Gimmick dog training
Comments (1)I get lots of questions from dog owners through this website. Some of the questions are pretty silly to be honest. Some of them I never respond to because the person is obviously asking as a joke. Most of the questions I respond to in one way or another, either by email or through blog posts.
I rarely get someone who thanks me after I have taken the time to answer their question. Most of the people take the answer I give them and do what they will with it, either apply the training information or ignore it. No problem with me.
There are those, however, who do take the time to thank me for the dog training tips I have provided them. There is something in common with many of the people who thank me. Those that take the time to thank me often have received ‘gimmicky’ tips. Allow me to explain:
The solution to most dog training problems lies within these areas:
- Obedience training
- Supervision
- Correcting bad behaviors and praising good behaviors
- Being consistent with the proper techniques
Just about any dog training problem can be solved with a combination of several of the above mentioned areas. There are some dog problems, however, that can be fixed or aided by what I call ‘gimmick’ methods. Examples of ‘gimmick’ methods are:
- Using bitter apple spray on your furniture so the dog doesn’t chew. This is a gimmick to me because it requires a spray to get the dog to not chew your furniture. I want the dog to not chew my furniture because they respect me and my belongings, not because of a spray. Having said that, bitter apple spray can be helpful and so it doesn’t hurt to use it so I will at times recommend it.
- Placing pots and pans hanging over the edge of a counter. When the dog goes to get on the counter searching for food he may knock over the pots and pans and scare himself from counter surfing. To me this is a gimmick because before the dog ever had the opportunity to get on the counter he should have been supervised and corrected for trying to get on the counter. It can help some people, though, so I will mention this method.
- Placing dog stool in the hole. By putting a dog’s own stool in the hole you can often help to fix a digging problem. I consider this a gimmick because the dog is probably digging because of a lack of supervision, obedience training, and mental and physical stimulation. Can putting stool in a hole work? Yes, but it is a gimmick because the owner should be looking to the root causes of the behavior.
I believe the reason people that get ‘gimmicky’ answers take the time to thank me is because ‘gimmicky’ techniques are simple. They take no effort on the owner’s part. I think that when I tell people to obedience train and supervise their dog that they write me off because it is too much work.
There are partial ‘gimmick’ solutions to many dog behavior problems. The reality is, though, that if you want to change your dog’s behavior it is likely going to cost you some time and effort. If you have a dog, get ready for some work.
A question about a licking Beagle
Comments (0)This is a question from a reader of my website.
Question: My four year old male Beagle licks constantly. He will either lick his feet or he just sits and licks the air. This behavior probably started about six months ago. What causes this and what can we do about it?
Answer: I find that dogs have excessive licking for several reasons. It may be tough to determine the ‘why’, so you may want to try several methods to fix this behavior problem.
- Nutritional: Many dogs lick due to poor nutrition. Dog foods that contain corn or corn gluten are very unhealthy for your dog. Dogs can’t digest corn and many dogs are allergic to corn. The net effect to feeding corn to your dog is often a dog that will lick and chew their feet because their feet swell from the corn. Feed your dog a premium dog food that doesn’t contain corn and that may help your dog get over his licking problem.
- A lack of self confidence: I find that a lot of excessive lickers are also dogs with low levels of confidence or high levels of fear. Licking seems to be their means of coping with their insecurities. There are lots of ways to help your dog overcome this.
Use obedience training as a means of communicating. When you see him licking tell him ‘no’ and then have him sit, or lie down, or heel, or anything. The idea is that you use obedience as a mental stimulant that distracts him from his insecure behavior. Obedience is also a great tool for cementing a proper relationship with your dog. This can go leaps and bounds towards having the dog feel well adjusted in your home.
For a dog with low self confidence I would also make sure to get the dog out to see the world on walks. Training your dog for agility is also a great way to build confidence.
- Obsessive compulsion: Humans aren’t the only ones who can have obsessive compulsive behaviors. Your dog may simply be compelled to lick for no good reason.
The solution for a dog like this is the same as for a dog with low self confidence. Correct the dog for licking and then immediately redirect his attention to obedience. Also make sure the dog is getting a good outlet for his nervous energy with walks and personal time with you.
Good luck!
Obedience question about an Italian Greyhound
Comments (0)This is a question I recently received from a reader of my website:
Question: We have a five month old Italian Greyhound puppy. We have started training him using treats as motivation (which he responds to VERY well!) and also using water squirts and time outs for undesirable behaviors (but not commands training). He is doing great overall and we are having a blast. You recommend treats for puppies as motivation. When do you recommend using corrections along with rewards such as with teaching the very important “come” command with a prong collar. Should these be used on Italian Greyhounds at all, and are there any other factors to consider about this breed specifically? He is a little sensitive, but also a bit dominant which is why I have read a book and am reading your great advice on obedience training. Thanks!!
Answer: At any age you can use ‘age appropriate’ corrections. So to answer your question, you can use them now. I would probably just use a flat collar versus a pinch collar. Tell the dog ‘come’ and if he doesn’t give a tug as you trot backwards. It doesn’t need to be super firm, just enough to grab the dog’s attention and begin forming an association with not coming when called.
At this age the best training program is going to combine some treats with some small corrections. This will help the dog start to realize that obedience is fun, but also mandatory. Good luck with your puppy training.
Obedience is the key
Comments (0)I field all sorts of dog training questions through this website. In answering the questions I find myself sometimes feeling like a broken record as my answers often sound the same. A lot of my answers have some form of the response, “Obedience train your dog,” in them.
It got me thinking why obedience training is such a catch all for behavior problems.
Obedience training is calming and soothing to a dog: A lot of questions I get deal with hyper dogs or dogs who jump all over guests or dogs who are generally out of control.
These are all behaviors I describe as chaotic canine behaviors. The opposite of chaos is control. Control in dog-speak means obedience. As you inject control and structure into your dog’s life you will see that this combats the hyperness head on.
Obedience helps deal with aggression: Aggression is often caused or worsened by a dog who has little to no respect for his owner. Obedience training garners respect. As your dog learns to put your will ahead of his own (a.k.a. obedience) it helps him to look to you as the leader and the dominant one in the relationship. A dog that understands a proper relationship is much less likely to show aggression in the first place.
Obedience is also crucial for an aggressive dog because it is functional. If you have a dog that leans toward aggression it is imperative that he comes when called, stays on command, and will heel by your side even in the face of distraction.
Obedience is functional: So many of my clients have dogs that know how to do perform obedience commands but they never use them in real circumstances. The client then focuses on the things they don’t like about the dog. They complain that the dog jumps on guests, begs at the table, gets on the couch, etc.
The first thing I do is help them use obedience to replace the negative behaviors. You don’t even need to focus on your dog’s begging at the table, simply have him lie down and stay 10 feet away. Your dog can’t jump on your guest if he is sitting down. Your dog won’t be getting on the couch if he is taught a ‘place’ command.
Don’t focus on what you don’t like, teach your dog to do what you do like.
There are myriad reasons why obedience training is the best way to approach behavior problems with your dog. Be firm, be fair, and be consistent and you will find that you are able to mold your dog’s behavior for the better.
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