Howie's Happy Dog Training

27/05/2025

Just almost exactly what I have been preaching for years! In the words of the man that just about created/popularized positive training & and is considered possibly the best behavior guy there is, and a person I follow closely, Ian Dunbar!

From today on, I shall not be writing lengthy posts on FaceBook. Most of what I have to say is already written down in 'Barking Up the Right Tree', or available from the 'Science-Based Dog Training (with Feeling)' seminar. I shall use this page to post doggy photos and videos accompanied by short info-snippets. My posts and comments about dog behavior and training will largely be reserved for The Top Dog Academy private page for those that subscribe to Dunbar Academy. Personal stuff and keeping in touch will be reserved for my private FB page. I need more beaches and books, gardening, and Jamie- and Mars-time in my life. This page will remain the thrust for the two things that I feel I must do, (explained in glorious detail in my previous obscenely long post a couple of days ago): 1. PREVENT the development of utterly predictable temperament problems that destroy the quality of life for dogs and their people... for life, by making sure that every new and prospective puppy owner is informed of the extreme urgency and importance of socialization very young puppies, safely with PEOPLE, and teach young puppies to enjoy quiet little moment on their own (with food-stuffed chewtoys) to to teach them to thoroughly enjoy the longer times that they will be left at home alone as adolescents. 2. Coordinating an International Directory of Off-leash Puppy Class Instructors to promote to veterinarians to refer to their new puppy clients, so they receive the time-sensitive puppy raising info. to PREVENT ALL TEMPERAMENT PROBLEMS (like we did in the 80s, 90's, and 00's. Both objectives will be accomplished by promoting the online FreePupBooks program to dog owners and professionals Worldwide. I sincerely hope that you will help me spread the word.

30/11/2024

23/11/2024

A Letter from the Rainbow Bridge
Hi, Mom, Dad,
Now that I’ve been across The Rainbow Bridge for a couple weeks, they said I should write a letter home. Sorry, Mom but I’m so busy ‘across the bridge’ that I haven’t thought of home much. They said it’s okay and that you would understand. I hope you do. (I think you will.)
Remember that night when I wasn’t feeling very well and we were all crying? I don’t remember much, but I do remember seeing and hearing all of you and feeling your touches and hugs…I remember hearing “we love you” and that one last command of “Go through”. I didn’t know what you meant, so I turned around and walked through the fog that was in front of me. I saw the biggest bridge I’ve ever seen! And so many friends on the other side of it! They were all playing with toys and balls! You were right to tell me to go there!
My feet kept moving forward, but my heart kept pulling me back. Your touches became lighter and lighter and I wanted to come back and nudge your hands for more love, but I was overcome by this feeling of curiosity for the happy place over the bridge! My feet started moving on their own, like a gentle breeze was moving them forward for me! I can’t explain it, but I had no doubt that it was the right thing to do!
So, I walked across that big, huge bridge by myself! I looked for you, because you’re always by my side, walking with me, but this was different. I didn’t have a collar around my neck or a leash connecting me to you ~ I was ‘free’! Even though you weren’t there with me, I never felt alone! I actually felt like I had a huge cape of love wrapped around my body and the more I walked, the easier it was to breathe! So, I kept walking! And I would feel more warmth in the big hug, so I kept on walking! I eventually made it over the big bridge – I did it by myself, mom. When I got here, all of my new friends greeted me and helped me walk off the bridge ~ it was so cool! They gave me a pair of wings and said that I was now a Guardian Angel!
What I’ve learned over these past few weeks has been amazing and nothing like I’ve seen before! We’re all the same up here ~ we all have wings and we all have Forever People to watch over ~ that’s YOU, mom !You’re my Forever Person and I’m your Forever Dog! We had such a great life together and I do miss you a LOT, but please know that I am so happy in my new home across The Bridge!
I’ll send you another Earth Angel so you won’t be alone. Give them your whole heart, like you gave it to me. I’ll check in every so often to make sure they treasure your love ~ I always did! When you miss me, think of a rainbow and know I’m on the other side of it, waiting to walk with you again. I’ll always be in your heart. I love you, mom!
Time for me to go play...
Credit: Charles Putney
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08/11/2024

Hello again friends;

I apologize for the delay in getting to the last post about failing to assume positive leadership.

So, what are some of the common signs of, and problems created by failed leadership?

A few questions to think about.
When you’re about to take your dog for a walk, you get them in leash and collar, you go to the door and open the door, who goes through the doorway first?

When walking your dog, does your dog remain at your side or behind you, or are they leading/pulling you down the street?

If you have stairs in your home, and you start to go either up or down the stairs, does your dog feel compelled to get to the top or the bottom of the staircase ahead of you?

Let’s say you’re just chilling out, and your dog comes to you seeking attention. So you love on your dog for 10 or 15 minutes, and then stop. What does your dog do? Does he/she lay down calmly, or walk away to do something else? Or does the dog bump you with his/her nose, directing you to continue the petting?

If your dog insists on being the first out the door, and likes to lead you down the street(I do not mean to imply that this is the ONLY reason your dogs lead you), and has to be the first to get to the top or the bottom of the stairway, or directs you to continue petting in them, these are all indications of excessive dominance in a dog.

Do you have a pushy/ bossy dog, that is commonly directing your behavior? Excessive dominance.

When a dog has not been shown positive leadership, they tend to assume that they’re the alpha . Then they believe that they have to take on the responsibilities of the alpha.
There are three particular responsibilities that they believe they must assume that are problematic.

1) I must control the behavior of the pack.
2) I must lead the pack in most all situations.
3) it’s my job to protect the pack.

This is where the problems begin.
Besides the issues that I have already covered, there is another rather serious problem for the dog.

The dog that has been led to believe that he or she is the alpha will have an internal conflict, that creates an excessively high stress level for the dog, often creating anxiety issues. Here’s the conflict.
At some point deep within the dog, he or she will know that they cannot really be the alpha of a human canine pack. So the conflict is. ……………
I have to be the alpha!
I can’t be the alpha!
I have to be the alpha!
I can’t really be the alpha .

A couple of additional guidelines, to add it to the ones I gave in my last post.
Remember, that anytime, a dog elevates him/herself, they are not just elevating themselves physically, they are elevating their dominance. So, if you are someone that allows, your dog on the furniture, it should be by invitation only. If they get up on the furniture without your permission, they should be made to get off.

In the last post, I talked about how the lower ranking dogs will go to their elevated alpha/beta to seek attention, and that they do it in a very specific way. That way is that they will begin, licking the face of the alpha/beta somewhere between the nose and the jawline.
This is called submissive posturing. And it literally in canine language says “YOU ARE THE BOSS” , tell me what to do!

So, for those of you who like to kiss your dog in the face, anywhere between his nose and his jawline, you are literally telling the dog that he/see is your boss!
I am not saying, you can’t kiss your dog, just don’t do it between the nose and the jawline. What I usually recommend is to put a finger or two on the dogs nose push down, so the dog is looking at the ground, and then kiss the dog on top of the head.

So now I have talked about the two biggest most common mistakes that people make that create serious issues. I know that there are many more issues out there, that most people have no clue how to resolve.

Please bear in mind there are typically multiple options in ways to resolve problematic issues. I generally like to pick which option is the best, based on my knowledge of the individual dog!

So at this point, if there are any particular issues, that anyone would like me to elaborate on, please feel free to post them in comments. I obviously can’t promise I’ll get to all of them. And I can’t guarantee that any answer I give will be the right/best answer for any particular dog. So I will try to respond with my best answer in general, for most dogs with whatever the issue is!

Until then, Adios, friends.

28/10/2024

Everyone who is thinking of getting dogs should read this because you need to understand this reality:

***I am a 21st century dog.***
-I'm a Malinois.
Overskilled among dogs, I excel in all disciplines and I'm always ready to work: I NEED to work.
But nowadays I get asked to chill on the couch all day everyday.

-I am an Akita Inu.
My ancestors were selected for fighting bears.
Today I get asked to be tolerant and I get scolded for my reactivity when another approaches me.

-I am a Beagle.
When I chase my prey, I raise my voice so the hunters could follow.
Today they put an electric collar on me to shut up, and you make me come back to you - no running - with a snap of your fingers.

-I am a Yorkshire Terrier.
I was a terrifying rat hunter in English mines.
Today they think I can't use my legs and they always hold me in their arms.

-I'm a Labrador Retriever.
My vision of happiness is a dive into a pond to bring back the duck he shot to my master.
Today you forget I'm a walking, running, swimming dog; as a result I'm fat, made to stay indoors, and to babysit.

-I am a Jack Russell.
I can take on a fox, a mean badger, and a rat bigger than me in his den.
Today I get scolded for my character and high energy, and forced to turn into a quiet living room dog.

-I am a Siberian Husky.
Experienced the great, wide open spaces of Northern Europe, where I could drag sleds for long distances at impressive speeds.
Today I only have the walls of the house or small garden as a horizon, and the holes I dig in the ground just to release energy and frustration, trying to stay sane.

-I am a border collie
I was made to work hours a day in partnershipwith my master, and I am an unmistakable artist of working with the herd.
Today they are mad at me because, for lack of sheep, I try to check bikes, cars, children in the house and everything in motion.

I am ...
I am a 21st century dog.
I'm pretty, I'm alert, I'm obedient, I stay in a bag...but I'm also an individual who, from centuries of training, needs to express my instincts, and I am *not* suited for the sedentary life you'd want me to lead.
Spending eight hours a day alone in the house or in the garden - with no work and no one to play or run with, seeing you for a short time in the evening when you get home, and only getting a small toilet walk will make me deeply unhappy.
I'll express it by barking all day, turning your yard into a minefield, doing my needs indoors, being unmanageable the rare times I'll find myself outside, and sometimes spending my days sunk, sad, lonely, and depressed, on my pillow.
You may think that I should be happy to be able to enjoy all this comfort while you go to work, but actually I’ll be exhausted and frustrated, because this is absolutely NOT what I'm meant to do, or what I need to be doing.
If you love me, if you've always dreamed of me, if my beautiful blue eyes or my athletic look make you want me, but you can't give me a real dog's life, a life that's really worth living according to my breed, and if you can't offer me the job that my genes are asking, DO NOT buy or adopt me!
If you like the way I look but aren't willing to accept my temperament, gifts, and traits derived from long genetic selection, and you think you can change them with only your good will, then DO NOT BUY OR ADOPT ME.
I’m a dog from the 21st century, yes, but deep inside me, the one who fought, the one who hunted, the one who pulled sleds, the one who guided and protected a herd still lives within.
So think **very** carefully before you choose your dog. And think about getting two, rather than one, so I won't be so very lonely waiting for you all day. Eight or ten hours is just a workday to you, but it's an eternity for me to be alone.

27/10/2024

It's important to continue the the conversation about failing to provide positive leadership for your dog.

Why is this such an important thing? Remember - dogs are pack animals. And, every person or dog that your dog meets is either above them or below them in rank structure.
If your dog doesn't see you as the leader of the pack, no matter how much he/she considers you her pal, it doesn't necessarily mean they will feel compelled to do what you want them to do.

One thing I typically tell my clients is this:
𝗜𝗻 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗟𝗬 𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗟𝗬 𝗼𝗸𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗽𝗵𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸.

As long as your dog clearly understands the cues that you're giving him/her throughout the training process, the dog should be willing to do what you want them to do.

However, what I've typically encountered throughout my years of working with clients who don't understand why their dog doesn't listen to them, is that owners unknowingly fail to provide positive leadership. This implies to the dog that they are the leader of the pack.

Of course, nobody does this intentionally. In fact, it happens almost automatically in a typical pet home. As I mentioned previously, a typical pet owner is giving their new dog an excessive amount of attention, and not asking for anything in return. In nature, the alpha of the pack rarely - if ever - goes to the lower ranking dogs to give them attention. Instead, what happens is that when the alpha/beta go to rest, the lower ranking dogs come to them seeking attention, and they do it in a very specific way.

If that’s the case, and you're continuously going to your dog to give them attention, then what is the unintentional message you're sending your dog?

They are the alpha.

So, while this isn't intended to diminish the amount of attention you give your young dog, remember this:
Don’t go to them, call them to you!

Another thing to understand is that in nature, canines eat in rank order. Alpha, then Beta, then Delta, all the way down to the omega.

Take a guess at what happens in the typical pet family household?
The dog is typically fed before the people are, again signaling to the dog that he/she is more important than the person feeding, and hence above them in rank structure.

Don't worry - there's a simple fix for this! Make sure to feed yourself and your family before feeding your dog. If there is not going to be an actual meal, let your dog see you eat just a couple bites of something before feeding them.

The next idea mainly applies if you have a working breed, herding breed, or a terrier.

Many people like to put their little puppies in their laps and keep them there for a while. What's important to understand is that in the canine world when a dog puts any part of his body over any part of your body (or another dog’s) this is dominance posturing.

You can often see this in play, anytime two or more dogs are together. What you will see is that the dog that considers himself dominant will place either a paw, or his head over the back or shoulders of who he or she hopes is less dominant, in an attempt to assert rank structure. The same idea applies to us in relation to the dog. By letting your dog spend a lot of time with his body over yours, you are indicating to the dog that he is your alpha, or at least above you in rank structure.
And, if you are in fact the one placing your dog above or over your body, you are clearly telling them in canine body language, that they are above you in rank structure, and they are in charge.

Remember friends, we never want to be adversarial to our dogs. I believe the correct viewpoint should be that you, your dog, and the rest of your pack, whether human or canine are on the same team, trying to achieve the same goals together. Of course you should live in peace and harmony! The only difference is that YOU are the captain of the team! So YOU get to decide what happens, and who has what jobs within the pack, as well as the rank structure of the pack.

21/10/2024

Hello friends!

Today, I'd like to talk about another serious mistake that I see dog owners make over and over again. It's something that causes almost as many problems as not socializing your dog correctly.

So what exactly am I referring to?
The failure to achieve positive leadership over the dog.

What happens in a typical pet owner’s home when they bring home their new dog, especially if it is a puppy?

They start showering the dog with love and affection and attention. Oftentimes, this means petting/loving on the dog for extended periods of time, and not asking for anything in return.
They commonly play with the dog, again for extended periods of time, and again not ask for anything in return. And they will commonly give their puppy treats, often for no particular reason.

Now, it makes sense why people do this. Everyone wants their new puppy to love them as much as they love the puppy! The thing is — it's not necessary. Dogs are famous for giving us one thing that we don’t get from any other animal, and sometimes not even from the people we love.

••UNCONDITIONAL LOVE••

Unless you are downright abusive, or overtly neglectful, you will get unconditional love from your dog!

What happens is that the typical pet owner doesn't have an accurate understanding of how dogs perceive and respond to the world. They tend to think of their dogs as if they’re furry little people, often doing ridiculous things like speaking to their dogs in full sentences, and believing that the dog understands them. This is, simply put, impossible. You can teach a dog one word at a time in relation to a specific behavior or thing.

What happens next, is that because people are thinking of their dogs in this way, they start treating the dog as if they are equals — and this is where the problems begin.

Despite what some people might think, dogs cannot understand equality. The concept just doesn't exist for dogs. In a dog's brain, anyone they meet (human or canine), they are either above or below the dog in rank structure.

The average person may think that dominance means that they have to be controlling to the point of abuse, or in fact, “mean” to their dog in order to be the Alpha -AKA to show them who's Boss. However, in my 52 years of working with dogs and their people, it's become abundantly clear that you DO NOT have to be mean, abusive, or overly controlling to be the Alpha. No true Alpha acts that way.

In reality, all that needs to be done is to draw a line in the sand. You want to teach your puppy that he can go right up to the line, but not cross it.
•Take time to guide the puppy into the correct belief system about the experiences that it has.
•Lead the puppy into situations where the most obvious likely outcome is that the puppy does learn the correct belief system.
•Teach the puppy his place within the human-canine pack.

As the Alpha, you offer gentle guidance into teaching the dog what behaviors are acceptable and which are not.

Any time that your puppy exhibits the correct behavior in a situation, they are rewarded with SOMETHING meaningful. This doesn't have to be an edible treat! For many dogs, during informal “real life” training, sincere verbal or physical praise, or a toy, or a minute or two of fun play with the Alpha (or other pack member) can work just as well, or even better than a typical doggie treat!

When your puppy makes a mistake, they need to be shown, in a way that he/she can understand and without being abusive, that it was in fact the wrong choice of behaviors.
Simple operant conditioning!

MORE TO COME

If you're finding this information helpful, please feel free to tag your fellow dog parents!

16/10/2024

What is the third goal of Socialization?

Your dog should have the opportunity to be exposed to, and have a positive experience with, every situation they could possibly encounter in their entire life.

Some examples are:
•Friends homes
•Relatives homes
•Parks
•Playgrounds
•Strip malls
•Big empty parking lots
•Full parking lots
•Big empty fields (with both short & tall grass)
•Woods/hiking trails
•Any business that is pet friendly.
•Any other situation that you can think of!

Keep in mind that when bringing your puppy to another person’s home, it is generally not a good idea to just walk in with the pup. The dogs should meet outside first, ideally in a neutral area that doesn’t “ belong” to either dog.

Now, I could name at least 20 businesses local to me that are pet friendly. This is obviously not true everywhere, but it's not hard to find pet friendly businesses with a quick Google search. Another option is Bringfido.com. simply enter your town or ZIP Code and it will give you plenty of local options to look at, separated by category.

Again, your goal is to create positive experiences in each of these new locations. A lot of young puppies will show stress when entering new places, particularly if it is a large location. In order to minimize your pup's anxiety, I recommend to always have your dog hungry before you begin socializing! Remember, keep your their favorite treats with you — As you walk into any new business, before your dog is even all the way through the door, offer a large handful of the treats to the dog. After you’ve done this several times when first entering new businesses, your dog will start to develop a positive attitude about entering new places - simply because of the handful of treats that the visit starts with! This is my favorite way to ensure I'm creating positive Socialization experiences with my young dogs!

14/10/2024

Dog Training Tip of the Day

Why is correct socialization so critical?

You may feel that it doesn’t matter if your dog is socialized or not, because your dog doesn't leave the house. But, it's important to understand that the first 16 weeks of a dog’s life are foundational for the dog's entire future.

In nature, any wild canine is exposed to a wide variety of sensory inputs and experiences. The canine brain is designed to develop based on this.

If you aren't at least close to achieving the goals I'm giving you, the normal development of the canine brain actually stops at around 18 weeks of age. Once this happens, it opens the dog up to the potential development of quirky or unusual behaviors.

These will generally develop during one of 4 developmental cycles (more on these developmental cycles later). Typically, these first appear as fear.

As a canine behavior specialist, the vast majority of critical work I do relates to either regular fear, or fear based reactivity. On average, I work with 60-65 dogs with fear-based behavioral issues annually.

Have you ever seen a nervous, anxious, or just generally worried dog? This is most likely due to a lack of correct socialization. This lack of proper socialization leads to dogs who are likely to have continuously high levels of stress and/or anxiety. This is why proper socialization is so important.

Socialization Goal #2

The dog should have the opportunity to meet, play with, and have a positive experience with 30 to 50 dogs by 16 weeks.

One of the most common reasons this doesn't occur, is often created by a client‘s veterinarian. Many vets will tell you when you bring your puppy in for their shots and exam, to absolutely keep your puppy away from all other dogs due to the possibility of picking up a dangerous disease. Unfortunately, this just isn't the case.

Your puppy cannot pick up a disease from another immunized dog. Of all the people you know that have dogs, how many do you think have not had their vaccines? Most likely, they have all had their shots as puppies.

The best thing to do when you get your puppy, is reach out to friends and family that have dogs. Once you confirm that they’ve had their shots, try arranging a play date for your puppy!

However, because of the higher risk, you absolutely don't want to take your puppy to places where numerous strange dogs will go to.
•pet stores
•dog parks
•hiking trails
••Veterinary hospital.

That's correct - the Vet is where your puppy is most likely to get sick! Where do sick dogs go?
In order to minimize risk when you bring your puppy to the vet, always carry him/her in and keep them on your lap while in the waiting room. Only put them down only on the exam table, which by regulation must be sterilized between each dog. Then, carry them out.

Happy Socializing!

12/10/2024

Dog Training Tip of the Day

Today, we are going to talk about socialization!
•What IS socialization?
•How do I correctly socialize my dog?

There are two commonly used definitions for socialization. One was created for people that can be applied to dogs, and the other was created specifically for our canine friends.

The definition of the one that was created for people, says that socialization is the continued exposure to such a variety of sensory stimulation & experiences, that there is no anti-social behavior whatsoever.

The definition of the one that was created for dogs, says that socialization is the process by which the dog comes to view the entire world as a friendly and accepting place.

Recent research shows that the first of 3 guidelines should be achieved by 12 weeks of age. However, that guideline had previously been 16 weeks. From personal experience, I can tell you that I've never met a dog who'd met these guidelines by 16 weeks, that had any further socialization issues. Therefore, this is the guideline I prefer.

That being said, there are 3 targets that should be met for every dog by 16 weeks of age. Today, I'll be sharing my knowledge and experience regarding the best ways to meet that first goal.

GOAL 1:
The first goal that should be met, states that every puppy should have the opportunity to meet, be physically handled by, and have a positive experience with 100 human beings. This includes every kind of human:

•regardless of skin color, height, weight, or age
•people who walk or are on a bicycle, as well as those with disabilities who may have a cane, crutches, wheelchair, or be missing a limb
•people who are wearing different types of clothing and accessories, and those covered in tattoos and/or piercings
•people who speak a variety of accents and/or languages
•people carrying things, such as an armful of packages or groceries.
•people with brightly colored hair
•Ideally, 30 out of the 100 are children!

••It's important to note that dogs are often triggered by particularly large men (either in height, girth, or both), as well as hats & sunglasses.

Remember, we are not looking for neutral experiences. We are looking to create positive experiences for our young dogs, in order to show them that the world is indeed a friendly and accepting place! Therefore, I recommend having each of these 100 people give your dog a small treat.

I'll be back tomorrow to talk about the next two goals of Socialization. In the mean time get your pups out of the house to meet some new people!