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Section A: How dogs learn
Dogs learn by a simple linking of cause and effect. Dogs DO NOT reason and don't understand right from wrong, in other words a dog learns that if it reacts in a particular way to a particular situation, then it will be rewarded. But, if it reacts in a different way then there will be no reward. The reward should not always be a treat or food, but rather praise, approval or the achievement of an objective.
A dog is not a human and shouldn't be treated as such. We tend to apply human terms to our dogs behaviour such as guilt, vindictiveness, bullying, selfishness etc. A dog has none of these sensitivites and cannot tell right from wrong. Example: a dog has chewed a shoe in your absence. The dog will act in a submissive or cowed manner when you discover this deed. We naturally assume the dog is feeling guilt for chewing the shoe when in fact it is anticipating punishment - it is fear it is feeling. Perhaps is your body language that triggers this response, or is it the fact that the dog associates debris with punishment. Punishment at this late stage can not and will not make the dog associate the misdeed with the punishment. You have actually punished the dog for no reason. If you can find out why the dog did do this in the first place, steps can be taken to stop it from happening again. Punishment will only result in an anxious dog and therefore more prone to problem behaviours. Cause and effect must happen virtually simultaneously for the dog to connect the two and learn. The passage of even a second diminishes the effect. If more than five seconds pass then there is probably no connection made. If a dog responds correctly to a command then instantly praise the dog as a reward. If not a firm NO is all that is needed to show the dog it didn't achieve it's objective.
What we see as cute habits in pups can become problems in adult dogs. Example: you allow your pup to bite in play, you become tired of this 'game' and tell the pup to stop. The pup doesn't understand and wants to continue biting. You become annoyed that the pup is still biting and punish the pup, but you have given it the message that it is ok to bite, it was allowed to and even encouraged to bite before with no consequences. The pup will not see what has changed and why it must stop now. Consistence is the key, do not allow your pup to bite in the first place, if it does, say NO firmly and ignore the pup for a small time.
Dogs learn from us the owners and we frequently make the mistake of inadvertently teaching our dogs behaviours we don't want them to do. It is very easy to do if you do not understand how the dog learns. Seeing how dogs learn by reward, a classic example of inadvertently teaching you dog bad habits is by having your dog scratch at the door to come in. After a few minutes of it scratching you scold the dog and then let it in. You think you have reprimanded the dog for scratching, but you have in effect rewarded the dog for scratching. It will not have associated you scolding it for the initial scratching as you instantly rewarded it by letting it in and it may scratch again and again when it wants to come in. The proper way to curb the scratching is to totally ignore the dog for a period of time until it has given up scratching, then call the dog over make it sit. Once it complies then let it in, this teaches the dog that it has been rewarded for its obedience and it has learnt that you have dominance. Another example is, if a dog has been kept inside overnight and in the morning hasn't made a mess. When it comes to you and you give it a reward it will associate only the reward with coming to you in the morning, not that is hasn't made a mess. If the dog has made a mess and comes to you and you rub the dogs nose in the mess, it will associate coming to you with pain and added confusion. Doing this will not remind it that it made a mess. This also results in the dog becoming distrustful of you when called.
So in re-capping over the basics - if you allow a dog to do things one time and scold it another time for doing the same things, it will never learn what is expected of it. Be consistent with what you allow your dog to do and not to do. If you want to understand your dog better, do not assume the dog thinks in human terms, as it doesn't. A dog will 'read' your body language and tone of your voice to understand what you want it to do, along with words or commands it has learnt from you. You do not have to be a bully or aggressive to the dog to establish a sensible relationship with your dog. Establish your leadership and maintain it. It should be you who decides when the dog eats, walks and goes out. This still leaves unlimited opportunity to thoroughly love and enjoy your dog.
Section B: Training your puppy
Getting a new puppy is an exciting time for both the pup and owner[s], but the ultimate goal on acquiring a new puppy, is to teach it what you want it to do by training. You want your puppy to learn basic obedience, to be easily manageable and become a good canine citizen later in life. This will not miraculously happen overnight, but with patience, persistence and training, it will eventually come to fruition. A pup will learn what you teach it, so proper training is essential right from the start. Re-training of the owner to train the pup is a must, if you don't fully understand how a dog's mind works [see 'How dogs learn']. Training a pup should include the whole family, not just one person.
The first few weeks after acquiring your pup is the crucial time in which a pup will learn what you want it to do. Consistency, patience and keeping calm is a must to teach your pup basic commands, it will not take the pup long to learn if you do so. Don't scold or tell off the pup too much, as the pup is learning and training should be enjoyable. You want to teach your pup good habits right from the start. Bad habits are easily formed, but very hard to break. Do not let your pup develop habits that can become problems later on when the dog is full grown, especially if the pup will grow into a large dog.
A training program should begin the very day you acquire your pup, once the pup has had time to settle in. The first rule the pup must learn is that is the lowest in the 'human pack', this includes being lower than children in the family as well. This can be achieved by simply asserting your authority over the pup [not by means of physical force, but using your voice in a commanding tone], when it does something 'wrong' eg: biting. A firm NO is used and no eye contact or handling of the pup for 30 - 60 seconds is all that is required to get your message across to the pup. You will find that your voice will be used more than anything else when training your pup, learning to harness a commanding tone is essential.
Pups have a short attention span, so using strings of long phrases will get you nowhere fast. This will only add to the confusion a pup is already feeling. Using phrases such as "you are a very good/bad dog" for example will not sink into the pup. Simple words such as 'sit', 'stay', 'no', 'good boy/girl' and 'come' for example is much more effective. Name association helps as well at this time. Use the name you have given to the pup to aid in getting the pups attention eg: 'Toby sit' Keep training sessions short, from a few minutes to no more than 10 minutes at a time.
By mixing natural and manipulative training, your pup will soon learn to associate words to actions. Natural training is using the pups natural urges to sit or come over to you, just apply words to the actions and the pup will quickly associate the actions it does to the words that are used. Manipulative training is making the pup sit by putting one hand under the chin and using the other hand to gently push down on the rump and saying 'sit' at the same time. Leash training can also be brought in at this stage. Using a leather collar, [no slip collars] and a long training leash, this will aid in training your pup 'come' [see 'Leash Training']. A good game that can utilise five lessons in one is 'fetch'. By throwing a ball and telling your pup to fetch, praising when the pup picks up the ball will start the pup learning. Using the leash to make the pup come back to you with the ball and saying 'come', will teach the dog to retrieve and return. Once the pup gets the hang of the game, 'stay', 'fetch', 'come', 'sit' and 'ta ball' [making the dog drop the ball in your hand or in front of you], will be used. Later on the pup can learn recall from a simple game of fetch.
Praise and treats are both very effective ways of teaching your pup that it has done something correctly. Correction should only be made by using your voice, never smack or physically hurt a puppy if it doesn't do as is asked. This will only lead to a pup having anxiety and fear of you or becoming shy of people. Remember this training is new to the puppy, it will learn gradually over time. Repetitive training and lots of praise when the pup performs tasks correctly will start you on the way to training your pup effectively. A pup will only learn what you want it to, if you take the time and effort to train it.
Section C: Leash training
All pups respond differently to leash training. Some pups will carry on, screaming and howling when a leash is attached to their collar for the first time. Others will act like the leash is a great new toy. Leash training is not about jerking and harsh pulling on it to make the pup learn. Once the pup is used to wearing a collar [a sturdy leather or webbing one, as pups can chew through them and no slip collars], a leash can be attached. Never use a chain leash as this can damage a pups teeth and is far too heavy, rather stick to a 1 - 2 meter training leather or webbing leash. Allow the leash the drag on the ground so the pup gets used to having a leash on the collar. Never leave a pup unattended when leash training as the pup could get caught and strangle itself. If the pup tries to play or bite the leash, use a firm NO, the leash is a training/exercise implement not a toy.
Once the pup is used to having a leash attached, pick up the leash and let it learn that it can only go as far as the leash will allow. Do not jerk or pull on the leash suddenly, as the pup will not be ready for it and will most probably topple over, resulting in the pup learning that the leash can cause pain. Do not use the leash to reprimand a pup either by smacking the pup with it. A pup being leash shy is not good at all, as the pup will, in its lifetime spend a lot of time on a leash.
Getting the pup to walk along with you on the leash is next. Walk ahead of the pup and coax the pup to follow you, this will lead to 'heel' training. When the pup starts to follow you and walk along side of you, use the word 'heel' and give the pup lots of praise.
Teaching your pup to 'come' is relatively easy. Make the pup sit and stay, then walk a few steps away. Turn to the pup and gently pull on the leash and say 'come'. When the pup does come to you, give the pup lots of praise and redo the exercise. The pup will quickly get the hang of the word 'come' and soon you will not need to use a gentle pulling motion to make the pup come on command. You will only need to use the leash as a reminder, if the pup had temporarily lost concentration.
Section D: From the puppy's perspective
The puppy's perspective is something that is greatly forgotten about. Things that we take as everyday occurrences are new and foreign to the pup. A chair sliding on the floor when getting out of it, a vacume cleaner, dishwasher etc. can easily frighten a new puppy in the house. We must take into account that the pup may have never been introduced to these things, so turning on a vacume cleaner near the puppy when it is sleeping can scare it immensely. Making the puppy noise shy later on or even fearful every time the vacume cleaner is brought out. You don't need to wrap the new puppy up in cotton wool and never let it experience new things, just remember to gradually introduce new sounds/equipment to the puppy. Allow it to 'hear' noises when it is in another room and let it explore things on it's own accord, a puppy will be very inquisitive. Praise will help the pup become accustomed to new things only after it investigated the new noise/equipment of it's own volition, never force the pup to go near things it is frightened of or chastise it for being so.
When taking your puppy out for walks on the leash, in the new environment and it comes across a bag or something blowing in the breeze that frightens it. Let it go a safe distance away from it, until it knows that it will not harm it. If after a time it is still frightened, go over to the object and look at it or touch it. The puppy will eventually take an interest in what you are looking at and will want to investigate it for itself, when it does praise the puppy. Traffic noise too must be taken into consideration, let the puppy be a safe distance away in a light traffic area so it can become accustomed to car, truck and bus noises and see traffic of all shapes and sizes.
Having visitors to the house must also be taken into consideration. Having an unfamiliar person walk over to and pick up the puppy can be a frightening experience, making the puppy fearful of all visitors. If you have visitors, ask them to sit down and then bring the puppy into the room and let it investigate the new people. Ask the visitors to remain calm and talk quietly to the puppy, so as they don't frighten it. Once it has investigated then they can put their hand out and let the puppy sniff them. Then later they can pick the puppy up and interact with it.
Taking these simple steps and viewing the environment from a puppy's perspective will greatly help your puppy become a well balanced dog in the future.
Section E: House Training [toilet training]
House training can be quickly and simply achieved with training, but you must be patient. A balanced diet is essential to the pup [as a pup with diarrhoea is expecting too much with house training]. Pups will want to keep their immediate are clean, but will not consider the whole house as their immediate area. After eating or sleeping they will move away to another area to do their business, this is usually on the lounge or dining room carpet.
The first step is to choose a location outside that the pup can have as a designated toilet area. When the pup is likely to want to go to the toilet, take it outside to the area and place it on the ground. Use simple words like 'busy busy' or 'wee wee' when the pup is passing motions and give lots of praise if the pup has done its business in the designated area.
After sleep, meals and drinking is the most likely times a pup will want to go to the toilet. So make sure you take the pup outside and use the same words, and give praise when the pup has done its business. Other signs the pup is ready to go outside are, restlessness and sniffing around an area.
Be patient with the pup and never rub the pup's nose in the mess it has made. If you catch the pup in the act of urinating or defecating say a firm NO and place the pup outside into its area. If you don't catch the pup in the act then there is no use what so ever of punishing the pup, as it will not make the connection to the mess with the punishment.
Physical punishment can actually prolong the time in house training and in some cases make the pup 'sneaky' with doing its business inside. It will wait until you aren't around and urinate behind chairs in a cupboard or some other unnoticeable spot.
Section F: Socialising
The dog/human bond is made very early in a pup's life, so a puppy should meet visitors, other children and friends early on. As long as steps are taken so as the puppy will have a pleasant experience and not come away hurt or frightened from the experience. Avoid over excitement, excessive rough play or unskilled handling by young children.
Your pup should also be allowed to meet other friendly, healthy dogs, that are known to you. Do not let your pup mix with unrestrained, unknown dogs in parks or streets. As one encounter with an aggressive dog will make the pup's experience bad and could lead to problems later on when the dog is older.
Puppy pre-school is an excellent way of allowing your new puppy to experience a social atmosphere with other people and pups of your puppy's age. Your puppy can learn to socialise with other dogs in a healthy atmosphere. These puppy pre-schools are usually run by veterinary clinics or dog obedience schools. They will also include training and healthcare tips as well. When you acquire a new puppy ring your local vet for information and if they don't run the pre-schools, ask if they know of any in your area.
Section G: Training the older dog
In some cases you may acquire an older dog that needs training, or you have a dog that you want to re-train. The best course of action is to enroll into your local dog obedience clinic. Councils will usually run these at a lower fee compared to privately run clinics. Not only is it a great weekly social outing for you and your dog, but you will learn the basics to dog obedience and training. Classes usually start at beginners, this will entail heel work, sitting, dropping and staying all on leash. As your dog progresses you will work up levels to off-lead obedience and then if you want to, you can enter into agility training.
Any dog, no matter their age can be trained. Training will increase the bond you share with your dog. The more time and effort you put into your dog, the better your dog will become. Training is a lifetime commitment, even if you do not continue clinic training after the beginners class, you should still maintain a training regime everyday. Not only does this stimulate the dog, but makes your dog/human bond stronger.
Training an older dog is by far easier than training a puppy. Older dogs are more responsive and learn far quicker than puppies do. Teaching 'pet tricks' to your dog is another way of stimulating your dogs mind. The amount your dog learns will be based on how much effort you put into it. Ultimately you can get your dog to a level where all that is needed is hand gestures to get the dog to do what you want.
Section H: Behaviour modification training
Over 20 per cent of dogs have significant behaviour problems that can and do cause disruption to the family enviroment. These problems rarely cause the dog any physical pain or inconvenience, but do however make it hard for others to tolerate.
Most frequent behaviour problems are aggression, barking, destructiveness, leg mounting, phobias, urine spraying and roaming/escaping. In many cases the owners of dogs with these problems either don't realise there is a problem and do little or nothing to correct these problems, even if they do seriously disrupt their lives. Owners who have aggressive dogs sometimes find that friends don't come around as often or they cannot let their children visit. Cases of barking dogs, the owners find they don't go out as much as their dog barks in their absence. Other people don't go on holidays as their dog frets and becomes destructive.
Many of these problems can be controlled quite easily, early recognition of the problem will help in correcting the initial problem. Dog behaviour problems of recent origin, that are recognised early on and treated have higher success results than behaviour problems that have had a long period of time to become deeply ingrained.
Aggressive behaviour: This is broken down to three different types of aggression all needing different types of retraining. Predatory aggression, dominance aggression and the rage syndrome [genetically bred aggression]. [If you do need help regarding any of these types of aggression let me know and I will post causes/solutions to the different types.]
General problem behaviour: Majority of problems arising from digging, chewing and barking result from frustration or boredom in dogs. Simple steps taken to cure your dog of boredom in most cases will result in the dog stopping these actions. More exercise, spending more time with the dog, stimulating toys, a playmate and or obedience training will help put a stop to these behaviours.
Digging out: Certain breeds such as the kelpie, border collie and GSP [German Shorthaird Pointer], are bred for an active work life. Being kept in suburban areas some dogs may rebel against their limited space and dig out. This problem can be stopped by choosing the right type of breed for limited space.
A lonely dog may try to dig out to seek companionship, this usually occurs on a Monday after a weekend of playing with the family.
Dogs and bitches will do anything to get out, if the bitch is fertile or the dog smells a bitch in heat in the area. Fences will not always contain these animals. The best defense to stopping your dog or bitch from constantly trying to escape is to have them desexed. Desexing your male will result in a quieter dog and is 90% effective in controlling his wandering ways. Although it doesn't solve all problems it is well worth a try.
Take into consideration what day your dog is escaping, it could be bin day in your area. If this is the case then the dog needs to be confined on that day. Some dogs are attracted to children going to and coming home from school, confining in these time slots may help.
The only certain way of controlling a habitual digger is to have a dogproof area, high fencing and wire or concrete flooring to stop the dog digging. This sort of compound will break most dog owner's budgets, so if you can find out why your dog is digging out, take steps to rectify it and consider yourself lucky. If you can't, dogproofing may be the only other alternative.
Batz artyis@hotmail.com
Dog Behaviour tread.
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