3 Key Training Exercises for a Well Mannered Dog

Written by: Sam Kabbel, CPDT-KA, President, Pet Behavior Solutions (www.petbehaviorsolutions.com)

Just about everyone would like to have a polite, well mannered dog. Such dogs are a pleasure to take with you into the community, greet guests well and make their owners feel proud! Here are three key training exercises that you can practice with your dog to teach him to be more polite.

1. Do something to get something. Your dog should learn that he gets what he wants only when he does what you want. Teach your dog to sit or down before he can have access to ANYTHING. Here are some examples of rewards you can provide after your dog offers you a sit or a down: a toy being thrown, freedom from his crate, opening a baby gate, going through a door, receiving meals and treats, getting his leash put on to go for a walk, etc. Don’t make him comply with your command (e.g., pushing his butt down to force him to sit.) Allow him to experience the consequence of what happens if he doesn’t listen. The consequence for NOT complying with a command should be the loss of the thing he was expecting. This means that the door doesn’t open, the toy doesn’t get thrown, dinner is delayed, etc. Wait a minute or two and then try again.

2. Wait for permission. Your dog should learn to wait for your permission before doing things he wants. This is a variation of doing something to get something but instead of simply sitting he has to wait until you tell him it is OK to do it. This is more of an impulse control exercise and is a great way to create a well mannered dog. A great example is to require your dog to settle at your side and wait for your permission before greeting a person or another dog. In this example, the consequence is that he doesn’t get to greet the person or the dog UNTIL he waits for your permission. This takes some training and patience. With your dog on his leash, gently but purposefully pull back on his leash to pull him into the position by your side. It doesn’t matter if he is sitting, standing, downing, etc. He just needs to hang out at your side. Once he is by your side, loosen the tension on the leash; do not keep the leash tight. If he leaves that position, gently but purposefully pull him back into position and again release the leash tension. Continue doing that until he stays at your side with the leash loose. Don’t tell him to stay or reprimand him for moving out of position. Just work the exercise by pulling him back and releasing the tension of the leash. When he is in this position by your side, you may tell him OK and take a step toward the person so he can greet. If he jumps up on the person – pull him back into a settled position and repeat the process until he is successful. He should learn that the quicker he waits for your permission – the quicker he gets to greet the dog or person.

3. Attention isn’t always available. Let’s face it – dogs make us feel good about ourselves. They are always happy to see us and they are often asking for affection or attention from us. Not much is better for the ego than an affectionate dog! Polite or well mannered dogs aren’t demanding or overly pushy in asking for attention from humans. Try this training protocol. When your dog asks for attention you should respond RANDOMLY one of the following three ways:

a. Ask him to sit or down before giving him attention. This is the same as in the first exercise – do something to get something. If he doesn’t sit, he doesn’t get your attention.

b. Another way to respond is to go ahead and give him the attention, but be brief about it and then be dismissive when you are finished. When he asks for attention, give him some good love, but only for about 5 to 10 seconds. Then go back to what you were doing and do not give him any more attention.

c. Finally, at times, you should just be too busy to give your dog the attention he wants. Simply ignore his requests as if it didn’t even happen. He should not be able to predict what your response will be when he asks for attention, rather he should learn that he gets what you give him and being demanding or overly pushy never gets him what he wants.

By responding randomly, you are still providing your dog with affection, but are also teaching him there are times when being pushy doesn’t get him what he wants. These three exercises are very effective for teaching your dog to be polite and well mannered and to have better impulse control about getting what he wants. Please contact us for additional information in carrying out these exercises as well as for help when things don’t work as well as they should. Sometimes training exercises need to be broken into smaller tasks to make your dog successful.

5 Things to Consider Before Adopting a Pet

Written by: Sam Kabbel, CPDT-KA, President, Pet Behavior Solutions

Adopting a pet is a great thing to do! Giving a dog or cat (puppy or kitten) a second chance can be a wonderfully rewarding experience. Unfortunately sometimes it can be quite frustrating when things don't go as expected. Here are 5 things to consider before adopting a pet:

1. What are you looking for in a pet? If you want to adopt a dog - are you looking for a jogging buddy, couch potato, social butterfly, protector, etc.? Do you want him to get along with other dogs, men, women, children, cats, birds, etc? If you want to adopt a cat - are you looking for a playful kitty, a lap warmer, a travel companion, etc.? Do you want him to get along with other cats, pets, other people, etc.? Before being taken in by the sweet face, longing eyes, and beautiful markings - be sure you are looking for a good match for your lifestyle and expectations.
2. Consider the life span of a pet. Some dogs and cats can live upwards of 15+ years. What might your life look like in that time period? Can you anticipate any changes that might occur and is the pet you are considering a good match for those potential changes? (e.g., A dog with a high prey drive may not be a good match for your girlfriend's cats should you decide to move in together.)
3. During the meeting or introduction to that pet - if you see anything that concerns you or causes you to have reservations please take the time to think through that. Do not make an emotional decision or go on impulse just because you fell in love or because you want to save or rescue him/her. Take the time to determine if you have what this pet needs and if the issues you may encounter are things you can live with or work with.
4. Don't forget about expenses other than food and veterinary care. All dogs should receive some level of training and many pets may require behavior modification protocols as well in order to resolve issues that may arise. Most problems or issues can either be managed, treated, or completely eliminated with the right training and behavior protocols.
5. Don't adopt a pet that is poorly matched to your lifestyle, needs, or expectations with the intention of changing him or training things out of or into him. While, as stated above, most issues can be successfully addressed it is much better to find the right match in the first place! Trying to mold a dog or cat to meet your expectations could be difficult if not impossible and can be a frustrating experience for both the pet as well as the people involved. Just as in human relationships, we shouldn't enter into the relationship with the intention of changing him or her. It rarely works the way we want it.

Adopting a pet is a great idea and can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Choosing the right match can ensure a rewarding relationship for the rest of your lives together!

Paws, Claws, & Jaws: Dealing with Your Kitten's Rough Play

Written by: Sam Kabbel, CPDT-KA, President, Pet Behavior Solutions

We receive many calls about aggressive cats and kittens. These cute kitties bite, scratch, and/or "thump" ferociously! Although there are truly aggressive cats, it is not as common as cats who simply have not learned to play appropriately. Kittens are very curious creatures by nature. They have to be; curiosity is their number one learning tool. Kittens, like children, learn through play and experimentation. Also like children, kittens use their mouths to get to know all of the amazing objects in their exciting environment! Kittens use their mouths to grab, chew, taste, and feel objects and their paws to grab, hold, climb, hoist, and bat all of the fun things in their homes. All of this play is necessary for cats to learn their "job," hunting and defending themselves.

It is necessary for an outside cat to be able to defend himself and hunt effectively. However, kitties with families and cozy homes need to learn a whole different set of skills to ensure a pleasant and successful home life. These pampered cats and kittens need to learn to inhibit the use of their mouths and claws when interacting with people. Remember, from the kitten's perspective, claws are for climbing trees, curtains and legs (with or without blue jeans)! Teeth are for chewing toys, shoes, belts, jewelry, hair, and moving fingers!

Cat and kitten owners must teach their pets to distinguish human skin from everything else. As with children, kittens need to be taught "manners" or behavior that is appropriate in their homes.

Here are several tips to assist in this learning process. The first tip will sound very basic. Always use appropriate and fun toys when playing with a kitten. These should be toys that can be stalked, ambushed, pounced upon, bitten, carried, and thumped! Toys should be constructed such that hands remain out of harm's way. Any fishing rod type toy fulfills these requirements. Toys or items for people to drag (e.g., string, yarn, or shoelaces) will do nicely. Do not allow cats or kittens to have unsupervised access to these items; swallowing string-like items can be quite dangerous. Safe, fun play is the goal!

Be very careful using hands to play with kittens. Kittens should be comfortable being handled so that owners can inspect ears, eyes, mouths, fur, skin and trim nails as necessary. Handling can become very challenging when the kitty is accustomed to playing roughly (i.e., biting or scratching) with the human hand. This is not to imply that "hand play" is impossible with a kitten. Parents simply have to establish certain boundaries or rules of "hand play." In the game of "chase the hand," the kitten is the predator and the hand is prey. Typically, kittens will stop "attacking" as soon as the prey "dies." So, immediately upon the touch from the kitten, the prey must "die." (Stop moving your hand.) The kitten will learn that severe attacks are not necessary to kill a hand. This type of play is not appropriate for older cats; it is primarily a learning exercise for young kittens.

If your cat or kitten plays inappropriately, be prepared to provide a consequence for this behavior. For example, try making a “chhhht” sound and/or blowing on the kitten. A water filled squirt bottle can also be used. The blow or squirt must occur only during the attack. As soon as the attack ceases, so should the blowing or squirting. This is very important. The kitten needs to learn that attacking people is not nearly as fun as playing nicely. When cats and kittens understand the rules of the household, playing is more fun for everyone.