Bribes, Lures and Rewards

When training your dog in obedience, make sure you know the difference between a bribe, a lure and a reward.

Bribe: Something you show your dog (food, toy, etc…) before you ask him for a behavior. Try to always avoid bribes. Some owners make the mistake of bribing their dog, and find that the dog will not cooperate unless he knows there is food involved.

Lure: When food or a toy is used to help a dog into a body position (sit, down, etc…). For example, when teaching a dog to spin, you can use food to lure him into a circle. These can be used at first, but should be phased out as soon as soon as the dog has an understanding of the behavior.

Reward: When food or a toy is given as a prize for good behavior. These should be used very frequently at first, but should gradually be phased out as the dog masters the behavior and it becomes easy for him.

Games to Play with your Dog to Jumpstart your Relationship

Before you start introducing your dog to obedience commands, it is important that your dog trusts you and wants to work with you. By playing fun games with your dog, you are teaching him that he will be rewarded for good behavior. Your dog will learn that cooperating with you is a very good thing, and he’ll want to do it again. Pleasing you equals rewards for him.  Games are also valuable training tools when teaching your dog obedience. When he starts to get bored or distracted, you can play one of these games to win his attention back.

Here are some games to play with your dog to teach him the value of cooperation:

• The Touch Game – Teach your dog to touch your hand with his nose
  
  • Step 1: Put a piece of kibble on your palm and put your palm several inches from his muzzle. When he goes for the kibble, touch your palm to his nose and say touch. Then praise him and give him the kibble. After several times, your dog will understand that “touch” means nose to hand contact.
  • Step 2: Hold your hand in front of his nose with kibble, but wait until he touches your hand with his nose. When he touches, say “Touch”, give him and kibble and tell him what a good boy he is. Repeat this process several times.
  • Step 3: Hold the kibble in your palm in front of his nose. Ask him to touch. When he touches, give him the kibble, and praise him. If you dog does not touch after three tries, go back to step two. Repeat this several time.
  • Step 4: Keep some kibble nearby, but don’t put any kibble in your hand. Hold your palm a few inches in front of his muzzle. Ask him to touch. As soon as his muzzle touch your hand, praise him lavishly and give him some kibble from the nearby stock.
• Spin – Teach your dog to spin in a circle
  
  • Step 1: Take a piece of kibble in your hand and show it to your dog. Move your hand back and forth so your dog follows it with his head. Move your hand in a wide, big circle so your dog follows your hand. When he has made a circle, praise him and give him the kibble. Due this multiple times until he understands he is supposed to follow your hand in a circle.
  • Step 2: Take a piece of kibble inn your hand and show it to your dog. Say “Spin!” and make the circle with your hand while he follows. When he completes the spin, praise him and give him the kibble. Everything is the same as Step 1, with the addition of the verbal cue “Spin”.
  • Step 3: Put some kibble nearby, but don’t hold any in your hand. Give the verbal cue and make the hand motion. When your dog completes a spin, praise him and give him some kibble. If he is confused or doesn’t understand, go back to step 2.
• Fetch
  • This seems like an obvious game to play, but most people don’t play it with their dog from a teaching standpoint.
  • Throw his favorite toy. Most likely he’ll run after it and bring it back. When he brings it back, praise him and throw it again (most owners don’t praise during a game of fetch). If your dog runs to the toy but doesn’t bring it back, clap your hands and be exciting. When he comes back with the toy, praise him and throw it again.

Obedience Training Your Dog and Why it’s Important

Training your dog in obedience is key to having a successful relationship with him. Many owners don’t invest the effort or time in training their dog; they just want the dog to come when they call. While recall is an important skill every dog should know,  other commands are just as important, and are crucial to a successful owner/dog relationship.

A trained dog means the dog will listen to his owner and do what he ask in any situation. This puts  the owner in control and in charge. If the owner don’t establish authority over his dog, the dog will establish himself as the leader of the pack, and the owner will find the dog does not respond to him. This will frusturate the owner greatly, and will damage the relationship between the dog and owner, since they lack the vital connection based on who is dominant (the owner) and who is submissive (the dog).

As well as being crucial to a successful relationship, obedience training is important to the safety of the dog. If the owner and dog are in a heavy traffic area, a dog pulling on his lead to chase a squirrel that happens to run into the street could be catastrophic. A simple down and stay could save the dog’s life.

So before you write off obedience training due to time constraints or whatever reason you may have, consult this blog/guide.  I’ll be adding to it everyday, so keep checking back!

Housebreaking or your puppy: How to Housetrain your puppy fast

Housebreaking your puppy may seem like a scary task, but it’s not as bad as you may think. Here’s a secret that makes all the difference in house training: Give your dog his own “spot” to do his business. This is one of the easiest and most often overlooked ways to make housebreaking easier. Give your dog his spot the minute you bring him home for the first time. Before you even enter your home on the day you pick up your puppy, take him to the place where you want him to do his business. The spot should be about ten to fifteen square feet. While your puppy sniffs the area, continually ask him to do business with the verbal cue of your choice (for example, “Go outside”, and “Do business are good cues). If your dog doesn’t go in that area after a minute or two, take him inside and let him explore one room, while under supervision. Take him out every fifteen minutes and say the verbal cue until he goes in his spot . When your dog starts to go, give him lots of praise while he goes and when he’s finished (“Good boy, Spot! You’re the best! You’re the smartest boy I know!”). You may sound silly to your neighbors, but your dog will get the message, and house training will be be dramatically faster. Once your dog has marked his spot, it’s his territory, so he’ll want to return to that spot to do his business, which is why it makes housebreaking faster. From this point on, you should take him to that spot to do all his business.

More important tips:

• Three signs your puppy needs to do his business: sniffing, circling, and stiffening his tail.
• Keep your puppy on a leash as much as you can until he is house trained. This way, you can supervise him and will be able to prevent potential accidents by taking him to his spot when he shows signs of needing to go.
• When your dog is doing his business, make note of his behavior so you can recognize the behavior patterns again when he is in your home , so you can prevent an accident.
• Buy a urine and odor remover to clean up accidents. If you just wipe up the accident with paper towels, your puppy will return to the same spot because his scent is there.
• If your puppy starts to squat while in the house, throw a toy or get his attention by shouting or yelling his name. Promptly pick up your puppy (don’t scold him – this will just confuse him), put his tail between his legs (this will stop him eliminating) and carry him to his spot.
• If you find an accident in the house, never drag your puppy to his urine or feces and scold him. A puppy’s memory is short (5-7 seconds), and he won’t understand why you’re angry. He’ll see the puddle, but he won’t remember that it’s his. He’ll feel guilty, but he won’t know why.

How to Find the Right Dog for your lifestyle

Finding the right breed of dog can be one of the hardest things about raising a new puppy. Here are some  important things to consider when choosing a breed.

• How much energy do you, the owner, have? Will you have enough energy to keep up with the dog you choose? It’s best to choose a dog that has . It is best to find a dog that matches your energy levelIf you like to exercise and have the time to get up in the morning and go running or go for a bike ride, then your best bet is a dog that has high energy levels, like a Labrador or Golden Retriever. If you are not a fan of physical activity, then you want a dog that is low energy, like a Lhasa Apsa.
• Consider the size of your home. Generally, smaller dogs will fare much better in an apartment then a Saint Bernard. A big dog in a small space can often be destructive if there isn’t enough space for him. Picture a bull in a china closet.
• Is this your first dog? If you will be raising your first dog, then go with a breed that is easily trained. Border Collies, German Shepherds, Poodles, Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers are known for their intelligence and ability to be trained, which will be a less stressful experience for you.
• Do you or any of your housemates or family have allergies to dogs? Then a consider a dog with hair, rather than fur if you have allergies. When dogs shed, their fur falls out, which is what most often times causes allergies. Hair doesn’t fall out – it grows instead. The dog won’t shed, but you will have to professionally groom him so the hair  stays clean and unmatted.

If you’re new to the dog community and need further assistance in finding the right breed, I’m always available for personal questions at sbrown2@ithaca.edu. You can also check out these breed sites to pinpoint exactly what kind of dog will best suit you:

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm

http://www.mydogsbreed.com/