Paw it Forward

I think everyone could probably gain something by reading this!!

From Becky Rupert - I've been a trainer for over 20 years. I wrote this for my personal page and will include here for you. But the brief, daycare isn't a great place for dogs and the unease that builds there bleeds over into all other areas of life and can present as the behaviors you're seeing. The video that went with my post was a man with malinois pups biting a bite sleeve on his arm while he pulled back on their collars. And while you aren't building drive persay with what you are describing daycares can and they make dogs very uncomfortable especially working dogs. I touch on it below.

(I posted this on my personal page and thought I'd share here as well. It mostly pertains to training clients, but watch what you're doing because it may apply to you too!)
I watch this video and I have to chuckle...

This guy is building "drive" in working dogs. Dogs that will eventually go to police departments. Dogs that "bite" people or "hold" them until the handler gets there. I love watching what these guys do with the pups to get them ready for their future careers.

So why do I chuckle?

Because almost every single person that contacts me for training, or has a dog that is reactive or has a dog that has bit someone...does almost EXACTLY what this guy is doing! The difference is this guy knows he's building drive and knows what to do with it when he gets there. Pet dog owners have no idea what to do and end up with dogs that bite people or bite other dogs...or go to the dog park or daycare and are shocked when their dog puts holes in another dog.

And they tell me...

-But I used a harness so he wouldn't gag!!! That other trainer said harnesses were the BEST! Harnesses are gentle!

-I took him to the dog park daily. He was SOOO tired that night!
It was great! He played for HOURS.

-I took him to puppy classes and let him play with all the other puppies so he would LOVE other dogs! He was soooo EXCITED to go there each week! He barked the whole way there he loved it so much!

-I walked him and we visited other dogs/people on walks just like that guy said! 100 dogs and 100 people before he was xyz age! He only pulled because he was SO EXCITED and that guy said my dog would surely be "well socialized!"

And then the puppy bites the pant legs and the person pulls and yells and backs away...and the puppy loves it. The puppy gets amped up. The puppy bites more while the person screams NO, NO, NO, BAD! Then the person starts to pull at the leg and push at the puppy (watch the video some more).

These pet dog owners do an EXCELLENT job of creating frustration and building drive. I mean if I were looking to train working dogs I'd probably hire them!

But they aren't trying to create working dogs...they are trying to create sweet family pets that quietly greet people, don't bite people and calmly pass other dogs and people on walks.

So what's a pet owner to do????

STOP using harnesses, which act to encourage pulling and thus encourage frustration and build drive.

STOP taking your dog to dog parks and doggie daycares (STOP, STOP, STOP), which encourage out of control play, build frustration and are a breeding grounds for creating reactive and fearful dogs. You taking them isn't being kind. I promise. It's one of my most common themes in the daily emails I get desperately asking for help for their reactive dog.

STOP letting your dog greet every single person, every single dog, and get wound up about visiting others on walks. It's okay to not say HI to everyone! I promise!

STOP letting your dog set the tone in your house by biting you and ripping at your clothes. Or do driveby bites and nips.

That is unless you know what to do with that drive. That is unless you are working to create a working dog. That is unless you want a dog that is over the top.

But I'm guessing you don't...you probably want what 99.8% of pet dog owners want...a calm, peaceful, happy dog.

So...

START consistently reinforcing the behavior you want...a calm and relaxed dog that lays quietly beside you. That greets guests then goes and lays down.

START leash walking and training your dog and ask them to be focused on YOU when they see other people and dogs. I let my dog maybe greet 1 out of 10 people. The rest of the people we see?? I walk by and have my dog focus on me or engage with ME.

START allowing OCCASIONAL playdates with 1 or 2 other dogs, but interrupt the play when it gets too wound up and rough. And that might mean that GASP you'll leash your dog and make them lay down and NOT play with the other dog. Or leave when it gets too rough...just like I'd do with my kids.

START putting your dog on a leash in the house if they are setting the tone by constantly biting at you. If your dog is on a leash you can easily stop a run and nip and instead have them lay down and reinforce laying down. Too wound up still? Walk them to the crate and let them unwind without reinforcing biting.

START reinforcing your dog for laying calmly by your side and yes, sometimes that means the dog is in a crate laying beside you or on a leash to help coach the behavior you want.

If people did the above...I wouldn't have many training clients. I wouldn't get the emails about dogs biting people (no joke...I get them every single day) and I'd not have people desperate to know how to stop their reactive dog from embarrassing them on walks.

20 years ago this stuff was common sense. Now...? We all want to be indulgent to our dogs. And while a Golden retriever might be able to handle all of the above and still be a sweet golden, a working dog (read almost any dog from the working group, terriers, herding dogs) or a dog that was bred to bite can't unless you know what to do with that drive. And chances are...YOU DON'T.

Folks, stop being silly and either stop building drive or get a golden.

PS. If I could "prescribe" dogs...I would "prescribe" goldens for almost everyone.

Aleix Hodges https://www.facebook.com/LoganHausKennels/videos/1429911347380754/