Dog Puppy Behavior Training Help

Dog Fights are Scary – Interdog Aggression

It’s scary when dogs in the same household fight. The solutions can be as simple as feeding the dogs in different areas, or as complex as implementing a behavior modification plan for inter dog aggression. Your first steps are to identify triggers and situations when the dogs are more likely to fight. Manage the environment so the fights are less likely. Remove high value toys and food items;...

Short Dog Training Sessions Should End With Success

I always ask my clients to practice with their dogs during short sessions throughout the day. For puppies and dogs that are learning look and sit (the first 2 commands), I recommend 5 sessions each day, for 60 seconds per session. As the dog is introduced to more commands, such as here, stay and down, the sessions will be  longer. How you end the longer sessions makes a difference! Cool down before...

Methods to “Get” your Dog to Perform a Behavior

Before you can use positive reinforcement to reward your dog (Food treat, Attention, Touch), you’ll need to get the dog to perform some version of the behavior. There are many methods to get behavior. Here are some dog-friendly methods. Capture – good for simple behaviors that are naturally offered, like sit. Just wait until it is occurring and then reinforce the behavior. Capturing requires...

iPhone 3Gs Video ** Submissive Dog Behaviors are Not an Indication of Guilt

Common submissive dog behaviors include lowering of head, tail, body, or rolling over and exposing the underside. Many people believe they are teaching their dogs by scolding. They place items the dog destroyed into their outstretched hands, fuss at the dogs, and the dogs cower away. The people support their misbeliefs by the phrase, “She knows what she did because she looked guilty when I held...

Dog Training & The ABCs of Instrumental Conditioning

There are three distinct pieces to a voluntary behavior, called the ABCs. The “B” represents the behavior. “A” is for Antecedent, which is anything present in the environment before a specific behavior. The A precedes the behavior. “C” is for Consequence, which is the immediate result of the behavior. Here’s an example of the ABCs of a voluntary behavior....

Dogs and Puppies are Opportunists!

Dogs and puppies are opportunists. Dogs follow one rule – “What’s in it for me – right now?” Dogs have no concept of right or wrong, good or bad. I do not believe dogs are concerned about yesterday or tomorrow. I believe dogs are interested in the present and how they can get what they want at this instant in time. Dogs do what they do because their behaviors are instrumental in getting...

Want to Teach Your 10 Week Old Puppy to Sit? Forget About it. :) It’s Too late. . .

Did you want to teach your 10 week old puppy to sit? Forget about it. It’s too late. That turbo charged puppy already knows how to perform every basic obedience command! Your dog knows how to sit and lie down. He can stay.  Your pup knows how to walk towards you. Your puppy knows how to run to you. Your puppy dog can walk the same speed as you. That fellow knows how to dig, or “not dig”....

Canine Behavior Modification for Reactive, Unwanted, Behaviors, including Fear and Aggression

Okay, so your dog is fearful, barking, lunging and otherwise distressed when he or she sees people, trucks, cars, or dogs. Depending on who you are talking to, those behaviors may be classified as territory or protective aggression, possession aggression, inter-dog aggression, fear aggression, or leash aggression. I’ll refer to the other people, other dogs, trucks, cars, as “triggers”,...

The critical period of socialization for puppies begins when the ear canals open at about 21 days of age. The period ends anytime from 12 to 16 weeks of age.

You have a very brief window of opportunity to socialize your puppy. During the last century, experiments and studies concerning genetics and the social development of dogs were prevalent. It is well documented that dogs that were deprived of social interactions with people and events during the sensitive or critical period of socialization were adversely affected. The critical period of socialization...

Pet Dogs for Protection Dogs?

On How’s Bentley Private Services Enrollment Form, the box labeled “For Protection” is often selected as one of the reasons my clients acquire their pet dogs. I understand why people select a pet dog for a protection role. I have worked with more German Shepherd Dogs in the past year than the previous 3 years. I believe the current political and social cultures are responsible for...

Bentley Barks – Forget About Alpha!

Forget About Alpha and Forget About Dog – Human Packs! For years, some dog trainers have suggested that you establish yourself as the alpha, as pack leader, and your dog will listen to you, respect you, and all will be well! These trainers believe that dog behavior is all about alpha, but what does that mean? How does a human occupy any position in another species’ hierarchy, much less...

Interrupters: Squirt Bottles, Newspaper Swats, Shake Cans – Are They Effective for Changing Dogs’ Rude Behaviors?

Interrupters are corrections people use to momentarily stop their dogs’ behaviors. Examples of potential interrupters are shouting “no”, squirting with a water bottle, shaking a can with pennies, tossing keys on the floor, swatting with a newspaper, or holding a pup’s muzzle closed. Interrupters can stop a behavior for the moment. Great, sometimes we need to stop a dog or puppy from misbehaving!...