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What is dog socialization?

Socializing Sammy

Dog trainers like me forget that we sometimes speak our own language.  Yesterday, after I kept repeating that her puppy needed socialization urgently, my client asked what that meant.  My bad.  Not everyone knows.  When I searched my usual resources to find a succinct definition, it wasn’t easy to find.  Everyone expects you to already know.  So, thanks for the great question.

Dr. Ian Dunbar, the founder of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers defines it as, “Socialization is the process of becoming familiar with all kinds of animals, people, places, and things; as well as learning how to behave in society.”

People want their dogs to feel safe and comfortable in all of the situations that they encounter in the future.  Dogs should be happy to explore new places, meet new people, and meet new dog friends.  There should be no fear associated with these encounters.

Socialization is one of the most urgent priorities of puppy owners because their is a window of time where puppies are most accepting of this process.  I have written a few articles on socialization, and I can see the need to do more.  Basically we expose puppies to new people, places, and things at an intensity where the pup is comfortable.  We also pair the experience with delightful things like toys, play, and food.  Dr. Dunbar and another one of my heroes, Dr. Sophia Yin have written many books and articles on the subject.  Stay tuned for more blogs about socialization from Oh Behave too.

Dog Outside & Unsupervised? It’s Risky!

Fort Lauderdale Police Dept leaves gates open after searching for perpetrators

There are probably a few of you out there that leave your dog outside and unsupervised in a fenced yard, that will never have anything bad happen to your dog.  This article is not for you.  This article is for  every dog owner that has called me or will call me in the future because they leave their dog outside unsupervised in their fenced yard and something bad happens.  While I am totally opposed to dogs living outdoors, bad things can happen even when a dog is left unsupervised in a fenced yard only for a few minutes.

How many reasons do you need to NOT leave your dog outside and unsupervised, even for a few minutes, in a fenced yard?

1) The open gate.  If your gates are not locked, someone (lawn guy, pest control guy, law enforcement, etc) will leave it open when you least expect it.

2) The fence can be jumped or climbed.

3) There is a hole or another area that can be compromised with a little digging or squeezing through.

4) You cleverly put your dog on a chain or tether so she wouldn’t jump the fence, but gave her too much line.  You came back outside to a dog hanging death.

5) You tether your dog without enough lead to hang himself… BUT have made it aggressive because you did not keep him safe from things he may fear.  He is tethered so he cannot flee from frightening people or animals that are around when you are not looking.  Better lawyer up for the bite that’s in your future…

6) Bufo toads.  Click here if you don’t know about them.

7) Your dog is prey driven and will kill any animal that comes into his space.  Hey if you’re ok picking up the pieces and hiding the next door neighbor’s dead cat in your garbage bin.. rock on.

8) The great Evinrude theft of 1988.  I lived across the street from 3 dobermans and a boat with 3 Evinrude engines in South Miami.  One morning the Evinrudes disappeared and the dogs were found dead from poisoning.

9) Sicko people/sicko kids – They taunt, abuse, throw rocks at, beat, and steal unattended dogs.  Are you ok with that?  PS.  If you don’t know what happens to stolen dogs… WARNING- GRAPHIC PHOTO click here to learn about where bait dogs are obtained.

10) The next door neighbors that call animal control every time your dog makes just the smallest sound.  Have fun with those citations and interviews.

11) Poisonous plants.  Are you sure all of your plants are safe for dogs?

12) Destructive behavior – I have received countless calls about shredded outdoor furniture, ruined landscaping, and destructive digging so bad that it involved interruption of cable tv service.

13) For escape items 1-3 above… while roaming, your dog bites a child or another dog or gets caught killing a cat, another dog or a kid.  See #5  – better lawyer up and prepare to take responsibility for the death of another living creature.

14) The pool/canal.  Are you sure your dog knows how to get out safely if he falls in?  Is there a way out of your canal?  I’m not going to tell you about the condition of the bodies of dead animals that have floated to my dock because they fell off their dock and couldn’t swim to safety.

15) Other dogs and dangerous creatures.  What if an aggressive dog can get in your fence and kills your dog?  I’ve even read about a swarm of bees killing an unattended dog in the yard.

16) Stupid people (city employees from Hollywood, FL or ignorant landlords from Hollywood, FL)… they open the unlocked fence and walk into the yard and get bit.  See #5: lawyer up if you have any assets to lose.

17) Trigger happy law enforcement.  Haven’t you read the headlines?  A police officer responds to domestic violence call and kills the family pet because he went to the wrong address.

18)  Barking to be let back in the house with the family. If you are out there in the yard, your dog will have no need to bark to be with the family.  If you are ok with the barking, I hope your neighbors are ok with it too.  If not, see #10, annoying next door neighbors that call Animal Control.

19) Presents.  This is a continuation of #7, but instead of leaving the dead or maimed animal outside, your dog sneaks it back in the house.  A dead animal on your living room floor is one thing, but it gets really exciting if the animal is alive and flees somewhere in the house where you can’t find it.  It will come out and visit later.  Rats are real crowd pleasers.

20) Broward County Animal Care Fee Schedule.  Yes there are fines associated with your dog ending up at the shelter.  Add together an “at large” fine and the boarding fee, and then taking your dog to the veterinarian because he contracted kennel cough or something worse, it gets pretty pricey.  Oh and oops, did you forget to vaccinate or register your dog? – That’s $300 bucks!

It’s up to you what level of risk you are willing to take with your dog’s safety.  It’s important to know what can potentially happen to unsupervised dogs to make an educated decision about risk.

Getting the Most From Group Classes

Enzo, a proud recent grad

Group dog training classes are typically reasonably priced and a great opportunity to learn valuable skills.  There are so many learning opportunities and socialization opportunities involved in taking a group class.  Here are some tips to make the most of your group class experience.

*Find a class taught by a Certified Professional Dog Trainer.  There are plenty of hobbyist dog trainers giving classes.  You will be much more likely to incorporate what you learn in class into your every day life if the teacher is a professional that receives continuing education, and is up to date on the latest training methods and equipment.

*Find a class that uses positive reinforcement methods and does not allow coercive, or aversive methods in class.  The old school jerk and pull leash corrections can lead to aggression or fear aggression in some dogs.

*Make note of any prerequisites and be honest with yourself about if you meet these requirements.  For example, enrolling in my Rally class if your dog doesn’t sit or down on cue would be very frustrating for the student. 

*Follow your trainer or their company on social media.  I post tons of articles, tips, and dog friendly events on the Oh Behave Facebook page and my Twitter page.  It’s free information from reputable sources.  Why not take advantage of it?

*If the teacher and space at the facility allow for it, arrive to class a few minutes early.  It’s a great opportunity to get individual attention from the trainer if he or she is not teaching another class.  In addition, most dogs need some time to acclimate to the environment before they are ready to give you their attention and focus.

*Read your syllabus and handouts, do your homework, and come to class prepared.  Your experience in class will be frustrating if you are not using the right equipment, treats, or have not practiced.

*If space and the teacher allow it, have all adults in the family attend class.  It is best to avoid changing handlers in the middle of class, but the adults in the family should be familiar with all of the practice exercises to provide consistency at home.

*Make friends with your classmates after class.  If appropriate, making friends with other students in class is a great way to continue to socialize your dog.  Some of my students have enjoyed the company of their classmates at dog parks and other venues because they made that connection in my class.  Remember, not all dogs are appropriate for play sessions with other dogs.  Be sure to ask the owner first.

Your group class experience should be fun, informative and a great value.  Make the most of your experience.

The Harsh Truth About Your Dog’s Abilities

Service dog performing a task

I could keep up with Dara Torres in a pool if I trained hard enough.  I could solve math problems like the one in the movie “Good Will Hunting” and probably even attend MIT if I studied more.  I’ve golfed a few times, and I’d like to take some lessons so I can compete in the Masters someday.

For many of you that don’t know me, those seem like pretty ridiculous and unrealistic statements.  For those of you that know me and may even love me, you may think I’m wonderful, or special (hopefully in a good way), but for the most part, I’m just a pretty average human.  Admittedly, with practice, hard work, discipline, and dedication, I could certainly vastly improve my skills in areas like swimming, golf, or math.  However, no matter hard I may try, I will always be limited by my abilities, talent (or lack of), aptitude, strength, and many other factors that mother nature dealt me.

So how does my harsh reality relate to your dog?  Media and the internet have given all of us access to learn about so many subjects.  We see police dogs taking down perpetrators under extreme conditions, service animals performing tasks that are amazing, and dogs participating in sports and activities that are so complex and advanced it’s fascinating.  The bottom line is that your pet dog probably will never have the abilities, talent, and aptitude to perform like dogs on television.  Many owners have profoundly unrealistic expectations about their dog’s abilities as well as the dedication it takes to work a dog in different disciplines.

Here are a few harsh truths that I have shared with clients that I would like to share with my readers:

* Your pet dog probably does not meet the criteria required to work with law enforcement.  Many police dog trainers use dogs selectively bred to be able to take harsh treatment from a perpetrator and have the aptitude to do police work.  So NO, the coercive and aversive methods and tools (like shock collars and prong collars) used by law enforcement are completely inappropriate for your pet dog.  And YES, these methods are likely to cause your dog to be fearful or aggressive or both.

* Your pet dog does not meet the criteria required to work with law enforcement and lives with your family.  Your pet dog is not a good candidate to be a protection dog.  Enlisting your dog in protection and bite work without a true commitment to controlling the dog and ensuring the dog is successful, is likely to result in a bite to a family member or guest.  So don’t do it.

* Your pet dog does not meet the criteria for complex service work.  Your pet dog that can’t even pass basic obedience and has lunged and snapped at strangers is not a good candidate to help your family member with tasks in public.

* Your pet dog is fearful and snappy with anyone that is not a member of your immediate family.  Your pet dog will not allow a stranger to touch his paws without biting them.  You can work with a professional dog trainer to modify these behaviors by getting the dog to trust strangers and manage the environment so your dog feels safe.  However, your dog will probably NEVER be predictable enough to be a therapy dog.

* Your pet dog is incredibly distracted in public and may never really be a great trick dog.  But if you and your dog enjoy practicing and being out with other dogs and people showing off your stuff, THEN DO IT.  Enjoy the fun of just being what you and your dog can be.  Don’t worry about what someone else can do with their dog.

Information about criteria and testing for service and other activities:

Therapy dog test items from TDI
CARAT Assessment to predict success in service work

How To Handle a Bad Day

2013 Walk for the Animals

Another Walk for the Animals has come and gone.  It’s a great feeling to have the support of friends and family, generously donating to a cause that I love.  The weather couldn’t have been better; nice and cold so we didn’t have to worry about heat stroke.  How could anything about this day be bad?  Well my walk partner Maddie had more than the usual number of reactive outbursts which was frustrating and disappointing.

The day was not a total write off.  We were able to sit for our pack photo without incident.  I had a few conversations with friends accompanied by their dogs without any reaction.  While I lamented over several reactions with small dogs and dogs running in the FunZone, we recovered with a nice walk along the river just the two of us.  When we were done, we said our goodbyes to our friends without incident and called it a day rather than pushing our luck.

Ironically, when I came home, I read a Facebook post from a fellow dog trainer proclaiming she was “guilty of bad dog training”.  I actually laughed out loud because I know she is an outstanding dog trainer.  The reason I’m sharing my setbacks with everyone is because we all have room for improvement (even dog trainers).  We all can do things better.  We all have good days and bad days.  The good thing about positive reinforcement training is that although your cues, markers, timing, rewards, etc. may be way off, you are not going to do anything to ruin, traumatize, or hurt your dog.  My fellow dog training friend is going back to foundation work for her sport with her dog, and I will go back to some threshold work with Maddie.

People often ask me how Maddie could have possibly earned a Canine Good Citizen Award with her reactivity issues.  I always smile and tell them that it only represented a thin slice of time and everything just happened to fall into place that day.  So if you encounter a bad day when things fall apart, remember that it only represents a thin slice of time in your dog’s life.   There will be better days.  On this day, with the help of my friends and family, we raised over $1,500 for the Humane Society of Broward County.  That’s a victory by any standards!

Shaping Exercises for Your Dog (and You)

Shaping button pressing

Please allow me a healthy amount of geekiness for a moment. “Shaping by successive approximations involves a process of differentially rewarding some behaviors and not others.”

I introduced the Sophia Yin “box” exercise to my basic obedience students last session.  Take a look at this great video demonstration of operant conditioning.  In my basic obedience class we use luring with treats to get the dogs to do behaviors like sit.  Using treats that dogs follow closely with their noses, makes it easy to achieve results FOR SIMPLE EXERCISES.  Complex behaviors are not always well suited for luring, so my students found this frustrating and challenging.

My students were immediately challenged by having to be quiet.  Other than saying yes every time the dog successfully met a criteria, the human should not be giving cues.  For advanced behaviors, successful completion of the behavior is not usually immediate.  So if the handler says down, but the dog takes a few minutes to put his belly on the floor, the dog may not associate the word with the behavior.  For advanced behaviors, I try to get students to successfully shape the behavior and add the cue later.

My students were also frustrated by the slow process.  When shaping begins, the dog is often perplexed by what is expected.  After all he has been led around by a treat on the nose for weeks.  This process is new.  These exercises give dogs great problem solving skills and confidence.  Once you have shaped a few tricks with your dogs, he will catch on.  Next time the treat bag comes out, he will confidently offer new behaviors and explore novel items you bring to the session (like a box).

If you watch the video, you’ll notice that Dr. Yin keeps raising the criteria for which Zoey. The dog gets rewarded as she gets closer to the final desired result.  You’ll also notice that Zoey gets a little lost in the exercise after a few tries.  Dr. Yin lowers the criteria to keep Zoey engaged.  Then Zoey quickly gets back on track.

The frustrating part of this video is that I suspect Zoey has already done some shaping exercises before.  Most students and dogs that are new to this will take much longer to achieve the result than Dr. Yin and Zoey.

Shaping exercises are great fun for dogs because it allows them a stress free experience of problem solving.  The experience is free of humans  hovering over them and barking out cues repeatedly (why would anyone listen to my “say it once” advice?).   This exercise is great for handlers too.  No more repeating cues until the dog learns the cue is irrelevant.  In addition, my human students gain some much needed patience.

Dogs wow me every day with their amazing ability to work things out.  I encourage all of you to try some shaping exercises with your dogs so they can wow you.  Try Dr. Yin’s box exercise this month and let me know how it goes.

Moving Out of Your Dog’s Comfort Zone

Confidence Building Exercises

Doesn’t it feel great to take on a new and fun challenge?  I know I love getting out of my comfort zone and trying something new… especially with a little support and camaraderie from friends.

Thirteen years ago, I received a black belt rank in karate.  When I first stepped into the dojo, I knew no one there and had no idea what to expect.  I was never athletic and I was lucky to find a a school that was incredibly supportive and encouraging even with my lack of coordination and balance.  It took me ten years to work my way through the ranks.  It took some discipline to go to class after some long days at Ryder and even while I was working on my MBA.  All ten years were really rewarding and challenging and gave me great confidence.  Karate was one of the most amazing experiences of my life because it was so completely out of my comfort zone.  It made meeting each challenge just that much sweeter!

Dogs too can benefit from getting out of their comfort zones and experiencing new challenges and experiences.   Getting your dog out and about and trying new skills is very enriching.  Advanced, intermediate, and competitive activities provide opportunities to enhance your dog’s life.  By challenging your dog, he will learn to deal with frustration – some activities and skills just aren’t a piece of cake.  Face it, life isn’t a piece of cake, even for dogs.  Learning how to deal with frustrating situations and getting great rewards  for patience is a valuable skill in a dog’s life.  Dogs also gain lots confidence from being out of their comfort zone and getting rewards and enriching experiences in return.

So what’s a dog owner to do after basic obedience?  As I write this, my window is open and I am enjoying the sunny 73 degree weather.  If you live in South Florida, you could not pick a better time to get out there and have some fun with your dog.  In February, Oh Behave will be offering K9 Fun Nosework and an Intermediate class so you and your dog can learn some snazzy skills and benefit from spending time with your best buddy!

Mind Your Manners

Teaching manners to puppies is pretty easy to do, yet many pup parents overlook this important step in puppy rearing.  The fact is that puppies are adorable no matter what they are doing.  However, many behaviors that may be cute now, are not so cute when a puppy grows to be a 75 pound monster. The way to keep your puppy from becoming that monster is to develop manners by teaching some impulse control.

When I get a 4 or five month old puppy in my group class, one of the first skills that I need to teach is a gentle mouth.  Some pups are completely unaware of the sensitive human fingers when gobbling down treats.  I’ll close my treat hand with the treats inside and let the puppy get frustrated.  He’ll bite, paw and try to bully me into releasing my hand.  The pup eventually gives up and backs away. That’s when I say yes and release my hand.

There are so many areas that impulse control can be taught at an early age: greeting guests, walking on a leash, getting out of the door, getting leashed up, coming out of the crate, waiting for the food bowl and many more.  Nobody wants to be knocked down by an exuberant dog during any of these activities.  That’s why it’s important to teach impulse control BEFORE the dog gets big enough to knock you down.

Take a look at the video at the link below of Sammy coming out of his crate.  Through several blocking techniques using the door or my arm, I prevented Sammy from barreling out of his crate. Instead, I taught him to sit and wait to be leashed.  I had already introduced a stay cue with Sammy, so the exercise was pretty simple and he caught on fast.

SAMMY EXITS CRATE WITH MANNERS

Of course it’s still possible to teach manners to an unruly 75 pound dog.  I do it all the time.  It sometimes takes tools to give a small owner more leverage and alot of patience to undo a behavior that is ingrained.  It’s oh so much easier to teach a puppy some manners from day one.

Why Did I Cry for Lennox?

Undisclosed photo of Lennox in kennel on “death row”

The story of Lennox, the Belfast dog, put to death on July 11, 2012, evoked emotions of sorrow, outrage, anger, disgust and an outcry for justice from animal lovers and advocates worldwide.  Click here to read the story.

I can’t say why this story resonated with me, but I got all caught up in the media coverage in this breed specific legislation sanctioned murder.  The evening before Lennox was euthanized, many of my Facebook friends posted pictures of glowing candles in support of Lennox and his family.  I cried at the thought of some agency taking my beloved dog from me and keeping me from visiting during the legal process.  I had visions of Maddie alone and terrified in a dirty run, and me unable to help her.  I went to bed that night hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.  The next day, Victoria Stilwell, celebrity dog trainer and supporter of Lennox, posted that the dog had been euthanized. Further proving the insensitive nature of the Belfast authorities, the the media was informed of the death before the family.  The family was finally notified of the fate of their beloved pet by Victoria.  The family was denied a final visit and told they would not receive Lennox’s remains or his collar.  Again, I cried thinking about friends that have lost pets and cherished their dog’s collars and tags to remember them.  How could I cry so many tears for a dog that I have never seen and a family that I have never met?

All of these tears for Lennox in Belfast, while 26 miles south of my house, hundreds of dogs are put to death simply because they are Pit Bulls.  According to Dahlia Canes of the Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation, over 800 Pit Bulls were euthanized in 2010 by Miami Dade Animal Services (MDAS).  Let’s see, I guess if a ban worked, there would be no Pit Bulls to euthanize.  While the euthanasia statistics due to lack of space and sickness are very high at MDAS, Pit Bulls are not given a chance for adoption because of the ban on this breed.  I have been strongly and publicly opposed to Breed  Specific Legislation, but I have never cried for these dogs.

Why is that?  Why can’t I cry for the euthanized dogs of Dade?  Somehow they have a sort of anonymity because there is no family advocating for them.  In fact, I’ll admit, I have a healthy dose of contempt for families that allow their dogs to end up abandoned at a shelter.  Of course, the fact that these dogs have never known a loving family is even more of a tragedy.  The MDAS experience is no less stressful for a dog without a loving family, in fact, it is likely that their past experiences with humans may have been abusive. Maybe I have become desensitized to the cement block

Lennox in happier times

wall with the mural at MDAS where all of the intakes are photographed.  You only see a scared dog and a tight slip lead.  You can’t see how he cuddled with his family or what he was like as a puppy which is much more relevant to dog lovers.

On August 14, Dade County voters have an opportunity to kick Breed Specific Legislation in the teeth and repeal the ban on Pit Bulls.  Please, let’s put the face our dogs to the faces of of the Pit Bulls that have been destroyed in Dade County.  Let’s imagine that those are our dogs’ loving lives being senselessly extinguished day after day, because they look a certain way.

So on August 13, I will go to sleep hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.  If we do not overturn this ban on pit Bulls, I suspect it will be another tearful day… finally finding the tears and crying for the Pit Bulls of Dade.