Get committed
Your dog is a stinker – jumping at people, nipping [sometimes, really hard], not sharing toys, attacking the rake or lawn mower, going crazy over the vacuum or broom, pulling, barking, and lunging at people and other dogs… It’s frustrating and embarrassing, so you call a trainer for help. The trainer comes out, gets an idea about what’s going on, starts working with your dog, and lo and behold, the dog who never listens to you sits nicely, gazes into the trainer’s eyes, and waits for direction! You exclaim in surprise, “Who is this dog? I want this dog!” and you hire the trainer for more in-depth work.
But, here’s the catch: You have to do the work, too. You have to get committed and stay committed, no matter how many times the dog tests you – and they will, because, up to this point, he or she wasn’t taking you the slightest bit seriously. He knows exactly how many times you’ll try to correct or command him; she knows exactly how you’ll respond or react when she’s naughty. You’re going to have to work very hard to prove to your dog that you’re taking control, that the days of negotiating with them and giving in to them are over.
The trainer can help you with these things, but it’s not their responsibility to train your dog. It’s yours. If your dog is continuing to be a stinker in between your weekly lessons, you need to look at what you are doing – or not doing. Are you consistently working them on their lessons, or are you letting other things get in the way and making excuses for that? Are you regularly doing things that engage their brain and tire them out, or are you getting frustrated with them when they act out because they’re bored? What are you, the owner, doing to help them become their best dog self?
Having a well-behaved, happy dog doesn’t just magically happen. You have to work at it – and not just in group class or during private lessons. You have to work your dog every single day to reinforce those lessons. You can’t develop and build on bonds of mutual trust and respect if you’re not going to get committed.
Have a beautiful day, and remember: Stay calm, and lead on… 🙂
Chanty: Session 2
Chanty was much less reactive towards me when I arrived for his second session. He did lunge and bark at me when I was moving into position for the pass-by exercises, but after Read More
Chanty: Session 1
Overall, today’s first session with Chanty went very well. He was tense and had his tail tucked between his legs, and he persisted in trying to hide behind, jump up at, and push into Becky’s legs and body. When he was denied those options, he dropped his head down to chew on grass but looked up at the same time to watch for any danger. When I moved, he reacted by barking, mock-charging, and lunging.
This first session was spent helping Chanty become less sensitive to my presence. This was achieved by walking around him from a distance and having Becky walk him past me. For the walk-by exercises, I had her place herself between me and Chanty for several passes, and then place him between me and her for several passes. We did this exercise for about 20 minutes; for the last ten minutes, I had Becky bring him a little closer to me on each pass, keeping herself between him and me each time. Chanty gave her trust by following her and staying beside her on each pass.
Chanty has specific, sometimes subtle “tells” he gives right before he reacts. First, his ears come up in what may appear to be curiosity and he makes eye contact. Then, he emits a very low, soft growl and lifts his lip. Then, his front legs stiffen and his tail starts to wag a little. Then, his tail tucks between his legs again and he barks, lunges, and mock-charges.
During the session, I asked Becky to stop talking to him except to direct him [“let’s go”] or praise him. I also had her start using different words and phrases with him, as I had noticed that she was inadvertently giving Chanty permission to be reactive. Once she changed those, Chanty started to settle down and give her a bit more trust. After 45 minutes of hard, repetitive exercises, Chanty was finally able to tolerate my presence. At this first session, although he was seriously reactive, I earned some big points with Chanty: I was able to close the gap between us from five feet to just over four feet without having him become reactive. He still chewed at the grass and watched me at the same time, but he did not growl, bark, or lunge at me. It was a really big victory for him and for us.
Below is a highlight video of today’s session. You can see where he started from, and how he was after 45 minutes of desensitizing work. The next session is Sept. 16. Stay tuned for the update…