The Dog's Frolics

Dog Trainer Victoria Stilwell shares her top tips for tackling your doggie problems...

Hundreds of you sent in pictures of your pesky pooches - to see a selection, click here.

And, if your canine could benefit from some obedience training or behavioural therapy, then Dog Trainer Victoria Stilwell has these top tips:

Why is my dog straining on its lead?

Contrary to popular (but flawed) belief, dogs do not pull on the lead while being walked because they want to be pack leader, top dog, Alpha or be dominant over their human.  There is a much simpler explanation that does not give credence to some people’s paranoia that dogs are on a quest for world domination! Dogs love to be outside and the walk is a stimulating and exciting part of their day so the desire to push ahead is very strong. Humans do not make ideal walking partners since a dog’s natural and comfortable walking pace is much faster than ours. Having to walk calmly by a person’s side when the only thing a dog really wants to do is run and investigate his environment, requires a degree of impulse control which can be very difficult for some dogs to utilize. A lead, though vital for safety, can also be frustrating as being ‘tied’ to a person essentially stops a dog’s ability to act naturally. That being said, all dogs need to be taught how to walk on a lead in a positive way without pain or discomfort so that a walk becomes enjoyable for everyone.

If you are overpowered by your dog’s pulling and cannot start the teaching process for fear of being pulled over then there are humane equipment solutions to help modify the pulling while you teach your dog to walk appropriately. A chest-led harness is a perfect training aid as it takes pressure off a dog’s sensitive neck by distributing the pressure more evenly around the body. When the lead is attached to a ring located on the chest strap and your dog pulls, the harness will turn his body around rather than allowing him to go forward. I recommend this kind of harness for anyone who needs extra help as safety has to come first.

Lead pulling is often successful for the dog because the person inadvertently reinforces the pulling by allowing their dog to get to where he wants to go when he pulls. But you can change this picture by changing the consequence for your dog. When he pulls, immediately stop and stand completely still until the lead relaxes, either by your dog taking a step back or turning around to give you focus. When the lead is nicely relaxed, proceed on your walk. Repeat this as necessary. If you find this technique too slow you can try the reverse direction method. When your dog pulls, issue a let’s go cue, turn away from him and walk off in the other direction, without jerking on the lead. You can avoid yanking by motivating your dog to follow you with an excited voice to get his attention. When he is following you and the lead is relaxed, turn back and continue on your way. It might take a few turns but your vocal cues and body language will be clear: pulling will not be reinforced with forward movement, but walking calmly by your side or even slightly in front of you on a loose lead will allow your dog to get to where he wants to go. You can also reinforce your dog’s decision to walk close to you by giving him a motivating reward when he is by your side.

Once your dog is listening to you more, you can vary the picture even more by becoming unpredictable yourself. This means your dog has to listen to you at all times because he never knows when you are going to turn or where you are going to go next. Instead of turning away from him when you give the let’s go cue, reverse direction by turning towards him. You can turn in a circle or do a figure of eight. Any of these variations will get your dog’s attention. Do not forget to praise him for complying because the better you make him feel walking close to you, the more he will chose to do so.

Lead lunging /reactivity and/or aggressive response are all behaviours that are exacerbated by a dog feeling restrained, frustrated and uncomfortable in a social situation. In normal circumstances, an unleashed dog would be able to put sufficient distance between him and a fear source. But if the same dog is leashed and unable to increase distance, he will react or behave defensively in the hope that the fear source will go away.  If his behaviour is validated by success and distance is increased, he is likely to react in the same manner again when faced with a similar stimulus. Walking a lead lunger is not a pleasant experience and the anticipation of a problem tends to cause human tension which is transmitted down the lead to the dog, effectively making the lunging behaviour worse.  Dog and owner are then locked in a viscous cycle of tension and lead lunging that becomes hard to change. You can stop the fearful lunger by first identifying the cause of his discomfort and then working to desensitize him to the stimulus that makes him uncomfortable while conditioning him to see that the stimulus is no longer cause for concern. Dogs that are social but lunge on a lead because of frustration have to be taught that lunging achieves nothing, while calm behaviour results in the dog being able to greet.  If you have a social, yet frustrated dog, simply turn and walk him away from the source until he is calm and only allow him to greet only when the lead is loose.

Do not punish a dog that lunges on the lead for any reason, especially if the cause of the behaviour is insecurity, which is the case for most dogs. Put the emphasis on giving your dog something else to do in that moment instead of using punishment, which will help him be more comfortable in the situation. Punishment makes lead lunging behaviour worse and a dog more insecure because the dog begins to associate the punishment with the stimulus that it fears. For example, if your dog does not like other dogs and is punished for reacting badly each time he sees another dog, the visual of the dog will then be associated with the fear or pain of the punishment. Therefore in the dog’s mind, seeing a dog means unpleasant things happen to him, which promotes a really negative association: approaching dogs equal pain or fear. By using positive reinforcement techniques you can actually change the way your dog feels about a certain situation for the better and therefore change his emotional and behavioural response. For example, when your dog sees another dog in the distance and is curious but not yet uncomfortable, bring out his favourite toy or food and play with him or feed him. The toys or food you use have to be of the highest value and only used when doing this teaching around other dogs.  Playing or feeding your dog will help him to not only focus on something else when he is in the proximity of another dog, but the pleasure he gets playing or eating will change the way he perceives the outcome of that dog’s presence. Now he is associating the sight of another dog with positive things happening to him that make him feel good. This is the key to changing the way a dog feels. Remember punishment serves to suppress behaviour at that moment, but does not help to change the way a dog feels emotionally, while using these positive techniques will have longer lasting success.

Desensitizing your dog to a perceived threat, i.e. an approaching dog, may happen very quickly or might take time, but every dog is different and it is important to go at your dog’s pace. To teach your dog to be comfortable with other dogs passing by, start by having a friend or trainer bring their calm, non-reactive dog to help you. Begin the training by having them stand at a distance where your dog is comfortable and can focus on other things. Play a game your dog enjoys, give him his favourite toy or feed him some delicious food. If your dog shows no signs of discomfort ask your helper to bring their dog a little closer. Continue to play or feed your dog and give plenty of praise. If at any time your dog reacts negatively, simply turn around and walk away from the situation until he calms down enough to play again or accept food. If this is not the case, move the helper dog back to a distance where your dog can relax and repeat the process. It might take time depending on your dog’s level of discomfort, but do not give up, as this training technique has an impressive success rate. Stay calm and relaxed yourself throughout the process and gradually work up to the point where the other dog is able to walk past as your dog focuses on you or stays calmly by your side.

When you get to the point where you can walk past other dogs with no reaction at all your dog might be ready to experience his first greeting. I never allow unconfident dogs to greet face to face to begin with as it can be too much pressure, so practice following the other dog or walking parallel with each other until both dogs are comfortable. If your dog is relaxed then you can both walk in an arc towards each other, have your dogs greet for a few seconds face to face and then happily draw them away from each other, rewarding them for making this huge step. When it is appropriate, try going for regular walks with your dog’s new friend and begin adding other dogs to the mix until you can get a regular walking group together. Simply experiencing the joys of a walk with other dogs will help your dog feel more comfortable around them.

Some lead lungers need a security blanket when they walk. These act rather like a pacifier or children’s dummy. These dogs find it really comforting to carry something that they love in their mouth for all or part of the walk, keeping them relaxed in the environment. A beloved toy might be all you need to help your dog relax.

Whether your dog is pulling on the leash because he has not been taught to walk appropriately or is lunging because he is frustrated or insecure, there are many effective ways to change his behaviour without relying on punitive techniques to do it. The secret of this training is patience and understanding your dog’s experience. Observe your dog as he walks and never miss a chance to give positive feedback if he does something that you like. For example, if your lead lunger now makes a decision to look at you, sniff the ground, turn his back, sit or lie down, or offer any other behaviour other than lunging at the other dog walking by, reward that choice and make him feel good about making the right decision. He will make it again the next time he is in a similar situation.

Why is my dog not listening to my commands?

Punitive training techniques that centre on gaining control of your dog by dominating her into obeying can damage the human/animal bond and cause your dog to mistrust you and essentially switch off. You want to ‘matter’ to her by being the source of good things in her life, so that whenever you need her attention, she will give it to you. For so long people have been putting the emphasis on their dog’s need to be ‘obedient’ rather than ‘cooperative.’ We issue ‘commands’ rather than focusing on teaching the dog ‘cues’ by attaching these cues to actions or behaviours that we want. Motivating your dog to learn these cues by using rewards that make her feel good, will go a long way to getting the response you desire, even in the most distracting of environments. Any reward that is used to motivate your dog to learn should be of high value until she is responding reliably.  When this has been achieved the high value reward can then be used intermittently.    Even though food treats are a really effective training tool, some dogs are motivated by other rewards such as toys, play, praise, or simply being touched. I have trained many dogs using a game of tug as the reward, a kind word, or a ‘life reward’ such as asking the dog to sit before opening the door and then rewarding her for complying by going for a walk. I also like to vary rewards so that the dog never knows what is coming next or use what I call ‘multi- motivators’ such as a food/ toy/praise combination for the desired response. Whatever you decide to do, a reward is going to make learning fun for your dog, improve her confidence and build up a strong bond between you. Remember the key to cooperation and compliance is trust and motivation and the more exciting and valued you are to your dog, the more she will listen to you in every situation.

Why is my dog soiling all over the house?

Toileting ‘accidents’ are some of the most common issues I encounter, driving owners to insanity and dogs into confinement. Because toileting is a necessary behaviour essential for removing bodily waste and toxins, the amount of dogs that are given up by their families and surrendered to rescue shelters because of toileting problems is very high.

Elimination is closely linked to physical and emotional health, so how frequently a dog toilets, where and in what situation, are the first questions I ask my clients. Dogs, like humans, eliminate to rid the body of harmful waste and when a previously housetrained dog begins to toilet inappropriately, it is up to me to find the cause, starting with an investigation into the dog’s physical and mental state.

Successful housetraining is one of the first things a puppy or dog will learn in a home, and even though the learning process can be time consuming, it does not have to be daunting. By employing a combination of consistency, common sense, and positive reinforcement protocols, a dog can quickly learn. Housetraining is also an invaluable building block which helps dogs and people better understand one another while developing a personalized communication process. This understanding results in a strong bond based on mutual trust and respect that helps ensure both parties enjoy a healthy relationship.

Before starting the housetraining process it is important to realize that for new puppies or untrained dogs, there is no good reason in their minds why they should not toilet inside the home. It is up to people to give their dogs the tools they need to succeed in a domestic world, and that starts with helping them learn where it is appropriate to toilet.   There are a number of ways to toilet train a dog successfully and it really depends in what environment someone lives in. People, who live in urban environments with no garden, tend to paper train their puppies until the pups have had all their vaccinations at approximately sixteen weeks old. When it is safe for the puppy to be outside, the transition between paper training inside and toileting outside can be made. Those with gardens or a safe outside area might use a combination of training pads and outside toileting, while others will skip pads altogether and take their pups straight outside numerous times a day.

For those who want to paper train their dog the following guidelines can be followed:

• Create an area or ‘safe zone’ where the puppy can be confined when unsupervised.  This can be either a pen or a small puppy-proofed room with the pup’s bed or crate, food and water bowl.
• Line the entire area with training pads. At first the puppy will toilet everywhere but always on the pads.
• Remove soiled pads frequently.
• Reduce the number of pads by taking away one pad every few days leaving a small area without a pad. Because the puppy has built up a habit of toileting on the pads he should naturally gravitate to the area where the pads are still covering the floor, leaving the non-padded area clean.
• Puppies do not like to toilet too near where they eat or sleep so ensure that the pads that are removed first are the ones closest to pup’s bed and bowls.
• Over the next few weeks gradually reduce the toileting area by removing each pad until there is a single pad left. Ensure that the remaining pad is the furthest from pup’s bed and bowl and change a soiled pad regularly.
• Use a ‘buzz word’ that the puppy will associate with toileting and quietly say that word, for example ‘go potty’, to the puppy while he is in the act of toileting. When he has finished gently praise him and/or give him a favorite treat or toy as a reward. Repeating this process consistently will build up an association between the word and the act of toileting so that the word can then be used to encourage the puppy to toilet.
• If the puppy is making the transition from toileting on pads inside to going outside, take a partially soiled pad to an appropriate outside area and place it on the ground. This will encourage the puppy to toilet outside while still having the comforting feel of the pad underneath his paws. 
• When the puppy is confident about going outside remove the use of pads completely.
• If a permanent toileting area is created in a home, gradually ease the pen to this area if in a different place so that the puppy gets used to toileting in that area. As the puppy is given more freedom, encourage him to use the pad by leading him over to the pad at hourly intervals and then less regularly as he learns to hold himself for longer periods. 
• The puppy should now be at the stage where he is taking himself to his pad to toilet. 

Never:

• Scold a dog for toileting inappropriately. If the pup is caught in the act of toileting, issue a gentle vocal interrupter and pick his bottom off the ground. Remove him to the paper or outside and encourage him to toilet in that area. If a puppy is punished for toileting, the punisher becomes someone to be feared and the pup will then be inclined to either toilet in secret or hold himself until the person is out of sight. This does not bode well for those who want their dogs to toilet when out on a walk!  
• Push or rub a dog’s nose or face in or near an accident
• Leave un-housetrained dogs unsupervised in the home unless they are in a ‘safe area’.
• Assume that a dog is toileting inappropriately out of spite.

Be especially vigilant and prepared for a dog to eliminate immediately after meals, after training sessions, shortly after waking, after vigorous play, during or after a stressful event or when overly excited.

Some dogs that are otherwise well housetrained might still experience the occasional accident, but others will toilet for other reasons including illness, marking territory or urinating when excited or nervous.

Your dog might be scent marking, which is a very normal and common behaviour particularly in male dogs but becomes a big problem when marking occurs in the home.   Dogs mark to advertise their presence or to claim territory and resources. Pheromones in urine and feces contain chemical messages that pass on information about the marker such as age, sex, health and reproductive status. Even though marking can have a competitive component, it can also occur if a dog is over stimulated, for example during or after vigorous play, or if a dog becomes anxious in a particular situation, such as when a person leaves. This common expression of anxiety in dogs is often mistaken for spite, resulting in punishment which only serves to increase the anxious behaviour.

Both sexes scent mark but entire males are the worst offenders as signaling sexual availability and claiming territory is ‘encouraged’ by the presence of testosterone. In many cases neutering can significantly reduce the desire to scent mark, but some dogs continue even after they have been neutered. Resources such as toys, food bowls, chew treats, bones and beds are the most likely objects to be marked and in some cases a dog will actually mark a person or something that smells heavily of that person such as a sofa or bed.

Scent marking is more common in multi-dog households where dogs compete for space, resources and human attention and even though this is a difficult behaviour to work with, progress can be made by taking the following steps. Remove high value resources that encourage competitive marking and do not allow the dog or dogs that scent mark to roam free around the home. Take the dogs to a dog-proofed room or crate when you are unable to actively supervise them, in order to prevent access to favorite marking spots. Avoid competitive or vigorous play indoors as excess activity encourages urination and if a dog is about to mark, interrupt the behaviour with a vocal interrupter and immediately direct the dog onto something more positive or take him outside. Help a marking dog succeed by taking him to new and different areas on walks. This will encourage him to mark outside rather than in the home.

Dogs that urinate when excited or nervous should never be scolded. Elimination can be an expression of anxiety, and punishment will only make the issue worse. In both cases any person coming into the home must give limited attention to the dog until he or she is calm. When attention is given to the calm dog there is less chance of him losing control or feeling nervous. When that attention is finally given, the submissive urinator should make their own decision about whether or not they want to greet a person, taking pressure off the dog and curbing the need to release urine through stress.

Training older dogs that are not housebroken to toilet appropriately can also be a challenge. Most dogs raised in a normal domestic situation respond well to a good housetraining schedule, but those that have lived in puppy mills are notoriously difficult to train. Dogs are essentially clean animals and do not like to toilet where they sleep and eat, but because of cramped conditions, puppy mill dogs are forced to do just that.  Transitioning into a home is therefore problematic and makes crate training – usually a successful way to toilet train a dog – much less effective. However, even puppy mill dogs can be taught to toilet appropriately with a consistent schedule that relies on going back to basics and allowing access to outside areas every hour and then gradually building up to less frequent trips as the dog builds up control. Following a schedule builds up a ritual of behavior that eventually becomes predictable and reliable. Human patience and sensitivity is the key to success.

Crate training is a popular way of encouraging dogs to hold themselves for longer periods of time. Dogs are naturally clean animals and do not like to toilet where they eat or sleep.  A crate can contain a dog and become a favourite sleeping place if it is used correctly.  Keeping a dog in a crate for too many hours a day encourages a dog to toilet where they sleep and increases the potential for anxiety problems to occur. Use the crate correctly and it becomes a highly effective toilet-training tool.

Good housetraining is all about teaching your dog to be confident with elimination. Some people rely on their dogs to signal when they need to go out, but having an idea of a dog’s toileting habits and keeping them on a regular schedule can help set a dog up for continual success and reduce the number of accidents in your home.

Why is my dog constantly barking?

The modern dog tends to lead a relatively unstimulating life in the domestic home, with nothing more to do than eat two meals, sleep on the couch and go for the occasional walk. Dogs that were specifically bred to work can find domestic life boring, and in most cases barking relieves that boredom. Even though dogs bark for many reasons including excitement, anxiety, for attention or to sound an alarm, the best prescription for any barking issue whatever the cause is increased exercise and mental stimulation, which helps to refocus a dog’s mind and tire them out.

First of all it is important to find out why your dog is barking. As with all training, you cannot successfully address the issue until you understand why the behaviour is happening.

If your dog is barking at you for attention or because she wants something, ignore her until she stops. This might be hard to begin with as she might bark longer and harder in an attempt to get your attention, but be patient. Wait for 5 seconds of quiet and then reward that quiet with attention. Repeat this as necessary. Your dog will learn that barking gets her nothing but quiet gets her the attention she desires.

Dogs bark with excitement just as we humans like to vocalize when we are in exciting situations. This barking normally occurs before going for a walk or being fed, which can be hard to work with because humans usually have a fixed pattern of pre-departure and pre-feeding cues which are highly ritualized. Dogs pick up on these cues and bark in excitement for what is about to come. The first thing to do is to change your cues as much as you can and stop what you are doing when the barking starts. If your dog barks when you go to get her lead, for example, put the lead back where it was and go and sit down.  If you manage to successfully attach the lead when she is quiet and then the barking starts again as she goes outside, immediately came back in and wait for quiet before going out again. This technique requires patience, but your diligence will pay off as your dog learns that being quiet is the only way she gets to go on a walk or be fed. All of these training techniques require no verbal communication with your dog whatsoever. In situations like these, body language speaks volumes and as dogs are so good at watching our every movement, it is a language they quickly understand.

Each dog needs an outlet that is specifically designed to motivate them and serve their particular needs. Find an activity or sport that your dog really enjoys doing, taking into account what your dog’s breed or mix of breeds is. Enrich your dog’s life inside the home by hiding her toys or food around the house and encouraging her to seek them out using her canine senses to find them. Instead of feeding your dog from a bowl for every meal, try feeding her through activity toys at meal times instead so that she has to work to get her food. Working for her meals will stimulate her brain and tire her out.

Some dogs do not do well by themselves and suffer anxiety upon separation. Vocalizing this distress is a way of easing that anxiety as well as a way of trying to re-establish contact. If your dog suffers from separation anxiety, you need to enlist the help of a qualified positive reinforcement trainer to help you with a modification plan. Separation anxiety can be a hard behaviour to modify and time is needed for success.

For more guidance on dog training: www.positively.com

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Dog rewards for the week:

Sparkly golden tiger Dog Lead – courtesy of Puchi Pet Wear

http://www.puchipetwear.com

3 x bespoke leather/ tweed/ houndstooth dog collars courtesy of Scotland based LuxuryHound Scotland

http://www.luxuryhound.com

The dog sofa and bespoke food bowl came from Kyra & Luna’s Pet Boutique

http://www.kyraandluna.co.uk