Reinforcement can take many forms, click and treat, saying ” good dog”, a pat on the head, a short game of fetch. No matter what the reward, the behavior connected with it will get repeated. If we wish to perpetuate good behavior we must reward it in some shape or form.

As dog owners we tend to think of our dog’s behavior in terms of what we don’t want the dog to do; not jump, not pull, not run away. Instead, we should define what we what our dogs to do instead; sit, walk by our side, come when called. Often times because there is no clear behavior that gets rewarded, dog owners resort to punishment in the effort to get rid of the behavior they don’t want.

The problem with punishment is that it is only half of the equation. Punishment stops the dog from doing whatever he was doing at that moment, it does not teach the dog what you wanted him to do instead. In fact if you only punish a dog without rewarding him for what you want instead, the dog will adapt to the punishment and revert to the old behavior. Punishment has very limited uses because it usually requires that we deliver the correction at the moment the dog is doing the wrong thing. Most of us can’t move that quickly, and the dog gets away with the behavior when we are not present. We then begin the vicious cycle of increasing punishment to try to catch the dog doing the wrong thing. All this effort to punish the dog and we still haven’t taught him anything !

Our efforts as teachers, trainers and companions to our dogs would best be spent reinforcing the right behavior rather then punishing the wrong one. Training collars like choke chains, pinch collars and head halters (gentle leaders) are just training aids. Their purpose is to help manage the dogs behavior so that he can be right more often and get rewarded for it. Used incorrectly, they become a game of jerk on the dog, dog repeats the behavior. This becomes a literal black hole of paying attention to the wrong behavior and no real learning is accomplished.

A dog who is not reinforced for walking next to you on for instance may learn not to pull but only when wearinga pinch collar. With the collar on the dog may learn that pulling is not a good idea but when the collar is off he reverts back to his old behavior because it works.. He goes places fasten when he pulls on his leash.

Leash corrections with or without a training collar manage a behavior like pulling and help us control the dog but that is all, they do not teach the dog to heel. In fact some dogs with big thick necks and a high pain tolerance will still pull while wearing them. The bottom line is if you don’t reward the dog for not pulling the dog will not learn to walk next to you. He may learn to avoid correction, but he won’t have a clue as to what you really want.

Head halters, gentle leaders, and other training head collars help control the head and therefore keep the dog from pulling. These do not require any corrections and are a more humane alternative to repeated corrections with a training collar. This again is a training aid, a way to manage the behavior of pulling while you reward the dog for not pulling. Honesty about what we are really teaching is very important if we are to fix unwanted behavior. Punishment really has no place in the teaching phase since we have not yet explained to the dog what we want him to do instead. Training collars and head halters may keep you from being knocked down by your dog on a walk, but they only manage the pulling they do not teach the dog how to walk on a leash.

Punishment is rewarding to us as dog owners because we feel as though we’ve at least done something ! It is gratifying to us at least at first because the dog temporarily stops the behavior we don’t like.

Punishment has a price however that few people take into consideration. That price involves a lack of control over what the dog actually learns when he is punished. A dog that growls at children and is punished with a slap or collar correction may stop growling at children but still be fearful of them.

Punishment in this case has made the aggression worse because we have suppressed the warning that the dog is not feeling comfortable and skipped right to the bite. If we then punish the dog for biting, we have in effect taught the dog that children are even more scary than he thought and he must bite harder, faster to avoid correction next time. These type of dogs start to believe the best offense is a good defense. All this energy has been expended and all we’ve accomplished is a better biter ! No amount of effort has been used to address the dog’s real reason for biting….he’s uncomfortable or fearful around children.

How much better if the punisher had spent time rewarding the dog when children were nearby in a happy voice with plenty of treats and at a distance. How much safer for child, trainer and dog if the punisher had spent his time rewarding the dog for not growling, lunging or snapping and made the sight of children mean good things were about to happen.

Overall, punishment is only half the equation, it has no place in the teaching phase. If it is used to manage behavior the right behavior must be rewarded instead. Most importantly, punishment should not be used in cases of aggression because we never know what the dog is learning. There is a better way to train your dog and it’s up to you to find it.

Some dog owners refuse to use food for a variety of reasons. They use force or just don’t train their dog altogether. My answer to the food phobics is simple- would you go to work every day for free? No? Then you shouldn’t expect your dog to either! If someone drove you to work, pushed you through the door and sat you down (however gently) would it make YOU want to work?! If every time you tried to leave they brought you back and sat you down again, day after day with no end in sight, no rewards, no promise of rewards…what would happen to you? Don’t you think eventually you’d shut down and stop responding to the people around you?

Food is a primary need of all living things, no creature can exist without food, so what’s wrong with using a basic need to motivate and train your dog?

There are several basic rules that should be followed when motivating your dog with food. Use food to introduce new behaviors and show your dog what to do. Once your dog knows what to do, hide the food and vary when you give it. For instance, when teaching the dog to sit, food is used initially to lure your dog without force into the desired position. Once the dog is sitting reliably, you replace the lure with a hand signal and vary when you give the reward.

Hiding the treat and varying when you give it is called variable reinforcement. This means that food is now hidden most of the time when asking for the behavior and is given sporadically, ie every other time, every 3rd time, etc. This keeps your dog guessing and makes his performance reliable and sharp every time you ask for it.

A real life example of variable reinforcement is a slot machine. People play the slots because every once in awhile they win! They can lose $150.00 in five minutes, but if they pull the handle and win just once the likelihood of them trying again is greater.

Do you ever call him to come in and then release him to go back to playing again ? Do you ever call him to come in and when he looks at you throw him a cookie and let him stay out for a while longer ? If your dog doesn’t like to come in when you call him it’s probably because nothing good usually comes of it.

You call him and put him in a crate and then leave for work, for instance. If he runs around the yard and ignores you when you call him, he gets several more minutes of freedom ! If you were a dog which would you choose ?

To get your dog to come readily try something new. Ten minutes before you need your dog to come in, go out and call his name, then throw him a cookie and go back inside. Go out about 8-10 times before you really need him and toss him a cookie and go back inside. If you are in a hurry and can’t do a training session like this then use a leash to let him in the yard so you can make him come back right away, that way you can prevent him from running off and rewarding himself. Preventing your dog from ignoring you by letting him in the yard on a leash may not directly teach him to come in from the yard quickly but it will prevent him from rewarding himself, making it easier for you to teach him more acceptable behavior.

Put the time in to teach your dog what you expect of him and stop letting him reinforce himself for ignoring you. In just a few short training sessions on a consistent basis you should see a huge improvement in your dogs enthusiam to come in from outside.

THE ADVANTAGES
Walking or running with your dog does more than increase your physical and cardiovascular health, it can also help:

• Boost your mood
• Lower your blood pressure
• Strengthen your bond with your pet
• Keep you motivated to exercise regularly (your dog will bug you to stay on your routine)

WHAT YOUR DOG GETS OUT OF THE DEAL
Going for runs or walks with your pooch isn’t just good for you; it’s good for your dog too!  Exercising keeps your dogs heart, lungs, joints, digestive and circulatory systems healthy. 

I’m sure you’ve noticed your dog bouncing and zooming around the house in attempt to burn up their excess energy.  Exercising with your dog will help expend excess energy and control your dog’s weight. 

Regular exercise can also keep your pet’s not so fantastic behaviors in check. 

It can help prevent the sometimes destructive behavior hyperactive or anxious dogs have, like chewing, biting and digging.

KEEP IN MIND
Dogs can run (or walk) farther and faster than people, but that doesn’t mean your fur-baby should leap off the sofa and run for miles.  Gradually build up the distance when beginning.  Start with short walks/runs and slowly over time extend the distance to something you are both comfortable with.

Be careful to keep puppies from over exercising.  Strenuous activity for long periods of time can damage their developing bones and joints.  Follow the same rule with dogs that are older or recovering from illness or injury, it may be better to take it easy and exercise for shorter periods of time.  Switch your half hour run to two 15 minute walks.  Swimming is a great alternative for recovering pets.

Exercising in the middle of the day when the sun is at it’s hottest, can cause your pet to get heat stroke.  The best times to run/walk with your dog is dusk, dawn or anytime after dark.

THE ULTIMATE REWARD
Don’t feel like exercising?  It won’t just be your daily exercise that you’re blowing off, but your loving companions too.  Exercising with your dog will keep you motivated to stay on track and get healthy together.  Besides, what could be better than spending quality time with your best friend?

Tips for Protecting Your Dog’s Paws

1. In hot weather, walk you dog in grassy areas as much as possible to avoid burning of the paws.
2. In cold weather, consider having your dog wear booties to prevent contact with ice and de-icing chemicals (plus it’s really funny watching them get used to wearing booties).
3. Once inside, wipe off your dogs paws.
4. Inspect your dogs paws after every walk or run

Unfortunately the test results are often not specific enough to answer heritage questions or provide health guidance.

The science behind the tests needs more work.

How it Works
Mars Veterinary has started marketing Wisdom Panel, a test to determine breed mix through local vets.  It involves having the vet taking a blood sample and sending it to the testing lab, which then compared the DNA in your dog against a database of the DNA of 130 “purebred” breeds.  Costs can vary from vet to vet but run in the $150-$175 range.

Metamorphix is another company that has been offering DNA based testing for some time.  They have 38 breeds in their canine heritage database and offer a cheaper and less invasive mouth swab sampling technique that you can do at home.  Sampling kits are ordered from their website and you return mail them to the lab in envelopes they provide.  The cost is about $80.

Although the size of the database varies, the process at both companies are similar.  Their software compares your dog against 100-300 genetic markers and reports it’s findings in three categories.

1. Traces – which may be great grandparent and beyond, and are very small amounts with little influence on behavior and appearance.
2. Secondary – this breed has a strong showing in the DNA mix and is more influential but still makes up less than the majority of the dog’s DNA.
3. Primary – this is the breed that represents the majority of the dog’s DNA makeup.  Having a “primary breed” is rare in a mixed breed dog unless they have at least one purebred parent.  In ten reports we examined covering eight dogs, non had a primary listing.

The point here is that you probably aren’t going to get something as definitive as you would like.  You may well get a listing of traces of 8 different dogs that look and act very little like the one at your feet.  And while not satisfying from a curiosity standpoint it is not helpful creating a breed specific health care plan for your dog – a benefit that both companies tout.

And worse yet…

Test results for the same dog can be markedly different between the two companies!

We were surprised and confused by the very different answers by the two companies for the SAME dogs.

Company Response
Key executives and scientists from both companies reviewed the tests, concluded that the samples were good, that their testing process was good, and both stood by their results.  They have seen these differences before and discussed how it isnot as cut and dry as we might imagine for a couple of reasons:

• First, there is no such thing as a “pure” dog. The AKC recognized purebreds are actually man made mixes created by controlled crossbreeding to enhance certain characteristics.  So even the DNA of an American Kennel Club purebred is a mix that may vary within limits.
• Secondly the database samples are not perfect.  They are based on good sampling techniques that will improve over time with more samples.
• The software for both companies reports the breeds that have the highest statistical probability of matching the DNA from your dog, not definitive matches.

Both believe that their answers are as good as the science can offer right now.  Wisdom Panel believes their larger database yields better probabilities.  Heritage is expanding their database this spring to include approximately that same number of breeds.  But the truth remains; the tests are someone’s estimation of the probabilities – not the definitive facts that guarantee an understanding of your dog’s behavior or health profile.  The results can be answers that are as different as Daschund and Dane.

Our Recommendation
Don’t test.  Save your money.  Wait until next year and give the industry time to debug itself.  We will try again and report the results.  In the meantime, enjoy your mutts for what you know them to be – good friends and good dogs!

You can save money by reading a good dog book and making your own guesses about your pooch’s heritage, and you may be just as accurate!

We are all social beings and dogs are pack animals that fit perfectly into our daily lives.   Pet ownership is especially beneficial for the elderly and has numerous benefits.  

Animal behavior specialist Lynette A. Hart, PhD. says “Taking care of a creature that cares about you and responds to you is a real antidote and preventive medicine for loneliness and depression.”

Some Seniors will become more reclusive after the loss of a spouse.  Pets can give them a sense of security, with their unconditional love and companionship.  Knowing that another living being depends on you and feeling needed is a powerful motivator. 

Pets seem to relieve the stress of our daily lives, by the companionship they bring.  Studies have shown that people who own a dog or cat tend to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol.  They have even shown that heart attack victims that own pets have a higher survival rate after a year than those that do not.

Richard B. Ford, D.V.M., M.S., a veterinarian in Raleigh, N.C. says “Seniors can benefit substantially from pet ownership.”

We may all know that by keeping our bodies strong and fit we will live longer and healthier lives, but the older we get the less we tend to exercise.  Even though we may not exercise for ourselves, we do what we have to for the creatures we love.  If “Fido” needs his daily exercise and romps at the park, then that is exactly what gets done. 

Once you’re on the search for a pet, be sure to do your research.  Raising puppy can be an overwhelming task for an energetic 20 something, so be sure to select a pet that is appropriate for your lifestyle.   A great place to start your pet search is with your local humane society. 

For Seniors who live in convalescent homes and are unable to take care of a dog or cat full time there are Pet Therapy programs that will visit the centers. 

Nationwide Pet Therapy Groups

Pets have a Fountain of Youth quality and seem to keep us young by their very nature.  It’s tough to feel old when your playing.  Throwing balls, making silly sounds and laughing with a furry bundle of joy. 

• Join a dog obedience/behavior training class.
• Enlist a professional dog trainer to come to your home for private training.
• You can even self train and do all of the training on your own.

Dog training classes are usually held in a group setting. This can be a great way to get your puppy socialized, but may not be the best choice for an adult dog that has issues with other dogs.

Private training will be more expensive than group training; however it allows more one on one time. This allows you and your dog to expedite your training and learn more in a shorter period of time. Your dog will also benefit from less distraction, familiar surroundings, in a low stress environment. There’s no place like home for your dog to do his or her best.

Self training is very rewarding, and allows you to work with your dog on specific behaviors that you feel to be important. You may want to work mainly on having your dog heel when walking on a leash or harness, curb aggressive behavior or not to jump on your guests. Training on your own gives you the flexibility to work on what is best for your family. With loving patience and the help of a few training manuals you and your canine will be well on the way to a beautiful friendship.

Types of Classes you can take with your dog are limitless.  There are agility classes, clicker training, basic obedience, advanced competition, flyball, dancing, and even doga (yoga with your dog). If you have an interest in any activity, you can bet there is a class out there for you and your companion.

Aggressive behavior occurs when a dog is asserting their dominance.  Be it over food, a kong, or even a person. 

Curbing bad behavior is attained by setting clear boundaries for your dog.  They want to know their place in your family pack.  It is important to communicate clearly with your canine.  If you sometimes let your dog on the couch and sometimes you don’t, then you are sending a very mixed signal to your dog.  This will cause great frustration for your pet.  Set the boundaries and keep to them.  Your dog will be glad to know where they stand.

Common behavior problems dog owners have vary from home to home.  Feeding time is where many problems occur.  Feed your dog after your family has eaten.  The pack leader always eats first, by feeding your dog before you and your family is a clear way to tell your dog he’s the boss.  Most dogs will begin to get increasingly pushy at dinner time be it by over assertive begging or barking.

Some owners complain of their dogs mounting them.  This is your dogs way of letting you know they own you.  They are alpha (the leader of the pack) and you are omega (the low ranking member of the pack).  Mounting should never be encouraged – it may look funny to see your small dog hump a guest, but you are sending your dog the absolute wrong message.  When this action occurs you should react right away in a language your dog will understand.  Try pinning your dog.  This entails lying your dog on it’s back with it’s chest facing upwards. Hold your dog down by it’s upper chest/neck area (this is how dogs show domination – it’s how every dogs mother has put them back in line).  While gently but firmly holding your dog down they will most likely yelp and carrying on.  Do not fall for this.  It’s their way of throwing a temper tantrum.  No one likes to be dethroned and they will tell you so.  Hold them in this position until they calm down and avert their eyes from you.  Once you achieve this you will have established dominance and will be recognized as the new alpha.  If you let go during the tantrum you have just lost and will remain omega.

Communicate with your dog in a way they will understand.  Never hit your dog, this tells your dog absolutely nothing other than to fear you. 

Hitting your dog is never the right thing to do.  If you find yourself calling and chasing your dog around the yard or neighborhood for hours and finally catch them do not hit them.  If you do you are simply telling them that by coming to you they are sure to get hit.  I wouldn’t come to you either, would you?  Instead try the reel method.  Go outside with your dog on a leash (I like the flexi retractable leads for this) let your dog walk out to the end of the leash then call them.  Do not repeat your command.  Simply start reeling them in like a big fish.  Once reeled in give them great praise (even if they pulled and fought the whole way).  After praising them let them go back out to the end of the lead and call them again.  Repeat this every time you and your pet go for a walk.  Soon they will be coming right when you call them.  Much nicer than screaming and chasing them around.

Treat your pet with kindness. If want a happy and well adjusted member of the family be good to your dog and he/she will be good to you.

Spend time with your furry friend.  Enjoy your time together, go hiking or take a class – be active with your dog.  There are classes for anything you could think of.  There are obedience classes (both beginner and advanced),  agility classes, clicker training, flyball, dancing, and even doga (yoga with your dog). If you have an interest in any activity, you can bet there is a class out there for you and your companion.