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1. "At what age should I take my puppy to puppy school?"  - Oliver Beverly
2. "Help! How do I choose the right puppy school?"  - Oliver Beverly
3. "Any Dog Can Live Calmly, Even Yours!"  - Madelaine Gabriel
4. "Effective Leadership" - Karin Larsen Bridge
5  "The Ins and Outs Of a Dog in the House"  - Karin Larsen Bridge
6."Why do we train with food?" - Dr Cyn D. Fisher
7 "Producing Change in Obedience Clubs" - Dr Cyn D. Fisher
8.* "Accentuate the Positive"  - Karin Larsen Bridge
9. Boredom Busters" - Karin Larsen Bridge
10." The Perfect Puppy - bringing up the baby"  - Karin Larsen Bridge
11."Chewing"  - Karin Larsen Bridge
12. * "Choosing the right school" - Karin Larsen Bridge
14.* "Clicker Training" - Karin Larsen Bridge
15."Dog Sports - tracking, field trials, obedience, shutzhund" - Karin Larsen Bridge
16.  "Agility" - Karin Larsen Bridge
17."Flyball" - Karin Larsen Bridge
18. "Dog Dancing" - Karin Larsen Bridge
19. "How to raise a confident dog" - Karin Larsen Bridge
20.  "How to raise a child safe dog" - Karin Larsen Bridge
21."Dog Aggression. Why nice dogs do bad things" - Karin Larsen Bridge
22. "Indoor Winter Activities" - Karin Larsen Bridge
23. "Latch Key Canines - the modern malaise - Karin Larsen Bridge
24."No pull walking - realistic expectation or impossible dream?" - Karin Larsen Bridge
25."Off Leash" - Karin Larsen Bridge
26."Walking on Lead" - Karin Larsen Bridge
27."Future article to be inserted here
28.* "Puppy Pre-Schools" - Karin Larsen Bridge
29."The top ten commands  - and how to teach them - Karin Larsen Bridge
30."Recycled Love" - Karin Larsen Bridge
31.* "Six Quick Tricks" - Karin Larsen Bridge
32."Teaching Your Dog to Swim" - Karin Larsen Bridge
33."Positive Training - what it is and what it is NOT" - Karin Larsen Bridge
34.*  "Food is not the issue" - Karin Larsen Bridge
35.* "Frequently encountered misconceptions" - Karin Larsen Bridge
36. "The value of training your dog" - Karin Larsen Bridge
37."Applying Operant Training To People" - Karin Larsen Bridge
38. House Manners for All Dogs  - Dr Cyn D. Fisher
39. Jumping Up - Dr Cyn D. Fisher
40. "House Training Your Puppy"  - Dr Cyn D. Fisher
41. "Problems with other dog"  - Dr Cyn D. Fisher
42. " A Hound in the House" - Karin Larsen Bridge
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1.At what age should I take my puppy to puppy school?

[Published in the August-September 2006 Newsletter of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia]
By Oliver Beverly, C.L.E.A.R. Dog Training, Brisbane

   

There is a bewildering amount of conflicting advice given by various breeders, pet stores, trainers and vets as to the ideal age to take a puppy to puppy school. Unfortunately the result is often that confused owners postpone making a decision and their in next to no time adolescent dogs end up missing out and not being taken to puppy school at all.

A medical argument from some breeders and vets is that if we take a puppy too early to puppy school s/he could get a fatal disease, such as distemper or parvo virus. Therefore it is best to keep our puppies in cotton wool, quarantined and isolated and, various people advise, not even allowed on the ground outside till two weeks after their last vaccination.

The counter argument is from other breeders, pet stores, vets and trainers who take into consideration both the medical and behavioural risks involved. They look at the bigger picture, weigh up the pros and cons and conclude that the latter risks far outweigh the former. By the time a puppy is 16-18 weeks old s/he is almost a teenager and many undesired habits may have formed and it is much too late for puppy school!

Dr Lyn Upton, from Upton and Upton Veterinary Surgeons in the Brisbane Bayside suburb of Capalaba points out there is no absolute guarantee anyway that a puppy kept in the house and/or backyard for the first four and a half months of life could not get parvo virus from the shoes of a stranger or even a family member entering the house and garden.

Due to the generally widespread use of vaccines, in most areas around Australia there are far fewer instances of diseases than in the past. At Dr Uptons state of the art and very busy modern surgery puppies attend puppy school from eight weeks onwards. Dr Upton has not seen a case of distemper for many years, so the medical reason to keep a puppy isolated is less valid than it may have been in years gone by.

Dr Debbie Calnon from Melbourne, a Delta accredited Canine Good Citizen Instructor, a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia and a Veterinary Behaviourist (a vet with additional university qualifications in animal behaviour), says, "I strongly agree with Dr Upton that the closer the puppies can be to 8 weeks of age for puppy school the better. The only exception may be in a local area that has perhaps had an outbreak of parvovirus, etc. Even then, with proper client education I'd still be recommending 8 weeks."

It is almost 100% guaranteed that a four and a half month old puppy that has not been appropriately socialised to people, other puppies, things (e.g. skateboards, bicycles, horses, fire engines, etc), as well as a variety of surfaces and different places is likely to grow up developmentally retarded. More importantly the puppy is likely to have poor bite inhibition to people.  Other less serious but equally unnecessary behavioural problems also often develop and thousands of adorable fluffy eight week old puppies never make it to their first birthday.

  

Ursula, the piglet, at C.L.E.A.R Dog Trainings Sunday morning puppy classes

Dr Ian Dunbar, one of the world's leading Veterinary Behaviourists and founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, once said that it takes only two days from arriving in his/her new home for a puppy's death warrant to be signed. Many owners have not become sufficiently educated and, through no fault of their own, are doing many things wrongly that lead to inevitable behavioural problems.

For the very reason of knowing how to do things correctly - and what common mistakes to avoid, especially re house training it is crucial that owners, especially first time ones, attend a good puppy school sooner rather than later. There they will obtain correct advice, recommended reading and good puppy class handouts such as those contained in the invaluable puppy school CD recently produced by Dr Calnon.

Research in the USA has shown that the risk of dieing from a fatal disease is 500 times less than having to be re-homed or euthanized because of a socially unacceptable behavioural problem such as house soiling, jumping up, biting, aggression, destroying furniture, being overly excited or generally an out of control adolescent lunatic.

There are an estimated 55 million dogs in the USA. Dr Karen Overall, Head of the Veterinarian Medical School at the University of Pennsylvania, says, 12 million dogs are euthanized every year, 95% of them for behavioural problems. In other words, 1,319 dogs an hour die because many of their owners have been either ignorant or too busy or have not cared enough to give them a head start in life by way of adequate education.

In Queensland, where statistically many more puppies die each year from eating snail bait or getting tick paralysis or cane toad poisoning than from a fatal disease, there is an additional reason not to postpone attending a well run puppy school. Owners have often not been made aware by their breeder, pet store or vet if they have yet been to one of the risks and that they need to take several necessary precautions from day one.

Nowadays all around Australia there are many forward thinking training schools, dog clubs, vet surgeries, pet stores and organisations like the RSPCA who understand the bigger picture. They actively encourage owners to take their eight week old puppies, provided they have had their first injection, to their well run puppy schools where, naturally, all reasonable hygiene precautions should be taken.

C.L.E.A.R. Dog Training 2006

 2. Help! How do I choose the right puppy school?

By Oliver Beverly, C.L.E.A.R. Dog Training, Brisbane
[Published in the October - November 2006 Newsletter of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia]

 I have a nine week Labrador puppy, Max, that I am thinking of taking to puppy school. There are three places that run classes close to where we live. I am not sure which one to take him to. My friend in Brisbane came to you for puppy school and then your follow on course. She said that a good one could really help my puppy but that a bad one can lead to problems. What is the difference and what are the things I should look for before I decide?

Trainers are frequently asked similar questions by people who love their puppies dearly but have little idea as to how to raise them. They are finding that they and their adorable fluffy eight week old pets are unable to cope with the stresses involved in growing up. Many puppies with well intentioned but uninformed owners, or owners who follow outdated information and incorrect or dangerous advice, soon turn into uncontrollable teenagers.

These puppies may wreak mayhem and cause family friction. After the novelty factor wears off the pets become pests. Before long the puppies (even physically and psychologically healthy puppies from a breeder or the $1000+ fashionable designer-dogs) have grown into adolescent hooligans. They end up in the give-away section of the weekend classifieds or on a one way trip to the RSPCA or Animal Welfare League.

When the late David Weston, founder of the Kintala Dog Club in Melbourne, first introduced puppy school into Australia in the mid 1970s he was way ahead of his times. These days the necessity for proper and pleasant early learning is fortunately much more widely understood. Puppy schools are run all over the country at dog clubs, animal shelters such as the RSPCA, dog training schools and increasingly at many vet surgeries and pet stores.

Traditional compulsive training strategies are on the decline but are still practiced, even at puppy school. Most people long ago realised the inappropriateness of techniques such as alpha rolls and neck scruffing - particularly with puppies. It is widely accepted that taking a puppy early in life to a well run puppy class that uses modern positive methods gives a puppy of any breed a head start to their future life.

However, taking a puppy to a positive class that is poorly run can also result in negative and frightening experiences. Attending such a puppy class can be almost as counter productive as going to an Im Alpha - do it or else! type of class. Both are a recipe for untold future behaviour problems.

A large group of trainers, veterinarians and veterinary behaviourists from around Australia recently attended the three day Terrys Legacy to Oz continuing education seminar held by Sydneys Hills District Kennel and Training Club. The key speaker was internationally renowned dog trainer Terry Ryan from USA, author of numerous brilliant books including her latest Coaching People to Train Dogs.

She said that puppy classes in the USA have changed considerably since they first started there in 1965. She believed that going to a puppy school can be the best thing to happen to a puppy but that it can also be the worst thing.

One of her major objections was that many positive puppy classes in America are being run by people with inadequate qualifications, skills and knowledge. These instructors may be gaining experience but at the same time they are quite likely to be messing up other peoples puppies and doing something that can cause a puppy a great deal of long term harm.

In an unregulated industry where anybody can at any time call themselves the worlds best dog trainer it is a case of buyer beware . If someone has been doing puppy schools for decades, read all the books and manuals, possibly even written one or has a degree in companion animal studies or a certificate in dog training, it does not necessarily follow that they are successfully running a good and sought after puppy school.

When making enquiries to find a high-quality puppy school a sensible owner will take the time to find out who is highly recommended. They will then do their own research and, if necessary, be prepared to drive further afield than to the nearest vet surgery or dog club.

With a prepared check list of questions it is easier to reach a correct decision. Most of the things to look for are answered by simply watching a class beforehand. If that is not practical the next best thing is talking to several people who have been there about their impressions.

   At C.L.E.A.R. Dog Training Sunday morning puppy school

Some suggestions for a check list include but are not limited to the following:

1.      Is the person who answers the telephone or greets people at the counter of the pet store, dog club, training school or vet surgery - knowledgeable, friendly, interested and caring? (If the replies are vague, evasive or inadequate score zero out of twenty. Persevere but begin thinking of alternatives. (--/20)

2.      Who takes the puppy classes? Do they have an excellent reputation? Do they have good communication and people skills? How widespread is their experience and what are their areas of expertise? Do they listen to the owners needs and expectations? Do they find out pertinent details about the puppys background and lifestyle prior to the beginning of the first class? Are they welcoming? Do they have a sense of humour? Can they control a class fairly and impartially? Do they keep in touch and follow up throughout the course and after it has finished? (--/20)

3.      What are their qualifications? How experienced are they at running well attended puppy classes? Are they interesting and able to keep peoples attention? Are they knowledgeable about all aspects of canine development and many different breeds? Have they raised a puppy or bred a litter of puppies? Do they have a genuine love of and affection for dogs?

Score ten if they are a Level lV vet nurse with additional accredited qualifications in behavioural dog training or a similarly qualified breeder or experienced trainer using gentle modern training methods. Score zero if they are an inexperienced vet clinic receptionist, a junior instructor at a dog club or a salesperson at a pet store. They may never have owned a dog and know only a little more than the average first time pet owner. Dont let them practice on your puppy! (--/20)

4.      How many puppies are there per instructor? Are the classes too big - more than eight - or too small - less than four? Does the instructor have an assistant? Are the assistants well-informed, friendly and helpful? Do they wear appropriate clothing and footwear for dog training? Are they in uniform? Do they look professional? (--/20)

5.      How and when do puppy to puppy interactions occur? At the beginning of each class or later on and only as a result of calm behaviour? Is the first item on the agenda a general (and often disastrous) free for all socialisation with all puppies playing together? Are barriers or play pens used to separate the puppies? How many puppies are allowed to play with each other at any one time? What happens if one of the puppies is a bully? What allowances are made for shy puppies? Is puppy play frequently interrupted with the puppy coming back to the owner? (--/20)

6.      Are the puppies calm and settled and stress free throughout the class? Are the owners alert and interested? Are they all puppies and people having fun and happy to be there? (--/10)

7.      Is it possible and is it easy to observe a puppy class in order to observe first hand before deciding to attend it? (If the answer is negative, for any reason - e.g. lack of space, not wanting other people to copy their methods or ideas! score zero. (--/10)

8.      Where are the classes held? Church hall, school gymnasium, basket ball court, sports field changing rooms, vets waiting room, vets car park, groomers parlour, pet store warehouse, industrial shed or, if in the tropics, on the beach under a coconut palm? Are the premises, whether indoors or outdoors or a combination of both, clean and safe for puppies? Is there adequate space, of at least three meters, between puppies or are they crammed into a small waiting room? What are the various surfaces that the puppy will be able to experience tiles, concrete, carpet, rubber, sand, grass? Does the class setting provide a welcoming and good environment for learning? Is it free of interruptions? (--/10)

9.      When does the next course start? Is it a fixed week class or a flexi week one? What happens if there are not enough puppies for the class to be held? Are people put on a waiting list till there are sufficient numbers? By then it is often too late and the puppy is too old and misses out, so what contingency plans are there to immediately refer them to an associate/colleague or competitor elsewhere? Do they run follow on courses? If not do they provide a list of suitable places using modern training methods where their puppy school graduates can go? (--/10)

10.  What happens if the owner or the puppy is ill and cant come to one or more of the classes? What happens if the instructor is ill and cant come? What make-up class, wet weather or refund policies are in place? (--/10)

11.  How is the course structured? Is there a syllabus available with course content? Are well constructed lesson plans utilized? What training aids or props are used to teach new concepts? Are weekly home training sheets provided with specific suggestions and exercises to do at home? (--/10)

12.  When do owners have an opportunity to ask questions? How well are they answered? Can owners easily contact the instructor between classes? Is additional information provided to owners during the week by letter, fax or e-mail?(--/10)

13.  Are training aids available? Is there a supply of essential items - for instance blue puppy Kongs, car harnesses, treats and really good puppy books such as After You Get Your Puppy or The Ultimate Puppy Tool Kit? (--/10)

14.  What learning materials are provided or loaned out? A puppy manual? Brochures? Puppy class handouts from a veterinary behaviourist such as those produced by APDT Australia member Dr Debbie Calnon or The First Twelve Months CD produced by Dr Cam Day? Other CDs or DVDs on puppy development? Loan booklets, such as Terry Ryans Take the L.E.A.D. or Puppy Primer? (--/10)

15.  What do previous owners who have attended puppy classes have to say about their experience at this venue? Are exit survey forms used and available for inspection? Can previous owners be contacted to see how their puppy progressed? Did they enjoy coming? Do they recommend the puppy class to their friends as being good value for money? Would they come again themselves with their next puppy? (--/10)

If the score is less than 125 out of 200, keep looking! A score from 125 170 suggests that, if there is no better alternative, it is worthwhile attending but that there is room for improvement in many key areas. A score of 170 + indicates that the puppy school is definitely on the right track but needs to keep fine tuning its operations. A perfect score of 200? Unlikely but there is no harm in dreaming!

The main reason to take a puppy to a first-rate puppy school is for education and preventative maintenance for both human and dog. If owners know exactly what to look for, what to expect, how to communicate and what to do it is likely that they will not make fundamental mistakes.

Puppies will understand strange human requirements and grow up as well behaved adults that fit happily into family life. They will do what is requested first time, act politely around other people and unfamiliar dogs and can safely be taken anywhere. They will be a pleasure to own, are likely to have happy and interesting lives and grow old graciously.

However, without sufficient early teaching during puppy hood and on-going guidance and education during adolescence many juvenile dogs can quickly grow into out of control lunatics. They sometimes pay for their owners mistakes including not going to a good puppy school with their lives.

C.L.E.A.R. Dog Training 2006

3. "Any Dog Can Live Calmly, Even Yours!" - Madeline Gabriel*

(*Manager of Behavior & Training, San Diego Humane Society & S.P.C.A, February 2001. This articles is reproduced with kind with permission of the author)

Wouldnt It Be Nice If...

My dog could come in the house without tearing all over the place? My family could go out in the yard without being jumped on by our dog? My dog was not so crazy when guests come over? My dog would just lay by my feet so we could enjoy some quality time together after a hard day?

These are all very reasonable goals! Who really wants a dog that has to spend the rest of his or her life alone in the back yard or garage? This isnt the true companionship most of us dreamed of when we got our dogs.

The good news is that it doesnt have to stay this way! There are lots of simple exercises you can do right now to begin to incorporate your dog into your life without major disruption. Little by little, you can build a happy ending!

Lets Get Started!

Settle Down

The goal is for your dog to learn to just lie down quietly whenever you sit in a chair & ignore him.

1. First step is to gather everything you need: lead & comfortable, soft collar for your dog & about 50 tiny delicious treats that your dog really likes, a mat for your dog to lie on & something for YOU a book or TV.

2.Bring your dog into the house on the lead & collar & go directly to your chair. Sit down with the lead held close, or under your foot so your dog has just enough room to lie down with little room for exploring. Ignore your dog.

3. If your dog barks or whines, pretend you dont hear (or care!). Do NOT push him or verbally reprimand him. If he nuzzles you, move your arm away. If he jumps on you, lean forward or stand up so he drops off without you having to touch him, look at him or talk to him. Refuse to acknowledge any attempts to get your attention.

4. While pretending not to pay attention, wait for your dog to get bored enough to lie down. When he does, click (or calmly say Yes, once only) & place a treat between his paws so he eats them from the floor. Sit up & go back to ignoring him. Still lying there? Give a few more clicks/yes followed by treats at unpredictable intervals.

5. After about 5 minutes, gather your belongings & move yourself & your dog to another place in the same room. Sit down without a word to your dog & wait again for him to settle down in his new place. Reinforce this desired behaviour with a click or a yes followed by a treat when he does. Gradually increase the time between the treats.

6. When you are tired of this, tell your dog All Done in a matter-of-fact tone of voice & let him go back outside.

Whats great about this exercise is that all dogs can do it! Its simply a matter of setting yourself up for success & waiting out your dog. If your dog likes to chew on the lead, try some Bitter Apple spray (or rubbing alcohol or other yucky tasting substance) to soak the lead before you start.

If you need more help, tie a stuffed Kong or bone to the foot of your chair to keep your dog busy.

The Joys of Food Carrier Toys

When does your dog ever lie still? Never! you might think, & its probably true for much of the day. What about when hes chewing on something? Dont almost all dogs lie down to chew?

The common problem is finding something that will hold your dogs attention long enough to settle him down. Lots of dog toys are destroyed in minutes or quickly lose their attraction. In other cases, dogs have so many toys scattered around that none of them are particularly interesting anymore.

Food Carrier Toys can be an almost magical solution! They are long-lasting &, by their very nature, are different each time because you refill them with different food temptations. The idea is to stuff these toys so well that your dog will have to work on them for a good hour or longer at a time.

A dog that is laying on the floor working on his food puzzle is not running through the house, jumping on people, barking, getting on the furniture or stealing your shoes! By association, your dog begins to learn that being in the house is the time to relax & work on some puzzles.

After a good chew session, most dogs are truly tired - mentally & physically - & are more likely to remain calm for even a little while longer. Food carrier toys are a great way to buy you & your family some peace & quiet & begin to teach your dog to relax.

The best toy is the rubber Kong. Its guaranteed indestructible & can easily be cleaned & used over & over again. Look up http://www.kongcompany.com for clever ideas on how to stuff the Kong to keep your dogs interest for long periods of time.

Sterilized bones, available in pet stores for just a few dollars, are hollow & can be stuffed with soft treats on either end to keep your dog licking & gnawing. Get a bone with thick walls to prevent chips from breaking off.

Rotate your dogs chew toys regularly so he always feels like hes getting something new.

Ask your veterinarian before encouraging lots of chewing & eating of rawhide & similar materials. Ask, too, about the appropriateness of raw marrowbones for your dog & always consider your dogs individual temperament (likely to growl or bite if you take it away?).

Remember, if you dont give your dog something engaging to do in the house, he will find his own entertainment. It is best, therefore, if you take the initiative.

Reinforce What You Like; Ignore/Prevent What You Dont Want

This simple learning principle can be applied to any situation. All animals, including people & dogs, are going to repeat behaviours that lead to things they want. Have you ever told the same joke several times just because someone laughed? Thats reinforcement! [If no one laughed, the joke would die a natural death.]

Similarly, dogs remember the things that worked for them. If nuzzling you gets you to pet him, a dog will continue to nuzzle to the point it becomes an annoyance. Same with jumping, running through the house, getting on the furniture, barking, whining stealing shoes, etc. All of these behaviours remain in your dogs repertoire of What to do when Im in the house because they have been reinforced, intentionally or not, by you.

Attention from you, even in the form of reprimands, is a powerful reinforcer for dogs, & many dogs like many badly behaved children - will escalate annoying behaviors to get you to notice them.

Ignoring what you dont want is one part, but that wont get you far if you are not also actively reinforcing what you do want the dog to do instead. We are all guilty of ignoring dogs when they are peaceful & quiet. Why mess up a good thing, right? Actually, this is a terrific time to go pet your dog or bring him a treat or offer him a walk. Let him discover that being calm brings good things.

Of course, there will be annoying things your dog will find fun & reinforcing with or without your involvement (e.g. getting into the rubbish bin). Thats where good management comes in: i.e. remove the temptation.

A Little Management Goes a Long Way!

Set yourself up for success. Think of practical ways you can prevent the behaviours you dont want until you can get your training in place. Its OK to let your dog drag a lead or longer house line so you can catch him more easily or move him away from restricted areas. Just make sure someone is paying enough attention to keep the dog from getting tangled & strangling himself.

Simply stepping on the lead or dragline can restrict your dogs access so he cant quite jump on you. Calmly picking up the end of the line will prevent all kinds of chase & keep away games & will give you an easy way to remove your dog from furniture without confrontation.

If your only means of control is lunging for the collar, youll find that your dog can easily outmanoeuvre you, making the dog more excited at this fun game & you more frustrated & annoyed! Set it up so you can remain calm & in control.

Tethers & crates are great ways to begin to teach a dog to be calm in a house. Crates, when introduced properly, are terrific holding areas (like a playpen or crib for a baby) for up to a few hours at a time. A tether can be as simple as a lead tied to a doorknob.

Dogs generally make the best of any situation. If theres nothing to reach or do, they will usually settle down for a nap. Take advantage of this by restricting your dogs access during periods where youd like him to be still. This is much more clear to your dog than YOU joining in the fun by chasing & yelling!

Remember, if your dog can do something fun, he will. If he cant, he will find something else to do. Its up to you whether your dog develops good habits or bad habits by the experiences you allow him to have. Trying to get a dog to stop once hes started is always more difficult than preventing the behavior in the first place.

Madeline Gabriel 2001

 


4. "Effective Leadership - the way to a happy pack"

By Karin Larsen Bridge, president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia and part owner and instructor at Get S.M.A.R.T (Successful Motivation And Reward Training) dogs  in Sydney - a dog training school  specializing in positive training classes for pet dogs. She is a Delta Accredited Canine Good Citizen (TM) Instructor and writes and lectures  frequently on dogs and dog  related issues such as positive training methods, behavioural problems and responsible pet ownership. 

         [This article first appeared in Dog's Life magazine and is reproduced here by kind  
        permission of the author]

Dogs naturally live in a pack with each member having a special role to play.  The alpha or lead dog and bitch are the ones who are best at hunting, protecting and nurturing the most young pups into adulthood.  A successful, pack is functional and peaceful.  

When a dog comes into our human pack, it should be easy for us to assume the lead  role  after all we control not only access to food, water and  shelter but to a large extent exploration, exercise  and social interaction as well.  Good leaders are not only good providers however,  they are 

• kind (practice mutual respect)
• confident (able to keep their dog safe in all situations)
• understanding (not have unrealistic expectations)
• knowledgeable (provide structure and education )
• reliable
• consistent and
• fair.
  

It is your job to earn the respect of your dog  not through physical domination or confrontation but by quiet, consistent demonstrations that you are in control of his environment and that all good things in life come through you.   The following steps will help you to be an effective leader of the pack.

Step 1 Have a plan 

Many owners say they want their dog to be good- but good is not a behaviour.  Provide structure for your dog by planning exactly what you would like him to do in everyday situations and have all the family stick to it!  For example when visitors arrive are you happy if your dog keeps all four feet on the ground, would you prefer a sit or would you prefer your dog to stay on a mat in the kitchen?  Once you have decided on the exact behaviour you want you can start to reward your dog for steps in the right direction.    Be specific, be consistent and be patient.

Step 2 Living is Learning

Your dog is learning from you every time you are together not just when you are having a training session.  In all your interactions with your dog be conscious of rewarding the things you like and ignoring the things you dont like. Things that you reward will happen more and more often. Dont forget to reward quiet, passive behaviours such as lying quietly and sitting.  Use all the rewards you are likely to give your dog anyway such as part of his dinner, your attention, praise, cuddles or games but only provide them immediately following good behaviour.  For behaviours that you wish to discourage,  take away  rewards.  This could be as simple as looking away or stopping a game, to a minute of time out in another room. 

Step 3 - Nothing In Life is Free

Insist your dog says please with a sit (or any other behaviour you have trained) for anything he wants such as coming inside, going outside, having leash put on, waiting for dinner or playing with a toy. Let your dog learn that you control the consequences of his behaviour a polite sit dog gets his dinner delivered jump up   and the food bowl moves away.  Your dog is learning that he can control what happens to him by co-operating with you this is empowering for both you and your dog .

 Step 4 To Have and to Hold

Your dog needs to learn that you have the right to restrain and hold him. This will be necessary for effective grooming and easy vet checks as well as being a great way to reinforce your role as leader.  Handling and restraint should be associated with good times, massage, treats and positive attention, please, do not use physical force or fear.  You want to teach your dog that all humans male or female, young or old, weak or strong have the right to gently hold and handle him.  This is an exercise in trust and acceptance and may one day save your dog s life.

 Step 5 Whats yours is mine too!

Make a practice of regularly taking toys and chewies from your dog, looking at them and either giving them straight back or swapping them for something better.  This is a safer way to teach your dog its ok to share than trying to use power tactics to persuade him to give up a bone or toy .  The aim is to form a positive association between people and possessions so that the approach of any human big or small is good news for your dog.


                                             Step 6 - Every game has rules

Games can be a great way to have fun with your dog and to reward him for  good behaviour  but there are some definite dos and donts.

DO:

√    Teach your dog to retrieve.  Bringing toys back to you is a great way to reinforce your leadership position especially if you wait for a sit before throwing the toy again.

√    Keep possession of  toys you play with together like balls or tug ropes and only bring them out when you feel like playing.  Toys are effective rewards and shouldnt be given away for nothing.  Remember all good things in life come through you!

√    Teach your dog an on and off switch by interrupting games every minute or so with a  sit or a down.  This is especially true for games of tug.  Teach your dog to let go on a cue such as enough stand,  still as you do so and look totally uninterested in continuing the game.  As soon as your dog lets go either reward with a treat or invite to play again with your on cue such as playtime.  Now you are able to use play as a reward for quiet behaviour which gives you excellent control of your dog and the games you play together.

√    Quit play immediately if  your dog seems to be getting over excited or if teeth should touch human flesh (even accidentally).

√    Encourage children to play suitable games by the rules with the dog and supervise as necessary.

√    Make sure you and your children spend lots of quiet time with your dog as well as play time. 

 DONT

 X     Dont Play any wrestling games with your dog.  This will only convince your dog that you are another dog and can be treated as such.  It will do nothing to teach your dog respect for humans in general. This rule applies to adults, teenagers and  children.  Many dogs have been labelled aggressive due to inappropriate play in puppy hood. 

X     Dont Allow your dog to bite/wrestle/tug directly on human skin all play should be directed onto toys. 

X      Dont Allow games of chasing.  Chasing after your dog will only convince him that he can direct the games and cant be caught!  Allowing your dog to chase you or your children encourages nipping and biting. 

X      Dont Allow young children to play with any dog unsupervised.

 Step 7  -  Schools in!

Teaching your dog to follow a few basic commands is a great way to reinforce your position as leader and gives you a chance to practice compliance on a regular basis.  If possible, children should also be allowed to train with the dog (under supervision) so that the dog learns that these little people are also above them in the pack hierarchy.  There are four important exercises all dogs should know.

1. Settle

Following on from the handling and restraint exercise above, teach your dog to settle quietly in the house.  Assuming your dogs need for exercise and play have been met, bring your dog into the home and reward him regularly for settling in his special place.  This can be your dogs confinement area, in a crate, on a mat, or tied next to your chair.  Your dog needs to know that, as leader  you are able to gently insist on quiet times and that good thing happen to puppies who co-operate. 

2. Sit and/or down

Teach your dog to sit and to down by luring him into position with a small treat.  Drop the lure and move your hand in exactly the same way then reward from the other hand.   Soon your dog will recognize your hand signals for these behaviours. 

3. Come

Dogs who have learned to trust and feel safe with their leaders should happily come when called.  Teach your dog from the start that coming to you will always be a good choice.

4. Walk nicely on lead

Dogs dont have to walk perfectly by your side to respect you as the leader but by the same token they ought not to drag you from pillar to post.  If your dog has learnt to accept restraint, he should quickly accept the restraint imposed by a leash.  The next step is to make it clear to your dog that you decide which direction you are going to move.  Change direction frequently and only move forward when there is no tension on the leash. 

 Step 8 -  Honour Pack Rules

Dogs have their own set of rules to show who is higher up the pack hierarchy and many behaviourists have recommended we implement the same rules into our human pack. 

o       Leaders have control of the best sleeping/rest areas.  Avoid letting your dog occupy elevated positions around the house such as your bed, furniture, lap or shoulders unless you have specifically given permission first this is one of the many privileges that must be earned. 

o       Leaders eat first- your dog should therefore be fed after the rest of the family  If this is impractical, prepare your dogs meal then make him wait while you finish some other chores, or have a cup of tea.

o       Leaders have right of passage . Dont allow your dog to push ahead of you through doorways  - this is simply good manners.  Open and shut the door quickly until your dog steps back thats your cue to walk through ahead.  Soon it will become second nature for your dog to follow behind. Similarly, if your dog is lying in a hallway or narrow passage, ask him to move dont walk around him.

o       Leaders own the best toys  - all interactive toys are YOURS the dog only has a chance to play with them when you say so, and must give them up when you have had enough. 

            Dominance an overrated catch-phrase

Dominance is a term that defines a relationship between two individuals but is often incorrectly used to denote a general personality trait.  Usually when someone describes a dog as dominant they mean the dog is outgoing, confident, pushy or perhaps even out of control.  No one would deny that puppies come with a great variety of personalities some more easy going than others just like people do - but they will only dominate a relationship if you let them.  Entire breeds have been labelled as dominant when in fact you will find pushy and timid dogs in every breed and in every litter.  Dominance  has also been equated with aggression when in fact many submissive dogs will act aggressively out of fear and many dogs labelled dominant may rarely resort to aggression as they are confident and secure with who they are in the world.  One of the problems with using dominant as a label is that it is used as an excuse for harsh training methods or no training at all.   Dont get hung up on labels  - just as apples are obedient to the laws of gravity,  dogs are obedient to the laws of learning .

 Good leaders are good teachers

Dogs know how to live in a dog pack but they need to learn how to live in a human pack.  We have different codes of conduct and firm ideas about polite behaviour.   A good leader is above all a good teacher, providing structure and learning opportunities to help a dog integrate into our human world.  By implementing the steps above, even the rowdiest dog will soon learn that doing the things you want is the best way to get the things he wants -  a win/win situation for all. 

  Karin Larsen Bridge 2003
  www.getsmartdogs.com.au

5.THE INS AND OUTS OF A DOG IN THE HOUSE

By Karin Larsen Bridge, president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia and part owner and instructor at Get S.M.A.R.T (Successful Motivation And Reward Training) dogs  in Sydney - a dog training school  specializing in positive training classes for pet dogs. She is a Delta Accredited Canine Good Citizen (TM) Instructor and writes and lectures  frequently on dogs and dog  related issues such as positive training methods, behavioural problems and responsible pet ownership. 

 
 [This article first appeared in Dog's Life magazine, Sept 2000, and is reproduced here by kind permission of the author]

 Dog owners come in two distinctly divided groups those who like to have their dogs in the house and those who prefer to keep them outside.  The inside group cant see the point of owning a dog if it doesnt share your home with you.  The outside group firmly believe that a dogs place is out in the fresh air, that to bring a dog in would make it soft or spoilt as well making the home less pleasant for its human' occupants.

 Opinion on whether a dog should be kept inside or outside stems from a mixture of cultural background, personal experiences and practical considerations such as the set-up and size of your home, how many dogs you have and your dogs role in the family.  In Australia, with our mild climate, working dogs were traditionally kept outside and many people carry on this tradition with their pet dogs.  In the colder climates of Europe, even farm dogs traditionally lived-in with the family and the trend continues today with millions of pet dogs still sharing small apartments with their owners.

 Although a matter of personal choice, a growing number of canine behaviourists and trainers are recommending that pet owners allow their dogs to come inside the family home. 

REASONS TO BRING YOUR DOG INSIDE.

 Dogs are social animals

Dogs make wonderful pets because they are by nature a social animal.   They have a strong need to belong to and interact with, other members of their pack either canine or human.  If your pack spends most of its time inside your home, that is where your dog will want to be.

 More value for your money.

Most people keep dogs today not to fulfil any work function but rather for companionship.  It is a fact of modern life however that we spend less time in our homes then ever before and therefore less time in the company of our dogs.  If, added to this the dog is not allowed inside, the time you spend together becomes negligible.  To get the most value out of the cost and effort of owning a dog, it makes sense to let your dog in.

 Inside dogs exhibit fewer behaviour problems.

Outside dogs are more likely to exhibit serious behaviour problems associated with boredom such as excessive barking, destructive chewing, separation anxiety and self-mutilation.  A bored and lonely dog finds minor disturbances like people passing, kids playing or birds chirping, a great excuse for barking which quickly develops into a self-rewarding habit.   

     Better Protection for YOU not your backyard

Your most valuable possessions are inside your house including yourself and your family.  A dog inside your house is a much bigger deterrent to an intruder than an outside dog and much harder to deal with.   An outside dog can usually be easily released and/or stolen.  When you answer the door to a stranger, a dog by your side is a better deterrent then a dog shut away in your backyard. 

 Observation and interaction -  a natural way to learn.

Your dog is learning from you every minute you are together.  This give the inside dog who shares your home a great advantage over an outside dog.  The inside dog soon learns what leads to attention, cuddles, and car trips, walks and treats as well as what doesnt!  Even without any formal training, the inside dog will probably learn to fit in just as he would in the wild through observation and experience. You too will learn to read your dog more easily if you are able to spend time observing him in the comfort of your own home. 

 Compare this to the amount of feedback the outside dog is able to gleam from the relatively small amount of time you and your family spend outdoors.  The outside dog must struggle to learn human protocol and is less likely to ingratiate himself into your heart.

 If you dont have a philosophical objection to having a dog in the home, it is likely that your dogs behaviour   is keeping him at bay.  Many young dogs appear to be a whirlwind of destruction when first allowed inside a home.  Like children dogs need to be taught how to behave in our human environment.  The ideal time to start is of course with a puppy, but the same principles apply to dogs of any age. If you follow the six simple steps below, your dog too can earn the keys to the executive suite.

SIX STEPS TO RAISING THE PERFECT HOUSE DOG 

 1.  Housetraining your #1 priority!

    All dogs without a physical disability can be trained not to soil in the house.  The key
     points to remember are:

     Select - a suitable area, not too far from the house where you will encourage puppy to do his business.  The substrate you choose (usually grass) will become puppys preferred toileting surface.

      Supervise - watch your puppy for sniffing, circling behaviour usually a precursor to toileting.  Take your puppy out after every meal, playtime, sleep, and drink and encourage him to toilet.

      Management - if you cannot supervise, leave him in a safe area where accidents are not a problem.  Realise however that allowing your dog to toilet on more than one surface (e.g. newspapers and grass) while unavoidable may lengthen the housetraining process.

      Reward - with praise and a titbit when puppy toilets in the preferred spot. It is essential that puppy understands, you like toileting by establishing a reward history for the right behaviour. 

     Interrupt your pup if he starts to toilet in the house as mildly as possible to get the desired effect.  The intention is to stop your dog in the act, not to frighten him.  Lead him to the appropriate area and encourage him to finish the job.  If you frighten the pup he will soon be convinced you have a hang-up about bodily functions and refuses to toilet in your presence - preferring privacy behind the couch or under a bed.

2. Constructive Ways to Avoid Destruction

    Restrict your puppy to a safe area, complete with suitable chew toys and a sleeping area.  Take him out to play and toilet.  In this errorless environment, your puppy will be set up for success.

     Develop a chew toy habit by stuffing toys such as Kongs and smoked marrowbones with kibble and titbits to make them more interesting.  Rotate toys so there are always one or two new ones to explore.  

     Avoid inadvertently teaching your dog that stealing leads to a great game of catch me if you can! Instead practice lots of swaps.  Even when your dog has things he is allowed to have, take them from him, have a look and then give them back.  Occasionally swap them for something better like a treat.  If your dog learns that allowing you to take things from him leads to something of equal or better value for him, there will be no need to run from you or worse still develop possessive guarding behaviour. 

     As pup learns what is expected of him, his area can be increased.  It is not necessary for your dog to have full run of the house to feel a part of the pack.  If you prefer, your dog only need access a well-frequented part of the house such as a kitchen or family area where the pack gather to watch TV or chat.

     If you prefer train your dog to settle on a mat whenever he comes into the house.  This can easily be taught by keeping your dog on lead and sitting next to his mat.  When the dog begins to relax and settle reward with quiet praise and titbits.  Use a cue word like mat or go to bed and your pup will soon understand that if he wants the privilege of being inside he must lie quietly on his mat.   Your dog will still appreciate having gained a foothold into the den and will enjoy being able to observe family interactions from his special spot.

 3.  Four on the floor and no more nipping!

     Right from when puppy first arrives, reward him for keeping four (paws) on the floor, by giving him lots of cuddles and attention down at his level.

     NEVER reward jumping up with your attention of any kind.  To many dogs even negative attention can be considered fun or a game.

      Train an alternate behaviour such as sit and reward with what pup wants most  your attention.

     Teach everyone in the family, especially children to make like a post, fold their arms and look away, if pup gets very excited and/or nips and jumps.  Fence posts are not much fun and pup will soon lose interest.

      If puppy is really excited put him in his safe area for some time out until he settles.

 4. Rover goes to school basic obedience training.

     As puppy gets older, attend a training class where you will learn how to teach your dog basic behaviour like sit stay come and walk nicely.

     Training should be fun and stimulating for both you and your dog look for a class you will both enjoy.

     Training games are a great way to satisfy your dogs need for interaction and stimulation without having to leave the house.

     Training will help you to establish a more satisfactory relationship with your dog based on understanding and mutual respect.

5.         A snip in time saves lives allergies and dog hairs.

     If you did some research before making the commitment to buy a dog, you will have been forewarned.  You cannot blame the dog for shedding hair anymore than you can blame a person for being bald!

     There are breeds of dogs which do not shed hair and which are suitable for people with allergies.

     Only allowing the dog in a back part of the house, keeping him off the furniture and regular brushing, will go a long way to controlling the problem.

  6.    Corgi Clean - is your dog fit for a palace?

      Properly cared for, dogs are perfectly suited to sharing our homes just ask H.M. the Queen!

     Your dog can and should be kept free of external and internal parasites as well as being generally clean and well groomed.

     Guide dogs for the blind and Assistance dogs for the disabled accompany their partners not only in their homes but in public restaurants, theatres and even surgeries and hospitals as well.

     Your dogs condition is a reflection of your attitude toward him and is much more easily monitored when he shares your home.  A clean, healthy dog is a loved dog.

 A FRIEND INSIDE IS WORTH TWO IN THE YARD.

Ultimately, the decision to bring your dog in is a personal but for me, dogs nestled around the family room floor convert a house into a home.  In an echo of primal times, the peaceful, slumbering faces of the watchdogs around the camp instinctively tell me that our pack is safe and all is well with the world.  As my two sons and husband gather in front of the television for another primal activity the rugby my guardians and I slip up the stairs to the spare room to snuggle contentedly in front of my favourite romantic video.  Coming inside is good for dogs? Bugger the dogs; its good for me!

 Doggy doors are a great way to increase the quality of life for both you and your dog.  Your dog has the freedom to come and go as he pleases and you get to stop playing  doorman! 

  Karin Larsen Bridge 2000
  Get S.M.A.R.T Dogs, Sydney
  www.getsmartdogs.com.au

6.Why Do We Train With Food?

                                                    By Dr Cynthia D. Fisher, B.A. MS, PhD

                                     Chief Instructor at Gold Coast Dog Obedience Club
                                 [Used with kind permission of the author]

Occasionally we encounter a handler who is uneasy with the idea of using food in training their dog.  For many years, the competition obedience community frowned on the use of food.  It was seen as somehow cheating.  Instead, people trained with praise and petting as their rewards, and used a lot of physical corrections (like checks on a chain collar or pushing the dog into the sit or drop position) to show the dog what they wanted or to punish mistakes.

 Today, many trainers have realised that punishment based training is out-of-date, unfair to the dog, and less effective than reward-based training.  The past decade has seen a revolution in positive dog training techniques around the world, and our club now uses these state of the art methods.

 Psychologists have known the basic principles of animal learning that we apply in positive dog training since the 1940s.  In the 1970s, marine mammal trainers become very good at using the principles of positive training.  They had to, because they couldnt put a collar on a killer whale or a dolphin and FORCE it to do anything! 

 Its been said that we have historically used coercive training methods on dogs because we could.  Dogs are land-based animals that are smaller than we are and generally prefer not to attack us, so we have been able to get away with harsh methods.  But these methods are not necessary, and are not particularly effective.  It is now possible to train your dog without even touching it.  If you are smarter than your dog, you no longer need to be tougher and meaner than it is to get it to do what you want!

 All animals (and people) learn to repeat behaviours that have had pleasant consequences.  A pleasant consequence is called a positive reinforcer.  Training is all about getting the animal to do what you want and then providing an immediate positive reinforcer so the animal learns to do that behaviour again in the future.  There are many possible reinforcers for dogs:  praise, petting, play (with a ball or tug toy or other game the dog likes), food treats, and life rewards.

 Life rewards are any desirable privilege you are likely to give your dog anyhow in the course of a day, like letting it in the house, taking it for a drive or a walk, inviting it up on to the sofa, etc.  If the dog likes the reward, it will work to attain it.

 Remember, REINFORCERS ARE IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER.  Its the dogs opinion that counts.  There is no point in trying to train a dog using rewards that the dog doesnt want or find reinforcing.  If your dog isnt interested in kibble (dried dog food), try cheese or meat.  If your dog doesnt like being patted on the head (and most dont), dont try to use pats on the head as a reinforcer because the dog wont work to earn more of them.

FOOD IS NOT QUALITATIVELY DIFFERENT than petting or praise - its just another reinforcer, another kind of positive consequence.  But food happens to be a reinforcer that has much greater value than praise or petting for most dogs.  Dogs need food to live, so nature equipped them to value it highly.  They dont need praise or petting to live. 
                                                   

So why not train with a potent reinforcer like food rather than a weaker reinforcer like petting?  After all, you wouldnt dig a swimming pool in your back yard with a teaspoon; youd get a steam shovel and get the job done quickly and effectively! 

 Training with food is faster and more powerful than training with weaker rewards like praise and petting.  And you can, of course, always use praise and touch along with food.

 There are a number of other good reasons to use food in training:

     Using food motivates the dog to pay attention to you, and attention is a prerequisite to         almost any learning or training.  When you are training your dog, you are competing                 against the environment for its attention.  On the training grounds, there are many         other dogs, lots of people, and plenty of interesting scents. 

        You need to be more interesting to your dog than all this.  Your chances are better if youve got sausage than if youve got praise.  One problem with praise and petting as reinforcers is that WE GIVE THEM AWAY FOR FREE much of the time.  We stroke our dogs and tell them how wonderful they are because we like them, day in and day out.  This is one of the joys of owning a dog.  But why should they work for something they get plenty of for free?  Some people who have success training dogs with praise and petting intentionally deprive their animals of human contact by kennelling them at all times other than while training.  This may increase the animals desire for praise and petting, but its not much of a life for a pet.

        It is completely natural for dogs to work for food.  The wild dog or wolf certainly has to work pretty hard to track down and kill something to eat!  Zoos often invent food puzzles so their captive animals have to work and use their brains and muscles to obtain food.  This mental and physical stimulation is very beneficial to their health and well-being.  Food training gives your dog the same enriching experience.

        Being the source of food increases your status and leadership in the dogs eyes, especially as you set the rules for getting the food.  Why should the dog look to you for leadership if it appears that God fills a bottomless food bowl each day, and youve got relatively little of real value to offer the dog contingent on its behaviour?

        Training with rewards makes the dog eager to do more, to work harder, and to pay attention to you.  Training with punishments makes the dog want to do just enough to escape or avoid punishment, and may greatly reduce its desire to be with you. 

        Dogs learn by reinforced repetition.  It is easy to practice an exercise ten times in a row if you reward each repetition with a tiny piece of food.  Its harder to get a training rhythm going and do ten repetitions if your reward is throwing a ball.  It takes a while to get the dog and ball back and set up for another repetition.  Its even harder to do many repetitions in a short period if your reward is taking the dog for a walk in the park.  This is not to say you shouldnt use ball games or walks in the park as rewards, by all means do so!  But when teaching a new behaviour, its repetitions that produce learning, and most dogs will do more repetitions for food in a short while than for other reinforcers.

        Eating has a calming effect on dogs.  It does on us, too we sometimes eat to relieve stress in our lives.  Dogs that are anxious or aggressive tend to calm down when food is used in training.  These same dogs become more anxious or aggressive when harsh methods add extra stress to training.

        Food can be used in the early stages of training as a lure as well as a reinforcer.  If you lure your dog into the sit or drop position with food, you dont need to physically push or pull or force it into that position.  And force from us tends to cause resistance from dogs.  With a food lure, the dog freely chooses to take up the sit or drop position.

        If you regard your dog as your best friend, you probably dont want to jerk it around
roughly or cause it pain if theres another way to teach it to listen to you and behave well.  AND THERE IS!

 Cynthia D. Fisher
     www.gcdotc.org.au
 

7. Producing Change in Obedience Clubs

 By Dr Cynthia D. Fisher, B.A. MS, PhD

                                     Chief Instructor at Gold Coast Dog Obedience Club
                                                    [Used with kind permission of the author]

This paper is about producing change in training equipment, methods, or course structure in Australian obedience clubs.  The paper was stimulated by the despair of large numbers of Canine Good Citizens Instructor Course participants in 1996, who kept saying things like Thats a great training method, but I could never get it adopted at my club...  

 This paper aims to provide an understanding of why obedience clubs are sometimes resistant to new methods, and to give a number of suggestions for overcoming resistance
and producing positive change.  Three sources were used: 

1)      The literature on organisational change

2)      Interviews with Chief or Senior Instructors from a number of obedience clubs
including three that have switched to entirely positive methods

3)      Experience at my own club.

 Why people resist change

The organisational change literature lists a number of reasons that people may resist
changes at work.  One of the most common is fear.  People fear everything from loss of
 their job to reduced status, competence, or expertise when new work methods or
structures are introduced.  People also generally prefer certainty to uncertainty, and change brings uncertainty.

 When things are changing, we dont know in advance exactly what will happen.  Most of us
 go through large sections of our lives on autopilot.  This makes things easier, as the same routines can be enacted again and again without much thought.  Change requires thought
and effort to deal with uncertainty and build up new routines, and most of us would prefer
 not to make the effort unless theres the prospect of a substantial payoff at the end. 

Another reason for resistance is psychological reactance.  This is a well-documented tendency to want to feel in control and to have choices, and to strike back when control is threatened.  When freedom of choice is taken away by unilaterally imposed change (You MUST do it this way.), people resist even a change they might otherwise agree with, just because it was imposed on them. 

 Misunderstanding is another reason for resisting change.  People who are worried about
 a change are probably not at the top of their form in terms of listening, so they often misunderstand what is being proposed and take exception to it.  The reason most of us
would give for our own resistance is honest disagreement.  We just dont think the change is necessary or wise.  Finally, people resist change if it represents too big a change in their self-concept, and is a threat to their core identity.

 Some of the reasons that obedience instructors gave for resistance to new training
methods come from the above categories, but some are unique enough to discuss separately.  The following appear to be common reasons for resistance to gentle
methods in clubs:

    Personality clashes and cliques within the club, meaning that some people wouldnt
    agree with certain others over something as obvious as the fact that rain is wet!

        The clubs organizational structure.  Some clubs concentrate tremendous power in a chief instructor or training committee.  If this group is made up of old-school members, change is very difficult.  Other clubs are more democratic, which can also be a problem because the majority is often apathetic, relatively uneducated, or satisfied with the status quo.  In some clubs, a change in structure or the election of a new training committee may be very helpful in producing change.

        Excessive commitment to the methods originally learned. There is an air of superstitious reverence for the magic methods passed down by oral tradition.  This is can be a plus for gentle methods advocates, as new handlers easily accept a positive reinforcement method if that is what they encounter first.

        Limited hands-on experience.  Most amateur instructors have trained only one or two dogs.  They havent needed to think broadly or experiment with many methods to cope
with a variety of problems and animals.  The feeling seems to be that if a method worked for his or her dog, it should work for everyones.  Often people who go on to become instructors have trained dogs from relatively easy and cooperative breeds (Golden Retrievers, Border Collies), and/or breeds that tend to have hard characters (German Shepherd Dogs) and so hold up well to traditional jerk and pull training.

        Fear of failure. Experienced instructors KNOW the old familiar methods, but arent sure
if they can understand, teach, or effectively implement a new method.  For instance,
a 70-year-old instructor in our club resisted games, because she didnt know any or
how to run them.  Some older instructors have a lot of their time, effort, self-esteem, and identity wrapped up in dog training, being retired or not having a career.

This means that anything that threatens their competence in regard to obedience
teaching will be terrifically upsetting.  Most people have a tremendous fear of public speaking.  Volunteer instructors have overcome this at least partially by relying on
habitual routines to fill class time (forward, right about turn, halt, forward, etc.).  When
you ask them to stop paddock bashing and teach heeling two or three steps at a time,
they immediately worry about what they will say and do for the rest of the class time, and worry about looking foolish.

        Lack of knowledge of dog behaviour.  Some instructors dont understand the underlying principles of dog training and dog behaviour. Three of my first five interviewees
lamented that, Resisters dont READ!  They also dont attend seminars.  In the
absence of a conceptual framework for how dogs learn, these people are unable to evaluate either old or new methods logically.

        A search for exceptions to the rule.  When required to try a new method, people are especially vigilant for the one dog on which the method doesnt seem to work.  (We
CANT teach drop with a food lure, because Ive got a dog in my class who doesnt care about food.)  Having proven to themselves that the method doesnt work 100% of time, these instructors feel justified in rejecting it entirely.

        Moral objections.  Some well-intentioned instructors oppose some newer methods because they believe the use of food is somehow immoral, cheating, or too easy. 
Dogs are supposed to work out of love of the handler, not for cookies.  These people speak disparagingly about bribery.   Note that it is in the nature of values and moral principles that THEY ARE NOT NEGOTIABLE.

        If it aint broke, dont fix it.  Existing methods are no doubt having some success in producing dogs that are more obedient than they were, and at least some handlers who
go on to trialling.  Those who leave the club because they are not successful or object to treating their dogs harshly usually disappear quietly without providing any feedback
about their concerns.

Producing Change

The organisational change literature suggests many ways to facilitate change (see Table 1), while the Chief Instructors I interviewed had their own ideas.  One interviewee said, First
be a successful trialler yourself, to gain credibility for your proposed changes. A formal credential like Canine Good Citizen Instructor might also add to your credibility.

 Change choices seem to be:

 1)   To confront the status quo head on, try to convince people that your methods are better, and that they should change immediately.  While some people have had success with this approach, it often generates a great deal of resistance, distress, and negative feelings, and instructors belonging to the losing side often leave the club.  This approach explicitly tells people that what they have been doing for years is WRONG, and almost anyone will
become defensive when on the receiving end of an attack like this.  If your side loses, you
may feel you have to leave, or you may have strengthened and consolidated the opposition
to subsequent change efforts.

2)    To gently and gradually build an increasingly large coalition for change, converting rather than alienating some of those who previously disagreed.  This bit-by-bit process can
take three to five years, but eventually change just happens with minimal or no
fireworks.  Some specific ideas for making a gradual change appear below.

 Lack of knowledge suggests that education about canine learning might increase
 acceptance of new methods.  Our club spent hundreds of dollars acquiring a training library, and as the instigator of the idea, I got to pick the books!  Instructors are encouraged to
borrow and read the books, and new instructor trainees are usually quite keen to read the entire library.  Keilor (a dog club in Melbourne) did the same. 

 If resistant instructors dont go to seminars, one can bring seminars to them.  New ideas
are often more palatable from outsiders, so even though pro-change club members may be equally knowledgeable, it pays to bring in outside speakers.

 Remember A prophet has no honour in his own country.   Keilor had great success
bringing in Terry Ryan and Karen Damiani to do seminars.  Demonstrations and workshops are particularly powerful because instructors can see how quickly the new methods work,
and see difficult dogs turned around.

 Dont just talk about how to do things differently -- go through the whole teaching-learning cycle.  TELL them, then SHOW them, then give them a chance to TRY IT OUT (and provide reinforcement for any progress at all).

The more seminars, the better.  We have had Cathy Slot (from the Agility Dog Association
of Australia) in to speak about clicker training, and a number of our instructors have done Kerrie Haynes-Lovells (the polar bear trainer from Sea World and chief instructor at
Amigos Animal Actors) trick training course.

 Ive been running a tricks and games class this year, hoping that instructors with retired
dogs would join in and learn about clicker training, and would become comfortable with
luring, targeting, and the concept of bridging before they were asked to use these ideas in their own teaching.  

Come to think of it, tricks or musical freestyle might be a good place to start to introduce positive methods, because its less serious than competitive obedience.  People are less likely to take it personally and feel the need to resort to compulsion if they are teaching a
dog to roll over or walk backwards than if they are teaching it to sit.

 In the past two years, weve also initiated a two-day seminar on canine behaviour and learning.  We charge the public (class members, potential future instructors, vet nurses, etc.) to attend, but the seminar is free to existing instructors.  Its a nice way to say thank you to volunteers for their effort, it reminds instructors who already lean towards gentle methods
why they feel that way and increases their confidence in explaining things to others, and it
has probably changed a few minds among instructors who were doubters before.

 If you cant convert the leadership of your Club to engage in a top down change, you can
 try to create additional constituencies favouring change in a bottom up approach.  We
had several such constituencies in our club:  Pet Course handlers who have come up
 through our Puppy Kindy, Puppy Kindy instructors, and recently trained instructors. 

 It seems pretty obvious that one will use food rather than force in puppy kindy with dogs
only 2-4 months old.  So of course thats what we do.  A side effect is that when puppy handlers graduate to Pet Course, they are already committed to gentle methods and most choose not to use check collars.  Puppy instructors become better at using food and thus
more likely to use it in their adult dog classes as well.  All new instructors for the past five
years at our club have been exposed to learning principles and a wide variety of methods -- because I teach the new instructor course.

The vast majority of these graduates are quite receptive to more gentle method.  So-- get involved with your clubs puppy kindy or volunteer to teach part or all of your clubs new instructor program.  All three of the clubs I surveyed who had successfully changed to
 positive methods said theyd started with puppy classes first.

 An objective source of persuasion that change is necessary is customer surveys. 
 Feedback that students are not getting what they want may stimulate change.  Few clubs
do end-of-course surveys or phone follow-ups of obedience class dropouts. If clubs
collected this information, they might learn more about the problems with the present
 program, and may come to realise that the old ways arent perfect.  They might possibly
even learn than not everyone who comes to beginner training is intending to trial their dogs!

 People seem to update their methods when exposed, gently, to alternatives.  One club I
talked to said that methods were not cast in concrete, and that instructors observed each
other and copied new ideas or methods that they liked.  There was no compulsion to
change, so psychological reactance wasnt a problem.  You could begin by training your
own dog with new methods, and if you have success, others will become interested in what you are doing and ask you to show them.  Some members of my club have attended Cathy Slots clicker agility classes, while some at Keilor took their problem dogs to Karen Damiani and got results impressive enough to change their outlook completely.

 Another way to create exposure to alternatives is to run an experimental or pilot course using new methods. This has the advantage of allowing people to SEE it work before
making a commitment, and it is easier to get permission for an experiment than for across-the-board changes.  My club was relatively traditional, but I had no trouble teaching a
Canine Good Citizens course in 1997 and later an experimental gentle-methods Pet Course.

This was partly to build up my understanding of how an alternative to traditional methods
would operate - I needed to have more confidence before pushing for widespread adoption.  However, I had no shortage of experienced instructors volunteering to serve as assistants
or coming by to watch us (What IS she doing with chairs on the field?).

 We have just finished a six-month task force to look into Pet Course, which culminated in
two more experimental pet courses being run.  With what we have learned from these
courses, we are now ready to propose changes to the program that will be binding on all instructors.  The great thing is that several other instructors are now choosing to do the very things we are about to codify!  We are more confident in which methods we want to use,
and will be able to train instructors much more specifically in what we want them to do.  I believe that this specificity will be helpful in overcoming peoples fear of not knowing exactly what to do to fill 45 minutes of class time.

 Appeal to higher values and principles.  If people can agree that they want training to be as unstressful on the dog as possible, and that they dont want to jeopardise the dog-handler relationship, then yelling and yanking become less acceptable.  Ask them:

• Is it fair to punish a dog before it could possibly know what you want or what is wrong?
• Is it ethical to impose methods on others that probably NONE of them would use on
  their own new puppy if they had one?

 Go for small wins.  Change one thing at a time, easy things first.  Get some runs on the board to build momentum for the bigger changes.  One Chief Instructor I interviewed used compromise to get a foot in the door - adding games, but agreeing that they could go late
 in sessions after real training.

 We changed to the lure drop six years ago, because there was fairly widespread dissatisfaction with the running drop method and most people could be convinced it was unnecessarily rough.  Then we started stocking halters and half-check collars along with
check chains, and giving handlers a choice of equipment.  People were unsure about head halters at first, but theyve seen good results on out-of-control dogs, and now nearly
everyone will refer problem dogs for halters.  The emphasis throughout the club is shifting
to providing the equipment and method individual dogs need rather than insisting that all MUST be trained with identical equipment and methods.

 Im more and more convinced that a gradual and tactful approach to change is possible
and less destructive than a war between factions.  There may still be some hurt feelings and
a few people who resign, but these problems should be much smaller than with a sudden frontal attack.  Appendix A explains force field analysis, which is a technique a pro-change group can use to better understand their resources and potential resources for change, and also to anticipate and understand the resistance they may encounter.  Once resistance is understood, creative ways of dealing with it may be found.

 Beware that in a full-on debate, the sides tend to get farther apart rather than closer.  Still, there may be times you have to argue, or at the very least explain your position or counter others arguments cogently.  Thus, it is worth thinking through the merits of your position and how you can make your points to others clearly.  Examples follow:

 What about dogs that wont work for food?  While I havent tried this method yet, though
Ive recommended it several times since the Dunbar seminar in February. Ian Dunbar says
 that for one week, every morsel that goes in the dogs mouth must be hand fed.  There is
no free-choice feeding.  He swears that after a week of hand feeding, all dogs will work for food.

 What if they say, But you cant use food in the ring!  Neither can you use much voice or
any checking, their preferred teaching methods!  We are taking about how to teach new behaviours.  Voice, checks, and food can all be greatly reduced as behaviours are better learned.

 In my less tactful moments, Ive attacked ritualistic devotion to time tested methods with
 the following analogy:  Would you prefer that your doctor use methods learned years ago
from her grandfather (Have a slug of whisky and bite this bullet while I take out your appendix.), or would you rather she use the latest medical techniques and drugs?  Like medicine, dog training has advanced in the last 50 years!

 Did you ever notice that theres no worldwide movement or association of jerk and pull trainers?  No forum where people get together to tell each other what great new ideas
theyve had for using electric-collars, check chains, or yelling Bah! at their dogs?  On the other hand, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers is thriving and drawing huge crowds to
 their events, both internationally and domestically.

 Ive been using Karen Pryors training game since first seeing it in a Terry Ryan seminar
six years ago.  Its a very powerful way to show instructors how hard it is for the dog to figure out what you mean.  This may generate some sympathy for showing the dog what you DO
 want by luring or targeting, and liberal use of rewards to keep the animal trying.

 Another approach (which I havent tried because its just occurred to me) is to play the
training game a second time, but instead of using a click and treat to mean youre getting warmer, yell Bah! and take a dollar away from the trainee for each move in the wrong direction.  I suspect youd begin to see intense frustration, greatly reduced effort, and maybe even aggression toward the trainer.  This is, after all, what can happen with traditional punishment oriented training.

In conclusion, it probably wont be easy to change a club with decades of history of doing things essentially the same way.  It wont always be possible.  But with some thought, and
a lot of time and dedication, it is more likely than you might think.

 Table 1

 Tips for Producing Change

• Ease misperceptions

(Explain it again, in different words, get someone else to explain it.)

• Create a safety net so individual failure is less likely  

(Run training sessions for instructors, buy everyone a copy of Beyond Block Heeling)

• Consider a fall-back position for those who cant cope

(Monday classes will continue to teach by the traditional method, Wednesday classes will use new methods.)

• Help others experience the need for change 

(Do a customer satisfaction or expectation survey.)

• Build a pro-change power base of critical mass 

(Dont propose a change until youve lined up some support for it, have several committed and reasonably high status people on side.)

• Change the structure  (From all-powerful Chief Instructor to Training Committee, or
  the reverse.)
  
• Use participation  

(Set up a study committee including some resisters and some forward thinkers, let everyone have their say, learn from the protests.)

• Offer rewards 
  

(Tell people whats in it for them.  Perhaps those who cooperate get subsidised to
go to a course or some other reward.)

• Exclude OR involve resisters 

(Disable and isolate extreme resisters, involve others by cooperation/participation.)

• Spread change over time
  

Go for small wins and less threatening modifications at first.)

• Avoid we-they mentality 
  

(Emphasize shared superordinate goals - helping handlers train their dogs
effectively with as little stress as possible, attracting new members/workers to the Club, etc.)

• Use contagion/ try pilot programs 

(Ask for permission to try new methods on a limited, experimental basis, then document and share successes.)

• Education

(Start a library, bring in speakers, and send people to seminars and workshops.)

• Accept and honour valid resistance 

(Be polite no matter what, accept good arguments.)

• Point to external conditions, which preclude maintenance of status quo

(Enlist Council to prod changes, point to newspaper and legislative concerns
about dogs which are not being addressed by the present instructional program.)

• Show committed leadership 

(Be willing to make a huge effort yourself, keep spreading the message all the time.
)

• Provide a clear, written description of the desired change but be willing to negotiate 

(Put the proposal in writing to minimize misunderstanding - but as a negotiable draft to prevent reactance.)

• Use force field analysis to understand what you are up against and plan a course of action
  
• Start with puppy kindy and/or tricks classes
  
• Become involved in instructor training
  
• Build your credibility and that of your methods
  

Be a successful trialler; solve others problems with your methods.)

• Persist!

Appendix A

Force Field Analysis

 Force field analysis is a technique for understanding the forces for and against change.  It starts from the belief that the status quo is a state of dynamic equilibrium, in which the forces for change are counterbalanced by the forces against change (see figure below).

To produce change, one could increase the forces for change - push and argue harder.  However, this often causes the forces against change to push back harder in response (reactance).  Another approach is to defuse the forces against change, and then the existing level of forces for change will be strong enough to shift the system toward the desired state.  For instance, if people resist out of fear or misunderstanding, try to reduce their resistance by clarifying, teaching, communicating, demonstrating, and providing a safety net during the change.

A pro-change group can use force field analysis to understand what they are up against and plan how to deal with it by following these steps:

1. List all the forces for change.  Forces can be arguments, people, data, traditions, external constraints and pressures, resources, etc.  Forces can be depicted by lines of differing length or thickness to indicate their potency.
   
2. List all the forces against change.  Think hard.  Put yourself in their shoes.
   
3. Brainstorm many actions to reduce forces against change.
   
4. Brainstorm many actions to increase forces for change.
   
5. Assess the feasibility of each action.  Which may backfire and increase resistance?
   
6. Prioritize actions.
   
7. Build a plan from the ranking of actions.
   
8. Develop a timetable for the plan; allocate responsibilities, and DO IT!
   
   
    Cynthia D. Fisher
   www.gcdotc.org.au
   
   

8. Accentuate the Positive

This article will appear here shortly - please check later!

9. Boredom Busters
 

By Karin Larsen Bridge, president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia and part owner and instructor at Get S.M.A.R.T (Successful Motivation And Reward Training) dogs  in Sydney - a dog training school  specializing in positive training classes for pet dogs. She is a Delta Accredited Canine Good Citizen (TM) Instructor and writes and lectures  frequently on dogs and dog  related issues such as positive training methods, behavioural problems and responsible pet ownership. 

         [This article first appeared in Dog's Life magazine March/April 2003 and is reproduced
        here by kind permission of the author]

The 21^st century is hard on dogs.  They have swapped their day jobs of herding, retrieving game, killing vermin and chasing rabbits for the simple pleasure of being our companions.  Sounds like a cushy deal - free food and board for just hanging around with your favourite person, but in many cases theyve been duped!  Most of us are unable to spend as much time as we would like with our dogs leaving them not only bored and jobless but alone as well. 

If your dog is confined in a yard for most of the day, he faces many of the same problems exhibited by exotic zoo animals.  A lack of stimulation and opportunity to interact naturally with the environment causes the animal to display stress related behaviours in the dog these could be excessive barking, destructive chewing and digging and self-mutilation.   Zookeepers have put a lot of time and thought into environmental enrichment programs and dog owners can now benefit from their expertise.

 Planning a dog friendly area

A good environment starts with an area that is clean and safe with the basic needs of adequate shelter and free access to water being met.   From this one can add elements which will allow your dog to expend some of his natural instincts in positive, non-destructive way.  Some things you might like to consider are:

1. Providing access to a view of the world.   Many dogs will be entertained for hours if they are able to see passers by and observe other daily events.  Allowing access to a fenced front yard, a see-through side gate or even a front window in the home can be a practical and easy way to   keep your dog amused.
    
2. A doggy door is an excellent way to provide your dog with choices about his daily routine a factor which has been proven to reduce stress in dogs.  Many dogs prefer to sleep inside the house (den) and have only short outings throughout the day to monitor the backyard.  Allowing access into the home even when you are away is also often effective in reducing nuisance barking and improving separation anxiety.
    
3. Try to provide a variety of mini-environments in your back garden making it more interesting for your dog to explore.  Simple suggestions include a grassed lawn area (for rolling, eating, bones, stretching out and running around with toys)  a shrubby area under trees (for sniffing and exploring)  a rock garden (great for attracting entertaining little lizards to chase), a pond (without delicate plants or fish!)  a cool spot under the house (for deep sleep and privacy)  or the perennial favourite -  a shady verandah (close to house, elevated, protected position).
    
4. A sand pit or designated digging area is an excellent way to satisfy your dogs natural desire to explore his environment with his paws and claws.    Either allocate an area of your back garden which may be used for this purpose or buy a childs clam shell and fill with sand. Lace this area daily with food treats such as raw hides, just beneath the surface.  As your dog becomes more proficient you can bury the treats deeper.  Periodically rake the sand again dogs are attracted to areas that have been recently
    disturbed, which is the reason they so often love to dig-up the plants youve just planted!
    
5. The other half of the clam shell can be used for a wading pool.  This is a particularly good idea on hot days. Even dogs that may not like to swim often enjoy cooling their feet or tummy in a shallow pool.  Your dog may well invent other games to play with his pool.   One dog, whose owner had put a rubber hose handle onto the wading pool, soon learned that pulling the pool around the garden was almost as much fun as getting wet! Another Kelpie with a pool enjoyed dipping empty flower pots into the pool and holding them up until the water emptied out this was repeated until bored. 
    
6. A novel idea is to fill the clam shell with the balls they put in kids ballrooms.  Toss in several yummy treats and then add one small dog such as a Jack Russell and watch the fun begin!  Some dogs soon become ball pit addicts a great way to burn off energy before heading off to work.
7. A bird feeder can serve a dual purpose benefiting not only the birds but entertaining your dog who will be watching out for the avian visitors and cleaning up any scraps they might drop below.  Just two precautions with this one, make certain the feeder is high enough so your dog cant reach the birds themselves and if your dog is the type who would rather bark at the birds than watch in silence skip ahead to the next suggestion.
    
8. Dogs enjoy both elevated positions with a better view to the world, and snug, den-like places under things depending on whether they are investigating or resting.  A simple sturdy table can easily provide both these environments for your dog.  The table should be large and sturdy enough for the dog to be able to jump up and lie down comfortably.  This is his view of the world area.  Beneath the table place a comfy dog bed such as one of the many trampoline varieties.  Now depending on your dogs inclination he can chose whether he feels like being on watch patrol or safely curled up asleep in his den.
    
9. Tyres and inner tubes can be put to a myriad of uses and are especially good for destructo dogs.
   • To hang from a tree, put a length of PVC piping on the rope to prevent the dog getting tangled in the rope.  Secure the pipe in place by knotting the rope. 
   • As above but attach a short rope to the bottom of a bike tyre and teach the dog to tug on it to get the tyre swinging. 
   • A car tyre on the ground is a great place to hide treats, and tough dogs can push and shove into them without doing any harm to themselves or the tyre.
   • Car inner tubes can also be used as tug toys and are often available free of charge.  Fold in half, cut one end, bind half the inner tube together with string, leaving the half on the cut end loose so the dog can grip.  Attach a rope through the other end and then attach to a high tree branch or similar so that the tube swings.  Again, it is a good idea to cover the attaching rope with a PVC pipe. 
      

10. For the dog who seriously loves to tug Aussie Dog Products* offer the ultimate home alone toy available in four different sizes.  The Home Alone is a combination treat ball, bungee ball and tug toy which can be hung from a tree or other high place.  Let your dog see you place a small amount of food in the ball.  In the dogs attempt to reach the food by pulling the grip, food will fall around the dog and it will release its grip to get the food.  The toy then springs back above its head.  Many dogs will tug even without the reward of food falling from the ball.  This is a heavy duty toy for the very active, dog of any size.
     
11. Heavy Duty Balls such as the indestructible bully ball made of hard plastic can also keep some dogs amused off and on for hours.  These balls are designed to be pushed around by the dogs chest and shoulders rather than be carried in the mouth.  The balls are easy to push and roll and eat up loads of energy!  In fact some dogs may need to have their time limited with these balls to prevent strain and heat exhaustion.  Not quite as tough but still loads of fun for smaller dogs are the exercise balls used in gyms.  The principle is the same the dog loves to push the ball around and mount mock attacks. 
     
12. Balls that dogs can throw themselves such as soccer balls that are surrounded by a cotton rope net making it easy for the dog to grab and toss the ball.  Similarly some large hard plastic balls on the market include a handle for the dog to grab and toss himself.  

All of the above can be left in your dogs everyday living area to enhance his environment and to provide him with opportunities for play.  However we all enjoy change and new challenges.  While rotating toys is a good idea there is a still better way to keep your dog busy for hours.  Zookeepers around the world have been doing it for years and now dog owners are beginning to recognize the benefits too what is it?  Simply giving your dog the opportunity to work for his food just as he would have done in nature.

Making the most of your dogs daily food intake.

Perhaps you have seen the chimpanzees at the zoo hunting for termites, or poking for honey using long thin sticks.  Devising clever ways to make exotic animals work for their supper has become one of the major developments in animal care.  Giving these animals a job to do has made a major difference in the quality of their lives, reducing boredom and stress.  Your dog is no different.

 Rather then providing your dog with a free meal served up in a bowl at the end of the day (total enjoyment for most dogs equals just a few seconds!) it is a far better idea to allocate all or some of the meal to home alone activities.  Although you may add some special treats to the mix, using meal rations prevents problems of obesity and/or unbalanced nutrition.  Now, instead of waiting for a few seconds of  joy at the end of each day, your dog will be able to enjoy the very natural sequence of search, chase, bite, hold and dissect in exchange for a reward meal.  This process will take far longer and expend more energy then the time it takes to gulp down a meal in a bowl.   And the good news is that while your dog is dissecting your hidden treat/rewards hes not destroying other things in your garden like the washing, prized pot plants or hoses.

 Dogs have finely tuned senses and brains wired to utilize the information they provide.  A dogs nose is a work of art able to track minute traces of scent great distances.  You dont have to teach your dog how to scent he already knows just give him the opportunity and hell soon become a treat tracking fanatic.  It is no wonder then that the vast majority of home alone toys are based on the premise of making your dog work to receive a self-released food reward.   

 Some of the best Food Based Boredom Busters are:

1. Kongs* and similar hollow rubber toys or smoked marrow bones.  There are endless ways to stuff a Kong* with recipes ranging from beginners level loosely stuffed with large treats to university level for experienced treat dissectors with lots of yummy things jammed into every crevice.   Common foods to use as stuffing include dry dog food, cheese, canned dog or cat food, peanut butter, a little vegemite or liverwurst (to seal the ends) leftovers, dried liver and commercial dog treats .  In most cases it is important to vary the contents to keep your dog really interested.   You may choose to simply hand your dog his stuffed treat as you walk out the door however a better option once your dog understands the game is to hide the stuffed object somewhere in the garden.  You may even hide two or three!  The ultimate luxury from the USA is a Kong Dispenser which will dispense up to five stuffed Kongs throughout the course of the day! 
    
2. Buster cubes and similar devices are cubes and balls made of plastic or rubber which are filled with dry doggy treats.  The ball or cube has an opening which can be adjusted to make it easier or harder for treats to come out.  Your dog will learn to push the toy around using his feet or nose to slowly dispense the treats inside.
    
3. A cheap and simple alternative is to half fill a plastic PET bottle with kibble, pasta or water and allow your dog to toss it around.  If you leave the top off treats will slowly spill out.  Alternately put a PET bottle sealed into the freezer for a short time.  When removed, the change in air temperature will make it expand.  A lot of dogs will like the noise it makes and enjoy trying to catch it in their mouths.  (Note: some dogs may need supervision with a PET bottle if they are likely to swallow the plastic.) 
    
4. Throw tiny pieces of dry dog food or cat kibble around the backyard while your chow hound spends hours making sure he hasnt missed one!  Very hard to spot on pebble crete or scattered in garden beds.  Be wary of throwing on recently mown lawns however as over a period of time toxins can build in the mulch and might have an averse affect on your dogs tummy.  
    
5. Tear a rag into long strips.  Roll into each strip a little treat and tie into knots.  Make the bundle as tight as possible and then give it to your dog to explore and dissect.   Most dogs become really absorbed trying to reach the hidden delectable treats.  In some cases the centre treasure could be a tennis ball or other popular toy.
    
6. Iced treats Kongs, other stuffed toys, or simple ice cream containers can be filled with diluted stock or other liquid sensations and frozen.  Add a really special treat into the centre and watch your dog lick away trying to reach the frozen centre.  Perfect for a hot days entertainment.

 By using food in this way you are not only meeting your dogs daily nutritional requirements, but are also providing him with mental stimulation and perhaps most importantly providing an outlet for natural dog behaviours such as chewing, digging, exploring and dissecting. 

 The most important boredom buster You!

While it is great to find ways to help your dog amuse himself in your absence there is no substitute for time spent with you.  The most environmentally enriched back yard is still a poor second to a long walk or a free run.  Many dogs could probably relate to the little boy who gets a terrific kite for Christmas only to discover it isnt much fun unless someone takes you to the park so you can fly it together.   Make the most of our boredom busters, but never forget your dogs best friend will always be you.

  *Visit Aussie Dog at: www.aussiedog.com.au

*Kongs are a rubber hollow toy visit their website full of Kong recopies at

www.kongcompany.com

Karin Larsen Bridge 2003
  Get S.M.A.R.T Dogs, Sydney
  www.getsmartdogs.com.au

10. " The Perfect Puppy - bringing up the baby"
No train, no gain

By Karin Larsen Bridge, president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia and part owner and instructor at Get S.M.A.R.T (Successful Motivation And Reward Training) dogs  in Sydney - a dog training school  specializing in positive training classes for pet dogs. She is a Delta Accredited Canine Good Citizen (TM) Instructor and writes and lectures  frequently on dogs and dog  related issues such as positive training methods, behavioural problems and responsible pet ownership. 

 [This article first appeared in Dog's Life magazine, Jan/Feb 2003 and is reproduced here by kind permission of the author]

"What Every Owner Should Promise their Puppy"

 I welcome you into our family pack and promise to be a good leader.  To provide you not only with food, water and shelter but with exercise, companionship and knowledge of how to live in a human world.

Congratulations! Today you are proud parents of a beautiful new,  squirming, big eyed  bundle of tail wags and kisses. Promises of wonderful adventures lie ahead for you both. However many of these beautiful puppies will never see their second birthday, not because of any viral epidemic but because no one taught them the skills needed to live in a human world.  

 Behavioural problems kill more young dogs than all other causes combined.  Some of these problems are as simple as jumping up, chewing and digging.  Most of them are normal dog behaviours displayed in ways that are inappropriate or annoying to humans.  The good news is that it doesnt have to be like this.  With a little early effort on your part, the vast majority of these problems are easily preventable. 

 The First Step - is to change your mind set from:

How do I STOP my puppy FROM . (chewing, jumping , biting, etc.)

to

This change puts you in charge because it means that instead of being a victim of your puppys behaviour,  you have assumed the responsibility for teaching him what will be required to live in your home and share your life. 

 Positive Training and Good Management.

The best way to train your puppy is by rewarding him for the things you like and ignoring him for things you dont like.  Rewards can be attention, praise, games and food.  To make it easy for your puppy to succeed you need to provide him with an errorless learning environment to prevent mistakes and to provide lots of opportunities for reward.  For example, it would be silly to allow a young puppy full freedom of the house before it has learned to toilet outside.  By confining your puppy to a small area and taking it out every hour to the appropriate toileting spot, you are preventing mistakes and ensuring that you are present to reward the correct behaviour.  Rewarding any behaviour makes it more likely to happen again and again.  By confining your puppy now, you will be ensuring that he learns good house etiquette and will have earned the right to much greater freedom as an adult.

 A suitable confinement area.

You will need a confinement area that contains:

        A comfortable sleeping area

        A clean bowl of water

        Suitable chew toys such as kongs and hollow bones stuffed with kibble and treats

        A toileting area (ideally a piece of turf )

 The purpose of this area is to :

        Prevent mistakes

        Develop a good chew  toy habit  ( as it is all that is available)

        Reduce the options of where your puppy may toilet

        Teach your puppy to settle down quietly in its own area

        Teach your puppy its ok to be alone for periods of time.

        Gives you peace of mind and a little break!

Unless you are actively playing or supervising your puppy it should be confined in its special area.  Some people also like to have a short-term confinement area such as a crate, where the puppy is very unlikely to want to toilet as it would soil its bed.  Training your dog to accept crating  can be very useful as a crate can be used for a variety of purposes as the dog matures.  The crate can be become your dogs main sleeping area (with the door normally left open) and can also be useful when travelling and staying in new places.   It is important to remember however that crates are not storage units for dogs and  are suitable for short term confinement only.

Leaving your dog the run of  the back garden is another alternative but in itself is not as effective for training your puppy as leaving it in its confinement area.  Firstly, being in the back yard does nothing to teach your puppy to settle quietly in the house.  Secondly, there will be many more temptations other than chew toys such as irrigation systems, clothes lines and pot plants.  Thirdly, you will be less likely to interact with your puppy when it is outside and you are inside. 

 THE TOP TEN LESSONS FOR THE PERFECT PUPPY

Puppy hood  - from eight to eighteen weeks is the most important developmental period in your dogs life.  It is the best time to develop good habits and prevent bad ones.  It is the best time to introduce all the amazing things that will encompass your puppies world people, other dogs and animals, kids, vacuum cleaners, garbage trucks, toddlers, bicycles, skateboards, slippery floors, teenagers, stairways, motor cars, veterinarians, football games, swimming pools and babies to name just a few.   Even though your puppy will not be fully vaccinated until nearly the end of this time there are still lots of lessons you can and should begin to teach your puppy TODAY!

 1.      Teach Your Puppy to Toilet Outside

This is probably the most urgent of issues and one that will have profound effects on the rest of your relationship.  Dogs want to be where the rest of the pack or family is in the home.  Youll double your enjoyment of your puppy if he learns right from the beginning how to live and behave in a family home.  Statistics have shown that dogs who are relegated to the backyard are more likely to engage in nuisance behaviours such as barking, hyperactivity and destructive chewing and are also more likely to end up in animal shelters.  This can be prevented if you take the time now to teach your dog the appropriate place to toilet.

Step 1:   Assuming your chosen toileting area is your back yard lawn, include a square of turf in preference to paper as the toileting area in your dogs confinement area.  This cuts out the middle man in your dogs education making it easier from the start for your puppy to understand that grass is the preferred surface.

Step 2:   Take your puppy out to the designated area of your garden after every play, sleep, meal or drink on average every hour.  Say your special word that will eventually tell your dog to eliminate  such as hurry up and wait .  When your puppy squats praise and reward him with several food treats.  Make a really big fuss this is great stuff.  Your puppy may wonder why you think a natural function is so amazing but  pay him  big time and hell be happy to oblige you quickly and consistently.

Step 3:  Repeat!  Your puppy will need a long reward history before he makes the connection that toileting outside is a consistently good thing to do.

 Common mistakes:

• You forgot to go out with your puppy to reward him thereby providing less confirmation to your puppy that toileting outside is good!
  
• You roused on your puppy when he weed on the carpet in front of you   so now puppy is reluctant to wee in front of you at all!   Convinced you have a problem with bodily functions, in future he will take  care to hide when he needs to go  behind the couch, under the bed, etc.
   
• You let your puppy out of its confinement area unsupervised . One mistake is all it takes before your puppys keen sense of smell  tells him that the lounge room is the appropriate place to toilet.  Avoid cleaning accidents with products containing ammonia,  diluted white vinegar and wool mix or one of the washing powders containing bio-enzymes will neutralize the odour better.

 2.      Teach your puppy what to chew

Puppies need to chew not only because it is good for their teeth and gums but because without hands, it is their way to investigate their environment -  ah, this smells interesting, I wonder what sort of texture it has and whether its good to eat?. Most owners do buy toys for their puppies and leave them lying around the home, but once your dog has checked out the plastic hamburger and killed the squeaky inside its probably not very interesting - not nearly as interesting as that wonderfully aromatic shoe of yours!  Now is the time to develop an appropriate chew-toy habit.

 By keeping your puppy in his confined area, you have removed the opportunity to make mistakes.  Instead provide your puppy with irresistible, long-acting chew toys such as Kongs , treat balls and hollow bones which can be stuffed with a variety of foods (including much of puppys regular meal) to keep them eternally interesting.  Rotate the toys  and add a few different titbits each time.  These toys can be stuffed loosely at first but as your puppy progresses they can be packed tighter and tighter to challenge any dogs perseverance keeping them entertained for ages.*  Confinement teaches your puppy to focus his destructive chewing on appropriate objects (as no other are available) and allow him to develop a habit which will continue as your puppy matures.

 3.      Teach your puppy its ok to be alone

Dogs probably spend more hours alone today then ever before. Many will develop bad habits when their owners are away because :

        daily needs for  social interaction, exercise and/or play have not been met and the dog is bored.

        there  is no one to stop them from entertaining themselves with normal doggy pursuits such as reactive barking, digging and chewing.  The worst behaviour is often seen in puppies whose training is based on punishment for wrong behaviour rather than setting puppy up to  get it right through good management. 

        they have never learned how to occupy themselves with appropriate chew  and home alone toys.

        they have never learned to settle quietly and wait.

        they have not developed the confidence to be separated from their owners.

Leaving your puppy in his special confinement area as you work around the house, will teach him that there is no need to shadow you everywhere.  You come and you go, there is play time and there is quiet time. By all means take your puppy out and play with him as often as you wish, but when he cant be supervised return him to his area.  He will learn that he has everything he needs there and is safe until you come to play with him again.  When you leave, prepare a yummy chew toy but dont let him have it until just before you go.  Pass it to him and walk out quietly with as little fuss as possible.  When you arrive home say hello to puppy and take him outside but dont make a huge fuss.  It is always best to keep greeting rituals low key so as not to over excite your dog.

 4.      Teach your puppy to play and to settle

It is fun to play with your puppy, but it is easy for puppy play to get out of hand.  Consistently standing still and taking away your attention when games start to escalate is the most effective way to teach your puppy self-control.  Make sure you and your children spend lots of quiet time with your puppy as well as play time.  Mix up active and passive activities such as chasing a ball with sit or drop.  This should develop a lifetime habit of using play as a reward for settled behaviour and gives you excellent control of your dog and the games you play together.

 5.      Teach your puppy to like being handled

It is important that your puppy allows you to hold and restrain him for short periods of time.  Right from the beginning, only put your puppy down when he is not struggling.  If he is going to be a large dog, continue practicing restraint on the ground.  Acceptance of handling will make all health care issues such as nail trimming, grooming, and  veterinary check-ups so much easier and will help to develop your puppies self control.  Pay particular attention to sensitive areas such as ears, mouth, paws , rear end and around the collar.  In cases of emergency or even just to clip your dog on lead , you are likely to reach out and grab the collar.  This is actually a very threatening gesture in dog language so you need to desensitize your puppy to this action now.  Take the collar and treat your puppy.  Gradually reach out and grab with a little more force.  Repeat and treat hundreds of times with kids and adults. You are actually classically conditioning  your puppy to enjoy being grabbed and handled. 

 6.      Teach your puppy to swap and share

Lots of puppies learn that if they play with their own toys no one takes an interest but if they play with something of yours, a great game of catch me if you can can be initiated.  This is a mild version of resource guarding when a dog wont allow you to have what he has.  While stealing is not usually a serious behaviour problem, some puppies will also learn to growl and bite to protect their food bowl or bones.   Do lots of swaps with your puppy right from the first day.  Take away things he has including  toys and food,  look at them and either give them  back or give him something even better.  This is more effective than expecting your pup to give things up simply because you are the  boss.  Being dominant over your dog may persuade him to give you a bone (reluctantly) but it will do nothing to safeguard your children or visiting children who may approach your dog when eating or chewing.  Far better to change your puppies opinion about the whole situation -  the approach of any human big or small is good news for me!

 7.      Teach your puppy that ALL people are ok!

Puppy hood is the time nature intended for dogs to leave the den and explore the world.  It is a time when they possess a lot of bounce back if something frightens them a little but they survive they tick it off  as ok.  It is the perfect time to introduce your puppy to everything and anything he may encounter in his future life.  The most important thing for your puppy to accept is people all people , men, women, big kids, little kids, boys and girls all look, act and smell differently to your dog.  NOW is the time to socialize your dog with as many people as possible ideally three new people every day for the first month of your puppys life with you.  Have a real puppy party invite all your friends and instruct them on how to  meet, greet and treat your new puppy.  If your dog is frightened of vacuum cleaners you can probably learn to live with it,  but if your puppy has not learnt to like the company of people- all people- he could become a liability nightmare. 

 8.      Teach your puppy how to talk dog

Well, perhaps you dont have to actually teach your puppy to talk dog but you do have to give him the opportunity to learn! This is where puppy preschools are invaluable.  Puppy preschools, normally held at veterinary surgeries, provide your puppy with a safe, supervised environment to socialize with other dogs and people before the completion of their vaccination programme.  They are the perfect place for puppies to learn about other dogs.  Young puppies think that all dogs look like their mum and littermates, but dogs come in a greater variety of shapes and sizes than any other species in the world.  Your puppy needs to learn that even though they may all look different the fundamentals of dog body language are the same.  A play bow or a submissive roll over means the same to a German Shepherd as it does to a Fox Terrier.  Learning  to read and communicate these messages to other dogs, will help your dog to play and interact peacefully with other dogs.   This play should also be interrupted with short sessions of settle time either by being held or by encouraging puppy to come and sit so that your puppy learns he can pay attention to you and still enjoy the reward of continuing play.

 9.      Teach your puppy to bite softly. 

Bite inhibition involves teaching your puppy to first bite softly and then as he matures, not to bite at all. This is probably the single most important thing for your puppy to learn yet it is often a difficult concept to initially grasp. 

The point is that there may be a moment in any dogs life when it feels the need to snap.  If it has learned to inhibit the pressure from its jaws, the ensuing bite will be relatively minor.   For your dog to learn bite inhibition,  he must be allowed to experiment with his jaws, preferably on other puppies,  while he still has needle sharp teeth  set in weak jaws.   If a  puppy bites too hard in play,   the other pup will yelp and end the game for a while.  Again a good puppy preschool will provide your puppy with this opportunity at the right time of his life (under 18 weeks of age).  

 People should try to teach bite inhibition in a similar way.  Gentle mouthing from a small puppy should be allowed but if he bites too hard yelp and withdraw all attention for a minute or so.  By six months of age, the criteria should be raised to the point where any contact of canine teeth on human flesh results in  loud yelp and time out.  This lesson if learnt well, will mean that even if your dogs tail gets slammed in the car door, or a strange child falls on top of him while chewing a bone,  your dogs  instinctive reaction will be greatly restrained causing little or no damage.

 10. Teach your puppy your signals for . . .

. .  sit , down and come.  Your puppy already knows how to sit, down and come but what he doesnt know is our words for these behaviours  and/or why he should do them.  Reward based training  quickly teaches your dog the hand signals and words to signify these behaviours and provides him with the motivation for doing so praise,  a treat or a game.  Over time your puppy will learn that all good things in life come through you and the best way to get what he wants in life is to do what you want.   This method is fun for both owners and puppies and fosters a positive attitude to learning.

 A happy future

Puppies need to be shown how to behave in our very human, urban world just as children do.  The structure and exposure you provide for your puppy in your first two months together will have a huge impact on his ability to cope with modern life both in and outside your home. 

Although it is important to continue the good work you establish in puppy hood into your dogs adolescence, you will never again have such a clean slate on which to make an impression so please dont delay.   Provide him with regular opportunities to meet and greet people and dogs of all sizes and shapes. Think ahead and apply simple management strategies to make it easy for your puppy to learn what you want and to prevent needless mistakes.  Through this combination of socialization, good management and reward based training  you will ensure that your beautiful new puppy will grow into a mature dog that you will be proud to own for a lifetime.
 
Karin Larsen Bridge 2002
  www.getsmartdogs.com.au

11. Chewing

This article first appeared in Dogs Life Magazine May/June 2005 and is reproduced with the kind permission of the author.

By Karin Larsen Bridge, president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia and part owner and instructor at Get S.M.A.R.T (Successful Motivation And Reward Training) dogs  in Sydney - a dog training school  specializing in positive training classes for pet dogs. She is a Delta Accredited Canine Good Citizen (TM) Instructor and writes and lectures  frequently on dogs and dog  related issues such as positive training methods, behavioural problems and responsible pet ownership. 

If  youve just gotten a puppy, be warned you are likely to lose something of value in the not too distant future - because puppies love and need to chew.

Why do dogs chew?
In most cases dogs chew because it is a perfectly normal way for them to explore, investigate and play with their environment.  Dogs dont have hands.  If something smells interesting, the next step is popping it in the mouth to check out the taste, texture and rip-ability.  Young kids do much the same but while the oral stage only lasts a short time in humans, it can go on for a lifetime in dogs.

Most owners appreciate a young puppys need to chew as their baby teeth drop out and are replaced by permanent teeth.  However few realize that this process which begins at around four months may take another five months to complete.  Even after this time the adult teeth need time and exercise to settle into the jaw.  A more realistic expectation is that dogs can be expected to be enthusiastic chewers for at least the first eighteen months of life and many will enjoy doing so to age three and  beyond.  

Prevention is better than Cure
It is far easier to prevent problem chewing than to try and train against such a normal and self-rewarding behaviour.  We dont really want to stop our dogs chewing; we simply want to re-direct the behaviour on to designated dog toys. Here are a few preventative ideas:

     1. Provide your dog with long-lasting interactive chew toys such as Bustercubes, Activity
    Boats, Kongs, hollow marrow bones or Goodie-ships. 

2.     2. Rotate the toys and fill with a variety of treats/foods.  Kongs for example can be filled with beef stock and frozen to make engaging treats in the summer time.

3.     3. Once a week or so, give your dog a meaty bone to rip and chew.  The tearing and chewing of the raw meat is a good and slightly different jaw exercise to chewing on bone.

4.    4. Praise your dog when he is choosing to play with his own toys.

5.     5. Dont give your dog old shoes, socks or other items to play with that are hard to distinguish from his allocated toys.

6.      6. Confine your dog to an area where he is unable to access valuable items.  Only allow your dog out of this area when you are able to provide constant supervision.

7.     7. Make the transition to full freedom of the house gradually.  For example, dont confine your puppy in his playpen one day and leave him the run of the whole house the next while you go to work.  Rather, slowly increase the area your dog is allowed to occupy over weeks and months as he becomes more trustworthy.

8.     8. Make sure your dog is getting plenty of physical exercise, mental stimulation and social interactions on a regular basis. Boredom contributes to destructive chewing.

Punishment?

Punishing your dog long after he has destroyed something is as silly as punishing your dog for barking hours after he has stopped.  Even though your dog may look guilty when you come home to destruction, he is reacting to your angry body language not knowledge of what he has done wrong (a human value judgment).    Punishing your dog so long after the event will only cause the dog to become fearful and may contribute to more serious stress-related destructive behaviours.

If there is an area where your dogs chewing is really a problem such as stealing food from a counter top you can try remote punishers such as shaker cans or  snappy traps which make a loud noise when your dog sets them off in an attempt to reach a desired item.  The advantage of these devices is that the punishment is applied at exactly the right time (immediately after the behaviour) and is not in any way associated with, or dependent on your presence. 

For dangerous items such as electrical cords which cannot be removed, you can try one of the many over the counter preparations to deter chewing such as Bitter Apple or Oil of Citronella.  Different substances may be effective on different dogs.

It is better to Give than to Steal

Its great to teach your dog to retrieve and one of the best ways to start is to praise and reward your puppy for putting anything and everything in his mouth.  Puppies that have been punished for picking things up are often reluctant to learn this very useful skill later in life.  Dont punish your puppy for picking things up this behaviour only becomes a problem if your puppy wont give back what he has found.

Regularly check what your dog is chewing including his special toys.  Either take them away, look at them and give them back or swap them for something even better such as a delicious treat.  This will prevent your puppy learning that:

 a) You dont think his toys are good stuff because you never take an interest in them

b) When he finds good stuff (anything but his toys) you try to take it away and   

c) If he runs away with good stuff a great game of catch me if you can can be initiated!

Stealing and hide-away chewing are easily cured by doing lots of swaps effectively rewarding your puppy for chewing in front of you.  The next time your puppy has your slippers quietly say Can I have a look?  and swap them for a treat.  Before long, rather than chasing your pup around the house youll be able to sit back and ask fetch me my slippers!

Destructive Behaviour

More serious, destructive chewing tends to be seen in older dogs.  In some cases, the reason may remain an individual dogs personality - simply finding excessive chewing fun  and self-rewarding.  This is most commonly seen in energetic working dogs without a job to do living in an under stimulating environment and determined to create their own work.

However in many cases general destructiveness is a symptom of a deeper behavioural problem such as:

Separation Anxiety

         Occurs only in the owners absence

         usually commences within the first 30 minutes of the owners leaving

         often damages doors and windows and carpets in front of these structures,

         selects items that smell strongly of the owner

         accompanied by other signs of anxiety

Fears & phobias such as fear of thunderstorms, fireworks, etc.

• only occurs in the presence of the fearful sound or object
• may destroy things in an attempt to find a safe place e.g. furniture, carpet in an attempt to burrow behind or underneath
• may try to get into or out of the house causing damage to  windows, doors , and/or digging and damage to the fence.
• May or may not be seen in the presence of the owner

Territorial aggression/redirected frustration-

• May be caused by someone passing by the house (e.g. the mailman) resulting in the dog lunging and pawing at windows, doors or the fence in an attempt to get to the passerby.
• May be seen in the presence of the owner
• Likely to show other signs of territorial aggression as well.

In all of the above cases the destruction is likely to be intense and may be directed as a desire to either get into or out of a house, crate or other confined area.  The dog often attacks solid objects such as doors and fences rather than soft objects such as cushions or books.   If your adult dog is exhibiting any of the signs above, a full behavioural history needs to be recorded and considered before deciding on possible treatment.

Keeping it in perspective.

In most cases excessive chewing is just normal, if annoying dog behaviour which reduces as dogs grow older.  It is important to keep a sense of humour and realize that your dog is not being spiteful, angry, rebellious or malicious when he chews up your favourite book or shoe.  Even though he may show a preference for particular items belonging to particular people (smelly shoes, socks, undies and remote controls are common choices) its probable your dog ate it just because like Mt. Everest - it was there.

Karin Larsen Bridge 2005
  Get S.M.A.R.T Dogs, Sydney
  www.getsmartdogs.com.au


12.Choosing the right school - by Karen Larsen Bridge

This article will appear here shortly - please check later! Meanwhile please see article number two on the same topic.

14. Clicker Training

This article will appear here shortly - please check later!

15. Dog Sports - tracking, field trials, obedience, sledding, shutzhund

This article first appeared in Dogs Life Magazine Nov/Dec 2005 and is reproduced with kind permission of the author

By Karin Larsen Bridge, president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia and part owner and instructor at Get S.M.A.R.T (Successful Motivation And Reward Training) dogs  in Sydney - a dog training school  specializing in positive training classes for pet dogs. She is a Delta Accredited Canine Good Citizen (TM) Instructor and writes and lectures  frequently on dogs and dog  related issues such as positive training methods, behavioural problems and responsible pet ownership. 

For thousands of years dogs have lived in a close working relationship with people. Whether working sheep on the farm, retrieving game for the hunter or keeping rats in check at home, the dog was a constant companion with a job to do.

In the last few decades however dogs have been facing a serious employment crisis.  Skills that have been selectively bred into dogs are no longer in demand.  The result?  A lot of keen-to-work dogs but no jobs and, as with humans, unemployment easily leads to problems of boredom, misbehaviour and obesity.  The solution?  Dog sports!

Today, there are a myriad of dog sports to choose from that can provide not only the mental and physical stimulation your dog so desperately needs but also the foundation for a special relationship that comes from learning to work together for a common goal.

 Competitive Obedience Trials

The stated aim of obedience competition is to demonstrate the usefulness of the dog as the companion and guardian of man (Rules for the conduct of Obedience Trials ANKC 2000).  The dog and handler progress through a series of prescribed tests increasing in difficulty from Novice, through Open to Utility level.  All tests are scored out of a possible 200 points with a score of 170 or higher required to qualify.  Three qualifications are required at each level to successfully gain the obedience title.

The Novice test consists of:

Heel on lead    (includes sit, stand & down)                                                   30 points

Stand for Examination                                                                                    20

Heel off lead    (includes sit, stand & down)                                                   40

Stand Stay                                                                                                      20

Recall                                                                                                              30

1 minute sit     (in a line of dogs owner at a distance)                                    30

3 minute down (in a line of dogs owner at a distance)                                   30

Total                                                                                                                200

As the dog and handler progress through the classes, the dog is required to do more advanced work.  In Open, all heelwork if off lead, the dog is required to retrieve a dumbbell on the flat and over a jump, to drop when running on a recall and perform longer sit and down stays with the owner out of sight. 

 In the Utility class the dog may be required to find a dropped article, send away from the owner, use scent to retrieve specific articles, respond to hand signals only, close and at a distance, refuse offered food without the handler looking, and speak on command. 

Successful completion of each class gains a different title which is then permanently recorded on the dogs pedigree or registration papers.  The Novice Test gains the Companion Dog Title, the Open Test - gains the Companion Dog Excellent Title and the Utility Test gains the Utility Dog Title.  Outstanding obedience dogs attaining repeatedly high scores may also gain an Obedience Champion title.

Getting Started:

Competitive obedience is a well organized activity throughout Australia and New Zealand and indeed around the world.  Join any dog training club and chances are they will automatically begin teaching you the basic requirements for obedience trialling. (See useful contacts).  As dog training clubs use volunteer instructors costs are kept to a minimum and this is probably as inexpensive a sport as you will find in todays world.  Equipment is also minimal.  A good, non-slip pair of shoes, a dog, a collar and a lead are all you really need to get you started in Novice level. A few inexpensive retrieve articles are required in Open and Utility but the necessary jumps are generally provided by the clubs. 

Competition

Obedience competitions are conducted under the auspices of the Australian National Kennel Council and their affiliated State bodies.  (See useful contacts).  You must be a financial member of your State Canine Council to compete and your dog must also be registered with them.  Pure bred dogs are listed on a Main Register while most State Councils have a Supplementary Register for neutered, crossbred dogs enabling them to participate in obedience competitions also.   Advertisements for trials normally appear six weeks before the event in The Councils monthly magazines and must be entered on official entry forms. 

Gaining even the Novice, Companion Dog Title is a big challenge and achievement for many people.  Others get hooked on the sport and set their sights on the highest accolade an Australian Obedience Champion title.  Top obedience competitors spend long hours in training and often have private coaches to help them perfect their performances. Points are lost not only for failing to complete a command but for minor imperfections in heel position or speed of performance. Strict rules apply to conduct in the ring including the limited use of voice and signals including praise.  But for those who love the sport these rules only add to the challenge and the satisfaction of a well executed test always striving for that rare but possible perfect score of 200 a living testament to a perfect understanding between handler and dog.

Suitable for: any breed with owners who enjoy training and striving for perfection.

Dog Dancing

Dog dancing or canine musical freestyle as it is officially known, is one of the newest canine sports to reach our shores.  Imagine the basic heeling skills acquired for an obedience test, add some imaginative spins and turns, put it all to music and soon youre dancing with your dog!

Dog dancing has grown quickly as a demonstration sport because of its obvious spectator appeal.  Whenever dogs are asked to put on a show such as at nursing homes, hospitals, schools, council days and fetes - a dog dance is an obvious inclusion.

Getting started

Any breed or cross breed of dog is suitable for dancing just as long as you choose music that suits your dogs individual personality and movement.  The great thing about dog dancing is that you cant really make any mistakes as long as you and your dog are having fun.  While a few instructors and clubs are beginning to offer lessons, for most people its going to be a matter of checking out Freestyle websites on the internet, buying videos and simply playing around with dog dance steps. 

Pal up with a fellow dog dance enthusiast and you can work together, critiquing each others routine.  Alternately plan a group dance.  Working together is a great way to build skills and confidence, provides a support network to keep you practicing and enhances the fun/social aspect of the sport. Country western dances, square dances and line dances are all great places to start and can often be done on lead for dogs with less advanced training. 

Perhaps the most important element of your routine will involve choosing the right music.  Listen to lots of different types of music from the classics to movie favourites to modern chart toppers.  As you listen, move with your dog to see how the music fits.  The next step is to make a list of behaviours your dog can do  such as heelwork left and right, spin, bow, walk on hind legs whatever. 

Is there a special trick or behaviour that would look great you could add to your dogs repertoire?Link the behaviours with movement around the arena and soon your choreography will begin to take shape.  You can add variety to your routine simply by altering the direction of the behaviour - either forward, backward, parallel to your side, diagonally or circular rather than linear.  Let your imagination run wild! Dont be in a hurry to link all your skills and movements together with your dog until youve perfected everything separately.

The final step is to consider your costume and/or any props you may need.  Your outfit should enhance the story of your dance but neither costume nor props should overpower the movement and flow of the dance. 

Competitions

Most countries recognize two flavours of dog dancing, Heelwork to Music and Canine Freestyle.   Heelwork to Music is a direct descendant of traditional obedience put to music with an emphasis on precision heeling.  Although there are no prescribed movements the dog predominantly stays in heel position only leaving the handler momentarily to perform twists and turns.    While Freestyle also incorporates traditional obedience as its foundation, choreography is bound only by the handlers imagination and creativity and the abilities and safety of the dog/handler team.  The dog may work at any distance from the handler and perform any jumps, tricks or manoeuvres which are in keeping with the music. 
 

Both Heelwork and Freestyle are judged out of a perfect score of 10 on Technical Merit and Artistic Impression.  The emphasis is on the athleticism and artistry of the dog and handler working as a team in rhythm and harmony to the music.  Dogs who achieve a certain standard will be granted titles such as Musical Freestyle Dog, Musical Freestyle Excellent and Musical Freestyle Masters.

Suitable for:     All breeds with owners who love music, dance, creative training and having fun with their dog.

Retrieving Trials

Many of our most popular breeds today were first developed as hunting companions.  The coincidence is not too surprising when one considers that many of the traits needed in a good gundog are also useful in a family pet such as an even temperament, sociability to other dogs and people, a willingness to work, a soft mouth and a desire to fetch and carry. 

Field trials carry on the tradition of hunting live game with dogs.  Different breeds of gundogs are tested for their individual skills.  For instance the main function of pointers and setters is to search the ground and point or freeze when the quarry is spotted alerting the hunter.  Spaniels are most often used to flush out game from rougher scrub and work closer to the hunter.  Labradors and golden retrievers traditionally are bird dogs willing to jump into freezing water to retrieve shot game in a soft mouth that will not bruise the eventual gourmet meal. 

Hunting was once a regular part of life for many people but changes in Gun and Conservation Regulations, have taken their toll on the number of participants and ease of organizing this traditional sport. Regulations vary from State to State so if you are interested in Field Trials contact the ANKC to track down your regulating body. 

If you like the idea of being out in the field with your retriever but the idea of actually hunting isnt quite your scene, there are other options you and your dog may enjoy.

Gundog Working Tests

Gundog working tests are the simplest retrieving tests often put on by dog training clubs or gundog breed clubs in conjunction with shows.   They are designed to test the natural retrieving instinct and basic obedience of gundogs.  Using whistle, voice or hand signals, the Novice dog must heel, sit stay, come when called and retrieve a dummy or pigeon at a distance of 50 meters.  In Open level, the dog must also sit, stand or drop when asked to do so at a distance of up to 30 meters, retrieve two thrown objects plus a third blind retrieve meaning that the dog does not see the dummy fall and must search and/or be directed to it by the handler.

 Non-slip retrieving Trials

Non-slip just means the dog is off lead.  These retrieving trials aim to emulate hunting conditions as close as possible; however their focus is on the work of the dog. Guns loaded with blanks are used to maintain the prevention of gun shyness developing in the breeds and also to test that a dog doesnt breaks early on the gun rather than on the handlers command.  Dead pigeons substitute for live game and are provided by the organizing club. 

According to the Rules for the Conduct of Non-slip Retrieving Trials for Gundogs published by the ANKC a good retriever should:

Seek and retrieve fallen game, when ordered to do so.  He should sit quietly with handler or in the blind, walk at heel or assume any station designated by his handler until sent to retrieve.  When ordered a dog should retrieve quickly and briskly without unduly disturbing too much ground, and should deliver, tenderly to hand.  He should then await further orders.

These trials are of a much higher standard than Gundog Working Tests involving greater distances, rougher ground and water retrieves.  Gundogs may start competing as young as six months eventually advancing through three levels Novice, Restricted and All Age with the ultimate aim of becoming a Retrieving Trial Champion. 

Retrieving Terminology

Single mark Retrieve where only one object is thrown to be retrieved

A Double Mark Retrieve 2 retrieves which may include land and water.

A Blind Retrieve where the dog cannot see the object fall before being sent to retrieve.

Decoy plastic or painted wood left in the retrieve area as a decoy which must NOT be retrieved by the dog.

Firing Point the point where the handler fires a gun and directs the dog retrieve

A Stake is a competition consisting of at least 3 retrieves (except a Puppy Stake which consists of 2).

A Water Test consists of 2 retrieves 1 from water and 1 across water.

Breaking to shot a dog that starts to retrieve before being told to so by the handler.

Getting Started

Field trials, Gundog tests and Non-slip Retrieving Trials are open to all gun dog breeds such as pointers, setters, spaniels and retrievers.  Contact the Australian National Kennel Council to find your nearest training club.

Suitable for:     Gundog breeds only.  Owners who like to spend time in the great outdoors and like to watch their dogs doing what they were bred to do.

MUSHING SLED DOG RACING

Mushing is derived from a French word meaning to march but in Australia this sport is referred to as sled dog racing.   Dogs have been and still are a viable means of transport in many snow covered environments.  From this vital service developed the sport of sled dog racing - the most famous event being the Iditarod held each year in Alaska which covers an astounding 1,150 miles.

The Siberian Husky Club of Victoria was the first to try to bring sled dog racing to Australia in the late 1980s.  Unfortunately most of our snowfields are found within National Parks and it became a real struggle to allow dogs into the Parks even under carefully controlled conditions.  It became obvious that the sport could only really grow in Australia if dogs could pull their sleds on dirt.  By 1990 Australian flavoured sled dog races began shorter sprint type races using lightweight sleds of varying designs over forest tracks.

Getting Started

Although Huskies and Malamutes are the traditional sled dogs any medium sized dog pure bred or mixed breed is welcome to participate.  In fact many of the best dogs for the shorter distances are hounds, setters, and pointers perhaps with a northern breed mixed in.

Getting Started

The first step to become a musher or driver is to contact the Australian Sled Dog Sports Association for loads of information on equipment and training.  For starters you will need a lightweight sled (such as a scooter or altered bicycle) a harness, lines and a helmet and of course at least one willing and fit dog.  Youll soon be fit too as the best way to help your dog around a course is to skate similar to a cross country skier with one leg on and off your sled. 

Competition

Races are held in the winter months only when temperatures are below 15 degrees Celsius.  Races are roughly set at 2km per number of dogs so two dogs would run a 4km race.  The main idea is to have fun and people of all ages with all kinds of dogs and sleds take part.

Sled dog Terms:

Musher or Driver a person who runs dogs

Track the trail the dogs run on

Lets go! encouraging the dogs to go!

Gee turn right

Haw turn left

On by go straight ahead and/or leave a distraction

Suitable for:     Any medium sized athletic dog with an active, fit owner.

Contacts:

Australian Sled dog Sports Association Inc. http://assa.flix.com.au

Sled Dog Central (Australia & N.Z.) http://www.sleddogcentral.com

Schutzhund or Dogsport

Schutzhund began in Germany just over a hundred years ago as a test of the working ability of German Shepherd Dogs. Although schutzhund literally means protection dog, Schutzhund Trials are a complex mixture of skills.   In Germany only Shepherds who successfully pass a Level 1 (Novice) , 2 (Intermediate)  or 3 (Advanced) Schutzhund Test are bred from.  Today, other working/guarding breeds such as Rottweilers, Dobermans and Boxers also participate and competitions are held in many countries around the world. The term Dogsport sometimes replaces the term Schutzhund to better reflect its nature and international popularity.

Schutzhund involves three phases of training and competition:

1. Tracking involves the dog following a track of various ages, over mixed terrain, with changes of direction and articles to be found.
2. Obedience- includes heeling, sit, stand and down, acceptance of a gun shot, retrieve over a one meter jump and a six foot wall, down stays and a long send away.
3. Protection involves the dog searching, chasing finding, barking, attacking, holding and releasing the padded sleeve of a trial helper or agitator.  The most important feature of the protection work is that the dog remains under the control of the handler at all times and willingly lets go of the agitator when commanded to do so.  Protection work is designed to demonstrate a courageous, confident nature which at all times is biddable to the handlers commands and weed out dogs whose temperaments may be fearful, reactive or generally aggressive. 

Getting Started

You will need to join a club and receive expert tuition to learn about training your dog for Schutzhund.  It is not for weekend warriors interested in personal protection or attack training but rather a complex series of exercises designed to develop a confident, trustworthy and obedient dog.

Contact:          The Australian United Sport dog Club http://www.sportdogaustralia.com

Suitable for:     Working/guarding breeds and owners who are willing to commit a lot of time to training and are able to take direction.

TRACKING

Tracking is a wonderful sport that utilizes and demonstrates the dogs amazing scenting abilities.  Dogs dont really need to be taught to track they already know how and do it every day on their walks.   What they need to be taught is that there are rewards for following the track of our choosing.  Handlers need to learn to read their dogs movement so they can understand when the dog is on track, searching, or off track.  The novice handlers most common mistake is not to trust their dog and to try to guide their dog instead of following.  When it comes to tracking dogs usually nose best!

Getting started

Tracking is run under the auspices of the Australian National Kennel Council so for a club near you check out their website.  To get started you will need a tracking harness to fit your dog, a ten meter lead, a couple pairs of old socks, some track markers and a reward such as a toy or container of food waiting for your dog at the end of the track.

Start by having a friend your dog knows hold your dog walk away about 20 feet and hide behind  a bush.  Let your friend encourage your dog to find you and reward.  Next, go about the same distance but swap and let your partner hide.  Reward with both the finding of the person and a game or food treat.  Continue to use someone your dog knows and likes while slowly increasing the distance.  Some dogs will quickly track just for a toy or food reward while others are really motivated by actually finding the person.  As your dog learns to understand the tracking game you can start following tracks laid by people your dog doesnt even know.

 Competition

Tracking titles are awarded to dogs successfully completing six increasingly difficult test tracks.  The day before the tracking trial each track is marked out with coloured flags or markers by an experienced track steward.  On the day of the trial each track is walked by a tracklayer who removes the markers and waits with a good book out of sight at the end of the track.  After the designated time has elapsed the dog and handler commence their track followed by the Judge and track steward who with the help of a sketch map determine whether the dog and handler are on track.

In all but the first level the dog must track an unknown person.  The length of the track increases from 800 meters to 1200 meters as does the number of turns, the angle of the turns and the age of the track up to 3 hours.  Decoys are added to the more advanced tracks by having a known person cross the track once or twice after it is set.  Natural unplanned decoys also occur such as rabbits, kangaroos and horses capable of distracting all but the most determined trackers!   Dogs are required to follow the track precisely cutting across country even if the person is found is not permitted.  Some dogs keep their nose low to the ground while others hold their head higher sniffing the air and vegetation above the ground and crossing the track laterally (known as quartering) many times.  Weather conditions can also make a difference to the quality of the scent damp conditions hold scent better than dry ones while windy days can move the scent around.  Provided the dog is continually working, variations in tracking style are permissible.  Titles gained are Tracking Dog, Tracking Dog Excellent and Tracking Champion. 

Suitable for:     All breeds many small dogs also excel.  Owners who love watching dogs do what comes naturally and enjoy spending time in the bush.

Karin Larsen Bridge 2005
  Get S.M.A.R.T Dogs, Sydney
  www.getsmartdogs.com.au

16. Dog Agility

Karin Larsen Bridge Get S.M.A.R.T. dogs other than for personal use no part of this article may be reproduced without permission of the author.

First appeared in Dogs Life Magazine Sept/Oct  2003

 AGILITY

Youve probably seen it somewhere, at a Royal Show, a demonstration or perhaps even on TV - agility - the fastest growing dog sport in Australia.  Its hard to tell whether the dogs or owners are having more fun as they negotiate a course of colourful jumps, tunnels and other obstacles against the clock.  

Agility was conceived in England as a way of entertaining equestrian show jumping crowds between events so its had spectator appeal right from the start.   Sometimes described as show jumping for dogs, an agility course will include not only jumps, but scramble boards, dog walks, tunnels, weave poles, pause tables and see-saws.  The aim of agility is to complete a designated course without a fault in the fastest amount of time. There are lots of variations to how agility is played but be warned, however you play it agility is addictive.

The sport for every dog

Just about any healthy dog over eighteen months of age can benefit from some degree of agility training.  While the herding breeds such as border collies and kelpies might commonly steal the winners limelight (closely challenged by the mini poodle) literally hundreds of different breeds and cross breeds successfully compete in agility around the world every day.

A good agility club will put the safety of your dog above all other considerations when teaching and training.   Short legged dogs, dogs with long backs or large heavy breeds may need to be restricted to low heights for jumping and may or may not choose to compete depending on the height rules of the various agility associations (see below).  However even if you have no desire to enter agility competitions there are still a lot of reasons why some basic agility training is a good idea.

 Benefits of Agility Training

1.      Its fun!  Dogs and owners who have fun together stay together isnt that why you got a dog in the first place?

2.      Its good exercise for dogs and people.

3.      Its a good way for dogs to let off steam.

4.      Its a good way for owners to get rid of stress.

5.      It provides much needed mental stimulation for the backyard dog mental stimulation is more tiring than physical work alone resulting in a pleasantly pooped pooch.

6.      It builds physical and mental confidence in shy dogs.

7.      Working off leash following your commands improves the general control you have of your dog.

8.      It improves dog/owner relationships as a result of working together as a team.

9.      Its a great way to meet other people with a common interest.

One person who should know the benefits of agility training is Dr Le Hammer who is in the unique position of being an agility trainer, competitor, judge and practicing veterinarian.  Le and partner Keith Edwards run Canine Fun Sports in Sydney one of the first groups to start teaching agility for fun and competition.

 If you want to have fun with your dog and build a strong bond with your companion, agility is a great sport to be involved in.   Agility is both challenging and fun and can be rewarding whether you are a beginner or competing at the highest level.  The dogs love it you can tell by the way they get excited on their way to their familiar training grounds.  It keeps the active dog both physically and mentally stimulated.  That means fewer holes dug in the backyard and less laundry pulled off the clothes line!  We have had students from 8 years old to 80 years young and they all have had a good time.  Agility keeps you and your dog just a little healthier both mentally and physically!

Getting Started

Agility is an equipment heavy sport so it is important to train with a club in order to be exposed to and learn about the many different obstacles you might encounter in a course.  There are many good clubs around Australia teaching agility, some specialize while others are obedience clubs which have branched out to encompass this new and popular sport.  Contact your States Australian National Kennel Control member listed below.

Look for a club or school that uses reward based training methods to build a happy and confident attitude toward agility in your dog.  Choke chains should be avoided as they could get caught on agility equipment and cause your dog serious injury

Private trainers and/or training groups also exist so ask around your local dog park or veterinary practice to discover if there is one in your area.  If you are on the web, Liz Barker of the Four Footed Furry Farm Agility School in the Southern Highlands of NSW hosts one of the best agility sites in Australia with loads of information, contacts and links - visit her at: www.barkerdogs.com

Training at home

Agility is about more than just running fast over obstacles.  A good deal of control is also required.  Obstacles must be negotiated in a prescribed order and direction.  For reasons of safety, dogs must not jump off the ends of the scramble, dog walk or see-saw but touch the coloured contact zones failure to do so incurs a fault.  At the pause table the dog must wait for five seconds before continuing the course a very challenging task for dogs who love to run and jump.

Many of these skills can be taught at home with no or minimal equipment.  Some exercises you might consider are:

• Stay your dog will be required to hold a stay at the start line and on the pause table.  A quick response to stay also provides you with a good deal of off lead control should you wish to stop your dog mid-course.
• Come - is not only essential for general off leash control but in agility this command is often used to turn the dog toward you in order to negotiate the next obstacle.
• Out is taught to teach your dog to move away from you in order to negotiate the next obstacle.
• Go can be taught to mean keep running straight unless you are told otherwise.  This is very useful if there is a series of obstacles in a straight line.  To teach, simply say go then toss a ball directly in front of your dog repeat and your dog will anticipate a straight run after the word go.
• Right and Left can be taught in a similar fashion.  Say right then immediately throw a ball to your dogs right.  Repeat.  Concentrate on one direction at a time until it is learned then start working on the other direction.  
• Follow my hand -Teach your dog to follow your hand this will become your invisible leash.  Practice figures of eights with your dog following making sure you can make tight turns and change directions without losing your dog.
• Heel and Side -Teach your dog to work equally well on your left side or your right choose a different command for each side so your dog doesnt get confused. Start by sitting your dog then walk a few steps ahead of him and call him to your left side using your chosen word heel.  When he has learnt one side teach the other, leave your dog in a sit again, say side and call him to your right side.   There will be times when it is an advantage for your dog to be either on your right or left in order to have the fastest or safest approach to the next obstacle.

If you want to invest in some agility equipment of your own, the lightest and most essential piece of equipment would have to be the weave poles.  Weaving is an intricate skill which can be mastered with a little time and patience.  In fact many dogs become quite addicted to the weave poles, barking madly as they race through them.   Because of the level of concentration and physical exertion needed, weaves are best practiced little and often which is why it is great to have a set in your own backyard.  Pre-made weave poles can be purchased however any poles such as tomato stakes set 600 mm apart, will do.

To practice the coloured contact zones such as on the dog walk,  scramble  and see-saw, you only need to set up a single plank of wood approximately 300mm wide and a couple of metres long that can be safely rested at one end.   Colour the bottom 600mm of the board to identify your contact zone. There is no need to make the board steep, or for the dog to run fast - the skill lies in teaching your dog to always touch and/or stop with at lest one paw in the coloured section.

Light jumps can be made using a wide variety of materials from a simple broom across two bricks to the more sophisticated PVC piping designs.  Even just  two jumps set up in your backyard will allow you to practice many skills such as sending your dog away from you, calling him off the next jump, turning tightly right or left, calling your dog to you or holding a stay at the start line. It will also help your dog to develop the muscles he will need to use when jumping and turning. 

Lightweight versions of nearly all the agility equipment are available. How much you buy depends on the size of your yard and the level of your commitment.   Most agiliteers however would have little equipment of their own and instead regularly attend training days at their local club.

Agility Associations

There are three flavours of agility currently operating in Australia each with their own set of rules and regulations.

1. The Australian National Kennel Control (www.ankc.aust.com)

Is the oldest and best known canine association which is also responsible for pure bred dog showing and other canine activities.  It is available in all States and Territories and has more training clubs and locations than any of the other Associations as well as staging the most number of competitions.  If you wish to compete in an ANKC event, you must be a member of your States affiliated association and your dog must also be registered with them. 

There are three jump heights small, medium and large and three levels of expertise, Novice, Open and Masters.  Dogs who achieve three clear rounds in Novice competition qualify for an Agility Dog title.  Those who achieve five clear rounds in Open competition achieve an Agility Dog Excellent title and those who achieve seven clear rounds in Masters Competition achieve their Agility Dog Masters title.   These titles are nationally recognized and are permanently added to the end of your dogs name on his registration papers. 

The original charter of the ANCK was to promote pure bred dogs, and for this reason some States may restrict the participation of cross bred dogs in any activities.  In Queensland cross bred dogs are not allowed to compete in any ANKC events while in NSW cross bred dogs may compete but must be de-sexed prior to registering for membership. Contact your State Member Body to check the rules in your State.

2. Agility Dog Association of Australia (www.adaa.com.au)

As the name would suggest this Association was formed specifically to develop and implement the sport of agility and follows closely international agility rules and regulations. It is based in Queensland with competitions currently restricted to Queensland and NSW.  Cross bred dogs are welcome to participate in ADAA agility competitions.   There are four height options Toy, Mini, Midi and Maxi and four standards of competition Elementary, Starters, Intermediate and Open.  ADAA also run  competitions  based on a variety of agility games such as Gamblers ,  Snooker and Strategic Pairs . 

3. Australian  Dog Agility Council (www.adacagility.com)

ADAC is the new kid on the block and follows closely the rules and regulations of the North American Dog Agility Council which is the most popular flavour of agility in the United States.   ADAC really tries to make agility accessible to every dog by providing five different height options plus a breed specific exemption list for breeds who may have trouble with designated jump heights such as Dachshunds, Bulldogs and Basset hounds. There are also special classes for Veterans (both dogs over seven years of age and people over 60 years of age), Junior Handlers   and Disabled Handlers.   ADAC also offer lots of agility games which develop agility skills such as Tunnelers which consists of a course made up only of tunnels and Touch n Go a course designed to test contact skills.  Cross bred dogs are welcome to compete in ADAC competitions.  Presently ADAC is active in Victoria, the ACT and NSW.

 The Agility Challenge

The challenge in agility lies not in how high or even how fast your dog can jump but in how well you and your dog work together as a team.   The dog relies on you to guide him around a course smoothly and safely with a minimum of fuss. Sometimes youll go clear and sometimes you wont  but  sometimes, just sometimes you and your dog will  move around a course in perfect symmetry  - an exhilarating dance you wish could go on for ever and in those few, breathtaking seconds another agility addict is born!

Karin Larsen Bridge 2005
  Get S.M.A.R.T Dogs, Sydney
  www.getsmartdogs.com.au
 

17.Flyball

Karin Larsen Bridge Get S.M.A.R.T. dogs other than for personal use no part of this article may be reproduced without permission of the author.

First appeared in Dogs Life Magazine May/June 2004

LETS PLAY  FLYBALL

The coloured lights of the start line are flashing and dogs are barking excitedly as team members take their places for the first heat of a flyball competition.  The green light is given and the first dogs rush full speed over the four hurdles to the flyball box where an elegant swimmers turn ensures the tennis ball releases from the box and pops into the eagerly awaiting jaws of the flyball fanatic.  Holding the ball firmly, the dog turns for home, back over the hurdles and across the finish line freeing his team mate to explode down the flyball runway. 

Its easy to see how people and dogs soon become spellbound by the energy and excitement of flyball racing.  Basically, flyball is a relay race between teams of four dogs (with two reserves per team).  Each dog in the team races down a lane of four jumps, triggers a flyball box, catches the ball and returns it safely home as quickly as possible.  The first team to bring all dogs home without error wins the race. 

Flyball started in the 1970s when American Herbert Wagner first demonstrated on television, a simple wooden box with a pedal, a swing arm and a tin cup (to hold the ball) that enabled a dog to propel and catch his own ball.  People were so enthralled that it wasnt long before trainers and dog clubs everywhere were making and using these flyball boxes.  The sport soon became formalized and regulated and today flyball is played in all over the world.  Boxes too have evolved into sophisticated rubber cushioned, spring loaded push boards that propel balls directly into the mouths of precision trained dogs .   In Australia, flyball was a demonstration-only activity until 1996 when the Australian Flyball Association (AFA) was formed (visit them at: www.flyball.org.au) and competitions began across the country.

 The Sport for Everydog

Flyball is a suitable activity for any healthy, well socialized dog over twelve months of age who enjoys running around and having fun. Being friendly to other dogs and people is really important because flyball generates high levels of excitement and arousal which you dont want redirected at another competitor instead of the ball and box!

Over 150 different breeds of dogs are registered to play flyball in the USA and cross breeds are also welcome.  It is also one of the few sports were small dogs are able to compete side by side with larger dogs because the height of the jumps is determined by the size of the smallest team member.  Jumps for the whole team are set at 10.2cm lower then the shoulder height of the smallest dog.  The lower jumps compensate for the shorter stride of the small dog.  Teams are also placed in different divisions enabling every level of player to have a fair go and be competitive in their own division.

Getting Started

Basic obedience and a good response to come are a useful starting point as your dog will be off lead among many other dogs and people.  There is no need however for a high level of formal obedience work.

Retrieving is an integral part of flyball and can initially be taught at home.  Tennis balls are the most common ball used and most dogs find them soft and inviting to hold.  The most important thing is for your dog to learn to pick up a ball cleanly and to hold on to it safely until told to release it. To build up speed, play a two toys of equal value game.  Throw a ball one way, when your dog has picked it up, show him another ball or other equally loved toy such as a tug.  Wait to throw this ball until your dog has returned all the way to you then reward with another throw or a game of tug.

Balls on a rope make an excellent training tool and reward.  Dont let your dog drop the first toy until he has returned all the way to you - then reward with a game.  A flyball dog should run out to the box and home again with equal enthusiasm.  If your dog is not a natural retriever dont give up!  Seek the help of an experienced instructor who uses fun positive ways to teach retrieve.  There are very few dogs who cant learn to retrieve if it is taught to them in a non-threatening way.

An important part of flyball is getting your dog to do a swimmers turn on the box.  Basic training for this begins by taking a marker cone and training your dog to go round the cone.   To start, throw a ball for your dog say a dozen times and take note of which way the dog turns to collect the ball.  Most dogs will favour one direction the majority of the time this is the direction you should teach your dog to go around the cone.   Once your dog is going around the cone from various distances, you should take a flat board and place this behind the cone (to simulate the face of the flyball box).  Again work the dog going around the cone but this time your dog will also be stepping on the board behind the cone.    Eventually you will raise the board at various angles from the ground.  Once your dog is doing this, its ready to be introduced to the flyball box and catching the ball from the box.

Jump training can be begun simply by laying four poles of any kind in a circular pattern.  Have your dog on lead and have him walk, then trot then canter over the poles.  Be sure to work in both directions.  At this stage you are just getting your dog aware of what his feet are doing and are giving a name to the jump or over command.  Once your dog understands the flyball game however, he will complete the entire flyball course on one command alone. 

You can train these basic skills at home however, flyball is very much a social activity and elements of it can only be trained in a group setting.  Try to locate a team in your area by contacting the AFA.  This is by far the best and easiest way to learn about flyball and get expert guidance in training your dog.  If there are no flyball teams in your area you may consider starting up your own team all you need are a few keen dogs and owners, four jumps and a flyball box.  The AFA can help provide plans for building jumps and boxes as well as information on professional suppliers, rules for competitions and everything else youll need to know to get started.  Costs are minimal with membership to the AFA being $12 per year and the average cost of a competition entry being $50- $80 for the entire team. 

Getting Serious the finer points of competition

Once your dog has mastered the basics its time to start working on race tactics.  The better the catches, the smoother the turns and the more precise the relay crossovers the faster the team.  To be competitive your dog will also need to be reasonably fit  and certainly not overweight as in a typical tournament each individual dog may have as many as 12 to 32 runs.  Many owners find swimming, jogging and bike riding a useful adjunct to their dogs fitness regime.

Racing dogs wear harnesses with loop handles on the back to enable handlers to easily restrain and release their dogs.  Lights like drag racing lights count down to signal the start of the race when the green light flashes timing has commenced.  In order for dogs to reach the start line at full speed just as the green light flashes, most handlers start their dogs at least 10 meters from the start line.   If the first dog on either team crosses the start line too early, the heat has to be restarted.  A second false start and the offending dog must rerun the course after all his team mates have run incurring a tremendous loss in time.  Other penalties requiring reruns are:

• If a dog reaches the start/finish line before the preceding dog has reached the start/finish line. As in any top relay team a lot of time needs to be spent training the perfect cross over if optimal times are to be achieved.
• If a dog does not take every jump
• If a dog does not trigger the box, or takes the ball from the cup
• If a dog does not return with the ball.
• If the handler's feet cross the start/finish line during his/her dogs run.

The first team to have all four dogs successfully complete a run wins the heat. The team that wins the majority of heats wins the race.  The team that wins the most races wins the tournament. 

Titles

Dogs earn points toward flyball titles based on team times:

• Faster then 32 seconds each dog in the team receives 1 point.
• Faster then 28 seconds each dog in the team receives 5 points.
• Faster then 24 seconds each dog in the team receives 25 point.

Titles range from Flyball Dog for scoring a total of 20 points to Flyball Grand Champion requiring 30,000 points!

Theres a job for everyone in a Flyball Team

Successful flyball racing is truly a team effort - and the team isnt only made up of dogs and handlers!  There are lots of important jobs for anyone attracted to this wonderful sport whether they own a dog or not.  An ideal flyball team consists of:

• Dogs and handlers.
• A box loader to load tennis balls into the box. Some boxes have more then one hole for the ball.  Dogs that naturally turn right have their ball loaded in the one hole; dogs that naturally turn left would have the ball loaded in the other hole.   Balls may also vary slightly for different dogs such as a smaller squash ball for a smaller dog so the box loader needs to keep track of whose running next and what their requirements are.
• A Ball Shagger (to collect any loose balls between races and return them to the box loader.
• A team manager to arrange team uniforms (optional), transport, accommodation, training days, enter tournaments, set up jumps and boxes at competitions, organize reserves, relay information and generally co-ordinate the team as a whole.
• A statistician to collect and analyse date provided by the Electronic Judging System used at most competitions.  This system not only clocks the official times for each heat of the team as a whole but can also provide data on individual dogs times including early starts and passes. This information provides invaluable feedback on what areas of the flyball run need improving and which areas are working well.
• A coach to learn from all the information available and develop the team into a successful single working unit. 

A long time promoter of Flyball in Australia is Steve Pitt of K-9 Sports and Equipment in Queensland (visit Steve at www.k-9sportsandequipment.com.au).  Steve builds flyball equipment and runs seminars all around the country. He agrees that it is the team element that sets Flyball apart from all other canine activities:

Flyball is the only canine team sport in the country if not the world.  It is for that very same reason team (human) members behave like they have just won Lotto every time they reach a mile stone at training or competition, the sport of Flyball Racing encompasses everything Australians love about team sports and the great outdoors, accept they are including their pet pooches!

Flyball is about having fun.  Ask any member of such colourfully named and uniformed teams such as the Hastings Howlers Hit and Run, the Parramatta Shockwaves, the K9 Krusaders or the St. George Mismatched Mutts!  While the seriously competitive teams might post world record times of 15.54 seconds, the Mutts probably had just as much fun recording a time of 33.76 at last years Sydney Royal with pet dogs bought for loving more then racing.  Certainly the cheering spectators didnt seem to care because ultimately every run is a one on one race with the team in the next lane an adrenalin rush for dogs, owners and spectators alike.  So, are YOU ready to play FLYBALL?!

 Contact

 The Australian Flyball Association 
PO Box 8027 Rivett, ACT 2611

Ph (03) 9779 9601 or (02) 6288 6611 
Fax (03) 9779 9601 
Email afa@flyball.com

   Karin Larsen Bridge 2004
  Get S.M.A.R.T Dogs, Sydney
  www.getsmartdogs.com.au

18. Dog Dancing
 

Karin Larsen Bridge Get S.M.A.R.T. dogs other than for personal use no part of this article may be reproduced without permission of the author.

First appeared in Dogs Life Magazine Sept/Oct 2004

 DOG DANCING

It had to happen.   First we added music to ice skating, then, dressage and now dog obedience!Sound crazy?  Think again.  Dog dancing has swept the world as a new way of putting fun back into training much to the delight of owners, dogs and spectators alike.

The History of Dog Dance

In 1991 a Canadian team obedience competition decided to incorporate a routine to music.  The event was so popular that the idea quickly spread to the USA and the United Kingdom.   A demonstration of dog dancing at Crufts - the most famous dog show in the world soon led to the development of dog dance as a new canine sport.   In Australia people were beginning to see glimpses of the new sport on videos from overseas and one of the first to give it a go was Jill Houston in WA. 

 We were hooked, as we already had a small demo team we just added routines as an extra in our demos.  It soon became apparent that people liked the dancing a lot better than the obedience exercises alone so we added more. 

WA continued to lead the way by running the first official competition in Australia in 1998 where the winner was Roslyn Ateo and her Border collie Duke dancing to The Pink Panther. Today, demonstrations of dog dancing are popping up all around Australia attracting entries of twenty or more although official events remain rare.

Competitions

Most countries recognize two flavours of dog dancing, Heelwork to Music and Canine Freestyle.   Heelwork to Music is a direct descendant of traditional obedience put to music with an emphasis on precision heeling.  Although there are no prescribed movements the dog predominantly stays in heel position only leaving the handler momentarily to perform twists and turns.  

While Freestyle also incorporates traditional obedience as its foundation, choreography is bound only by the handlers imagination and creativity and the abilities and safety of the dog/handler team.  The dog may work at any distance from the handler and perform any jumps, tricks or manoeuvrers which are in keeping with the music.  Both Heelwork and Freestyle are judged out of a perfect score of 10 on Technical Merit and Artistic Impression.  The emphasis is on the athleticism and artistry of the dog and handler working as a team in rhythm and harmony to the music.  Dogs who achieve a certain standard will be granted titles such as Musical Freestyle Dog, Musical Freestyle Excellent and Musical Freestyle Masters.

Why dog dancing?

From the first performance, it was evident that dancing with dogs was going to have enormous spectator appeal.  Many people take up dog dancing as a way of improving volunteer demonstrations at community fetes and council days or to enhance performances at nursing homes and hospitals.  Even simple obedience steps and tricks start to look impressive when put to an up-beat tune.   Secondly, its fun.  Adding music takes away a lot of the seriousness and tension that can creep into obedience training for both you and your dog.  Finally, dog dancing provides an exciting, new training challenge unrestricted by set exercises and protocols. Your creativity can run wild as you choreograph dance steps for you and your dog limited only by your imagination and training skills.

Getting started

The great thing about dog dancing is that you cant really make any mistakes as long as you and your dog are having fun.  While a few instructors and clubs are beginning to offer lessons, for most people its going to be a matter of checking out Freestyle websites on the internet, buying videos (see insert) and simply playing around with dog dance steps. 

Pal up with a fellow dog dance enthusiast and you can work together, critiquing each others routine.  Alternately plan a group dance.  Having a few owners working together is a great way to build skills and confidence, provides a support network to keep you practicing and enhances the fun/social aspect of the sport. Country western dances, square dances and line dances are all great places to start and can often be done on lead for dogs with less advanced training. 

Dont be put off if you have a slower or smaller dog.  While herding breeds such as Border Collies (who have been bred for generations to read and react to movement) seem to excel at this sport, any type of dog can be involved from Papillons to Great Danes.  The trick is to design a routine that showcases your dogs own special qualities and movement through your choice of music and steps. 

Planning a dance routine.

Choosing music

Perhaps the most important element of your routine will involve choosing the right music.  Listen to lots of different types of music from the classics to movie favourites to modern chart toppers.  As you listen, move with your dog to see how the music fits.  Consider choosing something that:

• You like because you will be listening to it over and over again as you perfect your routine.
• Has clear phrasing either words or instrumental sections that will be easy to identify and match with special movements such as spins, twists or weaves 
• Complements the appearance of your dog.  If your dog is big and powerful youll want powerful music either classical or strong beat rock such as Queens We Will Rock You.    If your dog is dainty and light like a whippet you might choose something softer like The Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies. 
• Complements the personality of your dog.   Sometimes even dogs of the same breed can have very different personalities one can be shy and submissive the other outgoing and confident.  How would you describe your dog -    fun-loving, elegant, athletic, genteel or irresistibly cute ?
• Complements your own appearance, personality and physical skills.  Like it or not youll be in this dance too so youll have to find the best compromise for music that suits both you and your dog.
• Creates the mood you want to convey -  comic,  entertaining, magical, spectacular, endearing ?
• Either  tells a story such as The Phantom of the Opera might or
• Dictates a style of dance such as disco music, tango, waltz, or square dancing music.  Specific dance music often makes it easy to choose dance steps that match that style.
• Has a suitable tempo for you and your dog.  Although you may love rock and roll the tempo may be too fast to suit either your dog or yourself.  Set realistic goals to have a dance that will showcase your team at its best.

Choreography adding movement to music

There is no one right way to go about choreographing movement to music.  The following suggestions are simple and do not require any previous knowledge of music or dance.

         Take a piece of paper and form two columns.

         On a computer or CD player, play your chosen music and write down any words plus the number of beats per bar or line in the first column. 

         In the second column write the dance moves or dog skills that you want to perform at that point in the music. (See Skills List  below)

         A rhythm will become evident usually 8 beats per line.  You can now plan your routine by comparing the number of beats in each line with the number of beats you require to complete your planned dance move.  This allows you to initially practice your routine even without music.

         A hand held CD or tape player with footage and a pause button is extremely useful when fine tuning your performance.

Linking behaviours - sequencing and presentation

         On a piece a paper draw the shape and relative size of your performance area.

         Mark several points on your map to help plot and direct your movement.  For example you will want to note your centre point, four corners and mid points.

         With a PENCIL (cause its going to change a lot) imagine your routine moving from point to point and see if you can link the steps together.

         Note where you will start and finish

         Note your best big movements and where you want to perform them plan these first.  You may like to keep at least one big movement for your finish.

         Be aware of where the audience will be you want them to have a clear view of your best big movements such as a jump over or bow.

         Link your big movements with smaller movements such as heeling to help you get from one point to another. 

         Try to use the WHOLE of the area nothing looks worse then having a dance team stuck to one spot simply performing tricks.

         You dont have to keep coming up with new behaviours for the entire length of the dance (usually two to three minutes).  Sometimes repeating certain steps at the same point in the music is even more effective and authentic.  You can add variety to your routine simply by altering the direction of the behaviour - either forward, backward, parallel to your side, moving diagonally or in a circular rather than linear fashion.

Costumes

It is rare for the dog to wear anything in a dog dance other than perhaps a bow tie collar as it would be disastrous to restrict or detract from his movement in any way.  Your choice of dress however can significantly enhance or detract from your performance. 

Choose an outfit that will suit the music you have chosen as well as your own personality.  If you are dancing to country and western music youll probably choose jeans and a cowboy hat.  If you choose a mix of seafaring tunes a sailors outfit may be appropriate.  If your dance tells a story you may choose a costume that will clue your audience into the story quickly.  For instance well known English dog trainer Mary Ray was dressed as a magician complete with magic wand when she performed The Sorcerer and Her Apprentice at Crufts.  The music, the dance and the costume told a complete story.  If your music does not have a strong theme, a simple black tie outfit is a safe choice that allows the movement and flow of the dance to be the centre of attention rather than a gimmicky costume. 

Props

In Mary Rays dance, her magic wand was in fact a target stick (see Dogs Life Issue July/August 200 Indoor Winter Games for more information on targeting skills) she had used to help teach her dog some of the more complicated moves in the dance.  Popular choices for props are canes, (dogs can circle around, jump over, follow) hats, (can be knocked-off, retrieved) and flags which can become the focus of a few impressive tricks.  Be careful however not to allow your routine to become a conglomeration of doggy tricks with a musical background.  Dog dancing is about the harmonious union of canine movement and music.

Training Dance Steps

For people who love training dogs this is probably the easiest part of dog dancing.

         Make a list of behaviours your dog already knows.

         Make a list of behaviours you want to train specifically to compliment your dance.

         Let your imagination run wild! Youll have time to work on these skills while perfecting your master plan.

         Dont be in a hurry to link all your skills and movements together with your dog until youve perfected everything separately.

Putting it all together

The hard work is all but done.  You have your music, your choreography, your outfit and your skills list now its just a matter of practice makes perfect!

         Work through your routine phrase by phrase mostly without your dog.

         You can practice phrases in your lounge room and even put the routine roughly together by keeping count of the number of beats for each section.  To get your timing exactly right however, you will need to practice from time to time in the full sized area.

         Put markers out to mark the corners and mid points of your area to help you plan.

         Practice sections of your dance with your dog at any time however practice the whole dance to perfection on your own first to avoid drilling and dulling your dog. 

         You will need to occasionally check the timing of your routine by including your dog which usually adds time to your routine.  Your footwork, timing of signals,  turns, spins, skills and steps should all be fluent however before you regularly practice the whole sequence with your dog. 

         Dont forget to have several dress rehearsals.  Your costume can affect the way your dog reads your body cues.  For instance if you teach your dog to weave through your legs wearing jeans then in your dance you wear a skirt, your dog may at first fail to understand what you want.  You need to emulate performance conditions as much as possible before the event if you want to achieve a picture-perfect routine.

Dog dancing is a fun activity that can be enjoyed by anyone with a little time and the desire to give it a go.   Hopefully by following the tips listed above and checking out a few websites youll soon be asking your dog Shall we dance?

                                     DOGGY DANCE STEPS A SKILLS LIST

The sport of dog dancing is still in its infancy and people are coming up with new and exciting moves everyday.  Clicker training and targeting have proved invaluable tools in training advanced skills quickly.   Below is just a short list of dog dance steps that you might consider adding to your performance.

         Heel left side/right side, forwards, backwards, slow pace, fast pace.

        Spins next to you right/left side, in front of you, at a distance

        Half spin a good way to change direction

        Weave thru my legs with handler standing still OR  moving forward OR  backward, OR dog weaving backward

        Horsey handler stands over dogs back and they move together forward/backward/ pivot on the spot.

        Jump over handlers back, legs, arms, thru a hoop.

        Roll over once, twice, one direction, two directions.

        Lift front paws

        Touch your paw to my hands, feet, nose

        Kiss

        Hop - on hind legs

        Stand in front  move forward, move backward, move sideways

        Shake

        Side steps toward me, away from me, diagonally

        Come thru legs

        Pivot on the spot both directions

        Retrieve

        Circle around me, around a prop, at a distance, either direction

        Bow

Karin Larsen Bridge 2004
  www.getsmartdogs.com.au   

 19. How to raise a confident dog

This article first appeared in Dog's Life magazine July/August 2004 and is reproduced here by kind permission of the author

By Karin Larsen Bridge, president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia and part owner and instructor at Get S.M.A.R.T (Successful Motivation And Reward Training) dogs  in Sydney - a dog training school  specializing in positive training classes for pet dogs. She is a Delta Accredited Canine Good Citizen (TM) Instructor and writes and lectures  frequently on dogs and dog  related issues such as positive training methods, behavioural problems and responsible pet ownership. 

Dogs, like people, display a wide variety of personalities.  Some are robust and outgoing, approaching each new life experience as a wonderful fun adventure.  Others are more reserved, needing frequent reassurance and time to assimilate a situation before jumping in and trying something new.  Your dogs own genetic makeup will  define the limits of his natural personality however there are many external factors which you can control that will help your dog become the best, most confident, well adjusted dog he can be put simply these are the three  Es -  Enriched  Environment, Exposure and Education. 

 ENRICHED ENVIRONMENT The Breeders (0-8 weeks)

Many puppy tests have been developed to try and pick puppies with particular personalities for particular tasks.  This is often a difficult task because within a litter will be a hierarchy  with some pups consistently dominating other pups.  A puppy that was at the bottom of the litter hierarchy however may blossom into a confident dog when removed from its bossier litter mates.  This will particularly be so if the breeder has provided all the pups with an enriched environment  which repeatedly  has been shown to have an enormous influence on the ability of the puppy to develop confidence and social skills later in life.   A good breeder will try to provide an environment rich in:

• Sounds and smells common to life in a family home such as  childrens screams and voices, vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, thunderstorms, TV and music. Always look for a breeder that has pups in the home rather than isolated far away in a kennel or barn.
• People particularly children and men (most dogs seem to be more comfortable with women though it is not known whether this is  a result of more exposure to women breeder/handlers or because of a natural preference).
• Other puppies (especially if the pup has come from a single litter) and a few adult dogs. 
• Textures and surfaces to explore such as  grass, dirt, concrete, shallow water. 
• A variety of angles and heights to climb and explore such as a slightly raised wobble board (uneven surface), an angled slope or one or two shallow steps.  Puppies who are exposed to these mild physical stresses have been shown to cope better with new stresses they encounter later in life.

EXPOSURE  - a new world (8-16 weeks)

You bring your beautiful new puppy home to a whole new world away from brothers and sisters and all he has known.  If your dog is from a shelter or pet shop you probably dont know what sort of early life he has experienced .  If your breeder has been doing all the right things you are off to a great start in either case however its important to continue providing for your pup an enriched environment with increasing amounts of exposure (particularly exposure to people and dogs also known as socialisation).   Even if you do not wish to put your puppy on public ground prior to the completion of his vaccination programme, you can:

• Continue exposure to all the things listed above.  Particularly children of all ages babies, toddlers, school age and teenagers. You can carry puppy to schools and playgrounds where they are bound to attract the attention of young kids.  The more your pup is use to the jerky movements and loud noises kids make the more relaxed he will be in their company.
• Throw a  welcome to the puppy  party and encourage everyone to treat and play with the puppy when awake. Even when puppy takes a nap, the exposure to party noise and music will be a useful experience.  Your puppy is learning that loud noises and strangers of all kinds are nothing to worry about.
• Introduce other animals from both within and without the family home such as cats, birds, rabbits and of course other friendly, healthy dogs.
• Gently handle and restrain your puppy regularly.  Making certain your pup feels safe and relaxed when being handled will  make all health care issues such as nail trimming, grooming, and  veterinary check-ups much less stressful for you and your dog!
• Take car trips to accustom your pup to the sounds and smells of traffic as well as the motion of the car.  Make sure to include some fun destinations - not just the vets for vaccinations.

        Attend a well run puppy pre-school.  A good instructor will provide lots of opportunities for socialisation with people and pups in a clean, safe, fun environment.  Make certain the curriculum is based on positive reinforcement training only and beware of any classes that encourage puppies to wear  choke chains.  To build confidence in a young dog it is important that emphasis should be placed on teaching the puppy what is right rather than punishing mistakes.

 Adolescence and beyond

Although puppy hood is considered the most important period in a dogs life a time when he will bounce back quickly from any initial fright  that causes no harm it is important to continue to expose your dog to as many situations as possible throughout his life.  Continued socialisation to people and dogs is particularly important throughout adolescence (6-12 months)  when lessons previously learnt may be put to the test.

EDUCATION

Dogs have shared our lives for so long that we sometimes forget that they are a different species ,  with a different culture and a very different language.  Today, more then ever before dogs are not free to live a substantially normal doggy life, wandering the neighbourhood freely, socializing with dogs, kids and stay-at-home mums.   Today, if your dog is to feel confident within his human pack,  he needs to learn how to cope with all the restrictions of modern life that go with it    he needs an education.  The education of dogs is normally referred to as training a term which is sometimes erroneously associated with an attempt at punitive robotic obedience.  Good training is the key to developing a mutually beneficial communication system between you and your dog.   A dog already knows how to sit, stand and down, what he doesnt  know are the human names for these behaviours and why he should do them?  Training is the vital link that will help provide these answers to your dog helping him to feel confident in every situation.

 Positive reinforcement works best.

The way you chose to train will have a tremendous impact on whether your dog becomes more or less confident.  Traditional training methods focused on correcting dogs for wrong behaviour.  The result was that dogs often disliked training and lacked motivation.  At worst, they became confused , fearful and aggressive.  Positive trainers look for  what the dog is doing right and reward the dog with things it wants such as food, toys, games and social interactions.

 The benefits of positive reinforcement training for your dog include:

       Improved Communication.  Learning new things gets easier and easier as your dog becomes more fluent in your communication system.  Many problems associated with misunderstanding and frustration disappear.

        Positive attention.  Time spent training should be the best time you and your dog spend together, a time when your dog enjoys your full attention.

• An enhanced, positive association with learning and the learning environment . 
• Increased confidence fuelled by success.  Success quickly becomes self-motivating and encourages the dog to keep playing the training game,
  
• An outlet or brain game for  active, outgoing dogs which will redirect rather than destroy energy and confidence into more desired, acceptable behaviours.

        Minimal  stress.   As positive training looks only to reward desired behaviour, there is no appropriate application for the use of physical scare tactics such as scruff shakes, alpha rolls or shouting.  Your dog learns that you can be trusted to remain cool, calm, and emotionally consistent at all times not rewarding one minute and punishing the next. -  truly a worthy 'leader of the pack'.

         More opportunities to socialize as a dog that is well trained is more likely to be invited on  social outings such as sports days or picnics. 

        An enhanced relationship  based on  authority without domination, love without subservience and respect without fear (also known as The Clicker Trainers Goal).

        "In positive reinforcement training, the relationship between dog and owner is a partnership of mutual empowerment" (Pat Miller - The Power of Positive Dog Training 2001).The dog learns a way to control his environment by doing the things you have selected to reward - a win/win situation for both .  In studies of both humans and dogs it has been found that empowerment to control ones environment plays a substantial role in reducing stress and increasing the self confidence of an individual to cope with daily life.

 Consistent Routines = Confident Dogs

Perhaps even more important then  teaching your dog commands or cues for basic behaviours, is establishing routine good manners  around the home. When you first get your dog, plan exactly what you would like him to  do in every  situation (not just be good  because good is not a behaviour) and consistently train him to do it.   All dogs learn best with consistency, but shy dogs in particular will benefit from knowing what is expected of them in routine situations from home comings to meal times to going for a walk.   For example, if you sometimes allow your dog rush out the front door to greet strangers, and sometimes reprimand him, he will quickly become confused and unreliable.  On the other hand if you teach him that his greeting etiquette is always to sit just inside the front door,   your dog will not only be more reliable but will also be more confident, knowing he is doing the right thing at the right time.  

The Timid Dog

Timid, shy, submissive,  fearful are all words to describe dogs who seem to be overly sensitive to certain stimuli such as loud noises, certain people, changes in their environment, touch or a variety of other fear inducing sights and/or sounds.  This timidity may vary from well within the normal range (activated only by a few things or only to a mild degree) without effecting the dogs ability to enjoy a substantially normal life to extreme fearfulness which effects and diminishes every aspect of the animals life.   (Extreme cases would certainly require the attention of a qualified Veterinary Behaviourist).

Factors which may contribute to shyness in dogs include:

        inherited genetic trait

        a physical problem such as reduced vision, deafness or pain.

        lack of early exposure/socialisation to the world the dog will eventually occupy i.e. people, children, domestic noise, urban traffic etc.   A gross lack of exposure prior to four months of age is likely to have a life long effect on the dogs ability to bond with people and/or cope with new sights and sounds.

        early learning a negative experience causing shock, pain or trauma

        inappropriate training methods

        a currently stressed environment  - dogs are not immune to family conflicts such as  divorce, illness, abuse,  moving house etc. and may behave fearfully in a response to such surroundings.

 The Fear Biter

Behaviourists generally agree that the vast majority of dog bites stem from fearfulness not dominance a good reason for wanting to help your puppy develop confidence early in life!Fearful dogs with active defence reflexes might initially try to escape a scary object but quickly change to fight, if escape is not possible.  Soon, they learn that attack is successful in removing the scary object and biting soon becomes a routine coping strategy .  These dogs can be dangerous  and will require an individually tailored behaviour modification programme  from a Veterinary Behaviourist  to help them overcome their fears and  learn better coping strategies. 

The Avoider

Many more fearful dogs display passive defence reflexes    preferring  to  avoid or escape their fears rather then actively attack.  These dogs are generally safe to handle and there is much you can do to help them.  It is essential to use  positive reinforcement techniques only  when dealing with shy or fearful dogs both for general training and behaviour modification.  Training success may take a little longer with a very shy dog whose fear and anxiety levels will effect its ability to learn so patience and understanding are always going to have to  play a part  in building a shy dogs confidence.

Desensitization and counter conditioning programmes  are usually designed individually for dogs with severe levels of anxiety .  When exposing a dog to something that frightens them,  it is important to start at a very low level of exposure.  Reward the dog for coping with this low dose by associating it with something the dog really likes such as  games or food.    Very slowly, at the individual dogs pace,  the scary stimulus is intensified.  While some specific fears may never be alleviated the most common fear in dogs  being a fear of  thunderstorms   improvements can generally be made.

Other strategies to help develop confidence in a shy fearful dog are:

        Any type of positive reinforcement training particularly agility training .  Agility develops a dogs mind and body, improving co-ordination and co-operation in an atmosphere that most dogs love. 

        Games  such as tug, retrieve and find it are great ways to build enthusiasm, fun and success in a shy dog.  Be sure to  quit with the dog still wanting more.

        Regular exercise   to help relieve stress and provides opportunities for exploration and environmental stimulation.  

        Set a good example- by singing a song or simply acting happy.  Your dog will pick up your happy vibes and realize if the leader of the pack isnt worried it must be ok.

        Try doggy massage such as TTouch massage (Tellington Touch)  and cue it with a word such as relax which can then be used to encourage relaxation in different settings.

        DAP (dog appeasing pheromone) is new on the market but is safe and easy to use and is thought to control and calm dogs exhibiting behavioural stress and fear related signs. 

        Play a CD of sound effects to help with a desensitization programme, while massaging, feeding  or playing with your dog.  Remember to keep the level down to a non-fear inducing level.

        Try Bach Flower Remedies such as Rescue Remedy, Aspen and Mimulus.    Sometimes a Vitamin B  supplement can help  - try adding a little Vegemite !

        In severe cases,  pharmaceutical intervention may be advised by a Veterinary Behaviourist.  

A confident dog has learnt to trust  you

- to provide safety and security in his life.  

The Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary defines confidence as firm trust pointing once again to the importance of a trusting relationship between man and dog. 

Dogs through decision or circumstance are tagging along with us on our whirlwind ride through the 21^st century.  We owe it to each and every one of them to provide them with  the environmental enrichment, exposure and education necessary to help them cope with the challenging ride in confidence and joy.

Karin Larsen Bridge 2004
  www.getsmartdogs.com.au   

20. How to train a child safe dog

By Karin Larsen Bridge, president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia and part owner and instructor at Get S.M.A.R.T (Successful Motivation And Reward Training) dogs  in Sydney - a dog training school  specializing in positive training classes for pet dogs. She is a Delta Accredited Canine Good Citizen (TM) Instructor and writes and lectures  frequently on dogs and dog  related issues such as positive training methods, behavioural problems and responsible pet ownership. 

 [This article first appeared in Dog's Life magazine March/April 2005 and is reproduced here by kind permission of the author]

Millions of homes around the world are shared by dogs and kids. Growing up with a dog is thought to enhance a child's self esteem by providing companionship and unconditional love, as well as fostering responsibility and a greater sense of empathy for all living creatures. Yet expecting dogs and kids to get along without any adult direction, training or supervision can be a recipe for disaster.

Dogs under two years of age are kids too. They need to learn not only good manners such as sit and come but more importantly make positive associations with typical family life encounters.  One of the most important associations is that all humans particularly   the small, active, clumsy, erratic, rough humans we call kids - are safe, trustworthy and even fun.

This is unlikely to be achieved by throwing a puppy and child together and hoping for the best neither a baby canine nor a baby homo sapiens is up to that task.  No matter how much your child may have begged for a dog and no matter what responsibilities they promised to take on - the ultimate responsibility is going to be yours the adult -  to S.E.E. (SUPERVISE, EXPOSE AND EDUCATE) the child and the puppy into a happy long term relationship.

SUPERVISE FOR SAFETY
Supervision means taking control of all interactions between your child and dog to ensure a positive and safe experience for both parties. You may need to consider:

*How our child lifts, restrains, handles, pets and grooms your dog.

*How your child plays with the dog.

*Your childs level of training skills. Training an animal is a challenge even for adults and requires an understanding of training techniques, timing, consistency patience and empathy. Involve children in training but be sure to be there to guide and coach.

*As a general rule, NEVER leave a young child and dog alone together.  A dog should not be expected to  tolerate the torments that small children may unintentionally inflict nor should you put your child at risk from a dog who may act aggressively for whatever reason.

EXPOSE to 'Kidz Biz'
Most problems with dogs are predictable and occur as a reaction to inadequate socialisation or exposure to children in a variety of situations. These problems can generally be prevented by providing frequent, positive experiences with kids from an early age.

If you don't have kids of your own beg steal or borrow some.  For just as all kids should know how to behave around dogs ALL dogs should know how to behave around kids and the best time to start is the day you bring your puppy home.

You can use food treats (or part of your dogs regular meal) to pair the presence of children with good things - the experts call this classical conditioning.  If kids just stood still, that might be all you need to do but of course they dont.  Kids and young dogs love to be active,  run wild and play games.  With a little foresight you can prepare your dog for typical kidz biz to produce a more child safe pet.

'Hugproof' your puppy
Kids love to bend over and give dogs a big hug but in doggy body language this is a very threatening gesture.  Just clipping your dog on lead also requires bending, reaching forward and grabbing the collar so you need to desensitize your dog to this action now.  Reach for the collar slowly and gently then treat your dog.  Gradually reach out and grab with a little more force.  Repeat and treat hundreds of times with kids and adults.

Practice holding and restraining your dog in the same way. Work this exercise as a team with parent and child taking it in turns to hold the dog or to treat.  Getting your dog use to being touched all over the underbelly,  ears, tail, feet will make all health  and veterinary care so much easier and will enable even your child to groom and care for your dog.   This should be an exercise in mutual trust and acceptance rather than boss dog techniques.

Using force only works for those who are physically able to impose their will so generally such techniques are of no benefit to children as well as being unnecessarily, adversive and unpleasant.  Handling should be a pleasurable experience for both people and dogs. Slowly increase the strength and length of your grabs and hugs rewarding consistently.  

Nip "Nip and Chase'
Don't allow your dog to chase and nip kids.  Practice soon becomes habit and before you know it your kids are too afraid to go out in the backyard to play.

1. Teach kids to be a statue by standing absolutely still, folding arms, and looking away from the puppy.  If chasing and biting arent yet established as a habit your puppy will soon learn that statues arent much fun to chase and will give up the game.

2.  Reward your dog for ignoring fast motion, screams and giggles.  This is particularly important for breeds with strong chase or herding instincts.  Attach a lead and reward your dog with lots of tasty treats for remaining calm while kids play.  This is a way of  desensitizing your dog to the sights and sounds of play.  An audio tape of children playing can also help if your dogs seems particularly reactive to loud sounds. Start the tape at a volume low enough for the dog to hear without reacting and reward calm behaviour.

3. Apply commonsense management techniques such as putting the dog away in a crate or in the house with a tasty chew toy until things are a little more settled.  Remember the  less your dog gets to practice this behaviour the less he is likely to want to do it.

'I'll show you mine if youll show me yours!
Lots of dogs learn that if they play with their own toys no one takes an interest but if they play with something of yours, a great game of catch me if you can can be initiated.  This can be prevented by doing lots of swaps with your puppy right from the first day. Take away things he has including toys and food, look at them and either give them back or give him something of even higher value such as a delicious food treat or favourite toy.

Adults should initially practice this exercise, and then supervise the children and only then (if old  enough) kids alone. This method is safer and more effective than expecting your dog to give things up simply because you are the boss.  Being dominant over your dog may persuade him to give you a bone (reluctantly) but it will do nothing to safeguard your children or visiting children who may approach your dog when eating or chewing.  Far better to change your dogs opinion about the whole situation to the approach of any  human big or small is good news for me!

All games have rules
Dogs and kids can have a lot of fun playing together but all games have rules:

DO:

      Teach your dog to retrieve. Bringing toys back to you is great way for kids and dogs to spend constructive time together and wear themselves out.

      Play hide and seek by hiding toys or even members of the family around the house and sending the dog to find!
 

      Teach your dog an on and off switch if you want to play tug.  Stop play every minute or so and ask for a sit or down. You can reward a correct response by continuing play or with a treat.

      Make certain children stick to the rules by supervising games as necessary.

      Quit play immediately if the dog seems to be getting over excited or if teeth touch human flesh (even accidentally).

      Make sure kids spend equal amounts of quiet time with the dog such as grooming. The presence of children should not equal high excitement.
 

DON'T

X   Allow your puppy to bite/wrestle/tug directly on human skin all play should be  directed onto toys. 

             X  Allow adults, teenagers or children to play wrestling games with the dog.  

             X  Allow games of chasing which may encourage nipping and biting. 

             X Allow young children to play with any dog unsupervised.

 EDUCATE both the Child and the Dog
A dog is neither a baby nor a toy.    If you have children when you get a dog, dont kid yourself  you are really taking on the task of training two species at the same time.  Children need to  be  taught that dogs feel pain, fear, affection and joy just as people do.  Dogs need to be taught human etiquette such as appropriate house manners, greetings and games.  But what a wonderful opportunity!  Isnt this one of the reasons you wanted a dog?  

The dog becomes a focal point for demonstrating the value of patience , kindness, consistency and genuine praise all important lessons in life.  The presence of a  dog has been shown to  provide children with an  increased  sense of security, comfort, companionship, self-esteem, improved communication skills, a feeling  of acceptance and a greater empathy for all living things and  - as if that werent enough dogs are fun.  In a sometimes all too serious world they remind adults and kids alike to take time-out to sniff  the wind, feel the sun and smile!

Karin Larsen Bridge 2005
  www.getsmartdogs.com.au   

 Karin                                      21. Dog Aggression
 

Karin Larsen Bridge Get S.M.A.R.T. dogs other than for personal use no part of this article may be reproduced without permission of the author.

 First appeared in Dogs Life Magazines Sept/Oct. 2002
"DOG EAT DOG - Why nice dogs do bad things "

 (Note: this article deals with the most common type of dog aggression lunging and barking on lead at other dogs without a history of actually causing injury)

Most pet owners long for a friendly dog that plays happily with each and every dog it meets.  The reality however is that many dogs act aggressively in the presence of other dogs.   Aggression is a complex and emotive issue.  When a dog aggresses you immediately have two problems the canine problem where one dog may be intimidated or injured and a public relations problem where the owner of the victim is justifiably angry.  The first thing you need to do is to assess just how severe your dogs aggression problem is.

Assessing dog aggression.

• Behaviourists look at two aspects of aggression to assess the extent of a problem:
   

1. Bite threshold how quickly does your dog resort to aggressive behaviour?  Would it take an unusual mix of circumstances before your dog would bite or is it an immediate reaction when he sees another dog? 
2. Bite inhibition how hard does your dog bite?  Dogs should learn to limit the power of their jaws in puppy class bite too hard and play ends.

Perhaps surprisingly, bite inhibition is more important than a high bite threshold.  In other words, it is better to have a dog that snaps a lot but never injures another dog, than a dog that seldom fights but when it does the victim ends up needing treatment.  Even though the snapping dog may be a social embarrassment, it is intentionally warning other dogs to keep away without making contact. This gives you the opportunity to work on the problem without putting others at risk.

• Dogs with poor bite inhibition, whose attacks necessitate a visit to the veterinarian - have a serious aggression problem and should be seen by an animal behaviourist who will plan an individual treatment program.
   

• Dont confuse shouting with murder.  It is quite natural for dogs to occasionally communicate with hackles up, a lip curl and snap.   Older dogs and bitches often put puppies and male dogs respectively in their place using just such body language.  If your dog acts in this way with specific dogs without doing any harm you probably dont have a problem.

How Predictable is your dogs aggression?

The more you can predict the target of your dogs aggression and the context in which it is likely to occur, the easier it is to plan ahead and manage the situation.

Ask yourself these questions:
What type of dog is the target of the aggression?

         All dogs?

         Particular breeds?

         Particular sizes of dog small, large?

         Dogs of a certain appearance length of coat, colour?

         Males or females?  Dogs that have been de-sexed?

 In what context is the aggression likely to occur?

         On leash or off leash?

         When playing roughly?

         Around resources such as a favourite toy or food?

         Near you?

         On specific territories e.g. the park, at home, local streets?

Why do dogs aggress repeatedly ?

A behaviour repeats when it is rewarded.  For most dogs nature provides two rewards for aggression:

1. The scary dog moves away from your dog and/or from a resource the dog wishes to control such as a toy, food, or you.
2. It makes the dog feel better.  When a dog is stressed by the presence of another dog, a chemical bath of adrenalin and other neurotransmitters build in the brain.  When the dog responds by acting aggressively the chemicals are disseminated and the dog feels physiologically better.

Your dog learns that aggression is a strategy that works and makes him feel better.  A little bit of punishment on your part such as shouting no is unlikely to be sufficient to counteract these two large rewards.

Fear the main cause of aggression

The vast majority of aggressive attacks are caused by fearfulness and a desire to move away the scary object.  The most common causes of fear aggression are:

1.      Lack of early socialization with other dogs. Dogs, who have failed to learn canine social etiquette and body language prior to sixteen weeks of age, may have problems socializing with other dogs for the rest of their lives.  This is one of the main reasons puppy preschools were begun - to give puppies, during this important developmental period, the opportunity to interact with a variety of breeds, learning appropriate patterns of play. For some breeds, less genetically inclined to be social with dogs this early opportunity to learn is essential. 

2.      A learned response (nurture), caused by restraint and unintentional signalling from owners.   Most dogs are more aggressive on leash than off for four main reasons:

                                                   I.      The owner unintentionally signals the dog to aggress through his body language and behaviour (see below).

                                                 II.      Knowing the owner has signalled an attack the dog is more courageous as he is now leading his attached pack rather than fighting alone.

                                                III.      Dogs have an opposition reflex, the more you pull back the more the dog will pull in the opposite direction.

                                              IV.      Unable to flee the situation (restrained by the lead) the only other option is to fight.

 Why does the dog think you are signalling an attack?

Imagine this scenario; your dog has a snap at a dog that stuck his nose in his face (an appropriate canine response to rudeness).  Mortified and embarrassed at your nice dogs rudeness you jerk the lead sharply and say no!   Your dog finds this attitude of yours rather strange, perhaps it would be better simply to keep dogs at an arms distance so next time he sees a dog he gives a bit of a growl while the dog is still a few meters away.  Worrying that you may have a problem developing you say no! again and this time apply a harder jerk.  Next time you see a dog approaching you decide to be proactive, you tighten the lead, take shorter stiffer steps and hold your breath.  Your dog, who is an expert at reading body language, is now convinced that there is a problem with dogs approaching his pack of two as youve become so tense so hed better get in there quick before this dog has a chance to attack and/or you get angry with him again.

 To make matters worse owners may react to this aggression by:

a)      Reassuring the dog using a soothing or praise tone of voice its alright sweetheart, that doggy isnt going to hurt us thereby reinforcing the behaviour.

b)      Applying  punishment or an angry tone of voice thereby increasing adrenalin and associating the appearance of another dog with bad things or

c)      Setting a bad example shooing the other dog away thereby convincing their dog that strange dogs are to be sent away by whatever means necessary for a dog this means an aggressive display.

3.      Nature the role of genetics.  It is worth noting that some owners seem to do everything wrong and still have a friendly, sociable dog while other caring owners who try to do everything right land up with a dog aggressive dog.  Dogs are born with varying degrees of social inclination particularly to animals outside their own pack.  Dogs that are more naturally fearful and reactive to their environment are more likely to resort to aggression as are dogs that like to be in charge of every situation. The best you can do is to try to understand and work with the your own dogs unique personality.

Aggression not directly related to fear:

Barrier Frustration - another type of on-leash aggression.  Although many of the above factors may still apply, the main reason for this type of aggression is a frustrated desire to contact the other animal.  Usually this type of aggression is seen in young, out-going, dogs that are play deprived or again lack socialization.  They do not actually want to hurt the other animal but they are desperate to get to it and interact with it in some way.  Unfortunately very often these dogs lack canine social skills so their advances may be met with some aggression as they bounce rudely into the personal space of the other dog.  Barrier frustration can also be seen in cars, or along fences when dogs are prohibited from contacting one another by a physical barrier.

Challenging behaviour - If the target of your male dogs aggression is other male dogs, then the problem is quite probably a guy thing.  This behaviour is most commonly seen in young, entire males but may also be seen in some outgoing bitches.  If your dog frequently engages in challenging fights where dogs are getting hurt then de-sexing is worth considering and the younger the better before fighting becomes a habit which can linger long after the hormones are gone.  In the case of females de-sexing will be of no benefit. 

Resource Guarding some dogs jealously protect their valued possessions such as balls, tug toys, food bags, and that most valuable of all resources YOU!   Rather than protecting you the dog is making sure he does not have to share your attention with anonymous canine freeloaders.  Make sure any early signs of aggression (see below) make YOU move away  this is the last thing he/she wants. 

Prey drive/aggression if your dog most often targets fast moving dogs, particularly small white fluffy ones, it is quite likely he/she has a strong prey drive.  This dog may be perfectly well socialized and non-aggressive with dogs in general but once it sees something that looks like a rabbit running, he shifts into a whole other world known as prey drive.  Most dogs have some degree of prey drive but for those with strong, natural instincts to chase and kill, it is potentially a very serious problem.  Prey elicited aggression has a strong genetic component and needs to be treated differently to other aggression problems.  It is mentioned here for diagnostic reasons only.

TEN STEPS TO TREATMENT

1. Decide the severity of your dogs aggression problem.  If your dog is more of an embarrassment than a physical danger to other dogs, feel free to implement the following procedures.  If your dogs aggression problem has resulted in serious injury to other dogs you will need to see a behaviour specialist for further advice.
3. Accept responsibility for your dogs safety and the safety of other dogs.  prevent rehearsal

Many owners will suggest you let the dogs sort it out or it will do my dog good if your dog tells him off.  While this philosophy may be acceptable for two well socialised dogs with good bite inhibition, it is not going to benefit the dog aggressive dog itll just be more practice and more confirmation of the belief that biting is a good strategy for removing unwanted dogs.  The more your dog rehearses this strategy the more ingrained it will become.  That is why it is essential not to put your dog in a position where he feels the need to aggress. You can help prevent aggressive incidents by being aware of:

• Early signs of intent to aggress - every dog will indicate to some extent a preparedness to attack.  The signs may be as subtle as strong eye contact and a slight stiffening of the body to more overt signs such as raised hackles, growling or barking.

By recognizing and reacting immediately to these signs by calling your dog to you or turning quickly away - you can prevent aggressive incidents from occurring.  This is an essential part of re-training that requires good observational skills, concentration and timing.

• Your dogs critical distance or space requirement.  Every dog has a distance where he does not react to another dog.  Make certain your dog has enough space around him that he does not feel the need to flight or fight.
   

4. Use a head halter this will greatly improve your ability to control your dog allowing you to feel more confident and relax.  A head halter is NOT a muzzle however so you need to remember that your dog will still able to inflict a bite if the other dog moves in too close.
    
5. Train an excellent come response or if in doubt, leave your dog on a light line to ensure that you can always successfully call him to you.  Use a pleasant voice you want the dog to choose coming to you above all else.  A threatening tone is only likely to make your dog hesitate and will increase adrenalin production in an already aroused dog.  A friendly call off will redirect the dog into a new activity without a further adrenalin surge.  Although a reliable come cannot prevent someone elses dog from running over to you, it does give you the option of putting your dog on the lead, holding him while another dog passes or if the other dog  looks suitable, allowing an interaction to take place.  This greatly enhances your ability to manage your dogs aggression.
    
6. Proactive P.R.   Once your dog is on a lead you have every right to ask the other person to keep their dog a reasonable distance away.  Something like: My dog does not like strange dogs in his face could you please call your dog? If the owner takes no notice, take it one step further.  If my dog is on a lead by my side he shouldnt have to put up with your dog jumping/sniffing at him.  Point out that many dogs see overthe-top greetings as an assault and you would rather not put your dog in that situation.   This puts the onus on the other owner who should be able to call their dog to them. 
    
7. Train alternate behaviours if you want to stop your dog focusing on dogs he doesnt like, you need to provide him with a pleasant, alternate and incompatible behaviour.  Your dog cannot hold a sit stay and eat hot dogs while fighting at the same time.  An even better idea is to train fun behaviours such as a roll over or shake hands. How about a game that you both enjoy?  These exercises will not only improve the general control you have over your dog but will activate serotin production in your dogs brain as the cerebral cortex or thinking part of the brain takes over from the limbic system (adrenalin producing).
    
8. Change the association - offering your dog a special treat every time a dog approaches and stopping as soon as the dog passes is one way to change your dogs opinion about other dogs.    Soon the arrival of a dog predicts a special treat and focuses the dogs attention on you rather than the dog. 
    
9. Avoid Physical Punishment - shouting at your dog, or jerking on the lead are adrenalin triggers that will produce an instinctive flight or fight response in your dog.  Try to stay cool, calm and collected throughout the treatment process instead. This will enable your dog to engage the cerebral cortex or thinking part of his brain giving him the opportunity to acquire new more desirable behaviours.
    
10. Be A Dependable Alpha - being the alpha or leader of a pack has nothing to do with dominance it has to do with the ability to provide for the welfare and safety of your pack. The less frightened, annoyed, nervous and tight leashed you are the more you will impress your dog.  The impression you want to give is that nothing your dog (or any other dog) can do, will bother you, for you are quietly but decidedly in control.  Remember most dogs act aggressively because it has proven to be a successful strategy for keeping other dogs away. By applying the strategies outlined above, your dog will learn that he can relax and trust in you to keep him safe. 

There are no quick fixes.

There are no easy or definitive solutions to aggression.  It is important to recognize that a dog that regularly acts aggressively to other dogs is not a dog you may ever be able to relax with at the dog club or park.  The younger the dog the better the prognosis but in most cases the problem can be minimized but not totally eliminated. If you accept the role of cool, calm protector, you will need to carry out your duties diligently, planning ahead for every situation.  Remain watchful and observant at all times ready to step in when and if your dog shows the signs of stress or fear that lead to aggression.  Learn which strategies work best for your dog and apply them consistently.

 Although these dogs may never win a canine congeniality award they are often extremely devoted to their owners and for one reason or another, simply prefer the company of humans to their own kind. 

  Karin Larsen Bridge 2005
  www.getsmartdogs.com.au 
  

22.Indoor  winter activities

Karin Larsen Bridge Get S.M.A.R.T. dogs

Other than for personal use no part of this article may be reproduced without permission of the author.

First appeared in Dogs Life Magazine July/August 2003

Your dogs favourite activity is probably a walk right?  But what do you do when its just too cold or dark or wet outside?  Staying motivated to walk in winter is often hard for people yet many dogs thrive in the cooler weather feeling more energetic then ever.  Next time you stagger home from work hardly able to lift your feet only to be greeted by your best buddy,  leash or ball in mouth ready for action why not put aside a bit of time for some indoor fun!

There are literally hundreds of things you can train your dog to do in the comfort and safety of your own home from serious obedience manoeuvres to fun tricks and games.  In fact in most cases your dog will learn a new lesson better if it is first taught in the relatively distraction free environment of your home.  Add to that, the fact that mental stimulation will tire your dog more effectively than physical exercise and youve got the perfect excuse to grab your training bag and stay inside.

BASIC TRAINING

Some exercises are considered fundamental behaviours that all dogs should master to ensure they are safely under control.  The most popular are the three positions sit, stand and down.  By teaching three positions rather than two,  your dog will never know which position you are going to ask for next  - keeping the training game more interesting!

Level 1:             Sit standing in front of your dog, move a food treat above your dogs head, as the head
                        goes up the bottom goes down sit happens! 

Stand hold a food treat directly in front of your dogs nose then slowly move it forward in the same line stand happens!

Down hold a food treat in line with your dogs nose, move it slowly down between his paws Down happens!

Level 2:             Drop the food lure and use your hand in exactly the same way.  Reward your dog after each successful position change.

Level 3:             Repeat the procedure with your dog at your left side.

Level 4              Add movement, walk forward before asking your dog for sit, stand or down

Level 5              See if your dog will respond to the hand signal only and/or the word signal only.

Level 6              How much distance can you add?  Will your dog sit, stand and drop on your cue from 10 feet away?

Level 7:             Will your dog respond if you are sitting in a chair?  Lying down?  What if your dog is behind you?  What if he cant see you?

Position changes are so simple yet they can be made more challenging by moving up a level and are both physically and mentally tiring.  Next time your bored dog starts nagging you for attention give him 15 position changes in quick succession all with a lovely smile on your face and a juicy treat at the end.  Still nagging?  Go for 15 more.  Its amazing how quickly your dog will decide his bed in the corner is looking pretty good again.

TARGETING

Targeting is a very useful, fun and easy skill to teach your dog which requires very little space.   The easiest thing to teach your dog to target is your hand.  You want to get your dog to touch your hand with his nose whenever you present it in a special way such as a fist rather than a normal open hand.

To start, put a treat in your hand and close it into a fist.  Standing just in front of your dog, drop your fist down a few inches from his nose.  It is highly likely that your dog will reach forward and sniff.  Immediately praise and give your dog the treat.

Repeat, this time with your fist a little further away so your dog must move a little to reach out and touch the target again reward immediately.  If your dog fails to reach for the target quickly, take your hand away, move around a few steps then try again.  Your hand dropping in and out of his line of vision is just as likely to attract him as the smell of the treat so if he hasnt noticed your hand dont just leave it dangling - remove it and try again.  If your timing is good and your treats tasty, your dog will soon be moving several feet to touch his nose to your fist. 

The next step is to remove the treat from your hand and repeat keeping all the rest of your gestures exactly the same.  If your dog touches your fist reward immediately from the other hand.  This way your dog is learning that even though he may not be able to smell a treat in your fist, he will still get a reward for reaching out and touching.

When your dog is reliably touching your hand every time it is presented you can add your cue word touch.  You can make this exercise harder by holding your hand up high so he has to jump for it or down low so he has to crawl under a coffee table or chair. Swap hands, make sure your dog is happy to move toward either hand.

Now you have an invisible lead or lure which can direct your dog toward you wherever you are. Targeting is the most common method of training and handling performance animals such as seals, dolphins and other animal actors.  Once your dog understands the principles of targeting you can extend his repertoire to lots of other behaviours.

Close the door please!

Put a post-it-note or similar on your fist and get your dog to touch as before, making certain the dog touches right on the post-it-note.  Now, move the post-it-note onto a cupboard door and encourage your dog to touch.  Quite quickly your dog should transfer his touch from your hand to the cupboard door.  Now open the door and ask your dog to touch again.  At first reward any attempts to put nose to door, then slowly reward only stronger pushes soon your dog will be shutting cupboard doors around the home more reliably then the kids!

Go Find Mum!

Start training this game by having mum or other person standing directly opposite you about 3 4 meters away.  Get mum to hold out her fist while you cue go touch.  When your dog is happily running to whoever holds out their fist change your cue to include the name of the person Mum Go Touch!  Reward immediately the dog touches the target.

Slowly increase distance, and start moving mum around corners.  As your dog starts to understand the game you can change your cue to something simple like Find Mum!    Now for the fun part!  Hand your dog a secret message (or your dirty socks) and tell him to Find Mum.  Mum might not be impressed but Im sure youre friends will be and so will your dog with this terrific rainy day game!  To include the whole family, repeat the process with every other family member.   Eventually your dog will learn the names of everyone in the household.

YOUR DOG NOSE BEST.

Scenting games are a perfect indoor activity that your dog will love. The dogs sense of smell is truly amazing.  No technology can come close to matching the dogs ability to track and identify different smells.  The good news is that as your dog already knows how to use his nose (and loves to do so) all you have to devise is fun ways to put it into action.

Hide and Seek

Is a great way to expend lots of mental and physical energy indoors.  You can hide food treats, favourite toys or even people. 

Start with a yummy treat or favourite toy.  Show it to your dog and tell him to sit stay (or get someone to hold him).  Hide the object somewhere simple such as under a pillow or behind a table leg.  At this point your dog is allowed to watch.  Go back to your dog and release him in an excited voice with a cue such as find it!  Your dog will race to your hiding spot, feeling very clever and be rewarded with his find.  Repeat several times hiding the treat in different places.

Next remove your dog from the room while you hide the treat in one of the places you used before.  Bring him in and tell him Find It!  Your dog will rush around looking for the treat.   Depending on how smell orientated your dog is, he may first look in the previous spots but soon hell realize that the quickest way to get the goods is literally to follow his nose!

There are lots of variations to this game. If you prefer, you can hide multiple treats, then allow your dog into the room while you encourage him to find them all. Your dog may spend quite a lot of time double checking he hasnt missed any with this one!    If you hide a toy reward your dog with a short game or if you hide a person they might want to also reward the find with a little treat.  Once your dog understands this game, it can develop into a traditional game of hide and seek with one person hiding and your dog looking throughout the house.  My border collie goes crazy for this game, not only does he get to use his nose but in his mind he is seeking out and rounding up the stray sheep oops I mean kid!

The ball in the bucket

Remember the old trick using three cups and you have to guess which one has the pea under it?  Will if your dog has been playing hide and seek hell learn this game in a snap.  Put a favourite toy or treat under a light plastic beach bucket.  Tell your dog to Find it!.  Next add a second bucket and a third and repeat.  At first, your dog may knock all the buckets down to find the ball but soon he will learn he can save himself the effort by using his nose reward heavily when he gets it right first time.

Which one smells like me?

Its easy for your dog to identify your scent on an object.  The more recently you have touched the object the hotter your scent will be.  Your job is to teach your dog that he will be rewarded for choosing an object with your scent on it over an object without your scent. (To avoid putting your scent on an object you need to not touch it or use gloves or tongs).

Show your dog two objects say two dowels one with your scent on it, one without.  If your dog goes to take the scented object praise and reward him.  If he chooses the unscented dowel say nothing, pause and try again.  Next put the dowels on the ground and ask your dog to find it again praise and reward for the right dowel, ignore any mistakes.  Before long your dog will understand that only the object with your scent on it earns a reward.  At this point you can start adding more dowels and/or other objects.  Your dog should eventually be able to find your scent even amongst a hundred or more objects!

My dog can spell can yours?

Its easy to use your dogs scenting abilities to make him look like a genius. 

Buy a set of alphabet letters in wood or plastic.  Take out the letters of the word you want your dog to spell and handle them freely to scent them.  You might ask your dog to spell his name or yours or ask him what kind of animal are you? 

 The other letters should be kept clean avoid touching them with your bare hands as much as you can (use gloves or tongs).  Get an assistant to lay out all the letters then get ready to impress as your clever dog picks out the letters of your chosen word.  They may not be in spelling order but hey - still pretty good for a dog (and most people will never guess hes using scent to do it)!

Speak to me!

Most dogs can be taught to speak or bark on cue quite easily.  What prompts your dog bark naturally?  The doorbell?  Dinner being made?  Waving a toy in front of him?  Getting the lead out?  Encourage your dog to bark using one of these prompts as well as a visual signal such as an opening and closing your hand.  Reward and praise as soon as you get even the faintest noise.

Repeat your signal and reward again for any response.  As your dog gets the idea, save your rewards for the loudest or quickest responses.  If you need an off switch wait until your dog has  barked a few times then say Enough in a quiet voice accompanied by a different hand gesture such as a finger to lips and follow immediately with a  treat.    Work on both the on (bark) and off (quiet) switch rewarding both intermittently.  This is often an effective way to improve problem barking and also a great way to let a barker let off steam at a time that suits you!

Different cue words will give this trick a different feel for instance  Speak has a  different feel to Alert which has a different feel to Sing for your supper.  In every case the dog is simply barking on cue but people listening will perceive it a different way.  A useful way to spend a rainy day.

FUN TRICKS

There is no limit to the number and variety of simple tricks you can teach your dog in the quiet and comfort of your own home such as shake hands, wave, roll-over, play dead, roll up in a blanket, carry a basket, sneeze, spin, scratch, beg, weave through your legs, put away your toys  - let your imagination run wild or for starters see Six Quick Tricks (Dogs Life Jan/Feb 2002 issue) .

QUICK FIXES

Absolutely exhausted?  Alright cheat a little and get out an activity ball filled with treats.  Dogs love to roll these balls around trying to get the dried treats to fall out.  Another alternative is to tear a rag into long strips.  Roll into each strip a little treat and tie into knots.  Make the bundle as tight as possible and then give it to your dog to explore and dissect.   Most dogs become really absorbed trying to reach the hidden delectable treats.  In some cases the centre treasure could be a tennis ball or other popular toy.

SHARE A FEEL-GOOD-MOMENT

Theres more to life then running around and playing games.  Had a tough day how about a little touch therapy.  Get out a glass of wine and a doggy comb and incorporate a good grooming/massage session into the front-of-TV wind down.  Your dog will love the attention after all a snuggle on the couch is what being an indoor dog is really all about.

23. Latch Key Canines - the modern malaise

By Karin Larsen Bridge, president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia and part owner and instructor at Get S.M.A.R.T (Successful Motivation And Reward Training) dogs  in Sydney - a dog training school  specializing in positive training classes for pet dogs. She is a Delta Accredited Canine Good Citizen (TM) Instructor and writes and lectures  frequently on dogs and dog  related issues such as positive training methods, behavioural problems and responsible pet ownership. 


 [This article first appeared in Dog's Life magazine, July/August 2002, and is reproduced here by kind permission of the author]

Around Australia everyday, tens of thousands of pet dogs are left alone from dawn to dusk, confined in yards attached to empty houses latch key canines.  Long, routine periods of isolation can trigger problem behaviours for the dog, the family and the community such as barking, digging, chewing, escape tactics and even self-mutilation.  This modern malaise is probably the single biggest problem facing pet dogs and owners today.  How can well-intentioned owners raise a contented dog in the time impoverished 21^st century?
The Problem

• What we love most about dogs their desire to belong, to be a part of our pack is now working against them as our modern working lives take us out of our homes, away from our dogs.   Being alone, without a job to do is completely unnatural for dogs.  Workaholic breeds such as the cattle dog, kelpie and border collie react most destructively to unemployment however all dogs like to have a job to do be it hunting, retrieving or simply being a companion.
  
• Legal obligations to keep dogs on-property for their own safety and the safety of others mean that dogs can no longer roam the neighbourhood freely socialising and exercising to their own natural requirements.
  
• Satisfying this need for exercise, exploration and socialisation therefore becomes the responsibility of already too-busy owners.
  
• In order to perform these responsibilities with any degree of enjoyment and success,  your dog will need to learn to walk on a lead without pulling, play nicely with other dogs in the off leash park and come when called.  Acquiring these skills takes the one thing owners are most reluctant or unable to give time.

 The typical time deprived dog.

• Is overly excited when you arrive home jumping and nipping or rolling over and submissively urinating.
• Pulls your arms out when you try to walk him on a lead
• Doesnt come when called if let run in an off leash area.
• Is too wild to be allowed in the house.
• Doesnt obey any commands except maybe sit sometimes.
• Scares children and visitors because of uninhibited excitement behaviours.
• Destroys the back garden by digging and chewing.
• Barks excessively at any minor disturbances.
  

 The Solution effective time management and planning.

The good news is that with a bit of thought, planning and constructive time management you and your dog can live happily ever after even in the fast lane.

1. Exercise

The way to a happy dogs heart is not through his stomach but through his lead!  Whoever walks the dog regularly will soon be the favoured member of the family.  Admit it, a little bit more exercise probably wont do you any harm either and there is nothing like those big brown eyes looking longingly into yours to make you stick to that early morning walk.  Dogs are most active at dawn and dusk which fits in well with most work schedules.  A good brisk walk in the morning (minimum 30 minutes)  and a short walk in the evening is the ideal exercise regime for most dogs leaving the middle of the day (while you are at work) for a good sleep.

2. Companionship

When you are at home bring your dog in.  (See How to Bring your Outdoor Dog Inside in Dogs Life September, 2000).  Allowing your dog to join you indoors will go a long way to meeting your dogs need for social interaction.  Curling up together in front of the TV is one of the joys of pet ownership for both humans and dogs.  Canines did not evolve as a solitary species they need feel a   part of your pack.

3. Basic Training

Allocating time in the first year of your dogs life to basic training is well worth the investment and will be rewarded immeasurably throughout your dogs life.   Training opens up the door to successful communication.  Dogs already know how to sit, stand and down, what they need to learn is our words for these behaviours and why they should do it.  Contrary to what some people think this does not come hard wired in dogs like children they must be taught human etiquette if they are to become a valued member of our family.   A dog that is a pleasure to walk on the lead, socialises well with others and who comes when called is a pleasure to own and live with. 

Training need not be laborious, there are lots of things you can train your dog to do sitting on the couch (see Armchair Training Dogs Life August 2000 issue).  It is more a mental commitment on your part to have consistent expectations of your dog whenever you are together.  Obviously the more time you spend together the more chances your dog has to learn another good reason for allowing your dog into the home.  And because mental exercise is more tiring than physical exercise youll produce not only a better behaved dog but a quieter one as well.

4. Leave a key!

Most dogs would rather be inside the den (house) rather than outside especially if that is where good times are spent with you.  A doggy door providing access to both inside and out is ideal. The dog feels he has some degree of control over his environment which is a great stress reliever.  Leaving the radio or TV on if your dog is the type to fret or bark at the slightest noise is also a good idea.  A radio will dull out some of the neighbourhood distractions and make home sound the same as when you are there.

5. Be Food Smartt

There is no reason why your dog should get its entire daily food intake in one sitting. In fact most dogs are happier if fed several times a day rather than just once.  More and more behaviourists such as world renowned veterinary Dr Ian Dunbar, are recommending taking your dogs daily calorie requirement, dividing it up and making your dog work for it in various ways.  Put one third into a Kong or smoked marrow bone and make your dog struggle to get the tasty treats rather than simply vacuuming them out of a food bowl!  Scatter kibble around your garden so your dog has to use his nose and hunt for food.  Take another third and put it in a treat bag for training purposes.    Using food in this way gives your dog a job to do and makes him work for his pay packet just as he would in nature.

6. Home Alone Toys & Activities   

Home alone toys such as treat balls and buster cubes which dispense food when your dog pushes them around with nose or paw,  are a great way to keep dogs constructively busy and happy.  A sand pit or designated digging area in the back garden laced with goodies to attract your dog is another great way to keep your dog amused - hopefully leaving the rest of the garden unscathed!  A Kong filled with food and hung upside down from a tree branch can also keep a dog amused for ages especially for dogs that love to grab and tug.    In summer small plastic wading pools can provide hours of entertainment and relief for home alone pooches.  Let your imagination run wild and try to find independent activities that suit your dog.
 

7. Establish Routines

Dogs learn most quickly and seem to feel most secure with consistent routines.  Dogs who know they spend certain times with you and certain times on their own will quickly adjust to that provided their physical and mental needs are being met on a regular basis. 

 A typical routine which would satisfy most dogs belonging to working owners might look something like this:

 Time               Dog's Diary

6 am               40 minute walk including run at off Leash Park.  Met that gorgeous Golden Retriever again and we played.

7 am               Left with stuffed Kong full of treats, took ages to empty.

10am              Slept in the sun for a few hours.

2 pm               Explored the back garden and found another smoked marrowbone in my secret spot!  Chewed to my hearts content.

4pm                Must have dozed off again.  Think Ill go in the doggy door and snooze near the front door getting close to coming home time.

6 pm               She home!  Shes home!  Shes home!

7 pm               Watch mum and dad eat dinner.  I got some left over good bits!

8 pm               On lead walk around the block for 20 minutes.  Gee smells are great at night.

9pm                Played tug of war with dad on the floor.  Hes pretty strong he won twice, I won once.           

10pm              Allowed to cuddle with mum on couch in front of TV does life get any better than this?           

10:30pm         Biscuit & Bed goodnight!

If you work irregular hours it will be much harder for your dog to adapt. In this case try to provide some consistency by hiring a professional dog walker or part time carer (see below Share the Care). Making sure the dog has frequent opportunities to eat is also essential as you dont want to add hunger to the stress of wondering when youll be home.

8.  Share-the-Care

You are not the only time-short dog owner in your community.  Why not see if someone else has a dog that would rather not be alone all day and take turns letting them spend the day together. If your dog is the type to prefer people perhaps there is an elderly couple who would love to spend some time with a dog but are not prepared to take on the full time responsibility of another pet of their own. Make up a flyer with a picture of your dog, what sort of assistance you are looking for and drop it in letterboxes around your block. 

9. Doggy Day Care    

Not yet common in Australia, Doggy Day Care is a growing industry in the US precisely to meet the needs of the latch key canines.  Doggy Day Cares are only suitable for highly social dogs and even then most managers suggest only enrolling the dog for two to three days a week as they may get overstimulated sound like kindergarten kids?  If you feel there is a need for doggy day care in your area why not start one yourself?

10. Dog Walkers

If you are really pressed for time you might consider the services of a growing number of professional dog walkers.  Knowing your dog has already had a good run when you come home is a great way to relax and enjoy your dog without feeling guilty or pressured to go out again yourself.  If you cant afford a professional walker try asking around the neighbourhood again, there may be someone who walks for fitness that would be happy to take a well-behaved four-legged companion with them.
 

11. Take your dog to work?

Some of the happiest and best trained dogs in the world belong to tradesman who can take their dogs on the job with them.  Just being together so many hours per day usually results in a good working relationship.  Some nurses, shop keepers and office workers have also managed to bring their well behaved pooches into work with them.  It may be just a pipe dream for most of us but theres no harm in trying.
 

12. Performance Sports

Need a hobby?  Ever thought about spending your weekends competing in performance sports with your dog?  Agility is the fastest growing dog sport in the world and it is easy to see why.  Its a great way for suburban dogs and owners to burn off excess energy while negotiating jumps, tunnels and other obstacles.  Agility enhances training skills while having loads of fun and exercise.  Other activities you might consider are Flyball, retrieving trials, earth dog work (for terriers), sheep work and obedience.  Contact the Canine Council in your State for details.
 

13. Another Dog?

People often think getting another dog is the answer to the latch key canine problem - which may explain why multiple dog ownership is on the rise.  As often as not however buying another dog simply doubles your trouble (see Get Your Dog A Dog Dogs Life May 2000).  There are several points you should consider:

• Are you getting another dog because you want one too or just because you think it will be good for your dog?  If you dont really want a second dog dont!
  
• Does your dog generally like other dogs or is it more a people dog.  Some dogs have no desire to mix with dogs.
  
• Is your dog reasonably well trained including housetraining?  Second dogs learn bad habits as well as good from the resident dog.  Make certain you have a good relationship and control over your first dog before you think about getting another.
  
• Even if you have two dogs it is a good idea to spend a bit of one on one time with each to make certain they both bond to you more than to one another.
  
• When you leave youll have four big brown eyes staring at you instead of two.
  
• Are you prepared for the extra work of training and exercising, grooming and feeding two dogs rather than one?
  
• If you are still convinced getting a second dog is the answer it is a good idea to get one of the opposite sex and unless there is a specific reason why you would like to breed, desex them both.
  
• Dont necessarily think in matched sets sometimes a smaller dog will make a great companion for a larger dog and may be less work and expense.
  
• Buying a second dog is not an easy fix solution to the latch key canine syndrome however in many cases a second dog will enrich the lives of both the canine and human members of the family.
  

Wise time

Dogs can adapt to a wide range of living conditions provided they know that when you are together, they are valued and loved.  Devote a portion of your day to train and play with your dog and your time will be amply rewarded.  I call it wise time a time when my dogs and I learn from one another.  The dogs learn how to read me like a book, to sense how I feel and what I might do at any given moment.  I learn once again to appreciate the simple joys of life the smell of the grass, the sun on my back and the quiet pleasure of my best friends company. Take the journey it is well worth the effort.

Karin Larsen Bridge 2002

24. No Pull Walking - realistic expectation or impossible dream?

By Karin Larsen Bridge, president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia and part owner and instructor at Get S.M.A.R.T (Successful Motivation And Reward Training) dogs  in Sydney - a dog training school  specializing in positive training classes for pet dogs. She is a Delta Accredited Canine Good Citizen (TM) Instructor and writes and lectures  frequently on dogs and dog  related issues such as positive training methods, behavioural problems and responsible pet ownership. 

 [This article first appeared in Dog's Life magazine, in 2005, and is reproduced here by kind permission of the author]


For many people, teaching their dog to walk on a lead without pulling is the hardest task they will ever face as pet owners.  Even after years of walking together some dogs owners are left wondering - why does my otherwise intelligent dog not get this?

The answer is both simple and complicated! The dog keeps pulling because in his opinion, he is rewarded for it.  Pulling provides the opportunity to smell more, explore more and best of all get to the off-lead park or bush track sooner than walking at your pace by your side. This huge perceived reward outweighs any amount of choking, jerking, tugging or cajoling you can dish out. 

 Add to this a state of high arousal caused when adrenalin floods your dogs nervous system at the mere sight of your walking shoes or lead (and continues as you walk out into the excitement of the world beyond your door) and you begin to understand why walking nicely on a lead can be such a persistent problem. 

 Some of the solutions people have tried are:
 

• Dont use a lead.  Problem: illegal and unsafe.
• Dont walk the dog sadly an option many people settle for.  Problem: a bored, obese, poorly socialized dog who engages in nuisance behaviours such as barking and digging.
• Physically forcing your dog into heel position by holding a short lead or jerking your dog into position.  Problem: Requires physical strength on your part, may take a long time to take effect and may cause damage to your and/or your dogs neck, back or shoulders.

There must be a better way right?

Lets consider again the two reasons WHY dogs pull and work back to how we might be able to convince the dog that what he wants exploration- is best achieved by doing what we want walking without pulling on a lead.
 

1. The Neva Eva Ever!  policy
    

This policy involves removing the reward for pulling by never, ever, EVER walking forward while there is tension on the lead and collar.  This policy works if implemented faithfully right from the start ideally from the first time you attach a lead to your new puppy.

 Neva Eva for a puppy

Start by attaching a lead to your puppy and stand still.  If your puppy struggles take no notice, if the lead remains slack with no tension on the collar, instantly reward with praise or treats.    You are really teaching your puppy to accept the fact that when he is attached on a lead he is restrained.   Next, start to move slowly around the back garden.  If the lead tightens stop immediately and act like a post dont move at all and dont shorten the lead - just wait.  When the lead slackens, immediately reward with praise and move forward.  Your puppy should be learning that pressure on the collar means stop while no pressure on the collar means go sadly this is the opposite of what most dogs learn. 

 If all goes well, repeat in the front garden and then on the footpath just outside your home.   If your puppy is initially reluctant to walk on the lead just wait dont give in to the temptation to pull first.  This will worry a puppy who is already unsure of the lead , teach him that a tight collar means go and will engage his natural opposition reflex to pull the other way.  The aim is to learn to walk together as a six legged team not begin a lifelong game of tugof-war.  

 Neva Eva for the older dog

 The exact same technique as outlined for a puppy can be used to re-train an older.  However as the older dog has had a lot of rewards for pulling, the process can be expected to take a lot longer. The biggest problem is that most owners find it difficult to never ever walk forward with tension on the lead. This means that the dog is intermittently rewarded for pulling keeping the behaviour strong.  A few exercises can help your dog to understand what you want faster:   

The Target Game

 Start with your dogs bowl and some really tasty treats and/or a person your dog loves standing at one end of the garden.  Show your dog the treats/person and get him really excited - this is your target.  Now move back with your dog on lead to a starting line some distance away.  Start moving toward your target if the lead tightens immediately turn around and move back quickly to behind your start line.  Talk to your dog and praise him whenever the lead is loose even if at first this is only when you are moving back toward the starting line.  Repeat until you can walk all the way to your target without the lead tightening at all - then release your dog to the treats and praise.  Your dog is learning the valuable lesson that the fastest way to get to what he wants is by maintaining a pressure free lead connection. 

He Who Was First Shall Now Be Last

 The dog who pulls out in front of you assumes that he knows where you are going.  Turn this around by immediately changing direction.    At first your dog will probably charge past you and assume leader position again say steady and assertively change direction until he who was first has become last again.  Repeat until your dog realizes that youre the only one with the map!  This is a great exercise for teaching your dog that you ARE relevant not just a go-between from house to park.  Adding the word steady before each turn will teach your dog there is no point in charging ahead as you are about to change direction and eventually can be used as a general cue to slow down should he forget his manners and start to pull ahead in the future.

 Teach a Sweet Spot

 Create a sweet spot at your left leg where good things happen. The name for this sweet spot is close or heel.   Whenever your dog is near this sweet spot say Yes! and dispense a treat as though from your left knee.  If your dog moves too far ahead, stop, call him back and again reward from your left knee.  You want the dog to know there are good things at your end of the lead not just out in front where the good smells are. 

2. Lets Stay Calm

 The second contributing factor to pulling on a lead is that most dogs are in a high state of arousal at walkies time.  With all that adrenalin rushing around their bodies it is hard for them to walk as slowly and calmly as we would like them to.  To reduce pulling behaviour it is preferable to start with as calm a dog as possible.  How you prepare for your walk can contribute to, or reduce, the level of arousal even before you step out the door.

• Move slowly and speak quietly.  Sit somewhere away from the exit door and wait for your dog to come to you and sit before putting his lead on.  If he gets up before his lead is attached, stop, look away and wait again.  Like in the Target Game your dog will learn that the fastest way to get his lead put on and get out the door is to sit at your feet and wait.
   
• Wait for a sit at the exit door
• Step out through the door before your dog
• Sit once more as soon as you reach the footpath.  Wait until the leash is loose and your dog is looking at you to see what is going to happen next praise and start walking remembering to use one of the strategies outlined above if the lead should start to tighten.

 Helpful Hints

        Be proactive - whenever tension creeps into the lead do something about it immediately.   Apply short vibrations to the lead to keep it alive, change direction, or call the dog back to you but never allow the lead to become a tug-of-war rope between you.

        Walk as briskly as your comfort level allows. 

        Some of the worst cases of pulling result from dogs who are walked to an off leash area everyday.  Their owners become merely vehicles they drag daily to doggy paradise.  Turn this around by alternating long street walks with no pot of gold at the end with being driven to the off-lead park for a free run. 

        Teach restraint in different situations. If you have taught your dog right from a puppy that there will be times when you must restrain him for baths, grooming, vet examinations etc. he will be more likely to accept restraint on lead as well.  Practice gentle, handling and restraint in as many and as varied situations as possible.

3. Choosing the right equipment

 Never before have there been so many options on the market designed to make walking easier for you and your pet.  No one choice is right for everyone so if in doubt seek the advice of an experienced trainer.  Some of the options include:

   Collars

The most important feature of a collar is that it is comfortable and will not slip off or over your dogs head.  Normal buckle collars or martingale collars with a limited slip feature are amongst the safest and best. 

 Leads

For recreational walking, I recommend a lead of approximately 2 -3 meters in length.  This length of lead will allow your dog to reach the smelly bits of trees and lampposts without pulling you off the footpath yet can be easily managed and shortened to allow people to pass or for crossing roads. To achieve the same amount of freedom, a small dog will need a longer lead then a big dog as much of the length will be taken up simply reaching down to the collar. This extra length will often resolve minor pulling problems immediately. 

 Head Halters

Head halters brought a fresh approach to the problem of pulling when introduced many years ago. By placing your dogs head in a halter he is really only able to use his weaker neck muscles against you rather than the full strength of his shoulder and back muscles.  The handler is thus able to use a much lighter touch to direct and control the dog. There are many styles, designs and makes of head halters on the market today and the trick is to find the one that best fits your dog. Generally the head halter should fit snugly around your dogs face and be easy for you to take on and off.   

 Despite their effectiveness many people still resist using a head halter because they believe:
 

• It may be confused with a muzzle and makes the dog look mean.

• The use of a head halter is somehow cheating or must only be a temporary measure.  
• Head halters are too difficult to fit and use
• Dogs dont like them.
  
   

While it is essential that you receive good advice on how best to introduce and fit a head halter, when properly used they remain the most effective choice if:

• you havent got time to methodically implement a neva eva  programme
• you own a very strong dog
• you own a dog with a long history of pulling
• your own strength is limited in some way e.g.  a bad back
• you would like children to easily walk the dog
• behavioural problems make greater control a safety issue.

 Harnesses

Although harnesses were designed to allow a dog to pull more efficiently, there is some evidence that some dogs seem to pull less when wearing them unfortunately its a case of try it and see.  A new harness on the market The No-Pull Harness by Kumalong is designed specifically to combat pulling by connecting the lead at the dogs chest.  The dog is less able to lean into the harness and create resistance.  The advantage of harnesses in general are that they are  readily accepted by both dogs and  owners and are an excellent choice for small dogs or dogs with sensitive necks or spinal problems. 

 Double Ended Leads

Double ended leads are often recommended to be used in conjunction with either a head halter and collar, a head halter and harness or a harness and normal collar.  They provide added safety and control and can spread the pressure of the lead across several points rather than just one. 

 Realistic expectation or impossible dream?

Have you ever taken a bunch of five year olds to McDonalds for a birthday party?  If they had been on a lead do you think they would have been pulling?

Going for a walk would have to be at least as exciting for your dog as going to a birthday party is for kids a high adrenalin, highly rewarding event that comes along just once every 24 hours. 

To expect your dog to walk calmly in perfect heel position is probably an unrealistic expectation however by setting the rules for the walking game employing the Neva Eva policy and making use of sensible equipment choices walking can become a dream run for both you and your dog.

  Karin Larsen Bridge 2005

25.Off Leash - running free

Karin Larsen Bridge Get S.M.A.R.T. dogs other than for personal use no part of this article may be reproduced without permission of the author.

First appeared in Dogs Life Magazine Nov/Dec 2004

RUNNING FREE

Most dog owners would agree that there are few pleasures that compare to the joy of watching their dog run free.  Free running gives your dog a chance to vent excess energy, flex housebound muscles, explore meandering scent trails and play wild and energetic games with people and other dogs that would be impossible on lead. Not everyone however feels confident enough to allow their dog to run free even in designated off lead areas and indeed, not every dog has earned the right of liberty! 

To run free or not to run free?

There are several important points to consider before undoing that clip:

   Is the area a designated off lead area?  Dogs are generally required to be on lead in all public areas other than specifically designated off lead areas.  Even in designated areas,  it is a requirement that your dog be under effective  control at all times. 

   Is the area safe?  Is it far from the nearest road or better still fully enclosed?

   Will your dog reliably return to you when called in all situations or only in ideal circumstances?

   What other users are likely to visit the area- horses, bike riders, joggers, small children?  Will your dog be distracted by other users or worse still be tempted to chase or harass them?  Will these distractions affect the reliability of your dogs recall?

   How well socialized is your dog?  If the area is frequented by many dogs and their owners it is important that your dog is confident, polite and friendly among a variety of dogs both big and small, young and old.  Its equally important not to allow your dog to become the park bully nor to take the risk of allowing an unsupervised interaction producing a fear response in a shy dog. 

   Recognise that when you release your dog you dont release your responsibility to either your dog or to the community. In fact it becomes even more important to remain vigilant and be sure that your dogs is not being harassed by other dogs or is not itself annoying or frightening another dog or person.  This means you dont go to the off lead area, let your dog off, sit down and read a paper or become totally absorbed in a conversation with a friend.  Circumstances can change very quickly - new dogs arrive, spats occur over toys or other dogs garbage men arrive to empty bins, a boy on a noisy skateboard might suddenly slide past your loves-to-chase border collie or a cat might make a sudden appearance just across the road all events that may cause your dog to act in an unpredictable way so its important to keep your eye on your dog at all times.

Off leash control is really about having the ability to put your dog back on a lead if and when necessary. In all of the above situations, if your dog immediately and reliably returns to you, an unpleasant situation can be avoided. 

Training a reliable come

Come is probably the single most important behaviour your dog will ever learn so it is worth taking the time to train thoroughly each of the several components which make up this exercise.

Step 1: Attention!  Or your name means look at me

Make sure your dog understands that whenever he hears his name he should look at you.  How long your dog looks at you is not really important what we are looking for is an instant response rather than a long one.  Start by saying your dogs name whenever he happens to be looking at you.  In this way you are labeling the behaviour of looking at you with your dogs name.  The next step is to call your dogs name and see if he turns to look at you if he does immediately reward with praise, a treat or a game. If he doesnt use a prompt first such as clapping hands or making a funny noise, when your dog does look immediately say his name and reward.  By using a prompt to get your dogs attention instead of repeating his name over and over again, you are avoiding desensitizing your dog to his name.  Instead, always follow attention to his name with a positive experience.

Note you dont want your dog to come on his name alone but rather to give you his attention because a command or cue will follow.  You may want to ask your dog Rover!  Down! or Rover Stay rather than Come.  Your dogs name should only mean tune in Im about to ask you something and not any specific behaviour in itself.

Step 2: Come is a position close to you.

Teach your dog that come is the human label or name for a position close to you.  Put your hand on your dogs collar, hold him close and in a pleasant but firm manner say Come just as you would in the park and follow immediately with a treat.  Repeat frequently at different times and in different locations.

Never give your dog a treat unless you are holding his collar.  This is a safety issue which prevents creating a dog who comes close to you, perhaps grabs a treat but stays just outside the gotch-ya zone.  There is no point having a dog that comes near but does not allow you to attach a lead or to restrain him in some way.  As your dogs training progresses you may find a sit to be leashed sufficient however until that time a hold collar then treat regime is the safest option. 

Your dog will soon make an association between this pleasurable position and the word Come.  When you call Come! in the park your dog will understand to move into the Come position you have trained.  

Do not be tempted to skip this part of teaching a reliable recall.  Many people believe dogs automatically know what Come means they dont.   Sometimes dogs come because of an attracting tone of voice or body language but that doesnt mean they understand the cue Come!   It has no more special meaning to your dog then the word Twelve! so be sure to take the time to paint a picture of what come is a position close to you.

Step 3: Come on lead

While walking on lead, surprise your dog by suddenly saying his name followed by the cue Come and moving quickly away from him.  Encourage him to come up close into position, take his collar and reward him.  This is a foolproof practice run for your dog as being on lead will prevent your dog from choosing to ignore you.  Keep this exercise upbeat and happy Come should never sound like an or else command nor should it be a begging plea but rather an invitation for fun/games/treats/cuddles.

Step 4: Reinforcing Come! as the right choice

Your dog will only choose to move into Come position if it ALWAYS is a happy place to be.  Reward your dog every time he checks in with you with praise and/or treats and games.  The best thing your dog can do is to choose to spend time with you.  Every time your dog moves back to see you when off lead acknowledge and reward his attention.  If you need to do something your dog perceives as unpleasant such as putting him outside, going to the vets or having a bath do not call him to you.  Simply go to him and put a lead on with as little emotion as possible.  Some jobs just have to be done but we dont want to reward a joyful Come! with an unpleasant consequence.

NEVER EVER PUNISH your dog for coming to you or for allowing you to go and catch him.  In either case from your dogs point of view he is being punished for being caught not for staying away.  Next time hell be a bit faster and a bit craftier.  If you have to collect your dog you may not feel like rewarding him but try to stay as neutral as possible and simply put the lead on and get over it punishment might make you feel better but it will only set your dogs recall training back immeasurably.  Understand that your dogs behaviour is telling you that you have not yet trained a reliable recall so dont get mad get even by employing Step 5 below:

Step 5: Semi-freedom Come on a long line

You can prevent bad habits from developing by attaching a long drag line of approximately 5 meters to your dog when you first take him out to off leash area.   PVC rope is ideal as it is light, easy on the hands, waterproof and difficult to tangle.  Initially, hold the end of the line and regularly repeat the exercise in Step 3 above.  Later you can drop the line to allow your dog even more freedom but you will still be able to regain control quickly by standing on the end of the line if necessary.  (Your dog will be surprised at what long arms you have!)

Even though your dog will have a lot more space and freedom coming to you is still not optional as he is attached on the line.  This also means that you can be all sweetness and fun while maintaining control.

Praise your dog as long as he continues moving toward you but stop the instant he detours or hesitates.  If your dog fails to take any notice or to complete the Come, gather him in on the drag line.  You need to take away not only the treat he could have had for coming but also the very great rewards of exploring the environment or playing with other dogs as a punishment for not coming.  This type of negative punishment is ideal because it puts you in control of environmental rewards without affecting your relationship in an adverse way. 

You may choose to use a light line for many months before you feel confident enough to grant your dog complete freedom.  The line may be gradually faded by reducing the length or attaching an even lighter, more discrete line. In any case, practice makes perfect.  Give your dog plenty of opportunity to learn what is required if he does come make a big fuss, give him a treat  then allow him to go play again.  Repeat many times most comes should be rewarded with a release to play; only one will have to end with time to go home! 

Step 6:      Youre the best game in town!

Off leash time shouldnt mean that your dog runs around ignoring you.  Although it is natural for a dog to engage in some amount of independent exploring and socializing, the best game in town should ideally be the time spent with you.

For many dogs interactive games such as fetch are the way to their hearts rather than food treats.  A great way to develop a reliable recall with these dogs is to have two toys of equal value to the dog (for example two tennis balls or two Kongs on a rope).  You throw one in one direction, the dog races to get it then you show him that you have another one and yours is alive (that is your dogs toy is no longer moving whereas yours will come alive when you throw it making it more immediately interesting!)  Your dog will have to turn and race back to you if he wants to get the more interesting toy.

Be sure to play games on your terms get your dog to sit or drop before you throw and intersperse play sessions with short settle breaks.  Interactive games are a great way to enhance your relationship with your dog and to help him burn off excess energy in a controlled way.

Another good game, especially with a young dog is Hide and Seek. Most puppies dont like to be all alone so when you are out together quickly sneak behind tree then call your dog.  Have a special toy or treat ready for when he finds you.  Dogs enjoy using their hearing as well as their sense of smell to seek you out.  This game also teaches your dog that it is his responsibility to keep his eyes on YOU. 

Handy Hints to a reliable recall.

• Dogs hear better in a higher register so raise your voice higher rather than louder.  Sound eager and pleased to see your dog and avoid tones of anger.
• Dogs see and are attracted to movement more than to stationary objects. Moving away from your dog as you call, crouching down low and holding your hands out wide and waving can be more attracting to your dog than standing still when you call. 
• Dont call your dog in the middle of a sniff or game with another dog.  If you were engrossed in a conversation or TV programme you probably wouldnt hear someone calling you either!  Wait for a pause, then use your best and loudest calling voice to attract your dog.  Remember, youll have more success with a cue that sounds inviting rather than threatening.
• Squeaky toys or whistles will often get your dogs attention when your voice may not.  Although these are not a command or cue, if they prompt your dog to come to you thats great.  Just remember these prompts wont stay effective unless the behaviour they prompt (coming to you) is rewarded. 
• If all else fails, try lying down, often a dog will be so surprised to see you on the ground hell come running over to check you out.
• ALWAYS associate coming to you with something good. 
• NEVER call your dog when it has been bad or you are angry.
• There is no doubt that some dogs are more likely to hang around their owners and come when called then others.  Breed and personality differences will make this exercise much easier for some than for others.  For a very few individuals, it may be extremely difficult to train out finely-tuned tracking or hunting instincts.  For these dogs management such as a long line may be the only answer. 

Help! My Dogs Gone Missing!

Sometimes despite ones best intentions and safeguards a dog will land up separated from its owner.  It is a legal requirement for your dog to be micro chipped and to be wearing a name tag with your name, address and telephone number.  It is also a good idea for there to be an alternate contact number such as your veterinarian, as very often dogs seem to go missing when their owners are away and not easily contactable.

If you want to be really confident, an excellent service is provided by Dog -E-Data.  Your dogs photo and history are registered on a database.  If your dog goes missing you just activate a lost dog-e-alert and /or call and report your dog as missing.  Immediately a Lost Dog alert is sent to all members in the postcode where your dog was reported missing as well as assistance in contacting local vets, councils and pounds in the area.  For more information visit: www.dog-e-data.com.au

Off leash time is still together time.

People who often have the most trouble getting their dogs to come to them are those who regularly take their dogs to an off lead park and then proceed to ignore them. 

Their dog views their owner as little more than a conveyance from home to the park no wonder they pull on the lead!

On or off lead dog ownership is about having a good time together.  An off lead area should never be an excuse to let someone else entertain your dog, rather it is an opportunity for you and your dog to play games together to throw balls as far as they will go, to explore tracks and trails, to bark and jump and shake off the shackles of modern living - united not by a lead but by the mutual desire for one anothers company. 

Karin Larsen Bridge

26. Walking on Lead
Loose Leash Walking its easier than you think!

Karin Larsen Bridge Get S.M.A.R.T. dogs other than for personal use no part of this article may be reproduced without permission of the author.

 This article first appeared in Dogs Life magazine March/April 2004

People and dogs have been walking companions for literally thousands of years.   Today however dogs are not free to roam as you go but are required to be restrained on lead.  For many dogs and owners, this requirement has resulted in walks that resemble a moving game of tug-of-war more than a pleasant amble together.

When the pulling and dragging become unpleasant enough the dog gets left home alone.  The benefits of regular walks with your dog are so great for you, your dog and the community that it is worth taking the time to teach your pooch polite lead etiquette.

Many puppy books will advise you to attach a lead to your puppy and allow him to drag it all around the garden.  The puppy learns that the lead will follow wherever he goes.  When you start to hold the end of the lead, your puppy learns to pull just a little harder and the lead will still follow wherever he goes! 

Alternately, when you first attach a lead to your puppy you are so keen to go for a walk that you are the first to pull to make your puppy move.  Dogs have a natural opposition reflex so if you pull one way your pup will pull the other.  It is easy to see how quickly pulling becomes established.

Learning to accept restraint.

To turn this around, your dog must learn that once the lead is attached he is restricted to an area close to you.  To be fair, make sure you give your dog as much lead as possible and do not be tempted to shorten, pull or wrap it around your hand.  Hold the end of the lead only and try not to be the first to pull.  You are now a six-legged team who has to move together.

Start by attaching your dog on lead to a post and stand close by.  If your dog struggles take no notice, if he relaxes instantly reward with praise or treats.  Next, hold the lead yourself and start to move around the back garden.  This should be an easy place to start as your dog has probably thoroughly investigated your back garden already and wont be too excited.

If the lead tightens stop immediately and act like the post dont move at all and dont shorten the lead - just wait.  When the lead slackens, immediately reward with praise and move forward.  Your dog should be learning that pressure on the collar means stop while no pressure on the collar means go sadly this is the opposite of what most dogs learn. 

If all goes well, repeat in the front garden and then on the footpath just outside your home.  Take your time and be consistent even if you do not get to walk very far that day.  Do NOT be tempted to move forward when there is any tightness in the lead as this will only teach your dog that if he is persistent pulling will pay.

The Target Game

One of the reasons dogs persist in pulling is that they are convinced that it is the fastest way to get to what they want.  The Target Game is a fun way to teach your dog that this is NOT the case!

Start with your dogs bowl and some really tasty treats and/or a person your dog loves standing at one end of the garden.  Show your dog the treats/person and get him really excited - this is your target.  Now move back with your dog on lead to a starting line some distance away.  Start moving toward your target if the lead tightens immediately turn around and move back quickly to behind your start line.  Talk to your dog and praise him whenever the lead is loose even if at first this is only when you are moving back toward the starting line.

Repeat until you can walk all the way to your target without the lead tightening at all  - then release your dog to the treats and praise.  Your dog is learning the valuable lesson that the fastest way to get to what he wants is by maintaining a pressure free lead connection. 

He Who Was First Shall Now Be Last

The dog who pulls out in front of you assumes that he knows where you are going.  Turn this around by immediately changing direction.    At first your dog will probably charge past you and assume leader position again say steady and assertively change direction until he who was first has become last again.

Repeat until your dog realizes that youre the only one with the map!  This is a great exercise for teaching your dog that you ARE relevant not just a go-between from house to park.  Adding the word steady before each turn will teach your dog there is no point in charging ahead as you are about to change direction and eventually can be used as a general cue to slow down should he forget his manners and start to pull ahead in the future.

Teach a Sweet Spot

There are times when you need your dog to be by your side for example when crossing a road or in a crowd.  To teach your dog to be close or heel have your dog sit and move next to him.  Say close and feed him a treat.  At this stage you are simply making an association between the position close and the word.

From now on you are going to dispense treats through your left hip, knee or ankle, depending on the size of your dog.  (The left side is traditionally the correct side however you may choose whichever side you prefer as long as you are consistent.)  The idea is to create a sweet spot by your side where good things happen to dogs. The name for this sweet spot is close or heel.

Spend a couple of minutes a day just walking in a circle and treating your dog whenever he stays by your left leg.  Even if your want to reward your dog for a loose lead out in front of you, show him the treat and bring him all the way back to your left leg to get his treat.  We want the dog to know there are good things at your end of the lead not just up in front where the good smells are. 

Ready, Steady Walkies

Most dogs become very excited at the earliest indication that a walk may be forthcoming. In part, this arousal is an involuntary reaction to the appearance of your walking shoes or the sound of the lead being picked up - automatically triggering the production of adrenalin in your dogs brain.

Obviously, to reduce pulling behaviour it is preferable to start with as calm a dog as possible.  How you prepare for your walk can contribute to, or reduce,  this level of arousal even before you step out the door.

1. Move slowly and speak quietly.  Sit somewhere away from the exit door and wait for your dog to come to you and sit before putting his lead on.  If he gets up before his lead is attached, stop, look away and wait again.  Like in the Target Game your dog will learn that the fastest way to get his lead put on and get out the door is to sit at your feet and wait.
    
2. Wait for a sit at the exit door.  Move your hand to the door handle if your dog gets up remove your hand.  At all times act cool and calm as though you have all day to go for a walk.  It is unnecessary to speak or command your dog to sit but you may quietly praise correct behaviour if you wish. 
    
3. Step out through the door before your dog if he tries to rush ahead of you prevent him by quickly shutting the door first.  When he steps back praise quietly then lead the way through the open door.
    
4. Sit on the other side of the door you dont want to undo all the good work as soon as you leave the house or associate calm behaviour with inside only.
    
5. Sit once more as soon as you reach the footpath.  Wait until the leash is loose and your dog is looking at you to see what is going to happen next praise and start walking remembering to use one of the strategies outlined above if the lead should start to tighten.
    
6. Allow your dog to sniff to his hearts content for the first five minutes or so. Most dogs will toilet in this time also.  Smell is your dogs primary sense and to deprive him of sniffing altogether would be like taking a human for a walk blindfolded.  However if you prefer to walk briskly non-stop pick up the pace after the first sniff -fest most dogs will be happy to oblige only stopping to read really special olfactory notices.
    
7. Most dogs prefer to walk briskly so walk as quickly as your comfort allows.  Dont look hesitant and turn your shoulders back toward your dog your posture dictates to your dog where you are going and walking with a purpose tells him you are on a mission together.
    
8. If you should meet other dogs a simple sniff hello should suffice - dont encourage your dog to play on-lead for two main reasons.   Firstly it is too easy for leads to become tangled and two perfectly nice dogs land up in a fight because of the restriction caused by the lead.  Playing with other dogs is best done off lead.  Secondly if you allow your dog to play on lead, every time he sees another dog he will try to drag you over for some play time.  On lead, your dog is accompanying YOU and other dogs should be of only passing interest.   Do not go to the other extreme and punish your dog for approaching another, it is great to have a social, friendly dog simply encourage a polite but short greeting instead.
    
9. Off leash areas are great for dogs to socialize with other dogs and burn off excess energy however it is equally important for your dog to associate good times directly with YOU.  Some of the worst cases of pulling result from dogs who are lucky enough to be walked to an off leash area everyday.  Their owners are dragged to doggy paradise and then ignored until pooch is so worn out he can be caught.  While the dog may be content, the owner has merely acted as a vehicle to get to the off leash park.  In such cases I recommend driving to the off leash park a few days a week (so there is no rehearsal of pulling all the way) and on the other days, walking your dog on lead with you around the neighbourhood streets.  Now you are part of the exercise picture and thus of greater significance to your dog.
    
10. Before you let your dog off lead for a free run be sure he asks your permission first.  Get your dog to look at you and sit before undoing the lead.  This way you are using socializing with other dogs or free running as a reward for giving you attention.  Your dogs first reaction on arrival at the off-leash area wont be to pull on the lead but to sit in front of you and beg Please can I go play now? This is a win-win situation for you both. 
     
11. Improving general obedience skills will also improve the likelihood of your dog learning not to pull on lead. Teach your dog basic commands such as come, sit and wait to improve  general control over your dog.
     
12. Teach restraint in different situations. If you have taught your dog right from a puppy that there will be times when you must restrain him for baths, grooming, vet examinations etc. he will be more likely to accept restraint on lead as well.  Practice gentle, handling and restraint in as many and as varied situations as possible. 

Using treats as rewards will generally help your dog to learn faster however many dogs are too excited to care about treats when out walking.   In this case, use the reward your dog wants most - permission to continue the walk.

Equipment

Leads

• For a well socialized, friendly dog I like to use a 2-3metre cotton webbing lead.  This slightly longer lead will allow your dog to reach more smells without pulling you off the footpath but can be easily shortened to allow people to pass or for crossing roads.
• To achieve the same amount of freedom, a small dog will need a longer lead then a big dog as much of the length will be taken up simply reaching down to the collar.
• Allowing this extra length will often resolve minor pulling problems immediately. 

Retractable Extenda-leads

• Are great way to efficiently exercise most small dogs. 
• If you dont have a fenced yard or are an apartment dweller an extenda lead is also a great way to take a small dog out for regular toileting breaks. 
• If your dog is generally well behaved and trained an extenda lead can also be good for jogging, power walking or bush walking as it allows your dog to stop briefly without disturbing your pace.  

Harnesses

Are becoming more popular and may be good for:

• Small dogs
• Dogs with sensitive necks or spinal problems
• Elderly dogs
• Preventing longer leads from catching under the dogs  legs when walking
• Long walks, jogging, attaching longer leads.
   

Head halters

Are a good choice if:

• you havent got time to methodically implement a no-pull /no-go training programme
• you own a very strong dog
• you own a dog with a long history of pulling
• your own strength is limited in some way e.g.  a bad back
• you would like children to easily walk the dog
• behavioural problems make a head halter an important safety issue.

The door to another world.

A dog that walks nicely on a lead is a dog that is a pleasure to be with.  By taking the time to teach this basic skill, you provide your dog with the passport  to accompany you in the big wide, human world outside your door continuing a tradition that began eons ago when man and dog first walked away from their cave and into the unknown together. 

Benefits of on-lead walking:

        exercise for you and your dog

        socialization

        mental stimulation

        less likely to engage in nuisance behaviours such as barking

        enhances dog/owner relationship

        very safe, controlled form of exercise

        suitable for elderly dogs or dogs recovering from injuries

27. Future article to be inserted here

28. Puppy Pre-Schools

This article will appear here shortly - please check later!

29. The Top Ten Commands and how to teach them!

By Karin Larsen Bridge, president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia and part owner and instructor at Get S.M.A.R.T (Successful Motivation And Reward Training) dogs in Sydney - a dog training school specializing in positive training classes for pet dogs.

 She is a Delta Accredited Canine Good Citizen (TM) Instructor and writes and lectures frequently on dogs and dog related issues such as positive training methods, behavioural problems and responsible pet ownership. 

[This article first appeared in Dog's Life magazine, Sept/Oct 2005, and is reproduced here by kind permission of the author.]

Command is traditionally the term we use for telling our dogs what we would like them to do.  Many trainers today prefer the word cue not only because it sounds less like a demand for robotic obedience but also because it emphasizes the need to teach a signal or cue that your dog can easily recognize and respond to.

The better a trainer is at associating the exact same signal with the same behaviour, the quicker a dog can learn.  Many of us however spend little time thinking about the cues we use and how these cues may make learning easier or harder for our dogs.

 Commands or cues need to be:

        Clear

        Consistent

        Easily recognizable

        Linked to the exact same behaviour everywhere, every time.   

A Word about Words.

When most of us think of commands we think of words. Thats because were human and were very good at language.  Dogs on the other hand are not very good at discriminating the finer points of language and most verbal commands are guessed at dependent on your tone of voice and the general sound of the word or phrase.

 For instance sit is a short sharp word, if you said hit bit, or lit in the same tone of voice your dog would probably also respond with a sit.  Phrases which can be said in a different lilt can also make useful commands for instance a rising do you want to go out?

The most important factor is that you use the same tone of voice for the same command and a different tone of voice for different commands. Commands should be spoken clearly, consistently and with a little authority rather than a nagging plea - however they should not be harsh, loud or threatening.

Dogs have very good hearing and if a pleasantly voiced drop command is followed by rewards your dog will learn to drop just as reliably as a dog who is trained using a loud, growling, guttural drop!!!.   There is no right tone of voice or correct word choice that will magically train your dog for you.

Visual Cues

If you want to make life easier for your dog, you may choose to take advantage of some non-verbal cues. Dogs are expert at reading visual cues such as hand signals and body gestures.  Indeed, most dog-to-dog communication is based on visual cues such as submissive roll-overs and play bows. 

It makes sense then to teach a visual cue such as a hand signal in addition to a command word whenever possible.    
 

Sit, stand and down are all behaviours usually cued with both a hand signal and a word. 

 Context Cues

Dogs also rely heavily on context cues such as time of day, what clothes you are wearing (walking shoes or work shoes) what you pick up (car keys/lead) or the presence of certain smells (dog shampoo - bath time).  You can use these context cues to teach the behaviours you want in routine situations.

For example, if you do not attach a lead until your dog sits, the dog soon learns that a quick sit leads to a faster exit out the door.  

Clear commands + good rewards= effective training.

The elements of effective training are simple.  Choose a command that your dog can recognize, associate it with the behaviour you want and follow correct responses with rewards such as praise, a treat or a game.  The command or cue tells your dog what you want him to do while the reward provides the motivation or the why he should do it.

When a dog fails to learn, there is usually a problem in one of these two areas either the dog isnt recognizing the cue (the what) or hes failing to see the why due to insufficient rewards or too many unintentional rewards for the wrong behaviour (such as the fun of playing in the park instead of coming when called). 

 The Top Ten Commands

So what does your dog need to know to be a good companion and how are you going to teach it?  Our top ten commands are a great place to start!

 1.      Toilet time

The first and most urgent cue to teach your puppy is to toilet in front of you.  Use context cues such as popping the puppy on a lead and taking him to your chosen spot in the garden.  Use a phrase that you wont be embarrassed to say in public such as hurry up.  You may start with saying your cue hurry up only while the puppy is peeing.

Then slowly, move the cue forward to when the puppy sniffs or circles usually precursors to squatting and peeing.  When the puppy has finished its vital that he is rewarded with praise and if you want the training to go as fast as possible a treat.

Eventually simply getting out the lead and heading for the garden with your cue words should be ample information to produce a toileting response.  This is fantastic because now you know you can toilet your dog before you leave for work, or bedtime or a car trip.  It puts you in control of the when and where of toileting.

 2.      Positions sit/stand/down.

Position changes are like the abcs of dog training.  Although you can achieve a reasonable level of control over your dog just by having a reliable sit teaching stand and down gives you a greater variety of options and will make training more interesting for both of you.  With three options your dog cannot predict which position will be next really testing whether or not he understands the three different concepts.

Ideally, your dog should respond to your word and/or hand signal both by your side, from in front and at a distance. Positions are most easily taught using a food lure.

        To teach sit slowly move a small treat above your dogs head as the head goes up, the bottom will come down and sit happens.

        For stand -draw the treat straight forward from the dogs nose level.  This will become the hand signal for stand.

        For drop- take the treat toward the floor between the dogs toes.  This will become the hand signal for drop.

        Remove the treat from your hand after about three repetitions and repeat using the exact same hand movement. This will soon become your visual command or signal for your dog to sit, stand or drop. 

        When your dog is responding to the signal, add the word just before the hand signal. 

        Reward AFTER each correct response, sometimes use food sometimes just praise.

 Adding Distance

For an extra challenge work on position changes at a distance.  Distance work provides extra control and safety whenever your dog is off lead.  Imagine your dog running toward a road a distant drop command stops him in his tracks. 

Distance work is also essential for TV work where trainers have to be able to cue their dogs from behind the cameras.  Start by leaving your dog in a stand and moving away just a few feet, turn and signal the drop or sit.  Sometimes leaving your dog in a restricted spot such as a stair landing or table will prevent the dog from creeping toward you.  Generously reward every correct response and soon you will have a dog that will happily sit or drop at any distance!

 3.      Release , Stay  and Wait

Release is probably the most under-rated command in dog training. You must be sure to teach your dog that every behaviour has a beginning AND an end.  Too often people ask their dogs to sit but forget to tell them to unsit.  If you are unreliable your dog will also be unreliable.  The first command tells the dog to start doing something, the release command tells him to stop doing it.  Common release words are free, off you go, playtime and o.k.

 Stay adds a new criteria it informs your dog that you are now moving away and he is to stay. Place an open hand in front of the dogs face, say stay/sit and move just a step away.  Slowly increase either the distance or the time away.  Always come back to release your dog. This will prevent creating a dog who anxiously watches for a release signal the whole time you are away.  Stay should mean stay put until you return. Only your return will cue your dog that he will soon be released.   

 Wait is for a temporary pause or stay.  It suggests that the dog remains attentive because in a moment hell be asked to do something such as come, fetch or follow.  Many people also use a different hand signal for wait and stay.  Think carefully about what you want each of these terms to mean before you start to train your dog.

4.      Come

Come is obviously one of the most important commands to teach your dog and one that many people have trouble with.  Most people will get a new dog and immediately start calling come.  There is no point however in calling come to your dog unless you have first taught what come means - you may just as well be saying 26! 26!  

 Come can be described as either a direct movement toward you or a position close to you.  If your dog is running directly toward you say come to associate the word with that behaviour.  Remember you need to reward your dog to encourage him to repeat this behaviour.   Use a light long line (e.g. a 5 metre lead) and do lots of practices of come and reward.  When you have set the dog up for success coming when called will eventually become a habit.

5.      Speak and Quiet

Speak and quiet should always be taught at the same time after all its really just the on and off switch for the same behaviour.  Most dogs will bark at predictable times such as when someone arrives at the door.  Say speak! (or whatever word you might like to use) and praise/reward your dog. 

Follow this with Quiet and immediately reward with several treats in succession.  Reward either the speak or the quiet more heavily - depending on which your dog finds harder, or which is more important to you.  By labeling both these behaviours you have more chance of putting them under your control.  Note that choosing a different word for speak such as alert will make no difference to your dog but will change the perception of your dogs barking to other people so choose your command carefully.

 .      Take /Give/ Leave-it

These three commands concern the taking, releasing and ignoring of an object.  Take means you are giving your dog permission to put an object into his mouth such as a piece of food, dinner or a toy.  Take can be taught right from when you start rewarding your puppy with food treats precede the release of the treat with take. 

This is particularly useful if you have young children at home who are likely to run around the house with food at dog-eye level.  Teaching take should prevent your puppy from opportunity grabbing.  The take can also be a great way to start teaching a retrieve by encouraging your dog to take a ball into his mouth.

 Follow this with give - the release of the treat or toy.  All games need rules and it is a good idea to teach your dog that in most cases, give results in either a food treat or the continuing of a game.  Not giving results in end of game.  Tug is a great game to play with most dogs but only provided theyve learnt to take and give reliably on command.

 

Leave-it commonly means ignore that look at me instead.  This is a very useful command and may prevent the dog ingesting something harmful such as chicken bones or even baits.  Practice at home, and reward leave-it with a really good reward from your own hand.  You can extend this exercise to prevent your dog taking food from other people too by doing lots of practices with different people. 

 7.      Up and Off

Up and off are general control commands to help move your dog around.  Up can be permission to come onto the furniture, into the car, onto the grooming table or even jump into your arms.

At the same time you will need to train the opposite command off to remove your dog from such places.  Again, reward the more difficult or more important part of this exercise more heavily.  For some dogs and owners this may be getting off the furniture for others it may be getting up into the car.

 8.      Paces fast, slow and reverse!

Your dog will walk better on a lead if you have taught him cues for walking slowly and quickly.   This is very easy to do simply by having your dog on a lead and as you speed up say quickly! 

To slow up exaggerate a little and as you say steady creep along as though youre sneaking into your house late at night.  Dogs will really enjoy responding to your changing body language as you play this game.  Say quickly in a slightly higher, more excited voice.  Say steady with a lower, slower tone these sounds have been found to be universal in speeding up and slowing down lots of domestic animals. 

Another aspect to add is reverse or back.  This can be really useful in tight situations such as doorways where you may need your dog to step back.  Back can be taught in many ways. The main thing is to be on the look-out for when your dog naturally steps back.  For many dogs this is when you hold a toy, or if you  gently walk into your dog as he stands in front of you be ready to label the step back with the word back and follow with a reward. 

 9.      Shake hands

This most famous of dog tricks is really a very useful command for several reasons.  For starters, its fun and its a great way to make your dog appear smart, well trained and friendly especially to children.

Its a good way for shy dogs to greet strangers, rather than have them reach over their head for a pat which is far more threatening. Its also useful for general care such as cutting nails or checking pads for cuts or ticks.  Many dogs notably terriers - will lift their paw to get a treat within a few seconds of a treat appearing.  Other dogs are much less inclined to use their feet.  Persevere and be creative.  Ask the dog to climb onto your lap reward the moment the first paw is lifted.  Your hand reaching down is the most common cue for this behaviour to which you can add shake!  Practice will make perfect but remember its the reward more than the word that will make the shake reliable.

 10. Relax (or settle)

Its a great idea to put a label or cue on the sensation of relaxation.  This may sound silly at first but its so easy to do and the benefits can be wonderful. 

Whenever your dog is relaxed after a long walk and dinner, while undergoing doggy massage - say a word such as relax.  You may like to use other context cues as well such as soft music or scented candles.

 What you are doing is classically conditioning these cues with relaxation.  Now, when you need to go over your dog for a tick, or put eye drops in his eyes, or clear out his ears, or cut his toe nails or sort out knots in his coat you present your cues music, scent and word and the struggle disappears.

 The wilder and more difficult to handle a dog, the greater benefits can be derived from this exercise.  If you are able to teach relax cue really well, it can even be used to some benefit when out and about should you come across something that distresses your dog such as loud noises or a scary dog.

 Disobeying commands

What most people refer to as disobedience can be traced back to three common training errors:
 

1. Failure to link a consistent command/cue/signal with the behaviour you want  
2. Failure to provide sufficient rewards for doing a behaviour
3. Failure to have the dogs attention before you ask for a behaviour.

Professional trainers rarely use terms such as disobedience because they know that getting an animal to do the things we want is simply a training issue.

If you think about it, a dog must first be obedient that is nine out of ten times have demonstrated understanding and compliance to a command before he could possibly be considered disobedient.  Hence all puppies and most dogs are not disobedient but rather are not yet fully trained.

 Its all in the training.

Dogs are perfect at being dogs. If we want to alter their behaviour to fit into our human life style we have to teach them.

 If we hit problems along the way its just because were two different species still working to perfect our communication system.  Every dog is smart enough to learn our Top Ten Commands but the most important thing of all is that you both enjoy the journey.

Karin Larsen Bridge 2005, Delta Accredited Behavioural Trainer, Get S.M.A.R.T dogs

What it is, what its NOT and how it works