When I Correct Wolfie and He Cowers What Then

I know that I need to tell Wolfie that he is doing something wrong and I am not hitting him or using those shock collars on him, but he is still cowering and hiding in the corner.  I dont want to scare my dog every time he is doing something wrong, but what can I do?

We have faced this situation many times where the Wolfie is overly fearful or has experienced a traumatic experience in his past were a straight correction, even slight, can cause a fearful reaction.  As dog trainers, we are not trying to scare a dog into obedience, we are trying to teach them what is the right thing to do and to build a positive relationship between Wolfie and his owner.

So, lets clean the slate of all those other correction methods and figure out what we can do with Wolfie.  Remember, we still need to show him what is right and wrong...

The bottom line is that we want to use an alternative method than the standard correction to let Wolfie know he is doing something wrong and we will teach him what is right.  As opposed to a correction which we know isnt working on Wolfie, we suggest an alternative method known as a redirection.  We still want to tell Wolfie he is doing something wrong and to teach him what is right, but we will use a more passive method.

First, you need to get a leash and click it on Wolfie during the day.  Take the leash off him and put it back on at random times so Wolfie doesnt associate the leash with a particular event or time of day.  You dont need to hold the leash, let him drag it around with him.  This will eliminate the leash as a special event and turn it into "simple white noise".  Please remember, you can only have the leash on him when someone is home and within earshot of Wolfie.  If he gets it caught on a chair leg, you must be able to release it quickly to no harm will come to Wolfie.

After a few days, Wolfie will be wandering around with the leash and will pay no attention to it.  Now you are ready to begin to use the leash as a tool of behavior modification through redirection.

Here is an example of how this works:

If Wolfie starts to act up such as running around the house like a crazy boy, dont chase him or yell and scream.  Simply approach the end of the leash which is six feet away from him.  Since you are not directly approaching him, you will not be adding to the adrenaline of the moment.  Calmly put your foot on the leash.

Wolfie will stop and look back to see what happened.  He thought he was in control of the room and could do whatever he wanted (run and go nuts).  For some reason, he lost control.  He sees you and you are calm & still, not approaching him, and standing tall.  This is what Wolfie expects in a good leader and teacher.  You passively told Wolfie that he couldnt run and go nuts and he needs to obey you because you are his leader and teacher.

I want to make it clear that you still told Wolfie "no", but you allowed him to come to that conclusion  by defusing the situation in a direction of your choosing.  You broke his focus on doing the wrong thing and drained his adrenaline fueling his inappropriate actions.  The end result is he is now doing what you want him to do.

There are many other nuances to this technique and we would be more than happy to review your specific issues to determine if this educational process would be most appropriate in your situation. For more information, please contact us at The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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My Dog Pulls and Goes Crazy on A Walk

My dog walks pretty well most of the time, but sometimes he sees something and just goes nuts.  He is jumping, charging, standing on his two back paws, and barking like a crazy dog.  Is there any special technique I can use to fix this problem?

We see this walking problem a lot with many dogs that are a little overactive and aren’t clearly attentive to their owners.  The normal “walk next to me” exercises are actions that you must initially use for proper, obedient walking, but this problem requires that you will take the next step. 

Don’t worry, the “next step” does not mean that we are going to use choke chains, chock collars, or anything that would scare your dog.  What we must do is to actively enforce the fact that your dog must constantly provide you with focus and attention on the walk.  By doing this, your dog is submitting that you will take charge of any “strange distraction” you might encounter and it is not his responsibility to do all those annoying and embarrassing actions.

Here are some things you should do:

• I would first think about using the right collar for the walk.  When I have to guide him with the leash, I want my dog to experience a quick tug/snapping sensation.  I do not want him to simply experience a continual pull.  We recommend the use of the Bark Busters Training Collars.  These allow you to create that quick tug/snap and also provide an audible correction sound.  If you can’t get one of these collars, try using the Martindale collar.
• Give your dog more leash than normal when you go out for your walk. 
• As soon as he begins to walk in front of you or his gaze begins to wander from you or the path directly in front of him, give the leash a quick tug (it might take several of these actions) until he returns to your side and is focusing on you.
• If he continues to walk ahead of you, stop walking and allow him to continue until he reaches the end of the leash.  Just as he reaches the end, give the leash a firm tug/snap for him to look back and see that you are far away from him.  Continue your walk in the opposite direction.
• Stop multiple times while you are walking and have him sit.
• Change directions while you are walking.  Give the leash a quick tug/snap as soon as he is not attentively changing direction with you.

Do not start this process during “busy times” in your neighborhood.  The whole purpose of this exercise is to enforce your dog’s need to constantly “check in with you”.  Start off when it is quiet so that you can constantly provide him with the proper instruction.  Ramp up the exercise by walking at progressively active times.

We just finished this program with a very large Pit Bull that wanted to go after neighbors and their animals while on a walk.  After a few sessions using these techniques, the dog was great.  If you have any additional questions regarding this technique, please contact us at Great South Florida DogTrainers.

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Walking In The Woods With My Dog

I don’t get up in the woods a lot, but when I do, I love taking my dog for walks in the hills.  I love having him off leash and having just a great time with all the great smells and “woodsy-things”.  What do I need to know to keep the whole thing safe for my dog and myself?

It might just be me, but I love the opportunity to have my Sheppard and Springier Spaniel up in the woods; up a back road; hanging out with us at a rustic cabin.  They love going out and are very good at staying nearby and listening to my commands.  We have a great time and everyone is kept happy and safe. 

Please understand that this is not something you can do right away with your dog.  It might be something you may never be able to accomplish with your dog.  In order to accomplish this, you must take on a specific and possibly lengthy process in order to assure your success.  As I stated earlier, some dogs are just too high strung or too easily distracted to engage in this activity.  Let’s look at some of the things we must do.

Before we even think about getting up to that backwoods cabin, we must perform a good amount of work back at home:

• You must work on on-leash and off-leash recall/come.  Your dog must be able to return to your side when you command him from up to twenty yards.  You must be sure that he can do this while there are natural distractions commanding his attention and even when you can’t directly see him.
• You must be able to have your dog sit and stay while you walk thirty yards away.  He must stay there until you release him and he must run straight to your side.
• You must gain off-leash attentiveness control where your dog is walking near you without a leash and always change their direction, based on any change in your direction.
• You must practice the “drop” or “leave it” command with your dog so that he will not place anything harmful in his mouth.
• Your dog must be able to instantly sit and give you focus on command.

These are a lot of things to accomplish, but they are the minimum needed to assure a safe walk in the woods.  Now, let’s think about our walk in the woods.  Here are some things to think about:

• Before you take your dog for a walk, go out alone first.  Follow the course you plan to take, looking for poisonous plants, areas where you may experience animals, areas of standing water, steep inclines, tight spaces, etc.  Pick a path that minimizes these issues in order to maximize your ability to keep your dog as safe as possible.
• Place a leash on your dog before you start.  You don’t have to hold the leash, just let it drag behind him.  If you need to step in quickly, it gives you one more tool to safely control him.
• As you walk, always scan the area for anything that might distract him or draw him away from you.
• Keep your dog engaged and focused on you by calling him to you, having him stay as you walk a short distance down the trail and calling him to you, encourage him to walk next to you by patting your leg as you walk, etc. 
• If you see that your dog is tiring, finish your walk.  You don’t want him to just stop or “decide to take a shortcut home”.
• Never let your dog wander off in high grass or through thickets.  This just increases the possibility for fleas and ticks.  Oh, by the way, make sure that all the proper flea and tick medicines have been applied.  Also, consult with your vet if any additional medication might be needed for the area you will be visiting.
• Take your own water for the walk.  Standing water is not good and you are never sure what might be upstream in that pretty country stream.
• Have your dog return to you immediately and hold the leash if encounter a person or animal on your walk.
• When you return from your walk, check your dog for any fleas, ticks, burrs, etc. 
• If he still has some energy, play fetch around the cabin for a few more minutes before you come in.

Once you and your dog get back inside the cabin, you will probably see him take a long and very happy nap.  If you have any further information or clarification, please contact Your Great South Florida Dog Trainers.

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Wolfie Seems to Think He is the Boss

I just dont understand it.  I work with Wolfie on Come/Sit/Stay.  I play with Wolfie.  I walk Wolfie.  But it seems like he still thinks he is the boss.  I think I am doing everything right, but something must be missing!

Remember the old phrase  "Walk a mile in my shoes"?  Well, this is the problem that you are having with Wolfie.  Yes, you are providing him education, exercise, and bonding.  What you dont understand is that Wolfie sees the world through a canine perspective.  He judges you as if you were a dog and not a human.  You must understand his perspective to understand how and why he does what he does.

So why does Wolfie act like he is the boss?  The reason is because you are constantly telling him that he is!  You dont know that you are doing this because you view the world from a human perspective and your actions reflect that.  From Wolfies perspective (the canine point of view), you are constantly implying that he is the boss.

Here is what you are doing, why Wolfie believes he is the boss, and what you have do to...

It is a typical Saturday afternoon and you are sitting on your back porch reading the paper.  Wolfie comes up to you and sticks his nose in you hand asking for a pat on the head.  You think nothing of it and give him a big pat and maybe even throw the ball for him.  You have just told Wolfie he is the boss.  Since he is the boss, he can do whatever he wants because you will always comply.

In a human family, anyone can have an idea and the family can respond.  Nobody implies anything about leadership about the act.  We (humans) thought it was a good idea and did it.  Now, in the wolf pack you have the canine alpha leader and the rest of the pack.  The only one that tells the pack what to do is the canine alpha leader.

As soon as Wilfie said "pet me" and you did, you submitted to his demand, placed yourself in the role of the pack, and promoted him to being the canine alpha leader.  We (humans) do this all day long.  We are constantly telling Wolfie that he is the boss.  Since he is the boss, he can do whatever he wants.  This normally equates to a misbehaved dog that is always annoying us.  So what can we do to fix this?

You must always make sure that it is your idea and not Wolfies.

When Wolfie comes over to you and wants to be petted, ignore him.  In a moment or two, he will turn away.  At that moment, you can call him to you and you can tell him that you want to pet him.  It is now your idea and when Wolfie comes to be petted, he has placed himself as the pack member and you as the canine alpha leader.

This sounds like a simple thing to do, but in reality, it is very difficult.  The reason is that (we humans) really dont care whose idea it was.  Dogs do care whose idea it was because that equates to leadership and ultimately their general safety.

So, if you want to be on the way to having Wolfie well behaved and understanding his position in the pack, you must always initiate, you must always begin, you must always implement your idea.  For more information, please contact us at The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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