Welcome to the blog! This week, we’re sharing some of our favorite tips to boost your dog’s responsiveness to coming when called – even if they’re a “Reluctant Recaller” by nature.

How to Improve Your Dog’s Recall

Are you having trouble getting your dog to reliably come when called?

If you’ve been working hard on a recall (“Come”) cue, but just can’t seem to get traction or move beyond the beginner level, try not to be discouraged. There are a number of factors that can make recall a lot more challenging for some dogs.

Read on to learn about common Nature factors we see in dogs that have trouble with recall. Then, learn our favorite troubleshooting tips to take this important skill to the next level.

Nature Factors that Affect Recall

If you share your life with a dog who really struggles with recall, it can sometimes feel like you’re the ONLY one in that position—and that everyone else’s dog runs back to them easily and enthusiastically for a bit of praise and a piece of kibble.

First things first: you are absolutely not alone. Coming when called is a very challenging skill for a large subset of dogs with certain Nature characteristics.

Let’s explore this further by breaking dogs into two broad categories: Natural Recallers and Reluctant Recallers.

“Natural” Recallers tend to hold one or more of these Nature characteristics:

• High level of enthusiasm for training/doing tricks
• Find running/movement highly reinforcing
• Find interaction with their person highly reinforcing
• Low to moderate levels of arousal/excitement about the world around them
• Relatively small “comfort radius” (they have no desire to wander too far from their people)

Conversely, “Reluctant” Recallers tend to hold one or more of these Nature characteristics:

• Not terribly enthusiastic about tricks/training
• Running/movement may not be highly reinforcing (may be due to natural temperament, medical/health issues, or other reasons)
• Hold a “less is more” mentality when it comes to touch and attention from their person
• Highly aroused/excited/distracted by the world around them (may be due to predatory instincts, behavior issues like fear or anxiety, etc.)
• Relatively big comfort radius (they don’t naturally keep tabs on where their people are at, and are comfortable wandering pretty far from them)

The characteristics above can be influenced a dog’s biology, including their age, breed, or health status; by past life experiences; and by individual traits like sensitivity to stress, impulsivity, and arousal levels.

It’s important to note that Natural Recallers still need targeted training to KEEP their recall reliable. A Natural Recaller can transition into a Reluctant Recaller as they grow, develop, and accumulate life experiences.

Six Troubleshooting Tips for a More Reliable Recall

Here are six of our favorite troubleshooting tips to help improve your dog’s recall reliability. Pssst…don’t miss Tip #6 – it’s one you probably haven’t heard before.

Safety Disclaimer:
Unless you feel VERY confident about your dog’s recall, keep them on a long line while implementing the tips below. Be mindful of using high value food rewards around unfamiliar dogs. And, never let your dog run free in an area that doesn’t permit off-leash dogs. If your dog displays fearful, anxious, or aggressive behavior, consult with your trainer or behavior consultant before implementing any of these tips with your dog.

When you think about upgrading your rewards, think in in terms of both reward type and reward delivery.

Reward Type

• While food isn’t the only option, it’s often the easiest and most effective one. And while food choice alone isn’t enough to make all dogs come when called reliably, getting this part right can have a HUGE impact on a large percentage of dogs.
• Recall is the time for you to break out your ultimate, super-special food rewards…foods that your dog doesn’t get at any other time and that make them absolutely over-the-moon happy.
• Some of our favorite go-to options include: roast beef, bacon, meatballs, lamb lung, steak, and aged cheddar cheese.
• Think your dog loves everything equally? Even the most enthusiastic chow hounds have a hierarchy of preferences. Try doing a Treat Tournament to discover what tops your dog’s list.

Reward Delivery

• The way in which you deliver your food rewards can have a big impact on how reinforcing your dog finds the ‘reward event’ – and thus, how likely they will be to come when called the next time you ask
• Check out our Instagram reel outlining some different reward deliver options to try with your dog.
• Delivery methods that include both movement and multiple rewards are preferred by most dogs.

Two of the most common mistakes we see dog owners make with recall are: calling their dog too frequently, and calling them at the wrong times.

Frequency of Cuing “Come”

• Asking your dog to stop what they’re doing and come to you every few minutes is tiresome. By the 4th or 5th repetition, many dogs seem to have a “Really? Again? But WHY?” response to hearing the cue.
• While optimal recall frequency will vary by dog, we generally find that calling your dog roughly once every 10-12 minutes works well to keep them dialed in without decreasing enthusiasm of their responses.

Timing of Cuing “Come”

• At first, only practice calling your dog when you are 95% certain they’re going to listen to you. Initially, this is best done when you see them take a brief break or pause from their current activity, and when they’re at a distance of 15-25 feet (not so close that they feel like they’re already next to you, and not so far that your cue is overshadowed by other things happening in the environment).
  • If you call your dog and they don’t respond, try decreasing your distance by half, then calling again. If they still don’t respond, calmly walk over next to them, give a cheerful “Let’s Go,” and walk away together (use the long line if needed); reward as they come with you.
• Next, avoid using recall exclusively to signal the end of fun and freedom (e.g., only calling them when off-leash or long line time is over). While we want to avoid calling our dogs too frequently, it’s important include repetitions of the cue where your dog is invited to go back to whatever they were doing immediately after they come to you.

There is a lot of emphasis placed on rewarding your dog for coming when you call them (as their should be). But in our experience, it’s just as important to reward your dog when they come to check in with you on their own, without having been prompted to do so.

Be prepared to reward your dog with a treat whenever they decide on their own to come and check-in with you while off-leash. It’s a good idea to use slightly lower value food rewards for these unprompted check-ins, so you don’t end up with a dog who focuses only on your treats and forgoes all other activities.

Rewarding unprompted check-ins makes you a fun, go-to destination in the off-leash landscape. You become a relevant and salient stimulus in your dog’s environment, which supports higher levels of responsiveness to your recall cues.

Before you take your dog off-leash or let out all the slack on the long line, take a few minutes to do a mini training session with your dog.

Ask for a few sits, hand targets, some short stays, and if they know it, do a bit of heeling work as well. Start the session on-leash, and finish it while they’re off-leash/on the long-line.

This 3-5 minute training session does a couple of things:

• First, it helps your dog “dial in” to your cues and get into a responsive frame of mind before heading out to explore.
• Second, it often serves to lower a dog’s arousal and excitement levels and helps them acclimate to the off-leash environment in a more relaxed/controlled manner. This, in turn, tends to decrease the “OMG I’m off-leash and I’m gonna run off into the sunset at top speed!!!!” response that can happen if you immediately unclip the leash of a really excited dog in an off-leash area.

This isn’t a necessity, but sometimes, a fresh start is helpful for everyone.

Changing your cue can allow you to develop new, strong and positive associations from the very beginning stages of training. And, it gives you the opportunity to choose a cue that is naturally more salient and easily perceived by your dog when they’re at a distance and when their senses are engaged in other interesting stimuli.

Here are a couple of our favorite options:

• Teach your dog a Whistle Recall
• Teach your dog a Hand Target Recall

This is one of our absolute favorite tips to boost recall responsiveness (especially when you’re already incorporating the other tips outlined above). It’s something we’ve seen work over and over again with a wide range of dogs and owners who were struggling with recall.

In truth, we’re not 100% sure why it’s so effective. But, if we had to guess, we’d wager that working on Stays improves Recall in the following ways:

• First, it helps a dog work their “impulse control” muscles. More accurately, it helps them learn to focus and forgo approaching fun, interesting stimuli in their environment.
• Second, it helps to foster healthy relationship dynamics between you and your dog. Done well, Stays can help a dog learn to follow your lead when it comes to decisions about how you both navigate SPACE in your shared environment.
• Third, similarly to the effects of rewarding unprompted check-ins, coaching your dog through a long Stay under moderate distractions seems to make you – and thus your cues – a lot more relevant and salient to your dog.

You can opt to work on a Sit/Stay, a Down/Stay, or both – just choose whatever is most comfortable for you and your dog.

Some initial milestones to strive for include:

• Build duration so your dog can successfully hold a Stay for 3-5 minutes before being released
• Work up to the point where your dog can successfully hold a Stay while you walk around them in a circle, bend down in front of them, take a seat on a chair, etc.

Worth the Effort
Building and maintaining a reliable recall can be a challenge, but, in our opinion, it’s well worth the effort. Recall is a skill that can save your dog’s life if they accidentally get off-leash in an unsafe area. And, it lets you to give them lots more freedom and allows you to safely enjoy more activities together.

Our final note on Recall is this: whether you’re just starting to work on this skill, or your dog has been doing it well for years, we strongly recommend that you plan to reward your dog for coming when called off-leash EVERY SINGLE TIME, for the rest of their life. It’s worth it to keep the skill functioning at the highest level of reliability possible, through all stages of your dog’s life.

NEED TRAINING OR BEHAVIOR SUPPORT?

Check out the resources below!

Check out Instinct’s award-winning podcast, Dogs Unknown (fka DogLab), hosted by Instinct Co-Founders Sarah Fraser (me!) and Brian Burton.

• WATCH on YouTube
• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Listen on Spotify

Join one of our free, live training & behavior seminars via Zoom!

Hosted by Instinct behavior consultants, these seminars include a 1 hr presentation plus live Q&A session. Open to all!

RSVP for a Free Seminar

Sign up for the Nature-Driven Nurture Foundations course in our Online School. Learn our groundbreaking canine behavioral health framework that teaches you how to optimize your dog’s training & care based on their unique, individual Nature. This self-paced course includes:

• Access to private Alumni Facebook group
• Twice-monthly Zoom Q&As with Instinct co-founders

Register for the Course!

Or, contact your local Instinct for fully customized training & behavior support with certified, veterinarian-recommended trainers and behavior consultants.

The post Does Your Dog Struggle to Come When Called? appeared first on Instinct Dog Behavior & Training.

What would dog training look like if every dog owner had access to simple, practical resources that helped them understand their dog’s natural instincts, innate drives, and individual behavior needs?

What kinds of results could we help owners achieve if our training programs focused less on teaching “obedience”, and more on establishing healthy relationships, creating dog-smart environments, and implementing practical wellness routines that worked with each dog’s individual nature?

Nature-Driven Nurture by INSTINCT®

We are thrilled to announce the upcoming rollout of Nature-Driven Nurture, the revolutionary new approach to dog parenting and canine behavioral health support that works with a dog’s natural instincts and individual behavior needs.

Rooted in ethology and behavior science, Nature-Driven Nurture provides dog owners with a practical roadmap for raising, caring for, and training their canine family members. The approach was developed by Instinct’s team of certified behavior consultants and board-certified veterinary behaviorists. It reflects our best practices for collaborative coaching and canine behavioral health assessment & support – refined over tens of thousands of hours of hands-on training, behavior work, and academic study – boiled down into an effective, intuitive dog parenting methodology that is as relevant to owners raising a new puppy as it is to those navigating complex behavior issues with an adult dog.

Courses. Coaching. Community. Care.

Nature-Driven Nurture programming will roll out to Instinct clients over a three-month span covering January through March 2022. Programs will utilize a powerful multimodal learning model that includes individualized coaching, self-paced online courses, community support, and behavioral health-focused care services. The various program elements are designed to integrate seamlessly with Instinct’s current canine behavioral health focus, collaborative coaching model, and alumni support services, and to build upon our industry-leading canine behavioral health assessment tool, launched in May 2021.

By 2023, Instinct intends to weave machine learning and AI into Nature-Driven Nurture program design decisions, turning the data collected via its behavioral health assessment tool into powerful knowledge that can help to more accurately assess areas of risk and create optimal training & care plans for individual dogs and families.

Better Results. Stronger Relationships. Happier Dogs.

Nature-Driven Nurture helps dog owners achieve lasting, positive results where traditional dog training programs fall short, thanks to the method’s multidisciplinary focus on biology, health & wellness, environment, relationship dynamics, and learning experiences. Owners who use Nature-Driven Nurture experience a deeper level of connection, joy, and understanding with their dogs. And their dogs are happier, more fulfilled, more confident companions.

Instinct®, Instinct Dog Behavior & Training®, and the Instinct® dog logo are US Registered Trademarks. Instinct® is in the process of filing a registered trademark application for Nature-Driven Nurture with the United States Patent & Trademark Office.

The post Coming Soon: NATURE-DRIVEN NURTURE™ appeared first on Instinct Dog Behavior & Training.

Your puppy is growing up! As puppies enter early adolescence, it is important to understand that – just like human teenagers – their behavior will naturally change and develop, particularly when it comes to play with other dogs; listening skills & manners; and conflict resolution strategies.

Let’s take a closer look at how our pups’ needs change in each of these important areas.

I. PLAY WITH OTHER DOGS

Playtime with other dogs can be an important social activity for dogs at every stage of their life. However, our dogs’ socialization needs change over time, and adolescence is no exception! The socialization experiences our dogs have during adolescence can have a lasting impact on their long-term outlook on dog-dog play.

Here’s what you should know about dog-dog play during early adolescence:

1. Other Dogs May Start to Treat Your Pup Differently

Between 5-6 months, your pup’s “Puppy Pass” expires. Dogs will begin to hold your puppy to a more adult standard of appropriateness when it comes to dog-dog interactions.

What does this mean?

• Typical puppy behaviors – biting at tails, ears and cheeks; placing paws up on other dogs’ shoulders; recklessly running into others; lots of muzzle licking, etc. – that were previously tolerated by adult dogs may now elicit a mild or moderate correction instead.
• These corrections can be scary to still-young pups who are left wondering why other dogs are suddenly taking offense to their super-cool puppy play moves.

2. Your Puppy May Start to Engage with Other Dogs Differently

Young adolescents may start to test the boundaries of appropriateness when interacting with other dogs. They can experiment with rude and impolite behaviors, and they often miss or ignore more subtle communication signals from other dogs asking them to tone it down.

What does this mean?

• It is important to choose play partners carefully during adolescence. Pups need to learn boundaries for polite play to avoid developing bullying tendencies, but they are also still young, sensitive, and highly impressionable.

Tips for Navigating Dog-Dog Play Sessions During Early Adolescence

There are some simple guidelines you can follow to set your young adolescent dog up for success during dog-dog play:

• Learn to read dog body language during play, so you can identify when your dog (or their playmate) needs a break, when things are getting out of hand, and when everyone is having a good time.
• Teach your dog a solid recall cue so you can call them out of dicey situations.
• Choose the right playmates:
  • Other adolescent pups of similar size and play style
  • Patient, socially savvy adult dogs who enjoy play and set clear boundaries through fair, appropriate feedback
• Avoid the wrong playmates:
  • Baby puppies aged 8-16 weeks are generally not well-suited to play with young adolescent dogs, as the “teenagers” can slip into bullying behaviors and overwhelm young pups. Exceptions include shy and very mild mild-mannered adolescents.
  • Stay away from adult dogs who are quick to give overly harsh corrections, especially if they are larger than your adolescent pup. Remember, your puppy is still young and impressionable; regular exposure to adult dogs who respond to careless play with inappropriate levels of aggression can leave your pup with lasting feelings of insecurity and uncertainty about interacting with other dogs.
• Opt for 1-on-1 play sessions, or a small, well-matched group.
• Start with a calm, low-arousal activity like a parallel walk or some training practice, before starting playtime. High arousal levels equal a higher likelihood of poor decisions and altercations.
• Keep play sessions relatively short, about 25-45 minutes. Any longer than that, and dogs typically start to run low on self-control, making them more likely to make poor decisions.

II. LISTENING SKILLS & MANNERS

As pups enter adolescence, they can become less responsive to known obedience cues and seem to suddenly forget their manners (sound familiar, parents of human tweens and teens?!). It is important to remember that your dog isn’t purposefully trying to be bad or to aggravate you. They are going through a totally normal – if sometimes frustrating – phase of their development.

What does this mean?

1. It’s Time to Train!

Now is the time to double-down on daily positive reinforcement-based training that focuses on fun, engagement, cooperation, and trust.

• Your puppy is growing up! It is natural that they want to broaden their horizons, exercise their independence, and experiment with new behaviors.
• Choose playful, positive reinforcement-based training that fosters a dynamic in which your growing pup genuinely enjoys listening to and engaging with you, and trusts that you are ALWAYS a safe place to turn as they explore their independence.
• KEEP IT POSITIVE! Resist the urge to turn to harsher, more aversive training techniques in an attempt to shut down these sometimes -obnoxious teenage behaviors. You’ll run the risk of destroying your pup’s trust in you as a safe place to turn while they figure out the world around them, and you can inadvertently create more serious, long-lasting behavior issues in the process.

2. It’s Time to Manage the Situation!

It is normal to need to make some temporary adjustments to your environment and routine, to temporarily scale back on certain freedoms and add in safety & management measures, in order to set your pup up for success during early adolescence. Here are some common examples:

• Owners often need to utilize a long line during off-leash time for a little while, to ensure their pup’s recall stays reliable during adolescence.
• Adolescent dogs are LARGER than puppies, and their cognitive abilities are increasing, too. It is common to use a gate to keep your adolescent pup out of the kitchen to prevent them from discovering the joys of counter-surfing and trashcan-raiding.

III. CONFLICT RESOLUTION STRATEGIES

As our puppies transition into adolescence, they may begin to experiment with solving problems in a more adult manner. Sometimes, these new behaviors are just temporary blips that are a normal part of development, and are nothing to be concerned about. Other times, they are an important signal that our pups need help with confidence building and coping skills to ensure these new behaviors don’t turn into longer term behavior issues.

What to Watch for:

• Puppies who displayed fearful or cautious behavior around certain people, dogs or objects may now begin to display more proactive distance-increasing behaviors – lunging, snapping, barking – toward those concerning triggers.
• Puppies who displayed overly submissive body language or appeasement behavior when meeting other dogs (e.g., immediately rolling over and exposing their belly/groin, excessively licking other dogs’ muzzles, etc.) may experiment with more forward communication signals that indicate their discomfort and desire for space. Growling, raising a lip, snapping, and lunging are all new tactics that may be utilized to ask the other dog to move away.

It is a great idea to work with a skilled trainer or behavior consultant during this important phase of your pup’s life, so you can identify which behavior changes are a normal part of development, and which should be addressed with specific behavior modification efforts.

RECAP: UNDERSTANDING CHANGING BEHAVIOR NEEDS DURING EARLY ADOLESCENCE

Remember, changes in behavior are NORMAL as your dog progresses through different stages of development. Here are three common changes that may occur during early adolescence:

1. Your dog’s behavior around other dogs may change during adolescence. Providing opportunities for safe, healthy play with appropriate play partners is important.
2. Your dog’s responsiveness to obedience skills may change, and you may see a regression in manners. Don’t panic! Implement daily positive reinforcement-based training that focuses on fun and engagement.
3. Your dog’s conflict resolution strategies may change, and they may experiment with more proactive behaviors to create space for themselves. Work with a trainer to determine whether these changes are a normal part of development, or something that should be addressed via behavior modification.

Learn More about Canine Adolescence

Check out Canine “Teenagers”, a seriously awesome episode of our podcast, DogLab, featuring Dr. Naomi Harvey of Dogs Trust. Dr. Harvey discusses her recent (fascinating) research on canine adolescence and provides a ton of helpful info and advice on helping owners navigate through this phase of development in a positive manner.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

Adolescence is different for every dog, with some presenting more challenging issues and behaviors than others. Hang in there! There is help available. Reach out to us at Instinct, or find a certified dog behavior consultant near you via www.iaabc.org.

The post Canine Teenagers: Navigating Early Adolescence with Your Growing Pup appeared first on Instinct Dog Behavior & Training.

Potty training a puppy takes effort and consistency, but it is generally a fairly straightforward process if you follow some simple rules and guidelines.

KEY #1: MAINTAIN A PREDICTABLE SCHEDULE

Maintaining a consistent, predictable schedule helps your puppy get into the routine of potty training and makes it easier for them to build good habits. In this section, we’ll review how to:

• 1.a) Follow the Potty Training Flow Chart
• 1.b) Set up a schedule that works for your pup’s age
• 1.c) Keep a potty training log that ensures your whole family is keeping your pup on a consistent schedule
• 1.d) Conduct potty breaks in a way that ensures your pup learns to ‘go’ quickly when you take them outside

1.a) POTTY TRAINING FLOW CHART:

Your pup’s potty training schedule should repeat this cycle of events throughout the day:

Note that during potty training, your puppy should only ever be in one of three situations:

• in their crate or pen resting
• on a supervised potty break
• enjoying some supervised free time, which can include any combo of a walk, yard time, indoor play time, and indoor tether/settle time.

1.b) FREQUENCY OF POTTY BREAKS BY AGE

*Meals can be fed at the end of a free time period, just before a crate time period.

**In addition to their regularly scheduled potty breaks, remember that puppies often need to pee or poop:

• Immediately after running around and playing
• Soon after taking a drink or eating a meal
• Immediately after waking up from a nap

1.c) DAILY PUPPY SCHEDULE LOG

Use the two charts above (Potty-Training Flow Chart & Frequency of Potty Breaks by Age chart) to create potty training schedule for your puppy. Then, use the daily puppy schedule log below to track your pup’s progress!

1.d) HOW-TO: TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL POTTY BREAKS

There are a few simple tricks you can use to avoid accidents and get your puppy to go quickly and consistently each time you take them out for a potty break:

• Don’t Dilly Dally. Take your puppy outside immediately after they come out of their crate or confinement area.
• Keep your puppy on a leash, even if you’re just going out in your backyard. This ensures you can keep a close eye on your puppy, AND it makes it easier for you to praise & reward them promptly when they do pee or poop.
• Stick to a small area. If you walk from place to place, your pup will constantly be distracted by new sights & smells, and it will take them longer to go potty. Wait until after they pee and poop, then praise and reward them with the chance to explore.
• Get ‘em moving. If your pup is on “poop strike”, try doing a quick little run-around with them in a small area; the activity can stimulate them to go.

KEY #2: PROVIDE PROPER SUPERVISION & CONFINEMENT AREAS

Providing proper supervision during free time AND setting up a designated confinement/rest area can mean the difference between a successful potty training program and an unsuccessful one. This section will provide you with simple guidelines to:

• 2.a) Structure free time in a way reduces the likelihood of accidents
• 2.b) Set up both short-term & medium-term confinement areas to reduce accidents, build bladder control, AND ensure your pup is getting the rest they need

2.a) HOW-TO: TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL FREE TIME

Remember: based on the Potty Training Flow Chart, your pup is ALWAYS in one of three situations during potty training: in their crate/confinement area, on a potty break, or enjoying some free time. We have TWO simple rules to follow to ensure free time doesn’t become ‘free-for-all’ time:

1. Free time = supervised time; this means:

• • Your pup needs to be in the same room as you
  • You need to have two eyes on your puppy at all times when they are out for free time
  • Your pup should go in their crate or pen if you need to step outside even for just a minute

2. Free time = active play + tether time/settle time;
   • For many puppies, the ideal ratio of active play to settle time during free time is about 1:1
   • For example, if your 3-month-old puppy currently does about 45 minutes of free time before going into her crate for a nap, that free time might be split into 20 minutes of active play & training, then 20 minutes of quietly chewing on a bone next to you while on a tether
   • Providing a mix of both active play AND settle time ensures that:
     • your pup can actually hold it until the next potty break (remember, physical activity can stimulate them to need to go pee or poop)
     • your pup doesn’t inadvertently learn that free time = non-stop party time
     • your pup doesn’t become overstimulated, leading to increased mouthiness/nipping (if you are struggling with puppy nipping & biting, check out our guide to reducing puppy biting).

2.b) HOW-TO: TIPS FOR SETTING UP CONFINEMENT AREAS

There are two types of confinement areas we use during potty training: a) a crate, and b) a pen or gated, puppy-proofed area. The crate and the pen serve different purposes. Most puppy owners find it easiest to have both options available, while other owners find they need only one or the other, based on their schedule and their individual puppy. Below are guidelines for when & how to use a crate vs. a pen during potty training:

1. The Crate.

• • What: a plastic or wire kennel designed to keep a dog or puppy safely & securely confined and out of trouble when an owner is not present.
  • Why: a crate can be helpful during potty training because, if sized correctly, it can encourage a pup to learn to hold their bladder at times when an owner may not be able to directly supervise the pup. This cuts down on potty accidents, thus speeding up potty training. As an added benefit, getting your pup comfortable in a crate means they won’t be stressed if they ever go to board at a vet’s office or kennel.
  • How: a crate should be large enough for a puppy to stand, turn around, and lie down comfortably, but not so large that the pup can comfortably create both a “potty area” and a “sleeping area” inside the crate. The crate can be made comfy by putting a fleece blanket or crate pad inside, along with a couple of toys and bones that are safe for the pup to have without direct supervision. Some pups find it easier to settle if a lightweight sheet is draped over the front of the crate. Just be sure to leave the backside uncovered to allow plenty of airflow.
  • When: a crate should be used for short term confinement only, never for longer than your pup is able to hold their bladder, and ideally, never more than 3-4 hours at a time (even if they can hold it longer than that).

When it Comes to the Crate, Don’t Overdo It. A crate is a really helpful training tool but be careful not to overuse it. Crates are small, confined spaces, and while they are perfectly okay to use for short periods of time throughout the day, we don’t want our pups to have to spend too much time in them.

2. The Pen or Gated Area

• • What: think of this as similar to a play pen for (human) babies. It is a safe, secure area where the pup can move around and play with toys when an owner is unable to directly supervise or is not present. But this pen has an indoor potty area in the form of a wee wee pad or litter box.
  • Why: a pen keeps your puppy safe & secure, just like a crate, when you are unable to supervise them. But, unlike a crate, a pen also provides your pup with access to a designated indoor spot to go potty
  • How: a pen or gated area should include a few things: the dog’s (open) crate with a comfy bed or blanket inside; a wee wee pad in a tray (to discourage chewing/tearing) or litter box; a bowl of fresh water, and several safe toys and bones. The pen/gate should be securely fixed in place and high enough that your pup can’t scale over it.
  • When: a pen can be used for medium-term confinement, when your puppy will need to wait longer than they are currently able to hold it, to receive a potty break. This ensures they are not soiling their crate/themselves, and they are still practicing going in an “approved” potty spot.
    • Examples: if your 2-month-old pup needs to go out for a potty break every 90 minutes, but you need to be out of the house for 2.5 hours, you can leave your puppy in their pen with access to a wee wee pad, instead of in their crate. Same goes for overnight: if your pup can only last about 6 hours overnight, but you need a solid 8 hrs to feel functional, have your pup sleep in a pen with a wee wee pad overnight until they get a little older.

Your Pen or Gated Area Can Replace Your Crate. As your pup ages, you can often ditch the crate entirely, and use the pen/gated area as your pup’s primary confinement area when they are left alone (until they are old enough to be trusted not to chew up your pillows and get into things that might harm them!). When you notice that your puppy is no longer making use of the wee wee pads during pen time, that’s a good cue that you can remove the pads altogether and swap out closed crate time for pen time.

KEY #3: USE A PATIENT, POSITIVE APPROACH

This is the shortest section in our potty training basics guide, but it is one of the most important! Why? Because it is a reminder that:

• 3.a) Your puppy is still a baby
• 3.b) Potty training is a process

3.a) Your Puppy is Still a Baby.

It is sometimes easy to forget just how young our pups are when we bring them home. But they really are just babies, still developing control over their bodily functions while they also attempt to learn how to navigate a new environment, new people, and whole new set of silly human rules. Stay positive. Reward and celebrate with your pup when they do the right thing. Stay calm and avoid scolding if they have an accident in the house – you want to remain a safe, trusted place for your pup to turn as they grow up.

3.b) Potty Training is a Process.

It takes time, and your progress will not be a straight line. Your puppy WILL have accidents in the house. Sometimes, it will be 100% your fault because you waited too long to take them out, you missed a clear signal that they were about to go, or your attention got diverted by life and your pup went without you noticing. Other times, you won’t know exactly why. Maybe your pup had a bigger drink than normal. Maybe they were just feeling a little bit yucky or extra sleepy, and they forgot themselves for a moment.

No matter the reason, just remember, this is normal! So long as you are doing your best to stick to the schedule, and so long as you are seeing a positive trend, you and your pull WILL be okay! Have patience, and look for progress, not perfection :).

One last reminder: there is additional help available!

The information in this guidebook is standardized advice that works for the majority of puppies. If you are following all of the guidelines enclosed here but you are still struggling, don’t worry! Some pups take a little longer to mature and develop bladder control. Some pups are nervous outside and thus are more likely to want to eliminate inside the home. And some pups are just plain tricky to potty train. If you are feeling frustrated, your primary care veterinarian and/or a professional trainer can provide you with support beyond what is outlined here, with guidance that is customized especially to your puppy and their individual needs.

Happy Training!

The post How to Potty Train Your Puppy appeared first on Instinct Dog Behavior & Training.

Puppies. So soft and cute. So snuggly and playful. And sometimes, SO BITEY. While 99.5% of puppy biting isn’t meant to cause us harm, those needle-sharp teeth can still really hurt! It’s not surprising that puppy biting is a behavior many owners want to curb ASAP.

A certain amount of bitey, mouthy behavior is an expected part of puppyhood. But, there are some common reasons puppies display biting and mouthing behaviors beyond just normal puppy development. The good news? Once you know the reasons, there are some simple adjustments you can make to decrease those bitey behaviors AND help your puppy feel better at the same time. It’s a win-win!

Read on for 6 common reasons 8- to 20-week-old puppies sometimes act like pint-sized landsharks.

#1. They are TIRED

Being overtired is one of the most common reasons we see puppies exhibit overly bitey and nippy behavior. Young puppies need 16-18 hours of sleep each day. Much like a human baby or toddler, puppies get fussy and cranky when they are tired, but they don’t yet have enough self-awareness to recognize they need a nap to feel better.

How You Can Help Your Puppy:

• Give your puppy scheduled rest periods and quiet times throughout the day
• If you have a very lively, active household, make sure your pup’s resting place – whether a a crate, an exercise pen, or a gated, puppy-proofed room – is in a quiet, low traffic spot where they won’t be constantly disturbed by household commotion.

#2. They are OVEREXCITED

Young puppies have not yet learned to regulate their emotional arousal. When then become overly excited or aroused, they start to lose inhibition and self-control, which leads to them getting extra bitey.

How You Can Help Your Puppy:

• Imagine your pup’s excitability on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is totally calm and relaxed, and 10 is a full-on case of the puppy zoomies.
• When you see your pup’s excitement level creeping up to a 7 or 8 during play, help them learn to stop, take a breath, and calm down a bit.
• You can do this by modeling calm, relaxed behavior yourself: slow down your movements, blink your eyes softly, and stay quiet or speak only using low, slow tones.
• With practice, your pup will quickly learn to take their cues from you that it’s times to take a break and settle down.
• You can also practice playing “Go Wild & Freeze” with your pup, like Trainer Lauren is doing in this video with Camper Donnie:

#3. They are FRUSTRATED

Just as very young children may feel the desire to hit, slap, or kick when frustrated, young puppies will often use their teeth to display frustration and anger. It is easy to view frustrated biting as a puppy being obnoxious or “bratty.” But try to remember that frustration is a really icky emotion, and it is often born from feelings of confusion and/or lack of control about a situation.

How You Can Help Your Puppy:

• If you see your puppy becoming frustrated, first try to identify the source of frustration (for example, being restrained, being brushed, having a toy taken away, etc.).
• Then, recreate easier versions of that scenario, and reward your puppy for doing whatever it is you’d like them to do INSTEAD of biting and nipping. In the video below, Camper Gizmo learns to accept brushing without getting frustrated and mouthy.
• In addition, impulse control games are a great way to help your puppy learn more productive, socially appropriate ways to cope with feelings of frustration.

#4. Your actions say “BITE ME”

There are some things we humans do that are the equivalent of wearing a great big “Bite Me” sign on our backs! Here are a couple of common ones:

1. Sitting on the floor for prolonged periods of time with an excited, active puppy. Why? When you sit on the floor, you are likely to become a living, breathing climbing apparatus, complete with all kinds of fun knobs and doohickies on which to gnaw and pull: your nose, ears, hair, the strings on your sweatshirt, and more.
2. Making high-pitched squealing noises and quick, jerky movements. There is a reason puppy toys have squeakers . When we make high-pitched noises and quickly pull our hands away from a puppy, they instinctively respond with chasing and nipping.

How You Can Help Your Puppy:

• Instead of sitting cross-legged on the floor, try sitting on your knees. This makes it easy for you to quickly straighten up and remove access to your lap if your pup becomes nippy.
• Avoid making too many squeal-y, overly excited sounds around your puppy (though a higher pitched “pup-pup-pup” or kissy noise is a great way to entice your puppy to come to you). And, keep your movements controlled. If your puppy nips at you, try freezing instead of jerking your hand away.

#5. They are saying “NO THANKS” to petting

Many puppies will become bitey or mouthy when you pet them for too long. Sometimes, this can be chalked up to the pup getting overstimulated from all the scritch-scratching, but many other times, your pup is asking you – in the best way they know how – to please give them a break.

How You Can Help Your Puppy:

We don’t want puppies to learn that biting and nipping is an effective way to make human hands go away. Instead, we want to teach pups that they can say, “yes, please” or “no, thank you” to petting without having to use their teeth.

Try this:

• First, only pet your puppy when they are already calm and relaxed (remember reason #2 – overexcited puppies are more likely to be bitey).
• Pet your puppy for just 3-5 seconds at a time, then pause and take your hands away.
• If your pup nuzzles or moves toward your hand, pet them again. But, if they move away or just quietly lay in place, they are telling you they don’t really care about or want pets at that time.
• Over time, you can start to present your open hands to your pup as an invitation that asks, “Would you like some pets?” If they approach and curl into you, that’s a great big, “Yes please!” But if they don’t, they are saying “No thank you” in a manner that is far less painful than pointy puppy teeth. Watch the video below to learn petting do’s and don’ts that work for both puppies AND adult dogs:

#6. They are just being a PUPPY

Viewing the world as one big chew toy is a normal part of puppy development. Your puppy WILL sometimes try to chew on your fingers and nip your pant legs, even if they are not feeling sleepy, overstimulated, or frustrated.

How You Can Help Your Puppy:

• Since your puppy IS going to bite/chew/gnaw on something, be sure to provide them with access to a variety of safe toys, chews, and bones in different textures. This makes it easy for them to make good choices when deciding where to put their needle-sharp teeth.
• In addition, providing the opportunity to play with other puppies is a great way to fulfill your puppy’s need to bite and mouth as part of play.

BONUS REASON: They have to POOP!

If your puppy suddenly becomes wild-eyed and starts zooming around, biting at your hands, feet, and clothes, they very well may have to go potty. We’re not sure exactly why, but many puppies get a little whacky right before the have to poop.

Want our handy “6 Reasons Your Puppy Is Biting You” infographic? Just right click and save the image below!

Happy Training!

The post 6 Reasons Your Puppy is Biting You appeared first on Instinct Dog Behavior & Training.

If you’re working on a behavior modification plan to help your dog with fear, anxiety, or aggression issues, chances are you’ve pondered (or asked your trainer) at least one of the following questions along the way:

• Is all this “management” really necessary right now? Aren’t we just avoiding the issue?
• How do these exercises relate to the problems we’re having?
• Shouldn’t I maybe test out some trickier scenarios, just to see how my dog does?
• How long are we going to be working on this? Will we ever really be finished?

Those are totally understandable questions. Behavior modification is a foreign process to most of us; as a society, we’re generally far more knowledgeable about the treatment of physical health issues than we are about the treatment of behavioral and emotional ones.

As luck would have it, the process of working through a behavior modification program with your dog shares some similarities to going through the recovery process for a physical health issue, like an injury.

Let’s consider these two theoretical scenarios, one a physical injury, and one a behavior issue:

#1. PHYSICAL INJURY: Mary Sprains Her Ankle

Mary is a cross-country runner. During a race, she rolls her ankle while navigating a rocky trail. She’d been experiencing some low-level ankle pain for a while, but this SERIOUSLY hurts. She hobbles into a hospital emergency room grimacing in pain. She is examined by the doctor, receives x-rays, and is diagnosed with a badly sprained ankle.

#2. BEHAVIOR ISSUE: Fluffy is Displaying Dog-Directed Aggression & Reactivity

Over the past year, Fluffy the dog has started getting in fights at the dog park and displaying increasing levels of reactivity toward dogs on walks. Fluffy is actively scanning for other dogs on walks; reactions are intense, and she takes a long time to recover after a blow-up. A behavior consultant meets with the owner, Sam, and determines Fluffy’s aggressive behavior is motivated by a combination of fear and frustration.

It’s pretty apparent that each of these individuals needs some treatment to help improve their current situation. In each case, the treatment will occur in phases. Each phase – from acute care to rehabilitation to long-term prevention & management – is a necessary and important part of a successful treatment plan. Exactly how long each phase lasts will depend on the individual.

Treatment Phase 1: ACUTE CARE

Implement immediate, temporary interventions to prevent injury or behavior issue from worsening; allow the body (or brain) to get to a place where physical therapy or behavior modification can effectively begin.

ACUTE CARE for MARY

MARY is given a compression wrap and crutches. For the next 5-7 days, she is told to avoid putting weight on the ankle. She is to rest, apply ice every 20 minutes during the day, keep the ankle elevated when possible, and take anti-inflammatories to help reduce swelling so that healing can occur, and physical therapy can begin.

ACUTE CARE FOR FLUFFY

SAM is advised to stop taking Fluffy to the dog park and to avoid walking routes where there is any chance of encountering other dogs. She is told to give Fluffy a “stress vacation,” avoiding stressful experiences while providing positive, relaxing activities. The goal is to reduce any chronically elevated stress levels so that learning can occur, and behavior modification can begin. Sam is also advised to contact a local veterinary behaviorist to determine whether medication would be helpful in setting the stage for learning to occur.

Treatment Phase 2: REHABILITATION

Physical therapy or behavior modification begins, focused on building/rebuilding the individual’s relevant functional abilities. Rehab occurs gradually to reduce the risk of re-injury/regression.

REHABILITATION for MARY

MARY starts her physical therapy. She begins with low-impact stretching exercises. Over weeks and months, she slowly and carefully builds up to more rigorous, high-impact physical exercises. Throughout, the focus is on rebuilding strength and flexibility in her injured ankle and the rest of her body.

REHABILITATION FOR FLUFFY

SAM starts working with Fluffy on confidence building, frustration tolerance & attention on leash. She also starts Fluffy on a behavior medication to help her better cope with stress and frustration. Over weeks and months, she works on desensitization and counterconditioning around other dogs on walks to help Fluffy feel more relaxed and comfortable when she encounters other dogs at increasingly close distances. They also work on slow, careful one-on-one introductions to appropriate doggy playmates at the behavior consultant’s training facility.

Treatment Phase 3: PREVENTION & MANAGEMENT

Ongoing maintenance exercises serve to retain progress made during rehabilitation. Semi-permanent or permanent alterations to lifestyle and/or environment mitigate risks of re-injury/regression.

PREVENTION & MANAGEMENT for MARY

MARY is running regularly again! She wears an ankle wrap and new, more supportive shoes on runs to provide her ankle with extra stability, and she avoids rocky and uneven trails. During humid weather, she takes pain medication to manage some mild arthritis in her ankle, and she takes a few days off to rest if her ankle starts bothering her. She goes to the gym and does regular strength training and stretching exercises to reduce risk of reinjury.

PREVENTION & MANAGEMENT FOR FLUFFY

SAM and Fluffy go on daily walks and are able to pass most dogs successfully! Sam uses a front-clip harness and brings treats with her on walks so she can continue to practice & reinforce the skills they worked on during behavior modification. Fluffy still takes daily behavior medication, but the dose has been reduced. Sam avoids walking routes & times of day when dog traffic is especially high. She no longer visits the dog park and instead arranges playdates with a couple of dog friends in her neighborhood. Sam follows a specific protocol when introducing Fluffy to a new dog, and Fluffy wears a comfy basket muzzle until the initial “get to know you” period has passed. There are certain types of dogs that Fluffy just doesn’t enjoy, and Sam avoids those dogs and does not attempt introductions.

Additional Considerations

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! You’re about to learn a couple of other important parallels hidden within in the descriptions of the treatment phases we just outlined together:

1. SETBACKS HAPPEN.

Sometimes during treatment, we misjudge our progress and our abilities, or we’re faced with an unanticipated, unavoidable situation we’re not yet ready for. As a result, we have setbacks in progress that require us to step back a phase (or spend more time in the current phase) before progressing again. Let’s use our friends, Mary, Sam & Fluffy, as examples again:

MARY’S SETBACK

About 6 weeks into physical therapy, Mary went on vacation and tried running along the beach one morning. About one mile in, she recognized her mistake; her ankle was throbbing. She needed to rest for a few days and take meds to alleviate the swelling and pain. Her physical therapist instructed her to go back to her “Week 4” exercises, then work her way back up to where she was pre-beach run.

FLUFFY’S SETBACK

Fluffy was making some exciting, positive strides during her behavior modification program. She was becoming less reactive & hypervigilant on walks, and she seemed more relaxed at home too. After about 4 weeks of practice, Sam decided to try taking Fluffy back to the dog park, just to see if she did better after the 4-week break. About 10 minutes into the visit, Fluffy got into a fight and Sam left in tears. For the next few days, Fluffy was far more reactive to other dogs on walks, even at far distances. Sam took a step back and worked on some of their foundation exercises, and after about a week and a half, the team got back where they were prior to the dog park visit.

Setbacks happen to EVERYONE. All we can do is take a breath, recognize that it’s usually not the end of the world, and get back to work.

2. LIMITATIONS CAN EXIST.

Depending on the severity of, and/or genetic predisposition toward the issue, there can be lifelong limitations on the amount of progress to be made. Long term management and modifications to our environment, activities, and routines may be required to reduce the risk of re-injury/regression. Let’s review some limitations that were mentioned in Treatment Phase 3: Prevention & Management for both Mary and Fluffy:

MARY’S LIMITATIONS

• Mary is no longer able to safely run on rocky or rough terrain
• She is required to wear an ankle wrap, along with extra-supportive shoes
• She is required to do regular strength and flexibility conditioning
• She sometimes needs meds to help with the arthritis that resulted from the injury

FLUFFY’S LIMITATIONS

• Fluffy requires ongoing reinforcement of her new, more appropriate behaviors
• Sam avoids very high traffic dog areas
• She and Fluffy will no longer visit the dog park
• Fluffy wears a muzzle when being introduced to new dog friends; not all dogs are candidates to become Fluffy’s friends
• Fluffy continues to take daily behavior medication to help with her low frustration tolerance and her inherent difficulty coping with stress

Limitations are a very real and normal part of the process, both for physical injuries and for behavior issues. If we focus only on the limitations, it’s easy to get discouraged. But the most important parts of Mary’s, and Sam & Fluffy’s, stories is that things are a whole lot better than they were before. Mary is RUNNING again! And Sam & Fluffy are enjoying their walks together, and they have a safe, fun way to meet new dog friends. And that’s AMAZING. The focus is on making things better, not perfect.

Final Thoughts

Behavior modification for complex behavior issues is challenging but also unbelievably rewarding and worth it. When we better understand the end-to-end process (and what “finished” really looks like), it can make the journey a whole lot less frustrating and make it easier to celebrate our dogs’ incremental improvements.

Keep up the great work, and Happy Training!

The post What Can Sprained Ankles Teach Us About Dog Behavior Modification? appeared first on Instinct Dog Behavior & Training.

What is Tether Time?

Tether Time is a relaxation & settling exercise. During short periods of time (typically 10-30 minutes), your dog is tethered on ~3 feet of leash, with access to a comfy bed and a long-lasting chew – this is your Tether Station. The leash can be affixed to the leg of a heavy sofa, or to an eye-hook you install securely in the wall.

Rules of Engagement

1. Requires Adult Supervision. Tether Time is ALWAYS a supervised activity; dogs should never be left alone on a tether.
2. No Petting Allowed. Do not let anyone invade your dog’s personal space or pet them during Tether Time. The Tether Station is your dog’s own personal zen zone, no humans allowed. Why? If your dog becomes uncomfortable with an interaction while tethered, they are unable to move away and avoid that person’s attention.

How to Introduce Tether Time:

When introducing your dog to Tether Time, follow these steps to ensure it’s a low-stress, relaxing experience for both you and your dog:

For the first 4-6 repetitions, practice only during quiet, LOW DISTRACTION times. Make sure your dog has already received some mental stimulation and physical exercise, and they’ve recently eaten and had a chance to use the bathroom.

1. Invite your dog onto their bed and reward them with a treat. Attach the tether to their flat collar or harness. Then, provide them with a yummy bone or a favorite long-lasting chew.
2. Stay Close! Take a seat in a nearby chair so that you are just a few inches outside of your dog’s reach. Being on a tether is a new experience for some dogs; by staying nice and close, you are helping your dog feel secure that mom or dad is right there with them, and there’s nothing to be concerned about.
3. Ignore your dog while they are tethered. This is harder than it sounds, so try reading a book or checking emails on your phone. If your dog fusses a little or lets out a few barks, just continue focusing on your reading or your phone as if Tether Time is the most normal activity in the world.*
4. Untether your pup as soon as they finish their bone or chew, OR after 5 minutes (whichever comes first). When you remove the tether, do so unceremoniously – don’t make a big fuss or lather them in attention. They can choose to walk away from the Tether Station or hang out a little longer.

Make Tether Time a Part of Everyday Life

After 4-6 repetitions, you can start to gradually increase the length of time your dog stays on their tether. Try adding a minute each time you practice, until you reach 30 minutes. You can begin to sit a little farther away. Do this in small increments and watch for any signs that your dog is becoming more stressed (persistent pulling at the end of the tether, steady barking or yipping, or stress panting). That’s your cue to move back to a distance where your dog is more comfortable.

Start to occasionally get up and walk to the kitchen to grab a glass of water, or to another room to grab something, then return to your spot, all the while ignoring your dog. Practice at different times of day and under more distracting circumstances.

Before long, your dog will start to learn that Tether Time is a cue to settle in and get comfy, because nothing much is happening. It’s a great skill to use during (human) mealtimes, guest visits**, or whenever you feel like your dog is having trouble relaxing, even after their exercise and mental stimulation needs have been met.

Happy Training!

*If you have a dog who has separation-related anxiety issues, or other significant fear or anxiety issues, or if your dog becomes significantly frustrated or distressed during the initial stage of the exercises, please reach out to a certified dog behavior consultant for help before proceeding.

**If you have a dog who behaves fearfully or aggressively toward guests, Tether Time may not be an appropriate option during visits. Please contact a certified dog behavior consultant for help with an appropriate guest routine that focuses on helping your dog feel more relaxed and comfortable.

The post How-to: Use Tether Time to Teach Your Dog Settling Skills appeared first on Instinct Dog Behavior & Training.

Just like with people, a dog’s emotions have a big influence on their behavior. If they no longer feel fearful, or anxious, or frustrated in the presence of a trigger, the reason to react goes away. Working to change a dog’s emotional response to their triggers is one of the most important parts of a behavior modification program, and it’s done through a process called Counterconditioning & Desensitization.

Ready for Action: Understanding the Stress Response

When your dog is faced with a trigger that is too close for comfort, the negative emotions they experience set off a stress response in the body that says “Potential Danger Nearby! Prepare for Action!” The physiological changes that happen next are involuntary, meaning your dog has no control over them.

During a stress response, adrenaline and cortisol are released into the blood stream. These hormones cause your dog to experience a range of INVOLUNTARY physiological responses: their heart beats faster, their rate of breathing increases, their blood pressure rises. The adrenaline in their system causes tiny airways in the lungs to open wider, allowing more oxygen into the body. Heightened alertness and greater sensitivity to sights and sounds follow, as does an elevated startle response.

Our dogs’ brains and bodies have prepared them for action in an effort to help them stay safe. It’s easy to see why the next thing that often happens is lunging, barking, growling, or snapping at the trigger that prompted those negative emotions and physiological stress responses in the first place.

Changing the Emotional Response

Counterconditioning & Desensitization (CC/DS) uses principles of classical conditioning to change the emotional responses our dogs have to their triggers, from negative, to neutral or positive. Remember, no negative feelings, no more reactions!

CC/DS is very similar to exposure therapy in humans, which involves helping a patient overcome something that causes them fear or anxiety by exposing them to the source of their anxiety a little at a time, starting with low intensity exposure and gradually building up to full intensity or “the real deal.”

With dogs, we do more than just exposing them to a trigger during CC/DS sessions. We also add something pleasant or appetitive – like turkey or hot dogs! – in the presence of the trigger to further aid in the learning process.

The Key to Effective Counterconditioning & Desensitization

The sweet spot for Counterconditioning & Desensitization is when your dog is just at threshold in relation to their trigger. “At threshold” is the point where your dog notices the trigger in the environment and displays mild concern but is still able to disengage and move onto other things.

By allowing your dog to observe their trigger at this low intensity (and providing them extra yummy treats at the same time), we’re allowing their mild feelings of concern to dissipate – instead of escalating into a full-blown stress response – and be replaced with feelings of relaxation. With repetition, the presence of a trigger at that intensity will no longer cause even mild concern.

The goal with controlled CC/DS sessions is to extinguish any negative emotional responses to the trigger at the current level of intensity, before moving on and increasing the level of intensity. This allows us to make progress in a way that is efficient and low-stress for the learner, and that addresses the root cause of our dog’s aggressive or reactive behavior.

Counterconditioning & Desensitization in Action

This video from our free Leash Reactivity video series reviews how to use counterconditioning and desensitization techniques for dogs who display on-leash reactivity – lunging, barking, and growling at people or other dogs.

Additional Resources

If you’d like to learn more, check out our free online course for leash reactive dogs! It’s packed with additional info and videos like this, and includes a step-by-step training plan to help improve your leash reactive dog’s behavior on walks.

• The Leash Reactive Dog Course: onlineschool.instinctdogtraining.com

Happy Training!

The post Counterconditioning & Desensitization: Changing an Emotional Response appeared first on Instinct Dog Behavior & Training.

Practice makes perfect, right? This statement is true for dogs as much as for people!  The behaviors your dog “practices” are the ones likely to be repeated again in the future – regardless of whether those behaviors are ones we like, such as sitting on cue, or ones we don’t like, such as barking at dogs on walks.

Practicing Unwanted Behaviors Makes It Harder to Teach New Habits

Practiced behaviors may actually get stronger or harder to change, just by allowing them to happen.  Blocking your dog’s opportunity to rehearse unwanted behavior patterns doesn’t automatically teach them how to feel or to behave in those situations, but it will improve your dog’s response to training interventions and make it easier for them to learn new and better habits.

It may be helpful to think about this in terms of green, yellow, and red emotional states.

Your responsibility is to keep your dog as consistently in “green” as you possibly can, unless you are focusing on teaching your dog how to respond to specific situations, in which case you’ll briefly create a hint of a “yellow” situation, then immediately provide your dog with their favorite reward or give them a cue to guide their behavior to something you can reward.

Specifics of how to do that for your dog will be covered within behavior modification or training sessions, but these interventions will be MUCH more effective by proactively managing your dog and their environment between training sessions to prevent that unwanted practicing.

Staying in “Green”: Tips to Avoid Practicing Unwanted Behaviors

Here are a few general guidelines to help you and your dog avoid practicing some common unwanted behaviors while you are navigating through a behavior modification program:

Leash Reactivity

• If your dog is likely to react to people or dogs in public, try adjusting your route or maintaining enough distance that they are able to remain calm and non-reactive. If you live in a busy urban environment, try to walk at “off hours” and avoid peak busy times.

Alert Barking at Passersby from In the Home

• If your dog is likely to react to passersby from your home, by barking or charging the front windows, make a point of blocking access using a gate or perhaps by covering the lower portion of the window with an opaque covering to limit their view.  Ideally, the gate or window covering is something that can be removed during training sessions but then put back into position between sessions.

Reactivity in the Car

• If your dog is likely to react to people or other dogs while riding in a vehicle, using a seat belt, having them ride in a crate, or perhaps using a tool such as a “Calming/Thunder Cap” can be helpful for minimizing this behavior.

Barking/Charging the Fence Line

• If your dog is likely to bark and/or charge the fence line in response to neighbors, dogs, or passersby, it may be necessary to temporarily limit their access to the yard to times when they can be directly supervised. It may be necessary to be out in the yard with them so that you can prevent rather than interrupt aggressive reactions. It may also be necessary to use a long training leash for full control rather than allowing them time in the yard off leash.

Taking steps to avoid having your dog practice unwanted behaviors will allow for more efficient progress as you work through a behavior modification plan. If you need advice on effective management strategies, or if you’re ready to start a behavior modification program with your dog, reach out to a positive reinforcement based, certified dog behavior consultant for help.

Resources for Behavior Help:

• www.instinctdogtraining.com
• www.iaabc.org

The post Practice Makes Perfect: Avoid Rehearsing Unwanted Behaviors appeared first on Instinct Dog Behavior & Training.

How to Set Up & Use a Kong Staton for Overexcited Greeters:

Over time, you can skip Step 4 and just direct your dog to head straight to their bed or resting spot, then give them the Kong.

That’s all there is to it! This is an easy, effective, and fun way for your dog to learn to move AWAY from the door when people enter, and to engage themselves in a calm, four-paws-on-the-floor activity instead of jumping.

Another great alternative to help with dogs who LOVE to jump to say hello? The Treat Bomb. Learn more about this other simple, effective option here.

Happy Training!

*Why purchase so many Kongs or similar toys for your Kong Station? Because, at any given time, one will be under the couch, one will be in the dishwasher, and one will be in your backyard or your dog’s crate. Having multiples helps ensure that at least one has made its way back to the basket and is available for its intended use.

The post How-To: Using a Kong Station for Overexcited Greeters appeared first on Instinct Dog Behavior & Training.