Dogs

Archive for the ‘Dog Training’ Category

Will using rewards make my dog constantly look for food?’

Owners are often worried that if they use reward-based training for puppies, they are encouraging them only to behave well within sight of food. This is not true. Reward-based training begins with rewarding the desired behaviour every time it occurs and connecting the command to the behaviour.

Verbal praise is also given with a food reward. Once the behaviour has been learned, the food rewards are given intermittently and finally can be phased out entirely if you wish. This is because your verbal praise is automatically associated with the food reward and becomes an adequate reward in itself. Simply put, the food is a primary reinforcement and your voice a secondary reinforcement

To own a well-adjusted, well-behaved dog with which you can enjoy and share life requires a considerable investment of time and energy on your part. It is important to prepare yourself as much as possible prior to purchasing it. Keeping up to date on the latest information on dog training and behaviour will enable you to gain an under­standing of what to expect from your dog as it grows and develops, much as you do when rearing a child. If you are diligent with training, particularly in the first two years of its life, you will reap the rewards of a well-behaved companion that is a joy to own. Remember, though, to be realistic in your expectations and prepare to forgive mistakes and celebrate achievements.

TRAINERS

Trainers are those who run dog-obedience schools. Some of these people have certificates in dog training from recognized training schools using modern approved methods.

However, there are many people who have set up as trainers with little or no formal qualification, and others who are still using obsolete training methods based on punishment. Make sure you approach an approved trainer. Bear in mind, though, that although they can address your dog’s unruly behaviour, they are not equipped to advise on aggression and barking, and are not qualified to deal with anxiety-based disorders.

This is an excessive training method that has been shown to be nothing more than a pointless act of cruelty. It involves grabbing the puppy and holding it on its back while staring directly into its eyes, until it stops wriggling and crying and gives up. Trainers will tell you that this is how bitches deal with naughty puppies. This is not true. Bitches don’t have the hands to physically inflict this on the puppy.

This sort of treatment can either make the puppy scared of its owner or more aggressive. People who do this to adult dogs to assert their dominance are in serious danger of being badly bitten. Biting in puppies should be redirected to a toy and/or the time-out method used as described.

Does my dog know when he has done wrong, because when I come home he looks really guilty and I think he expects to be punished?’

Studies have proven that dogs do not remember having done something wrong earlier in the day as their association span between the ‘crime’ and the corrective measure is less than three seconds. The dog that has soiled the carpet or chewed a piece of furniture does not think to itself ‘oh no, here comes Mum. I’m really going to be in trouble for making a mess.’

It will not make any association with what it has done earlier in the day and your reaction on finding the mess. It will not understand why you are pointing and yelling, but will slink away in response to your body language, confused and upset by your behaviour. There is no point in punishing a dog in this situation.

VETERINARY ANIMAL BEHAVIOURISTS

Experts with a veterinary degree and further qualifications in the field of animal behaviour, are fully versed in the use of medication with behavioural modification and have In-depth knowledge of neurophysiology.

Veterinary animal behaviourists are qualified to assess whether an animal is neurologically abnormal and are able to prescribe appropriate treatment if it is. They are the equivalent of human psychiatrists.

Early Training – Getting It Right

The best way to discipline your dog is to enroll it in puppy preschool. Many veter­inary practices are now running puppy preschools and these, if well managed, are invaluable because they allow puppies to socialize with other puppies and people, and they enable you to start training your dog from as early as seven weeks of age.

A good puppy preschool should not be a free-for-all with large numbers of uncon­trolled puppies and children nor should it be a boring, regimented military camp. It should wherever possible, combine super­vised off-lead socialization with short periods of individual instruction on basic training. As the class progresses the training should also be practised in a group situation.

Reward-Based Training – Positive Reinforcement

Training should be based on positive reinforcement, not punishment. Reward-based training using food treats is, in my opinion, the best way to train puppies as they are very food-oriented at this stage in their life and are open to learning new things.

In reward-based training, the puppy receives a food treat the moment it performs a desirable behaviour. It is a also praised verbally at the same time. For example, to teach a puppy to sit, a treat is held just in front of its nose and when it shows interest, the treat is moved up and back­wards so that in reaching up and back for the treat, the puppy automatically sits. The ‘sir command is given at this time and when the puppy achieves the position, the treat is released and the puppy is verbally praised. Using this technique, puppies learn to sit happily on command very quickly, sometimes within minutes!

Stay away from classes run by control freaks who physically force puppies to sit by pulling their necks up and pushing their bottoms down, or who get them to lie down by pulling their legs out from under them while pulling down on their collars. This is not acceptable in training. Physically forcing puppies to behave in certain ways can be psychologically and sometimes physically damaging.

EQUIPMENT
There is a range of training aids and equipment  available. Some of it is excellent while the rest is totally inappropriate.

The Head Collar
This is a wonderful training aid. It is similar to a horse halter, allowing your dog freedom to pant, drink and bark if it wants to while giving you full control of its head. The head collar is also designed to mimic the way a bitch controls her puppies by putting gentle pressure around the muzzle and behind the ears. Most dogs visibly relax and are more controlled when wearing a head collar.

Head collars should be correctly fitted. Your veterinary staff should be able to help you do this. It is usually a good idea to fit the head collar and take the dog straight out for a walk. Some dogs will paw at the collar when it is first put on and may rub their faces on the ground. They soon forget about it however, and by the end of the walk are quite comfortable with the

Choker chains
These have been used for years in training. They are based on negative reinforcement. If the dog pulls, the chain tightens and causes discomfort. If he stops pulling the discomfort goes away. Eventually, the sound of the chain slipping is enough to make the dog stop whatever he was about to do in anticipation of discomfort. The problem is that inexperienced people tend not to use the chain correctly and the dog does not learn to make the connection. The result is a dog pulling hard on a chain that is tightening around its neck. Chains used in this way can cause serious damage to the dog’s airway.

Dogs should never be tied up in a choker as they can     strangle themselves should they panic for some reason.    Nor should they ever be held up in the air on the choker as is advocated by some trainers. This method, which was a cruel and potentially damaging UK army training method, is now discredited

No-Pull Harnesses
These are designed to restrict the dog’s forelimbs when it pulls. They are effective in some dogs. Usually they are used on dogs that cannot wear a head collar. It is important to check regularly for chafing under the forelegs.

Problem barking should always be assessed by a behaviorist. Never use any sort of anti-bark collar without expert advice. There are reasons why your dog barks and a suitable modification programme should be implemented. There are occasions where an anti-bark collar may be used tem­porarily as part of a behaviour- modification programme.

There are several types of anti-bark collar available: citronella collars that deliver a spray of citronella every time the dog barks, air-shot collars that deliver a blast of cold air rather than citronella and electric collars that deliver an electric shock.

In my opinion there is no place for electric dog collars in behavioural medicine. They are barbaric. Imagine how you would feel if you were to receive an electric shock each time you tried to speak.

Dogs are given no recourse to alternative behaviour. In fact, they are often left alone and unobserved during the day, wearing the corrective collar while their owners are at work. As a result, many of them end up as quivering wrecks, hiding under beds and shaking when their owners arrive home because they do not understand what is happening to them. These symptoms are exacerbated for dogs suffering from anxiety-based disorders.

Remote-controlled electric collars are used by some trainers to control dogs that chase livestock or cars. They should only be used by a n experienced person, and then only in extreme circumstances, however, there’s no guarantee that the dog won’t revert to its former behaviour

based disorders. These collars deliver a spray of citronella into the dog’s face whenever it barks. Some dogs become nauseated and vomit, others learn to ignore the spray and yet others stop barking while wearing the collar, but soon start again when it is removed.

Air-shot collars automatically emit a short jet of very cold gas in response to a loud bark. The sudden release of this gas causes an unpleasant mild to severe tactile sensation under the dog’s chin in and a hissing noise that momentarily startles it. These collars can also be operated by remote control, which makes them useful in modifying car chasing behaviour.

Punishment is the use of an aversive stimulus in response to undesirable behaviour in order to decrease the likelihood of that particular action being repeated. If punishment is to be used, it must be appropriate in type and intensity, and must occur within seconds of the performance of the undesirable behaviour. It must also be followed by a command that enables an alternative action to be performed. For example, if your dog is jumping up at the bench to steal food and ignores the command ‘no’ followed by ‘come’, squirt him with a water pistol or use a foghorn to startle him. Then immediately ask him to sit, then to come and sit beside you. Reward his good behaviour with a pat. It is never acceptable to physically punish a dog by beating it.

Continue with your training after puppy school. Keep practising everything you have learned daily. If you are interested in agility or other areas of training, ask your veterinary surgeon to recommend a good training class. These classes usually start the puppies at six months of age.

WHO TO CONTACT IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS

If you are experiencing behavioural problems with your puppy or dog, ask your veterinary surgeon to recommend someone who can help you The options are varied, a good trainer, an animal behaviourist, or a veterinary animal behaviourist, depending on the type and severity or your problem.

ANIMAL BEHAVIOURISTS

These experts have science degrees in behavioural zoology or behavioural science. They have an understanding of animal psychology and development and can assess and advise on behavioural problems. They are not veterinary surgeons and are not licensed to prescribe medication, rather they resemble psychologists in human medicine.