Training and playing are very important pieces in the human/dog relationship. They establish trust and build a strong bond between the person and dog. We ask every dog owner we visit what commands they give and what kinds of games they are playing. Here is a list of common responses:

Commands:

Sit – rear on the ground long enough to get a treat.

Off – dog growls at you when you go to sit on the sofa

Stay-Away – Dog barking at UPS or postal worker.

Stay – your dog growls or bites if you or a guest moves

Leave it- Dog growls or snaps at you when you reach for something he has.

Heel – Often taught to visitors when they come in or go to leave your house

Look- Dog stops suddenly on walk to focus on something

Come – Dog barks at something until you arrive

Games:

Follow The Leader – your dog drags you down the street

Hi There! – Your dog jumps on everyone that walks in the door

Look Who’s There! – Dog barks at doorbell and runs to greet your guest and you follow because he can’t work the doorknob

Keep Away – You trying to keep the steak on the kitchen counter and out of your dog’s mouth.

Guess the Squish – Puddles or piles found late at night

What’s That Smell? – Hidden puddles or piles

Hide and Seek – Your dog grabs your favorite shoe and hides it for you

Chase – Similar to Hide and Seek but he taunts you with it in his mouth

Tug – Dog has your favorite shoe and you want it back but he won’t let it go

Wanna Play – Dog brings you a toy from his stash

Outside – Dog lets you know he needs to go outside. Followed by Guess the Squish or What’s That Smell

Mine- Dog growling when you get too close a toy or his food

Fetch – Dog barking at pantry where treats are stored

Open the Door – Dog barks or scratches at door to be let in

Okay, those were all written very tongue-in-cheek but how many did you recognize? Those are all real examples of how people interact with their dogs. In these instances, the dog is in control of the situation. He initiates contact, rewards behavior and gives the owners boundaries that they can or cannot cross. And, although, we can agree some of the “games” are not fun in the human world, they happen every day because dogs think differently than we do.

Dogs have a different view of the world than humans. First and foremost, your dog is a pack animal. They have inherited drives and one of those is the need for leadership. He is born with the desire to listen, interact and look to you for leadership and it is your responsibility, as a good dog owner, to give him leadership. The moment you took him into your home, you started shaping his behavior. They are “shaped” by the reinforcement we give them.

How are you shaping your dog’s behavior? Let’s look at “reinforcement”. It is an action, whether negative or positive, that strengthens a response to a stimulus. When training, we use a negative reinforcement to eliminate unwanted behavior and a positive reinforcement to get the dog to recreate a behavior. We see the positive reinforcement everywhere because it has taken over the dog training world with clickers and treats but it doesn’t end there. We send mixed signals to our dogs with some of the games we play. It’s natural, we don’t mean to reinforce bad behavior with a positive but we love our dogs and want them to love us back.

Leadership is very important for to build a strong bond with our dogs. It instinctively gives them the structure they need. The leader controls everything in the dog world. In order to shape them into the well-behaved best friend we desire, we have to be aware of what we are reinforcing and how we are doing it. If you’re at a loss, call a professional trainer to get help with any of these behaviors that might be causing you trouble.

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we think that dogs adapt to our family because of what we see on television, but that is not reality. Dogs do similar behaviors for different reasons.

Dogs are born with natural instincts of self-preservation, chasing, biting, being territorial or protective, and a need to be part of a social group. From the Chihuahua puppy you picked out at the breeders to the older Great Dane you rescued, all have specific needs and drives. Depending on the breed of dog, some of these needs may be more intense. They communicate with their body and mouth. All dogs have teeth and are born knowing how to use them. Puppies use their teeth often with their brothers and sisters (litter mates) to let them know if they are playing too hard or have something they don’t want taken away. Dogs lick to show submission, to groom, or to get another dog to regurgitate their food. Dogs hug each other to show who’s more dominant, wrestle to show who’s bigger and stronger, and chase to hone hunting skills. Dogs communicate differently than we do.

We, as humans, are very physical, too. Children are taught to hug and kiss to show affection. They wrestle to play, squeal to show excitement and run to release all the energy pent up in those tiny bodies. When a child runs, it activates a dog’s need to chase and bite.. Children want to hug or kiss on their dogs to show affection and don’t realize they may be making their dog uncomfortable. When children are too rough and hurt us, we stop them and tell them why. Dogs lack the verbal skills to explain and reason with a child. Therefore, teaching both dog and child how to interact accordingly is important! Owning a “safe” dog is more about how the dog is raised (nurtured) and “trained” than the breed.

Dogs and children are not natural buddies. Dogs and puppies view children in their household as lesser pack mates. Children motivate a dog or puppy to bite or nip them by wrestling, squealing, or playing mouthy games. Children do not understand the old adage, “Let sleeping dogs lie.” Children don’t understand a dog’s need for personal space and are unable to pick up on the subtle cues that the dog is uncomfortable. Dogs are just being dogs and reacting the only way they know how. The owner of the dog has the responsibility to keep both children and the dog safe.

Biting statistics are scary! Did you know that most bites that are reported are children 14 years and under. The majority of those children are between the ages of 5 to 9 years, with boys being bitten most often. The scariest statistic is that it’s not the neighbor’s dog biting these children, it’s their household pet.

Training is the answer to making your dog safe around your family and friends? It takes time, effort and money to be a good dog owner. Having a dog is a responsibility and a privilege. Once again, dogs and children have their similarities, having either is a privilege but both are a responsibility. Depending on the breed of dog, that privilege/responsibility could last from 8-20 years. Dogs need time with their pack/family. They are born with a need to be part of a family unit. Your dog wants nothing more than to spend time with you. Spending quality time with your dog.

Money is the daily expense of dog ownership. A lot goes into owning a dog, much more than just buying food. There are usually additional vet bills, remodeling bills, or even lawyer fees, added if you decide to skip the training step…

Effort is a little trickier. Webster’s definition of effort is “a vigorous or determined attempt”. Dogs want a leader to set rules for them to follow. Dogs do not think like we do. They are reactionary animals. We take away and change their sense of security and balance when we are always change the “rules” by not being consistent. Training is a very important part of the positive interactions between your family and your dog. Simply engaging in training starts your family and new puppy or dog on the right road to co-existing happily, this begins to help establish rules and boundaries putting you in a leadership position for your dog.

Children and dogs are similar in so many ways. They both need and want discipline. They both require constant supervision. Both need to learn how to properly interact with each so that everyone can live happily ever after.

Talk Dog Training and Coaching is a professional people and dog training service. We specialize at In-Home training. Coming into your home, getting the whole family involved to address all behavioral issues in the dogs’ enviroment. We give you the tools and knowledge to have a well behaved friend for life.

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Is it better for you to get a new puppy for your new puppy to play with?

It’s done with the best of intentions:

1) It’s time to add a puppy to your family and you want the best for your new furry friend. You have gotten the bed, bowls, and toys…everything for your new friend. You go to pick up your puppy and find that there is one puppy left in the litter that no one has taken home. You watch your puppy playing with his littermate. They are rolling and tussling back and forth, wearing each other out, and a light bulb clicks on in your head. “Our family is busy and there will be times when our puppy is left by himself. I don’t want him to get lonely. I want him to grow into a happy dog”. You turn to the breeder and say, “I’ll take both!” with a big smile on your face…after all isn’t having two puppies twice the fun? …

2) You’ve had Fido for a week or so. Life has caught up to you and you’ve been really busy! When you get home from your long day at work, your buddy is so happy to see you and wants to play, play, play! You’re tired and think, ” I could get another puppy and they could play together all day so they’ll tire each other out and then when I get home it will be “lovin” time.” You start looking for a playmate that night as your puppy chews on your shoelaces. …

3) You have a good dog that has a lot of energy! Whew, he wears you out trying to keep up with him! What you need is a doggy buddy for him to play with all day and burn off his extra energy…You’ll get a puppy for him. Your older dog is a good dog and can “help” you raise the new puppy by showing it how to behave…

Whatever the reason for a multi-dog household, we have to take our feelings out of the picture and look for the best for our dogs from their point of view. Puppies at the age of 7-8 weeks have, hopefully, had the opportunity to learn valuable life lessons from their mother and their siblings. At this age, they are developing personalities and looking for relationships. They are ready to leave their pack and build a bond with you. This is the easiest window of time for that bond to form. You must bond individually with your dog.

It is much easier for a puppy to look to another puppy or dog for the bond of companionship. They speak the same language. It takes more effort for the puppy to connect with something that doesn’t look like him, smell like him, or speak his native tongue. Bonding with a human and learning the human society rules can sometimes be a little difficult. Dogs left alone “to be dogs” are going to do just that… be dogs. They are also going to bond closely, sometimes becoming two halves of a whole instead of 2 individual dogs.

With this situation, we see an increased level of anxiety in the dogs. They become agitated when separated from the other dog, even a distance as close as across the room. They cry when their litter mate is not around. They become manic if one has to go to the vet for an overnight stay. It can lead to constant fighting between the siblings and increased dog aggression. It may even manifest as human aggression because the trust and bond with a human has never been formed. Dogs are reactionary animals. Some of them will land in a humane society where they will be un-adoptable due to their problems. Most people do not realize that this could be a death sentence for the dog. No one wants this for his or her dog’s future, so now, what to do? We must decide what is going to be the best quality of life for the dog.

The “Unthinkable” for most people…Re-home one of the dogs. No one wants to part with a dog that they have fallen in love with. It’s painful and heartbreaking for both you and your dogs. If you have difficulties with the dog already, waiting to see if they outgrow the behaviors can make it VERY hard to find a home. It takes a special person to try to fix a problem dog.

The responsible option is easier on the heart but harder on the owner….spend individual time with your dog. We understand this goes against why you got two dogs in the first place, but in the long run it can be absolute bliss for your family and your dogs! To treat the dogs as individuals means twice the “dog work” for you but also twice the love and devotion. Train each dog separately. Spend time with each one. Let them play together occasionally but you make sure you have more play time with them than they have with each other. They must have their own space to grow and develop that dog/human bond of companionship. You DO NOT have to keep them apart forever but they will need this individual attention for at least the first year of their lives or coming into your world so they look to you for their love and leadership.

Please don’t misunderstand. We are not advocating one-dog households, we each live in multi-dog homes and most of our clients have more than one dog. You can have as many dogs as you want but remember that owning a dog is privilege and to live up to that you have to do what’s best for those that you care for. We can help you raise and train your puppies. The best option is simply to train your dogs so they may live, love, play together and look to you and your family first and foremost for all their needs.

Talk Dog Training and Coaching is a professional people and dog training service. We specialize at In-Home training. Coming into your home, getting the whole family involved to address all behavioral issues in the dogs’ enviroment. We give you the tools and knowledge to have a well behaved friend for life. To bridge the commnication gap and be Talkin’ Dog in no time visit us at www.WeTalkDog.com

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