Living with dogs raises consciousness (or it can!)

Deuce and I are at our weekly sheepherding lesson, something we have done for the past five years.  Yes, it has been five years and we are still learning, getting frustrated and reassessing (okay, I am re-assessing) how to make improvements.

Sheepherding is a lot like signing in that having talent really makes things easier but neither signing well or sheepherding are easy endeavors.

People are familiar with herding dogs- especially with Border collies; but what people don’t know is how very difficult is to achieve success in herding be it at a trial for a ribbon or as a way of life.  Sure, the talent of the dog is really important and it will definitively make a difference in achieving really high marks but there is much more.

For example, get this:  The dog who is the one with the “natural” instinct to herd must at times forgoes his natural abilities and listen to what the handler is asking him to do. Wow! Right?

The dog also must be brave and confident - yet not pushy in order to move the herd (some species are more “flighty” than others so again another variant) yet, not so pushy that the herd will split in different directions - and now we have a problem. Instead, we must aim to keep the herd together and moving in the desired direction, be it a pen, a pasture etc.

For the past three weeks Deuce and I are working diligently in quite “approaches” as we are “driving” the sheep in a straight line. During the same session, we change the chore to gathering the sheep; that is the dog brings the entire herd to the handler. Our efforts are paying off.  This boy and I appear to be in sync. I cannot contain my appreciation and pride as a big smile flashes across my face.  Good lad, Deuce, good lad!

Today, is a different story. We begin well. Quite approaches that allows the herd to settle and it allows me to set up other opportunities to practice.

As I sent Deuce to gather the sheep, Deuce is either unable or unwilling to really open up (think of flaring out while running) thus keeping all the sheep together instead of going directly at them and splitting them.

We lose the sheep as we are working in an open field. I report to Mary, the person I have been working with all these years, that Deuce “is not covering” meaning he is not “flaring out” to include all the sheep but is “slicing” and splitting them apart. We try this same routine a few more times once I have thought of a better plan to help Deuce.

We end our session working on a large pen where we cannot lose the sheep as Mary and I try to assess if potentially Deuce is having some physical difficulty.

Sometimes a dog might be able to work with no problem clockwise say, but not counterclockwise.  I can promise you it is NEVER because the dog is stubborn.

However, there are many other reasons why this might happen. Sometimes the dog is sore, in pain or has some other physical disability such as blindness in one eye.  Of course, he would favor the healthy side!

It is only 10:00 am and already very hot.  Deuce does not do well with heat so I wrap up our efforts- time to pack it in and get in the car.  Deuce refuses.  Instead, he wants to lay in the shade provided by a parked car.  I usher him as best as I can and now he is in the comfort of car that has been in the shade.  He jumps in effortlessly (yeah!) and now he is taking big gulps of fresh water- still panting.

I get a bit somber. Is there something “wrong” with Deuce?  How can I help him?

Back at the wheel I start thinking of the importance of stepping back from situations like this and observe.  What can I learn by observing how Deuce moves? What he gravitates towards? Has he stopped doing some activity that he used to enjoy?  This is just simple questioning in the physical/athletic realm but wait! There is more… There is always something we can glean by observing and assessing. By asking the right question, different questions. By coming back again and again when we are not getting the results that we think are important.

So, let me ask you - such as I asked myself as I was driving back home from our lesson:

When was the last time that you took the time to finish a magazine article and completely enjoyed the process of reading while also grasping the content of the material?  When was the last time that you laid down on your back and slowed racing thoughts?

Exactly! This is the “more” peace that I am talking about. I don’t know about you, but for me one of my life/daily goal is to PAY MORE ATTENTION.

I want to show up to my life.  I want to show up over and over again to the relationships I treasure in my life.  And my dogs are among these precious relationships.

So, it begs the question: Can I slow down to observe more?  To know more about how my dogs are doing?  To enjoy them?  To share with them? Can I slow enough to make good decisions for them?  What a gift this is!  What a choice too, no?

Being the keeper of my dogs presents an opportunity for caring. For slowing all the things that appear so important and urgent. This opportunity is not only good for my dogs, it is also a pathway for being aware of my surroundings.   A pathway for being present in my life.

Rethinking the Use of Crates

People choose to put their dogs in crates for a myriad of reasons. First there is the thinking that dogs “like dens” and as such they must like crates. Second, people crate their dogs as a lifestyle instead of managing their dog and teaching the dog how to “behave” in their home. Others have chosen to crate their dog when she or he has become destructive as a result of a thunder-phobia or separation distress.

Trainers can also be part of the problem when we advocate for crate training as a way to house train without really explaining that the dog must first learn to feel comfortable in the crate.

In other words, no dog should be forced into the crate. Period! Just imagine if you were forced to go into a tiny room with no windows. With little room to move and worse you have no idea when you will be let out.
You are inside this tiny room without any control as to when you would be able to eliminate should you need to or just to stretch your limbs.

This is what we do to dogs. Unfortunately, the underline mentality of “teaching the dog whose boss” coupled with wanting dogs to “behave” at all times are some of the underlying reasons why folks crate their dogs without first teaching them to feel safe and comfortable in them.

Crates can be wonderful resources for people and dogs alike but only when they are used humanely. A crate should never be a lifestyle choice but a tool initially to help teach a dog to not eliminate inside.

Notice that the containment element does not teach the dog not to eliminate inside, it just prevents the dog or puppy to wonder off and sneak a pee etc. because he has no access to the outside or he has still not been taught where he needs to go - outside.

The same goes for destructive behaviors. Your dog must be taught what is appropriate to chew on and what is off limits. Also, many dogs are destructive in the home because they are basically creating their own fun. Who can blame them.  Similar I would say to prisoners writing on their cells as a form of killing the boredom and perhaps even anxiety of depression embedded within their situation.

Solutions for typical dog “problems” or more accurately said: problems people have with their dogs must always take both parties well-being into consideration.

When it comes to a dog truly being anxious or fearful in the home, forcing the dog to remain in the crate will only make the problem worse.  Besides how cruel is this? Dogs who are forced to stay in crates when they have not been taught to feel safe and comfortable in them will hurt themselves in efforts to gain their freedom back.

Of course, some dogs really take to their crates and choose to spend time in them because they were taught to do so.  Because their crate is seen by them as a place where they can chill and take refuge when they need some downtime etc.  Take the case of Deuce, my border collie.  He adores spending time in his crate. At night, he has the choice as to where to sleep and he gravitates from his crate to Rio’s crate (almost identical) and his bed in our bedroom.  Now, when there is a storm and we are not around, he will run to his crate in search of some comfort as he is afraid of thunder.

The process of teaching dogs to love their crates can be an easy matter-of-fact event or an arduous one depending on how it is done and the dog’s previous experience or association with the crate.

One last thing:  Crates should be ample enough for the dog to be able to STAND up, lie down and turn around so that they truly have freedom of movement.

Below are some tips in helping your pup enjoy his crate.

WARNING: If you suspect your dog suffers from separation distress (separation anxiety) please do not crate your dog.  Most dogs with this type of emotional  profile become even more anxious in their crates.  The protocol for helping dogs that suffer from anxiety or noise phobia is a different one that may or may not include the use of the crate.

Your goal is to create only positive associations with the crate and your dog.
Begin by placing the crate in a high-traffic area so that your dog feels comfortable investigating it.
Feed your dog either next to the crate or just inside the crate- if he has not had a previous bad association with the crate.  Make sure the door is left open and your dog can go in and out.

Place some high value treats inside the crate and the door open for your dog to find them.  Do this several times for a few days.  Continue to feed the meal next to the crate or inside by moving the food bowl a little more towards the back of the crate.  Take it slow!  If you rush your dog might regress.

Once your dog is eating happily inside the crate with the food bowl all the way inside and the door open.

Begin to do the same but once your dog is eating close the door and remain nearby.

After he has finished his meal let him out without too much fanfare. Repeat.

Slowly you will add time to your dog remaining inside the crate with the door closed and you nearby.

Begin to present a really coveted bone or chewy inside the crate.  
Ask your dog to go in and give the bone and close the crate. Stick around. You can praise your dog if you think this will help him relax.

If your dog is not excited about this prospect it means that either: You went to fast on the previous steps- so you need to go back to easy steps until your pup is successful or your pup is not interested in what you are presenting him at that time.  Try this and present him with something different and see how that goes.

Slowly you will have your dog stay inside the crate with a safe chewy- something you have seen him work on without eating at once or small pieces coming apart.  The best choice is a stuffed Kong.  If your dog has yet not learned how to extract food from a Kong you will have to teach him this first.  Remember, that when we skip steps or we push too hard the dog regresses.

If your pup is now happily and relaxed (most likely lying down) and enjoying the Kong, begin to exit the room or the home for a few minutes. Make sure to come back before your dog is done with his project.

Slowly continue to add 1 minute at a time (I know it sounds daunting but the minutes will add fast and your dog will be properly and humanely crated trained).

Continue to offer your dog a favorite safe chewy or a Kong before you exit the front door for a short amount of time.

As your dog continues to enjoy being in the crate because only good stuff happens for him while in the crate you can begin to leave him in there AFTER having him exercised, ready to take a snooze and with an empty bladder etc.

Humane Crate Times After Crate Training:

8-10 week old puppies: 1 hour
11-12 week old puppies: 2 hours
13-16 weeks old puppies: 3 hours
17-20+ weeks old puppies: 4 hours
Adults: 4-5 hours

This is especially important if your dog spends the night in the crate. Please remember that the use of crate is a tool and not a lifestyle for your dog.

I get a lot of pleasure of seeing both my dogs gravitate towards their crates, and you should too.

Get The Darn Behavior!

Deuce is taking a break from herding sheep. As he drinks some water and rests panting in the shade, Rio and I get engaged in a game of tug and chase and… Rio playing "keep away" when she is suppose to release the toy so that we can continue playing…

This has been Rio’s latest MO: Keeping the tug away from me and holding on hard to it as if her life depended on it. Also, she sometimes refuses to lie down when I ask her to. I am tempted, of course, to hold on to the toy as if my life depended on it, but I decide not to. I ask her to lie down (so that we can go back to the fun game) but she does not. I ignore her cute/not so cute behavior of holding on to the toy and refusal to lay down and instead I counter-command: A counter-command - or cue as I like to call it since command sounds to me to militaristic and not very collaborative - does exactly that: It requests the dog to do another behavior that has been reinforced heavily and that the dog is happy/able to perform.

I counter-command Rio to sit. She sits on a dime. I then ask her to lie down and she does so surrendering her toy too. Nice! And we begin the fun all over again. As I think about this incident I can’t but feel really happy for myself! I used my big human brain instead of repeating myself a bunch of times and in the process frustrating the dog.

The fact is that when we stop labeling our dog as rebellious, dominant, stubborn etc. when they don’t comply with our request, we can "unglue” ourselves from their behavior and reinforce them instead for another behavior - in this case a sit first, then a down.

Yes, indeed, I can also spend oodles of time wondering what the motivation is behind Rio’s no compliance when asked to surrender the toy or lay down. But the reality is that in this particular instance it doesn’t really matter! What I want to do is to continue playing with her because I need to exercises her and I also want to have fun with her. The counter-command invites the dog to try something else so that she/he can be reinforced. And it allows us to move on with the training/playing session.

Another advantage of not getting into a battle of the wills with the dog is that the dog will not get frustrated. Frustration is to be expected when learning. However, the goal is also to teach the dog with the least wear & tear.

[Some] frustration is appropriate and at times and depending on the dog, the confidence and experience the particular dog has in learning if frustration can act as an "activator" in making a behavior more prone. Now, too much frustration and you have a dog that begins to lose confidence… and this my friend, is a slippery slope.

Of course, sometimes it is really important to try and understand what might be motivating a dog’s behavior. Knowing when this is relevant requires experience on our part and it must be judged on a per case basis.

For the most part, I think it is best to counter-condition so that we can continue to reinforce behavior(s) because remember: whatever behavior we reinforce we will see more of.