Head-to-Tail Dog Training

Whether or not you realize it, your dog began his training the minute you brought him home. He learned where he could sleep and when his food was given. Next he needs to learn where to potty, which objects are his toys to play with, and other rules of the house. If you do not provide clear direction from the beginning, your dog will attempt to discover his boundaries through trial and error. This testing-of-the-waters is when owners start to see undesirable behaviors.

Positive Reinforcement training offers the quickest and most reliable results to communicate what you want. Positive Reinforcement increases the frequency of a behavior (sitting on command) due to the addition of positive stimulus (food reward) immediately following a response. The growth in popularity of Positive Reinforcement training is two-fold. First, this method of training is scientifically proven to provide quick and certain results. Secondly, positive training builds a dog's trust in their handlers and strengthens their bond.

Dog owners sometimes have trouble with training because distinguishing "positive" from "negative" and introducing the stimulus at the right time can be tricky. For example, a dog runs into the road to greet a jogger. His owner calls the dogs name and commands "Come here!" The dog runs back to the owner who then roughly grabs him by the collar, gets in the dogs face and shouts "No!" The owner has just punished the dog for returning on command.

The use of discipline in training can also cause confusion. Good Positive Reinforcement trainers are extremely careful about the type and severity of punishment used in training. Ideally, the use of natural consequences are used where the dog is simply denied what he wants until the desired behavior is shown. The use of any physical reprimands, including shock collars and choke chains, should only be used a last resort.

When an owner is not seeing desired responses, this is when expert advice should be sought after. Be sure to question the qualifications of experts you consult (people, books, TV shows, videos) to ensure they are true Positive Reinforcement trainers.

Further reading:
Why punishment fails; what works better

Finding A Trainer

I am a fervent advocate of crate training. Not only great for housetraining and keeping pups safely confined, crates provide an easy and safe method of correction. This article will guide you to use crate corrections properly.

To begin, this article assumes the following:
1. You already have an appropriately sized crate
2. The dog has already been introduced to the crate and currently uses it without problem.

Note, first, that I use the term "correction" versus "punishment". The intent of correction in training is to emend an error; to convey what the dog is doing that you don't like. While the crate is a useful tool, it needs to remain a comfortable, safe haven for your dog. Therefore, the challenge is to appropriately use the crate to communicate to the dog, without turning it into something aversive.

To keep crating a positive thing, I always say "Crate" and offer a food reward for going into the kennel. The dog is rewarded for doing what I've asked. This also reinforces the crate with positive results for the dog.

Begin thinking of crate corrections as a timeout. Timeouts should be brief, about 5 minutes. Compare this to sending a misbehaving child to his room. The child doesn't learn to hate his room, unless he is trapped in there inordinately long.

During timeout, as long as the dog is calm in the crate, reinforce this good behavior with praise as you walk past. Don't look the dog in the eye or overdo it. This period offers both you and your dog some time to physically calm yourselves. If you can show your dog that he can't rattle you, you will quickly earn their respect. Remember, never let a noisy dog out of the crate. Wait until he is quiet then immediately let him out and say "Good". He will learn that only calm dogs are allowed about the house.

Also, use timeouts as a final consequence. In other words, you want to give the dog a couple chances to correct himself per your direction. A good example of this is correcting attention-seeking behavior. Owners often complain of their puppy grabbing inappropriate objects, like a shoe, and running off to play the "chase me" game. This is normal behavior in which the puppy wants to initiate play. My recommendation is get the puppy's attention with a food treat then exchange it for the shoe; then the owner should next initiate play with a dog toy. After the game is over, if the dog goes toward the shoe again, say "Ah! Ah!" or "No shoe!" and try to distract with the dog toy. If the dog goes after the shoe anyway, take a food treat and lead the dog to let you have the shoe then into the crate. Using more that one treat is OK. He has been rewarded for letting you take the shoe and also for going in his crate. After the timeout is over, he will be less likely to try initiating play in that manner since the end result didn't get him what he wanted. The more consistent you are, the quicker the behavior will diminish.

Using the example above, after the timeout was done, the owner should again initiate play with a dog toy. Additionally, when the dog begins trying to initiate play appropriately, say with a tug rope instead of your shoe, encourage this with praise and a brief game of tug. Where most owners fail with corrections is forgetting to teach the dog what they do want.

Finally, unsupervised dogs should always be crated when behaviors need to be modified; such as during housetraining, or if the dog chews household items. This allows you to be consistent with house rules. Done successfully, crate training will result in a confident, well-adjusted family pet.

Further reading:
American Dog Trainers Network -- How To Successfully Crate Train Your Puppy
More On Dog Crates

If you have recently been looking for expert advice on dogs, I wouldn't be surprised if you said your head is swimming. Partly thanks to the Web and popular TV shows, the dog training industry is booming. And new "experts" seem to be popping up every day.

Another reason this industry is growing so quickly is the lack of licensing requirements. There are no federal requirements and state laws vary. In my own state, Maryland, legally anyone can call herself a "dog trainer" or "behaviorist".

So how do you know which professional you need and what to look for?

Dog trainers are professionals who have experience working with dogs and owners. Most trainers actually teach the owners techniques to train their own dogs. Many also will work one-on-one with the dog to first teach desired behaviors and then pass the commands on to the owners. But in any case a good trainer will also be a good instructors. It will do you no good if the trainer gets desired responses from your dog, but you fail to do so at home.

Many trainers obtain certification(s). There are organizations that teach dog trainers and offer certification for their specific programs. These certificates reflect the teachings and quality of a specific program. A Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT) has passed examination developed by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). The APDT is a professional membership and does not teach or regulate trainers.

A behaviorist typically deals with problems such as aggression or destructive behavior. She basically tries to get inside the dog's mind and provide a plan to correct the behavior. Many times a behaviorist is also a trainer and vice versa. A Behaviorist with a capital "b", has been board certified by an accredited organization. Behaviorists can specialize such as with canines or other animals. Some veterinarians may be certified Behaviorists as well.

Lastly there is the "dog whisperer". This is simply a person who has, or claims to have, a natural ability to relate to or connect with dogs. Anyone can profess this. "Dog whispering" focuses on enhancing communication with a dog. Unfortunately, the methods used are often heavy-handed or based on out-dated dominance theory.

When searching for professional help with your dog, the best advice is to ask around. Do your research and get lots of references. Also, be sure that the methods used are right for both you and your pet.

Read my article "Training The Whole Dog" in Dog Fancy magazine's October 2008 issue. The piece highlights the benefits of holistic training and features the story of Gracie, a Border Collie mix, that refused to wear a collar.

Visit Head-to-Tail online for details on training services, training tips, and more.

The Tips page includes articles on the following topics:

Books on Behavior
Car Safety
Cold Weather
Dogs Don't Celebrate Holidays
Emergency Care
Finding A Trainer
Growling
Nutrition
Pet Peeves
Socialization
Summer Safety

I started training and caring for dogs in 1993, beginning with our family dogs. My husband and I began to receive requests for training tips from friends and neighbors. Strangers would approach us and comment on how well mannered our dogs were. The idea came that if more dogs and owners received proper training and education, give-ups and abuse would diminish. So I decided to pursue a professional career. In 2004, I began assisting with the Frederick County Humane Society's Basic Level and Puppy Training classes. Head-to-Tail, Inc. was opened in April 2005 initially to serve those who did not have time or easy access to group classes.

Head-to-Tail's mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of dogs and owners. Head-to-Tail is a philanthropic corporation supporting like-minded non-profits.

I've met some wonderful people involved with pet-related services. If you need a referral for additional services in and around Frederick MD, please let me know. I want to help you find the best care possible for dog. Happy dogs make my job easier!