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.
Read Kelley's blog
GO DOG TRAINING
Contact Kelley @ amigodog@mac.com
Kelley Filson, CTC, CPDT is a Certified Dog Trainer living in San Francisco, California. Kelley has been certified by The San Francisco SPCA where she completed the prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers run by dog trainer and author Jean Donaldson. Kelley is also a Certified Member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.
Kelley owns and runs AmiGO DOG Training, LLC. As a Personal Dog Trainer Kelley helps people and dogs better understand each other. Private, in-home dog training and behavior modification programs are available to anyone in San Francisco needing help training their dogs. Kelley specializes in working with fearful, aggressive, or anxious dogs.
Kelley is also very happy to be a partner and instructor for DogEvolve. DogEvolve offers classes and workshops to dog owners at two San Francisco locations. Unlike traditional 6-8weeek obedience classes, DogEvolve offers an a-la-carte style menu of classes on topics including: Quiet! Come! & Leash Monsters!
AmiGO DOG Training, LLC -Your "Best-Friend" in Dog Training!
415-356-9868
DogEvolve -Survival Training for the Urban Dog!
www.dogevolve.com
Why do dogs kick and scratch after pooping?
I don't know. Nor do I think that anyone has done any study on this with dogs. My guess: scent travels better when attached to particulate in the air, so kicking up some dust helps spread the scent.
The good news is that even if you don't know why your dog is doing this, you can make a difference in when, where and how much your dog kicks. Warning: The post-poop dirt scratch is part of a pattern (like circling is part of the pre-poop pattern) so your timing needs to be really good and you will need patience as you work with your dog. If you have a puppy, a habit of not kicking will be easier to install than if you have adopted an older dog who has had this habit for a while.
STEP ONE: Observe.
Your dog, like everyone's, is likely repeating the same patterns each time they go. I had a very keen client the other day explain to me that her dog does some circling and sniffing before a pee, but a lot of frantic searching and circling before a poop. Learn your dog's pattern--not just the obvious parts either. Really watch how your dog moves. Do they take three steps then kick? Or is it one step?
STEP TWO: Plan.
Part-A Know exactly what you are going to do. Take what you learned about your dog's pattern of behavior and form a plan to interrupt it. Have an exact plan of action and a back-up plan. I was working with a very feisty kicker the other afternoon. Her owner and I used a squeaker toy right after she pooped to get her attention. She ran right to the squeaker (about 6 steps), sniffed it, and finished her kicking. If I had planned better I would have also had a treat ready to lure her into a sit or even help her do a spin trick.
Part-B Be reasonable. Interrupting patterns is hard work; don't make it harder for yourself. I have a medium-sized hound dog who loves to kick after peeing and pooping. There are a lot of wood chips on the paths where we walk and he prefers to pee and poop over the chips. Because the paths are paved, all I have to do is interrupt the kick and get him onto the cement. Once he's on the cement I let him kick away and I've never had to trim his back nails.
STEP THREE Practice & Reward!
Your dog may not learn to do this right away. You will need to be a willing and enthusiastic coach and you will need to remind them all the time in the beginning. Be nice. When you first start this, just focus on the interruption. If you can interrupt your dog, reward them and reward them well. Don't be mad at yourself or your dog if they finish kicking after the reward.
HINTS:
Know what your dog wants! If your dog likes food, use it! If your dog is mad for squeaky tennis balls, use that!
Interrupt your dog BEFORE they kick--this is where knowing their pattern helps.
Try replacing the kicking with another behavior, like spin, jump, give-five or tug.
Don't give any commands until you see a change in behavior.
Once you get 95% success, start paying your dog for performance (They do the work...big $. You do the work (heavy encouragement needed to interrupt the kicking)...they get something, but not as much.
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.
Dog Fights are scary and generally unpleasant for the people, but they are also scary and unpleasant for your dogs.
Most dog fights are loud and the dogs show lots of teeth and appear to use their teeth dangerously. Sometimes both dogs are involved equally. Other times it appears that one dog is the aggressor.
In general dog fights do not occur out of the blue; there are usually WARNING SIGNS that a fight is about to start.
Warnings can include the following:
>> One or both dogs are stiff during a greeting. Remember, tail wagging is NOT always friendly.
>> Dog-A is obviously avoiding the interaction and the other Dog-B insists on sniffing or playing (Dog-B does not "read" the other dog).
>> One dog greets another by sniffing/staring at the face/muzzle first (no butt sniffing ritual).
>> One dog assumes a T-position over the other dog and stands stiffly and fails to follow it with a play-signal (bow, paw, hip).
>> Dog-A gives Dog-B a warning signal to back-off and Dog-B does not read it or ignores it. Example: Dog-A has a stick and Dog-B walks over. Dog-A grabs stick and goes away (avoidance). Dog-B approaches again and Dog-A lowers head, stiffens and glares at Dog-B (hard-eye).
WAYS TO PREVENT & END FIGHTS
Learn to look for warning signs.
I generally find that a "happy-voice" turns this situation around faster & with more results that a loud, your-in-trouble voice. If the situation is already tense, try adding in some sweetness. A dog's association with the "goofy-cookie/play" voice is often enough to diffuse a situation for a few minutes. This allows you to separate the dogs.
If fights are happening frequently or escalating in intensity, get a certified trainer to help you diagnose the aggression.
