite for lots of dogs! Squeezing the ball to get your dog’s attention or regain their focus can be handy and get their full attention on the toy.

• Nubby balls or plush toys are a favorite for dogs who are more mouthy and enjoy the gum stimulation or have a softer, more sensitive mouth.

• Rope toys are great for dogs who enjoy a little tug game when they bring the toy back to you before you ask them to “drop it”. This kind of toy comes in many varieties.

Once you have established what toy is your dog's favorite, reserve that toy for fetch practice only. Keep it out of your dog’s reach and only bring it out when it's time to play fetch. Doing this ensures that your dog won’t get bored with the toy. It will also keep your fetch toy from being destroyed.

RETRIEVING

Start small: Using the toy you picked just for this occasion, begin a session by playing with your dog, wriggling it around their face or in their mouth, playing a tug game and keeping it fun. 

• Once your dog has the toy in their mouth, reward them! This will show your dog that going for this toy is what you want. After a few minutes of good, happy play, ask your dog to drop the toy and reward it by saying “good drop.”

Toss the toy only a few feet away from you and say “go get it.” It’s best to start with short distances while you get the basic concept down.

• Run with your dog to the toy, indicating with your body and voice that you want them to grab it. 

• Once they have the toy in their mouth, reward again with a “good dog” and encourage them to bring it to you with a happy “come” or “bring it here” command.  

• When your dog comes to you, give a very happy reward like petting and saying “good come” or feeding a treat.  

• Repeat this process multiple times over the course of a few days or weeks, slowly adding a little more distance when you toss the toy away.

Repetition is key: Remember that learning new skills has to be a series of wins for your dog. They need to feel they are getting it right, so be sure you are asking your dog to do more repetitions in their skill zone than out of it and slowly expand the distance of the throws or time you play. 

• Try not to get to the point where your dog becomes bored and stops chasing the toy or bringing it back. On the other hand, if your dog really gets into the fetch and stops playing because they overexert themselves, take a break to let them catch their breath, have a drink of water, or lay in the shade with their toy until they are ready to play again. This is especially important in the hotter temperatures of summer.

 COMMON ISSUES

Your dog isn’t into toys

Before you get started it is important to understand your dog and whether they like toys or not. Some dogs don't like putting toys in their mouth. If this is the case with your dog, in order to make toys more enticing, you can try soaking a tennis ball in chicken stock, or burying one in their dry food, putting treats in an old sock and tying the end in a knot, or try using a  Kong chewer with some peanut butter stuffed inside . Making the toys a little tastier can help to show your dog that toys are great for chewing, playing, and mouthing. Most dogs love toys and it doesn't take much to entice them to play.

Your dog plays keep away

Some dogs would rather play keep away and have you chase them for the toy. Others bring the toy back to you but not all the way, stopping a few feet away from you and making you close the gap. Other dogs will bring the toy back, but don’t want to drop it so you can throw it again.

A great way to tackle these issues is to attach a long line to your dog. We like a homemade 20’ or 30’ rope with a clip or a long lead that you can order. Important note: don't throw the toy farther than the length of rope you have.

Using a Long Line 

• After your dog gets the toy, ask them to come. If they don't, call again then wait a beat and see what they do. 

• When you see the moment of hesitation cross their mind or when they make the decision not to come, give a tug on your rope and see what they do.

• At this point you would use the rope to encourage your dog to come back to you with little tugs or wiggles while saying in a nice tone “bring it here” or “come here.” 

• Make sure you are still rewarding them for coming back with the toy, especially in the beginning while they are still trying to learn what it is that you are asking for. A dog can’t be naughty if they don’t know the rules.

Bait and Switch: Another good trick for getting your dog to come back and drop the toy is a good old fashioned bait and switch. Have a second toy or squeaker ball ready so when your dog gets the first toy in their mouth and doesn’t come, you wave or squeak the second toy to encourage your dog to come back fully for the second toy. Usually they will drop the first toy to chase the second toy and then you can go grab the first toy again and repeat.

Your dog won’t drop the toy

You can use a treat to teach your dog to drop the toy. Place the treat above your dog’s nose and say “drop it.” Then wait for your dog to fully drop the toy. Pick it up and say “good drop” in a nice tone and then give the treat. Let your dog chew and swallow the treat then get their attention before throwing the toy again. Keep the treats small and only use when needed. It’s important to wean off of treats once your dog understands the basic concept because treats can easily  be turned into a bribe instead of used as a reward.

Most training issues you encounter should be resolved after the first few weeks of consistent work. Feel free to reach out for a training session if you need some additional pointers.

IN CONCLUSION

• Fetch should always be a fun experience, especially when you are first teaching it. You want your dog to love playing fetch with you. 

• If you graduate to playing outside of a fenced area, your dog should be safe off leash and respond reliably to basic commands (sit, stay, come). 

• Dogs of any age can learn to fetch. It is helpful to start them at a young age, but it can be a fun game for any energetic dog.

How to build a solid recall command: teaching your dog 'come'

The ‘come’ command is one of the most important things we can teach our dogs. Having a solid ‘come’ can help you keep your dog safe as well as open the door to a world of fun activities. A solid ‘come’ takes work and is one of the most difficult commands, and therefore we use treats for it - really good treats.

Since ‘come’ is so important, it warrants the use of hot dogs! Hot dogs, the top of the dog treat pyramid, the best thing you can give a dog. For this extra important command, we are sending you to the grocery store. Buy a package of hot dogs and a box of sandwich bags. At home, slice each hot dog lengthwise, then chop them into tiny bits no bigger than the tip of your pinky finger. We want your dog to enjoy the taste, but be able to get it down with just two chomps. Put about 5-10 pieces in each sandwich bag and put them in the freezer. You want to take one bag out a day for your practice sessions. In order to preserve the sanctity of the hot dog, don’t use these treats for anything else. These are ‘come’ treats only.

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Add a stop at Home Depot to your shopping trip because you also need a light 30’ rope and a clip. You can clip or tie the rope directly on to the collar or on to the handle of your Mendota Slip Lead, because this process begins with a nice calm exit from your house and a few minutes of focused loose leash walking. 

You want to get to a nice quiet grassy area near where you live. Your yard is a good place to start practicing, but it’s a good idea to take the show on the road after a few sessions and go somewhere with new smells and more distractions. Don’t worry! You have the rope to keep your dog safe and the hot dog to keep their attention.

Wait for your dog to get interested in the environment. Once your pup figures out that hot dog is not being dished out for free they will make the most of the moment and start sniffing around. When your dog gets slightly distracted and into a groove (not too distracted mind you, we are looking for wins, especially at first) say ”DogComeCome!!” in the happiest, highest voice you can muster. You want it to all sound like one word to avoid the common mistake of pausing between saying your dog’s name and the command. You can also bend down, tapping your knees, and  opening your hands to your dog as they run towards you. Just don’t squat so low that your butt rests on your heel just in case your dog doesn’t come and you need to back up!

‘Come’ should be THE BEST! Happy voice, happy energy, happy hot dogs! Coming to me should be the best feeling in the world. When your dog comes, they should get a ‘good dog, good dog, who is such a good dog’, a hot dog chuck, and a scratch. After that, stand up and walk a few steps together until they start to sniff again. You don’t want to make your reward so exciting that they get drunk on reward energy, and start bombing away from you at warp speed, but you also don’t want them to feel like the fun is ending.

It’s not ‘come’ unless you can touch your dog. It’s important that when your dog comes to you, that you reach down to touch them around the head or neck. Do this 9/10 times so that your dog starts to learn that the post ‘come’ touch is a temporary scratch and not you reaching to grab them and take their freedom away. This way when you do need to grab your dog they don’t slip away from your hand. This slip can be a truly dangerous move - if it happens at all, even rarely, that means it could happen at the absolute wrong time, but it also speaks to what I call an attitude problem.  Where your dog has determined that you are trying to grab them and, because they don’t want to be grabbed, they evade your hand. Hopefully if you are at the stage of training where you are doing off-leash prep, you have already addressed that kind of thinking. If I do have a hand shy dog, I make sure to touch them extra until they learn to tolerate it.

Keep it interesting! Your baggie only has 5-10 chucks of hot dog because you only want to practice this a few times each session. To begin set up some wins while your dog learns what ‘come’ is and how fun it can be! You want your dog to get far enough away to where they can run back to you, but not so far and so distracted that the ‘come’ fails and you need to use the rope to reel them in. If your dog misses a ‘come,’ take a break and do some loose leash walking. If they miss two, maybe it’s time to quit for the day and try again tomorrow - after all, only dogs who come when called get to stay at the park. 

Wean off the treats: As you build on the reliability of the command, practicing it at longer intervals and with more distractions, your dog may get a treat for every other ‘come,’ then three out of five, then one out of ten.

What do you do if something goes wrong? Let’s say you belt out your most charming “come come!” and your dog doesn’t even perk an ear. Keep calling their name and the ‘come’ command at different pitches and volumes. Give a touch/release on the rope. Clap your hands and leap around trying to make yourself interesting enough to warrant a response. As you say ‘come,’ back up, almost jogging backwards as you call your dog to make it more fun for your dog to run to you. If all that fails and your dog is completely unconcerned with your movements or hollering, reel him in using the rope. First, do a tiny touch on the rope, winding it up and taking out the slack. I wait a beat to see if that was enough to get your dog’s attention, then give a heavier tug. Again, watch your dog. Are they engaged yet or do they ignore you? After that, apply pulsing pressure (touch/release) through the rope as you call your dog and start moving backwards while still calling them. The moment your dog makes the decision to stop being dragged and start moving towards you, reward them with a verbal ‘yes!’ and ‘good!” but don’t use a treat for this round. Hot dogs are only for dogs who come of their own volition.

Overall, ‘come’ should be a romping good time while still being calm and mentally engaged. You want ‘come’ to be the happiest moment of your dog’s day. You can practice twice a day or once every other day, but try to be consistent. Any treat-based training is all about repetition. You gotta put the hours in to get an ingrained response. Practicing good rules and boundaries at home will support your work in the field - don’t forget that everything is connected! 

dog….Dog…DOG!

In sessions I see a lot of owners saying their dog’s name in the place of giving a command. Heck, I even do it sometimes. I always compare this to trying to ask your friend or partner or client to do something by only saying their name. If I was trying to give a client coaching on loose leash walking and said, let’s say, “Jane” in a soft, friendly sing-songy voice, I may get a glance from her, but it would probably be accompanied by a raised eyebrow as she thought to herself ‘what is going on? Does she want my attention?’ Saying a name with no other words usually serves just that purpose, to get someone’s attention. 

Now let’s say she glanced at me, but that wasn’t what I wanted. I was trying to get her to slow her pace or to give her dog a cue with the leash or stop staring at her dog as she walked. I didn’t get what I wanted, so I say louder, “Jane!” And she responds with a more frustrated glance that says “what?” Clearly she is doing something I don’t want her to do, or not doing something I do want her to do, but she has no way of knowing what. I’m not giving her any instruction, I am only saying her name. 

By now she must be annoyed. She knows something is going wrong, but doesn’t know what it is or how to fix it. I’m frustrated too, because I’m not getting the desired result, so I bark out “JANE!” and storm towards her, throwing my hands in the air because I don’t understand why things are going so badly. 

Well, in this situation I would clearly be a poor communicator. If Jane had been working with me a long time and I had told her 100 times, “hey, stop staring at your dog as you walk” then I warned her that I couldn’t keep telling her the same thing over and over, when I said her name, she would probably know that I had caught her doing the thing she knew that she wasn’t supposed to be doing, she may think to herself, “crap, I was staring at my dog again!” and correct the error without my having to explain what my admonition was in reference to. I knew that she would know because we had already established that in many previous conversations.

Sometimes, you can use your dog’s name as a correction. Especially if you have more than one dog (or children)dog, the word “no” or an ‘eh-eh’ sound could apply to anyone. In this case, use your gaze, your attention and your body language to indicate wh0 your voice is being directed at. 

If your dog is consistently unreliable responding to commands, plays too rough, lags behind, wanders off or gets too far away, when caught in the act you can sharply and loudly say their name, and, realizing the jig is up, they will usually snap back into gear. When they know the behavior you want,when you call them out, they have the ability to immediately comply. 

If you say your dog’s name and they don’t connect the dots on what is going wrong, say their name again and add the command.  If that still doesn’t work, you will know that either this task has not been truly established with your dog or your dog is having a moment where they got so excited they temporarily lost their mind - or at least the part of it that is inclined being obedient.You will then approach your dog to guide them, correct them, or otherwise achieve the behavior you were looking for.

What is important that you establish what you want in each instance through training. Take your time, lay the groundwork, show your dog  right from wrong multiple times and reinforce the behaviors you want while preventing, correcting or disincentivizing those you don’t want. While teaching your dog what behavior or mentality you are looking for, it’s important that you interrupt the behavior you don’t want, you can sometimes do this by calling your dog’s name. That interruption must be quickly followed with showing your dog what you DO want. 

If your dog is playing too rough, say ‘easy’ and if they don't take it down a few notches, call them back to you or step in and interrupt their play to ask them to sit and collect themself or take a break on leash for a while.  If your dog is lagging behind, say their  name to get their attention and if they don’t automatically respond by catching up , ask them to ‘come come’ or keep moving saying ‘let’s go’ or tell them to get off the smell with a ‘leave it.’ If those don’t work, start walking back towards them, repeating the command or making sounds (Shhh Shhh, Hey, or a clap) to get their attention and let them know  you’re a comin’ for ‘em. Usually once you start making our way towards your dog they know the best option is to leave the smell and come along.

In summary, using your dog’s name is a good way to get their attention and can sometimes take the place of a command. However, if your dog doesn’t seem to understand what you want from them, it’s your job to tune into that and change your approach after the second time you use their name and don’t get the response you wanted. If you do get the response you were looking for, be sure to relax your manner and reward your dog with cooing sounds and a pet.

How to pick command words: a vocabulary lessons for dogs

I knew my English degree would come in handy someday! While much of my relationship with dogs involves learning to ‘speak dog’ by reading their body language and knowing how to interpret their behavior, part of living in a human world means that our dogs need to learn some human language, too.

In our training sessions we talk about how to give commands and recommend that owners pick a vocabulary for their dogs and stick with it. Our dogs are smart, and it is incredible that they can learn so many words, but it is too much to ask them to learn English. Expecting our dogs to understand secondary meanings for words is confusing and unnecessary. Each word should have only one meaning and we should use the same word for the same concept or behavior every time. This bit of deliberate effort on our part  can make a huge difference in our dog’s life, making it easier for them to comprehend what we are asking for and, therefore, to comply. For instance when I want my dog to lay down I say ‘down’ and when I want her to get down off the furniture, my guests legs, or the rock I asked her to jump on for a photo I say “off.”

You don’t need to use my exact list. The most important thing is that you pick a language that works for you so it is one you can use consistently. It is also helpful to associate as many of these commands as possible with a clear hand signal. Some dogs respond better to words while others prefer the visual cue (provided your dog is looking at you, of course!)

LIST OF COMMON COMMANDS

Sit -  get your booty on the ground  

Down - lay all the way down on your belly, ideally with hips flopped

Off - get your paws (or body) off furniture, people, dogs, or whatever they are on 

Up up - jump or put your feet up on that

Kisses - lick the hand, useful for puppies who are mouthy  

Paw/shake - raise your paw  

Beg/sit pretty - balance on hind legs 

Roll over - from laying down, roll to the other side  

Crawl - wiggle/army crawl to me keeping your belly on the ground

Leave it/Take it - don’t go for it (usually the treat)/ take the treat

Gentle- take the treat more gently

Hold it- hold the object I am handing you in your mouth

Find it- sniff the ground. This can be used for enrichment training games (hide and seek, the cup game, scent games etc) as well as for a dog that is overly excited by others on leash. (if they are sniffing the ground they aren’t reacting to the dog)

Touch - touch your nose to my hand 

Load Up- get into a vehicle
—

Good (command)! - marks a positive behavior or correct response to command 

Look at Me-  Give me eye contact/put all of your attention on me. (this is usually when they are already sitting, or in a down but still highly distracted) 

Hey! - breaks a distraction to get their attention back, also used as a correction if they have ignored a command 

No! - stop doing what you are doing  

Bad! - I don't want you to do that behavior. Don't do it now or again in the future.  

Easy - (sing-songy) pay attention and slow down and bring your energy down 

Settle - especially for a puppy, calm yourself  

Out - get out of here or don't be where you are or stop doing what you are doing 

Back - back up or get out of my space 

Move - move your body out of my path

Leave it - drop what you are chewing or leave that object, dog, or person alone 

Drop - drop what is in your mouth, usually so I can throw it 

—

Wait - pause and wait for a release or further instructions, pay attention to me (eg doorways)

Stay - you stay stationary while I walk away (not the same as wait) 

Okay/free - release, you can change positions or do what you want again   

Let's go - we walk off together  

Come! - I am stationary, you come to me 

All the way - come all the way back to me and touch me 

This way - you are going the wrong way, change course & pay attention to me 

Heel up - walk to my side 

On the trail - get back on the trail 

Leash - hold still so the leash can be put on 

Fix your leash - hop one foot so the leash comes out from between your legs 

Pick up - for puppies or small dogs, hold still and brace yourself so I can pick you up 

—

Outside - let's go to the door, usually to potty 

Wanna go potty? - Do you need to pee? 

Potty, potty? - I strongly suggest you pee if possible 

When we ask the dogs to pose for pictures, we use many commands including come, sit, up, wait, down, this way, stay, off and leave it. This photos not only look great, but are a great excuse to practice obedience, patience and focus.

When commands trail off...

Austinites loooove their dogs, so when I’m out and about I get to see a lot of dog/owner interaction. One of the most common mistakes I see people make is to drop a command when their dog doesn’t comply. I think this happens so often because people simply don’t know what to do in those moments where their dog doesn’t listen.

From a training perspective, it’s important that I have a lot of integrity in my relationship with my dog. Because, ultimately, all of the training we do is for safety, it’s really really important to me that the twenty-odd times a day I give my dog a command they listen. I need for my dog to know that if I start asking them for something, I’m not going to quit till I get it. This helps my dog understand that the best way to make me quit saying that word is just to do the thing it means, then life gets fun again! If I quit, however, and don’t follow through on a command my dog learns that I have a breaking point, and if they can push me to that point they will never have to do the thing I asked them. The only way you can fail at dog training is by giving up!

I’m a dog trainer, but that doesn’t mean I’m not a person too! Sometimes I want some time off, and my dog or the dogs boarding at my home are doing something I don’t like (playing too rough in the house, going into a room they don’t belong in, barking at a noise), when this happens, I’ll start with my ‘eh-eh’ sound as a correction. ‘Eh-eh’ is great because it just means ‘stop what you are doing.’ Easy enough! If I slip up and say something like ‘sit’ and my dog, who is activated and involved in being a little naughty doesn’t comply, that means I have to get my lazy bum off the couch and walk over to my dog, get their attention, and make sure we follow through on the command I just gave.

Knowing how to teach your dog to sit is great and important. Knowing what to do when, for whatever reason, your dog doesn’t want to do that thing you are asking them to do, that you know they know how to do, is just as, if not more, important! That is one of the things we cover in our training series, and something that can really help your relationship with your pup as you guide them towards being more reliably obedient. Often those moments when it’s tough to get their attention and compliance are the ones where it can matter the most!

Our favorite 4-lettered word is C-A-L-M

The reason a lot of people love dogs is their easy access to states of exuberance and joy. As anyone who has ever walked down a city street or met a dog knows, dogs are easily excitable. Most dogs today are little, furry instant gratification machines.

See another dog? Freak out. 

Human looks at you? Freak out.

Going for a walk? Freak out.

Someone has a treat? Freak out.

Dogs are natural pros at getting amped up so what they need from us is an incentive to calm down. In order to be healthy, your dog needs to learn how to regulate their emotions - just like a person! 

You can create a container where this is possible by:

Pre-empting your dog's reaction in potentially exciting situations

• When you know you are going to subject your dog to those situations that are exciting for them, such as answering the door, passing another dog on the street, getting your dog into the car or approaching water on the trail, be sure to take a deep breath, give a touch on the leash or a verbal command and ask them to focus on you. 

• Down regulate their energy before they get distracted instead of just trying to manage them after.

Making the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard

• When your dog is being reactive and getting overly excited, do what it takes to get their attention back on you and be sure to  move away from what they want instead of towards it. 

• When your dog is jumping around, panting, whining or pulling towards something, stop where you are or move away from it. 

• Only when your dog is walking calmly and retaining their composure,  can you move steadily towards the awesome thing. 

• Have a picture of what you want in your mind and do whatever it takes to make reality match.

• As a leader for your dog, it's important that you always have a picture of what you want reality to look like. 

• When you put on the leash, you want your dog sitting calmly. 

• When you open the door, you want your dog ready to wait at the threshold.

• When you walk, you want your dog by your side and not pulling. 

• When you greet another dog, you want your dog's energy to be calm. You want them to be able to approach the other dog with a cool head so they can read and demonstrate prosocial body language. 

• If your dog is matching the picture you have in your mind, great! Life can keep being awesome! 

• If your dog's behavior doesn't match what you want, apply pressure with your voice, eyes, body language, leash and energy till you have their attention and they are calm again.

Everyone lies on social media, even dogs!

We all know that someone's social media image isn't necessarily indicative of the reality of their life. Well, the same is true for dog photos. We, as humans, are terrible at reading dog body language and this holds true for photographs as well. 

One of the most common  misconceptions is an easy one. Panting looks a lot like smiling! When a dog is panting, it can mean they are hot, but it can also be a sign of anxiety. A few weeks ago on a bar patio someone offhandedly commented on all the happy dogs there. He saw a few dogs sitting or laying down and panting, or, to his eyes, smiling. What I saw was dogs that were warm and anxious. They were most likely uncomfortable on the rocks by the picnic table their owner was sitting at. The music from the nearby stage was likely too loud for them. Being held on leash or tied up in a public space where there are people and other dogs can be stressful. These dogs were okay, but it probably wasn't their favorite day. Dogs are good sports about most things, but if owners were able to accurately read their dog's body language, they may make different choices about when to bring a dog along and when the dog may prefer to be left home.

The truth is, we are part of the problem! The photos we choose to post online or send to owners conform to these misinterpretations. We may not post this photo to Instagram because the dogs all look so serious. Some are distracted by a sound, a few are looking at the camera, only one is panting, but because of their ear position they don't necessarily look happy. The truth is, these dogs are calm and focused on the job at hand, which is staying in the position we put them in and maintaining the stay till they are released, despite whatever that distracting sound off to the left is. Judging by their body language, these dogs would be able to be calmly released from the pose and continue on with the hike without too much fuss (meaning us fussing at them).

Don't these dogs look happier? I don't know how long we were hiking before this photo or how warm it was that day, but the truth is they are probably hot.

Check out Nell's expression in this photo. She looks so serious! The truth is that she is calm and focused. Her ears are perked and her tail is up, telling me that she is perfectly content. 

Beware the lie of the tail - not every wag is a happy one. A slow deliberate wag can be a sign of discomfort. A tail that is out and up, but stiff can also be a sign of tension. In both of those scenarios, I may try to get my dog's attention or shift the situation so my dog feels more comfortable.

Nell is a Rhodesian Ridgeback so she has a stripe of hair that grows in the opposite direction along her spine. On any other breed of dog, the look of her back would indicate discomfort and be referred to as 'having her hackles up'. It's the body's version of growling. 

For me, when it comes to what I want to see from my dog, I care more about a calm energy and mentality than them looking happy. Wouldn't it be weird if you had a friend that was smiling all the time? Like, all the time? Well, intermittently riling our dogs up so their affect conforms to our perception of happiness can be detrimental to your dog's mental health and general obedience. I mean, I get it. These dogs really do look a bit blue or grumpy, but this is a place we have to retrain our brains so that our perception of our dogs more closely matches the reality. While I wouldn't post these pictures because they don't match our idea of a happy dog, this is, in actuality, more of the look I want the dogs who are with me to have.

If it ain't workin', stop doing it!

I get calls from a lot of owners who are struggling in some area of their life with their dog.

"I keep going to the dog park and my dog is having problems"

"I keep letting my dog off leash and they don't listen"

"I keep having people over and my dog always jumps on them"

I feel like a big part of my job is saying things that people respond to with "oh, that seems so obvious now that you've said it." Here is my gift to you: if it isn't working, stop doing it. 

If I keep having a problem it's a sign that I have over-faced my dog and I need to step back, regroup and re-approach. It's not enough to stop doing the thing (which you should, for now, if you keep getting the same bad result). In order to change the outcome, you need to address the underlying causes outside of the high intensity situation.

That's where a good trainer comes in! While you are researching trainers or waiting for your appointment, stop doing the troublesome activity or avoid the tough situation. I love to advise my clients on what changes they can make in their behavior and the way they relate to their dog that will have exponential effects on the way that their dog views the world and conducts themselves in it. 

For now, if it ain't working, it’s best to take a break (and get a trainer on the phone!).