Why mental stimulation is so critical to your dog’s well-being.

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.

 

First off, I would like to define mental stimulation.

It is any 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:

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.

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!

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!

Simply put, instead of serving your dog its meal from a ceramic bowl, make that food come alive.
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.

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.

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.

Replace then, the food bowl for a Kong filled with your dog’s daily chow, 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.

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.

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.

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!

Retire the food bowl

It is very wind outside, and there is dust and pollen everywhere.  I decide to pass on kicking the ball for the dogs outside and instead we play one of our favorite indoor games come dinnertime.

The dogs and I love this game. It is fun, quick and it sure beats eating out of a food bowl with the whole eating experience being over in 15-30 seconds!

Dogs are predators and even though they do not hunt for their meals these days, still are wired to engage in food acquisition behaviors such as orienting, stalking and “chasing” their food.  In this case, they are chasing after kibble  (dry food).

Dry food constitutes just a small amount of my dog’s food.  I like to feed it for occasion such as when playing games in lieu of eating out of a food bowl.  I regress- but I do want to mentioned that even though there are many brands of dry dog food, for the most part, this choice is really not the best for our dogs.  Sure, we love it because it is so convenient and it does provide with some “crunch” which might be good for the dog’s teeth, but nutritionally speaking there are much better food choices.  If you are considering making change to your dog’s chow, I recommend you subscribe to the Whole Dog Journal as they have tons of really good information pertaining many food brands and modalities. The list is revised often and it sure helps consumers make better nutritional choices for their dogs.

I engage my dogs in all sorts of different games when it comes mealtime. I strongly suggest you move away from just filling a bowl for your dog and instead make of meal times (or at least one of the daily meals) an opportunity for some mental stimulation, training and fun.

This particular food game goes like this:

I pour the kibble into a measuring cup and walk to our long hallway.  My dogs know by now what this entails and now they are both in their  “positions”. Deuce is in the hallway and Rio is in the living room. I am standing between them.  I begin to deliver one kibble at a time to each dog.  I do my best to throw the kibble in a way that the food will bounce from the carpet or the floor. Kibble is really good for this.  I watch with delight as Deuce and Rio chase after their kibble in all directions. I can, of course, by the placement of the food have them run fast or make it a bit easier by throwing the kibble in the direction where they are standing.  The game lasts for about 5 minutes. After this portion is all gone, they both get their remainder of their meal (very nutritious dehydrated dog food from The Honest Kitchen) in their bowls.

There is another variation to this game that I like to do as well.  I set a few pieces of kibble in strategic places for my dogs to find.  I will again segregate both dogs so that each one of them can search in an area without conflicting with where the other is searching.  My dogs have never fought for any resources and I must definitively want to keep it that way. Besides, I want to make sure they both get their share.

I cannot say enough about the importance and the difference it makes in our dog’s lives when we make daily events, such as feedings, something more interesting and in accordance to their natural inclinations than serving their meals from a bowl.   For many dogs the highlight of their day is their meal so why not make them really fun and engaging?

You could also do a little training at meal times by requesting some downs, down & stays “leave it” should your dog have already learned these behaviors.  If mornings are busy times for you, at least try to add more challenge and fun to your dog’s meal in the evening and if not daily then a few meals a week.

Many of our guests comment on how “well behaved” (not obnoxious or demanding) our dogs are. It is true that while both my dogs are active and expect their daily motivation, it is hardly a demanding chore.

The secret folks to having dogs that are mellow and happy is to make sure that we provide daily opportunities for engaging in natural dog behaviors.  Most of my training and fun revolves around feeding times since I have to feed my dogs why not take advantage of meal times? Fulfilling your dog’s daily requirement for mental and physical stimulation can be made much easier if we submit to putting it in our calendars..  If you make a point of spending some time investigating activities that fit the bill AND you put them in your calendar, in no time you will reap the benefits of providing your dog with appropriate opportunities for physical and mental stimulation.  I suggest newbies begin by establishing these enrichment routines around meal times.  Once the routine is set as to when and how you will be providing your dogs you can at your own pace incorporate new games and activities.

The bonus for you is that your dog will learn to relax and be a pleasure to live with.

At the end of the day, I get so much pleasure in seeing my dogs relaxing as we move into our evening routine. They both lie in contentment because their day was met with engagement and fun.

Are we making our dogs fat by using food in training?

Okay the title is a trick question.  I would argue that yes some dogs are gaining too much weight because they are given too many treats, and perhaps high caloric treats in addition to their daily meals.  A dog that is even a few pounds overweight can be considered obese so it is really important that we do not end up with a very well trained pudgy dog.  Now, there are many dogs that are trained daily and are not fat.
So what is the secret then?  Follow the guidelines below so that you can continue to use treats in training while keeping your dog’s weight in check.

First off, let me explain why reward-based trainers use food so often in training.  Food is one of those things that any living being enjoys and needs.  If your dog is not food motivated as some people claim about their dogs it could be for several reasons, among them are:

1. Your dog has some stomach or GI upset (check with your vet).
2. You are overfeed your dog. Some dogs will actually leave food behind once they are satisfied – this might be your dog.
3. Your dog is really bored with the food you provide and thus eats only enough to keep going – sad
4. The food you give your dog might not agree with him or her.  See # 1.

So, I bet you that if you have your “not so motivated by food” dog skip a couple of meals you will find that now he is more interested in food. Dogs are opportunistic feeders as well as scavengers so in essence their genetic make-up leans more towards eating when you can, rather than having two square meals because they are lucky enough to live with us.

Food in training:  Food is considered really a TOP motivator.  There are others, of course, but in essence any thriving animal has an appetite so this is the main reason why most reward-based trainers use food when teaching new stuff.  Also, food is actually quite practical when it comes to offering a timely reward for behavior and timing is everything in training!

It is important though that when using food as a reinforcer (something your dog really wants or would work for) we keep in mind certain rules.

Rule # 1
You need to consider the amount of food used in training as part of your dog’s daily caloric intake and not in addition to.  In order to do this, you must know how much your dog is getting in treats. Use a measuring cup so that you know how many ounces are going into your training pouch before the session so at the end of the session, or outing you have an idea of how much food was dispensed.  Subtract that amount from your dog’s next meal.

Rule #2
Use your dog’s meals as part of their training chow.  There are a couple of caveats here: You cannot use your dog’s meal if you are feeding “raw” it is just too unpractical.  If you are using kibble (dry food) and your dog likes it you can use this in most trainings scenarios.  However, I would not recommend doing this if you are working on emotional issues such as fear, anxiety or aggression.   See below for more on this.  BTW, most kibble is actually not low in calories so check with your vet.

Besides putting in place rule #1, you can also use treats that are cut really small – the size of a pea. Some treats have only 3 calories per treat.   So, I am left thinking; why can’t we have tasty dessert with only 3 calories per bite????

Rule # 3
Choose your battles. Let me explain: If your dog has a stellar sit you do not need to pay your dog with a treat every time you ask and he sits.  Instead… you will ONLY pay for behaviors that your dog has learned well on occasion. We need to consider that when a dog has learned a behavior well- it can perform 9 out of 10 times in that setting. Now, the dog might not perform this same behavior that well in a new novel setting.  These things must be taken into consideration.  So in essence when your dog is acing behaviors just pay occasionally. NOTE: If you stop reinforcing your dog or the dog is not being reinforced in some way by the environment the behavior will cease to take place.  It will become extinct.

All things being equal when a dog is learning new stuff pay handsomely. You will pay for every correct repetition until the dog has reached proficiency in a given setting.  Also, follow #4…

Rule #4
This rule dependents on what you are working on what kind of food you’re are dolling out.  If I am working with a dog that has fear issues or aggression I am not showing up with kibble because I really want to make an impression on this dog.

Rule # 5
If a dog is not motivated to work we can’t train it. Period. It makes much more sense to work with food with a dog that is really hungry.  I suggest then, that when going to class, going for a long training session or when working on something really hard such as coming when called you do not feed your dog its meal.  Instead make sure your dog is hungry so that it is willing to work for you.  Remember: No motivation. No training.

Rule #6
Think beyond food for training. Ah, if only folks would play more with their dogs so that play could be used in training that would make me very happy.  Most people unfortunately, barely scratch the surface of playing games with their dogs that makes them both giddy which means this avenue is not available as readily as a reward in training.

However, with a little pre-thought and imagination, you can effectively use life rewards in addition to food in training.  It works like this: ANYTHING  your dog wants that is not dangerous to your dog can and should be used a reward in training.  Typical examples are: having the dog wait polity at the door without rushing out and then letting your dog out the door into the great out of doors.  Giving your dog his favorite toy that is kept out of reach, access to dog play for waiting to be released.  You get the picture, right?

Finally, a word about praise and petting. Yes, we humans love to talk and talk but guess what?  Our dogs are not really verbal.  We believe dogs get excited when we praise them because they have learned something good  (and better) is coming their way.  In essence praise is really second best to the use of food or other motivators big in your dog’s repertoire of favorite things in life. And the truth guys is that we humans think that our dogs cherish our praise because frankly we think it is all about us.   While your dog recognizes and gets excited about your praise do keep in mind that he is hoping for the cookie.

Can your dog learn from Halloween?

We all know how most kiddos feel about Halloween and the same would go for a large number of adults. All that mystery, sugar and walks to haunted destinations under crisp conditions can send chills down someone's spine.

But what about our dogs? 

Do they care about Halloween? I guess we will never know unless...

we  pay attention to some possible cues.  What is your dog's demeanor as he is being outfitted with the Halloween costume? If this is something you do? Is your dog relaxed and welcoming of the outfit? Does he stand stiff and cumbersome as if afraid to move once wearing it?  Or he runs happily and relaxed because you have done a terrific job in teaching him that wearing these funny clothes means big dividends in the form of interaction with children and their attention?

The answer to the question of dogs learning from Halloween has to be that they can.  Dogs are always learning new stuff, always adapting and evaluating their environment. Now the goal here would be to take this opportunity to teach them lots of cool stuff.

For example, if your dog is neutral towards kids or enjoys kids, have him be part of the candy-giving experience.  What's more, have your pup practice with the kids some simple behavior and as a result have the kids treat your pup.  A win-win for everyone.

This is also a great opportunity to practice whatever routine you have designed (and I sure hope you have one!) for visitor’s at the home.

Lots and lots of practice are needed for having your dog not pull on leash to greet the new person at your door. For him to lie quietly on his bed before being released to say hello to the new visitor and on and on. Most of us do not have constant visitors which we need in order to make these types of behaviors stick. So why not take advantage of this great opportunity.

Here is another idea:   As you stroll with your hungry pup around a town now embellished by oh such scary decorations, observe your pup as he moves away or freely chooses to interact with the fake grave on someone’s front yard, the gauze hanging from tree branches and the like.  

If your pup is hesitant to approach (and who wouldn’t), gently encourage him to go investigate - on his own terms, and as he approaches reward your hungry pup with his breakfast or dinner kibble.   If your pup rushes to investigate reward him for his initiative and bravery.

The bottom line is that we must take circumstances like this to make our dogs comfortable and relaxed with novelty. The dividends are worth the trouble and for sure will add to the holiday fun. 
 

Now We Are Having Fun

I am in the midst of making a DVD with fun training games for client’s and their dogs. My dogs and I are training and having fun with all the games featured just before we go on camera.

As is customary of our morning routine, I think about practicing with Rio and the game of Find it! It is an easy game to teach and most dogs love it. The idea behind many of these games, and Find it in particular, is to make use of our dog’s natural searching and hunting abilities. They are after all hunters as well as scavengers, so introducing an urban version of it not only makes sense but it is loaded with benefits for the dogs.

Rio has played this game in a different context, so I decide to start in this new setting as I would with any dog that has not previously played the game.

Deuce is already playing with his toy and now I am setting the stage up for Rio to begin finding little mounds of kibble all over the living room and kitchen. After placing more or less strategic mounds of food here and there I release Rio with a “go find it.”

She beings her nose work yet not sure where to go first… I follow her kind of closely as I keep telling her to find it in a happy voice. When she misses one of her piles, I walk on that direction as I keep an eye on her- giving her the chance to find it on her own.

I want her to “work” to locate the food but not to become frustrated to the point of stopping the search - that is not the goal of the game.

She passes by one of her kibble stops without seeing it so I proceed to call her name and as I tell her once again to find it I am pointing with my index finger towards the pile (Yes, they can actually follow this gesture. Most animals do not!) She sees it now and proceeds to chow down the food. Her mouth now wide open as if smiling and her tail wagging wanting more.

I proceed to ask her to stay in the kitchen – a more advanced step as I go “hide” kibble in different places. I take it up a notch and I put some of the kibble on the living room sofa as well as a coffee table that she can reach with ease. No, she will not necessarily go after people-food left on the coffee table because of playing this game. Dogs, remember, are very good discriminators. Which translate to a dog that is used to investigating or taking people-food from tables, etc. will continue to do so if
the opportunity presents itself but not because of playing the game.

Back to Rio. We do a few trials of the Find it game. Our game finally involves her opening a plastic container that I previously hid for her to get the last of the kibble.

She is a bit struck - not sure what to make of it. I make it then a bit easier for her by opening the lid just a little. Not long before her Beagle nose is hard at work.

With this we end our morning session. I make a note of the next steps I need to follow for our future training/play sessions as we join Deuce for our morning walk.

My Toy

Deuce can be a picky eater. Sometimes he wakes up with not much of an appetite so eating is not high on his list. Rioja, on the other hand, would eat all day long if I let her. This morning I thought Deuce would be really hungry and sure enough he went to his bowl and ate a portion of his meal. The rest I was planning on dispensing via toys.

Rioja got her toy and was having a blast with this new rolling ball extracting pieces of kibble left and right. Deuce was watching at a distance with his own “favorite” kibble dispensing toy at his feet. Rioja ignored him, but continued to work with her toy.

At one point, Deuce dashed across the kitchen whining and “complaining” to Rioja. Once he got to where she was, he stared at the toy as if he had been with the toy all along and Rioja just got there. I approached and asked Deuce to come to me. He continued to complain to Rioja while I went to fetch his toy. I decided to switch toys (what a softy!) giving Rioja Deuce’s pin and Deuce the one Rioja was working on. I knew Rioja could not care less which toys she gets as long as she gets food and she gets to do something fun.

Now back in “his corner” Deuce is ignoring the second toy and went back to Rioja wanting her toy once again. Okay, no more I thought. I escorted Deuce to his mat also in the kitchen as Rioja continued to eat now undisturbed.

Deuce was now laying quietly on his bed when I spotted a small container with some leftover chicken skins from the night before. I went over to Deuce and I gave him the container for him to extract the chicken.

Great. Doggie heaven. Good move I thought! Classical conditioning at its best. What Deuce is learning is that whenever Rioja is playing with one of his food dispensing toys something even better happens to him… “Chicken rains from the sky” instead of eating boring kibble. Change the association with the event (Rioja playing/eating from toy) to a positive one and now you have a dog begging you to bring out that stinky toy so that chicken will again rain from heaven …or from Almudena or… who cares! Just bring out the chicken, please.

The thing with Deuce and his possession for the toys- not so much the kibble is legendary. He used to compete for them with Laika as well. He has become a bit more generous with his toys, but once in while he will still react like a spoiled child… nobody is perfect.

I hear reports from my own clients that their own dogs regularly take toys, bones etc. the minute the other sib abandons the item. Yes, indeed a perfect case of the grass is greener…

Call it a fluke or a greater message from the universe, but at present I am working with four different clients all having issues with their dogs fighting at home. Living with multiple dogs can most definitively be a challenge especially when their friendship deteriorates. Dogs that were once “friends” and who enjoyed each other’s company, used to play and hang out together for some reason(s) begin to fight. The causes
behind the animosity could be many with competition for resource such as food, a person, etc. or a medical condition that one of the dogs has developed are typical reasons for the sudden onset of aggression. When this happens it is possible that without intervention the dogs cannot cohabit without fighting and must live separated at all times- not an enjoyable or easy scenario for anyone involved.

The way to resolve such issues varies, but for the most part the process is lengthy and ultimate management and a tight protocol of behavior modification must be followed until the dogs learn to cohabit harmoniously once again. Myself and other trainers have had success getting our clients and their dogs back on track but on occasion re-homing one of the dogs is really the best option.

I have heard of some trainers and behavioral veterinarians that recommend supporting the “alpha” or dominant dog assuring that once the people are supporting (i.e.: catering) the alpha all things will fall into place. When I hear such advice I clinch… I feel really bad for the family because I had NEVER been able to say with complete certainty or seen any of my clients determine who is the alpha in the dog-dog relationship.

The reality is that while social stratification (of some sort - not always the same) is present in all animals with complex social lives this relationship is fluid and thus changing. It is always in the context of the environment that behavior takes place. For my part, I really value having my personal dogs (or my personal dogs with my board & train client’s dogs) be harmonious. Not only do I remain alert to “disagreements” between them, but also I have established very clear protocols to ensure that everyone feels relaxed, taken care of and abide by the established household rules.

This is the same that I strive to do for my clients with their fighting dogs: establish some clear household rules, and some behavior modification protocols so that hopefully all dogs can remain happily in the home.