A Fun Scent Game to Play with your Dog

Want to teach your dog a trick that is fun, easy, and will impress all your friends? Try this game to harness your dog's awesome sense of smell.

You will need:

a clicker or other reward marker

some small tasty treats

three boxes or containers of the same size

Step 1: Choose a behavior that your dog already knows, such as sit, down, or a paw touch. Your dog will use this to indicate the box that the scent is in. Place a few treats into one of the boxes. Present to box to your dog on the ground, and allow him to sniff the box. Then give your cue that will become the indication. Click and reward with a treat from the box when he responds. Pick up the box and repeat the procedure several more times. After doing this a few times, try presenting the box to your dog without giving a cue. Wait a few moments without saying anything to see if your dog can figure it out. If your dog performs the behavior without the cue, click and reward him with several treats. If he does not, go back to asking for the behavior for a couple more tries, and then try again.

Step 2: Once your dog is reliably indicating the box when you present it to him, it is time to add the second(empty) box. Place both boxes on the ground next to each other with some space in between. Allow your dog to sniff and explore both boxes. Ignore any attempts from your dog to indicate the empty box. As soon as he indicates the correct box, click and reward graciously. Repeat a couple more times, keeping the boxes in the same position. When he gets good at that, try switching the boxes around. Continue to ignore any incorrect responses and reward correct ones.

Note: Some dogs may get a little confused and frustrated when the second box is added. If your dog is having a lot of trouble, you may want to help him out for a few repetitions rather than have him give up. To do this just wait for him to sniff the correct box, then use the cue for the indication behavior. This should give him an idea of how the game works. Do this for only a couple repetitions, then let him try on his own again.

Step 3: Add the third box using the same procedure you used in step 2. Try placing the boxes in several different orders to test your dog's ability to find the correct box.

Step 4: When your dog is consistently finding the right box, it is time to add the cue. After placing the boxes, ask your dog to "find it"(or whatever other cue you would like to use). Reward correct responses.

Step 5: When he is good at finding the treats hidden in the correct box, you can then transfer it to other scents. A fun challenge would be to use a scent your dog is not familiar with, such as a drop of vanilla. When you decide to try a new scent, start back at step one and gradually work back up to the three boxes.

Have fun!

What to do About Out of Control Puppy Nipping

I recently started taking care of a 10 week old puppy - the cutest and smartest thing! Here's the issue.

He was nipping mildly last week but it has now escalated to the point of bloodshed. The "ouch!" did not work and rapidly escalated into a non-stop shout fest which the dog ignored. If ignored, the dog will draw blood.

Today I brought a spray bottle which worked...the first few times. Pup apparently loves water and being squirted. I'm afraid bitter apple might injure his eyes so I don't want to try something like that.

The owners admitted to having a rough go of it this weekend with him. Any thoughts?

Beth

Those puppy teeth sure are sharp, aren't they? Puppy nipping can be a frustrating and sometimes painful problem, luckily there are some easy tips to help get the little shark under control.

While the basic technique of saying "ouch!" works for many puppies, others seem to ignore or even get more excited by the sound. For these puppies we need to make it completely clear to them that nipping people is unaceptable.

The easiest way to do this is is to completely remove yourself from the puppies reach the moment you feel his teeth. Get up and walk away, if possible leave the room he is in. Completely ignore him for at least 30 seconds, then return and resume play. You(and anyone else who plays with the puppy) must be 100% consistent with this. Everytime you feel teeth the play session must end. The first few times you try this technique you will probably be getting up and leaving quite often, but pretty soon the puppy will figure out that the only way to keep his playmate is to be gentle with his mouth.

Many people suggest putting the puppy in "timeout" when he nips, however I've found it's much more effective to remove yourself from the room instead of putting the puppy up. The time is take to pick up and place the puppy in his pen or crate means there is a gap where he is actually getting atttention for the nipping(even if it is negative attention). You can remove yourself from the situation much faster which means there is an immediate consequence to his action.

Instruct the owners to avoid playing with the puppy using their hands. They should play with the puppy using appropriate toys. Instead of rough housing suggest they play constructive games with him such as "hide and seek" and fetch. Make sure he is rewarded often for choosing to play with his own chew toys.

Training some basic manners using reward based methods will be a benefit for this puppy as well. Teaching a behavior such as a nose touch to your hand can be used as an alternative to nipping.

Karen Pryor recently wrote an excellent article on some great clicker training techniques that can be used to control puppy nipping. Check it out here.

Hope these tips help, good luck!

National Dog Blog Carnival

National Academy for Dogs participated in the Third National Dog Blog Carnival this month.

The carnival consists of a collection of blog posts from many different authors on a number of subjects. The posts this month have been contributed by many different people, including veterinarians, trainers, behaviorists, artists, and many other dog(and cat!) lovers. Check out the link here:

http://bethlowell.com/mysterious-beautiful/2009/06/04/the-third-national-dog-blog-carnival-is-here/

Preparing for the Unexpected with a New Puppy

Today is the first birthday of my Welsh springer spaniel, Taran. Taran is a very special dog to me. The first puppy I have acquired as an adult, I spent nearly five years planning for his arrival. I used that time to research the breed, contact multiple breeders, attend a specialty show dedicated to Welsh springers, as well as to learn as much as I could about training, socializing and caring for a new puppy. By the time my little one was ready to come home with us, I was certain I knew everything there was to know about raising a puppy to become the best dog ever. After all, I'm a dog trainer. What could possibly go wrong?

Planning for the expected

I acquired Taran when he was nine weeks old from Statesman Welsh Springer Spaniels. Before his arrival I planned everything out perfectly. I had ordered all the supplies needed for a new puppy. This included:

• a crate for housetraining and short term confinement
• an exercise pen for long term confinement
• several different durable chew toys to promote good chewing behavior
• soft toys for supervised play
• stainless steel bowls for food and water
• a high quality dog food
• grooming supplies such as brushes and nail trimmers
• leash and collar
• treats for training

I also had him signed up for puppy socialization class, his first appointment for check up and vaccines at the vet, and developed a detailed training and socialization plan. Here were my most important training goals for him:

• socialization to as many different people, animals, and environments as possible
• housetraining
• hand feeding many of his meals so he learns all good things come from me
• bite inhibition to help with mouthing and nipping
• allowing handling for grooming and medical procedures
• clicker training to teach important behaviors such as sit, down, come, etc.

I took several days off of work to help him get used to a new environment away from his mom and brothers. I was determined to do everything right for my new puppy.

The unexpected

Even with all the planning that went into getting Taran, once he was home he began throwing me curve balls left and right.

On the second day I had him he learned to climb right out of his exercise pen as soon as he was put into it. He was fine in it if I was in the room with him, but as soon as I left he was up and over the top. I modified my plans so that he was not left in the pen unsupervised any longer. Instead I used the crate or an enclosed hallway when we needed to leave him alone.

Next, he became frightened of my other dog, Kiba. I had tried to introduce them as carefully as I could. They met outside on leash first, then spent the next several days getting used to each other's smell between barriers such as baby gates. They both seemed relaxed and interested in each other so I began letting them have short supervised interactions. Kiba(who is a 55lb lab mix) wanted very much to play with her new puppy friend. However her somewhat rough play style was too overwhelming for little Taran, and he took to running and hiding from her. I was devastated, fearing that they would never get along. Luckily, by slowing down the interactions, allowing Taran to approach at his own pacing, and never forcing him to interact, he eventually began to warm up to Kiba. I can happily say that they are now best friends.

He had other problems as well. He hated to be left alone and barked constantly in his crate, he stole socks out of the laundry, and loved to jump on people. Each time I reevaluated my training plans and modified them to deal with each issue.

I am proud to say that at a year old, Taran is shaping up to be the wonderful dog that I had always dreamed of. Of course he is still not perfect, but I don't believe there is a dog out there that is. However, with patience and perseverance I was able to help my wild puppy grow up into a lovely gentleman.

What does this mean for new puppy owners?

The point of my story is that you can never prepare for everything that is going to happen when getting a new puppy. You can read all the books, articles and advice in the world, but nothing compares to the actual experience of puppy raising. This is not to say that you shouldn't prepare, because you absolutely should. Just be ready so that when something doesn't go according to plan, you can jump in and modify it to suit the needs of your individual dog. And remember when you are frustrated that your puppy does not behave strictly by the book, you are not alone!

Reserve Karen Pryor's Newest Book Today!

Karen Pryor, renowned clicker trainer and author of the revolutionary book "Don't Shoot the Dog", will be releasing her newest book, "Reaching the Animal Mind" on June 16. With her extensive knowledge of animal training and behavior, as well as great storytelling skills, this book is sure to be fantastic. Here is an excerpt from the the Amazon.com product review:

Reaching the Animal Mind uses clear, accessible language that will allow anyone to master Pryor's training system. Pryor also entertains by introducing some of her more interesting pupils. Ponies are taught to surf, gloomy birds learn how to play, a rhinoceros routinely leans against a fence for a pedicure, and dogs learn everything with pointed ears and shining eyes that seem to say "You want what? I can do that; watch me!"

Even better, if you reserve a copy of the book through clickertraining.com before June 16, you will not only save about $5 off the regular price, the copy will be signed by Karen Pryor and you will receive a free i-click clicker! Now that's what I call positive reinforcement!

Advancements in Dog Training

What if everyone in the medical field decided that they have learned all they needed to know about veterinary medicine and all new research and advancements stopped?

This question was posed during a recent seminar I attended at my clinic. Of course this would never happen in veterinary medicine, but it got me thinking about dog training. Most pets owners would avoid taking their pets to a clinic that had not updated its practices for 15-20 years, however these same pet owners are taking their animals to trainers who do just that.

Despite new research and information on pet training promoting safer and more effective techniques for changing behavior, a large percentage of trainers are still practicing methods that are quite outdated. Traditional training places a lot of emphasis on using punishment and aversives(something the animal finds unpleasant) to stop behaviors. Dominance training works in a similar vein. The idea being that the dog is always striving for a higher rank, harsh techniques and fear are often used to "put the dog in his place". These techniques can be harmful and scary to the dog. They can also be dangerous to pet owners as many dogs do not tolerate being treated harshly.

Many trainers argue the fact that these older methods are still effective in changing behavior, so why fix something that's still working? Let's go back to the medical analogy for a moment. Say you are offered two different drugs to treat a migraine. Both medications help to relieve the pain, but one drug works for longer and has much fewer side effects than the other. Which one would you choose? It is the same in dog training. While many traditional training techniques can work(trainers would not be continuing to use them if they didn't), there is more of a chance for side effects. Using punishment has many drawbacks, for instance it can create negative associations and damage your relationship with your pet. In a recent veterinary study, it was found that many punishment based methods actually elicited aggressive responses in the dogs. In other cases punishment only suppresses behaviors. So while it may appear to be fixed initially, the underlying cause was never addressed and the behavior may resurface again at a later date.

In recent years training techniques have surfaced that are not only more effective, they are gentler and safer for both you and your pet. Positive methods such as clicker training are backed by current research and studies and have very little chance of side effects. Newer training looks to change the underlying cause of a behavior, instead of just suppressing it. There is more focus on creating a relationship built on trust and understanding with your pet, instead of using fear and punishment to keep them in line.

So what does this mean as a pet owner? When looking for a trainer you will need to do your research and choose carefully. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Did the trainer attend any type of schooling or certification course? Do they belong to any professional organizations such as the Association of Pet Dog Trainers? Do they continue to attend seminars and workshops and keep up to date with new training information? These questions should help you get an idea of whether the trainer is right for you. If there is anything about a trainer's methods that make you uncomfortable, let them know. It is up to you to speak up for and protect your pet. There are too many better alternatives out there for you and your dog to suffer through harsh and outdated training.

For more info: For a list of great dog trainers around the country, check out the list of Karen Pryor Academy graduates. The Karen Pryor Academy is an intensive certification course for dog trainers that emphasizes techniques that are current, humane, and effective.

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior has released position statements regarding topics such as punishment, dominance, and choosing a good trainer. These statements can be found here.

Do Dogs Feel Guilt?

One of the most common complaints I hear from pet owners in regards to their dog's misbehavior is that the pet knew he did wrong but did it anyways. Let's take, for instance, the owner that comes home to find that her dog has urinated on the carpet at some point during the day. Upon seeing the owner and the mess on the carpet, the dog lowers his head, flattens his ears, and approaches the owner very slowly. To this the owner may respond;

"Just look at his face, he knows he isn't supposed to pee on the carpet or else he wouldn't look so guilty."

But is this really guilt we are seeing when dogs offer these kinds of behaviors? For the answer we need to understand more about how dogs think and perceive the world.

First off we need to understand that dogs tend to live in the moment. They are unable to understand consequences for behaviors they have done in the past. It may seem obvious to us that the urine spot on the rug was caused by the dog peeing there, but to the dog it is just a urine spot on the rug, he does not think about how it got there in the first place.

Another reason to question the idea that dogs feel guilt is that to feel guilt would imply that dogs have a moral code. There is no evidence to suggest that dogs have a true understanding of right and wrong. Certainly dogs understand that their actions can result in good and bad things happening, and therefore will modify their behavior accordingly. However, to truly have a sense of morality would require such abstract thinking that is far beyond the capacity of a dog's mind. This is not to say that dogs do not experience a wide range of basic emotions such as fear, sadness and happiness, but I have yet to hear of any research that can truly prove that dogs feel guilty for their actions.

So what is really happening in the scenario with the owner and the dog that peed on the carpet above, if not guilt? The answer lies in a dog's incredible ability to pick up on cues from us and their environment. Dogs can read our body language and tone of voice amazingly well. The reason the dog acted the way he did when he saw his owner was that he was able to pick up on the fact that the owner was angry and quite possibly about to punish him. So he quickly begins offering appeasement behaviors(lowering head and body, flattening ears, etc.) in an attempt to avoid being punished. He has no idea why he is going to be punished, but he has learned that an angry owner predicts bad things that need to be avoided. The poor dog is not feeling guilt, but fear.

Now what about the dog that offers these behaviors before the owner even realizes something is wrong? There is no way the dog is picking up on signs of anger from it's owner, so surely this dog must be feeling guilty, right? Here is where the environmental cues come into play. At one point in time the owner came home, saw a mess on the carpet, and punished the dog in front of the mess. So now the presence of the urine on the carpet and the owner coming home have become predictors of punishment for the dog.

Here is why this is so important to understand when it comes to training dogs. If we truly believe that the dog is feeling guilt for his actions and therefore knew that he was doing something wrong, then it is easy to understand why we would want to punish the dog. This way of thinking has led to the unfair treatment of an untold number of dogs. Once we realize what is truly going on when our dogs behave this way, we can begin to foster a relationship of understanding and trust between us and our furry companions.

-The photo above was taken by Colure. Visit her flickr site here.