 Today we're going to talk about how to react to any dog, from the most obedient to the most poorly socialized, in an intelligent, preservative fashion. A lot of what we discuss here will appear to be common sense, but be sure to take it quite seriously. It could mean the difference between an injury and a dog marked for life as a 'problem dog', and a safe, happy interaction. We're going to review five different dog behaviors and how to act appropriately when they happen. 1. Aggression. Most dogs you encounter, if feeling aggressive for whatever reason, will give a warning growl or a snarl. Aggression requires your respect. Avoid direct eye contact, and withdraw from the situation. Never, ever, under any circumstances, punish the dog. This reaction, no matter how mild, only worsens the issue, as it tells the dog that if he or she behaves this way, he or she will get attention. Whether or not that attention is good or bad is irrelevant to the dog.  Few dogs are downright aggressive, but snap because they are feeling afraid, anxious, or simply are confused on the appropriate way to behave. As a pet parent, it is up to you to figure out what is triggering these episodes in your dog, and then speak to a veterinarian or qualified professional (pet behaviorist, for example), for advice. 2. Barking. It will seem like the hardest, most counter-intuitive thing you can do, but it is imperative, if you want the barking to stop, to simply ignore it. Never shout at your dog to stop, as he or she will interpret this as you joining in the noise making. Instead, retraining is required. Retraining means teaching your dog how to bark and to be silent on command, while avoiding barking triggers (for example, a ringing doorbell, being left at home alone, etc). If you are unsure how to train your dog to bark on command or to be silent on command, do some research into positive reinforcement training or find a certified pet trainer to show you the ropes. 3. Play biting, or mouthing. Young dogs, and certainly puppies, like to put their mouths on everything. Often this involves biting, and it can really hurt! When this happens with your growing dog, get into some real over-the-top play acting and screech in pain while looking as though you have been genuinely injured by the action. This informs your dog that the bite was so hard that it really hurt you! Over time, and with consistent repetition of this reaction, your dog will get the message that the bite was too hard. If the pup is very overexcited, put the dog away immediately after the biting occurs and leave the room. The dog will very quickly learn to be gentle with you. 4. Fear. Does your dog shiver and shake when about to go outside, meet new people, or encounter new friends at the dog park? If so, it is imperative that you, as a responsible parent, set a good example by resisting the urge to comfort your dog. It may seem cruel, but if you do move in to comfort and console your pet, it will only reinforce the fearful behavior. If, on the other hand, you behave normally and remain composed, going about your regular business, the dog will learn that there's nothing to be afraid of. Feel free to distract him or her with some basic training commands, to reinforce the idea that you are in control, and to reassure your dog.  5. Begging.
This is the moment when your dog is the cutest. He or she is putting on his or her best, 10/10 adorable face, born from generations of perfecting the method at human dinner tables the world over. No matter how cute your dog appears at this time, you must never indulge this behavior. Ignore him/her. If you can't trust yourself to resist that adorable face, put the dog in a different room while you eat. This is to reinforce the idea that the dog is not a preferred member of your family pack above any others, and that human food is inappropriate for him or her. It may potentially avoid a dangerous food interaction for your dog in the future. Always use caution when it comes to your dog and human food, as it can be very poisonous to their digestive systems. Dogs are very intelligent creatures that have evolved to read our tone of voice and body language. They look to us for visual cues to reaffirm their behaviour. While humans have many instinctual reactions to animals and the things they do, it is important to know how to properly react to your dog in hopes to inspire the correct behaviour and to create a stable, cooperative relationship!
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This blog is devoted to everything you need to know to housetrain your puppy in three easy to follow sections. In sticking to a routine from the day you bring your dog home, you can be sure perfect housetraining to be achieved in no time. Without further ado, let's get to it.  Set up for success. As you want to start the housetraining process as soon as your pup gets home, having the right equipment on hand and ready to go is critical. 1. Get a good crate! Lightweight, collapsible, and durable, you want a crate you can move from room to room, has an adjustable panel so that the space within can grow with your dog (if you have an adult dog, this is unnecessary), and big enough that your dog can stand up and turn around inside it. Anything bigger and chances are your unhousebroken dog may soil his or her rest area. Plastic crates are good for excitable or hyperactive dogs, and wire ones are great for dogs who like to see what's going on around them. Feel free to put bedding in the crate, but check it regularly. If it becomes soiled, take it out and replace it only when your dog is fully housetrained.  Crates are great. To get your dog or puppy well adjusted to his or her crate, a few of these tricks can get you started. For puppies, stuff some hollow chewtoys with softened kibble and a few treats and place inside the crate for your puppy to enjoy. You'll find that in no time your puppy is begging you to go inside the crate. Some dogs prefer calm, quiet areas, and others want to be near you. Figure out what works for your dog - there is no wrong way to go here. For adult dogs, the crate training takes a little more work. Lure your dog into the crate by tossing a treat inside and saying, "Go to your crate." Whatever you do, don't lock your dog inside yet. Soon, your dog will happily to go her crate and once this happens, you can sit alongside, talk, and pet her. Once your dog starts to relax, you can begin shutting the door for short periods while offering treats from outside. From here, to can start to gradually increase time inside the crate. Offer lovely chewbones and kongs to keep your dog busy. Get Routined  Every hour on the hour, take your dog out on lead to the yard or outfront to a toilet area. Give your dog a few minutes to 'go' and the moment she does, praise her immediately and enthusiastically. Have a few freeze dried liver treats at the ready for every successful outdoor elimination to really bring the message home that going outside is good work! Once the business is done, it's time for a nice walk or playtime inside (depending on the age and vaccination stage of your dog - a subject for another blog post!)
Sticking to these guidelines will ensure you have a housebroken pup in no time at all. Good luck and have fun!  Welcome to the first of many blogs in the All Dogs Blog series. If you're a client at All Dogs Toronto, welcome back. If you're new here, we hope that you find the website informative and helpful. We believe that the more education we can provide dog and pet parents, the better off we all are. You may think that your dog spends most her time plotting how to get into your refrigerator, or how to extend your walk time by just an extra ten minutes at the end of each long day. You may have a dog that growls at you when you sit too close to her on the couch, or snaps at you when you try to take something away from her that she wants. And you may be forgiven for thinking that she is trying to be the boss. However, the truth is, she actually isn't. This is a case of mistaken motivation. Many dogs suffer from poor behaviour. Behavioural problems stem directly from one, or both, of two sources:  1. A lack of clear, consistently reinforced rules to live by. 2, His or her bad behavior, in the past, has been rewarded. Let's look an example. Your dog is on the couch. You ask him to get down, and suddenly, your dog's body language changes: he begins growing at you and being defensive, maybe even snapping at the air. As a result, you back off. No one wants to get bitten, and the reaction to move away is a natural and correct one. What's happened here is that the dog's poor behavior (growling) has been rewarded because she got what she wanted (to stay on the couch). To be perfectly clear, never challenge or punish a dog that's growling or aggressive. That's a different discussion and we will address what to do in those situations in a future blog post. To summarize, if, by behaving in a certain way, the dog gets what she wants, then of course she's going to behave that way because it gets her the result she wants. If there is a lack of ground rules and the dog is capable of getting away with bad behavior then, just like a naughty child, she will do so.  Keep in mind as well that all dogs are unique. They have their own personalities, and different stimuli will make them tick (or not tick, as the case may be). Don't be afraid to try different things with your dog. Provided you come to a single method that you use consistently to reinforce good behavior with your dog, take the time to figure out what works.
If bad behavior persists despite consistent rules and the reinforcement of good, as opposed to bad behavior, a trainer is a good option. A skilled dog trainer will assess your dog as an individual, figure out what excites them and use that knowledge to build the dog's confidence, motivating her for reward-based training done right. It helps to keep in mind, during these often frustrating moments with your dog, that a dog's emotional brain power is very similar to that of a two-to-three year old child. Anger, fear, disgust, and love are all in their repertoire, as are optimism, envy, and grief. If you want to communicate with your dog, speak to her in a way she can understand so that she has a chance to obey you. Don't make the task too complicated. Break it down into small parts, or baby steps, so that your dog can learn. |
AuthorCamille Salter is the founder of All Dogs Toronto and a certified, knowledge-assessed dog trainer (CPDT-KA). She is the author of two books on dog behavior: Pandemic Puppy, Decoding the Dog Park, and the Big Book of Dog Training. Archives
July 2022
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Books On Dogs and Dog Behavior by Camille Salter, CPDT-KA
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Urban dog parks are fraught with risk. These environments host to an ever-changing assemblage of dogs with different backgrounds, life experiences, tolerances, and drives. Learn how to navigate them with confidence, safety, and skill with this navigation guide designed for the active dog parent in mind. "Pandemic Puppy" is a mini-book designed for the undersocialized puppy, and outlines best practices for puppy rearing, socialization during a pandemic, obedience, attention, calming behaviors, and compliance. All delivered in a force-free, scientific manner. Read this book. Once you have these lessons under your wing, you and your puppy will soar with excellence and never look back.
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