Clicker Training for Dogs

By Karen Pryor

Initalizing the Clicker

This first step is essential - don't skip it!

With this method we are going to be "shaping behaviors." You need a way to signal to the
dog that he is performing whatever behavior it is that you were trying to get. Initially he will
also get a treat for each correct response but since that takes a few seconds (at least) to
happen, the clicker marks the exact moment of response, essentially "bridging" the time
between response & reward. This is classical conditioning, like Pavlov & his drooling dogs.
You are going to take a clicker & pair it with a food reward until the click itself gets the dog
all happy.

So.. get yourself some

clickers

– (http://www.clickerlessons.com/faq2.htm#clicker) little

toy-like devices that make a fun click sound. If you prefer (or while you are waiting for your
clicker to arrive), choose a "bridge word" instead. I suggest "Yes!!" - it is short & happy! Say
it briskly, in a rather high pitched, & very excited voice. I will be using the term C&T in the
lessons, meaning to click & give a treat. If you are using a bridge word, just say it & give a
treat whenever I have written C&T. I do recomend the clicker over just the word most of
the time, however. It seems to be processed more quickly by the dog's brain and the
consistency of the click sound is also good.

And don't worry - you won't be clicking forever... they are only used in the training phase of
any new behavior!

Okay, go in a quiet room with your dog & have a bowl of really tasty treats. Food such as
hot dogs, chicken, roast beef, etc. works really well, so do high quality (all natural) dog
treats such as the Oinker Roll or Natural Balance. The treats should be cut up into very small
pieces & be soft (crunchy ones take too long to eat). Or have a large chunk that you break
small pieces off of.

Now, as long as your dog isn't doing anything naughty at the moment, click your clicker (or
say your bridge word) and give him a treat. Then click it again & again give a treat. We are
NOT asking for a behavior (such as sit) here at all... just making the connection needed for
the clicker to be effective. (A few dogs are frightened by the click sound. If your dog is, then
try muffling the sound by having the clicker behind your back or in a pocket, or by using a
Snapple beverage top - pushing in the raised button in the center makes a softer click. The
fear shouldn't last long! )

Repeat 5-10 times. You'll know when you can stop - you'll click & your dog will immediately
look up at you, "There is that sound, so where is my treat?".

I'll give you a few minutes to go do this...

There! Wasn't that fun? Excellent job, trainers!

AN IMPORTANT NOTE! To really succeed with this method of training, it is essential that the
bridge, whether it be a clicker or a word, ALWAYS be followed by a terrific reinforcement. It
is usually referred to as "click and treat" for a reason. That is one danger of using the bridge
word.... I found that I said "Yes" to my dog at times when I wasn't necessarily training &
didn't follow through with a treat (or something equally rewarding for her).

Attention

Okay, folks! Now that you have your dog conditioned to the clicker (or bridge word) you are
ready for the next step. (Miss that lesson?

The Clicker

)

Again, go to a room without a whole lot of distraction, one where your dog already finds you
more than usually interesting (the kitchen is usually best!). Have your bowl of tasty treats
ready.

Say your dog's name ONCE in an upbeat, happy voice.When he turns to look at you, C&T.
Then let him get a bit distracted by something and do it again. And again! You are looking
for: he hears his name, and turns to look at you (okay at this point if he is just looking at
your hand)! Many dogs will also come closer to you which is fine but not required.

If when you first say his name he doesn't look, then reach forward & gently touch him on the
side or something so he turns around. Even if he doesn't look right at you, C&T. He'll soon
get the idea!

At first, hold the treats in your hand behind your back, but then progress to having them
sitting on the counter. Looking at the bowl of treats gets him nowhere... he needs to turn to
look at you! If he keeps looking at the bowl, be patient... he will eventually turn to look at
you.

Here are the next few steps.Take it slowly - but when he is consistently doing a step
correctly then you can move on to the next!

Once he is consistently responding to the sound of his name, you want to start shaping the
behavior so he is actually giving you eye contact. For many dogs, this is accomplished by
warming up by practicing as you have been, then saying his name again but NOT clicking if
he looks anywhere except your eyes. If he has been looking at, say, your hands, he'll likely
try that again (since it has worked so well so far!), but be patient and wait. You are hoping
that he will get frustrated, give up, and look up at you as if you say, "What??" As soon as he
does, making eye contact, you C&T and praise! From now on, when practicing attention in a
quiet area, your dog has to give actual eye contact to receive a C&T from you.

Sugar Bear is staring at Joey's
hand, so Joey waits...

Sugar Bear looks up a Joey's face -
C&T!

When your dog is quite reliably responding to you at this point (I hope you are remembering
to say his name only ONCE) then you need to start being variable with how often you C&T a

response. By doing this you can shape your dog's responses to be even better as well as
decrease the risk that he will become food dependent. There are two ways in which his
response can improve - how quickly he looks up at you, and how long he holds the eye
contact. Shape each one separately! Say you decide to go for a quick response first. From
then on, only C&T if he turns right away when you say his name. If he takes too long, you
can just ignore that or perhaps smile, but it earns no C&T. You might want to have better
than usual treats for this, since he will need to work a little harder in order to figure out what
exactly it is you want now. When you decide to work on length of eye contact, stop C&T'ing
the instant he looks at you, instead holding out a bit. Increase the required time in little
increments, say for a count of 2 at first. If he's still looking deeply into your eyes - C&T and
give a jackpot! If he turns away too soon, ignore him for a moment. Then try again.

At this point your dog is ready to learn to respond even around distractions. To start this,
have him sit in front of you. Say his name and C&T for a response. Then, while he is still
focused on you, have another person approach from the side. Your dog will likely turn & look
at her. She (your friend) should immediately turn away, ceasing to show any interest. You
say his name and C&T a correct response. If he doesn't respond, then just wait a bit. It
might take a minute or two but your dog will eventually lose interest in this now-boring
visitor & look at you again. The instant he does, you C&T, giving a jackpot reward! Then
your friend should approach again & repeat the above. You will find that very quickly your
dog can hardly be bothered with the visitor. After all... YOU are far far more interesting! If
your dog really has trouble with this, then he may not be ready for this step yet. Your friend
can work to being able to pet your dog.

Notice that there are two ways in which you are making this exercise more difficult for your
dog: length of eye contact required before you C&T AND responding in spite of a distraction.
Initially, be sure to work on only ONE of those at a time. When working on length, do it
without distractions. When introducing distractions, don't require any length of time, instead
C&T'ing a quick look. In fact, when a dog responds at all in the face of a very strong
distraction (such as another dog coming over to play), I would C&T as soon as he turned
toward you, not even waiting for him to look up at your eyes. What a good boy for paying
attention to you at all instead of playing! Work on all of the pieces separately like this, then
you will be able to put them all together. This concept applies to every exercise you will
teach your pet!

Please keep all of these training sessions SHORT & FUN. Stop when your dog is still enjoying
the training!

From that point you can use it whenever, wherever... You are outside & he sees another dog
you'd rather he didn't? If you practiced this faithfully you should be able to say his name &
have him instantly turn to look at you instead of the other dog!

Whenever you get a "breakthrough" or an exceptional performance like that, be sure to give
a jackpot reward! That could be a really delicious treat or 5-6 bits of treats, given one at a
time to lengthen the time spent getting it. After the initial teaching, the reward doesn't have
to be food. It is far better to vary the reward: sometimes food, sometimes a ball tossed,
sometimes a belly rub, sometimes the door opened so he can go outside. Discover what
things you dog is the most excited by! Dogs certainly vary with that - my older dog Bear
loves human attention & ear rubs, while my younger Rottie, Teddy, was never happy unless
her reward was food. She was a natural born piggie! Use your imagination & be
unpredictable!

Have fun!

Targeting

This one is really fun & easy! You are going to teach your dog to touch something with his
nose on cue. Do this because: it's fun, it's a good way to teach your dog to ring a bell to go
outside, finishes, it can be used to desensitize a dog to nail clipping time, to teach agility,
musical freestyle, & obedience trials exercises as well as for teaching service dog type
behaviors.

Here's what you do:

Stand in front of your dog (or kneel in front of a little one). Rub some of your treats on the
palm of your hand, so your hand smells good )to your dog!). Have the actual treats in your
other hand.

Quickly bring your smelly hand, empty, palm forward almost right up to his nose. I
guarantee the first time he'll poke it, hoping it contains that treat he smells. Super! He
touched you! C&T (Click & Treat), giving the treat from your other hand. Be sure you clicked
just at the exact moment he touched your hand! If you aren't in time, don't click at all, just
praise.

Do it again & again, gradually moving your hand a bit farther back so eventually he is
reaching out or walking to touch it. But do it gradually - over several sessions. I knew my
Rottie Teddy had the concept when she would reach out to touch my hand, but keep eye
contact with me the entire time.

Now... at the seminar where I learned this from trainer Leslie Nelson, she said that many
dogs will do this excitedly about 6 times, then lose interest & just look at you. Don't quit -
just perhaps rub a bit more treat smell on your palm.

You can add the command (or "cue") pretty quickly because the behavior is so easy. As soon
as your dog isreliably touching your hand when you offer it, begin saying "Touch!" as you
put your hand out.

Next steps are to have your dog touch your other hand instead and start to become variable
with rewarding.

You can also then use the command "Touch" to mean touch other things. In our classes we
use it to teach dogs to go lie on their beds, and at home my daughter taught Sugar Bear to
ring some bells hanging from a doorknob as a signal that she wanted to go out. Very useful
behavior! Sugar Bear can also pick up something I drop, get me a tissue when I sneeze, and
push an Easy Button - all taught with targeting.

Sit, Down & Stand

Be sure you have finished The Clicker lesson!

Teaching the sit, down & stand are very easy, but may require patience. Instead of
physically putting the dog into position, saying the command & hoping he makes the
connection, you will be helping him to discover them. Have a bunch of tiny soft treats ready.
You are going to use one as a "lure" to help him to get into the position you want. The lure is
only used at the beginning - I will show you how to quickly fade it. (Be careful to follow the
instructions carefully for that as you want your dog to always respond to you, whether or not
you have a treat!). Stand or kneel in front of your standing dog. Show him a treat in your
hand, then move it slowly from his nose up & back a bit over his eyes but slightly out of
reach. Most dogs will rather quickly sit so they can better reach it. You might need to be
patient & wait for a moment. But when he does, immediately C&T and praise. Please

remember that the click has to come at the exact moment his rear hits the ground so he
learns that that is what got him the treat! At this point you want to give the treat right away,
too. It's okay if your dog gets up after the click - the click actually ends the exercise each
time. If he doesn't sit at all - maybe keeps backing up trying to get the treat, then just turn
away & ignore him for a few moments. Of course... don't give him the treat! Then try again,
from the start.

Notice that I never said when to say "Sit." That's because it is best to wait until the behavior
is being performed reliably before adding the verbal cue. That way he doesn't connect the
word with the wrong behavior. Also, dogs learn the hand signals much more easily so tend
to ignore the verbal commands that go along with them. It's best to teach them separately.

Once your dog is sitting, lure him into a stand by moving a treat from his nose straight out
(stay parallel to the ground, if you lift up at all he will try to sit again!). Don't move the
treat very far - you want him to just get off of his haunches and then stand still. As soon as
he lifts into the standing position, C&T!

To continue practicing sitting & standing until that is easy. Be sure at this point you are
reinforcing each correct response with a C&T.

Sara lures Sugar

Bear up

into a sit...

Sugar is sitting -

C&T!

Sara lures Sugar

into a stand...

Sugar is standing -

C&T!

Sugar Bear responds to

just the Sit signal.

No more luring, but she

still gets a C&T!

The Stand signal.

There is no longer a treat

in Joey's hand.

The Down signal

The Down is very similar to the sit. Lure him into a sit & kneel in front of him. Use a treat to
lure him into the down position. Start the treat at his nose, then drop it straight down
(rather slowly) to the floor and out a bit towards his toes so he needs to lie down to get it.
Be careful not to go out so far that he needs to walk forward to get it! Some dogs drop right
away... some remain with their rears in the air. If that happens, just keep the treat on the

floor, but keep it enclosed in your hand so he can't get it. Be patient! Eventually he'll drop
his butt and then you can C&T and enthusiastically praise.

Most dogs do the down more easily at first from a sit, but for some dogs doing it from a
standing position is easier. If you'd like to try that, then drop the treat from his nose to the
ground as before, but as your are reaching the ground go backwards (between his legs) a
little bit instead of forward. Hopefully, he will drop into the "sphinx" position.

If he doesn't get it after several tries, then try some behavior shaping. Instead of holding
out for a complete down, you will instead C&T the very beginning of it - when he just drops
his shoulders a little bit. C&T that a few times, then the next time hold out until he drops
down a little bit more before you C&T. Continue until he has to lie all the way down to get
the C&T! Jackpot time!

Some dogs, especially little ones, can achieve success at first if you stretch out one of your
legs, making a bridge for him to walk under. Lure him into a sit in front of your leg, then
show him a treat in your hand coming from under your leg and lure him into crawling under
your leg to get it. The EXACT instant he is actually lying down, C&T and praise excitedly.
What a good dog! Do that a few times, then try again the original way.

To get him back into a sitting position, lure him up the same way (as when teaching the sit),
until he sits up, then C&T.

Once your dog is down, you can then practice "doggy push-ups". You know... sit-down-sit-
down, C&T'ing each one. But don't forget to also practice plenty of sits & downs from a
standing position.

Troubleshooting - is your dog not interested enough in your treats to work for them? Then
get better ones. Read the section on

treats

on the Basic Info page.

Okay, so your dog is popping up & down like a little jackrabbit for that tasty lure, right!
Practice a bit more with the lure like that, then proceed to the next step, which is to "lose
the lure." If this is not done properly, you will end up with a dog that will perform the
behavior only if he sees a treat. Hardly what we want! Instead, by carefully phasing out the
lure, you teach him that it is not the sight of a treat that gets him a reward, but response to
your command.

Review a few times luring him up & down with a treat in your right hand, C&T'ing each
response. When you lure up for the sit, have your hand palm up. When you lure for the
down, have your hand palm down. Next step is to have a treat in your signal hand, as
before - that treat will still act as the lure but will NOT be given to your dog. Have a bunch
of little treats in your other hand. Lure him into a sit (or down) with your signal hand, click,
but then give him a treat from your other hand. He doesn't get the treat from the signal
hand at all! Don't forget to click as soon as he sits (or downs), just before giving the treat.

Practice quite a few sits & downs, as well as sits from a stand that way. Very soon he will
perform the behavior, then quickly look toward your other hand. That's good! What a clever
dog!

Remember... if you know you did plenty of reps of the previous step (at any point in the
training of any exercise) and your dog just doesn't respond correctly, then look away for a
moment, giving him time to think about it. It's funny when they start offering all sorts of
behaviors, hoping for the reward! They lie down, offer a paw, bark... just smile & think about
how clever your dog is to try all of those things... and wait for him to get it right! Then click
& jackpot!

The next step will to be to go to using your signal hand to just give the signal (the same
luring motion but without a lure). First, review a few times with the lure but giving the treat
from your other hand as explained in the last step. The last time, go ahead & give him the
lure treat, then right away do the exact same motion but with an empty signal hand. As long
as your hand motion (the signal) remained the same, your dog will most likely be "faked
out" and will respond as before. C&T & praise very enthusiastically! Remember, palm up
for sit, palm down for down. Practice this until your dog responds reliably to each signal.

Now, if you are still kneeling or bending down to give the Down signal, it's time to start
standing up. You will need to do this in small increments so your dog still understands the
signal, getting a bit more upright each time until you are standing upright. Although at first
your signal will need to be quite exaggerated you can slowly shape it to be much more
subtle. The signal should eventually just be a slight downward motion with your palm down
for Down, and a slight upward motion with your palm up for Sit. (Note to obedience
competitors - that signal is also accepted in the ring. But if you prefer the arm straight in the
air signal, you can just teach that, as well, later!)

The next steps are to vary where you are when you give the signals. Work on standing a bit
farther away each time as well as standing at different angles (and beside your dog) before
giving the signals. Remember to practice each of those more advanced things separately so
each will be stronger.

Phasing Out the Clicker
So when do you stop using the clicker for these exercises? Whenever you feel that the dog
has really learned the signals and is very reliable in responding to them. Does that mean at
that point you never need to reinforce the behavior? Certainly not! Make an actual treat
reward not as common. Instead, get the response,then praise enthusiastically, praise
quietly, throw a ball, play tug 'o war, give his dinner, open the door to go outside -
whatever. The best trainers are variable & unpredictable! The dog never knows what he's
gonna get or when... that makes it all the more fun for him. If you don't believe me... take a
stroll past the slot machines in Las Vegas!

If, after time, you start getting less of a response, just go back to positively reinforcing more
often for a short time to refresh his memory. You never 100% stop using treats or rewards.
A behavior that is never reinforced will go away. A behvior that is reinforced variably with
stay strong. With compulsion (leash checking, etc.) methods, you would always go back to a
few quick, sharp checks as reminders or as a warm up before going into the obedience ring.
With purely positive methods, you simply "review" positively rather than negatively.

Sit & Down Stay

Many people are amazed at how quickly dogs pick this up! In our classes, we usually pick
the most wriggly one to demonstrate this one. It's fun to show how well it works.

Stand in front of your sitting dog. Say “Stay!” If he holds his position for a second or two,
C&T. If he gets up to get the treat, lure him back into position to get it. Work on this, doing
it 5-6 times per session, gradually increasing the time by a couple of seconds a time. You
should also practice taking small steps (1-2 at a time intially) back & forth in front of him.
C&T immediately if he holds position while you are moving. If he lies down, then help him

back up and try again. Since the click ended the exercise, he might get up after hearing it -
if so, then lure him back to a sit before giving him the treat.The hand signal from the front is
just a little wave with your palm facing him.

The cue “Stay” is only said the the beginning of each repetition - do NOT repeat it the entire
time the dog is staying!

Remaining just 1-2’ in front of your dog, begin increasing the time he needs to remain in the
Stay before you C&T by a few seconds each time. Practice this at least once every day, doing
about 5 reps per session, until your dog can hold the sit stay for 1 solid minute before you
C&T. What a good dog! At that point you want to start being variable with the time, getting
longer & longer times but also occasionally C&T’ing after very short stays. This will make the
behavior much stronger. For example, do a 60 sec Stay, then a 65 second one. Then 10 sec,
70, 67, 74, 15, 80, 3, 84, 76...

You will also start adding distance at this point (being variable about it by including some
closer Stays as well), but remember that we only work on one part of a behavior at a time,
so when you start going farther away you should reduce your time expectations drastically.
When both long stays (up close) and distance stays (for short times) are both reliable, you
can start putting them together.

Joey gives the signal

for Stay

He starts to move -

Sugar stays puts so it's

time for a C&T!

He can go a bit farther

before another C&T.

And all the way

around - another

C&T!

Remember that unlike most of the other behaviors we teach dogs to do upon our request,
the stay is not very natural. In the wild, a pup who stayed while the pack went away was not
likely to survive for long! So, be patient and increase your time (and later distance) in small
increments. The younger the pup the more of a factor this is going to be - especially the
distance. Give the baby a break & save working on distance until he is a bit older so he
doesn't become stressed.

Next steps involve having you move around more, having mild distractions, etc.. Each time
that you increase the difficulty by doing something like that, remember to back off on the
difficulty of the other aspects - distance & time. Success breeds success! When you are
ready to phase out the clicker, then you will release your dog from the stay with “Okay!” Be
careful to never give the stay cue unless you are going to be watching that he does, indeed,
stay, and that you always release him when he is done. If you forget, then he willl earn to
just release himself after a while.

The Down Stay is taught the same way - just have your dog in a down position first!

Loose Leash Walking

When I ask my dog school students which behaviors they are having trouble with, pulling on
the leash ties with jumping up. It's no wonder that it's such a problem, as most owners have
been unwittingly teaching their dog to pull ever since they brought him home! Why? Because

dogs do what works. Simple. For many dogs, they have always dragged their owners places.
Why do they do this? First of all, because it WORKS. Don't they always get where they
wanted to go by dragging? Also, dogs have a very strong urge to resist pressure. When they
feel the pressure on their necks, they about can't help but pull against it. You need to stop
making pulling work for him.

Old Fact: pulling gets me to the park New Fact: pulling doesn't get me to the park!

So, all of that time you were letting yourself be dragged along, you were actually teaching
him to pull you! Please realize that to successfully re-train him not to pull, you can't train
some of the time & let him pull the rest of the time. You HAVE to make the committment to
only train the behavior you prefer! At the bottom of the page I have some advice for how to
get places while you are still working on this.

Ready to start? Get yourself ready - have a whole bunch of tiny treats (or one really big
treat he can nibble) and a good leash. I recommend a short one (4 - 6') that is comfortable
to hold. Put the Flexi-leashes away for now. Have the treats in the hand next to the dog.
Hold the leash in your other hand, gathered up so that there is just a bit of slack. It is very
important that it not be tight.

Okay, now start out with your dog sitting or standing at your side. Use a treat to lure him
around to that position if needed. Let him see the treats you are holding in your hand.Say
his name once to get his attention, then step off, praising happily. Take JUST 1-2 steps, then
pause in mid stride to deliver a treat. (We no longer have people use the clicker for this in
class - it was difficult for many people to coordinate everything, and we found that the dogs
pick this up very easily without the clicker.)

Wait just long enough for him to gobble down the treat, then take 2 more steps and give
another treat. Be sure that you are getting the treat to the dog quickly, so that he is still by
your side when he gets it. If he runs out in front, then lure him back to your side before
giving him the treat. CAUTION!! Don't go more than 2 steps for now! You must hold your
dog's attention for this to work and that is so much easier for only 2 steps. Be sure to praise
enthusiastically the entire time he at your side! If you need to turn around, then lure your
dog around by holding a treat right in front of his nose, make the turn, pause to give the
treat, then move on. However - be careful to only use the luring on the about turns and
when you have to go past any distractions your dog isn't ready for. Otherwise, when you
are walking you must keep the treats away from the dog's nose. He should NOT be
walking along, simply staring at a treat you are dangling. So, when you are moving forward,
a few steps at a time, keep your treat hand up by your waist.

If at any point he runs ahead, then lure him back before stepping off again. If this is
happening often, then you need to take fewer steps before delivering a treat. Also try to
walk quickly and praise - both of those things will go a long way towards keeping your dog's
focus on you.

If you have a very small dog or puppy, you might find it gets old bending down to deliver the
treat. You can try using a long wooden spoon dipped in peanut butter or soft cheese. You
just hold it up and out of the way while walking, then dip it down so your dog just has to
reach up a bit for a quick lick before you continue on. Thanks to trainer Patty Ruzzo for
sharing that tip - one of her own students thought of it!

When your dog is consistently walking nicely for 2 steps, then begin requiring more. 4 steps,
then 6 steps, etc. before you pause to treat. Keep it fun - make a lot of turns and circles.

It is essential that you use good enough treats, work in a distraction-free area at first, and
that you praise the WHOLE time you are pleased with your dog's behavior. You cannot praise

enough! Usually a happy, high pitched voice works well. Try to sound a little silly! If you
become quiet, you are likely to lose your dog's attention. You are competing against the
entire environment for his attention so you had better be pretty darn interesting! It is far, far
easier to capture his attention before you start out & keep it than to try to capture it back
again & again.

Sara is ready to practice

walking - treats in the hand

NEXT to the the dog

Sara steps off, after getting

Sugar's attention

Sara & Sugar walking nicely

Troubleshooting - is your dog basically staying at your side but jumping up as he walks?
Just ignore that at first - consider it sloppy walking that is good enough for now. As you get
your coordination down you will be able to start walking at a much brisker pace which
usually eliminates the jumping. If it doesn't, however, once the dog is consistently walking
at your side (albeit jumping while doing it), you can begin shaping his behavior by no longer
stopping to treat when he is doing the jumping thing. To get a treat, he will need to take at
least a couple of steps without jumping.

When you are up to 10 steps or so, it is time to start being variable! From now on, don't just
go more & more steps before treating or your dog is likely to lose interest. Instead, work on
greater distances variably, throwing in some really short walks now & then (e.g. Go 10
steps, treat, then 12, then 8, then 15, then perhaps just 3. Then 13, 18, 20, 24, 19, 4, 23,
25, etc. Of course, you are still praising the entire time you are moving & then pausing to
treat.)

Eventually you will be ready to work around distractions, although don't rush this! You want
your dog to be successful - keep it easy for him. When you are ready, start out with very
mild distractions (other people across the street or watching, etc.) and work slowly up to
better ones (other dogs around, first far away then closer). Whenever you work in a new
place or with a new distraction, be prepared to use really high potency treats and to go back
to just a couple of steps at a time as a warm up.

Sara is starting

to

deliver the treat

Beautiful walking!

The Automatic Sit - would you like your dog to sit nicely, in heel position,
whenever you stop without even being asked? That is the Automatic Sit. To
teach this (I would wait until you are up to at least 8 steps or so) simply take
a a couple slower, smaller steps before you stop, and as you take the last
steps use a treat in your hand to lure him up into a sit. Give a treat. No
verbal command is needed. When he is starting to sit promptly for his treat,
then test it - slow down into a stop and wait.... If he does sit (he may need
to think about it for a few moments - be patient!!) then treat, giving a
jackpot! If he doesn't sit, then continue walking for a few steps and try
again. If that happens several times in a row perhaps you need to continue

luring him on the sit a few more times to help him know what is expected. Don't worry if the
sits aren't perfectly straight at first - you can shape them into being more precise later if you
like. When you do stop, be sure to stand up straight & bring both feet together. This will help
your dog to distinguish a true "halt" (when he should sit) from a pause for a treat (when you
are in mid stride and likely leaning over a little bit). Be careful not to rely on the lure very
long for the sit (or anything else, for that matter) or you will be stuck with it. You also want
to be sure to continue to treat actual walking as well as when you stop & he sits.

Need a way to walk your dog during the time it takes to teach Loose Leash Walking? I
recommend a special harness called Easy Walk by the Premier Company (ask for it at pet
supply stores) or order from JB Pet Supplies from the image link below. This harness is an
instant cure (but it only works when on).What is different about this harness is that the
leash clips in front of the harness (for safety & comfort, also clip it to the collar). When the
dog starts to pull, the harness actually starts to turn him towards you, very effectively
ending the pulling. For those of you who are using prong (or "pinch") collars, you will find
that the Easy Walk harnesses are far more effective!

Even with a dog who normally walks very nicely next to me, there are times when I really
need to be sure, such as in my vet's waiting room. On those occasions, I will usually have a
juicy treat & just lure my dog into the office. That keeps her focused on me instead of on the
other waiting pets.

Lastly, what about that Flexi-leads? Hang onto it for when your dog is older and has the
whole walking nicely thing down pat. They can be a lot of fun at the park, in areas where
there aren't other dogs around to get tangled in it.

Happy Walking!

The Recall

The Recall is one of the most important commands, yet, it is the one that is often the most
unreliable. Many puppy owners notice happily that their puppy always (or almost always)
seems to come when called, so they think they have that one covered & train no further for
it. However, just about every young puppy naturally hangs about the leader and comes
easily - it's a survival thing. But when they hit adolescence? Suddenly, the rest of the world
is a whole lot more interesting than you are!

You might be surprised to learn that you have already begun training for the recall when you
did all of that attention work. Now, the second step is the most fun of all. You simply play
recall games with your dog! We call the first one "Puppy in the Middle." You'll need another

person for this, a buckle collar (which means a regular one, not a prong or choke of any
kind) on the dog, and a bag of treats for each person.

Person 'A' kneels & holds the dog gently by the collar and pets him. Person 'B' kneels down
about 6' away and calls the dog. He should say his name first & then the command (use
whatever you have been using at this point, perhaps "C'mon".) If the dog comes, then
Person B takes hold of his collar & makes a big fuss over him - praise & treats & pats. If the
pup is too interested in Person A to respond to Person B, then Person B gets up, walks over
to pup, shows him the terrific treat he had, and essentially lures him over to where he called
him from. After the pup is with Person B, Person A calls him. Then Person B calls him. Back
& forth, back & forth. This is a game - so keep it fun!! Be sure to hold onto his collar until
the other person calls but it's okay (in fact, desired) if he is straining to go! Keep the game
sessions short & fun but play it frequently! Several times a day if possible. When the pup has
the concept, begin moving farther apart. Stay in his sight for quite awhile, but eventually
this game turns into Hide & Seek. At that point you should also add all other family
members, each with a bag of treats (just work out something so 2 people don't call the pup
at once!). A really good idea is to give your dog his dinner this way. Simply divide his food
amongst yourselves & play the game until it is gone.

Troubleshooting - don't have anyone else to help out with the games? You can play them
by yourself - just drop a few small treats on the floor and when your dog is busy gobbling
them up walk 6' away then call him. Then put more treats on the floor & walk away again,
etc.

As well as playing this game, start calling your dog lots in the house (or anywhere where he
isn't faced with much distraction. You don't want to overstrain that new muscle & damage it,
do you?) Always call when you are sure he will respond - like at dinnertime! Call him
for no reason other than to give him a treat and then let him go. You want to instill in him
the belief that Coming When Called is always a WONDERFUL THING!! Many people make the
mistake of, without thinking about it, turning the Come command into a negative thing for
the dog. If you use it mostly to bring him inside when he was playing, or when you are
ready to leave the park & go home, then that word, to the dog, means The End of Fun. You
want them to think it is the best possible word he could possibly hear in his day. So... never
never never call your dog over for anything unpleasant (like bath time) or to end anything
really fun (like playtime in the park.) Eventually you will be able to use the command in the
park, as needed, (because by then he will think that coming over to you IS a pleasant thing)
but don't ever go back to calling him for a negative thing. Go get him for bath time!

Play the Puppy in the Middle games for a week or two before beginning the next steps.
However, you need to continue playing those games for quite a while - in a variety of places
- as the game is what is really doing the training.

So far, you have been playing the games using your "Informal" recall command. Now your
dog is going to learn a "Formal" command. The difference? The informal one (let's say....
"C'mon") is used when the response doesn't have to be immediate. Maybe the dog is on the
backyard & it's dinnertime. It's okay with you if he takes another sniff or piddle on his way
in. That's when you use the informal command. You may also repeat this one since it is no
big deal. But now, you will need to choose a formal command. I like COME ("Sugar Bear -
Come!") but if that is already your informal one then you'll need to choose another. COME
NOW is good, or TO ME, or FRONT... whatever you like!

Practice the Recall with your formal command at this point ONLY when you are totally sure
of the correct response. Good opportunities are at dinner time & when playing the games
(start out with the informal command to warm him up, then switch to the formal one once
he's really going). Bad times would be anytime when there are distracting things around
such as in the backyard or in the park. You really need to wait until the behavior is strong

enough for those. Otherwise, every time you call him & do not get the correct response, you
are actually diminishing the strength of the command.

Also important is prolonging your dog's pleasure in having responded to you. So don't just
toss him & treat & walk away. Sit down with him & break that treat into many little pieces &
give them one by one. And save something absolutely wonderful for this exercise - leftover
steak, perhaps? Or have his favorite toy instead (perhaps a ball or rope toy or a Frisbee) and
spend several minutes (at least) playing with him.

While working at home, it's important to start being very variable with the
treats/reinforcements, but still keeping them amazing. And although you initially let the dog
know that you had a treat before calling him, you need to phase that out. Call him often in
the house, then RUN to get a treat (or toy) from another location! This will prevent him
looking to see if you have a treat before responding. You want the response to be instant!

In higher level classes we really up the distraction level to include another person kneeling
on the ground about halfway between the dog & the owner. As the dog races by, this person
distracts (either by just being there, by calling "puppy, puppy", or by holding out a treat - all
depends on what each dog is ready for). Then we include the rest of the class as eveyone
lines up about 10' across from each other (dogs included) and one person & her dog practice
the recall running down the middle, first with just the distraction of the other dogs & people,
then with the people calling, "Puppy, puppy!", then with the people offering treats & calling
as the dog races by. Of course, if the dog were ever to try to take a treat from one of the
distracters, she must be sure to not ever let him have one!

You can also really strengthen your dog's Recall by practicing it at the park, even around the
rest of the dog pack that he might be playing with. First, be prepared with incredible treats
and/or toys. Then when he is playing, walk right up to him, stick your treat/toy right under
his nose & call him "Max, COME!" while you move backwards 6' or so, luring him along while
praising the whole time, then giving him the treat. Do this frequently! Eventually you will be
able to start farther & farther away from him. But do be sure to practice it often so he
associates the word "COME!" with terrific things, even at the dog park. Many dogs will start
to "check in" on their own which should of course be encouraged witha treat! When you are
finally ready to go home, he won't be sorry to hear that word since he won't think it means
leaving his friends.

Now, a bit more detail about the two different commands. The formal command is used
when the dog must come straight to you right away! Eventually it is also helpful to have him
sit upon reaching you but only after the recall is 100%. You may NOT repeat this command!
Therefore, don't ever use it until you are sure of it. Practice it inside or on a long leash
outside. Use the formal command when playing the games from now one if he is reliable
with them. Use it at dinner time! Any other time, use the informal command. It's freezing
rain outside and you are not inclined to go get him if he doesn't respond? Then don't use the
formal command. Of course, over time & with practice the formal command should become
very solid. THIS is the command you will then use in an emergency... dog takes off after a
squirrel and is heading for the street... "Max, COME!". And if you spent enough time
strengthening his response with the distraction training, Max will indeed spin around & come
to you! Be sure to practice plenty of fun recalls - both formal & informal.

Happy recalling!

Teaching Your Dog to Wait

The Wait command tells your dog that he must not move past a spot. It is particularly useful
for dogs that barge through doors, gates, crate doors, etc.

I will explain how to teach a puppy not to barge out of his crate - once you understand this it
should be easy to adapt the behavior to whatever situation you like. This is one behavior
where I actually don't use the clicker as it is easy enough for the dog to understand.

Okay, say you are going to get your pup out of his crate (please don't try to teach this when
she is desperate to go out & relieve herself!) You start to open the crate door & she starts to
push through, so you instantly SHUT THE CRATE DOOR. Let her stand there a moment and
be confused, When she relaxes (or isn't trying to get out), then start to open the door again.
She barges, again quickly shut it. After a while she should start to give up on trying to rush
out, and sit there while you open the door. At first, don't expect much -if she holds it for a
moment, quickly open the door, saying "Okay!" and let her out. Eventually, however, you
want her to show more & more self-control. You should be able to get the door all the way
open and have her wait in there, until you release her to come out.

Practicing this with front doors, gates, and car doors could could save your dog's life
someday!

Happy Waiting!!

Nail Clipping

This lesson is for anyone who has a dog that puts up a fight to have his nails clipped. You
are going to condition him to actually be happy (or, at least tolerant) when those clippers
come out, because you are going to desensitize him to them, and use classical conditioning
to make him start to drool when he sees them. Yes, it will take a little time to do, but if you
count up all the minutes spent fighting with a dog over nail clipping, in the long run you will
save hours & hours.

I'm going to use, as an example, a dog who is upset upon even seeing the clippers. Those of
you with less of a problem may be able to skip the first few steps. But they wouldn't hurt!

First, just bring out the clippers and lay them down. Do nothing with them, just let them lie
there. Have them in a spot where the dog can't help but notice. Leave them out for a few
days so the mere sight of them is no longer so upsetting.

Next step is to get him to touch them! Bring the clippers over, lay them down near your dog,
and lay several pieces of the best imaginable treat down near them. Please forget even using
any commercial treat - save some of your roast beef for this. It also helps if your dog hasn't
had dinner yet, so the treats are all the more tempting. Relax and let him think about it -
most dogs will go get the treats. If yours won't, then move them farther away until he will.
Repeat this, getting closer & closer each time until you are placing the treats directly on the
clippers.

Now, sit down near the clippers & have your dog sit near you, too. Point at the clippers and
say "touch." (This will be easier if you have taught the

Targeting

lesson). You might have to

hold a treat on the clippers to get an accidental touch at first. But when he touches it
(accidentally or not), C&T, giving a jackpot & praise enthusiastically. Repeat again & again,
until he is readily reaching out to touch the clippers for you.

The next step is to get him to accept having his nails touched by the clippers. Notice I said
touch - not clip. That comes later. Sit down and have your dog lie down next to you. Have
really good treats in your hand or a handy bowl (an assistant to give the treats is very
helpful here). Slowly bring the clippers over to one of his front paws and gently touch one
nail with them. If he yanks his paw out of the way, tell him "Too bad" and look away for a
few moments. Let him be bummed out for a minute about the lost opportunity for an
extraordinary treat. Then try again. When he finally holds still for one nail to be touched,

C&T! Do again & again until he understands what his job is (to hold steady). If he really has
a hard time not pulling his paw away, don't reward for that. Instead, C&T if you can get, say,
within a couple of inches. And slowly get closer & closer until you are actually touching the
nail. Practice with this for a few sessions. One nail touch - C&T. Another nail touch - C&T.
When that is no longer a big deal, then do two nail touches - C&T. Then 3 nail touches -
C&T. Whenever he has mastered a step, you "up the ante" by requiring more from him in
order to earn his treat.

When you can touch all the nails in his paw before giving a treat, he is ready for actual
clipping. However, be sure that he is accepting the touching on all four of his paws! Keep
sessions short, especially for a young puppy. Do one foot, give the treat then go play. Later
do another, etc. You progress with actual nail clipping as you did with the touching. Snip a
teeny bit of one nail - C&T (if he holds steady). And slowly up the ante until you can clip an
entire pawful of nails before giving a treat. My friend Susan was having to sit on her puppy
to clip his nails. A few days of this (several sessions per day), and now he offers his paw to
her when he sees the clippers! My thanks to her for coming up with this step-by-step way of
doing the desensitization.

It is usually best to trim your dog's nails just a little bit about once a week to keep them
short. If you allow them to grow long, the quick (the tender part inside) actually grows
longer & you will be stuck with long nails that are noisy & can cause physical problems for
the dog if they are extreme. If you are really unsure which part of the nail to clip, please
ask your vet to show you (preferably on a dog that is relaxed!).

Remember to take it slowly - let your dog tell you by his acceptance when to progress to the
next step.

Other tricks to try include having a helper rub his belly (if he likes that, of course) while you
are clipping. I am also having great luck using a nail grinder which you can get from

Happy clipping!

Leave It!

This is not a competition exercise - this is for when you are going for a walk, and realize that
your dog is making a beeline for something truly disgusting. You tell him "Leave it!" and he
does so. Also works for telling your dog to get away from something else such as a plate of
food on the table, or for when you drop something on the ground you really don't want him
to have. I even know a a dog that will respond to "Leave it" when his owner wants him to
move away from another dog! This is an essential behavior for any dogs who will be doing
therapy work.

Okay - get yourself ready. Have a bunch of little treats - some really tasty ones & some so-
so ones (I'll use hot dog slices & Cheerios as an example).

Have a couple of Cheerios in one hand which will be the "Leave it" hand (to begin with,
anyway) and a hot dog slice in your other hand (your "Get it" hand). Hold out your first
hand, open to show the Cheerios. Your dog will, of course, start to reach for them. Say
"Leave it!" and close your hand. However, keep the hand down at his level - don't yank it
away, just close it into a soft fist. He will probably lick & nibble at your hand, trying to get
the Cheerios. When he gives up & pulls his head back you need to immediately say "YES!" &
then say "Get it!" and offer the much tastier hot dog from your right hand.

Sara has boring treats (dry

popcorn) in her "Leave it"

hand, and tasty treats (salami)

in her "Get it" hand

Sugar has been told to "Leave

it!" for the popcorn and is doing

so - time for Sara to say "Yes!"

And now Sara gives her a

piece of salami

Wondering where the clicker fits in? Well, it's pretty difficult to use if you have treats in both
hands. If you can manage it (or have an assistant to do the clicking), click the instant he
quits trying for the Leave it treat & then offer the Get it treat with "Get it!" This is actually a
great example of when it sometimes good to use a Bridge Word ("Yes!") instead of a clicker.

Keep doing this until he is no longer trying for the treat from your Leave it hand. Then...
switch hands! Expect to him to about start over at first, but then quickly figure out what is
going on. (Ahhh... it's not which hand it's in, it's what she's saying first! Eureka!")

At this point, you want to start requiring that your dog not only "leave it," but look up at you
before you say "Yes!" and "Get it." To do that, just do what you have been, but after your
dog moves away from the leave it hand, just wait.... until he looks up at you, then
immediately say "Yes!" and "Get it." If he takes too long to look up, then say his name to
get his attention, and reward that.

Next progression would be to set a treat onto the floor and say "Leave it." Reward with a
jackpot if he does! Be prepared to step on it (use a dry treat here so it doesn't get
smooshed!) to cover it if he doesn't. In that case, just try again. When that is going well,
actually drop a treat on the ground, at first just from a few inches off of the ground, then
gradually higher.

Note - Try to usually have much better treat in your "get it" hand than what you are making
him "leave it." However, make sure to practice this with some pretty high level treats as the
Leave it treats as well! When the time comes when you are out in the park & he discovers a
rotten frog carcass & starts drooling, you want him to respond to your "Leave it" command.
He'll be amazed, thinking you actually have a treat better than rotten frog! Of course you
won't (I hope!), but by then it'll be too late for your dog - you'll be past where the frog was.
He'll be disappointed, but will survive. And certainly, you would lavish affection on him at
that point, and give up any treats you might have on you.

Happy "leaving it"!

Advanced Training

Okay, so your pup is doing pretty darn well around the house, but how reponsive is he when
company is over or when you are outisde? Having a dog that responds to you in those
situations will require advanced training. He knows the basics, but can only perform in easy
(i.e. non-distracting) situations. I like to use a weight-lifting analagy here: say you have
been lifting weights, and do really well with 10 lbs. Then someone comes along and hands
you 100 lbs. Can you lift it? Probably not. Does that make you stubborn, stupid, or
disobedient? Of course not! It just means you haven't TRAINED for that kind of weight. So,
please think of each behavior you have taught your dog in those terms... if you want him to

respond in all situations, you must TRAIN in all situations. And, just as in weight training,
that means adding on the weights (or distractions) a little at a time.

I am going to give some general advice, then, about distraction training. You will need to
adapt all of this to your own dog and situation, but I have found these to be pretty good
"rules of thumb."

• Begin practicing in different, yet quiet locations. You may be surprised at what a
difference that will make! Dogs really do see the location as part of the signal at first, so
you may find that you may have to back up a few steps and practice simple behaviors at
first. Eventually practice everywhere that you expect to have your dog. My personal
challenge was bringing Sugar Bear to my kids' soccer and flag football games. It was
extremely difficult for her at first! I found that it was better to leave her at home for the
games, because I wanted to relax and watch my kids. But I would bring her to practices,
have a pocketful of hot dog slices, and move as far away as I needed to go. It was hard
work but it paid off - now I can bring her along and she is very relaxed and well-behaved. No
more lunging for the ball as it rolls by!

• Begin adding mild distractions. You can control this in several ways - by controlling the
intensisty of the distractions (i.e. someone walking by, versus someone running by) and
control how close you are to the distraction.

• Have way better than usual treats.

• Expect less from your dog at first! Especially in situations where you really con't control the
intensity or distance of the distraction, you might go all the way back to luring to get a
behavior that your dog performs flawlessly for a simple signal at home. That's okay! Practice
that for a bit, then fade the lure as you did before, working until he is a good as he is at
home.

• And remember, you are training your dog every minute that you are with him (and
sometimes even when you are not!) Be sure to consistently reinforce behaviors you like,
and don't allow annoying (or dangerous!) behaviors to continue. Figure out HOW those
behaviors are reinforcing to the dog. Is he getting lots of attention (even if it's negative, it
counts as attention) for them? Is he getting internal reinforcement for them - such as the
sheer joy of barking or chasing or picking a delicious tidbit out of the trashcan? Work to
manage your household to prevent what you can (i.e. trashcan in the closet, dog on a leash)
and train behaviors that you would prefer to take the place of ones you don't like. Just
always keep in mind that your dog's behavior is 100% your responsibility, since you chose to
bring him home. There's an old saying: A well-trained dog is a happy dog... and you will be
a happier owner :)

back to the top

How to be a Good (& effective) Leader

Although there is some discussion about whether dogs truly consider people as part of their
"pack," I think everyone agrees that they do recognize - and respect - leadership.

Every group has a leader, and if the dog in the family senses that none of the humans is
taking that role, they will likely rise to fill it. Along with the responsibilities of leadership
comes that of discipline. And no human wants to be disciplined by a dog!

Being a good leader for your pet does not mean being rough. It does, however, mean being
strong and confident; sure in what you do. Some people seem to act this way naturally,
others need a little help. Below I've listed some of the things you can do which will help

your dog recognize you as a leader. Your entire family should be familar with these rules and
apply them consistently - especially children!

* Please note! If aggression is already a concern, then proceed very carefully! Best advice
in that case is to get the help of an animal behaviorist who can work privately with you. Call
your vet, local obedience schools, or animal shelters for recommendations. Be sure to hire
someone who uses positive reinforcement methods!


Give your dog plenty of attention, exercise, play, and grooming!
So many behavioral problems are due to insufficient exercise and pure boredom. Dogs are
social animals and they need exercise (some breeds more than others). If your dog is driving
you crazy, try getting up 1/2 hr earlier every day and taking him for a walk or run. Don't
take young dogs for long walks as you need to wait for their growth plates to close - ask
your vet for when this will be for your breed. But once they are ready, defintely walk with
your dog at least 60 minutes EACH DAY. This can be broken up into smaller walks (i.e. 30
mins in the morning, 30 in the evening). Do this even if your dog has lots of playtime in the
yard - walking with you is very relationship-building as well as exercising.You might be
amazed at the change in him! Work hard on that Loose-Leash Walking lesson to make this
as fun for you as it is for him. Most breeds were bred to perform a duty and if not given a
"job" to do, will invent their own...

Feed your dog!
Providing the food is an important leadership role, so make it clear that you are doing so.
Instead of leaving a bowlful of food out all day, have mealtimes where your dog can eagerly
await you placing his bowl - filled with high quality food - down for him. As soon as your dog
has some basic training, have him give eye contact or do a quick stay before he gets the
bowl.

Have the right of way
Is your dog in your way or where you want to be? Move him. Give him a nudge & say
"move." If that provokes growling or snarling, then please contact a behaviorist. Unless
there is a history of abuse, then your dog probably already thinks HE is the leader, and that
you are out of line telling him to move. Since you don't want to be bitten, get professional
help, please! A young, healthy dog should move out of yoru way. When he gets old &
arthritic, then you can start stepping over or around him.

Greet the human members of your family first
When you come home, greet any other members of your family before giving any attention
to your dog. This may be difficult, as your family members probably aren't bounding up to
the door to say hello! However, do your best to walk past your dog and to hug or kiss your
family members before turning to crouch & calmly greet your dog.

Play games & keep the toys when you are done
Initiate fun games with your dog, such as retrieving games, tug o' war, and hide & seek.
Have special toys for these games that you get from a closet or drawer, and when the game
is over be sure to put the toys back away. In a sense, these toys are special "kills" for your
dog, and the pack leader should have control over them.

Eat before you feed your dog
The top pack members get first choice at the food, but since you probably aren't interested
in your dog's dinner, just be sure to eat your own first! If you're not ready yet, then just
have a cracker or a drink of water... and be sure your dog is watching.

Be sure your dog earns your attention
Every meal, play session, petting session, etc., should start with your dog responding to
you, not the other way around. This needn't be complicated, just have your dog sit or

respond to his name (the Attention work!) before you do something for him. Or call him to
come to you for the fun!

Go through narrow openings first
In other words, don't let your dog blow past you through the door or up or down the stairs!
This is as much a safety issue as it is a leadership one. Teach him the Wait or Stay
command. Until then, just take hold of his collar and hold him in place while you walk
through the door. That's a bit trickier with the stairs, so work hard on those commands!
Once your dog is reliable with those commands, then you can certainly choose to let him go
ahead first if that is more convenient for you. But he should wait for your permission to
proceed.

Ignore your dog if you are busy
Of course, this is only feasible if you give him plenty of attention & exercise otherwise. But
don't feel that you are at your dog's beck & call! Hardly dignified behavior for a leader...

Put your dog in "Time Out" if he is getting out of control
If playtime with you is getting too rowdy, or playing with another dog is starting to get
nasty, then quietly put your dog in "Time Out." That can be his crate (as long as he is
already comfortable with it), or simply in another room for a few minutes. If you are
consistent with this, he will soon learn to control his behavior so the fun can continue! Do
realize that dogs can sound pretty awful when playing with each other. They can bark,
growl, have their hackles up, nip at each other - all is usually fine as long as they are
bouncy. If they start to get stiff or if blood is being drawn, of course, it's time to end it.

Realize that your dog is a dog
Remember that everything dogs do that we dislike - biting, barking, jumping up, eliminating
inside, chewing, etc. - is totally normal dog behavior! If we want our dogs to stop doing
these things, then it is completely our responsibility to train him not to. No fair expecting
him to "know better" or to learn to stop doing something so natural and fun just because he
was caught & punished a few times. Often dogs can simply learn that they can't do those
things in the presence of a human. Instead, make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise and
has appropriate things to chew (real meaty bones from the butcher, Kongs or bones stuffed
with treats are great!) If a problem behavior continues, then realize that the fault lies in
your training and management (or lack thereof). So take the time to think about the
behavior and think about what you can do the change things. Don't expect your dog to act
like Lassie, because "Lassie" really never existed. She was just a well trained Collie, with a
smart trainer who was always just out of camera range.

Reinforce what you like
Be sure to clearly communicate to your dog what behaviors you DO like! Someone walked by
the window and he didn't bark at them? "What a good boy!" A reinforcement can be a treat,
praise, an ear rub, a ball thrown... whatever your dog loves. If being "naughty" is the only
way your dog gets you to pay attention to him, then expect him to be naughty a lot.

Ignore what you don't like (or make it stop "working" for the dog)
Unless the behavior is dangerous or really destructive, ignore behaviors you don't like. And
realize that any attention from you is reinforcing! Yelling, hitting, shoving - all are forms of
attention, which your dog naturally craves. A far more effective teaching method is to ignore
the undesirable behavior. If it's something that the dog has been doing for a long time,
earning your attention every time, then you can pretty much expect it to get worse before it
stops. Whatever he was doing worked before, so he may try harder & harder to get it to
work again. Stand your ground! Eventually he'll give up, having learned it doesn't work
anymore. The behavior will be extinguished. (Be careful - if you ignore something for a
while, then give in, you'll have taught him that he needs to be really annoying to get your
attention!) And in many situations, you can think about what you would rather your dog be
doing. Instead of begging at the table, how able reinforcing a down stay during your meal?

Of course, some behaviors are reinforced without your attention. "Counter surfing," barking
at the neighbors, getting in the trash, chasing cars, etc... So do your best to manage the
environment so that those behaviors either become impossible for the dog (put the trash in
a closet, don't let him run loose to chase cars), or stop working for the dog (if trips to the
counter yield no food, he'll stop bothering to do so).

Train desirable behaviors
Which is what the rest of this web site is about! If you haven't already, please go to the
lessons & start learning how. Great trainers have great dogs!

Tug o' War Rules

For years we have been told not to play tug 'o war with our dogs. We were told it would
make them aggressive & we'd end up getting bitten. Yet, many of us played it anyway with
no problems. How come? Well, because most of us played by the rules, even if unknowingly.
And if you play by the rules, tug games are not only acceptable but should be encouraged as
a great way to play with your dog!

Tug games provide great exercise (for both of you) and can be played inside in a small area.
Quick games of tug are great rewards for obedience training, too! However, there are some
very important rules which MUST be followed. If you don't, you may very well up with a dog
that becomes unacceptably aggressive.

Be cautioned, as well, that I still don't recommend tug games for dogs that are already
showing aggression toward their owners! But for the average pet who isn't having
dominance issues at home, tug games are great.

The Rules

1. Choose a single toy to use for your tug games. Use only it until all of the rules are clearly
understood by all involved. Store this toy somewhere out of the dog's reach - just bring it
out on those special occasions when you want to play tug!

2. Begin each game with a command such as "Wanna tug?".

3. Teach your dog to release the toy on command. You can teach this command ("Drop" or
"Give") by offering a treat or another special toy in exchange for the tug toy. Do again &
again until he learns the command. Be patient! After he releases, praise him & give him the
treat or toy, but then quickly initiate another game of tug. Your dog is much more likely to
give up the toy easily if he knows there is a good chance he will get it right back! Until this is
taught, you might be able to get the tug toy by pressing the dog's lips against his teeth -
when it gets uncomortable he will let go! Of course, do NOT try this if you are worried about
getting bitten - only you can judge the situation with your own dog.

4. Failing to give the toy causes a recess in the game. Running away or guarding the toy
ends the game once the owner has regained possession of the toy. Don't chase your dog to
get the toy! That is way too much fun for him. Ignore him for a while, then direct his
attention to another activity & remove the tug toy when he leaves it.

5. Take frequent breaks for some basic obedience commands (sit, down, or tricks of some
sort). As a reward for the obedience, the tug game continues.

6. Any time the dog grabs the toy without permission ("Wanna tug?"), there is a recess of
the game or end of it if the dog becomes really rowdy.

7. Dogs really have very exacting control over their teeth. The dog must NEVER even
"accidentally" touch the owner's hand with its teeth while playing. If this should happen, end
the game immediately & ignore the dog for a few minutes. You CAN expect the dog to growl
quite ferociously while tugging - that's part of the game & perfectly okay as long as those
teeth don't touch you!

8. Children of any age who cannot enforce these rules MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO PLAY
TUG WITH THE DOG!! Dogs and children should always be closely supervised.