The good news... It is NOT Dominance!
The EVEN BETTER NEWS...
IT'S SEX!
That's RIGHT. Humping (despite the obvious implications -that it probably feels good) is S. E. X.
Sex! Sex! Sex! Sex! Did you know that dogs, like most creatures, need to have sex to reproduce?
Reproduction is just one of those things that pops out in play. Play-time is just a rehearsal stage for all of life's survival skills.
During play-time your dog will:
- Play-fight
- Play-hunt
- Play-kill
- Play-mate
For more on Humping >>>> Read my new favorite book, Oh Behave! by Jean Donaldson, author and director of The SF SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers.
THEY LOVE OTHERS DOGS... Why do they show it like this?
* What makes a dog behave badly on-leash?
* Is your dog trying to embarrass you?
* Is there anything you can do to change your dog's behavior?
Leash Reactivity is a common problem for dog owners/guardians. True leash reactivity is defined by aggressive looking displays that are only seen when a dog's mobility is restricted by a leash.
A similar problem called Barrier Frustration occurs whenever a dog is repeatedly allowed to see or hear something that it is never allowed to interact with. This consistent exposure and repeated frustration eventually causes aggression. In mild cases the aggression ceases if the barrier is removed. In sever cases the aggression becomes so entrenched that even when the barrier is removed the animal will remain aggressive. Most cases of barrier frustration involve aggressive displays towards people or dogs seen through fences or windows.
The last and final cause is a Classically Conditioned Response. In other words the dog is taught to be aggressive. I'm not suggesting this is done intentionally, but rather the opposite. Classical Conditioning is a type of learning. When an animal is Conditioned Classically (also called Pavlovian Conditioning) the animal is taught a relationship between two things, places, or events. The relationship is INDEPENDENT OF THE ANIMALS BEHAVIOR, THOUGHTS, or ACTIONS.
A typical case-evaluation for Classically Conditioned Leash Aggression looks like this.
1. The puppy is separated from its litter-mates and brought into its new home.
2. The puppy is unnecessarily kept away from all other dogs and puppies until all puppy shots have been given. Incidentally most puppy shots are not complete until the pups are about 3-4 months of age. By this age the pup is already through all of its Socialization Period and too old to acclimate to new people, places, and experiences quickly and easily.
3. The puppy is then allowed to interact with other dogs for the first time in about 2-months. At the same time many puppies are unfortunately introduced to their first training collar. In an ideal world an anti-pull harness would be worn and used by the puppy form the moment it first enters its new home. Sadly many people are still using choke and pinch collars on young pups.
4. The puppy (on-leash) encounters its first dog. In excitement the puppy pulls forward and the collar tightens. The puppy pulls forward again and barks. The handler, not knowing better and wishing to teach their dog good manners, jerks the leash back and "corrects" the puppy for the inappropriate barking. At this moment the puppy DOES NOT LEARN: barking is bad. Neither does the puppy learn that barking is wrong. Instead what the puppy learns is that everything is fine, UNTIL THERE APPEARS A DOG and then bad things happen.
**Imagine that you were in a dark parking garage and someone came up behind you and grabbed you. You scream and so they stab you. Would your first response be, "Oh, I probably would have been OK if I didn't scream." No you would scream because it is your natural, human response to fear. Barking is a dog's natural response to frustration or fear. It makes no more sense to your dog that the leash correction is barking than it would make to you that screaming when grabbed from behind is the cause of imminent pain.
To further cement this relationship of events (Dogs + Leash = Yucky) the dog then gets to play off-leash with puppies in class or at the park or daycare. When NOT ON A LEASH the puppy pulls towards a new dog and is immediately given access to the dog. No pain, no choking, no problems. The dog draws the obvious conclusion (Dogs + NO LEASH = Everything is Fine!)
Before your puppy reaches 4-months of age they should be comfortable having food, toys, and food items (bones, kongs, bowls) taken away. This training is most successful when started early. Ideally the puppy’s owner’s/guardian’s will encourage a wide variety of people to participate in these exercises daily until the puppy is 6-months to 1-year of age.
Sleep-Startle: Letting your dog sleep on the couch, bed, or chairs does not make your dog a location-guarder. Dog's who are genetically or behaviorally prone to guarding can and will learn to guard whatever they have access to, such as their dog bed. Preventing guarding is not possible using management only (i.e. never letting your dog on the couch).
I am especially prone to do these exercises with dog breeds that sleep deeply and get dug-into locations. Hounds are notorious for liking warm, snugly locations and for disliking being disturbed while sleeping. To prevent your dog from guarding locations you will need to complete several exercises including teaching your dog to LOVE being startled awake.
- Wait until your dog is sleeping soundly.
- Toss a pillow, sock, or other soft object at your dog's body.
- As soon as it hits your dog, cheer wildly.
- While cheering begin making your way to the cookie jar.
- Give your dog (or toss a treat if they did not move). Make sure the treat is something really, really special. I suggest dried meat, cheese, or a very, very large tasty dog treat that is soft and stinky.
- Repeat this often until your dog practically wags his tail and charges to the cookie jar once startled awake.
- Try loud noises next.
- Try petting your dog while it sleeps.
- Never punish growling. If your dog ever growls, stiffens, snarls, or stares at you, contact a trainer immediately.
Bowl-Approach: Teach your dog that people, hands, and faces (especially if you have kids) that approach their bowl are a good thing! Dogs GUARD valuable things. All dogs are natural guarders unless they have been deliberately bred to have less guarding. Even with careful breeding genetic variations are a natural occurrence and it would not be impossible for two non-guarding dogs to produce some puppies that have a higher propensity to guard. Punishment a dog for guarding will VERY LIKELY make the guarding worse. Instead, plan ahead and begin some prevention exercises when your puppy is still young.
- When your puppy is eating, approach the food bowl and drop a tasty treat into the bowl.
- Then walk away.
- Repeat 2-3 times during the same meal.
- Repeat this until your dog wags her tail as she sees you approach. This may take 10-20 feedings.
- Make sure your puppy is giving you a loose, wiggly, wag!
- When you are confident that your puppy likes this game, change the rules.
- Approach the bowl and add nothing.
- Approach again, touch your puppy, Feed!
- Approach again, and DO NOT TOUCH your puppy, non food.
- Repeat this every time you feed your puppy, until your pup only gets excited when you pet her.
- Change the rules again. Push your puppy's head away from the bowl, FEED!
- Approach again, but only pet your puppy's back. No Food!
- Approach again, push and feed.
Object-exchange: When your dog has a toy, they should be willing to let you take their toy. Growling is OK in play, but should not be accompanied by a stiff body, hard stare or any snarling (teeth show). One great way to teach your dog to drop an item on request is by playing tug! In addition to playing tug, teach your dog to LOVE having objects taken away.
- When your dog has a toy or bone approach your dog with a treat or another favorite toy.
- Temp your dog with the food or the "live" ball that you have.
- As soon as your dog drops their bone or toy, praise them.
- Reward your dog with a short game of tug or with the food treat immediately.
- Repeat often.
- When your dog catches on to this game, add a command. Drop, Leave, Out are all common names for this command. Say the command then tempt your dog. If they get it right, praise and reward.
- If they do not drop the toy, walk away. Try again.
Bone/Kong Swap: Feeding a dog with a Kong is a great way to make food-time into a energy burner. I like to stuff all of my dogs daily calories into Kongs and to feed several Kongs each day. Kongs are a great way to keep my puppies, busy, quiet and out of trouble. Because the Kong is a valuable toy & a food-delivery device, dogs can become possessive over theirs Kongs. Teach your dog that when you take the Kong, it is worth it!
- While your puppy is eating her kong, take the Kong away.
- Go to your kitchen and add something extra tasty to the top of the Kong -cream cheese, chicken baby food, peanut butter...
- Return the improved Kong to your pup.
Couch-Removal: I like to teach dogs to LOVE being grabbed by the collar. This is especially important for a dogs safety and for good relations in the home. I do allow my dogs on my bed, couch, and other furniture. The only rule is that they must get off if asked and they must tolerate my pushing and pulling them around and out of my way.
- Grab your puppy's collar and lead them 1-2 steps in any direction.
- Praise your pup the entire time.
- Then give your puppy a yummy treat.
- Repeat over and over again.
- Gently nudge your puppy with your feet, praise & treat!
- Say, "Off!" then grab your pup's collar.
- Guide them gently off the couch and praise them.
- Give your dog a treat.
- Never punish your dog if they growl!
- Contact a certified trainer immediately if your puppy growls or snaps at you.
Is your puppy's "playful biting" becoming a problem?
WHY SO BITEY?
Look inside your puppy's mouth. Puppies have sharp, needle-like teeth. Your pup's teeth are sharp for a reason. An adult dog's teeth are modeled after their wild ancestor's. They designed to rip and tear through fur, skin and flesh; crush small bones; and tear meat and muscle into bite-sized chunks. To do this they need strong jaws and large carnivorous teeth. These teeth can also be used for fighting and protection; so adult dogs must learn good control over their teeth and jaws. This learning period is called Puppyhood!
Dogs possess the ability to use their teeth with varying degrees of precision and strength. Removing a burr from the pads of a paw requires precision, but little strength. Chewing a hoof, bone, or bully stick requires strength, but not much precision (crunch, crush, swallow). Fighting and playing require control over both precision and strength depending on the activity or level of threat. You can teach your puppy (and to some degree adult dogs) to use their teeth and jaws with control.
Bite Inhibition is the ability to bite gently. Puppies MUST learn this before they get their adult teeth, or before their socialization period has ended. A puppy's teeth are needle-sharp for a reason. Your puppy has not yet developed all their jaw muscles, so they are not able to bite down with all of the strength that they will eventually have. Sharp, puppy teeth are nature's way of compensating for undeveloped jaw muscles.
When your puppy bites the sharp teeth cause pain (even though the jaws are weak). This makes it possible for a puppy to get feedback about how to use their teeth later in life. When playing and arguing (fighting) dogs should not use their full strength. This is largely determined by how much playtime a puppy is allowed. If your puppy is never allowed to bite and chew in play they will not learn how to bite with varying degrees of pressure (gently in play or as a warning).
DEALING WITH PUPPY-BITING
Most pups are adopted into their new homes at about 8-10 weeks of age. At this time your puppy should be allowed to bite on an adults hands and skin when playing, but only if they do so gently. Relatively hard nips should be addressed immediately by timing out your puppy. A sufficient time-out for a puppy that bites too hard is "OUCH!" followed by you walking away from the pup, standing up or dropping the toy.
Do NOT hit, grab, shake, roll, or smack your puppy for biting! Remember your puppy is very impressionable at this young age and they can easily learn to be fearful of hands, feet, and people. An adult dog who is fearful of hands is MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BITE later in life than a dog who LOVES people and is not afraid of hands! Besides, your pup's brain is telling them to explore the world with their mouth; they will not make the connection between this hard-wired behavior and your punishment. Instead you will ruin your relationship and teach your dog to be a fear-biter.
As your pup looses his or her puppy teeth (the top center incisors will be the first to go), begin a zero-tolerance policy to any teeth that touch your skin. If your pup misses the toy when playing, or nibbles at your hand when you are petting them, say "OUCH!" or "Too-bad!" or "No!" and then stop interacting and walk away! Remember, your pup will not KNOW the WORDS you choose to use. They WILL UNDERSTAND the action that follows the word. Resist the urge to grab your pup's mouth or to look at them when you are marking the naughty action. Just say it and quickly end whatever you were doing. Ending the activity (as long as it is something your pup was enjoying) is a punishment or Reward Removal. This is sufficient for your pup to learn that the biting is inappropriate.
ODDS & ENDS
Is your puppy is biting you when your try to touch their feet, ears, tail, tummy? Or, when you are trying to take something away from them or, move them from place to place? Your pup may need some additional training from a professional. A well-socialized pup should not be intolerant of handling or show unwanted guarding. If your pup is not play-biting, but biting to say "Stop-it!" contact a trainer.
Puppy classes are NOT just for training! Puppies need to learn BOTH dog and people skills. Please make time for your puppy to play with other puppies. Adult dogs are not a substitute for pup-on-pup play. Kinder-puppy classes such as those offered are a great way for your puppy to learn obedience and important dog-play skills.
Is your pup play-chasing? Puppies that chase and bite at feet, legs may need an outlet for their natural urge to chase. If your pup is going after your feet, a broom or other low-down, fast-moving things trying to re-direct their play onto an appropriate item before your move to a punishment such as a time-out. I have a three-strike policy. I re-direct twice. Then I use a Time-Out for the third offense.
Teach your dog to play tug! Teach your dog to play tug! Teach your dog to play tug!
OK, so rabbit ears & wigs are silly items, but the training principals that were applied in the process of teaching this dog to wear them are universal. The steps outlined below can be used to get your dog to love and willingly participate in wearing things you want or need them to wear. In working with my clients and their dogs I use this system frequently when I need a dog to wear muzzle or head halter.
With puppies preparation is the key. I like to start early when teaching a pup to tolerate booties (paw protection for later injuries to the foot) or goofy collars (like the post-surgery lampshade). Other uses include Other uses include getting your dog comfortable with the sight and feel of a comb, toothbrush, nail trimmers, or ear cleaning pads. Ideally you will have time to do this training. If you are in a crunch for time, please seek suggestions for speeding along this process from a certified trainer.
1. Start by leaving the Training Item (TI) around so that your dog can investigate the TI and learn that its presence means nothing. This is the first step: Convincing your dog that nothing yucky will happen when the Training Item appears.
If you have a chew-prone puppy or dog, supervise your dog when you first present the item. DO NOT punish the dog if they attempt to chew the item. You do not want your dog to think that the item means they get in trouble. If they start to chew the item, gently encourage them to chew on an appropriate chew toy.
This step will take 1-3 days. Place the Training Item (TI) on your dogs bed, on the floor or next to you on the couch. Leave it out for 10-15 minutes then put the TI away. DO NOT make any attempt to get your dogs attention or put the Training Item on or near the dog.
2. Now start playing with the item. Bring the TI out several times each day and fiddle with parts that make noise (velcro straps, clips, jingly parts, etc...) or if the TI has a smell like toothpaste or ear cleaners, open the container so that the smell can be perceived by your dog.
DO NOT attempt to put the Training Item on or near your dog. Remember you are still teaching them that NOTHING YUCKY WILL HAPPEN. You are simply adding a new parameter: the movement of the items, sound of the item and you holding the item. Also repeat this step for several days. Some dogs will show no concern over the noise or movement, others will take a long time before they are convinced that NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
3. The work really begins in this next step. Because your dog will be working too, you will need something to pay them with so that the job is fun.
As far as paychecks go, dogs are most likely to work the hardest for toys or food. Toys are great for dogs that love playing fetch or tug more than anything! By this I mean that your dog will spit out a treat when looking at a ball and that will only drop a tug toy for another toy, but not for a treat. If this is your dog, pick one toy and keep it special for the training. Only play with that toy in training sessions.
If your dog LOVES food, or is luke-warm on toys (95% of pet dogs) FOOD IS THE IDEAL PAYCHECK for your dog. If this is your dog, pick a special treat to use in training. Do not give your dog this specially chosen treat unless you are training. My dogs like cheese, chicken baby food, roast beef, french fries and meatballs BEST. These are special training treats; they only get these treats when we are training!
4. Preparing for the training session is important. Start by teaching the dog that the presence of the paycheck means nothing.
I know that there is a lot of money kept at banks, but I don't get excited when I'm at the ATM because I know that the amount of cash in the building is irrelevant to me. The amount that means something to me is what I have earned and put into my account. Teaching this concept to your dog (about their paycheck) is important. Your dog is already prepared to salivate and anticipate yummy stuff when they smell food in your hand or to get excited when they see the ball or tug toy. Because this is the natural state of anticipation for your dog, you will need to undo it a bit, to help them make the connection you want.
The connection you are hoping to achieve is:
Training Item Near Dog's Body ---------------------------------->Yippee!!!
What you are starting with is:
Training Item ------->Nothing & Food/Toy Paycheck --------->Yippee!!!
5. Making the Food/Toy Paycheck mean as little as the training item. Because the Training Item (barring a bad previous experience) started an neutral it was quickly accepted as irrelevant. The toy and food DO HAVE VALUE and meaning to your dog already (yum or yipee). Therefore, we are going to start by re-teaching your dog that the paycheck is present but unavailable.
To do this, pick your paycheck (great food or fantastic toy) and prepare it.
Get your training item (hat, booties, collar) and place it near you, but do not touch it.
Then for 10 minutes randomly pick up the paycheck for 1-2 seconds (toy/food) let your dog see you touch (they can even sniff at it), but NOT let them get the paycheck.
End the session and put everything away. Yes, your dog will be confused and bummed.
Repeat this for 3-5 days until your dog is BORED with the game and wanders away or lays down -proof they know they are getting nothing.
6. Now we are ready to teach the dog when when and how the paycheck can be earned. At the next session, start the same way, but about a minute into the session, pick up the Training Item. Immediately feed your dog or let your dog play with the toy. Then continue picking up the paycheck. Remember, no Training item, no paycheck. Repeat this in short, frequent sessions (two to four, 5-10 minute sessions/day).
Each time you repeat this vary the number of times you fiddle with the paycheck before picking up the training item. When your dog likes this game, slowly move the item towards the part of the body that it will be worn on. Be sure that you know exactly what the dog has to do to earn a paycheck and don't deviate during a session. Also, don't be afraid to stay at the same level for several sessions -until your dog is completely comfortble with the item at that level.
