Positive Reinforcement Dog Training

TRAINING TRAINING AND BEHAVIOUR

Positive Reinforcement Dog Training

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Positive Reinforcement Training Techniques For Your Dog or "When Close Enough Isn’t Good Enough"...


Our goal whenever we are teaching anything to our puppy is to do it POSITIVELY! It’s up to us, as the puppy’s leader, to teach it how to become the dog that we want. Old School methods of crashing and banging the puppy through behaviours may have been tolerated in the past, however we now understand they decrease the puppy’s drive and motivation to learn. Not to mention the potential damage to our relationship with the puppy. 

All the behaviours we want to nurture and enhance in our puppy can be simply prompted with a lure and rewarded with food, affection or play. But what happens when the value of that Food, Affection or Play is less then the value the dog perceives in doing something else?

We advocate and promote active engagement with your puppy. We want our puppy to see us as the Sun, Moon and Stars. Always looking to us for leadership and guidance! Always wanting something that we have! 

We love to teach our puppies lots of different things. Some of them are cute tricks that are just fun to do. Others are obedience-based commands that might some day save our puppies life. So how can our puppy tell the difference between these? Well, THEY CAN’T!

Before we can discuss how to handle a situation where your puppy isn’t doing what you ask of it, we need to all get on the same page and explain how you know for sure that your puppy knows what you want. 

#1. Teaching Phase

Whenever we are teaching something new, we start in a distraction free environment. There is nothing of interest but us and we will have the puppy’s full attention. 

#2. Introducing a Distractions Phase

When we have the puppy going through the motions of whatever behaviour we are teaching in a distraction free environment we slowly start to introduce distractions. A distraction could simply be having another person nearby and then build up to being right amongst an environment so busy that the dog has to really focus to stay engaged with us. 

#3. Proofing Phase

This is where we test the puppy. We must be 100% sure the puppy knows what is being asked of it. We must have put the puppy in a similar situation with similar distractions and have had success. We ask the puppy to complete the behaviour and if it doesn’t then and only then do we compel it to comply. 

So, what behaviours do we proof and what do we not? The answer is ALL OF THEM! All behaviours can be proofed with very simple techniques, causing almost no stress to the puppy. 

So why is all this relevant?

Imagine a scenario where a pet dog owner is in the park with a group of friends. In front of their friends they ask the dog to sit, but it doesn’t. 

Normally, through embarrassment or to avoid an uncomfortable situation everyone laughs it off and the dog continues to play. You may hear an excuse like “oh it’s because I don’t have food with me” or “he’s tired, that’s why.” The people go back to talking and the dog continues playing and everyone puts the situation behind them. 

Everyone but the dog! 

The dog has just learned that he can choose not to listen to his leader. And not just when the leader says to sit. But when the leader says anything! 

So what went wrong? Does the dog not know how to sit on command? Or did he choose to ignore his leader. Either way it’s the human’s fault. And that human may just have put his dog’s life in danger. 

When we are training a dog, or living with a dog we consider fully trained, CLOSE ENOUGH IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. If you are going to ask your dog to do something for you, you must be in a position to reward it for that behavior and be prepared to take control of the situation and guide the dog into that behavior if need be. 

So how do we keep our dog safe WHILE avoiding embarrassment? I’ll tell you.

1. Put the work in and concentrate on training those key behaviours that are going to keep your dog safe. 

a. RECALL

b. HEEL

A dog heeling properly matches his owner's pace

c. DOWN AT A DISTANCE

2. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you haven’t proofed a behaviour then look around, assess the level of distraction you are working under and make an informed decision on whether you should even give that command.

3. Follow through. If you do end up in a situation where your dog ignores you then you need to correct it and carry out the necessary retraining right there and then. 

Remember our goal is always to develop a bond so strong with our dog that their engagement and focus on us will make any distraction fade off into the background, but if you are not there yet, be careful. Close enough is not good enough. 

Pat Stuart is "Top Dog” from the MS Kennels Sydney pack. MS Kennels are able to provide just about every level of dog training service including behaviour consultations and providing fully trained dogs to meet a variety of purposes.  MS Kennels also offers an online video training series teaching average people how to effectively raise a puppy. 

For more details, visit mskennels.com

Introducing a New Dog to Existing Dogs

BEHAVIOUR TRAINING TRAINING AND BEHAVIOUR

Introducing a New Dog to Existing Dogs

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Bringing a new dog into your home can be a very exciting time, but it is also a stressful situation. You may have children or existing dogs or pets in the home, and might not be sure how your latest addition will fit in with current family members.

When it comes to introductions, advance preparation and patience will be paramount. Make sure your current dogs/animals are able to cope peacefully and happily around dogs before you decide to bring another dog home. Multi-dog households can work very well, but they can also lead to serious fights and potential injury if proper management and guidelines are not in place.

If you have children in the home, you need to teach them how to stay safe around dogs, and make sure your new dog will be comfortable with children.


Introductions should occur slowly and should never be forced. Dog to dog introductions are best done on neutral territory, and I recommend that your current dog(s) meet the new dog at least twice so they can check each other out and interact, as well as taking the dogs for a walk together, before bringing the new dog home. Minimise face-to-face greetings (or those through fences) as much as possible, as these can get tense quickly.

You should stay calm at all times during these initial introductions, as any tension can be felt by the dogs. If you are having trouble with introducing a new dog into your home, then you should contact a qualified animal behaviourist or dog trainer for assistance before the situation gets out of control.

TIPS TO INTRODUCE A NEW DOG TO YOUR PACK

If the existing dog is a male, then it is wise to introduce a more submissive female into the mix and vice versa. Inter-female aggression is very common, as are fights between competing males, and while dogs of the same sex can co-habit peacefully, it is often better to mix the sexes up.

It is advisable that your second dog is close in age, size or temperament to your existing dog, making sure their energy levels match. If a puppy is brought into a home with an established older dog, every effort must be made to keep puppy’s desire to play with the older dog to a minimum. In some cases a younger dog will breathe new life into an older one, but age gaps can also be the cause of major irritations! My preference for age difference is 4 to 6 years, depending on the breeds of the dogs.

Initial introductions need to be made on neutral territory with both dogs on loose leashes, so that they have the ability to interact without the frustration of being held too tightly. If the initial meeting goes well, both dogs should be allowed to interact off leash in a safe area, giving them freedom to form a relationship.

Established dogs can become jealous when too much attention is given to the new addition. It is extremely important that both dogs get equal attention as well as having quality one-on-one time with the owner.

Feeding the dogs separately will ensure that there are no fights over food bowls, and that each dogs’ dietary requirements are being met. High value chews, bones or toys need to be given to the dogs in separate rooms or areas, as even the best of friends can fight over valuable resources.


Rewarding the existing dog when he or she behaves well around the new arrival will show the dog that the new dog’s presence means good things happen. 

Walking the dogs individually a few times a week will also assist in strengthening the bond with you, as this is each dogs “special time” just with you! And you will get to know your new dogs’ personality even better! 

Brushing or massaging your dogs improves the bond you share with them, and again gives them one on one time just with you! 

TIPS TO TRANSPORT YOUR NEW DOG HOME

Having your existing dogs secured in your vehicle is essential for their safety (and it is also a legal requirement in NSW). 

Putting your new dog into a good sized crate that is secured in your vehicle will help the dog to not panic, or injure itself, plus has the advantage of minimising any car sickness mess. 

The use of a pheromone collar (such as Adaptil) on your new dog may really help him during the travelling and the first few weeks of settling into your home. My advice is to put it on at least an hour before travel is to commence so it has time to activate. 

You may need to pull over if the dog is not travelling well. For some rescued dogs, travelling in the car can be traumatic and they believe they are going to be dumped or surrendered, as this may be what happened to them once before.

TIPS TO MAKE THINGS EASY AT HOME


Take your existing dogs in first, and put them in the back yard, then bring the new dog inside the house, and let him check out the new environment. Set up his/her crate/pen in a safe yet quite area.

Then swap, by bringing the existing dogs in, and taking the new dog out to explore the yard freely.

You can then let then all interact freely in the yard under your supervision to ensure that there is no territorial behavior going on, and if play starts to get intense, calmly intervene by bringing the over-excited dog inside to calm down.

Your new dog may not be house trained, so you need to be prepared keep a close watch for behaviours that indicate toileting is needed. He should however learn quickly from your other dog(s).

Some rescued dogs may have some ongoing behavioural issues due to the way they were treated at some point in their life. They may have been abused or starved, and you might be surprised at some of the triggers.

It can take up to three months for your rescued dog’s personality to develop and shine – he/she is finally allowed to be themselves, and develop their character in a kind, loving and respectful home environment.

Should you need any assistance with any of the above, or something totally unexpected occurs, be sure to contact a qualified professional dog behavioural trainer who has first-hand experience with adopting and working with a rescued dog. 

For more details, visit the Dogology® website, where you can enrol your dog in my new Rescued Dog Program!

Janene Branc, Dogology® 2015

Janene Branc has been training dogs since 1995. She completed the Certificate IV in Dog Behavioural Training with the Delta Society of Australia in 2002 and the PetTech PetSaver Certificate course in 2012. She has attended many seminars on Agility, Obedience, Canine Musical Freestyle, Ethology & Canine Behavioural Management. She has been the NSW Regional Representative for the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (Australia) since 2010.

EzyDog SnakPak Treat Bag Review

ACCESSORIES REVIEWS TRAINING

EzyDog SnakPak Treat Bag Review

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The EzyDog SnakPak is a treat bag with a magnetic closure and it clips around your waist for convenience.

The magnetic opening system provides a simple and rapid access to our dog's favourite treats during training sessions. 

For the fashion-conscious the SnakPak is small enough to be inconspicuous so you may decide to wear it also during your daily walks as we have started doing. With an overall volume of 650ml, there is plenty of space not only to carry dog treats but also all other dog walking essentials: dog waste bags, keys, smartphone etc.

We wear ours attached around our waist using the adjustable strap but you can remove it and instead attach your EzyDog SnakPak using the twin belt clips located at the rear of the pack. For tips on how to attach and use the SnakPak, you can watch the demonstration video below:




MAIN FEATURES 

• A magnetic closure provides a fast and simple access to rewards during training. No more treat spillage when you bend to pick up the ball during a game of fetch!
• 2 methods to attach the SnakPak treat pouch: you can use the twin belt hooks located at the rear of the pack. This will stabilise the bag around your waist or you can use the adjustable webbing waist strap. 
• Internal pull-up liner for a wipe clean. You can basically turn the inside of your treat bag out and wipe it with a damp cloth and leave to air dry.
• The front zip pocket is waterproof. There is also a little clip inside to attach your keys for extra safety if you decide to grab another item out of the pocket.

WHAT WE LIKE

• A range of funky colours to choose from: Blue, Black, Orange and our favourite Red! 
• The front zip closure enabling us to store our keys or money when we take our dogs for a walk 
• The high-quality we’ve come to expect from this brand and this item did not disappoint.

PRICE AND WHERE TO BUY

RRP: $32.95. For more details, visit www.ezydog.com.au 

Dog Training: Accessories Ideas

ACCESSORIES TRAINING

Dog Training: Accessories Ideas

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Training your dog is a long journey on which you will need a few helpful (and why not funky) supplies. These days the choice of branded accessories and equipment available to dog owners is endless but this guide may give you a place to start.

#1. The Treat Pouch

Ezydog - SnakPak-Pro Treat Bag

With the EzyDog SnakPak-Pro you’ll have everything you need to train your dog in one comfy accessory (it holds up to 750ml). You’ve got a waterproof oversized lined interior that you can pull up and easily wash out - plus magnetic closures that provide quick smart access to your goodies. 

There’s also a front waterproof zip closure and hip belt pockets where you can store your keys, phone or money. Finally you’ve got a doo bag dispenser for when business is done.

For more information, visit www.ezydog.com.au


DOOG - Good Dog Treat Pouch

DOOG's Good Dog Treat Pouch was designed with the assistance of professional dog trainers to have all the important features.

The treat pouch inner is removable and washable, meaning you no longer have to walk around with a stinky treat bag. The pouch is designed to stay open for quick access and can be easily closed by using the velcro closure or string pull.

Made from all weather, durable nylon the DOOG Good Dog Treat Pouch also features two inner pockets, one for your poo bags and another for your keys or cash. Like all DOOG bags, it comes with 20 free Tidy Bags, all ready to go.

For more information, visit www.doog.com.au

#2. Training Collar

Adaptil - Training Collar

The Adaptil Collar is easy to use and convenient as it releases the dog appeasing pheromone constantly (even when the dog is outside). The dog’s body temperature and close contact warm the collar and encourages the diffusion of pheromones into the local environment. 

The collar can be used for training as well puppy socialisation or stressful situations (travelling on long journeys, kennelling or anxiety caused by loud noises – fireworks or thunderstorm phobia). The collars last up to 4 weeks.

For more information, visit the www.adaptil.com/au

EzyDog - Checkmate Martingdale Collar

If you are training your dog or if you just need that extra bit of control, but you're concerned about the discomfort of a choke chain or slip collar this martingale style collar could be just what you're after.

Unlike slip collars and choke chains, the EzyDog Checkmate collar tightens only enough to give your dog a signal without tightening enough to cause your dog discomfort.

The buckle closure is super strong so once it's adjusted to fit the collar won't slip over your dog's head. The Checkmate also has reflective trim to keep your dog visible and safe for evening outings.

For more information, visit the www.ezydog.com.au

#3. Training Leash

The “Training” Leash from Friendly Dog Collars is a double layered washable Lead and spells out to the world that your dog is learning new things. This is a high-quality lead and is made of a very strong polypropylene webbing with white embroidered lettering. 

Four models are available with various lengths (60cm, 120cm, 180cm and a 208cm double-ended lead for walking two dogs together or simply for tethering)

For more information, visit www.friendlydogcollars.com.au

#4. Clicker Training

A clicker is simply a small plastic device that makes a distinctive "click" sound when pressed. The clicker has no value or meaning of its own but can quickly be conditioned to represent access to "good things" to your dog.

The i-Click dog training clicker is a must-have training tool for sound-sensitive pets: it is quieter than other brands and perfect for use inside the house or flat. 

It is also small enough to hide in your palm and is very ergonomic as you only need to apply a small amount of pressure.

For more information, visit www.clickertraining.com



Starmark - Triple Crown Clicker

Using the Star Mark Clicker is an easy and fun way to shape and reward positive behaviors in your dog. It is based on the scientific principles of Classical conditioning and Operant conditioning, and its ergonomic design makes it comfortable to use. For more information on how to use the Star Mark Clicker, read the step-by-step guide that comes with the Clicker.

RRP: $6.95 from www.vetnpetdirect.com.au and other online pet stores.

#5. Dog Training Books

Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs

by Karen Pryor

From the author of Don't Shoot the Dog!, this book is must have for those learning clicker training. Clicker training is not about the clicker or about the food. 

It is about the reinforcement presented with correct timing in such a way that information is communicated between trainer and pet. Together you and your dog will learn a new way of interacting. 

This newest version includes photographs that illustrate the training exercises. 

Paperback, 100 pages

Publisher: Sunshine Books, 1st August 2005 

RRP: $21.00 from www.dogtrainingproducts.com.au

The Cautious Canine - How to Help Dogs Conquer Their Fears
by Patricia B. McConnell

So many behavioural problems in dogs result from fear, but fear-based problems can become worse if treated incorrectly. 

This booklet provides a step-by-step dog training program of desensitising and counter classical conditioning. It can help you solve minor dog problems and prevent serious ones, whether your dog's fears include the vacuum cleaner, people with hats, or the stranger at the door. 

Covered are the oh-so-important details related to identifying exactly what triggers your dog, creating a step-by-step treatment plan, monitoring your progress, and why you need to treat the fear and not just your dog's reaction to the fear. This booklet has helped thousands of dogs and their owners.

Paperback, 30 pages

Publisher: McConnell Publishing Limited, 1st June 2005

RRP: $13.95 at www.booktopia.com.au

#6. Training Vest

The Major Dog Training Vest is a high-quality vest (100% Polyester), ideal for training sessions or daily walks with your dogs.

It provides lots of pockets for a variety of utensils. It also features a separate treats pocket which can be attached to either the right or left side pocket.

The fleece lining is easy to remove with a couple of zips so you will be able to wear this jacket in the summer or winter

It is available in 4 sizes: S/M/L/XL 

For more information, visit www.majordog.com.au

Other things to consider when purchasing accessories or equipment for your dog are the breed, size and age of your dog. As the saying goes ‘you get what you pay for’. Investing in good-quality accessories and training equipment made from high-quality materials will save you money in the long term.

Please note that Australian Dog Lover does not necessarily endorse or recommend any of the commercial products listed in this article and they are listed for informational purposes only.

Novice Obedience - Part II

competition Kash obedience TRAINING

Novice Obedience - Part II

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Two posts ago, I shared the first half of the Novice-level Obedience skills that Kash needs to know in order to compete in trials.  Here are the remaining three skills that he needs to work on.


Exercise 5:  Recall
In this exercise, your dog starts from a sit in heel position (at your left side).  On the judge's cue, you tell your dog to "Wait" and walk about 40' away and turn and face your dog. When the judge tells you to, you call your dog.  Your dog should come in fast and straight, sitting promptly in front of you, without being cued to do so.  Your dog needs to be close enough so that you can reach your dog without moving forward (bending obviously necessary for the shorties!).  Finally, you ask your dog to "Finish" (return to heel position).  This can be done two ways - from the left or the right, which are two quite different behaviours.

Kash's Progress:  Kash knew a generic "front" from his Rally training, but practicing it in the context of this exercise, I quickly learned that he didn't understand the position quite as well as I thought he did.  He sometimes would come in crooked, or he would self-finish, going back to heel before I cued.  So we've gone back to teaching a game of "find front" in which he has to find the position, be straight, and come in fast, from different angles. It's coming along well.  As a separate exercise, I am also practicing the "formal" version by putting him in a wait, walking away, and calling him to front.  Here is an example of what it looks like (although in this video I asked him to sit from a distance - just happened to be what we were working on at that moment when I recorded it):



We will continue to work this exercise until he is confidently and quickly finding "front" position from many angles.  His finishes are decent - they don't need much tuning up other than continually reinforcing faster and faster reponses.

Exercise 6:  Long Sit
In this exercise, all of the dogs in the Novice class will enter the ring together, and sit next to each other (several feet apart).  On the judge's cue, all of the dogs are asked to "Stay", and I will walk about 40' away to the other side of the ring and stand facing my dog.  The dogs have to hold a sit-stay for 60 seconds, at which point we return to our dogs and wait until the judge declares the exercise complete. 

Kash's Progress:  Kash finds this exercise quite simple in most environments.  Sitting for 60 seconds is not that hard for him. We have "overtrained" the behaviour so that he is actually doing 90-second stays in training. This way, 60 seconds will look easy-peasy in the ring. The only situation I need to get a bit more practice in is in dog-heavy environments.  He has no problems performing at local parks where dogs are moving by on-leash (and occasionally off-leash, despite the leash laws of the city!), in pet stores, and any part of our property, but I haven't actually worked him in a dog-heave "event" simulating a show environment.  I will get the chance to get some good practice in in a few weeks when we attend our first agility trial of the year, I'll make sure to do some stays with him there. 

Exercise 7: Long Down
This exercise is the same as the Long Sit, except that the dogs have to hold a Down position for 3 minutes.

Kash's Progress: We have been slowly working up to three minutes (haven't really worked on it much prior to this point, to be entirely honest!).  All has been going very well, though.  No real issues, we've done a few full 3-minute stays very well, although we still bounce between 2 and 3 minutes to keep it fun for him. Like the Long Sit, I will "overtrain" this up to 4 minutes so that 3 minutes seems really easy for him.  Nothing like making the ring environment seem easier than the training one!

That's the entire sequence of exercises in a nutshell.  In order to achieve this title, he needs to get a qualifying score (which means he needs a total of 170 points, minimum, out of a possible 200) in 3 different trials, under 2 different judges. 

Our goal is to be ready for October, although it's looking like we may make our debut a little bit earlier, and I may consider entering him in his first run in July to see where we are at! There's also the Terrier Specialty in Halifax in August, which I can't really say no to........oh dear. There's just too much to decide!