Common Issues That Should Never Be Allowed - Blog Twelve

Wow, we are at twelve blogs already! Time sure flies when you're helping others! Today's topic is "Common issues that should never be allowed" and of course why, and what to do instead!

1) Off-Leash Walking

Many people enjoy the walk when their dog isn't constantly tethered by a lead to their hands, and more often than not, its because of a few reasons - the dog has no leash skills, the owner has some kind of joint pain or injury, they believe it should be the final product of proper training, or they simply think it is the easiest way to walk more than one dog on their own.

Why:

In our experience, off-leash leads to rude, disrespectful behaviour, and quite often, a lack of control on the owner's part. Most often, off-leash means the dog is either far ahead, wandering at their pleasure, dashing off at the scents and smells that interest them, running and bouncing about, and generally not being respectful to their human. This type of walking won't build your relationship; in fact, it will distance it, and give the dog reason to believe they don't have to respect you - just check in now and again. It also totally prevents you from stopping the dog from unwanted or dangerous behaviours, and disconnects the dog from your energy. Dogs off leash could catch a scent and charge off, get lost, or get hurt, or even killed. Dogs off leash could charge excitedly up to another dog and get into a fight, or could attack and kill another animal or pet. Keeping even well behaved dogs on leash will prevent ninety percent of these issues. Disconnecting a dog from your energy not only severs the delicate bond between the two of you, it turns walking from an energy burning exercise into a rompy play time that doesn't burn much mental energy at all. Mental energy is more important than physical energy; a bored dog gets into loads of problems. A dog with too much physical energy just needs a good run.

Instead:

Teaching proper leash skills not only guarantees a polite leash walker, makes structured walking possible, and mostly prevents unwanted behaviours from occurring. Of course, play time and games cannot happen safely on leash, and this should be the only time a dog should be off leash, but only when you've trained a 100% consistent recall. If you have to bribe, shout at, or repeat yourself to your dog, then you should not allow your dog off leash. As a matter of fact, it is mostly illegal in many municipalities.


2) Toys Without Rules

Most often, we see people who allow their pets 24/7 access to all of their toys - and this creates massive problems.

Why:

When a dog has access to toys, they begin to think these things are theirs, they must be protected, and often become boring. They figure them out fast, and then you end up having to bribe them just to be interested in the toy, or constantly buy new ones. You're also missing out on a critical bonding experience, and a free, treatless method of training.

Instead:

Provide rules - they have to earn the use of a toy, they must release and stop playing on command, it gets taken away when they become too intense, and the items belong to the humans, and my favourite trick - cycle them out. A dog will forget all about a toy if they go "missing" for a couple of weeks, and they get all excited when it reappears. By cycling out a toy every week or few days, you will always have that "new toy" reaction without actually having to buy anything new, and it gives them drive for the toys - creating a very easy way to expect proper behaviours, train new ones, or replace problem behaviours.


3) Feeding/Walking only at Night

Many families and personal styles of life prevent walking and feeding in the day time, occurring after work, but often they see some severe behavioural issues, and blame the dog.

Why:

While dogs have most of their energy in the morning, its from remaining stationary, not from sleeping itself. Sleeping is just a way to repair the body - something they cannot do if their stomachs have food in them. Unlike humans that recharge overnight, dogs keep the energy they had from the day before, add it on to their "stockpile" of energy, and food refuels the gas tank. They also digest their food a lot slower than humans do, and more often than not, when a dog is fed and walked at night, the walking doesn't scratch the surface of their energy needs, they are refueled by food, then they are expected to sleep on that, wait all day to get their needs met, and the cycle continues. Unless you're awake all night and asleep all day with your pet, this is disaster waiting to happen. Imagine eating your three square meals a day, but right before you go and do something - you will feel fulfilled, rested, and overall healthy. Same thing goes for dogs. Feeding and walking only at night to a dog is about as helpful as a human only eating or walking at 6 am for the whole day.

Instead:

Owning a dog isn't always about what's easiest for the human. It is about giving a life that is totally dependant on you what they need. Wake up a couple hours early, feed your pup, walk them, and consider hiring someone to take them out when you are at work. Dogs need most of their exercise and food for the day in the morning, as close to sunrise as possible. A snack or smaller meal can be given later in the day, but only if you're going to burn that added energy and food off again. Dogs need to sleep on an empty stomach to heal properly - as do humans.  If you absolutely must walk and feed at night, you must hire someone to exercise your dog in the daytime, or consider re-homing your dog. It should only ever occur as an enjoyment walk, after all the other exercise needs are met. If you cannot provide proper care of a dog due to your lifestyle, it is not fair on the dog for it to mold around your needs. There is nothing at all wrong with admitting your life does not fit a dog right now.


4) Improper Crate Training

Most people have a negative view about crates - and when you see dogs that are scared of the crate, hate it, chew their way out, or sustain injuries inside one, its really easy to see why that view happens. However, these instances were from improper crate training.

Why:

When crates are used as punishment or containment during disobedience early on, it becomes a negative space. Dogs naturally enjoy having a den space, but most of the time, humans use the wrong type of crate, or something that is way too small, and use it for the wrong reasons. Think about it like this; you love your bedroom, you enjoy the space, the relaxing, the sleeping - but if someone didn't like something you did and locked you in there, you'd get pretty mad about that room very fast. You might even have issues sleeping in there. If another adult, in the heat of an argument, locked you in your bedroom, its clear to see what is wrong with that - but many people do this to their dogs, or put them in it when they have way too much energy - like feeding ice cream to a toddler then putting them in a crib. A crate should never be used for these purposes.

Instead:

Teach your dog that their crate is their safe space - they can hide there when they feel unsafe, they can sleep there, they can choose to be there - they should be trained that it is comfy, safe spot, not a cage to be locked away in. With puppies, this happens in short spurts, treats, loves, and leaving them there for not even 20 minutes. You should never ever use a crate to contain an energetic dog, or a dog that has misbehaved. Remember, all misbehaviours happen because of a missed training opportunity, or the human caused it by not fulfilling needs.


5) Door Disrespect

Many owners don't realize that the door, or any other entrance or threshold, offers not only a source of competition, but superstitions, bad habits, and training opportunities. What is normal for a human at a door is abnormal for a dog- so we must train them proper rules.

Why:

When a dog charges at or barks at the door, it's a sign of fear or dominance, neither scenario being acceptable. If they move through the door first, they are in control. Even little things like this speaks volumes to your dog, and should be managed appropriately. Some dogs even think that the door belongs to them - and can attack or challenge anyone that goes near it.

Instead:

Have a spot they must occupy out of the way near the door so they can see and greet, but respectfully. Make them sit and wait at all thresholds, whether it be a gate, door, front door, anything. Dogs should be taught to only bark once or twice at the door, and then occupy their spot until the human answers the door. When leaving, a dog must allow humans first, never run or push through a door, and it should never become a competition (ie, who gets through the door first, who can guard the door best, ect).


6) Leaving Kids and Dogs Alone

Normally this occurs in short spurts; they're all outside, playing, and the phone rings, or someone's at the door, whatever distraction - and the dog is trained, is fine around the child, so the owner assumes its fine. This is when so many problems occur.

Why:

When the human that is in control leaves, if pack structure is not employed with absolute perfection on a minute by minute basis, every time, the dog is going to believe they are temporarily in control, and must watch, mind, babysit, or protect the child - and they often resort to tactics they use on puppies to keep them in line, without realizing that a light corrective nip can deface and seriously injure a human child. They often take it upon themselves to disagree with certain annoying or improper behaviours, and think they can correct a child like a puppy, because it's all they are equipped with.

Instead:

Never leave a child and a dog alone, ever - even if your dog has never bitten anyone. Instead, bring either the kid or the dog with you if you have to leave the area.


7) Sharing Toys/Food/Beds/Crates/Space/Water sources

When one home has more than one dog, its common to make them share - and most people think it's harmless.

Why:

The moment the dogs are forced to share something, even as small as the same dish, the same tug toy, or the same crate, it brings an energy of competition. More often than not, one dog owns it all, and the other dogs are forced to sneak, steal, or otherwise find something else that's inappropriate for them to play with. Some people argue nothing ever happens - but this simply isn't the case. A confrontation between dogs over a toy can happen in milliseconds, and often isn't marked by any obvious behaviour. It's usually just a look, or a quick glance that the untrained eye can't see. Only in extreme situations does  a dog attack or growl over food or toys.

Instead:

Each dog should have their own bed, crate, set of dishes, space to eat in, and toys - and IF they share toys, it must be done fairly, and with fast, expert human reactions.


8) Lack Of Proper Commands

Yes should mean yes, No should mean no, and sit should mean put my bum down until I am told otherwise - but down can mean get down, lay down, don't jump, get off the furniture....It is incredibly confusing.

Why:

When a word can mean several different things, a dog has to stop and think about what it means in that scenario, often resulting in a delay in obedience, and most humans get frustrated at the dog. It's not the dog's fault, they don't have the ability to differentiate scenarios and words like humans can. To a dog, each word needs to mean something specific, and when it doesn't, it really throws them for a loop.

Instead:

Teach a different word for each instance. Off the furniture could be "Off", but then you can't use "Off" for get off the bed, or get off of a person. "Down" should be the position anywhere they are, but then "Don't Jump Up" can't be down, too. Instead, retrain yourself and your dog that there are different words for every situation. Also, if you use "No" in training to indicate they made a mistake and to try again, you should not use "No" to mean you screwed up, bad dog.

That's all for today, keep up the good work and we will see you and your Ideal Compaion next time!

Critical Skills All Dogs Should Learn - Blog Eleven

We all love our dogs, that much could never be in doubt - and for one family, the obedience level need is different from the next - some people need a schutzhund level trained dog, and others just want a lap warmer. But all things considered, there are a certain few skills every dog should know!

1) Proper Leash Skills
Whether or not you want a structured walk or a lazy sunday stroll just for fun, every dog should learn manners when they are on leash, and all dogs should stay on leash unless they're playing. Dogs pull because humans move slower than they do, and they must learn to walk slower and that walking in front of us is very rude. Most often, the dogs that get into trouble on walks are the ones that are walking rudely with their humans. All dogs should understand that pulling is not okay, that leash pressure means move towards it, and that it is rude to walk ahead.

2) Fast Command Response
If you say sit, you should only ever have to say it once, and that needs to be it. If your dog doesn't listen immediately to what you're telling it to do, they don't respect you, and eventually they learn that "sit" means nothing and "sit sit sit sit sit" means park my bum for a half second then carry on.

3) Emergency Down or "Hit the Ground"
In cases of dogs that could be a flight risk, if you train this skill well enough, your dog will go into a down no matter what they're doing, and it could save their lives. While it is a little tricky to train into all situations, the payoff is well worth it. If trained right, if you happen to lose grip on the leash and your dog darts off to greet another dog across a busy street, if they know "Hit the Ground" or "STOP", they will cease what they are doing and go into a down until you release them.

4) Out/Drop it
If a dog is allowed to have a toy all the time and doesn't have to give it up, it creates possessiveness and toy dominance issues. All dogs should understand that out or drop it means business!

5) Crate Skills
Crates might come across as unfair but when it boils down to it, when trained properly, the dog learns it is like a little bedroom where they can be safe, secure, relaxed, and happy, away from the cat or the baby or even just away from you. Seeing as its illegal to travel in a car unless your dog is crated, happy crate skills are critical.

6) Stay
The ability to put your dog in a spot and walk away is very important, especially if you want to shower, or cook without your dog underfoot. Stay is a command that can also save lives - especially if they want to go play with that aggressive dog across the path.

7) Place/Bed
While stay is naturally included with place, a dog needs a spot of their own that they know is theirs to lay on, besides their crate. If they happen to jump on to human furniture, you can say "No, bed" and eventually they will learn their spot is where they rest.

8) How to ignore other dogs
The concept that dogs must greet other dogs all the time is a human concept based on the fact that humans greet other humans all the time. Social skills to a dog is the ability to ignore other dogs and not worry about a confrontation, and it's important that they learn this skill early, because you can't guarantee anyone else's dogs are going to be polite. In the case of fearful dogs that are scared of other dogs, the process of safe walking does include desensitizing them to other dogs by making them meet safe dogs.

9) High intensity Exercise
While walking at human speed might tire out a puppy, it doesn't do much for most other dogs. All dogs should learn skills like fetch, swimming, or some form of high intensity exercise to burn this excess energy that a walk won't burn off.

10) Proper Consistent Communication
If you don't have a proper communication system with your dog, everything else falls apart. Most people do not have a proper communication system with their dogs. For instance, do you have separate commands for training and behavioural mistakes? Can you say that you don't use the same word for many different behaviours? Dogs need every word to mean one thing, and only one thing. "Yes" should be "You did that right", and "No" should only ever mean "That was not what I wanted, try again" and not a "Stop that, you bad boy". "Sit" should only ever mean put your bum on the ground and wait, and "down" should only ever mean put your belly on the ground and wait. I can't count the times where I have met people where "down" meant lay down, relax, stop jumping, get off the furniture, drop the toy, and in a couple cases, where the dog thought "sit" meant just touch the ground with my bum and carry on. This always leads to confusion, because the dog has to stop and think and go "did they mean down as in off the couch, or should I lay down? Maybe they mean down as in just relax?" and they don't respond, which makes the humans mad, sadly caused by the human not using different terms. This is also why "No" should mean training mistake, try again, and a different sound for "You really screwed up, stop that". Out should either mean release the toy OR go outside, not both, and bed should exclusively refer to their bed on the floor, and not the crate. Simple confusions like this cause a dog to stop and think for too long, and often result in a frustrated human.


Good luck out there, everyone!