Solve It – Page 4 – Dog Puppy Behavior Training Help

May 13, 2009October 23, 2009

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! Unfortunately, interrupters do not necessarily decrease the likelihood of the behavior reoccurring in the future.

Interrupters decrease behaviors for the moment and can be very useful short-term tools when we are unprepared. Interrupters do not efficiently modify behavior over the long term.

Many of my clients with serious problems unknowingly intensify the problems via the improper use of interrupters.

If you answer “YES” to any of the following questions it is very likely that you are using interrupters inefficiently and/or your methods of communicating and teaching are flawed.

Have you used the interrupter on many occasions to stop the same behavior(s)?

Is the behavior occurring as often today as it was yesterday?

Will the dog cower at the sight of the interrupter, even though he or she is not misbehaving?

Does the interrupter need to be visible, or held in your hand, before the dog will comply with your wishes?

Are you constantly carrying the interrupter with you, or purposely placing the interrupter within easy reach?

Using constant interrupters as teaching tools has unwanted side effects, the least of which is a confused, distrustful dog. In addition, interrupters do not teach the dog which behaviors you do want.

Interrupt – Redirect – Pay

You can use interrupters effectively if you complete the thought and tell your dog what is acceptable. Interrupt –> redirect –> pay is the most efficient use of interrupters.

Anytime you say “no”, ask yourself these two questions. What exactly would I like my dog to do at this moment and exactly where would I like him to do it? Once you have these answers, you’ve just identified your redirect behaviors and your next training goal. Teach your dog to perform the redirect behaviors in that specific context. Do this when you have complete control of the environment.

For instance, suppose your dog jumps up on the dishwasher door and licks dishes when you are loading your dishwasher. Ok, you’ve defined the problem, now decide on a solution.

What exactly would you like your dog to do when you load the dishwasher? Where would you like him to do it?

You’ve decided that you’d like your dog to lie on the kitchen area-rug when you load the dishwasher. Here’s a summary of your training plan. Variations of this exercise can be used to address other problems such as bolting out open doors and stealing food from counters.

Remember, you can’t teach your dog when life is calling the shots! Set aside some time and teach your dog this specific skill.

First, teach your dog “Go to Place (place is the rug)”.

Gradually increase the time he must stay on the rug before you pay him.

Add the distractions of the dish loading process – one step at a time. Have him stay while you bend down and touch the handle, while you operate the door handle, while you open and close the door, while you place a dish inside, et cetera.

After a few short sessions, your dog will know exactly what to do, when you load dishes, and he will know exactly where to do it!

The next time your dog jumps up on the dishwasher door, tell him “no”, immediately cue him to Go to Rug, then release and pay him – after you are through with your task.

Better yet; before you begin to clean up, tell your dog to “Go to rug”. Don’t forget to pay him after you are finished cleaning up!

Happy Training!

Alan J Turner – Companion Animal Behavior Counselor & Trainer, Canine Specialization

Private and Group Dog Behavior and Training Services

Memphis, TN

How’s Bentley

May 11, 2009July 9, 2019

FREE – Dog Won’t Come? Teach Your Dog to Come Bump Your Target

Please read Start Here AA-1 through AA-5 before you teach your dog to target.

Crisco, the turbo Jack Russell Terrier in the picture, will almost always come when called. Crisco has been very well trained by her owner via the use of targets!

Here are some thoughts about targets introduced to me by Kayce Cover, B.S., M.A.

Targets give the dog critical information about where success will take place. Examples of targets are a simple wooden dowel with a piece of tape on one end for contrast, your hand, extended fingers, or other items such as a business card, ink pen, plastic lid from small food container, piece of tape on the wall, dot of light from a laser pointer, etc.. You can purchase a target stick from pet supply stores.

Many trainers use targets to teach service dogs how to operate light switches, press doorbells, open doors, pick up items, et cetera. The dog is taught to go to the target, bump the target with his nose (or any other body part) maintain contact with the target, sit / lay on the target, pick up the item touching the target, or any number of behaviors, depending on the type of target and the application.

The use of target(s) is an excellent method to teach motion behaviors or to teach the dog where a behavior should occur.

Simple applications for target sticks are teaching a dog to spin and to heel.

Target Touch

Here’s how to teach your dog to bump a two finger target. To form a two-finger target, extend your index and middle fingers and tuck your ring finger and little finger into your palm with your thumb.

You will present the two-finger target on a plane, horizontal to the floor, as if you are pointing to someone next to you. The dog will touch the outside or knuckle side of the target.

Say “Touch” and immediately position the end of the target one inch from your dog’s nose. He will sniff it. Do not move your target to touch his nose. He should come to you!

Mark the instant (with your conditioned marker) he touches your two finger target with his nose and immediately withdraw your target. Deliver a reward. Repeat three times, but place the target a bit farther away and to the left or right of your dog’s nose on trials 2 and 3. Now you can use the two-finger, nose target, to guide your dog into position.

Target Here – Foster a Partnership

The “touch” exercise is much more than a simple command. It is a very clear method to tell your dog what you’d like him to do and exactly where success will take place. It is a powerful tool for building an attitude of cooperation, a partnership.

The target provides a visual focal point, a precise point in space, where a behavior is to take place.

Using a target is one method to recall your dog. To use it for a come command, do this. Instead of saying “touch”, say “here” and then present your two finger target a few inches from your dog’s nose. Practice “here” at various distances in very short sessions. I usually practice this command 3-5 times during a short practice session.

I view “here” as a tool for nurturing a senior – junior partnership with Bentley. When I ask him to target, I’m really holding a two way conversation about cooperation.

I’m asking Bentley – “Hey Bent, I’d like you to come over here and bump my target with your nose. Do you understand what I want you to do? Do you understand where success will take place? Do you understand that I will pay you for your cooperation? Are you willing to cooperate? “

Bentley races over to bump my target. He’s replying, “Hey Alan, I know what you want me to do. I know where success will take place. I know you’re going to pay me. I’m willing to cooperate.”

Troubleshooting Target Here

Teaching your dog to touch your two finger target can be frustrating! Sometimes the dog will bite your fingers, or just quit targeting altogether.

If your dog is biting your target, check for these common errors. Review your timing and target placement. You should mark the instant he touches the target, not one second afterwards. Are you withdrawing your target immediately after you mark the instant he touches it? If you leave your target in place after the marker, your dog may mouth or bite the target. It’s best to remove your target immediately after you mark the touch.

If your dog sometimes ignores the target, review the placement of the target. Position the target nose height or lower. The target should be horizontal to the floor (as if you are pointing to something next to you).

What are your actions after he bumps the target? Are you moving the target towards the dog (thus bumping him right before he reaches the target)? Do you end his fun or mark the instant and give a reward?

Some dogs lose interest if you repeat the exercise more than 2-3 times during a short session.

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Happy Training!

Alan J Turner – Companion Animal Behavior Counselor & Trainer, Canine Specialization

Private and Group Dog Obedience Training

How’s Bentley – Memphis, TN

Member: APDT

May 9, 2009October 11, 2009

Shy Puppy? Afraid of Leash or Collar? Tips and Suggestions

Some puppies are uncomfortable when exposed to new environments or equipment. If your puppy becomes excited or frightened, just name the item or event, and act as if all is well.

If your puppy remains focused on the item or event, distract his or her attention from the scary thing.

Instead of saying “It’s OK”, divert your pup’s attention with a treat or a toy.

It’s normal for puppies to be leery of new things. Let your puppy adjust with minimal input from you. Both you and the pup should play the roles of observers.

Some people believe it’s a sign of confidence if a puppy never becomes frightened. A truer test is to measure the length of time it takes for a puppy to return to a normal state.

Afraid of Collar or Leash

Occasionally clients report their puppies “freeze up” or lie down when they attach a leash, collar or harness.

This poses a problem in regards to house training, walking and managing unwanted behaviors, such as jumping up.

I tell all my clients to attach a leash or short line, even when their puppies are inside the house. This is so they can prevent their dogs and puppies from practicing rude behaviors.

The leash is an excellent inside and outside management tool. All dogs should be able to relax when a leash is attached, regardless of the dog’s location.

Initial protests to equipment fittings are not difficult to resolve unless people ignore the protests and drag their puppies via attached equipment.

If your puppy is afraid of a collar or harness, do this. Let your puppy investigate and smell the item. Name it. Attach the collar or harness, praise your puppy; hand him a food treat and then remove it. Repeat several times.

Next, attach the equipment immediately before feeding. Praise your pup. After your puppy has eaten, remove the item. Do this for several meals but methodically increase the amount of time the collar or harness is attached after the meal. In a few days, your puppy will like his equipment!

Some puppies quickly learn to dislike the leash because their owners pull and jerk on the leash.

Always supervise any dog when a leash is attached.

If, while following these instructions, your puppy is still afraid of the leash, break your introduction process into more, smaller steps. Use a very short piece of a leash instead of a 4 or 6 foot leash. Once your dog is accustomed to the short piece, use a longer piece.

Introduce the concept of restriction and the leash in several small steps and your puppy will learn to like the leash!

First, let your pup smell and investigate the leash. Name it.

Next, attach the leash and praise your dog. Hand him a food treat. Remove the leash.

After several instances of attaching the leash and immediately removing it, attach a short, lightweight, leash and let your puppy drag it around for a while. Do not pick up the end of the leash. Do this several times throughout the day, or every evening for a few days.

The subsequent step is to pick up the end of the leash, hand your puppy a food treat, and then drop the leash.

Do this several times in one session. Hold a few sessions throughout the day or evening.

Next you’ll introduce the concept of leash and equipment pressure.

Tell your puppy, “This is pressure”, and apply a slight, steady, and brief tug on the equipment. Praise your puppy and hand him a food treat. Repeat a few times.

Add just a bit more pressure each time. Vary the area of the pup’s body that is affected by the pressure by tugging right, left, up, down.

Finally, you will pick up the leash and walk one step. Don’t pull your puppy! The leash should be loose and not tight. Coax your puppy. Praise your puppy for following you. Repeat several times, but add another step each time.

After few instances, your puppy will be accepting of the leash.

Alan J Turner – Companion Animal Behavior Counselor & Trainer, Canine Specialization

How’s Bentley – Memphis, TN

Member: APDT

May 5, 2009September 23, 2009

Door Knock Game- A Solution For Dogs That Bark and Attack the Door $.99

You can teach a dog to come when you blow a whistle. You can teach a dog or puppy to come bump your fingers. You can teach the dog to come when you say “come” and when you say “here”. Dogs can learn multiple signals or cues that mean, “perform come behavior”.

Does your dog bark and attack the door when people come to visit?

If your dog barks at visitors, but likes them once they come inside, teach your dog that the sound of the door bell or a knock on the door is a command to come to you! Once your dog knows “come”, you teach him or her to perform “come” when someone knocks on the door.

The door knock sound and visitor outside can become the command or cue for your dog to come to you.

Cues are words or signals we use to talk to our dogs. It’s best to begin by selecting a single word, simple hand motion or short phrase for each command or cue.Cues are words or signals we use to talk to our dogs. It’s best to begin by selecting a single word, simple hand motion or short phrase for each command or cue.

When first teaching new behaviors, everyone in the house should use the same cues.

You can make any visual signal or word into a cue. If the dog’s senses can receive the signal, it can be a cue. I like to use normal events as cues.

That’s why you can teach your dog that the sound of the door bell or a knock on the door is a command to come to you!

When working with deaf or blind dogs, get creative with your cues!For instance, a thumbs up or high-five signal can be used as a marker when communicating with deaf dogs. Stomps that cause vibrations on a wooden floor can be used as cues when working with dogs that are both deaf and blind.

There are other topics to consider about cues! I have put together a document so you can learn about:

Teaching Multiple Cues for the Same Behavior – Follow the instructions and teach your dog that a knock on the door is a command for “come”.

Rules for Repeating Cues – Yes, you may repeat the command while teaching, but not without changing something. Follow these rules to teach your dog that you only ask once!

You can purchase the Door Knock Game document for the price of a song – .99!

Please visit the “Products” page and purchase Door Knock Game today!

Happy Training!

Alan J Turner, Companion Animal Behavior Counselor & Trainer – Canine Specialization

Private and Group Dog Training in Memphis, TN

Owner: How’s Bentley

May 3, 2009July 18, 2009

iPhone Dog Whistle App

iPhone Dog Whistle application

This application can be a useful tool for training your dog. The program emits a tone. You may adjust the frequency and pattern of the sound, which will cause the noise to be more, or less, noticeable to your dog. Some of the frequencies are outside of human hearing range, but within the hearing range of canus lupus familiaris, our domestic canine companions, which are better known as dogs!

According to wikipedia, some dogs can hear frequencies as high as 60,000 Hz. To learn more about the hearing ranges of people and dogs, visithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_range.

The dog whistle can be used as a signal for your dog to perform a particular behavior, or as a punisher to reduce behaviors.

How you use the dog whistle iPhone application is up to you!

First, let’s clear the air. The iPhone dog whistle app does not magically attract dogs to want to come when called. It’s more often an interrupter, which means most dogs will stop and listen when they hear the tone. Some dogs become frightened by the noise and will cower or run away. With these guys, it’s not a good come when called signal!

If you want to use the whistle as a come when called command for your dog, it’s up to you to teach your dog what to do when he hears the sound.

Conditioning your dog to come when you blow a dog whistle is no different than teaching your dog to come when you blow a coach’s whistle. To learn how to condition your dog to come when you blow any type of whistle, visit How’s Bentley web site and sign up for the mailing list. Follow the instructions for Whistle Come, but instead of blowing a coach’s whistle, you will sound the iPhone dog whistle.

Now I’ll explain how I used the iPhone dog whistle application to interrupt and reduce excessive licking of fabric behavior by my AKC registered Australian Terrier dog, Bentley. The sound of the whistle performs the role of a positive punisher, which is a stimulus that is added, which reduces the immediate behavior of licking. Bentley’s licking is caused by chronic pancreatitis, and at times, the behavior is classified as compulsive by dog behavior experts.

It’s important to note that routine amounts of brief licking is a normal form of self grooming by dogs and should be allowed. Many dogs perform this grooming before they go to sleep. The licking that I want to reduce is the compulsive licking of fabric, which has developed because of the many times Bentley has practiced the behavior. If I allow him to lick fabric excessively, he will absorb enough small particles of the material and vomit. Any time you want to use a positive punisher to reduce behaviors, it’s best to consult with an animal behavior counselor. Poor timing, and unwanted side effects, of using positive punishers during dog training can sabotage your good intentions!

I set the frequency to 20,000 Hz, which is well above my hearing range, but within the hearing range of my terrier dog, Bentley. I sound the whistle when Bentley starts licking fabric. I say nothing, and from Bentley’s point of view, I am not responsible for the ultrasonic sound, thus no attention is coming from me. Bentley will stop licking, perk his ears up and I stop the whistle. The instant he stops licking, I stop the tone and praise him!

By using the iPhone dog whistle application in this fashion, I have successfully reduced licking fabric behavior!

Happy Animal Training!

Alan J Turner – companion animal behavior counselor and trainer, Memphis TN

Owner: How’s Bentley

Private and Group Dog Training in Memphis, Collierville, Germantown, Cordova TN

May 3, 2009September 21, 2009

FREE – Fabric Licking

Here’s how I used the iPhone dog whistle application to interrupt and reduce excessive licking of fabric behavior by my AKC registered Australian Terrier dog, Bentley. The sound of the whistle performs the role of a positive punisher, which is a stimulus that is added, which reduces the immediate behavior of licking. Bentley’s licking is caused by chronic pancreatitis, and at times, the behavior is classified as compulsive by dog behavior experts.

By using the iPhone dog whistle application in this fashion, I have successfully reduced licking fabric behavior!

Happy Training!

Alan J Turner, Companion Animal Behavior Counselor & Trainer – Canine Specialization

Private and Group Dog Training in Memphis, TN

Owner: How’s Bentley

May 2, 2009September 21, 2009

Why Do Dogs Dig?

Crisco, the Rough Coat Jack Russell Terrier, teaches Java how to dig for treasures!

Why do dogs dig?

There are many different reasons dogs dig.

to get food
to hide food
to cool their bodies
to warm their bodies
to escape
because they are anxious
for self play
for attention

Some of my clients want their dogs to stop digging. That’s okay and I can help. Like many other unwanted canine behaviors, I must identify the root cause of the digging before I can help.

First, ask yourself these questions:

Does my dog dig only when I am away, only when I am present, or both when I am away and when I am present?

Exactly where does the dog dig? under the gate, in the middle of the yard, under a rock, tree, or bush, under the fence (not at gate), adjacent to the side the house?

What type of hole? shallow hole – long enough for your dog to use as a bed? deep hole, narrow trench?

If the dog escapes, what does the dog do / where does he or she go? several hour neighborhood adventure? right next door or to a specific house? waits on my porch or in my yard?

Are there any specific times when your dog is more likely to dig and escape? before a storm? when you leave? when loud trucks pass by?

By answering the above questions, you can determine why your dog is digging and take appropriate actions to reduce the digging behavior.

For example, if your dog is digging shallow, broad holes next to your house, it’s probably to cool down or warm up. Install fans, awnings, or a wading pool to help your dog stay cool. Build a shelter with a light bulb “heater” to help your dog warm up!

If your dog is digging in the middle of the yard, he or she is playing or hunting for small rodents such as moles or voles. Increase your dog’s exercise and stimulation program and rid your yard of the moles and voles!

To learn more about moles and wildlife damage management, visit this site: http://icwdm.org/handbook/mammals/Moles.asp

Happy Training!

Alan J Turner, Companion Animal Behavior Counselor & Trainer – Canine Specialization

Private and Group Dog Training in Memphis, TN

Owner: How’s Bentley