tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181164321853556482024-02-06T18:35:48.301-08:00Slice of LifeAlmudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.comBlogger315125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-35455172182099837182019-07-10T11:25:00.000-07:002019-07-10T13:26:20.746-07:00Pack of Coyotes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We recently decided to head out early for our regular hike with the dogs. As we are heading outside our property, we hear a pack of coyotes that have taken “residence” not too far from us. It is hard to know exactly where they are because the canyons around us make the sound bounce.<br />
John suggests we wait to take our walk. Meeting one coyote is one thing, meeting a pack of an unknown amount is quite another. I look at the dogs and they are super excited to take their walk. I tell John, let’s go and have the dogs on-leashes.<br />
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We begin our walk and up the steep hill with the dogs on-leash as they are perhaps wondering what is up with that. We make it up the hill where visibility to the rest of the ridges in now possible.<br />
A while back, I saw a pack of about 8 coyotes awaiting a storm under a tree. Wow! What a sight. While I saw them, it appeared that perhaps they did not see me as none of them seemed to acknowledge my existence.<br />
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Once on the ridge, we scout the area as we can still hear them yipping, yet none in sight. We remove the leashes and we proceed to walk on the ridge away from the coyotes or at least where we think the coyotes are not. I tell John that we should not drop into the wash as we normally do, but to remain on the ridge for the walk. Clearly this allows us to scan the area for a coyote versus being on the wash which makes me also feel more vulnerable.<br />
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Today, we are also managing the dogs more closely. I ask them to wait until we close the distance between them. I recall them back and set them off again to do their thing.<br />
Once we reached our destination and it’s time to head back, John surprises me by suggesting that we put them again on leashes. Okay, I say thinking that a bit of loose leash walking is not a bad thing either. By now, both dogs are a bit tired and somewhat hot.<br />
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Situations like this make me think about the importance of being flexible with our routines when it comes to keeping our dogs safe. Usually this walk means our dogs are loose as they explore an area that is both familiar to them and us, but on occasions like today, where the coyotes are in such close proximity, keeping them on a leash was the right thing to do.<br />
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Lots of folks would rather see their dog run free (I agree nothing more fun for both parties) than manage their dog carefully when needed. I have come across this line of thinking many times with some of my clients. Some have even confessed to me that if their dog runs away and gets lost well, that is their karma. Yep, I listen in disbelief!<br />
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I see it differently. I am all for fun and games but I take my dogs well-being (and that of my client’s dogs when they are left in my care) with utmost seriousness. They do depend on us many times to keep them safe.<br />
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Here is an interesting example: In Yellowstone National Park, wolves that are hit by a car will be brought in to the clinic to mend, but a wolf that is perhaps injured by natural causes would not. I found this bit interesting and surmised that being hit by a car is of course very unfortunate and clearly not part of the natural environment of wild animals such as the wolves packs at the park.<br />
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Just like the wolves are helped when hit by a car, I think the reverse should apply to our dogs: They need to be cared for and managed appropriately depending on the behavior of the particular dog. Will the dog come back pronto when called? Is he old and not so keen on taking after wildlife in hot pursuit? The particular environment should also be considerate: What is potentially around us? A heavy-trafficked road? On and off-leash areas next to each other? What kind of wildlife is around? And even the time of day.</div>
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In my case, our walks are smack against Santa Fe National Forest with the possibility of encountering wildlife. Not too long ago, John and the dogs were in very close proximity to an elk; and as John later described the encounter, the elk took off running away from our dogs and almost ran into him as he admired the size of the animal just before he made a rushed turn away from John.<br />
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My advice to folks is to pay attention to the circumstances around them in order to keep their dogs safe. Our dogs do depend on us many times to do just that. Be flexible with your management routine so that everyone can have fun while remaining safe. Your dog will thank you and I do too.</div>
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Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-60950117845791593952019-06-23T08:56:00.003-07:002019-06-23T09:03:52.052-07:00How to do socialization well<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This week I have spent almost every waking hour taking care of and socializing a young puppy.<br />
How do you know what to work on? Well think about it this way: Whatever you want your adult dog to be comfortable with and not scared of for the rest of his life, that is what you should be working on. The list of items on a well-crafted socialization program is daunting, time consuming and necessary for the well-being of this young animal as he marches into adulthood and then towards his golden years.<br />
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My ‘young keep’ was raised in the country and unfortunately there was little to no socialization to urban environments. I know, I can hear you gasp. The good news is that he is still young enough (16 weeks old) and we can work diligently and intelligently in making him super chill with urban stimuli.<br />
Here is what happened on our first urban outing: We got to a mall that is fairly busy, but it's not a very huge mall. Initially he was happy and moving along with me on the leash. We first encounter the noise of flapping flags on a pole. He noticed them and he got fed for that. As we began to walk inside the mall, he suddenly balked. He began to pant, his body stiffened up, and he tried to rush to the entrance we just came in from. It was so sudden that it did not even give me the time to assess what got him concerned in the first place. Was it the slippery floor? The window display with a gazillion items? A smell? The cars and traffic noise that he had experienced a minute ago? Or all of the above? I left the mall immediately and began to take stock as to what I should do the following day.<br />
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The next day, we went back to the mall with Rio as support (dogs in general and puppies in particular, take lots of cues from other dogs) and the results were pretty much about the same. Again, we aborted the mission and went home to give this young pup a much needed rest.<br />
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So, here is what I did for our third outing: I went to a location that was a bit more of a “country” setting, yet provided us with enough cars, a few bicycles and people to work with. This made all the difference. We were still outside but, he was exposed to mainly one kind of trigger: Traffic. The slower pace of the cars and the more predictable approach was much more manageable and I had more room to create distance between the cars and the puppy.<br />
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Just a few minutes into our socialization session, I noticed that the puppy was still aware of the cars driving by; yet, he was able to cope and began to sniff his surroundings. Good lad, I thought, good lad! I continued to pair the passing of cars (the noise and the actual movement) with tasty hotdogs. On occasion, I asked the puppy to sit as a car or a bicycle drove by, but mainly I was looking into creating positive associations with a stimulus regardless of what the puppy was doing.<br />
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I am mainly interested in changing the fearful association the puppy has for a lack of exposure with urban triggers, such as traffic and other noises, to a positive one. My goal is to change how he <i>feels</i> about these things from being afraid and wanting to create distance from them, to either a neutral response as in: <i>yeah there is a car going by and… wow, check out this smell here!</i> Or even happy to see a car zoom by because he has learned that cars driving by, bicycles and the like mean that he gets a tasty treat - something he normally does not get to enjoy.<br />
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When socializing to any stimulus it is not only the exposure to the offending stimulus that matters, it’s<i> how </i>we go about it that is of utmost importance.<br />
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If the puppy (or adult dog) is already too concerned in the presence of the stimulus the association will not be a good one, no matter how many hotdogs we toss the dog’s way. By default, the experience must be one that is positive to the dog. Choosing the right location, as my example provides, as well as the amount of time, and distance, and if applicable, approach of the stimulus, will provide us with the tools to make the encounter a positive learning experience. If we repeat this sort of situation plenty of times- which will depend on the severity of the negative association that the puppy or adult dog already has as well as the age of the dog.<br />
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Now do keep in mind that when done well, we cannot <i>over socialize</i> a young puppy! I repeat: When done well, we cannot over socialize a puppy as some people claim.<br />
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So please, if you choose to bring a young puppy into your life make sure you know that it will take lots, and lots of carefully orchestrated efforts in order to teach a young puppy that life can be grand and that there <span lang="EN">is nothing to be concerned about!</span></div>
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Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-46639947017211855502019-06-02T08:54:00.000-07:002019-06-02T08:54:30.655-07:00Mental stimulation can double as relationship-building.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here is the second installment of our discussion on mental stimulation. As I mentioned previously, we can go beyond food dispensing toys to give our dogs a daily dosage of mental stimulation.<br />
Some people get it right and understand the importance of a “sniff walk” for their dog. Indeed, for how we use sight to understand the world, our dogs smell it. Smell being their most reliable sense. By a “sniff walk” I mean taking your dog for a stroll where the distance covered is irrelevant in which we allow the dog to move at its own pace- taking as much time as he wants sniffing. This could be challenging for some folks because they do take their dog on a walk (yah!) but they have their own agenda. The walk must double as their fitness routine, so they just want to get it done <em>fast</em>. My advice to this bunch is to take their dog’s sniff walk as a bonus within their mental health. To see this as an opportunity to experience the surroundings in <em>Slow mo</em>. Wow! What a concept! We can also re-frame and think of our workout time as <em>our</em> workout time, aside from allowing it to be during the dog sniffing opportunities.<br />
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In addition to the sniff or slow walk, there are other ways we can hang out with our dogs and provide a rich environment for their brain and well-being. Here is an idea that I have witnessed to be very beneficial to dogs: I teach owners how to do some simple TTouches on their dog as part of my Developing the Confident Dog class.<br />
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This past Saturday, every participant in the class saw how quickly their dog went from alert (and some a bit stressed) to totally relaxed, choosing to lie down on their mats to receive the benefits of their human’s touch. Engaging your dog with TTouch can teach your dog’s nervous system to oscillate from fidgety to relaxed. The more your dog experiences these different modalities, the easier it will be for your dog to recuperate from an upsetting event or just to be able to relax when you are busy at home and can't concentrate on your dog. TTouch is not a massage and is not petting either. It is its own modality that is relatively easy to learn and worth exploring. To learn more visit: <a href="http://www.ttouch.com/">www.TTouch.com</a>.<br />
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One of my favorite things to do with my dogs is to play with them! We have all sorts of games and most of them involve an object or toy. I am defining play as any activity in which participants engage voluntarily and the only purpose is to have fun. The topic of play has been well researched and as a result there is ample information about what constitutes “good” play. Also, quite relevant is how can we play with our dogs in a manner that they find enjoyable and not threatening. If play is your “thing” look up the work of Marc Bekoff, www.marcbekoff.com - a leading authority in dog play and who has done tremendous work surrounding the emotional lives of animals.<br />
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I personally like it when my dogs invent their own games. I mostly follow their lead when they come up with a new activity that we can do together. Here are a couple of examples:<br />
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After their breakfast both Deuce and Rio go to our long hallway just off the kitchen. They both lie there with either one ball (more fun for Rio- perhaps less fun for Deuce) or a ball a piece. The game consists of one of us kicking the ball so that Rio goes after it. She gets tremendous pleasure in this. If Deuce was not that interested in balls I tend to wonder if Rio would enjoy the activity. For this particular game, I changed some of Rio’s “rules” and I make sure Deuce has another ball to keep as his own, or we take turns tossing the ball in such a manner that Deuce gets it sometimes too- not only Rio. Being able to get to a ball that lands unpredictably is where the fun is at.<br />
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Deuce and I have our own special game that consists of Deuce taking my sheepherding cues (we actually do go sheepherding) inside our home as he “herds” a ball. Not only is this game highly reinforcing for Deuce, but our herding practice with “real” sheep has improved tremendously.</div>
I encourage you to be open to your dog’s definition of “games” and “fun”. I promise you that you will also reap the benefits as you see your blood pressure drop and your breathing become more fluid. At least mine dose whenever I choose to play with my dogs.<br />
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In closing, I strongly suggest people think of mental stimulation as a dog’s ability to problem solve. Again, the activities that can promote this are truly amazing, but here I want to refer to one that is so accessible to anyone willing to invest in learning how to shape behavior with a clicker. In essence shaping behavior is teaching a behavior by approximation. Think of it as a process similar (yet much more complex and interesting) than the popular game of “hot” and “cold” in which someone is getting clues as to the proximity of an object or a specific action it must do. To learn more visit: <a href="http://www.clickertraining.com/">www.clickertraining.com</a><br />
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If you live in the Santa Fe area, I encourage to enroll in one of my classes. Yes, your dog will learn new skills but equally important you will learn how to adequately teach your dog to problem solve. In addition, you will learn training skills and games that you can incorporate at home as part of your dog’s mental stimulation routine.<br />
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Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-88723918803014450852019-05-18T16:25:00.003-07:002019-05-18T16:25:48.192-07:00Why mental stimulation is so critical to your dog’s well-being.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you are at all in the dog “circle” you have unmistakably heard about mental stimulation. What I think sometimes trainers, like myself, forget to do is to explain to people a couple of important factors about mental stimulation.<br />
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First off, I would like to define mental stimulation.<br />
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It is <u>any</u> activity that your dog enjoys, can engage in, and that in some way or another satiates an innate (natural) canine need. Now, we must dive into what constitutes innate behaviors in dogs. The most scientific way I know how to do this is to consider who dogs are:<br />
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We know that dogs are predators. They acquire their preferred food (or at least they did when they were hunting since most present day dogs do not hunt for their food) by chasing down their prey, and they eat it by dissecting it. As hunters, they do not get a guaranteed meal either so we know that they are opportunistic feeders, as well as scavengers. There in itself, we have quite a few clues as to what sort of activities we might come up with that emulates behaviors all dogs engage in when they are hunting after a prey or feeding.<br />
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In delving into it more closely, we discover that dogs, like any other predator, are highly interested in movement because movement might mean an opportunity to eat. We also now know that they have powerful canine molars to grind and teeth to shred meat apart. Another important clue!<br />
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So here are some activities that can supply your dog the opportunity of species-specific behaviors: if we add less predictability to how we feed our dogs, we might just hit the jackpot!<br />
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Simply put, instead of serving your dog its meal from a ceramic bowl, make that food come alive.<br />
Toss your dog’s high-quality kibble or dry treats up in the air, without much restrain, so that it spreads everywhere. Encourage your dog the first few times to find each and every one of the individual pieces of kibble as it uses it’s very powerful sense of smell. If you are feeding raw, you will not be able to do this, so please do not try this at home.<br />
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Alternatively, you can flick away each piece of kibble down a hallway while creating some really interesting motion for your dog. Now your dog has to run after every single one of them. Does this activity resembles a natural way of feeding for your dog? Think about it; it’s the same meal but different behaviors to acquire it: chasing to eat.<br />
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When it comes to dogs dissecting their protein for consumption, we can find a myriad of manners to feed our dogs so that they have to “work” with those powerful mouths for their food.<br />
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Replace then, the food bowl for a Kong filled with your dog’s daily<em> chow,</em> and not just a thin coat of peanut butter. Now you got your dog’s attention! It might take your dog 2 minutes or even longer to extract its daily food and that definitively beats spending only 30 seconds in one of the most salient activities of the day for most modern dogs: consuming food. If you choose to feed your dog in this manner, you will most likely need to serve more than one Kong. Wow! The fun just doubled. I strongly suggest feeding your dog like this at least once a day.<br />
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You can also add some spin to how your dog gets its meal. Some really clever food-dispensing toys require that the dog makes the toy spin in order for the kibble to come out. Remember how attractive movement is for our dogs? Again, if you feed raw, then find some acceptable non-raw item that could add some much needed entertainment to your dog’s day. It could be a boiled egg, sardines or perhaps your dog is into apples. I know of a very lucky dog that gets served daily an apple in a Kong.<br />
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While all dogs are predators and engage in one way or another in typical canine behaviors, each dog is also an individual. So spending a bit of time discovering which activities your dog enjoys will pay off. Some dogs might get scared if we attempt to throw up in the air a bunch of kibble, so perhaps for this type of dog, a much more low key toy or even tossing each piece of kibble gently (this does not take as long as you might think BTW) is more appropriate. Now, it goes without saying, not because our dogs are scavengers does it mean that we do not have to provide some guidance as to how to pull the food out of a food dispensing toy. So make sure to make things easy for your dog so that he is successful in getting the food out of the toy. Keep him in the game! Once he can do this with some effort but still gets to extract the food, make things a bit more challenging for your dog.<br />
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Of course, there are also games that provide both mental stimulation as well as physical opportunities for your dog, which don't always involve eating. I will be exploring some of these activities in future posts. Stay tuned!</div>
Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-18322504361781298072019-05-05T23:30:00.000-07:002019-05-05T23:30:01.113-07:00Managing dogs at the vet’s waiting area<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Waiting areas at most veterinarian clinics are stressful
places for both people and dogs. They tend to be on the small side and with little
in the form of design to ensure dogs have some safe distance from other
dogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The leash, acting as a barrier,
prevents dogs to engage in natural greeting behaviors. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact that most people will allow their dog
to approach other dogs <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>while both are
leashed can become <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the “perfect storm”
for over the top dog behavior towards other dogs.
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Salient also is the fact that 99% of people will allow their
dog to meet another strange dog head on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This sort of approach to greet is consider a threat to dogs and very
poor doggie manners. No wonder most dogs respond with a growl or a lunge when
being greeted like this!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s their way
to tell the other dog to back off and give them some space. Often, the greeting
dog who just got “scolded” will respond in kind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And around and around we go adding to the unpleasantness
of dog greetings. </div>
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The sizes of the dogs meeting are also important to
consider. While most dog bites are not too serious there can be ample
repercussions from a dog<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>bite when size
between the dogs is significant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to
mention the psychological damage an encounter like this can have on the
receiving party. A true behavioral emergency when we are talking about a young
dog or a puppy that has very little experience in meeting other dogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Often only one encounter like this can set
that young inexperienced dog or puppy down the road of fearful behaviors displayed
now in aggression as they encounter other dogs on leash or perhaps also when
not leashed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Helping and keeping your dog safe at the veterinarian’s
clinic can be easy…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As part of this blog <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYiMkHZCK8U&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">I made a <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>video that show a protocol</a> that I designed for
one of my clients who has a very small dog which also loves greeting every dog
at her vet’s waiting area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The protocol is very easy to do and requires very little
training with big dividends in safety for<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>your dog and the comfort of the other dogs in the waiting room. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLbE_wq3fFtczuoSOkih08gkGN50q1rdi_8udpjwCI5x7XDcCw2d1aU40yEE_e1e5uFU6K6HLkfLOQlTO77OPZ2DKtEFtNHGfUh5hfOa1taLq8HAoqj7dtRDKU_x6biIw6n9qn2AaT5Q/s1600/MANAGING%252BDOG%252BVET%2527S+%252BWAITING_AREA+2019.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="429" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLbE_wq3fFtczuoSOkih08gkGN50q1rdi_8udpjwCI5x7XDcCw2d1aU40yEE_e1e5uFU6K6HLkfLOQlTO77OPZ2DKtEFtNHGfUh5hfOa1taLq8HAoqj7dtRDKU_x6biIw6n9qn2AaT5Q/s320/MANAGING%252BDOG%252BVET%2527S+%252BWAITING_AREA+2019.png" width="214" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I would add that carrying some very tasty morsels whenever the
dog goes to the clinic to be an excellent idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Delivering some tasty stuff can help your dog relax as he<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>associates the scary environment with
something he really likes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grant you,
some dogs are so afraid that their digestion system shuts down making the use
of treats futile. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Either way, if you practice the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYiMkHZCK8U&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">protocol in the video</a> ahead
of time with your dog, you will both find it easier to be successful when you
are at the vet’s clinic with a room full of strange and also stressed out dogs.
</div>
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Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-14623011095153873262019-04-20T15:19:00.000-07:002019-04-20T15:19:02.539-07:00Success with House Training Your Adult Dog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong>Shouldn’t an adult dog know where to go?</strong><br />
Ideally, yes. And dogs are naturally clean animals. Given a choice, they will go to the bathroom well away from where they sleep and eat. But it is not at all obvious to dogs that carpets and floors are inappropriate toilets—or that the bathroom rules in one place apply everywhere else.<br />
<br />
Teach your new family member to distinguish between indoors and outdoors by getting her to go in a designated area and then rewarding her with treats and praise. With a little patience and supervision, your dog will soon be fully versed in toilet etiquette.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7AGay5CUCLqYF7cE2-Fnn6GzuAUn4A9v7R6qp7lf8_27B1HNBUL-yt7ruW_DuRkl1cwx0dNXiyJR3Bik7vXA6H52rcXL0GgdEeO0DCn6vF4H_ZIAMzf2ACzDlYt5Idcx68bxmu11TFjw/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-04-19+at+5.27.35+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7AGay5CUCLqYF7cE2-Fnn6GzuAUn4A9v7R6qp7lf8_27B1HNBUL-yt7ruW_DuRkl1cwx0dNXiyJR3Bik7vXA6H52rcXL0GgdEeO0DCn6vF4H_ZIAMzf2ACzDlYt5Idcx68bxmu11TFjw/s320/Screen+Shot+2019-04-19+at+5.27.35+PM.png" width="320" /></a><strong>The 3 rules for house-training success.</strong><br />
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<em>Prevent Accidents</em>.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
Supervise your dog in the house.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
Use a crate when you are not sure if your dog is empty.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<br /></div>
<strong><em>Reward your dog for going outside</em></strong><strong>. </strong><br />
Praise at the right moment, i.e. the second she starts ‘going’.<br />
Reward with a treat after she is finished eliminating in the desired spot!<br />
<br />
<strong>How to house-train.</strong><br />
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
Step 1. Take your dog outside on leash. Take her to the same place every time.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
Step 2. When she goes, praise. Offer her a treat when she is finished.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
Step 3. If you are in a dog-safe place, let her off the leash for a little playtime.</div>
If she doesn’t go within 5 minutes, skip playtime and put her in her crate for 10-20 minutes, then try again. (This is to avoid an accident, not to punish.)<br />
<br />
<strong>A house-training checklist.</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>Take your dog to her potty place first thing in the morning, last thing before bed, shortly after meals, naps, or play sessions, when she comes out of her crate and, in the case of a puppy, every hour or so.</li>
<li>Until your dog is perfectly house-trained, always go outside with her so you can cheer and reward at the right moment. (Over please)</li>
<li>Supervise whenever your dog is not crated, especially if she is full. If you must take your eyes off her, even for a minute, crate her or put her in her confinement area.</li>
<li>If you see your dog sniffing and turning in circles in the house, take her out immediately.</li>
</ul>
<strong>How to handle house-training mistakes.</strong><br />
<em>Interrupt mistakes as they are happening</em>. Don’t be too harsh or your dog will be afraid to go in front of you. After interrupting your dog, hustle her outside to the potty area. Praise if she finishes here. Clean up the indoor mess with an enzymatic cleaner to remove protein residue that might attract her to the same place again.<br />
<br />
<strong><em>Never punish</em></strong>. If your dog made the mistake one hour or five seconds ago, you are too late. Don’t rub her nose in her own mess or smack her, this will simply make her afraid of you, and she won’t understand why you do it. You must catch her in the act for the interruption to work, and again, you can’t do it too harshly or your dog will be afraid to go in front of you.<br />
<br />
<strong>When do I give my dog free run of the house?</strong><br />
At first, confine her to one room at a time. Choose a tiled room, like the kitchen or the bathroom, so accidents can be easily cleaned. Add a room each week as your dog is successful (accident-free), and supervise each time you introduce her to a new room (accident-free), and supervise each time you introduce to a new room (accident-free) until eventually your dog can have access to all the rooms in your home.<br />
<br />
<strong>Training Tip: </strong>Don’t think that confinement and crating is too strict on your dog. You are doing her a big favor. Investing a few short weeks of effort nets you a lifetime of freedom for your dog—and you don’t have to replace your carpet.<br />
<br />
<strong>Troubleshooting: </strong>If a house-trained dog suddenly has accidents, call your veterinarian. Your dog could have a bladder infection or another medical problem.<br />
</div>
Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-26833044010687253712019-03-30T16:41:00.000-07:002019-03-30T16:41:36.315-07:00Separation Anxiety/Distress<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Dogs that suffer from separation distress, also known as separation anxiety (SA), are coping the best they can. In their view, being left alone is a very scary proposition. One that makes them panic before the event (here is the anxiety piece) and during the event. It is difficult to know why dogs experience anxiety when alone, but one theory is that the dog has created a deep bond with a particular person or just has not learned how to self-sooth and cope with being alone.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Is it possible that your dog is just being mischievous, and he’d rather spend his alone time redecorating your home? Of course, it’s possible! But in order to ascertain what is going on with your dog, we must look at typical behaviors or symptoms that are present in dogs who suffer from SA. While every dog is an individual, and not all of the behaviors listed below will be always present, this trouble shooting list does give, in my opinion, a good roadmap to find out what is truly behind the dog’s behavior.<br />
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
• Shadowing a person while at home. Unable to stay away from the company provided by a person.<br />• Exhibiting distress when they realize they might be left alone as they carefully observe departure cues. If there is something dogs do incredibly well is being observant of human behavior (even more so than any other primates!).</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
Besides keen observation, they are excellent at formulating some sort of “ flow chart” such as: when “x” takes place… “y” follows. They have learned the meaning of keys, running gear, folks brushing their teeth and kids’ lunches being prepared.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
• Elimination.<br />• Excessive barking and or howling - intermittent or for the duration of the time being left alone.<br />• Pacing: intermittent or for the duration of the time being left alone.<br />• Excessive salivation.<br />• Intent to reconnect with person thus the dog tries to use points of exits or entries such as doors or windows, in the process they can hurt themselves very badly, and of course, create destruction of these points of entry/exit.<br />• Unable to “relax” or settle.<br />• Mutilation (please do not crate your dog if he is not comfortable in a crate already - play it safe.)<br />• Excessive or frantic greeting displays when reunited.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<br /></div>
It is also possible that while in the past a dog was okay with being left alone, the dog is suddenly experiencing distress when alone because something really scary took place when the dog was home alone. Classical associations are very powerful. And just like us humans, a dog’s brain tends to have a bias for “scary” stuff. I once worked with a terrier mix that exhibited most of the typical symptoms of full-blown SA. As I was conducting the Initial Consult, I realized that there might also be some noise sensitivity behind’s the dog’s anxious behavior. Upon further questioning, my client and I were able to pinpoint a series of events – the loud trash collection every Tuesday as the antecedent for the dog’s now panicky behaviors. If indeed noise sensitivity is part of the reason the dog is now not comfortable being left alone, this too has to be taken into consideration and resolved in some way so that the dog does not continue to experience the fearful behaviors that lead to the anxiety in the first place.<br />
<br />
Treatment of Separation Anxiety:<br />This is one of those instances where management will play a very part in the resolution of the case. By management I mean that the dog should not experience ANY anxiety as a result of being alone. Which, of course, means that the dog cannot be left home alone for the duration of the behavior modification program. A program like this will depend on a few factors but one most salient factor is how severe is the SA in the dog.<br />
<br />
In addition to not leaving the dog alone at any time, the dog must be taught how to self-soothe when left alone. This will require that the dog in treatment learns first not to shadow its owner at home. If he is not able to be alone while the person is in the home what are the chances it can be left completely alone without going into a panic attack? None!<br />
<br />
If one does a search on the web about how to treat SA, the person will find references to desensitization of departure cues. While this is another vital component of the program it is often wrongly thought of as a “stand alone” procedure.<br />
<br />
Remember that first and foremost, the dog being treated should not experience panic while being treated. As such, one of the first skills the dog has to learn then is to get busy with a food puzzle or a chew bone, and at the same time, tolerate being alone (in another room say) while not completely alone in the home. No “real” departures should take place at this point. This is one of the areas where it’s easy to push too hard or too soon, and can only make things worse for the dog. Slow is really the only way to play this “game” with the dog being the one signaling that he is ready for more advance stuff.<br />
<br />
As you can imagine, being able to keenly observe a dog’s body language and understand how to interpret it is an indispensable tool and skill anyone wanting to help a dog should have. This is the only way we can infer the dog’s emotional state.<br />
<br />
Management: how to do it well:<br />As I previously stated, managing so that the dog is never left alone is one big chunk that needs to be resolved. Patience, and lots of it, empathy and resources will go a long way. It is important also to be creative in finding ways and support so that the dog is not alone at home. Below are some of the options folks should consider.<br />
<br />
• Day care (if there is a reputable one near your home and your dog enjoys other dogs).<br />• Pet sitter or friend that stays at home with your dog when you cannot.<br />• Taking the dog to work (this is ideal and I sure do wish more business would allow this).<br />• The car: many dogs with SA do tolerate stays in the car better than at home stays because they have learned that these are usually short. Now here is an important caveat: You need to be super mindful of the weather. Dogs die every year because they were left in a car in hot temperatures. Here is a simple guide to help you ascertain if it’s okay for your dog to stay in the car. Dogs should never be left in a car with temperatures above 70 degrees, as the temperature in the car are always higher than 70 degree atmospheric temperature. This applies to having the windows open, it is still too hot to safely leave your pup in your car for any length of time. I would also recommend not leaving your dog in the car when temperatures are in the high 50’s and lower. Use a well-suited garage structure that will protect your pup from too much heat or cold. Ideally you check on your dog to give him an opportunity to stretch out.<br />
<br />
In my professional experience, true cases of separation anxiety do not resolve on their own- that is without a careful intervention of behavior modification and desensitization. This can only take place once the dog has learned strategies for self-soothing and coping. This is a very gradual and detail-laden process. In a best-case scenario, pet parents with dogs suffering from SA will work with a reward-based trainer that has experience with SA.<br />
<br />
Whatever you do, please know that your dog is really suffering and not being dominant, stubborn, stupid and destroying your home and encouraging your neighbors to sue you because of his constant barking to plot against you. They are truly in emotional distressed. Using any form of correction or aversives will only make things worse because using these will add to your dog’s overall anxiety in the form of: … here it comes, the smack! I will be yelled at and that scares me!<br />
All dogs deserve that we look at a given situation from their canine perspective but especially so any dog that is suffering from an emotional issue such as fear (or aggression the other side of fear) or anxiety.<br />
<br />
Do know that more and more qualified trainers who have experience with SA are helping folks and their dogs remotely. Here is a fantastic website that does just that. www.malenademartini.com<br />
<br />
In addition, I recommend the following book by Nicole Wilde: Don't Leave Me! Step-by-Step Help for Your Dog's Separation Anxiety. I suggest pet parents of dogs suffering from SA read this book so that they can better understand what is at stake.<br />
<br />
While not always possible, ideally the pet parent should be working with a pro. SA can be solved, but it is not for the inexperienced even when a desire to help is very strong.</div>
Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-39559722297898436632019-03-03T15:06:00.001-08:002019-03-03T15:06:38.299-08:00Dog aggression is (very) ritualized<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am working at my computer totally immersed in what I am doing when I hear a very odd sound coming from Deuce. I turn and see that Deuce, who was lying on a bed next to me, is completely smacked tight to the wall with his face also turned away towards the wall. Next to him lies a Kong that I had previously given him. As I turn a bit to my left, I see Rio approaching the Kong. <br />
<br />
I realize then what was going on: Deuce had already abandoned his Kong even though it still had sardines in it. Rio, the hound that she is, wanted a second serving. <br />
<br />
My dogs are very good at giving each other space when it comes to enjoying a Kong filled with goodies, a bone and the like. I also manage them closely to ensure that they enjoy the goods in peace. <br />
<br />
Dogs wanting each other’s resources is absolutely normal dog behavior, as is negotiating for resources. I wish you could have seen these two interact as I did! There communication was a very clear rendition of ritualized aggression between dogs. What I mean by aggression being ritualized is that dogs will signal in all sorts of ways that they do not mean to harm and they much rather not get into a real fight. <br />
<br />
You see, fighting is expensive. If you fight, you might be the one injured or dead, with no genes to pass on to the next generation. <br />
<br />
Now let’s get back to the incident of the Kong lying next to Deuce and how they went about negotiating this situation.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Deuce as described, is lying and perhaps even snoozing with his Kong nearby. Rio approaches the Kong as she does thousands of times once Deuce had either finished his or decided he is done extracting the food. But this time, Deuce was communicating to Rio that he was not okay with her having the Kong. A clear case of: Hey! This is mine!<br />
<br />
Deuce produced a very low growl with his body stiff and away from Rio (and the Kong). I noticed that he was totally adverting Rio by looking away from her. As a response to Deuce’s growl and his own body language, Rio stopped her approach to the Kong. <br />
<br />
I immediately took stock of the situation by retrieving the Kong from the ground. I praised both dogs for not escalating the situation, but diffusing the conflict. I reached into the Kong and gave servings of sardines to both of the dogs. Once the Kong was empty we all went back to work and snoozing. <br />
<br />
While I know my dogs well and I know how to make the best of a conflict like this, I am not suggesting for one second that people try this at home. It is always best to help the dogs not get into conflict over resources. Yes, aggression is a highly ritualized business- full of threats and accommodations, but dogs can also fight over resources. I would hate for someone to be bitten as they intervene between their two posturing dogs.<br />
<br />
Now, there are a couple of interesting lessons to glean from a situation like this. I wish folks are made aware of and implement the following:<br />
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li> Learn what is valuable for your dog. Dogs do have individual preferences and these preferences vary depending on satiation levels (for that resource at a given time) and the context.</li>
<li>Manage any resource that dogs find somewhat valuable. Again, this will be different for any group of dogs living together.</li>
<li>Learn to read (observe) dog body language as this (and vocalization) are the best avenues we have in understanding a situation. For example: Deuce could have given Rio a hard stare, exposing his teeth, but instead he diffused by looking away from Rio. </li>
<li>Reinforce your dogs when they act as peace makers instead of fighters. Remember that laws of learning tell us that whatever behavior we reinforce we will see more of. In this situation here, the reinforcer was to pay each dog with what they wanted at the moment. The specific behaviors that I was reinforcing were both dogs diffusing the situation and communicating to each other: Deuce by growling at Rio and freezing while looking away; and Rio by stopping in her tracks when she heard Deuce growl, instead of engaging on a full-on physical fight.</li>
</ol>
<br />
Note:<br />
There are always dogs that will choose to fight first, skipping most of the ritualized aspects of conflict. They have learned that fighting (I am describing fighting as physical contact that may produce damage – or not) pays off. However, (most) of these dogs can also be taught that fighting is not necessarily the best option. Most dogs, however; will posture and engage in ritualized behaviors instead of fighting, or they will give ample warning even before a fight takes place.</div>
Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-64613034463451134692019-02-09T16:11:00.001-08:002019-02-09T16:14:58.478-08:00Reflexive behaviors<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Can we teach our dogs a behavior or behaviors that are so ingrained that the dog will perform with 100 % accuracy? This is what everyone apparently wants, but where do we fall short? <br />
<br />
I am talking to one of my clients about this proposition. We are discussing recall and the ability of a dog to come back to us no matter what the level of distraction. I describe to her what I mean when I refer to a behavior being so ingrained in the dog’s repertoire that it happens when requested without a “second thought.” <br />
<br />
The analogy I use is of a professional athlete at the top of their game. If you ask her (okay, him too) what are the steps they took for their massive tennis return or climbing a wall without falling, in perfect harmony and economy of movements, they might tell you they really do not know all the tiny decisions and steps it takes to perform at that level of finesse. Their movements have become reflexive. Here is the thing: this athlete has had thousands upon thousands of opportunities for practice. Most likely, they have also submitted to intense mind training in the form of previsualization, mindfulness and the like. Modalities that as far as we know, our dogs cannot do.<br />
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I propose that, just like the athlete that performs with such proficiency, our dogs can too. The caveat, of course, is that we must give them thousands upon thousands of opportunities for learning and practicing the behavior until it becomes a reflexive response to a given stimulus.<br />
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Take for example Ian Dunbar’s PhD, DVM “emergency sit.” The idea behind the “emergency sit” is to teach the position of a sit- defined as the dog placing its butt on the ground, in as many environmental circumstances we can muster. <br />
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We need to train so that our dog generalizes that when “x” happens and we ask for a sit- either verbally or by using a visual aid/cue, the dog sits. No matter what! Dr. Dunbar’s idea is that we can stop a dog from chasing cars, wildlife, or our dog running towards an unknown dog, if the dog has learned a very solid sit under all these set of circumstances. Not bad, huh?<br />
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My intention, in this blog post, is not to fully describe how one can achieve this, but to make us aware of what is possible first. Then decided under what circumstances we need the behavior to take place before we decide how to go about teaching it. <br />
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I have written in the past about Deuce’s compulsion for tugging and how that simple behavior has turned into my most solid avenue for a recall no matter what. <br />
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A friend of mine and I are walking our dogs off-leash when we hear dogs that belong to a home in the near distance. We had not seen the dogs approach us because of thick vegetation, but heard them loud and clear when they were just a few feet away from us. At this moment, Deuce began to trot towards the dogs. I noticed that these two are really not very welcoming! So I called Deuce back with my verbal tug cue “take it.” As he heard it, he turned around immediately and we got the hell out of there, hoping the dogs would stay behind and not come after us. The difference between Deuce’s reflexive game of tug and a dog that loves to tug and does it well, is that Deuce will tug anywhere. Most dogs will only tug when certain conditions are met: only inside the home, backyard, with this toy but not that one, only with this person, etc. <br />
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Thus the question remains: are we willing to give our dog tons of practice so that behaviors that are important to us become so well practiced and refined that they become reflexive? </div>
Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-2641197721261189062019-01-20T14:08:00.001-08:002019-01-20T14:12:53.907-08:00In dog training is it best to “add” or to “subtract”<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is indeed an interesting question. By adding I mean presenting a reinforcer as a consequence for behavior. By subtracting I mean removing a reinforcer as a consequence for behavior. In my view, the answer is that both modalities are of use when teaching our dogs. But today, I want to concentrate on adding a reinforcer instead of removing it.<br />
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Take the example and often the case of dogs jumping up on people when they greet.<br />
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Dog trainers have been teaching their clients to ignore the dog until the dog offers or responds to a cue for an alternative behavior- such as a sit. However, I will argue that this particular method of ignoring the dog is not very practical. Yes, it does work with some individuals, but I have also seen that it is too nerve wracking for dogs and people to implement. Folks get frustrated and now they are yelling at the dog and the dog is wondering why we are so nasty and refuse to say hello!<br />
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These days, I’d much rather teach people to give the dog what the dog wants, so that it can then stop jumping in an effort to reach our faces. Let’s look at the function of this behavior. Why do dogs jump to greet? We believe that it has to do with part of their genetic make-up. Other canids like wolves, greet and request food in this manner. The young pups lick the adult’s mouth to instigate regurgitation from the feeding parent. This need apparently came along with domestication. While the actual desire to reach our faces (hence the jumping!) has remained intact, our dogs are not requesting or even expecting to be fed but, to be greeted – in essence social interaction. The social component of this behavior is relevant to this post. So, what if we acknowledge this need in our dogs and we respond in kind instead of ignoring them?<br />
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Experiment a little with your own pup and your greeting routine and see what you think works best. I do not have only one way of teaching my clients on how to interact with their dog while greeting; instead I want to find out first what the dog finds reinforcing and that could double up as a greeting routine. Here are a few of my favorite ways of giving the dog what it wants and needs, while keeping the humans happy.<br />
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If your dog loves to retrieve you can keep balls by your front door. The minute you walk in, you will throw the ball for your dog to fetch. That will be your greeting. Your dog will be delighted not only because he is happy you are finally home, but also because you interacted with him. In no time your dog will expect to have you (or your guest) throw the ball for him. I have noticed that after the initial throw or perhaps after a couple of throws, the dog decides he has said hello plenty; that you are both okay and will decide to go lie down or engage in any other behavior besides a greeting behavior since that need has been met.<br />
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In my household, our dogs do come to the door to greet (okay, they might pass on greeting when is nap time) but they have been taught not to jump by requesting that they “go get their toy” – or a ball in the case of Deuce, from their toy basket. They rush to get the item and come back to us to have us throw the ball or play with the toy. <br />
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Alternatively, one can interact by throwing a piece of kibble or non-perishable treat that is kept out of reach from the dog and near the point of entry, so that the dog has to find it.<br />
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Most of the training scenarios that I teach my clients take less than a minute to perform and are highly effective. The trick, of course, is to be consistent so that we teach our dogs what to expect as we walk through the front door.<br />
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Ideally your guests will be clued in to the simple routine prior to entering the home or at least prior to engaging with the dog. Dogs do not generalize well so we must make sure they learn that the greeting procedure includes everyone (guests, cleaning crew). When folks take shortcuts, things get confusing and training plans fall apart. If instead of short cuts, we have a plan and we work the plan when greeting our dogs, we will find that they begin to relax around this social interaction. I am all for adding to what the dog wants and needs instead of always thinking of subtracting.<br />
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Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-57033742892605608952019-01-05T19:29:00.000-08:002019-01-05T19:29:03.157-08:00Do professional trainers get fed up with their dogs?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I was thinking about this topic on a snowy morning when I announced to John that we should go snow shooing with the dogs! We got ready and headed out the door. We were in awe of the amount of snow just outside our front door. I love outings like this, but today it was a different story.<br />
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We normally walk the dogs on leashes if next to a road. This morning however, we decided that they could be off-leash as it was a holiday and the snow filled roads most likely would prevent any cars from speeding. The dogs were happy to explore familiar, yet quite different surroundings because of the snow. As always, I practiced calling them back just to release them after coming to me. I also practice stopping on cue and waits (dog not moving forward, but staying in place or coming back to me). <br />
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I began my snow shooing adventure with gusto only to discover that I was getting really warm and thirsty as I failed to bring water with me. Now, I am not that comfortable and I am getting irritable at the dogs when they don’t respond as I want them to.<br />
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I realize that part of my frustration and my insistence that they came to me had to do with feeling somewhat vulnerable. I am athletic, but not super experienced in winter forms of exercise. I realized I was not very fast in my snow shoes should I have needed to intervene if we came across the pack of coyotes that live in our neighborhood or should Deuce have decided to chase a car; an unlikely scenario, I realized- but the mind plays tricks on us when we are not feeling on top of our game.<br />
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We continue down the wash with me gravitating between being frustrated at the dogs and having to manage them and enjoying the activity. At some point, I scolded myself for having such lofty expectations of our exploration and being a control freak. Can I just relax and let the dogs be?<br />
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At times, I am looking at the really beautiful landscape all covered in white with icicles here and there clinging to tree branches. My frustration grows because I want to stop to enjoy my surroundings and even take a few pictures, but I am still managing the dogs.<br />
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So to answer the question: Yes, even professional dog trainers (or at least this professional dog trainer) get frustrated with their dogs. The difference might be that once we get our “cool” back we know how to troubleshoot and we are very keen at management.<br />
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The same holds true not only in snowy outings with the gang, but when one does not plan a training session ahead of time and now things are not panning out. This frankly is a rookie mistake resulting in everyone paying the price. <br />
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When we get frustrated, our dogs often don’t understand why we are treating them differently. Differently not in a good way, but perhaps our voices are harsh and we even might glance at them with a hard stare, which they can only interpret as a threat.<br />
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We all can respond to stress and frustration in ways that we wish were few and far in between. However, we can still take stock of what leads to a frustrating situation or a frustrating disposition be it as we get ready to go out and have fun with the dogs or before a training session.<br />
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One piece of advice I give my clients who love to go exploring with their dogs, and especially to those that love to work out hard, is to find time for these activities away from their dogs. My example of our snow shooing adventure and my wanting to take photographs are a perfect example of a conflict of interest that might produce bad results.<br />
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Yes indeed, I can snap a picture with my iPhone while minding my dogs, but I cannot really take the time to pull out my other camera, wait for excellent lighting and decide on what makes for a great composition while minding the dogs. The solution then is to be clear about the expectations that each adventure offers and to stick to them as best one can. Taking the time to be with my dogs is of paramount importance to me, but so is enjoying a fun activity without adding more stress and becoming a nag. I learned a valuable lesson this morning: Adjust your expectations and plan for what is important so that my frustration at a less than an ideal outcome does not spill onto my dogs. </div>
Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-23797007893155457162018-12-08T16:38:00.001-08:002018-12-08T16:42:58.774-08:00How to teach your dog to eliminate on verbal cue?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Have you ever traveled with your dog and really needed her to eliminate, and have found yourself doing laps around and around the hotel grounds because your dog is having such a fun time and she not ready to eliminate? Or, how about when it is raining or snowing, and your pup decides this is her favorite weather and would like to stay outside just a wee bit longer? The same holds true for young puppies that are just learning where to eliminate. The training plan below, while not technically a house-training plan, can help you teach your already house-trained dog how to eliminate on cue.<br />
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No magic potion here, just enough pairings via classical conditioning (all about associations, remember?) between a verbal cue and the act of eliminating. In addition, and in order to make the behavior “stick” and not go into extinction, you will need to present a reinforcer as your dog is learning to associate your verbal cue with the act of eliminating. Once this association is achieved - meaning your dog eliminates whenever you give the cue, you will have to reinforce (unless your dog really needed to eliminate and this serves as the reinforcer). So, continue to pay on occasion with a treat, a short game session or anything else your dog finds reinforcing. Here is how to train:<br />
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Think of the verbal cue you want to use. For example: Go potty, Do your business, etc.</li>
<li>Arm yourself with some tasty treats.</li>
<li>Take your dog out to eliminate when you think she has to do so.</li>
<li>Observer your dog closely; when she is ready to eliminate say the verbal cue.</li>
<li>Pay your dog as she is eliminating.</li>
</ol>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Continue to follow the steps above until your dog begins to eliminate just after you have given the verbal cue.</li>
<li>Pay for eliminating.</li>
<li>You can use the same verbal cue for peeing and pooping or use different cues.</li>
</ul>
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Voila! No more standing in the rain or doing laps at the hotel grounds, your dog will be able and willing to eliminate because you have paired it with good stuff for her, and because after all mother nature is also calling.</div>
Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-44088514864675965512018-11-16T18:00:00.001-08:002018-11-17T13:28:26.653-08:00Would you say your dog is “confident”? If so, what does this really mean?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Even in the world of training, it is easy to throw around concepts with the implication that everyone else knows and agrees with the definition of said concept. But do we? When it comes to training and setting behavior goals, it is so much easier to be as specific as one can be.<br />
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It really helps when we can define concrete goals and behaviors instead. In one of my professional development outlets, the question was raised as to what is a confident dog. They proposed certain typical usages and interpretations of “confidence” in dogs. Most of the definitions proposed would fall within the lines of what most people would consider confident, but there were also as well, obtuse and frankly not very helpful examples of the usage of “confident”.<br />
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One can think, for example, of a dog that is so confident that would without hesitation approach someone and aggress. Is this a trait that we want in our confident dog? Or how about the dog that is so freakin’ confident that takes it upon itself to harass younger dogs or those that appear “soft”?<br />
But what is a “soft” dog? I regress.<br />
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The best approach when using a concept is to carefully enlist the behaviors a confident dog normally a engages in. And furthermore, to decide as stated above if all these behaviors fall as desirable behaviors for us or for society at large.<br />
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Here is the thing: If we keep to observational traits, it will be so much easier to describe the behavior (s) of confidence. One could then follow up with specific goals and training plans for our confident dog or one that could use more of it.<br />
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I would like to propose then that we think of confidence in dogs as a continuum versus a trait a dog possess because of its rearing and perhaps even its breeding. Let me explain: Deuce, my Border collie, is one of the “chilliest” dogs you could meet. So far he has never moved away from a new person or if I recall a dog that he just met. Now, my very confident Deuce struggled for a long while for no apparent reason- as he is physically capable of jumping, with jumping into my car. Perhaps this is why I have a blown disc! Months of picking him up at a weight of 50lbs of moving flesh every time he needed to get in the car!<br />
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I would argue that this is the perfect picture of a dog that lacks confidence in his ability to jump high enough and effortlessly enough, to land safely inside my car. So is he confident or not? Well, it depends. Yes, I would argue that overall he is very confident, but not so much when he needs to jump and propel himself. Another example: we were walking in town with Rio and Deuce as we approached a bridge-like-structure that had some spacing in between. Deuce buckled. After some encouragement in the form of happy talk and some treats, he was able to walk back and froth with less hesitation. Rio on the other hand, walked back and forth and would have been able to do so with her eyes closed and on her tippy-toes. Then again, I would say that Rio is in general much less confident than Deuce when it comes to meeting people and even dogs.<br />
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I teach a class that I purposely named <i>Developing the Confident Dog</i>. With the idea in mind that confidence is more of a continuum than a fix trait.<br />
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What I like about this approach in defining “confidence/confident” is that it not only rings more factual to me but it presents us with the notion that our dogs can learn to be more capable and willing to investigate and engage with what is novel and even scary, with more conviction and less hesitation.<br />
Thinking of confidence as a developing characteristic also allows for keen observation of areas where our dogs could behave more confidently. Once we have identified these, we can help them out by a carefully planned behavior modification program. One that will build resilience and conviction.<br />
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Now back to my initial question: Is your dog confident? I am really hoping that you’ll take a moment before responding because you can now consider that being confident is not a “thing” or a “trait” but a way of behaving in very specific circumstances and perhaps a qualifying set of behaviors that we consider desirable.<br />
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Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-49956904509118287152018-10-28T06:33:00.002-07:002018-10-28T06:35:03.664-07:00A useful behavior to teach your dog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Most dogs have a fascination with food and any object that smells like food. They also have predilection for items by which they can exercise their powerful jaws by chewing on them. And then we have our very naughty pups that love to steal an item and show their owners how smart and cute they are as they run away from them hoping for a fun game of chase.<br />
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There are other circumstances in which me must remove an item that can potentially harm the dog, if swallowed. Either scenario, the best way to deal with all these situations is to teach the dog how to surrender an item voluntarily. The idea is to teach the dog that when he surrenders something that the dog is now holding in its mouth and under his possession, he will be reinforced for it. In other words, he will get something of HIGHER value for his efforts and compliance.<br />
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Time and time again, I meet with owners who have taken by force an item from the dog, only to make the dog now more resistant to giving up what he has and to mistrust that the next item will not be removed by force as well. This can turn into a slippery slope!<br />
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The best analogy I can give you is someone telling us that we must surrender our warm ready-to-consume meal because they want it. Or analogous, having someone constantly reaching into our meal without even asking if they can sample before they are diving in with their fork! I don’t know about you, but when this happens I make sure the person digging in knows that I do not like people messing with my food! <br />
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The motivation for dogs holding on to stuff is the same. They found the item valuable in some way. Now, if I have someone ask me first if they can sample my food, I would be much more inclined to agree. The same again is true for our dogs.<br />
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Dogs are genetically wired for survival (like the rest of us) and as such, they are inclined to hold on to any consumable item. For some dogs this extends to items they are not going to consume, but they like because they can play with them, engage with others (as in the case of the testy dog hoping for a hot pursuit) or even holding on to an item because it gives them a sense of safety. One of my Springer Spaniels - Chaco, loved to walk in town holding in its mouth a small carton of cream. Whenever he found one, he would pick it up and proceed to strut in delight as a passerby would asked me how I taught him that. I never did, he just decided that walking and holding such an item in his mouth felt good.<br />
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My recommendations is to practice exchanges with your dog so that when the need arises your dog will know what to do. Here is how:<br />
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Begin by giving your dog an item that he likes but not his super favorite toy, ball etc.</li>
<li>After a couple of seconds of your dog holding the item…</li>
<li>Say “drop it” or whatever verbal cue you want to use.</li>
<li>Wait for 3 seconds and then present your dog with something so delicious that he cannot resist having it. In order for your dog to eat this, he will have to open its mouth and by defacto drop the item.</li>
<li>Give the dog the treat.</li>
</ol>
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You have, in essence, set things up so that your dog learned that dropping when asked produces something he also wants. After a few successful trials like this with a so-so object, begin to introduce in this same session or at another time, a more coveted item and repeat as above.<br />
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If you teach this to your young puppy, you will be so glad you did! However, this is one behavior that all dogs can learn at any point. The idea is to practice with enough items of different value for the dog so that the behavior generalizes. <br />
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Do know that the longer a dog is holding on to a precious item, the harder it is for him to surrender. Also, if your dog is in any way showing signs of aggression such as growling (when not part of play in chasing, for example) sneering, or stiffness as you try to “negotiate” a surrender it is best to diffuse the situation and not force the dog in anyway to give up the possession. This is most likely resource guarding and it can turn dangerous very quickly. <br />
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Resource guarding is normal dog behavior, but one that we must manage like ç or engage in behavior modification where we teach the dog in a more orchestrated manner with some safety mechanisms in place that surrendering is actually a good idea and that it will not be taken for granted.<br />
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Last, if you enjoy playing chase with your dog - which I do, I suggest you put it under stimulus control. Which means, that you will *ONLY * chase when you say the verbal cue for this game prior to the chasing. Your dog will learn very rapidly that his efforts in acting super cute with an item will not necessarily give way to chase. <br />
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Working with valuable exchanges is a good way to accommodate our dog’s needs and desire for keeping what they like and surrendering when the item it is not safe for them to have or when they should not have a particular item. As always, remember that our dogs must be reinforced for behavior. When reinforcement is not part of the equation, the behavior will go into extinction. That simple.<br />
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Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-8014116708965758632018-10-13T16:03:00.001-07:002018-10-13T16:05:40.984-07:00Hi-Tech in dog training<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
John, my husband, is looking for a “new” truck. He is looking in lots of different places just for the “right” truck at the “right” price. He actually goes and drives a couple that appear to be promising. After one of those drives, he pronounces — in between giggles, that the one he just drove had a cassette player!! What? No CD player? No bluetooth? Airbags? Clearly, he chose to pass on this beauty and continue looking.<br />
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As he dove daily into Consumer Reports, car dealership websites, and the like, we discussed perhaps prompted by the cassette player, which “bells and whistles” were non-negotiable in the purchase of his truck. It took us but just a few minutes for both to agree on the high-tech modern technologies that the truck needed to have.<br />
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I get that not everyone is interested in high-tech. Yet, high-tech is nearly but present in most people’s lives. We are past the point of expecting technologies of all sorts to go away. As a matter of fact, most of these technologies have brought ample benefits. Especially so, I would argue, when they are used appropriately. As I like to remind myself: the phone and computer are there for me; versus me for them. This little reminder most often puts me on track on how I choose to spend my time. Especially salient, I find unplugged and get uninterrupted time.<br />
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Technologies are everywhere. Even in dog training. A practice that has very much embraced them. Most trainers that are worth a client entrusting their precious pup to, are using advance methods that are backed by hard science versus simplistic theories in explaining behavior and most importantly in shaping and modifying behavior.<br />
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So why is it then that there are still some folks out there — that almost religiously, continue to expect help from pros that subscribe to obsolete, simplistic models of “alpha” or “leader”? Can you hear me yawning?<br />
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I guess we can blame our big mammalian brain! Our brain loves patterns. We create patterns perhaps to better understand our environment(s) and keeping ourselves safe. We love to put stuff in categories - such as the Border Collie, keeping everything neatly in place! In effect, we must really make an effort to look beyond what appears to be “the facts” to dig deeper and to question claims.<br />
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Not only are scientific findings interesting, but I would argue they are also fair (to the species being studied) and very, very helpful to the ones doing the training. There has been (and we can continue to add to these numbers) over 200 animals species studied. These studies are the foundations of much of what we know about animals and how they learn, relate, feel, etc. But we still doubt the findings?<br />
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Besides the scientific findings, that are the tenets of the science of animal learning and cognition, there are also technologies that have made a big impact in the world of dogs and training.<br />
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One that comes to mind is, of course, the clicker. This is one of my ultimate favorite tools AND technologies. It is a technology because there is much more in the background than the just “click” and “pay” modicum. There is quite a bit that one must understand regarding the science of animal learning if one wants to not only use the clicker (called an event marker) well: click first, pay second, etc. But we must apply what we know about how dogs learn (or your species of choice) and then use the clicker anchored in this learning.<br />
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Another great technology is the head-halter. Think of a head-halter as driving with power steering versus without. You still need to know how to drive the car, but the steering will be much easier. The same is true for the head-halter. It can surely aid folks whose dogs are powerful, rowdy on the leash or exhibit big displays of fear/aggression such as lunging at a passerby. However, due diligence must be in place to assure that the owner knows exactly how to use this piece of equipment for effectiveness and kindness to the dog, while the dog must be taught to enjoy wearing the halter because the owner or the trainer have taken the time in paring the halter with fun and positive stuff for the dog. Enjoy is much better than “tolerate”… I have never liked “tolerating” itchy clothing. Yuck!<br />
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I would argue the same about crates. They can be fabulous in providing dogs with the safety when riding in the car, the flexibility of leaving your dog in a hotel safely in their comfy crates and a personal place for your dog to hang out. However, the notion that all dogs love crates because they are “den” animals is more fiction than fact. I would argue that all dogs must be taught that the crate is the place to be. Some will take to it a lot easier for a myriad of reasons while others will never want to be near a crate.<br />
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These are but three examples that, in my opinion, have bridge living life with a dog with technologies that make existing with a dog more pleasurable for the person, and when used appropriately, they can also be a bonus for the dog.<br />
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When it comes to training high-tech, we must also pay attention to the thinking behind the practice. No, not all training is the same. Yes, dogs are individuals and as such they do have preferences and dislikes but to claim that any dog choose to be pushed around, scared of hurt is plain stupid!<br />
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We owe it to our dogs — the ones we claim to be wo[men]’s best friend, to really understand them as a species first and as an individual second. Not only is this crucial for anyone giving advise about dog behavior, ethology and training but even for dog owners.<br />
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Truly, it is time for all of us involved to get our heads out of the sand and educate ourselves in reputable, science-based methods of animal learning as well as the understanding of canine ethology, instead of simplifying the factual known nature of our dogs just because we are too lazy to dive deeper. I guess our brain make us do this!</div>
Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-51771312707138497042018-09-22T13:42:00.001-07:002018-09-22T13:47:55.680-07:00Let’s put this issue to rest, shall we?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I often get asked if it is “okay” to sleep with a dog in bed. This is one of the issues that is actually quite personal. Some people - I would say most people, love sleeping with their dogs but other folks would rather not. And sometimes the “rather nots” do not know how to get their dogs off their beds!<br />
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The hesitation of having dogs in bed stems - in my view, from the incorrect idea that dogs are statue thinking creatures and if we allow them on a higher ground (such as bed) they will take the position of the “alpha”. My answer to this line of thinking is to look for real evidence to this effect. We could begin by investigating for potential problems while allowing the dog to sleep on the bed: Is the person able to move the dog out of the way without having the dog respond by sneering, growling or worse, attempting to bite or bitting while on the bed? Is the dog preventing another pet from also sleeping on the bed?<br />
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I would instead argue for the Parsimony Principle, which states - that the most acceptable explanation of an occurrence, phenomenon, or event is the simplest, involving the fewest entities, assumptions, or changes should be applied here.<br />
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If folks then want to share their bed with their dog, they should go right ahead without any concern for their dog becoming the “dominant” or “alpha”. There is, however, a consideration when the dog resource guards the bed as his own possession. This, of course, is natural dog behavior, but it could also be very dangerous.<br />
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Dogs are wired to “protect” what they consider a resource- something that they find valuable or want. A cozy place to lie can fall under this category.<br />
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When a dog resource guards a person’s bed, it is possible for the dog, in its effort to hold on to the possession, to sneer, growl or even bite. If this was the situation, I would argue that having a dog on the bed at anytime is not a good idea.<br />
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I have worked with a couple of clients whose dogs would jump up on the bed and prevent one of the owners to get into the bed!<br />
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So what is the solution here? If people are good about following with a management protocol, and closing the door to the bedroom is, of course, the easiest thing to do.<br />
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Alternatively, one can teach a dog an “off” cue that the dog learns as if it was learning a fun game. In essence, the dog gets paid for jumping of the bed (and staying off). If the dog jumps on the bed he is asked again to get off and then he is rewarded for doing so! Viola! Problem solved.<br />
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Another sticky issue arises when one person wants the dog in bed and the sleeping partner does not. This is a typical example of how folks have different expectations and relationships with their dogs, and frankly I think it has very little to do with one person loving the dog more, and the other one loving the dog less.</div>
Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-50513972816533842282018-09-09T16:08:00.001-07:002018-09-09T16:08:26.108-07:00How to successfully add another dog to your home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Adding a new dog to your home could be one of the most challenging things you might have to do with your existing pup (s). But it doesn’t need to be so. If you plan ahead and follow a few simple rules, your dogs will stand a better chance of getting along and even becoming fast friends.<br />
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One of the biggest mistakes one can make (and this happens frequently) is assuming that dogs should get along because we think that this is the “polite” or social thing to do or because we like this new dog and we want to adopt him so our dog must like him too. <br />
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Dogs unfortunately for us, play by different standards. They truly could not care less about our infatuation as humans for social graces, per se. They are instead more focused on (possible) competition for resources and feeling safe. As a matter of fact, our dogs still share some traits with their wild ancestors and this is one of them. Let me explain. Wolves, contrary to popular belief, are very peaceful individuals within their pack. They indeed engage in very ritualized behaviors- used as warning to avoid a true conflict within their pack. Now, in order to keep the stability and safety within their family (yes, indeed the social structure of wolves in the wild truly resembles a traditional human family with parents taking care of the young with the help of extend family members) they must be weary of intruders, and as such, they will defend their territory ferociously. <br />
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As mentioned, our dogs, while not living in a pack anymore - even where there is cohabitating with the other dogs, since by definition a “pack” implies hunting together, still protect their territory. <br />
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With this new understanding, we can better come up with a plan so that incorporating a new member to the group is conflict free. Here are my recommendations for introducing a new family member.<br />
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To successfully introduce a new dog into your household, plan ahead and be patient. Don’t assume the dogs will instantly like each other or, if they don’t, that they will work things out themselves. If your dogs get off on the wrong paw, the relationship might not recover. Taking a little extra time is well worth the effort.<br />
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<b>Before you get in the house.</b><br />
Arrange an on-leash meeting on neutral ground. That means not in your house or yard, and with plenty of space around. Ideally, and this is important, introduce the dogs by walking on an arc versus approaching the other leashed dog straight on.<br />
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Keep the leashes loose and let the dogs approach each other calmly.<br />
After a 2 second greet-and-sniff, call each dog away with a cheerful voice. Praise and treat the dogs.<br />
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Now take a short walk with both dogs. If, after the greeting, the dogs are a little stiff with each other, or they are pulling on leads to get another close sniff, begin the walk on separate sides of the street. As the dogs relax, gradually move closer together until they walk side by side.<br />
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<b>In the backyard.</b><br />
If possible, allow playtime in the yard. For safety, have the dogs drag their leashes until you are sure they get along well.<br />
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Should a fight break out, use noise (your voice, clanging or banging pans) to stop it. If that doesn’t work, you can also throw water at the dogs so make are you have plan ahead and have pans and water available. If these two options fail, use the leashes to separate the dogs. Never reach in between two fighting dogs.<br />
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<b>In the house.</b><br />
The first time the dogs are inside the house together, keep them on leash and keep the introduction brief, around 5 minutes.<br />
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Then confine the newcomer to a comfortable space, like a spare room, crate, or a dog-proofed, enclosed area where he can start to get used to his new home away from the attention of other family pets.<br />
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Over the next day or two, repeat the brief introductions. Keep them to 5-10 minutes and keep the dogs on leash. If a squabble breaks out, leashes make it easy to pull the dogs apart.<br />
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Make the time the dogs spend together as pleasant for them as possible. Reward friendly and playful behavior with food treats, praise, and toys.<br />
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Remember to be cautious when dispensing treats, your attention or toys since dogs competing for resources are a common occurrence. Using a piece of furniture between the dogs, a baby gate to create a bit of a visual barrier for the dogs is a good idea.<br />
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Don’t be tempted to try longer periods of time if the early introductions go well. Slowly work your way to longer and longer periods of dog-dog time.<br />
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Every now and then, confine your other dog (and any other pets) and let the newcomer explore the house by himself.<br />
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Keep break-away collars on your dogs when they are playing to avoid having them potentially tangle up which is highly distressing for any dog and an emergency.<br />
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Find other activities such as leash group walks so that the dogs share on a fun activity without the pressure to engage.<br />
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Praise all cordial and playful interactions between the dogs.<br />
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Feed your newcomer separately from other dogs. The same holds true for dispensing any other goodies that your dogs might compete for.<br />
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Keep your resident dogs schedule as consistent as possible so that they do not have to deal with too many changes at once.<br />
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With this approach, your new dog should be fully accepted as a family member within a week or two. However, If things are still not warming up after two weeks, get help from a trainer who has experience with this issue and one that uses positive reinforcing techniques. </div>
Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-34530820158623908992018-08-20T06:13:00.001-07:002018-08-20T06:13:43.865-07:00Why Training or Behavior Modification Fail- Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you read my previous post, you know then that I chose to focus on three main areas as to why training or behavior modification fails. On that post; for those of you that played “hookey,” I delved into motivations behind behavior (s) as well as different strategies- some better and others not conducive to learning, in order to address some typical problems folks have with their dogs.<br />
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On this post, I want to expand on looking into client compliance, my second area of investigation.<br />
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I am not a people psychologist. My comments then are based on my own experience as a dog behavior “pro” that gives advice to my clients as to how better understand their dogs (from an ethological perspective), as well as teaching and training their dogs. <br />
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My other lens of investigation is my hands-on experience as a human being living in this world. In other words, someone else can be writing about me not being compliant when the roles switch, and I am now the one taking advice in learning something new or putting something in practice. Going back to the main reason why my clients are not compliant when they have training plans and management protocols in place for them to follow, is very simple. <br />
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Okay, I will spare you the suspense and just tell you that they fail: be-cause the-y aaaa-r-e huuu-m-an!<br />
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I recently listened to an audio book which title picked my curiosity: <u>Unfu*k Yourself</u> by Gary John Bishop. Yeah, I know, you are now curious too! His editor is thrilled they came up with this title- I am sure. In any event, the reason I was actually curious as to what Bishop had to say was not so much because of the title, but indeed because of the subtitle: “Get out of your head and into your life.” Good one, huh? <br />
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Among the many salient nuggets of advice there where some that hit home with me. Not only because I have been “there” but because my clients are “there” a lot of the times too. I wanted to see if by listening to this book, I could find a better understanding as to why they fail to do the exercises in between sessions, or follow the specific directions or… <br />
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Could I learn to motivate them so they could reach their goals? Could I also become more understanding while still motivate them to reach their goals; which frankly, have become “my” goals with a sense of urgency and meaning?<br />
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So here is one of the nuggets that spoke to me loud and clear: YOU ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, YOU ARE YOUR ACTIONS! Boom! Right where it hurts!<br />
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I have heard of the “you are not your thoughts” maxim in the context of meditation and Buddhist thought but this motivational coach- with a very heavy Scottish accent, took it to another level. As I understand it, we can spend as much time pondering upon a problem, wishing our luck was different- better. Mustering a plan of action, blaming ourselves or our spouse (and of course the dog!) for the state of affairs, but until we do not begin to take meaningful actions to change the situation, we are not truly showing up to live our lives.<br />
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Bishop also makes the point that people who get things done and all those aaam-aa-ziiin-g individuals whom appear to have everything easy in their lives do just that: They take action. <br />
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Their actions might be devoid of “fuzzy” emotion, because at times, they frankly would rather do something else! Or perhaps they do not feel confident in their efforts, or the results their efforts might yield. But, in spite of their feelings, they move forward with the plan of action.<br />
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Teaching our dogs new behaviors as well as us learning how not to put the dog in “x” and “y” situation, for example, because we know the dog cannot “handle it” requires that we show up. Show up even when we continue to feel a bit hopeless, tired or need someone to give us support and direction along the way.<br />
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Clearly, there are a many more reasons as to why clients are not compliant. One can argue that we are just too busy, too spent, too… However, if we pay close attention we can see that all these “reasons” (frankly excuses most of the time) are all related to not taking the appropriate action. Why do we choose the multitude of activities that appear to fill every moment of the day? Why did we choose the dog that we knew we had no time for because we travel so often? Why do we make the choice of crashing in front of the TV for endless hours when we can make a choice and use that time differently- regardless of how we are feeling about it?<br />
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When we choose to identify (or define ourselves) by our actions- as the author prescribes, we are cognizant that in order to reach certain goals we MUST make choices. We must be men and women of action! Of appropriate action that supports our most precious dreams and goals. In essence, we must choose to define ourselves by our actions and much less so by our thoughts.<br />
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Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-17320399019925013092018-08-07T14:48:00.000-07:002018-08-07T15:39:38.375-07:00Why Training & Behavior Modification Fails<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am talking to my colleague about a recent case he had. We are discussing different possibilities as to why training or behavior modification might not produce the results we would like. We toss around ideas and I settle for three possibilities:<br />
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1. The technique or techniques employed are either not appropriate or they are not being used correctly.<br />
2. Lack of client compliance.<br />
3. Not enough training.<br />
4. Unrealistic or non-specific goals to obtain as a result of the training.<br />
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As I explained to my colleague, these are my thoughts on the possibilities above:<br />
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1. Here is an example to illustrate what happens so very often when people are trying to have their dog stop doing something they don’t like. As soon as the dog engages in the behavior, which in essence it’s the “symptom” or “symptoms,” of the observable and quantifiable behavior of the dog’s inner motivation, the owner might say “no” or give a correction such as a leash “pop,” or use all sorts of techniques to admonish the dog. Sometimes the owner might remove the dog from the interaction or at least block visual access to the stimulus.<br />
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2. However, what is missing in all these very common scenarios is that the dog has really not learned any other alternatives for behaving. The result of all these actions on the part of the owner *might* result in suppressing the behavior; most likely because the dog got scared that he will be hurt or scared again. But as you can see, there is truly no behavior modification taking place.<br />
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Let’s dive deeper: Is the suppression of the behavior permanent? I would venture to say, that in most cases the answer is no. Because in order for a behavior to become extinct several conditions need to be met such as: there is nothing else motivating that same behavior. The interesting thing here is that behaviors often have multiple motivations behind them. For example: A dog is yelled at and given a leash correction for lunging at another dog. The dog stops for a “while,” but he still will lunge at dogs while on leash because he’d much rather act in a way that might make the other dog “go away” and lunging in the past has worked. The fear that this dog experiences when a scary stimulus is too close will trump the fear of being yelled at or even given a correction that hurts! It might be also the case that the dog has not really generalized that the behavior the owner is trying to suppress will carry intimidation or pain in all instances. <br />
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Here is a typical example a lot of pet parents have experienced: They do not want the dog getting on their sofa, when the dog gets on the sofa, the owner yells at the dog “Nooooo” or gives it a squirt with a water bottle or… Okay finally the dog does get off the sofa. Now, do you think the dog will not get on the sofa when the owner is not present? I think we can safely guess that in most cases the dog will get on the sofa when alone at home, so technically, the behavior of getting on the sofa is not truly gone into extinction. Okay, okay, I hear you enough with the Animal Learning stuff! What is one to do instead?<br />
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Ah, great question! Troubleshooting is at the center of modifying our dog’s behavior. <br />
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First off, let me say that in my example of the dog lunging at another dog while on leash is most likely motivated by what is called proximity sensitivity. In essence the lunging dog has had a bad (or several) bad experiences when he was being restrained in some way and interacted with another dog. So now, he is motivated by fear and wants the other dog to get the message he does not want anything to do with him and if he continues in its proximity (or moves closer) things can get “really ugly.” So, in my very ubiquitous example, the lunging dog’s most pressing motivation is fear. <br />
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Now, to make things even more interesting, this dog might be afraid of dogs when restrained BUT he is also curious about smelling the other dog (after all this is how dogs say hello, right?). This is because he actually really likes to romp around with other dogs when everyone is off-leash. If we can peg the most pressing motivation, we should start there in coming up with appropriate measures to teach the lunging dog some new stuff. My first goal here would be to teach him that dogs in close proximity (we start with being far away - where the dog can tolerate the presence of the other dog) that dogs on leash mean really good things for him and not painful stuff such as leash pops or a tightening prong collars on the neck. Once this happy customer realizes that his displays of defensive aggression in other words: “A Go away! Go away!” strategy will not be met with more pain or fear, the dog begins to relax. And now we can teach the dog more appropriate behaviors that will take the place of the lunging (or whatever other “inappropriate behaviors” the dog had learned) to do when in the presence of dogs while being restrained. What is really interesting and a second bonus of using the correct strategy is that as the dog practices the new behavior; say looking at the dog for a few short seconds, and then being asked to look away, the dog is also learning to tolerate the proximity of dogs because he is not associating the presence of dogs with being choked with a collar, yelled at or even worse. <br />
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I realize the thinking above is not necessarily intuitive to most folks, but I am here to tell you that if one understands the power of positive and negative association and their role in learning folks will be best suited to help their dogs.<br />
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As for my second example of the dog not getting on the sofa when the family is home but doing so when alone, the truth is that while some dogs might get the message and not get on the sofa when unsupervised, I would think of this example as a management situation versus a training scenario. It comes down to priorities in training. Most folks do not have the interest in spending time on behaviors like this when they or their dogs have bigger fish to fry. Management means that we make changes in the environment to prevent the dog in engaging in a specific behavior. Perhaps making the sofa inaccessible to the dog and providing him with a very comfy bed. Reinforcing the dog for lying on the bed when we are around are some ideas.<br />
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Next post I will continue exploring the two other points. I hope you will join me in the conversation by reading the blog.</div>
Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-13131385483014709072018-07-15T16:18:00.001-07:002018-07-15T16:20:26.262-07:00Why Guidelines In Training Matter?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In the last post I wrote about the importance of having an independent certifying person certifying anyone that gives advice about pet behavior to pet parents or that work hands-on with the dog. At present the only “voluntary” third-party certification is the Certification Council for Professionals Dog Trainers (CCPDT). Another important factor that comes with a legitimate third-party certification is the bylaws. When it comes to working with sentient beings these bylaws are a MUST. Because anyone providing a service should have some sort of code of ethics and professional standard in working with the public.<br />
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Here is the code of ethics that anyone choosing to become certified by CCPDT must abide by.<br />
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1. To understand and fully comply with the CCPDT Training and Behavior Practices Policy.<br />
2. To use training and behavior modification methods based on accurate scientific research, emphasizing positive relationships between people and dogs and using positive reinforcement-based techniques to the maximum extent possible.<br />
3. To always provide for the safety of clients and animals in training programs and behavior consultations.<br />
4. To act with honesty and integrity toward clients, respecting their legitimate training and behavior goals and the autonomy of their choices, provided they conform to societal and legal standards of humane treatment for their pet.<br />
5. To refrain from public defamation of colleagues, respecting their right to establish and follow their own principles of conduct, provided those principles are ethical and humane according to the CCPDT Humane Hierarchy Position Statement.<br />
6. To provide truthful advertising and representations concerning certificant’s qualifications, experience, performance of services, pricing of services and expected results; to provide full disclosure of potential conflicts of interest to clients and other professionals.<br />
7. To refrain from providing guarantees regarding the specific outcome of training.<br />
8. To use properly authorized logos and credentials provided by the CCPDT when marketing in print or electronic media.<br />
9. To obtain written informed consent from any client prior to photographing, video or audio recording a dog training session.<br />
10. To work within the professional boundaries of the CCPDT certifications and individual expertise and refrain from providing diagnosis, advice, or recommendations in areas of veterinary medicine or family counseling unless certified to do so. This does not preclude referring the client to a veterinary or behavior consulting professional.<br />
11. To maintain and respect the confidentiality of all information obtained from clients in the course of business; to refrain from disclosure of information about clients or their pets to others without the client’s explicit consent, except as required by law.<br />
12. To be aware of and comply with applicable laws, regulations, and ethical standards governing professional practices, treatment of animals (including cases of neglect or abuse), and reporting of dog bites in the state/province/country when interacting with the public and when providing dog training or behavior consulting services.<br />
13. To keep accurate and complete records of clients, their animals and the training and behavior services provided; to ensure secure storage and, when appropriate, confidential disposal of such records.<br />
14. To continue professional development as required for maintaining the CCPDT credentials in accordance with the policies of the CCPDT.<br />
15. To refrain from making material misrepresentations as part of the application for certification or recertification.<br />
16. To maintain and respect the confidentiality and security of the contents of any and all certification examinations of the CCPDT including, but not limited to, refraining from: stealing portions of, or the entire, examination(s); removing written examination materials from a test or meeting site without authorization; reproducing and/or disseminating examination materials without authorization; using paid test takers for the purpose of reconstructing an examination; using improperly obtained test questions to prepare person(s) for the examination; cheating during an examination; impersonating an examinee or having an impersonator take an examination.</div>
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While I find that all the bylaws above are worth pursuing, there is two that I want to expand upon:<br />
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1. To use training and behavior modification methods based on accurate scientific research, emphasizing positive relationships between people and dogs and using positive reinforcement-based techniques to the maximum extent possible.<br />
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Working with animals is not an easy endeavor for many reasons. First off, animals are dangerous. Yes indeed, they are cute, and furry – in some cases, but any animal with teeth has the potential for creating a lot of damage. Did you know, for example, that a cat’s bite is considered a medical emergency? When the person working with an animal or giving advice as to how to work with one is not knowledgeable of the species, not only will the training or behavior modification be below average, but someone might get hurt. Also, important to consider is the distress (or worse!) that this person can create for the animal. And this clearly not caring for the animal.<br />
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There is SO much research that has been done when it comes to Animal Learning that frankly there is no excuse for ignorance. Period. It is the responsibility of the trainer to understand these principles which are in effects LAWS of learning. Not someone’s opinion, but laws that as such have been verified over and over again. Of course, there is always advances in science so we are always discovering or revising this knowledge. Besides, one of the perks of learning about animals is how fascinating they are.<br />
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It never ceases to bring a smile to my face when I see one of my clients ask me how I am able to do what I do upon just meeting their dog. No. Good trainers do not carry a “magic-wand” in their training gear. Our “magic-wand” is knowledge.<br />
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This knowledge permits us to be humane (re-read the bylaw above now) because we know that we do not need to hurt or scare an animal to teach them. This has been confirmed over and over again in multiple studies. When you are told that they need to scare your dog or hurt your dog to teach them or to assert who is the leader, this is false. What it does tell me is that the person working with you has failed to understand how positive reinforcerment works. As a form of clarification a few lines about punishment: (Positive) Punishment as defined in the Behavioral Sciences is the presentation of an aversive. Also, by definition punishment does SUPRESS behavior. So yes, by definition if the behavior in question goes down in frequency by the use of aversives (an aversive is anything a dog wants to avoid because it causes fear or pain) then the methodology being employed is punishment.<br />
Important to know: All punishment is an aversive but not all aversives are considered, in the behavioral sciences as punishment. The reason being, that in order to be considered “punishment” the intervention must bring the frequency of the behavior down. Well then, you might ask, why not use punishment? And the answer is that when we introduce punishment into our repertoire of working with animals we must understand that punishment has “fallouts” – or consequences.<br />
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These consequences are not something someone can predict as if they will happen and in what form. For example: A dog is shocked as “avoidance training” for snakes, as a result, the dog now attacks compulsively anything that resembles a snake. Case two: a dog is shocked as part of the “training” for an invisible fence, now this dog will not step into the backyard and has attacked men which he did not do before. The person installing the fencing and who shocked the dog was a male. These two examples are from real cases that have landed at my front door.<br />
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2. The second bylaw (bylaw # 7) that I want to highlight is the one stating that anyone giving behavior advice should not make any guarantees as to the results. Sure, they are plenty of folks out there looking for guarantees – as if we were selling them a fridge and clearly behavior is so much more complex than the workings of the most sophisticated fridge in the market. There is, of course, “professionals” that will offer guarantees as if they were repairing a leaky roof. (I am sighing at this point…) So, my advice is: If you are considering working with someone and they give you any guarantee for results as to the behavior of your dog, walk away. This red flag should tell you the person is a good salesperson, but not keen on the workings of behavior! I once took a marketing & client retention course, and one of the participants in the group kept pressing the person giving the course about guarantees of results. I remember clearly thinking how obnoxious this person was and very curious as to how the pro would respond. She finally said to him: “If you do EVERY SINGLE exercise in the binder (big binder, folks!), you attend EVERY call, participate in all the group discussions. Yes, I think you will get the results you are looking for.” I thought her answer was brilliant. <br />
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You see, behavior is complicated because we are complicated. We are unpredictable, and unable to stick at anything for very long. This is just how we are wired and we must make tremendous efforts (implement every training plan with exquisite precision, train every day and so on) in order to get above the frail. So then, the better questions potential customers should ask from a trainer they are considering working with are:<br />
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Tell me about your qualifications? Any schooling? Degrees? If so, check them out. The “I LOVE DOGS and THEY LOVE me” is nice, but not enough (or even needed!) to train them.<br />
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What methodologies will you use? If you don’t understand the lingo, ask for specifics.<br />
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Do you have experience with this issue? Some people can teach your dog a mean “sit” or “down” but have no experience with resource guarding or separation anxiety.<br />
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Ask for references (testimonials- I love- but I want to hear from the person itself) so I suggest reaching out. If possible, I always call instead of email potential references so that I can hear in their voices hesitation or full approval. Ask this person specific questions of any area of concern you might have.<br />
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Finally, make absolutely sure you are comfortable with the person. You trust them as individuals and you are comfortable with how they will treat your dog. Remember, your dog depends on you to keep him/her safe, happy and thriving.</div>
Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-39284721409228749632018-06-30T06:08:00.000-07:002018-06-30T06:08:21.131-07:00Good News in My Inbox<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Recently I received an email with the following information from the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT). As you will read below, the time has come for organizations such as CCPDT to recognize the urgent need to pass legislation in order to regulate the now unregulated profession of pet dog training. <br />
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It is mind-blowing that the pet parents who choose to get help for their dog’s behavior have no way of knowing if the person they have chosen to work with their dog is indeed qualified to do so. The ramifications of working with someone - that while interested in dogs, loves dogs or simply plans to make a living in this field, without truly having the knowledge to do so, are scary and vast. I don’t know about you, but if I have a problem with my car, I do not attempt to diagnose or fix it. Instead, I call upon someone with the knowledge and experience. I don’t attempt either to fix my own electrical issues; instead I call upon someone that has the knowledge and credentials to do so. <br />
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Why is it then that we do not take the care and training of our pets with the same caution and concern? Dogs are predators, and while we love to think of them as furry “babies” and lovely companions, they can be very dangerous. If professionals choose to train with aversives, such as shock collars and other painful practices, they MUST at the very least understand how to use them correctly. No, I am not advocating at all the use of aversives in training dogs. Yet, it must be emphasized that aversives have fallouts and one of them is the increase in aggression.<br />
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Our responsibility as professionals working in the training industry, to our clients in particular, to their dogs, and to society at large, must be to help with the situation instead of making the situation worse and potentially more dangerous. <br />
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I urge all pet lovers and pet parents to support the need for legislation. I also urge anyone looking into getting some “professional” help for their dog to do their homework. Ask for certification, ask for referrals, and call them. Take to heart that it is your responsibility to keep your pet out of harms way. Think critically and look elsewhere if you are presented with inhumane options in order to resolve a problem.<br />
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CCPDT POSITION STATEMENT:<br />
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Mandating Certification for Training and Behavior Professionals<br />
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The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) recognizes that the dog training and behavior profession is a largely unregulated industry in the United States and much of the rest of the world. As a result, consumers are at risk of engaging service providers who have little to no legitimate education, training or experience in the field of dog training and behavior modification. We join the international dog training community in calling for regulation of the dog training industry.<br />
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CCPDT is concerned that individuals who do not hold an accredited certification and operate in an unregulated industry with claims of being professional dog trainers/behavior consultants put dogs at risk of being incompetently trained by any methods used and/or abused through the utilization of inappropriate methods. This is particularly concerning to CCPDT as dogs trained with inappropriate methods may present a safety risk not only to their owners but to other people and animals they come in contact with within their community.<br />
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Additionally, research has shown that dogs who are poorly trained and/or abused can be a burden to their communities. They are more likely to be surrendered to shelters and rescues, or abandoned by their human caretakers.<br />
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Therefore, to protect the public and their dogs from the dangers of an unregulated dog training profession, CCPDT supports and will facilitate efforts to introduce and pass legislation intended to implement appropriate regulation that would require legitimate certification in order for a dog trainer to be able to represent him/herself to the public as a Professional Dog Trainer or Dog Behavior Consultant.<br />
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Sincerely,<br />
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Board of Directors, CCPDT<br />
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Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-9542709768771451142018-06-17T13:16:00.001-07:002018-06-17T13:22:02.021-07:00Teaching Lie Down To Come Inside or Go Outside<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
How does your dog tell you that he wants to go out or come in when let outside? Perhaps your dog is like Rico who would scratch at the door in order to signal he wanted to come inside.<br />
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Rico had learned all sorts of new stuff. The previous week I taught him how to lie down. This next session we were finally putting the behavior on a verbal cue- which I like to introduce only when the dog is lying down without me having to offer him a food lure. As I arrived to the session and to my surprise, Rico greeted me in his typical effusive manner, but shortly thereafter he did lie down! Some dogs really know how to turn the charm on!<br />
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Rico’s “mom” mentioned that she did not like Rico scratching at the screen door to let her know he wanted in. So, I suggested we try having Rico lie down outside as his signal of wanting to come in. We set it up so that Rico was outside and I remained inside ready to pay him when he would lie down. I was confident he would lie down in order to be let in.<br />
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The reason I thought this was because he had just been reinforced for lying down. We have ample proof that whatever behavior gets reinforced, will be repeated. You see, dogs are really smart. They do what works and they abandon any behavior that is not reinforced in some way. Pretty brilliant, right?<br />
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It did not take long before Rico was lying down outside and next to the door. We practiced for a few trials and it took him less and less time with every trial to realize that lying down was the “correct” response to be let in. I love it when I can find an acceptable behavior for both parties!<br />
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Here is how you can teach your dog to stop scratching at the door or even barking, and instead politely lie down to have the door open.<br />
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First, you need to make sure your dog has truly learned what lie down (or down) means. You can find out if your dog’s lie down is up to fluency if you ask your dog to lie down and he can comply with at least 85% or more correct answers. Anything under this requires more practice in order to make the behavior fluent. If your dog needs a refresher, read below for some tips in teaching him this very handy behavior.<br />
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<b>Lure your dog into a down (from a sit) by:</b><br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Placing a treat in front of your dog’s front paws.</li>
<li>Treat for lowering the head/neck.</li>
<li>Bending the elbows.</li>
<li>Bending of the knees or at the hip.</li>
<li>Going all the way down.</li>
</ol>
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<b>Use of An Empty Hand Signal:</b><br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Remove the treat from your hand and with an EMPTY hand. </li>
<li>Give your dog the EXACT same hand signal you did while holding food in your hand. Your dog might hesitate at this point. Be patient and give your dog time to process. At this point you can pay your dog for a behavior that he has learned well (like a sit) to keep him interested in continuing working with you.</li>
<li>Reward your dog for lowering the elbows, knees or even the neck at this point. Pay for any of these approximations.</li>
<li>Once your dog is lowering his belly all the way to the ground and has done this consistently for 5 trials, it’s time to introduce the verbal cue lie down or down.</li>
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<b>Introducing the Verbal Cue:</b><br />
When using a verbal cue AND a hand signal it is CRUCIAL that you first give the dog the hand signal and then the verbal cue and not both at the same time. Dogs will default to minding our body language over verbal cues so if you give both of them at the same time (hand signal and verbal cue) your dog will not learn the verbal cue.<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Once your dog is fluent in lying down when you ask him to do so, you can ask with abandonment.</li>
<li>Practice in different locations inside your home, a café if this is a typical outing for your dog, etc.</li>
<li>Occasionally pay your dog for lying down, otherwise the behavior will go into extinction.</li>
</ul>
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<b>Training for Success:</b><br />
We ALWAYS want our dog to succeed so that we can reward them. Remember that whatever behavior gets rewarded you will see more of. Please train/practice with the following guidelines below:<br />
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Practice each new behavior five times (five trials) in a row. Depending on the success of your dog for that particular exercise you will…<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>PUSH: If your dog is successful five out of five trials… push to the next step.</li>
<li>STICK: If your dog is successful three out of five trials… keep practicing at this level until he/she improves.</li>
<li>DROP: If your dog is successful two or one out of five trials…keep practicing at this level until he/she improves.</li>
</ul>
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Now you are ready to generalize the behavior, which means teaching your dog that “lie down” (or down- pick your cue and stick to it) means putting the belly on the ground when you ask in the living room, outside, inside the car. This is a skill that dogs find challenging so do not skip this step.<br />
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Teaching your dog to lie down to be let in:<br />
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Make sure you take your dog outside where you want him to eventually lie down and ask for the behavior. Pay handsomely. Repeat a few times.<br />
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You can stop here and practice a bit more another day or after a few trials outside, try leaving your dog outside while you go inside and wait for him to lie down on his own. When he does, open the door immediately and let him in to cash in on the prize. Repeat a few times making sure your dog gets paid for every correct response besides letting him come inside. In your next session you can practice with having your dog inside next to you at the door. It would be easier if you warm him up with a few trials of lying down before requesting the behavior at the door.<br />
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In time you can stop paying your dog for lying down when wanting “door services” and use the opening of the door as the reinforcement for him lying down first.<br />
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Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-81317870253744201872018-06-03T12:51:00.001-07:002018-06-03T12:51:33.486-07:00Cavaletti anyone?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Cavaletti is a series of obstacles, normally identical obstacles, that are arranged in sequential order on after the other, and that permits the dog (or horse) to move from one obstacle to the next in a walk for beginners, and as the dog progresses to a slight trot.<br />
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Using a cavaletti is not only really fun, but it can teach the dog several important elements. <br />
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I like to use the cavaletti with my own dogs or client’s dogs to teach them how to move with ease. In order for the dog to move without hitting the (pvc) pipe that is lying horizontally, they must pick their leg and paw high enough to clear it. Of course, at the very beginning of the training, the pipe can be very low; this measurement depending on the height of the dog or on the ground for puppies or dogs with mobility issues. As the dog improves and has gotten some stamina, yes my dogs are panting some after a few of these reps, we can raise the poles slightly so that now the dog has to lift even higher as well as extend in order to clear the pole.<br />
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Not only is the dog learning to walk with ease in mobility, it is also learning to walk - or in more advance cases - trot with correct extension. As you can appreciate, this will not only prove to be a more efficient way of walking or running, but it can provide a gentle stretch to the dog’s limb and shoulder.<br />
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A second application of the Cavaletti is the focus that it requires from the dog to perform. We want the dog to start at the first obstacle and move with intention through all of them, turn when directed and start again. <br />
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There are, of course, many ways to teach a novice dog how to do this.<br />
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One of the things that I do whenever I teach dogs to work on a piece of equipment is to pair the equipment itself and the activity with really tasty stuff. I want to make sure the dog looks forward to working with the equipment, instead of fearing the experience. In fact, this is the way I want to teach pretty much anything!<br />
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I begin by tossing tasty morsels between the obstacle and just having the dog step over the pipe in order to retrieve the goody. If the dog appears comfortable doing this and without hesitation, I will not stay at this level for too long for several reasons: <br />
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<li>I do not want the dog looking at the ground searching for food as this will put its body in a compromised position for the exercise. </li>
<li>Remember I mentioned the importance of “intentionality”? What I want is a dog that is moving on both a vertical plane (to and extend) as well as a horizontal one. If the dog is looking down, the dog compromises the horizontal/ extension related movement.</li>
<li>If you are wanting to work on focus now the focus of the dog is on the ground and not very helpful if I need the dog to watch a hand cue to go into another piece of equipment.</li>
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The next progression is one where I can begin to walk with the dog on the side from one end of the cavaletti to the next, making sure that I do not lure the dog by fussing with the treats, put a treat in front of its nose in order to get him to move forward because he wants the food. This is how much of agility is taught by the way. I personally do not like to teach it this way as it can very easily put the dog in conflict: I want the food but I am afraid of “x”. <br />
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The next step I move towards once the dog is getting the treat at the end of one side is to stop moving with the dog and just stand in the middle of the cavaletti and to the side. At this point I can ask the dog to continue to move forward with a verbal cue and pay by throwing one treat at the end of the last obstacle.<br />
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In no time and if this was trained properly, we can dispense from using food as a reinforcer as the exercise itself is reinforcing for the dog. Dogs in general really like movement, so it is rare that a dog will not enjoy the cavalleti.<br />
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While it does sound simple and fun to work with the cavaletti, there are certain requirements that we need to keep in mind:<br />
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<li>The distance between the poles has to be the same between the obstacles. In other words, the gap from one pole to the next must be the same. In order to determine what is the appropriate distance between the poles we need to consider the natural gait of the dog.</li>
<li>In order to determine the natural gait of the dog, take a measurement of your dog from the dog’s front toes to back toes. </li>
<li>Make sure your dog’s topline remains parallel to the ground. Some dogs of equal height and weight might have a different gait so do not assume just based on this if you are working with more than one dog at a time. </li>
<li>Find a way to secure the cones that support the pipe so that they remain in place otherwise you will be re-adjusting all the time.</li>
<li>Do keep in mind that there is a cardiovascular component to doing this which means that your dog must work up its level of fitness. </li>
<li>Go slow to make it safe and fun for your dog and make sure that your dog is getting some rest periods while moving in between reps. By reps I mean going all the way through in one direction. I like to set up at least 5 obstacles in a row and for dogs that are more advanced, I would set 10.</li>
<li>Be super mindful in doing this exercise with young puppies and young dogs. </li>
<li>For young puppies keep the duration to a maximum of 4 reps (4 obstacles) at once with breaks in between sets and having the puppy engaged in another different activity in between sets. This activity should include movement as it is not advisable to go from mobility to immobility back to back. A good option is a leash walk to return for the next rep in the cavaletti.</li>
<li>For dogs under two years of age, and even three years of age for the giant breeds, we must also ensure the dog is moving on the horizontal plane and with just the correct elevation. I ask you to check with your vet, so that you can verify what is the optimal height for your dog. Do not skip this step! In order for your dog to develop appropriately, we must take into consideration the stage of their growth plates as to not compromise the future structure of your dog’s skeletal and musculature systems.</li>
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Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-72216300305365194162018-05-19T06:30:00.000-07:002018-05-19T06:33:20.263-07:00Conversation with Katie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This post is the second installment on the work I have been doing with Katie. Katie is an under-socialized and very fearful Chihuahua. She especially fears meeting people at her home. As I mentioned on the previous post, the ultimate goal is for Katie to be so comfortable with my presence first, followed by being comfortable engaging with me, so that I can teach her how to interact with other people in a manner that makes her feel safe and in control of the interaction. <br />
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One of the most important principles that I keep in mind during any work that I do with fearful dogs is to make sure they have choices as to how and if they want to interact with me. At this point in the behavior modification plan with Katie, I am reinforcing her for any attempt at interaction with me, such as moving in my direction, standing still, instead of creating more distance when I toss cheese to her, giving me eye contact, orienting towards me, and overall feeling less afraid and a bit more confident. I can get some idea of how stressed she is as well as when she begins to feel more comfortable by carefully watching her body language. There are specific things that I am looking for.<br />
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How do I know that she is stressed? Or not ready to interact with me? I look for what is called displacement behaviors. These are natural dog behaviors that are taking out of context. Some of the most salient in Katie are lip licking, yawing and turning away. It is also very apparent that she is nervous when she scans the environment in a frantic manner versus soft eye movements in looking around. Her body posture can also tell me that she is feeling more confident and relaxed or that she is once again not feeling comfortable interacting with me. <br />
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Finally, I am using a clicker (a small toy that makes a noise) to communicate with Katie just prior her getting the cheese. I can be quite precise as to what sort of behaviors I want to see more often in Katie and I click for those followed always by the delivery of the cheese. <br />
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The reason I am looking into shaping some new behaviors for Katie is because as she learns new alternatives for interacting with a scary person; the chemistry in her brain is also being affected. In doing this kind of work, we must always consider the physiological aspect of behavior. It is as if we have a feedback loop. As the dog learns new responses to a given stimulus new neuropaths begin to strengthen. The more the dog practices these same behaviors, the stronger the connection of the neuropaths in the brain will be.<br />
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Think about it. It does not “feel good” to be afraid or anxious but it does feel “good” when we can be relaxed and in control of the environment. The same is true for any living organism. And while one can never be in control 100% of the time, having any measure of agency over one’s interactions and the environment produces feelings of well-being and safety. <br />
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In my interactions with Katie, I am hoping to establish a methodology that does exactly that: give Katie (most) control and choice regarding her interactions with me. If Katie chooses to remain in her crate, I close the door to the crate and exit the room. I repeat this over and over again so that it is very consistent, thus Katie can begin to notice a pattern that has been created by her own “behaving”. If she comes out of her crate and chooses to interact with me in any way, she gets a click and some cheese for that.<br />
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She is in control as to when the interactions happen and when she needs a break by just stepping inside her crate. When she does I respond by closing the crate and exiting the room. <br />
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Behavior is never a straight line but more a series of steps forward with some hiccups along the way. To expect a constant moving forward is really setting us up for failure and disappointment. It is much better to instead realize that they will be set backs and that when they happen, we must learn to be creative and flexible while keeping our focus on the training plan so that we can allow the dog (learner) the space to integrate new experiences. It goes without saying that when we “push” too hard because we are in a hurry or because we grow impatient, not only are we being really unfair to our learner, but the confidence that we are trying to build between us is begins to crumble. <br />
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As you can see in the video here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXvka6GsR7k">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXvka6GsR7k</a><br />
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Katie appears stressed. Notice how she lip licks, trembles and her eyes and expression are not relaxed. (0:01-0:14). You can even see that she stoops down as I am approaching the crate to let her come out if she chooses to do so. Of course, I wish I had another mechanism to open the crate without getting so close to her. However, this unfortunate forced interaction will too create a baseline for me to assess in how comfortable Katie is with my proximity. <br />
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I open the crate and Katie is conflicted about coming out (0:21). Her tail is wagging she is at the front of her crate in anticipation of having the crate open. She vacillates and you can clearly see she is scanning the environment (0:36-0:46).<br />
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As I exit the room and she is in her crate, (1:11-1:21) her conflict turns into curiosity and even expectation of the cheese coming her way. This is exactly what I am looking for: Katie associating my presence with cheese which is something she loves. Being able to “observe” her via the video confirms this expectation in her.<br />
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By our next interaction (1:23) she is more at ease and ready to interact with me. Notice that she is in front of her crate (she has the choice of moving all the way back). Which is a “green light” for continuing to interact with her.<br />
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Even though she is a bit more relaxed, she is still conflicted as if she is thinking: I really want the cheese, but I am still not sure about this person. Conflict in animals is a very healthy response. It is best to be hesitant yet safe than to prompt to interact and dead! My goal, of course, is to set things up as best as possible so that she feels less and less conflicted about interacting. One of the difficulties here is that I must remain as immobile as possible as any kind of movement coming from me still scares her. Katie’s startled response is very high and this might never change. Perhaps as she becomes more confident she will startle less, but since startling is an autonomic response this might not be the case.<br />
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She chooses to interact (2:13-2:15) and by (2:26) she has had enough interaction and signals it so by going into her crate. I “tell her” that I got her and remove myself after closing her crate. </div>
Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818116432185355648.post-71283455257686373612018-05-05T18:56:00.001-07:002018-05-05T19:03:12.315-07:00Katie, the Journey of a Fearful Dog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Katie was adopted as a puppy by one of my clients. When I met her, she was already a fearful dog. She did not like to be held by anyone other than her “mom” and struggled to be in attendance in one of my small classes. Fast forward to today, even though she has accepted some people and feels safe and comfortable in their presence, she struggles with most newcomers, especially at her home.<br />
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Most of the work I am doing with Katie is a continuation of past work with her. My client’s goals for her are to make her overall less fearful and more comfortable with people that come to visit at the home. <br />
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Working with dogs like Katie is a lot of what I do professionally. It requires copious amounts of patience, very keen observation skills, paired with clear goals for her improvement.<br />
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I decided to engage with her while she is in her crate with no one else around. The sessions are 30 minutes long twice a week. Katie is a very tiny dog; so it is not really feasible to work with such a tiny dog for long without having her completely full before the hour has ended.<br />
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For the first few sessions, I showed up to greet Katie as she remained shaking in her crate – pretending that I was not there. Hoping perhaps that I would go away.<br />
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The procedure that I use for cases like this begins with classical conditioning where my only goal is to pare the delicious cheese that she loves with my presence and my absence - as I exit the room many times during our session with the flow of cheese coming to a halt. It is important to realize that no matter what the dog is doing, she gets the cheese. During this stage of the work, I am not looking for specific behaviors that I want later on, I am only (sigh!) looking for Katie to associate my presence and approach with the delicious snack.<br />
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The progress was slow at best. But Katie does not know how much patience I have. She also doesn't know that I have worked with many dogs, just like her, and that they did get better. For now, Katie just shakes- barely taking the treat I toss for her inside the crate.<br />
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If Katie was out of her crate, I would not be able to work with her at all as she would happily run to safety behind a sofa without me being able to see her or pay her with cheese. Besides, she bit someone when in her crate at the Veterinarian’s clinic, so I am hoping to kill two birds with one stone. I am aware that with this set up, Katie does not have tons of options and options my friends, are crucial for any animal that is fearful.<br />
Mindful of this, I only approach the crate from one direction- giving her an opportunity to remain in the back of the crate. She does have the choice to remain there or come to the front of her crate. That was step number one. <br />
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The session that you will see on this video <span style="color: purple; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCzERa4-pvU" style="color: purple; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11pt;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCzERa4-pvU</a></span><br />
is a refection of many encounters as I describe above. However, one day I got really lucky or really smart and I noticed that when I reached for the fastener of the crate, Katie to my surprise, rushed to the front of the crate. “Wow” I thought, why is she so eager to come out and be in my proximity? I decided to run with my instinct and be willing to explore other ways.<br />
I opened the crate and Katie did not bolt out. Instead she calmly came out of the crate, as I remained immobile. Seconds later Katie was about 15 ft. away from me and outside the crate altogether. I continue with the same process of tossing cheese to her and leaving the room. Rinse and repeat. Rinse and repeat.<br />
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As Katie learned the routine and she could relax a bit, I began to reinforce for very specific behaviors such as Katie remaining in place versus creating more distance between us, giving eye contact either on her own or when I pronounced her name. Her eyes blinking softly instead of darting rapidly scanning the room. <br />
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I personally love this part of the process when the dog begins to learn that she still has choices AND that she will get paid when she takes a tiny brave step.<br />
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One of the most fundamental things about behavior is that there are many possibilities of responses to the same stimulus and this is exactly what I wan to teach her.<br />
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As part of this process the dog begins to feel more comfortable now that she begins to learn that humans are actually not that scary because they can deliver cheese or other things the dog really likes. <br />
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As I mentioned above, variability is one of the hallmarks of behavior so within the same exposure to the trigger, the dog can regress (from my perspective) and shortly after offer behaviors that are new to her. Behaviors that I hope will become the norm as she learns to relate to other people with confidence that she is safe.<br />
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Almudena Ortiz Cuéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510198730388852545noreply@blogger.com0