Blog Dog Training ~ Speaking Dog the Bark Busters Way!

Monday 31 October 2016

Don't Confuse Your Dog!

As Bark Busters trainers, one of the most common things we hear from dog owners is "My dog doesn't listen to me".

If you have heard or read about the Bark Busters system of training, you will know that it is founded on communication; voice tone and body language. This leverages the natural communication which works for dogs and has done for thousands of years. Dogs tend to behave consistently and respond consistently to similar triggers. Very often it is we humans who cause the problems by using a combination of inconsistent commands and differing rules depending on how busy / tired / stressed / lazy we are feeling.

The result of this inconsistency is that your dog is probably listening very hard to what you are saying, willing to do as you ask, but is totally confused about what is expected of him.

So when you think that your dog doesn't listen, it could be that you are confusing him by using inconsistent commands and failing to praise his success. For example, you may use 'no' to tell him to stop doing something, your partner may use 'stop it', your children might just shout his name. All of these commands could be interspersed with the odd 'A-ah', 'put it down', 'get off', 'stop being silly'…the list goes on.

Add to this the likelihood that you all have different rules: Some of your family allow him on the couch, some don't, some allow him on the couch at night when they are tired and can't be bothered to tell him to get off: Some allow him to jump up, some don't, some encourage him to do it, some don't mind as long as they're not wearing their best clothes, and some don't mind unless he's muddy! Some of you feed him food from the table, some don't allow him to beg, some don't mind him begging as long as you don't have guests. All of these inconsistencies create a very confused dog!

The same rules around consistency apply to training. You must use simple, clear and consistent commands, and always follow with praise for success. So, if you are training your dog to sit, the 'sit' is his command, followed by 'good boy/girl'. The whole family needs to use the same command, 'sit'. There should be no 'sit down', 'are you going to sit for me?', 'sit down, please', as you will start to confuse your dog with too many different words. If you are starting from scratch, and your dog genuinely does not understand the command, then you can use some gentle manual pressure to place your dog in the sit position, accompanied by the verbal command and then praise when he sits. Your dog will soon get the idea.

Another important point is that your dog's name is not a command. So, if you are calling your dog by shouting his name over and over again, your dog will almost certainly hear you but not be certain of what you want him to do. He may come to you – or not. Calling him in this way from the lounge to the kitchen might work as he may be interested enough to come and see what you are up to or whether you have something for him, but it may not work in the park where he is more interested in new people, dogs and smells. Decide on a recall command such as 'Rover, come!', or 'Rover, here!', use it consistently whenever you want your dog to come to you, either in the house or out and about, and remember to praise him when he does come so that he understands he is doing the right thing.

We recently met a dog owner whose dog was 'not listening to him', and whose barking was driving the owner to distraction. When we met their dog, he was barking as expected. The owner's command for stopping this behaviour was 'sit!'. The dog did indeed sit, but carried on barking. The client was exasperated by the dog's failure to stop barking. But the dog WAS actually listening to the owner and sitting as requested. He had no idea that 'sit' meant he should stop barking - and why would he? Once we had explained this to the owner he could see immediately that he was not communicating well with his dog, and was soon able to change his own behaviour.

Most people's dogs will listen once their owners learn to communicate clearly and consistently. If it helps, write down your commands so that you, and the rest of the family, know what they are and when to use them. Don't allow variables to creep in.

Of course, if you need any help, you can call us and we would be delighted to help you with teaching you how to train your dog and be consistent. We know that your dogs will thank you for it!

Bark Busters trainers have trained more than 1 Million dogs worldwide and are renowned authorities in addressing dog behaviour with all-natural, dog-friendly methods. Bark Busters training is the only service of its kind that offers International guaranteed lifetime support. With hundreds of trainers around the world, Bark Busters continues its mission to enhance the human/canine relationship and to reduce the possibility of maltreatment, abandonment and euthanasia. Contact your local Bark Busters dog trainer to see how they can help.

Tuesday 25 October 2016

Managing your dogs fear of fireworks

Bonfire night takes place traditionally on 5th November but, as we all know, nowadays, fireworks can be seen and heard for weeks before and after that date. Whilst fireworks are attractive and exciting for humans, dogs generally are far less keen and are unable to make sense of the loud bangs and explosions taking place in their normally quiet lives.

Dogs can become very worried and even distressed by loud bangs. Obviously there is little you can do to prevent the fireworks going off around your home, but you can take some steps to minimise the stress for your dog.

Firstly, during firework season, it may be worth trying to alter your routine slightly so that instead of walking your dog during the evening, try to walk her before 7pm, or much later at night so that you are not out and about during peak firework times. If you are out when fireworks go off, keep a tight grip on the lead, but keep the tension down the lead loose so that you don’t let your dog think that there is something to worry about. If your dog is uncomfortable, return home.

Whilst you are all at home, keep the curtains drawn and the television or radio on. These simple steps can help to reduce your dog’s exposure to flashing lights and loud explosions. It’s also important to try to behave as normally as possible and not show any reaction yourself to the noise outside. Your dog will become more anxious if you show that you too are disturbed by the noise. Similarly, don’t over fuss your dog. Your dog will see this as abnormal behaviour and will think that there must be something to be worried about.

If being in the room with you with curtains closed and the television on is not sufficient to keep your dog calm, she may take refuge under a table, behind the sofa, or in her crate. If she does this, just leave her alone, and don’t stress her more by trying to coax her out. Just behave as though everything is normal and she will pick up on your demeanour and feel more comfortable.

Ensure that your dog has no access to outside doors as she may bolt in fear once the door is opened. In case this does happen, make sure your dog is wearing a collar and ID tag so that she can be reunited with you.

Make sure your garden fencing is secure and that gates are locked to prevent your dog escaping in panic from the garden. It’s preferable to keep your dog indoors when you know there will be fireworks. It’s a good idea to ensure that the door to the house is left open for the dog whilst outside so that she can make the choice to bolt into the house rather than out into the road.

Taking steps to ensure that you shelter your dog as far as possible from the noise of fireworks will help to alleviate the potential for extreme stress, and will also help to keep your dog as safe as possible throughout the firework period.

Bark Busters trainers have trained more than 1 Million dogs worldwide and are renowned authorities in addressing dog behaviour with all-natural, dog-friendly methods. Bark Busters training is the only service of its kind that offers International guaranteed lifetime support. With hundreds of trainers around the world, Bark Busters continues its mission to enhance the human/canine relationship and to reduce the possibility of maltreatment, abandonment and euthanasia. Contact your local Bark Busters dog trainer to see how they can help.

Don't let the Halloween fright turn into a bite

Halloween is fast approaching and, as dog trainers and behaviour therapists, we know that this can be a particularly difficult time for dogs. Most dogs don't like change because they are used to the routine and association they have built and are most familiar with. Their environment may be different because of decorations in the house and the street, and the people around them can change in both appearance and behaviour. We’ve put together some useful advice for anyone who owns a dog, or who may have contact with dogs over the Halloween period.
  • Your children may enjoy dressing in Halloween costumes, but your dog may not! Please don’t dress your dog in costume unless you know they are comfortable with this. Trying to force your dog into an unfamiliar (and possibly uncomfortable) costume could result in a stressed dog who may react aggressively towards you and other people he encounters.
  • Once you are dressed in Halloween costumes, particularly those that include masks, your dog may not recognise you, and may respond to you very differently to normal. We would recommend that you never wear, or allow anyone else to wear, a mask in the presence of your dog. If you or your children are going to wear costumes, make sure that your dog has a chance to sniff them before wearing them, and that you behave in your normal way around him whilst wearing them.

    You cannot assume that your dog understands that you are wearing a mask or a giant spider costume. Dogs will struggle to make sense of the changes. Furthermore, if you set about deliberately shocking your dog by wearing ugly masks and screaming at him, you risk stressing your dog and, at worst, you may get bitten. Similarly, if somebody else does this and gets bitten, you will be responsible!
  • Don’t be afraid to control children, or any other visitors, to manage their behaviour around you dog.
  • Sweets and chocolate can be poisonous to dogs – ensure that all confectionery is out of reach of your dog.
  • Trick or treat is great fun for children but not necessarily so for dogs. He may become anxious about the number of people knocking at your door, wearing masks and making Halloween noises. Again, you can’t expect your dog to understand that it is Halloween. To him, this is behaviour that he didn't expect, does not understand and he may feel that you are under threat, and react accordingly. Make sure your dog has no access to the front door or the hallway during the times when trick-or-treat groups are likely to visit. By doing this, you will be protecting him from a stressful situation and ensuring the safety of both your pet, and the ‘visitors’.
  • In case your dog does panic and escape whilst you have the door open, ensure that he is wearing his collar and ID tag, and that the details are up to date.
  • Be careful when using candles in the house. Make sure they are high enough to avoid the risk of them being knocked over by a wagging tail, or use electric or battery-operated candles instead.
  • Unless you are 100% sure that your dog can cope with the added excitement, or the stress of being out amongst ghoulish figures carrying lamps in the dark, don’t take your dog trick or treating. Leave your dog at home with the television on and the curtains closed, or pop him in his crate with a tasty dog treat.
  • If you are someone who doesn’t participate in Halloween dressing up or trick or treat, try to remain as normal as possible around your dog. Don’t over fuss your dog as this can send him a message that there is something to be worried about. Consider leaving a pot of sweets outside your door with a sign for trick or treaters to help themselves. That way, you won’t be disturbed.
  • If you meet a dog whilst dressed in a costume, behave sensibly. Keep your distance from the dog as you address the owner. Don’t attempt to stroke the dog, and never try to deliberately scare the dog. Your actions may leave the owner and the dog in serious trouble if you get bitten as a result of your actions.
We want you to enjoy the Halloween celebrations whilst remaining safe, and ensuring that your pets are safe and happy too. Giving a little extra thought to your four-legged friend will give you the best chance of a happy Halloween with no unfortunate, unforeseen incidents.
Bark Busters trainers have trained more than 1 Million dogs worldwide and are renowned authorities in addressing dog behaviour with all-natural, dog-friendly methods. Bark Busters training is the only service of its kind that offers International guaranteed lifetime support. With hundreds of trainers around the world, Bark Busters continues its mission to enhance the human/canine relationship and to reduce the possibility of maltreatment, abandonment and euthanasia. Contact your local Bark Busters dog trainer to see how they can help.

Monday 24 October 2016

Jumping Up - Dog Training Tips

We often get called to see dogs who are in the habit of jumping up at people. It may be that they jump up at their owner, or visitors, or anyone they pass in the street! It’s a behaviour that can be, at best, embarrassing for the owner or, at worst, putting the owner at risk of criminal charges and an expensive fine.

When dogs greet each other (besides the rear end sniffing), they do so face to face. This is the accepted etiquette between dogs. The problems arise when your dog offers this behaviour to all humans he wants to say hello to. Jumping up at you in order to get his face close to yours is not good manners in the human world, and it certainly won’t go down well when your dog chooses to do this to the first person he passes after a run through a muddy field! So jumping up to say hello is a prime example of a behaviour where communication is key to teaching your dog that what is acceptable in the dog world is not acceptable in the human world.

To avoid confusing yourself as to how far your dog needs to go before his behaviour is considered anti-social, apply this rule: “My dog should have four paws on the ground when greeting people”. This benchmark is completely unambiguous. It will eliminate any doubt in your mind, and will enable you to know exactly when to praise your dog. Even if you decide that your dog needs to be in a ‘sit’ in order to greet people, he will still have four paws on the ground.

So how do you teach your dog to stop jumping up? Bark Busters trainers do not condone using painful methods to deter a dog from unwanted behaviour, so we do not hold with methods such as kneeing your dog in the chest, or causing pain in any other way. These methods are cruel and do not communicate to your dog what you want him to do instead. Rather, we would suggest that you teach your dog through communication and leadership to offer an alternative behaviour, either standing or sitting, but with all paws on the floor. You must start simply, using yourself as the stooge. Teach your dog that he is highly praised when he remains on the ground, and that jumping up will earn him no attention from you other than a vocal correction. Be alert, and be ready to issue your vocal correction as soon as the paws start to leave the ground – don’t wait until his paws are on your shoulders to do this. As soon as his paws are back on the ground give lots of praise, but try not to be too physical with your praise as this may encourage him to jump again. By consistent repetition, teaching him that remaining in the sit or stand position when visitors arrive will earn him your praise, you are positively reinforcing that behaviour.

What you must understand is that we, as humans, often overcomplicate the communication between ourselves and our dogs and so we slow down the training process. When you set out to train your dog either in to or out of certain behaviours, you must be consistent. Dogs are consistent creatures who tend to respond in the same way to the same triggers. Humans are inconsistent, and respond differently to triggers depending on what mood we are in/how much time we have/ whether or not we can be bothered. By behaving inconsistently, you will only confuse your dog and slow down any progress. For example; you may accidentally encourage your dog in his jumping up habits by being animated and friendly when he does this to you, but then you might scream in horror when he does it to your five-year-old niece and knocks her over. The rule is simple…if you don’t want your dog to jump up at everybody then he must not jump up at anybody – including you. A dog cannot make the judgement as to who he can and cannot jump up at, so you must teach him never to jump up at anybody. He is greeted and fussed when he has four paws on the ground.

Spend some time putting your training into practise before you go out, or before visitors are due to arrive. Your dog will learn more quickly when there are few distractions and he is not excited, as he will be better able to listen to you as you teach him and praise him. Training your dog also helps you build a bond, entertains your dog, and teaches him to use his brain. A trained dog is a pleasure to be around.

If you need any help with this or any other issues, give us a call. Your local Bark Busters Home Dog Training therapist will be delighted to help you and teach you the techniques you need to cure your dog’s ‘anti-social’ behaviour.

Bark Busters trainers have trained more than 1 Million dogs worldwide and are renowned authorities in addressing dog behaviour with all-natural, dog-friendly methods. Bark Busters training is the only service of its kind that offers International guaranteed lifetime support. With hundreds of trainers around the world, Bark Busters continues its mission to enhance the human/canine relationship and to reduce the possibility of maltreatment, abandonment and euthanasia. Contact your local Bark Busters dog trainer to see how they can help.

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