Tag Archives: dog training

Stop putting limits on dogs

Reasons for limits

There are all kinds of reasons that dogs may have limits. They could be age, size, or breed related. But how do you know until you try?

It’s happened a couple of times with our own dogs. Tango, at almost 13, is certainly considered a senior dog. He doesn’t see all that well, especially in bright light. But he still gets his turn every morning when we play 2-Minute-Dog-Training Games with all our pups.

Tango's "Toys Away" game wouldn't happen with putting limits on dogs.

Between his age and lack of vision, there have been times when we proposed a new game or trick and Fran was, to say the least, skeptical of trying it with Tango. She was wrong to doubt him for even a minute. We may have had to put bright yellow tape on the box for him to find his toy box, but he puts his toys away. He might not get his huge yellow chicken in the bucket on the first try, but he does it.

At least give it a try

Hope’s French Bulldog Torque loves doing Obedience and Rally exercises. And Hope expects his execution of every single exercise to be as perfect as the rule book specifies. It doesn’t mean that he’ll be perfect in competition, but it means we don’t “settle” because of his breed. If you don’t care, your dog won’t either. We find ways to make every single session fun for both of us. And getting our dogs to understand what’s “right” is our job – and our joy.

It’s really exciting and fun when your dog learns something new or tries something different. Maybe your little dog really can’t go on a mile-long walk right now. But if you start small and increase the distance a little bit every day, maybe someday soon they will! Putting limits on dogs is a guarantee they won’t succeed.

Let your dog lead

Our friend with the Frenchies and Border Collies posted a video with the BCs chasing around a huge field, running, fetching, chasing each other and having fun. And in her comment on that video was the one that Frenchies aren’t real dogs, so weren’t allowed to play that way.

She’s putting limits on her dogs without reason. Maybe they wouldn’t want to play chase and fetch. But how does she know unless she tries?

Dogs are listening

Paying attention all the time

Interpreting their human’s language, attitude, and emotion is a unique trait of dogs. Almost everyone with a dog can relate a story of how their dog never left their side when they were feeling low. Over the centuries of companionship, dogs have become adept at tuning into human society and making it their own.

Does it work both ways? Are you as skilled at reading your dog’s physical and mental well-being? There are the obvious signs that something’s not right, like not eating, restlessness, or even cries of pain.

Then there are the subtler cues. You can’t quite figure out what’s going on, but you know there’s something.

Have a routine

One of the ways to “check in” on your dog’s wellbeing is to have a regular grooming day routine. And while you’re brushing their teeth, fur, handling their ears, paws, etc. keep up a conversational patter and see how they respond. If they’re accustomed to you talking to them, it will relax them and let them know everything’s okay.

Just like us, dogs can have an off day, so if you notice an occasional something, it’s not a big deal as long as your dog bounces back quickly.

Your dog’s response to your voice is one of the most telling cues they can give you. If you use Yoda-voice to get the head-tilt from your dog, and they don’t do it, that’s a clue. Not that we’re saying we would do that kind of thing. Or at least not more than a couple times a week.

Talk to them! Dogs are listening

Dogs are great listeners. When nobody else cares what you have to say, they’re fascinated by every syllable. Be sure to use your power wisely – most dogs will think they’re in trouble if you raise your voice or start shouting. You may just be letting off steam, but they don’t know that.

If you do need to make some noise, be sure to hand your dog treats as you do it. That will let the dog know that whatever is making you unhappy, it’s not their fault.

Best audience, ever

Aside from giving you their complete attention when you talk, dogs provide a great excuse. Back in the days before cell phones, people talking to themselves were often labeled crazy. Unless they were with a dog. Now everybody talks to thin air. But dogs are much better listeners than most people.

What scares your dog?

2 Replies

Everybody’s afraid of something. It may not be the level of a phobia, but we’ve all got them. So do most dogs. What scares your dog?

Torque, Hope’s French Bulldog, is afraid of stairs. He’s also afraid of being upside-down. No tummy rubs for Torque – ever! She freely admits most of it’s her own fault. She didn’t carry Torque around much when he was a puppy, because she carried her older Frenchie around too much. Teddy always wanted to be “uppy!”

Torque was more than six months old before he’d even attempt stairs. He also didn’t jump up on furniture for at least that long. And then his Auntie Pam and her very-attractive Frenchie girl Lily came over. And sat on the couch. Torque got the hang of it quickly that day. And he’s been a regular couch-potato ever since.

Dealing with dog fears

If there’s something that frightens your dog, how should you deal with it? Most people’s natural inclination is to make soothing sounds and pet their dogs. Unfortunately, it’s probably not the best thing to do.

To dogs, being sympathetic and rewarding them (petting is a reward) reinforces that the thing is, in fact, something to be scared of. It validates their feelings as accurate, and cements it as something to be wary of.

Instead, it’s a better idea to encourage your dog to try it, check it out, sniff it, and become familiar with the object. “Let’s go see!” is a better response than “Oh, poor baby!” If your dog is reluctant to approach the object, don’t force them. Instead, go over to it yourself and look at it, showing interest. You can even give your dog a treat for taking a step closer, and each closer approach.

Intangible fears

If your dog is startled or afraid of something that’s heard and not seen, like thunder, you can still help them overcome the fear. The next time there’s a thunderstorm, have a bowl of your dog’s favorite snacks handy. Whenever you hear a peal of thunder, calmly hand your dog a treat. You don’t even have to say anything. Just associating the sound with the “cookie” will do the job.

Most dogs are pretty quick at “transferring the value.” If thunder means “I get a treat” instead of “the world is ending,” pretty soon thunderstorms won’t be a problem. It may take a few storms to figure it out, but you may be able to speed the process. If you can find a video or audio recording of thunder on your phone, you can “schedule” a storm to happen whenever you have a few minutes to train your dog.

Promises made

Rewarding your dog for overcoming fear is a promise made. Hope has little bowls of treats at both ends of the stairs. Torque still isn’t crazy about them, but he’ll trundle up the stairs for that guaranteed treat that’s waiting for him.

He’s still afraid of rolling over on his back. We haven’t really tried to train him differently.

Torque had to learn to climb stairs by himself. At 28 pounds, there was no way we were going to carry him up and down forever. But aside from “roll over” being a cute trick, it’s not really a necessity.

Whatever scares your dog, your best option is to treat it casually. If it’s something to overcome, find a way to familiarize your dog with the frightening thing. We’ve all heard the old saw “familiarity breeds contempt.” And that’s just fine. We’d rather our dogs ignored stuff than were scared by them.

Do you enjoy your dog?

What it means

Are you able to live your life with a calm, even-tempered companion dog? Can you welcome family and friends into your home with minimal fuss and without worry? Is taking a walk with your dog a source of stress, or a pleasant way to spend time together?

We realize that the majority of our friend’s contact with dog owners is through her work – people who need her help. But it makes us wonder if her point is valid. We wonder how many people spend time and energy managing their dogs instead of enjoying them. It’s one thing to have a trainable dog who just needs some manners. It’s another to have a dog that requires constant management.

How did this happen?

Part of the problem is the cacophony of voices preaching “adopt, don’t shop.” The loudest ones also seem to believe that every single dog should be saved, fostering the “no-kill shelter” concept.

In theory, that’s a noble goal. In practice, it’s impractical and dangerous.

Personality counts

Few shelters and many rescues don’t do temperament testing on the dogs they take in. And most people, wishing to do the “right” thing, visit a shelter and fall in love with a dog that may not be a good fit for their family. Instead of a pet, they wind up with a project.

That’s not the way it’s supposed to be. Dogs should enhance our lives, not add stress.

And when people realize the situation is untenable, they feel like failures if the dog must go back to the shelter.

Case in point

Many people don’t realize, and shelters don’t publicize, the fact that dogs are generally on their best behavior when first adopted. Once they start feeling secure, their true personalities start to emerge. People who think they’ve adopted a calm, well-mannered dog can find themselves with a naughty whirlwind.

That’s fine, as long as everyone’s prepared to deal with the dog as it is. But what if the emergent personality isn’t a good fit?

A lovely family came to our dog club’s Beginner Obedience Class with their newly-adopted medium-sized dog. The dog was an unknown quantity, having arrived at the shelter only three days before her adoption. As the weeks passed, the dog’s true personality was revealed as she became more secure in her adoptive home. And it wasn’t good.

The family included three children under 10 years old. The dog was reactive to sudden movement. And loud noises. The dog’s reactivity included lunging and snapping at the children. It was heartbreaking for the family when, heeding our advice, they returned the dog to the shelter.

Thank goodness they listened. It wasn’t the right home for the dog. And not the right dog for the family.

Personality counts to enjoy your dog

There are terrific shelters and rescues that emphasize placing dogs where they’ll thrive. They get to know the dogs’ personalities and find the right fit for each animal. That’s why a shelter or rescue will ask you a million questions you don’t think are any of their business. They’re trying to be matchmakers, with a forever outcome. You’re entitled to a nice dog that suits you. You should enjoy your dog.

Seek out places that get to know the dogs. Or find a reputable breeder of purebred dogs in a breed that fits your lifestyle. They’re not hard to find – you just have to know to look for them.

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