I had to advocate for Riker.. and it felt icky
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It’s So Easy To Create Sneaky Dogs
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Effective Training?
What kind of trainer am I?
What is “effective” training?
Trainers I admire consider the needs of the dog, the people, and the community. Everyone matters, and everyone’s safety, perceived safety, and quality of life is important.
I worry that the extremely positive trainers value the dog’s need for safety above all else, even above their need to be able to function in the world. Some stress is good! Some stress builds resiliency. Bubble wrapping dogs and keeping them away from all stress isn’t always helping them. Staying too far away from stress can severely limit progress.
Trainers who use punishment, or “balanced trainers” as they call themselves, consider stopping the behaviour at any emotional cost a success. They call themselves effective trainers. Oh how I hate that the word ‘balanced’ has been taken by the community of people who use punishment. These trainers will often train a dog who is completely unsuited, to fit into a box that is desired by the owners. Not every dog is going to love strangers, other dogs, and busy public spaces. Not every dog is cut out to be a competition dog. And that’s all OK- I am an introvert myself, so I get it!I
Keeping reactive dogs 100% “under threshold” all the time isn’t’ realistic and might not help the dog progress at a rate that gives everyone the quality of life we need. In addition to the training plan, we need management plans that help us manage a dog if the situation is above their training level. These plans might include telling our dog no, but it never needs to include using tools that hurt or scare dogs. No dog needs to be in a slip lead, prong, or e-collar. These devices tell our dogs “no, or else”. Just like with a child that wants to run into traffic after a ball, you can say “no” and physically stop the child from running into the street without hurting or scaring them. Dogs aren’t kids by any means, but this is the same. We can say no without using outdated practices like ear pinches, or warning beeps or vibrations that tell our dog to stop “or else”.
Setting fair and humane expectations is a large part of dog training. I will refuse to help people who insist on trying to train an anxious working breed into being ok with going to birthday parties and doggy daycares, but I am more than happy to help people understand their dog and make fair and realistic training and management goals.
Good trainers won’t sacrifice the dog’s needs to please a person who wishes they had gotten a different dog, a more easy going or confident dog. Yes, we could use punishment to make dogs fit into these boxes, but I won’t and ethical trainers won’t. It isn’t fair or humane.
Much of the stress myself and others with a trained eye see is missed by the average pet owner when their dog can now go into public spaces without reacting. I see the scared posture, the way they hold their tail, the set of their ears, and I know that the dog might outwardly appear to be coping, but inside they are suffering. And that isn’t ok.
Effective, humane training takes everyone into consideration. We consider what is fair for the dog? What is fair to the people involved? What is fair to the community?
Testimonials
Your patience and kindness really shine through your training approach. We all had a great time and I am so pleased with how Lili is doing. We were out doing ‘house calls’ this afternoon and Lili did the best ever with her latest new dog-loving senior friend with very little barking, and few worries about the environment, other people, and noises …. I am so appreciative of the strong foundation she received in our virtual lessons with you.
We are so happy with Buddy’s progress! He was amazing today when our friends came over. Thank you for helping us. We are so glad that we signed up for online lessons.
I can’t believe how well we are doing! Rosie seems very happy lately. It’s really, really great!! Thank you for the help!
Bus Stop Manners
What are ‘Bus Stop Manners’?
Dogs are not people, and people are not dogs, but sometimes it is handy to use analogies to help understand behaviour. This is where ‘Bus Stop Manners’ comes in.
Imagine you are sitting at a bus stop, or at a park bench or sitting at the food court in a mall… you get my drift. A person sits down beside you, staring intently at you, not breaking their gaze, not blinking, just staring.
You likely will feel uncomfortable. Maybe you’ll crack a joke (Fool Around Response), maybe you’ll move and sit somewhere else (Flight Response), maybe you’ll start a fight (Fight Response), or maybe you’ll pull out your phone and pretend to be busy (Fidget Response).
In another scenario, a person runs up to you at the bus stop, jumps in your lap, wraps their arms around you, and declares you to be their new BFF! You start hearing about all of the intimate details of their life. Likely you feel uncomfortable and might have some of the same responses as to the person the first scenario.
In yet another scenario, a person sits down next to you, glances your way and then goes about their business, or perhaps they start a polite conversation “Nice weather today” or “Do you have the time?” They look at you with a soft look to their gaze, being careful not to intrude upon your personal space, and reading your cues about whether you’d like to engage in small talk or be left alone. Finally you’ve met a polite person who understands approproaite social interactions when meeting strangers.
Dogs have similar rules when it comes interacting with strange dogs too, but due to learning history or genetics some dogs end up being the creepy weirdos at the bus stop. This is why it is important to ensure our dogs have good ‘Bus Stop Manners’. Help your dog have good manners – don’t let them be the weirdo at the bus stop.
Training available in-person and virtually.
More info: www.positive.dog and https://positive.dog/virtual-training
Testimonials
Your patience and kindness really shine through your training approach. We all had a great time and I am so pleased with how Lili is doing. We were out doing ‘house calls’ this afternoon and Lili did the best ever with her latest new dog-loving senior friend with very little barking, and few worries about the environment, other people, and noises …. I am so appreciative of the strong foundation she received in our virtual lessons with you.
We are so happy with Buddy’s progress! He was amazing today when our friends came over. Thank you for helping us. We are so glad that we signed up for online lessons.
I can’t believe how well we are doing! Rosie seems very happy lately. It’s really, really great!! Thank you for the help!
What People Don’t Know
What People Don’t Know…
Socializing a dog is an act of love by a person who wants their dog to be comfortable and confident around people, other animals, and in daily life. Sometimes, these well-intentioned attempts backfire and do more harm than good. What people don’t know can hurt their dog, and other dogs.
Today I was training with a client on the outside of a dog park. This is a common place for me to train as it allows us to practice either ignoring other dogs or polite greetings through the fence. I’m going to tell a story of what we saw there today.
An hour at the dog park
The park is divided into two spaces, one for small dogs and the other for big dogs. The small dog side was very busy with a dozen or so dogs milling about, playing chase, and overall being appropriate and having a good time. On the big dog side, it was fairly quiet with two lovely beagles and a young golden retriever were playing nicely. My client pooch did great, greeting a few of the littles and the beagles and retriever very appropriately. I’m so proud of how far he has come!
A few more dogs arrived on the big dog side and I noticed a young giant breed dog enter. His behaviour was markedly different from his fellows. He was clearly uncomfortable with frantic appeasing body language and piloerection (hackles) visible from the top of his neck to the base of his tail. I pointed him out to my client and explained why the dog park was not an appropriate place for him. He was overwhelmed and not coping in a healthy way.
Just then, from up the hill, we see another young giant-breed dog approaching. He was an intact male mastiff and his people were trying hard to do the right thing: stopping every step, asking him to sit before taking another step towards the park, trying to teach him self-control. When he reached the park, very excited, he and the other large breed pup have a good go at it through the fence. The owners pulled them apart and tried to introduce them a few more times, but the fighting through the fence just got louder each time. Eventually, the owners of the new dog gave up and walked away, complaining about the aggressive dog inside.
After a bit, the dog inside the park leaves and the young mastiff goes inside. The barking inside the park increased significantly. The young 100+lb dog jumped on the other dogs, harassed them, and generally ignored any and all social cues asking for space. Bluntly, he was being a bully – a real jackass.
Sadly his owner doesn’t see it that way. The other owners are left to pull him off of their dogs, step between him and their dogs, and try to navigate the situation. The mastiff owners looked on, apparently confident that their dog was behaving appropriately or that the other dogs were capable of changing his behaviour.
I saw a number of frustrated owners trying to figure out what to do, or even if they should intervene. One very obese retriever is being harassed by the mastiff. He ignored her snapping and snarling, giving her no space or respite. Unfortunately, the people around her also ignored her pleas for help as she would try to move behind people to escape him.
Now, if you asked all of these dog owners whether they were doing their best to raise their dogs to be well-socialized and give them the best quality of life, they would probably all say “Yes!”. If you asked them if the dog park was a great way to socialize their dogs, they would all say “Absolutely!” If you asked them if their dog enjoyed the dog park, they would say “Definitely!”
Are they right though?
Yes. No.
That’s the problem. The dog park can be a great place. People who go there are probably great people. Dogs can have a great time.
But.
Only if the people understand dog behaviour, only if they respond to it, only if they respect it, and only if they recognize their role in shaping it.
The dogs who were being bullied needed an advocate. The young overwhelmed pup needed to be taken out to observe and meet dogs from out side of the fence. The bullying mastiff needed someone to step in to teach him how to greet politely and to interrupt him when he ignores signals from other dogs.
This is not a post telling you not to visit the dog park. My heart breaks for the dogs who were unwittingly put into this position, for the dogs who are put into this position every day. I feel for that overwhelmed giant-breed pup, that marauding unguided mastiff, the frustrated and scared targets of his bullying.
I would bet that none of the owners saw what I did. Instead of the potential harm and future problems, they likely thought their dogs could figure things out on their own. They thought they were setting their dogs up for success.
Don’t forget to join the FREE Online Reactivity Course and Support Group to learn fun games to play outside of the dog park.
Reactivity: Is it Fear? Frustration? Something Else?
Reactivity: Is it Fear? Frustration? Something Else?
Dogs are reactive for many reasons. We can’t truly get inside their heads, but by watching body language and getting to know the dog, we can take some good guesses. By understanding WHY our dog is reacting, we can better choose a strategy to help them… and us. Being a reactive dog is hard, and having a reactive dog is hard.
Common reasons for reactivity include but are not limited to:
- anxiety or fear,
- frustration,
- territorial aggression or guarding,
- over-excitability,
- predatory aggression, and
- true dog aggression.
Dogs may have one or more of the reasons above for being reactive. The hardest cases are when a dog has multiple motivations for reactivity, i.e a dog who is afraid of other dogs but really wants to meet them (perhaps inappropriately), so becomes frustrated when on leash.
Below different training strategies for these common reasons for reactivity. Each dog and each human are unique, and there is no recipe for reactivity that will work for every dog. This is why I struggle with offering an on-demand program. No two dogs need the same plan. However, do check out my FREE Online Reactivity Course and Support Group.
Anxiety
Anxious dogs might be this way due to trauma, genetics, lack of (or improper) socialization, or simply from being misunderstood. If we are able to set fair expectations for our fearful dogs, this is one of the easiest types of reactivity to address. Training, even with the help of medication, will not likely ever change an anxious dog into a confident socialite. Set fair expectations for the dog, i.e. if they are afraid of strangers, don’t allow people to pet them. If they are afraid of dogs, don’t take them to busy off leash areas. Maybe one day they will surprise us and be ready for these things, but maybe not. Instead of trying to make them a more outgoing dog, teach them appropriate ways to communicate to you that they are afraid – and then when they communicate, step up and protect your dog from the scary things. This will build confidence!
Anxious dogs often benefit from:
- Relaxation Protocol (check out my version).
- Desensitization & Counterconditioning.
- Pattern Games.
- Supplementary exercises to build confidence and resilience.
Frustration
Frustration is a very common reason for reactivity. Quite often, these dogs do great in dog parks or day cares, but lose their marbles when they see a dog when on leash. Frustrated dogs sometimes play very inappropriately with other dogs, rushing in and smooshing them, not respecting the other dog’s communication. This is another type of reactivity that we often successfully address.
Frustrated dogs often benefit from:
- Relaxation Protocol (check out my version).
- Focus and Obedience type games.
- Practicing calm and polite greetings with people and dogs.
- Supplementary exercises to meet the dog’s physical needs (tug, biking, wrestling, etc.)
Territorial Aggression & Guarding
This type of reactivity is often seen when a dog charges their fence, or worse, runs out of their yard and attacks or barks at a passerby, whether human or canine. You might also see it if a dog has access to windows facing the street or trail where they can watch people passing. With dogs who are genetically predisposed to guard, we need to have fair expectations. We cannot train a dog who was bred to guard for many many generations to become a friendly retriever who loves everyone.
Territorial dogs often benefit from:
- Relaxation Protocol (check out my version).
- Recall training.
- Communication from their people thanking them from guarding, then letting them know they are off duty.
- Supplementary exercises to allow the dog to guard in an appropriate way while not scaring the neighbours.
Over-Excitability
Think Pomeranian =) Often these dogs bark a lot in their general life, and are super excited about everything. Then when they see a new potential BFF on the street, they just CANNOT contain themselves.
Over-Excited dogs often benefit from:
- Relaxation Protocol (check out my version).
- Station training.
- Scatter feeding on walks.
- Supplementary exercises to promote calmness such as snuffle mats and nosework.
Predatory Aggression
We see predatory aggression commonly towards cats, squirrels, rabbits, deer, etc. Luckily we don’t see this directed at dogs or humans nearly as often as you might think. Sometimes a frustrated dog is labeled as predatory, but it’s usually not the case. If your dog is truly predatory toward other dogs or humans, please don’t take advice from a blog or other online source – get help from a qualified professional certified by IAABC or a similar credentialling board.
Predatory dogs often benefit from:
- Relaxation Protocol (check out my version).
- Station training.
- Predatory Substitution Training.
- Supplementary exercises to allow appropriate ‘hunting’ without harming the neighbourhood wildlife.
True Dog Aggression
Typical dogs who fight with other dogs will approach, stop and sniff with stiff body posture, then engage in a loud display where not much damage is done. Those are not the dogs I put in this category as they might just be frustrated or socially inappropriate. The dogs in this category attack other dogs on sight, often silently, and they do damage. Their intent isn’t to drive off the other dog, but to do harm. They are generally anti-social and often don’t have a history of having canine friends. Don’t confuse this with two particular dogs who have been fighting off an on for some time and now will fight on sight – that is a different issue.
Aggressive dogs often benefit from:
- Relaxation Protocol (check out my version).
- Obedience training.
- Counterconditioning.
- Supplementary exercises to encourage safe social engagement.
Congratulations if you made it this far! Don’t worry, the vast majority of reactive dogs fall into the first few categories. Reactivity is often very trainable! Check out some of the links in the page, join the FREE Online Reactivity Course and Support Group, and try the exercises with your own dogs.
