Author: sofudogs

 

Affection something, I talk a lot about. It can be good, or it can be bad awfully bad. Lots of folks disagree with me because they say they love their dog and it builds their relationship and their dog loves them. Ok, but what kind of relationship are you or have you built? It’s about the right love.

From what I have seen training dogs and seeing how folks interact with their dogs most of the time the affection they are giving is bad and is what is causing issues with their dog. Affection given at the wrong times, freely and only emotionally and only benefiting the human’s emotions is what I see the most of. If you are always giving your dog affection when it wants or it’s nervous because it makes you feel good that can be very detrimental to your dog and relationship. The owner that allows their dog to just do as it pleases because it makes them smile, happy and feel good could be causing their dog to be reactive, protective, and just be a plain rotten dog.

Folks will give themselves reasons why or excuses as to why they love their dog so much and give so much affection, well that is good for you but what does it do for the dog? Most of the time it is not good.

I see dogs that get in fights with other dogs, growl at people even bite humans and almost every time the owner is over affectionate with the dog. Always petting and comforting their dog. Allowing their dog to be on furniture, have free roam of the house, do as they please and worst of all let the dog sleep in their bed with them all because it makes them feel good with little to no benefit for the dog.

Then they wonder why their dog has issues. They do not realize that what they are doing and how they are living with their dog is what is causing their dog to have issues.

If you want to change your dog, you need to change the way you interact with your dog. If you keep doing the same things giving your dog unwarranted affection you can only expect the same.

It’s not that all affection is bad but when it’s given freely to just please the human or is given to comfort the dog in fearful or nervous situation it can be bad. Give affection at times when your dog is being good or doing what you want or when your dog is not nervous or acting fearful. Just because giving your dog affection and it makes you feel good ask yourself is it benefiting you or your dog?

What is redirecting your dog? Well as I see it it’s having your dog do something you want rather than what there’re doing that you don’t want. What I hear all the time is if you’re walking your dog and your dog reacts to another dog you should redirect them. It’s a good ideal but if your dog doesn’t understand what your redirecting them to, they are probably going to be confused and keep doing what they are doing and amping up just as you will be.

I also hear the same thing if your dog runs to the door barking at whoever is there and jumping on them. Redirect them they say. Well once again a good ideal. But if your dog doesn’t understand what you’re directing them to it won’t turn out like you hope.

There are many situations that come up with your dog and what do they say, “redirect them”.

It’s exactly what I do redirect that is. It may not seem like it but that’s what I’m doing. I may have to correct my dog once or twice holding them accountable but it’s better than correcting them over and over firmer and firmer and them wondering what the heck. The difference is that I practice with my dogs so that when I redirect them, they know what I’m asking. When the doorbell rings I have my dogs in place. Why so I can redirect them to place and hold them accountable rather than charging the door. When I say go to place, they redirect to place instead of looking at me and saying, “But I want the dude at the door”. Sorry but you need to go to place and be good.

Take the time to teach your dog in a calm manner in a quite environment until your dog understands what the command is then slowly add in distractions and then practice in different environments, so your dog is prepared to be redirected. Give your dog and yourself the best opportunity to be successful. If you’re not prepared you will struggle if your dog isn’t prepared it won’t be good.

So, redirecting is a good ideal but if your dog doesn’t understand what your redirecting them to… well good luck.

The place command is probably one of the most liked commands we teach dogs/puppies. The place command differs from just a down by being on an object with a perimeter. It’s not only a command it’s where your dog can learn to relax and just hang out with life going on around them without roaming around mindlessly with their snout in everything. It gives them a place to just hang out.

When that doorbell rings does your dog get excited run to the door jump on the visitor? How about when your preparing dinner or eating is your dog under foot seeing what they can get? Has your dog claimed the couch making it furry and dirty? Or does your dog just wonder around looking for a place it wants to lay down?

What if you teach your dog place? The doorbell rings your dog stays on the cot not jumping on the visitor or running out the door. While you’re cooking or eating your dog is laying down on a cot out of the way not tripping you up or begging. What if your dog lays on a cot instead of the couch? You can enjoy a nice clean couch without dog hair all over it. Instead of just letting your dog wonder around laying down wherever it wants. Teach your dog the place command. Your dog will have a place to just hang out stay out of trouble, enjoy life and leave the problems to the humans and be the good dog you hoped for.

There is a big push to eliminate tools prong collars, ecollars, whatever else they feel is bad and punishment from dog training. The Pure Positive movement is forcing people to just live with their misbehaved dog, give it up or euthanize it. Their real goal is to eliminate all ownership of any animal.

Along with Humane Society of America, ASPCA, Local Humane societies, so called Force free trainers, and big box pet stores they all want you to believe that rewarding and redirecting your dog from bad behaviors is what works and that correcting your dog or using tools that help you and your dog are very detrimental not only to your dog but to your relationship. When in fact it is only detrimental to their emotions. It’s very beneficial for the dog and your life together.

I have never seen anyone redirect a dog away from trying to get another dog or doing something the owner doesn’t want their dog doing by offering a treat. We get a lot of calls and see a lot of folks that have gone down that path and found it just doesn’t work. They are frustrated and at their wits end.

These groups say dogs can be trained without the use of punishment or force or any negativity towards the dog. Well, I agree you can, and we do it all the time. We train dogs to perform commands using positive reinforcement, but positive reinforcement won’t stop bad behaviors.

The only way to stop bad behavior is to punish the dog for doing the behavior. If there was another way, we would be doing it in a heartbeat. But so far no one from any of these groups or pure positive trainers or force free trainers (whatever that is) can show or do what they say can be done. So, until I see how they stop bad behaviors by rewarding or redirecting, I will continue to help the folks that want it, use tools that work along with teaching them how to communicate and have a well-behaved dog not just one that preforms tricks with bad behaviors.

It seems to be a number one issue with dogs and the number one reason why folks either train or give up their dogs. That jumping on guest, running out the door, barking excessively, being destructive, stealing food from the table, getting into the garbage, digging in the yard, nipping, biting and all the other things you don’t want your dog doing are more than likely from arousal.

How does a dog become aroused? It usually starts right away as soon as most folks get a puppy/dog. It’s a very happy exciting moment and baby schema has taken affect. You want your pup/dog to have fun you want to enjoy your new friend, your sole mate. So, you do everything for the them and let them just run around jumping and playing with other puppies and dogs go on play dates and meeting new friends. What a lovely sight, it makes you feel so good. But the effect will wear off and sometimes pretty quick.

Not only with the dogs we see from owners but especially dogs we see from rescues arousal is why the dog is behaving the way it is. That’s why you can’t get the dog to listen to you or pay attention. It’s because all the dog knows is fun, fun, fun. The time wasn’t taken to first teach the dog how you want it to be but instead used for fun and the things that made everyone feel good but had little benefit for the dog.

It’s not that you shouldn’t have fun with your dog, it’s that the fun should be structured and limited. Spend the first few months or longer teaching your dog the things you want from your dog and how to behave. You will enjoy and have more fun with your dog for years or your dog can just have fun and you won’t for years.

Crate training your puppy is one of the most important things you can teach your pup. Crate training your puppy will help with the things you don’t want your pup doing. Without all the freedom to roam around your house in an aroused state of mind unsupervised wondering what to do will help keep your pup calm and out of trouble. When your pup is left to figure things out on its own it usually leads to an aroused dog, unwanted behavior, peeing, pooping in your house, destruction and all those lovely things you don’t want.

When you have your pup out of the crate you should be teaching your pup what you want it to do. There’s no way your pup will figure things out on its own.

Well I guess your pup will figure things out just not the things you want your pup doing especially when it becomes a dog.

If you don’t crate train your puppy you can’t complain about what it does. It’s not your pups’ fault.

Too many people think dogs just know how to live in their world and be a good dog. But truth is dogs know how to live in their world and your two worlds will crash. It may take a bit, but it will happen.

Folks get caught up with the idea that their dog is smart. Compared to what? Your dog will eat garbage, dig a hole in the middle of your lawn, chew you shoes, destroy your furniture and what ever else they feel are smart things to do in their world.  Unfortunately, the dog will be doing exactly what it thinks is right.

If you don’t take the time to be consistent, hold your dog accountable and teach it how to live in your world it won’t be good. Oh, you’ll say how good your dog is and go on and on about all the fun things but forget about mentioning the things that aren’t so good. That’s where you need to focus. Good things just seem to come but the really good things that you thought you would have with your dog are missing. Be the owner you committed to when you first got your dog. Not the one that just settles and now just has a dog that’s an ornament at the house.

It’s not what most folks think. Actually, we do things a little different then most.

I know when you get a puppy all you’re thinking about is how cute it is and how much fun you are going to have together. Without the proper guidance, rules, structure and boundaries it won’t turn out like you hope. It could end up being a nightmare. We’ve seen it too many times.

We like to start right away teaching the pup how we want it to be in the future not just right now. We do this by limiting arousal. It is the number one enemy! If you enjoy your pup running around being crazy doing what ever it wants. Be prepared to have that same mentality in your dog. Because your now older dog will be running around crazy doing what it wants, and you will be frustrated.

Crate train your puppy. Your pup should be in a crate at night for sure and be in its crate anytime you are gone or can’t supervise your pup 100%. The crate limits free roaming and keeps your pup doing things you will regret.

Work with your pup. Use your pups daily kibble as treats for training. There are lots of sits, downs, places and other behaviors to be rewarded in a cup of kibble. Take the time to teach your pup, it won’t figure things out on its own. You owe it to your pup.

Take your pup out and about for walks and dog friendly places. This will allow your pup to experience the world and become socialized. Don’t let people you don’t know pet your pup. More than likely they will do it wrong and excite your pup teaching it to be excited when it sees new people. Don’t let your pup meet strange dogs especially on leash. You never know what could happen. It could set your pup up for a bad experience and mess things up for life.

Be patient and calm it’s very important. Correct your pup when necessary. It won’t ruin your relationship it will build believability. Advocate for your pup it will build trust.

Be careful of affection. Affection given in the wrong circumstances could be a killer. Give affection when appropriate like when your pup is being good.

Most of all be consistent about how you are with your pup. Build a routine and pattern your pup. Please, don’t get caught up in my pup is smart and can already do things mentality. Because I will guarantee you your pup does not know the thing you think it does it only knows how to perform tricks and when you need your pup to be good it won’t happen.

                                                                       

Having a good dog takes more than teaching your dog sit, down and basic commands. Having your dog sit or go lay down will give them something to do for that moment but, it won’t last.

If you want your dog to be a good dog, you must teach your dog to be good not just a bunch of commands. Oh! It will help they do go hand and hand but just having your dog perform commands won’t help your dog be a good dog, your dog will still drive you crazy.

What does it take? Well, it’s the one thing everyone struggles with.

Correction and punishment.

 I’m sure folks go crazy over those words, but they are a necessary part of life for dogs and humans a like.  

Yep the easiest thing to teach your dog is often not done or done incorrectly. Yes, there is a correct way to punish your dog for the wrong things.