Did you know that dogs aren’t pack animals? Most of the world’s dogs are free roaming dogs, and although they might form temporary, loose pack-like groups, they do not hunt in coordinated packs that stay together, as wolves do.
I see people put a lot of unnecessary guilt on themselves because they believe they are not providing their dogs with adequate social opportunities, but let’s examine this.
About 10% of dogs are estimated to be super social butterflies who put up with lots of different types of dog behavior, and do well with a variety of dogs. About 10% are estimated to be dog aggressive, and they don’t want anything to do with other dogs.
The rest of the dogs fall somewhere in the middle. They may enjoyed play dates with particular dog friends or have a dog friend. But a lot of dogs consider us their social group, and are quite content with our company.
It’s important to evaluate your dog as an individual, because some dogs truly do benefit from socializing with others on a regular basis. But I also see a lot of people put their dogs in social settings in which the dog is largely avoiding other dogs.
We might think we’re helping our dogs, but we are actually causing them stress. Not to mention all the unnecessary guilt we heap on ourselves! Were you surprised to learn this about dogs?
Life in a dog-filled apartment complex can be challenging for a dog with reactivity. One thing we’ve been focusing on with Denver is strengthening skills for encounters in the hallway.
Sometimes, a dog will appear and there’s nothing to do but walk past that dog at close range. For safety and also to help Denver feel secure and confident, Denver’s guardian is working on teaching Denver to quickly position himself between him and the wall.
This positions Denver’s guardian between Denver and the other dog. It’s essential for Denver to be able to do this quickly. Here, you see Denver responding to a verbal cue and the most gentle leash pressure.
We really want Denver to be responding largely to the verbal cue, but it’s also useful that he knows the feeling of the leash pressure will be followed by a treat. This helps him to have a positive association with that feeling. No correction is used.
Look at Denver’s enthusiasm! Well done, you two!
Sometimes it can feel hard to make time for training. The easiest way for many people is to do it is at a particular time of day, starting with a very small amount, like one minute.
This is an amount that is not so scary, and can often get you started if you are feeling intimidated. In the book The Power of Habit, we are told that the best way to establish a new habit is to attach it to an existing habit.
For instance, I generally do my training every night (except Sundays) after I put my son to bed. Because putting my son to bed happens every single night, I don’t forget to do the training. Finishing one activity reminds me to do the next one.
It’s also handy because I have a habit of watching tv afterwards, which is a nice reward for staying on track with my training goals!
What’s a habit you’d like to establish? What activity could you do it after, and what could you do to reward yourself immediately after?
The “sit” cue has a number of uses, one of my favorite of which is as a way for a dog to politely ask for things she wants.
There are a couple of common problems when teaching the sit. The first is that the dog jumps into the air to get the treat as you are raising the treat above her head.
This can often be remedied by moving the treat backward over her back, in a straight line, being sure to keep it low enough that she doesn’t jump up.
The other problem one can run into is that the dog will continue backing up in order to get the treat, and won’t actually sit down.
This is the issue Amber had been experiencing before I arrived, but in less than a minute, we solved the problem! How?
We lured her into a corner before luring her (getting her to follow) the treat above her head. This meant that she couldn’t back up, and she very quickly put her rump on the ground. Yay, Amber!
People sometimes struggle to say no to others who want to interact with their dog in public. Often, this is because we fear the judgment of others, or worry that we might offend them.
Somewhere along the way, we got the idea that our dogs have to be able to say hi to dogs and people for us to be considered good dog owners.
We think perhaps people will judge us to be bad dog owners, or wonder if our dog is deficient in some way. But the truth is that it is not the right of members of the public to interact with your dog.
When we are in public, we want other people to feel safe around our dog, but our only other priorities are that we and our dogs are happy.
It’s not our responsibility to worry about peoples’ feelings if we say no when they ask to pet our dog or have their dog come and say hi to ours. It’s important to set boundaries, and also to recognize when our guilt is misplaced.
We can decline as courteously as possible, and be more assertive if the person doesn’t listen the first time. It’s ok. “We’re training right now, but your dog is really cute! Have a great day!” is a good way to politely decline an interaction.
We can explain our reasons, but we also don’t have to justify ourselves. As my three year old son would say, “No I cannot, because I cannot.” He doesn’t feel the need to explain himself! Have you ever struggled with this? What’s your favorite way of advocating for your dog?
Dudley’s transformation during our session the other day was profound. He started out amped up at a considerable distance from my dog, and ended up walking calmly by her while we stood on the other side of a narrow street! How did this happen? Skill building, of course.
But the other huge component was his guardian working on being a good leader for him. Dogs don’t need us to be the “alpha,” which is a theory that has now been rejected as an accurate explanation for dog behavior.
They just need to know that we’ve got their backs, and will respond reliably in tough situations in a way that helps them feel safe and regulated. Contrary to what is often assumed, the vast majority of dogs aren’t reactive because they are trying to protect us.
If you have a reactive dog, you’ve probably had that experience of panic when you see a trigger approaching. Your mind goes blank as you frantically try to gain control of the situation. There was a study that dogs’ stress levels synchronize with the stress levels of their owners over time. They are extremely perceptive, and they know when we are anxious.
Thus, a super important step is working on the human end of the leash. Dudley and his guardian have an extremely strong bond, so this was crucial. Here’s some of what we did- feel free to try it yourself, and change the order if you like.
Step 1: Take a power stance– square up your shoulders, plant your feet firmly apart, and protectively place yourself between your dog and the trigger.
Step 2: Take a deep breath.
Step 3: Have a mantra that you say when you see the trigger- something like, “You’ve got this.”
Step 4: Try to shorten the leash only as much as safety necessitates – not so much that the dog feels your tension through the leash.
Step 5: Use your reactivity skills while continuing to take deep breaths.
Dudley’s guardian did a fantastic job, and Dudley responded beautifully. I am so proud of these two!!! The really cool part of this is
As humans, we want stability and control. We want to know that all our little improvements will stick- that there will be this steady upward trajectory of progress. But that’s not how life works, and it’s so important to realize the value in picking ourselves back up when things inevitably fall apart.
When we cling to some perfect end goal, we often feel pretty devastated when we feel like we’ve fallen short. If you have a mental health issue like depression, and you get caught up in the idea that all the work you’ve done on yourself means it will never come back, you can feel pretty devastated when it does.
If you have a reactive dog and get stuck in comparing yourself to people whose dogs behave differently, you may cling too hard to your goal. Your dog’s bad day may then come as a huge blow to you. Focus, instead, on the little improvements.
Yesterday went well, and today went poorly- this is life. Pick yourself back up, and remind yourself to notice the improvements over time, even though the days have their ups and downs. Some other time, perhaps tomorrow, perhaps further in the future, you’ll have to pick yourself up again.
Life is always in flux. We will never reach a state of perfection. It’s ok.
Have you noticed that we often hold our dogs to higher standards than we hold ourselves to? Sometimes, my clients with reactive dogs ask me what is reasonable for a dog to react to. Well, that’s a complicated question, but it helps to consider what we ourselves might react to.
For instance, I once had a dog jump out of a car window right in front of me as I was out walking my dogs. I imagine I probably let out a small, surprised yell.
Here’s another scenario: imagine you were walking through the woods and someone suddenly ran straight at you, shouting obscenities? How would you respond?
Yet, we often act like our dogs are being unreasonable if they yell a bit when they are charged at by a barking dog. I like to think of reactivity as overreacting to situations, but it’s worth thinking about what constitutes an overreaction.
I think it’s wonderful if we can get our dogs to respond more favorably to stressors- faster recovery, smaller reactions, etc. But to expect that no response at all should always be the norm, in all situations- is that really fair to them?
Merry’s guardian is working on a structured game of tug. Contrary to popular belief, tug does not cause aggression. However, it is important to have some rules in the game, or it’s possible you will just teach your dog how much fun it is to randomly grab at things with their mouth.
Merry’s guardian is teaching her not to grab it unless he says “Take it!” He is also working on teaching “drop it” using the tug. By stabilizing the tug against his leg, he’s able to make it boring so that she wants to release it.
Just before she does, he says, “Drop it!” Once she does, she’s rewarded- it immediately comes back to life and is fun again! An important part of playing tug is having a blend of a little teasing and a lot of letting the dog “win” and run away with the tug.
You also spend a lot of time moving away from the dog once they have the tug to build up their confidence that you are not out to steal their thing. When they keep bringing it back to you, you know you’re doing something right.
Also, Merry’s guardian is moving the tug away from her, rather than shoving it into her mouth. Squirrels never jump into mouths!
Once Merry is an enthusiastic tug nut, her guardian will work on asking her to sit every now and again. It’s a great way to work on bringing a dog’s arousal up and down.
You want a dog to be able to get very excited and then do something that involves impulse control. It’s a skill that’s really needed- think about how this might translate to door greetings, for instance.
A big thanks to John Imler for having me watch a video entitled “5 Hours of Playing Tug” during my apprenticeship. At the time, I thought, “What! 5 hours?” But actually there’s a ton to know about tug!
Booster is working on skills to help her get certified as a therapy dog. She has a perfect temperament for the job- she’s calm, confident, and really enjoys the company of people.
Here, she is working on walking without pulling, which is a skill she’ll need to pass for her therapy dog test. It’s important to really listen to our dogs if we are thinking of getting involved in a particular activity.
Plenty of dogs wouldn’t thrive as therapy or service dogs- it can be tiring for dogs to give of themselves emotionally! They are also sensitive to peoples’ emotions, and can become exhausted, just like us.
But Booster- I’m excited to see her grow into her new role!
Look at Rex in his chariot, riding like a king! His guardian made the very practical decision to get him this Pet Gear Stroller for rides into and out of their building.
They recently moved into a tall, dog-friendly building, which is an environment Rex had never before experienced in his 12 years. Rex struggles to be in close proximity to other dogs in tight spaces, and they have to be able to take the elevator since he has some physical issues and can’t handle the stairs.
Now that the stroller has been implemented, the elevator rides are no longer a source of stress for either of them! Rex does well with other dogs close by as long as he can’t see them. His guardian used some pretty fabric to cover most of the stroller.
Acclimating him to his chariot was a simple matter of feeding him kongs in there, and now he loves it! An added bonus is that now he can accompany his guardian on long walks once again- something he couldn’t do before due to his reduced stamina. Now, he can enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the world from the comfort of his safe place.
I’m so proud of Rex’s guardian for deciding to do something a little different. It takes courage to be different! But seriously- what an easy solution! She’s also doing a fantastic job of exploring her own thoughts and feelings about reactivity.
When we become aware of our own emotions when we see another dog approach, it can make a huge difference- dogs really pick up on that! Confidence building and relaxation for the human half of things is crucial.
This crate can hold up to 150 lbs, and yes- large dogs can be taught to fit into small spaces for short periods. I once taught a little dog to cram himself into a slightly too-small crate to fit on a plane for short flights. He could take breaks to stick out his head.
Do you have any unconventional things that have worked to improve your dog’s behavior? Tell us below!
Happy Thanksgiving, y’all!
When you have a complicated dog, it can be easy to get so focused on what you’d like to change that you end up losing sight of what you appreciate about them.
So on this Thanksgiving Day, take a moment to reflect on what you like about your dog. You can even do the same for your other relationships, including your relationship with yourself.
What do you appreciate about your dog, whether your dog is complicated or not? Share what you are thankful for below!
If there was one thing I wish all dogs would learn, it’s nosework. Finding things with their nose is something that can be taught to pretty much any dog- even the really fearful ones.
Did you know that dogs have more than 100 million sensory receptor sites in their nasal cavity, but humans have only 6 million? Most dogs in the world are free-roaming, and get to use their noses to forage for food. Our pet dogs are often stuck in our houses, which can be boring from a scent perspective.
It’s not uncommon for me to hear from clients, after recommending that they allow their dogs to sniff on walks, that the dog is already more calm. Sniffing actually lowers a dog’s heart rate, and sniffing the ground allows a dog to politely signal to another dog that interaction is not desired.
Some reasons why this activity is great:
1.) Easy to teach
2.) Time consuming for your dog, but takes less than a minute for you to set up. Dogs can spend ages walking around, making sure they didn’t miss one of the treats you hid
3.) Tires dogs out
4.) Satisfies one a dog’s most important, natural needs: sniffing!
5.) Easy enough that kids can help you set it up
6.) Can be done outdoors or indoors, so it’s great for all weather
7.) Confidence booster for dogs
Some caveats: some dogs will guard areas they associate with eating, and dogs who resource guard from other dogs (or adults, or kids) could get into fights over treats. This means careful planning for these dogs, or forgoing the activity.
Also, greasy treats can dirty your house, but this is easily remedied by placing the treat on top of a plate. Perishable food, if not found in a timely manner, could get moldy. Placing food high up can encourage counter surfing.
In the video, Wyatt is searching for a metal box filled with scents of birch, anise, and clove, which are scents commonly used in competition, but most people use treats.
Interested in learning more? Fenzi Dog Sports Academy offers classes on this, and Instin
We often have this idea that there is one version of “normal” that we need to get our dogs to conform to.
But dogs are just as individual as we are, and sometimes what we view as pathology is really just a dog indicating a preference in the only way they know how. Plenty of dogs would rather not socialize with other dogs or go to a brewery.
We might initially view their response in that environment as aggression, but on closer examination, we realize that the dog was just subtly stressed for sensory or individual reasons, and we missed it.
My experience in the arcade is a good example of how it’s ok to be different- my son enjoyed it, while I was in sensory overload and found it mildly stressful.
Sometimes we do decide to try and change our dogs’ behavior because it will help expand the possibilities for us to live a fulfilling life together. But sometimes, it’s ok to realize that our dogs have different interests from us.
Pretty much every new puppy parent asks me what they can do about those needle sharp puppy teeth! First, let’s understand the “why” of it, as we should always seek to with behavior.
We remove puppies from their families at a very young age. If we didn’t, they’d be spending a lot of their time romping around with their siblings, learning important social skills.
A lot of that play would involve using their mouths. With us, they are often living without playmates, so naturally, they mouth us instead.
One neat strategy for reducing this behavior is implementing regular playtime with a stuffed friend. At least as big as your puppy and somewhat firm is what to aim for- dogs are handy, but I recently saw someone using a toy lion.
If your puppy predictably starts mouthing you at you around 5 PM every night, then at 4:30 is when you bring out his little friend. They have a play session, and then you put the stuffed toy away after a given amount of time.
The key here is that you are proactive. If you wait until your puppy starts driving you nuts and then bring out the toy, then you are reinforcing your pup’s behavior.
You also don’t want to leave the stuffed animal lying around – this is a special playmate. And no, I would not be worried that this is going to cause your puppy to behave aggressively towards other dogs.
Puppies know the difference between real and fake. It is simply a healthy outlet for a natural need that can cause frustration when left unfulfilled.
*Credit for this idea goes to trainer Kim Brophey. Stuffed husky made by Melissa and Doug.
Wintertime tip #3: Poop on cue!
Winston is doing his pre-poop funny walk. If you have a dog who goes out on a leash to poop, rather than doing so in a yard, this one is a lifesaver! It’s also great for potty training dogs/puppies. And it’s easy!
Simply observe your dog for that special “poop walk” they do right before they squat. Just when they are about to squat, say your cue: “Make a poopy!” or whatever you like.
Immediately after they finish squatting, give a delicious treat and act like they just did the coolest thing ever. Voila!
You can eventually phase out the treat…the relief of pooping is its own reward. But a little praise never hurts.
One thing to avoid: don’t say your cue until that squat is just starting to happen. If you keep repeating it while your dog is walking around sniffing, your dog won’t know to connect it to the action of pooping.
There is something oddly touching about watching your dog try to poop when you ask them to, even if they can’t.
It’s just simple training, but somehow, I just get that feeling of, “Wow, they try so hard for us.” You know? A little sentimental, maybe, but dogs are so cool.
It was so heartwarming watching Pici during our session. The first time we met, which was over zoom, Pici was quite nervous about the whole training process.
She quickly opted out and walked into a different room to seek out her safe space. Mind you, her people were doing a great job and weren’t doing anything you might expect would scare a dog.
Fast forward just a few sessions, and Pici has realized that training is amazing! While we are training them, our dogs are also training us.
What a thrill it is when a dog who lacks confidence suddenly realizes they can make us reward them if only they do certain things first!
Pici was a totally different dog than the one I first observed- I could see her actively trying to figure out what her people wanted.
Also of great significance was the fact that she was doing all of this with me there.
Pici has historically struggled to relax with strangers in the house, and the fact that she was able to be clear-headed and joyful with me there was a huge deal. She felt safe enough to ignore me.
By the way, we were working on “settle” to prepare Pici for life with a toddler. Toddlers are wild, and it’s helpful when we can teach dogs to move away from them on cue to seek out a safe space.
Of course, we also need to make sure we are not always putting it on our dogs to move away- being constantly disturbed is stressful, particularly if a dog has any hidden pain.
Wintertime Tip #2: Enrichment banking!
This is a useful concept for any time of year. If your schedule varies and you know you have more time to meet your dog’s needs on one day than another, you can really go all out that day to prepare for the following day.
For example, if I know it’s going to rain the next day, I will often take my dogs on a decompression walk that is twice as long the day before.
That way, they have a little enrichment put away in the bank for the next day when they don’t get to go for a walk.
How much you can get away with this strategy depends on your dog’s energy level, and also on how well your dog’s needs are generally being met.
A dog who has a lot of unmet needs might not do so well with this. But for me, it’s a real lifesaver because I have an irregular schedule that often has me returning home after dark.
How do you make it work with a dog who is super high energy when you don’t have a super high energy lifestyle?
The aptly named Merry is an adolescent Irish setter with energy to spare. Her joyful nature is contagious. But her high needs, left unfulfilled, tend to bleed over into behaviors like jumping and barking for things she wants.
With a dog whose breed makeup is known, a nice starting point is considering what the dog was bred for. We might expect an Irish setter to enjoy sniffing, nature, and running – and these are all a hit for Merry!
The flirt pole was a wild success for her. I wish more people knew about flirt poles– it’s basically like one of those strings on a stick with a toy at the end that cats play with, but bigger.
For Merry, it’s an excellent way to intersperse lots of high energy running and play with impulse control activities, such as drop it and sit.
It’s also nice because you don’t have to move your body a ton as you trail it along the ground for the dog to follow.
When using a flirt pole, it’s good to be mindful of a dog’s physical health and life stage. Merry is still less than a year old, so it’s important to protect her developing joints by not having her jump into the air while chasing the toy. If you have any doubts, checking with your vet first is always a good idea.
Here, you can see Mary digging around in a ball pit to look for food. This is a nice way for her to burn off mental energy as she enjoys using her nose.
This was at the end of our lesson, after Merry had burned off a lot of energy. We’ve also taught her to forage in the grass for her kibble, which takes ages and tires her out.
What is your favorite go-to activity to fulfill your dog while burning off energy?
Socialization field trip for Wally! I came across an old client not too long ago with her no full grown dog. I had first met him when he was a puppy.
His guardian told me that one thing I said had really stuck with her. I had suggested she take him places and simply allow him to observe from comfortable distance.
She had committed to doing this, and it was super cool to see the outcome in her dog. He was now well-adjusted and out enjoying the world!
Getting puppies out to experience the world is so crucial! The critical socialization period, when they are most likely to be open to new experiences, ends sometime between 12 and 16 weeks.
This is also a time when puppies are not fully vaccinated, so it’s important to avoid having them walk around in areas that are heavily trafficked by other dogs. But much of socialization does not involve interacting with people or dogs at all.
Pet stores are a great place to visit, and you can keep a puppy safe by holding them or having them sit on a towel or bed in a shopping cart. They also have strollers made for dogs!
A crucial part of the experience is making sure the puppy is having a really good time. Otherwise, the outing is doing the opposite of what we want it to do.
For more information, safe puppy socialization, please visithttps://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Puppy_Socialization_Position_Statement_Download_-_10-3-14.pdf
