Training Small dogs can be a challenge. Dogs that weigh less than 10lbs move quickly. They are also so close to the ground already that using a Food-Lure (a treat held in your hand, close to their nose) can be challenging. For medium and large dogs Food-Lures are a convenient ways to move dogs into positions like sit or down. However, with small dogs Food-Lures can sometimes cause more jumping-bean action than is conducive to training.
For really small, fast-flying dogs I prefer to sit back and relax when training. For this type of training a CLICKER is really, really handy. A clicker is a small device that makes a click-sound when the metal flap inside the small box is pressed down and released.
Clickers are used to train dogs, horses, cats, pigeonsrats and even marine mammals. Using a clicker is simple. In the beginning the animal in training needs only to learn that each click-sound will be quickly followed by a small reward (technically it must be a reinforcer) that the animal will enjoy and working for. I like using small, tasty bits of food like cheeses or meats.
The rules are simple.
1. Click what you like.
2. Click at the EXACT moment the behavior is accomplished.
3. Don't command the animal to DO anything, JUST WAIT for something -be patient!!!
4. Reward the animal after every click.
5. Train is short intervals 5-10minutes
Sometimes it is helpful to think of the clicker as a camera. At the end of the training if each CLICK was a PHOTO, and if you placed all those photos on your kitchen table you would have only photos of the behavior (sit, down, bow) that you were hoping to train.
Here are two Kinder-CLICKER lesson for fast-flying, jumpy little-dogs.
1. Click (and reward) the dog anytime they are NOT moving. Click the dog for being still in any position. Offer extra treats for clicks that marked exceptionally cute still positions (like sit or down). After 2 or 3 sessions, raise the bar and click only certain positions.
2. Click (and reward) All Cute Behaviors. This is my favorite. I will click anything cute!!! Head-tilts, play-bows, prairie-dog position, sit, down, waving. Then I pick one behavior that gets clicked and a special bonus treat (gorgonzola). I like to see how long it takes for the dog to offer only that behavior.
If you own a Chihuahua or small Poodle, Yorkie, Maltese, or even a feisty, little Terrier you should be aware that they are at risk when playing with OR NEAR large dogs. Some people, in some situations, feel confidant taking this risk. But equating a ‘calculated risk,' with "safe" is unacceptable.
Poll the average dog owner/guardian whose small dog is brave and playful and they see no problem with allowing "well behaved, well-trained" dogs of vastly different sizes to play near each other or with one another. In fact, they often think it is cute. Almost no one but trainers and very good dog walkers seem to know about Predatory Drift.
Read more...
Should dogs of different sizes be allowed to play together?
What is Predatory Drift?
A blanket answer to this question is not likely to satisfy anyone, nor would it be appropriate for all situations. Ultimately, this question can only be answered by the dog's guardian. However, it is always best to make informed decisions and there are good reasons to be concerned. The bottom line is that mixing sizes presents a very real opportunity for severe injury or death to the smaller dog. Even more concerning is that this can happen with "good dogs" who are social, obedient and playing well together.
There is a name for this risk -it is called Predatory Drift.
I would love to feel satisfied that the majority of people disregarding the risks of large sized differences are INFORMED risk-takers, but my experiences at dog parks and in conversations with dog guardians has proved otherwise. Watching small and large dogs play together does not bother me; it is the uninformed, "It will be fine," "My dog is friendly," "He can hold his own," attitudes that concern me. This is what I would like to see change. It would be nice if a shift in attitude regarding this issue could happen before someone either sees his or her dog kill or be killed.
Sadly, there does not seem to be enough knowledge and or understanding in the dog community about the risks, rare though they may be, of allowing small dogs to play near or with larger dogs (dogs with approximately 50% difference in body weight). Furthermore, it is neither small-dog owners, nor large dog owners who bear the brunt of the responsibility; everyone needs to know about Predatory Drift and what it means for their dogs play time.
Predatory Drift is a sudden, and drastic change in a dog's demeanor that is characterized by behaviors associated with hunting small prey.
The term is most often used to describe a medium to large dog who has suddenly and uncharacteristically targeted a smaller dog as prey (dinner).
Predatory Drift is NOT Aggression, but it can mean injury or death for small dogs.
Predatory Drift happens when the larger dog's instinct to hunt are triggered.
These instincts can be triggered when play escalates or gets too much like the real thing (an out of control chase game). It can happen when a small dog gets scared or injured and squeals or wriggles in a way that makes them look like prey (dinner), Predatory Drift can happen just because thesize difference says, "You are comparatively bite-sized, or move like something that is bite-sized, and I am a canine predator."
The most alarming fact about Predatory Drift is that it can happen even with well-behaved, well-socialized, playful dogs who play well and often with no aggression, and no fights.
Dogs who are triggered into predatory drift, may or may not have ever been in a dog fight, and may or may not be generally well-behaved and obedient. There is NO protection against predatory drift. It is not a good dog/bad dog problem.
Predatory Drift is not about how brave, strong, feisty, or fearless the small dog acts. Predatory Drift is not about how well your medium or large, or extra large dog plays, listens to you, or how many times they have met, played with or been around a small dog.
Predatory Drift can even happen between two dogs that know each other well and have lived, played, and or known each other for years. In the right situation, a sudden shift happens and the predatory sequence (like dominoes falling) is triggered and completed with lightening fast speed.
While it is not a problem seen every day, all it takes is the slightest trigger -an injury, a fight, a response to something startling or scary. Predatory Drift is a SIZE MATTER! It usually involves a grab and shake, which instantly breaks the small dog's neck. There is no time to react. This in not a fight, it does not escalate. There is a trigger and then it is over.
Read more...
Should dogs of different sizes be allowed to play together?
Are off-leash parks and fenced dog parks safe for your small dog?
