What's the best leash?

We get this question a lot. People want to know what kind of leash they should get, and how long a leash they should have.

Part of this answer is fairly simple, part is more complicated. The simple part is the kind of leash you should get to work in Obedience and/or Rally. The answer is leather. Whether it's flat, braided, wide or narrow, leather is your best answer. A quality leather leash will last you forever and only get more supple with time. I had a leather leash that I bought in 1981 and used until 2001, when it disappeared during an agility training class. It's probably still being used somewhere (and I still miss it!).

Those cute lupine nylon leashes with patterns and stitching can work for small dogs that don't pull much, but they tend to burn your hands and wear/tear over time. And chain leashes? No. Absolutely not. Too heavy, too easy to hurt yourself or the dog. Flexi/retractible leashes are also a big no-no when training. It's just impossible to properly manipulate the lead when you have that big plastic handle, and if a cord gets wrapped around your finger you're likely to be minus a digit. Neither flexis nor chain leads are allowed at CCSC. We do allow nylon leads, but far prefer leather.

Slip leads (with the leash and collar attached) are acceptable for agility but not for obedience.

If you have a larger/strong dog, you probably want a nice wide, flat leather lead with braided or riveted ends and a good sturdy snap. You can also go with a braided lead, which may give you more places to grip. Be sure to get a leash that's smoothly finished on all sides. Leashes that are "raw" leather on one side will chafe your hands. For smaller dogs and dogs who don't pull, you can go with narrower widths.

As for length, that totally depends. It used to be that a six-foot leash was required in AKC Obedience. That is no longer true. A six-foot leash is required for the Honor portion of AKC Rally Excellent, but is not required for Rally Novice. For your classes at CCSC, you'll need a leash of sufficient length to drape down and form a gentle "J" shape with the clip hanging straight down from the dog's collar when the dog is sitting by your left side in heel position. Unless you are a tall person with a tiny dog, this means a six-foot leash is overkill. In many cases, a 4-footer will work perfectly. For the smaller dogs a 5-foot leash may be better, but you need to judge that for yourself, or have an instructor help you.

And I have to end this post by putting in a plug for Rick Gallione of Master's Pride, who I think is the finest leatherworker in the U.S. I get all of my leashes and collars from him. For the quality you get they are quite reasonably priced and he will work with you extensively by phone to make sure he's making what you want. Here's Zipper wearing his custom-made Master's Pride collar. What you can't see is the back side, which has decorative hand stitching.




Happy leash hunting!

Capturing, Shaping, Modeling, Luring

Sounds like something a metrosexual would lisp provocatively on America's Next Top Model doesn't it? With Madonna's Vogue as the theme song. Believe it or not, Capturing, Shaping, Modeling and Luring are all dog training terms and describe ways we teach our dogs skills.

Capturing, Luring and Modeling are the easiest skills to learn. Shaping the most difficult but also the best way to really harness the power of the clicker. But what are they?

Luring
Luring is using food as, (duh) a lure. You stick a cookie in front of your dog's nose and use it to get the dog to do something, whether it's come (pull treat toward you) walk forward in heel (hold treat in left hand at nose level and walk), or sit (lift treat up and back so dog naturally wants to sit). Like a fish following a lure, the dog's body follows the dog's nose and the dog's nose is following the treat. Luring is easy to do but also very easy to abuse. It's really easy for the dog to expect that treat to be there and part of the picture. And because the dog is simply following his nose, he's not necessarily really thinking of what you want. He may not even notice he's now in a sit or following you, he's just following his nose. So lures should be very quickly faded into rewards. A lure is used to PRODUCE a behavior. A reward is used AFTER the dog offers the behavior.

Capturing
Capturing is pretty easy too, as long as you keep a clicker and small treats really close and handy. Capturing is when you just happen to catch a dog doing what you want and click for it. So you're sitting around watching TV and you have your clicker and some small treats you just carry in your pocket. Your dog doesn't like to down on command, but you know your dog knows how to down--all dogs sleep sometime! When your dog lays down, you click and pitch him a treat. Capturing is also a really great way to put fun stuff on command. Kathy has taught Kip to "commando crawl" by capturing. He likes to crawl forward on his belly, back legs dragging. She captured it by clicking it when he happened to be doing it. You can capture things like yawning, sneezing, begging—pretty much anything your dog does that you think it really cute.

Shaping
Shaping is more difficult but very powerful. Shaping is rewarding incremental steps to a final behavior. With shaping, you start global and go local. Shaping requires understanding your dog's body language and good timing, because you need to be able to click just at the right moment. Shaping also requires that the dog understands the clicker game, but dogs catch onto the clicker game really fast. The clicker game is that the dog knows that he can offer things and get a click/treat.

You can use shaping to, say, get a dog to pick up and hold a dumbbell. You can first click for the dog looking at the dumbell, then up the ante to having the dog touch it with his nose, then licking it, then taking it in his mouth for a moment, then holding it, then picking it up from the floor. All without pain or trauma, and the dog understands the lesson. Shirley Chong has a great detailed page on clicking the retrieve.

And here's a video of shaping from the Karen Pryor website.

Modeling
Modeling is the option least used by clicker trainers. Modeling uses physical positioning to teach. As an example, pushing a dog into a sit to teach the sit command. I try to avoid modeling if at all possible, because it's the slowest and least effective way to train since the dog is being physically put into position, which requires no brain power on his part and may be either scary or painful. It's always best to get the dog to freely offer a behavior rather than forcing the behavior on the dog.

--Robin

Pay up!

A younger thinner me on the left in about 1984, with Blue and my friend Cheryl Davis. We were teaching a 4H dog class in Callaway County.

Way, way back when I was much younger I trained my first dog, Blue, from a book. (Okay, I know. A dog named Blue. Because he was a blue Doberman. Original, no? I've never been great at naming dogs. We all have failings.)

But I remember the book, and you can still find it today. It was The Koehler Method of Dog Training. Now since that time I've met some people who knew Bill Koehler. And they assure me that he was a genius at reading dogs and that he was a sweet and humane man. I've also heard that when Koehler (pronounced KEE-ler) wrote this book he was angry at someone. I don't know if that's true or not. But I think the Koehler book has done more harm to dogs and the dog training world than any other book written to date, and that's saying something. (The alpha rolling nonsense in the Monks of New Skete book so popular with a certain TV personality is probably in 2nd place).

In the Koehler book there's a discussion right up front about what he felt were namby-pamby cookie pushers. In Koehler's world, dogs never worked for food. They worked because if they didn't they would regret it big time. The verbal praise earned by avoiding corporal punishment was apparently enough. Koehler's method centers around the "obey me OR ELSE" philosophy. Some of the "or else's" described include hanging the dog, hitting it with rubber coated dowel rods, submerging its head in a hole filled with water until the dog was unconscious (apparently to stop digging). The Koehler book haunts us today because people still feel it's perfectly acceptable to badly abuse their dogs in the name of training.

And a lot of people still feel that giving treats to a dog in training is cheating. That if you do so, you are the dreaded cookie-pusher or (gasp) human pez dispenser. Which is deeply weird when you really think about it. Because in our real lives, we give tangible rewards for good behavior all the time.

Let's think of it a bit differently. What if you did your job and your boss was pleased and he came by and said thank you often. But when payday came, he just shrugged and smiled and said, "I'm really pleased with you, but no check, my praise should be enough." Huh? No paycheck? I bet you'd quit trying so hard (if not quit the job entirely), because though praise is nice, most of us work for the money not just out of the goodness of our hearts. Then there are the rewards we dispense to others. When a co-worker does something unexpectedly nice, sometimes we buy them lunch or a small gift. Most of us give our kids allowances. Good grades are sometimes rewarded with cash or presents.

Now, if you quit giving your kid anything but praise for cleaning his room would he stop loving you? Of course not. Would he be as quick to clean the room next time? Well maybe, but adding a cash incentive is more likely to get him to clean his room more often and with less prompting.

So why on earth do we deny our dogs a tangible paycheck? Yes, they like praise. Yes, they do work for love of us. Trust me, if they didn't love us they wouldn't put up with a quarter of the crap we visit upon their heads. I mean, the whole bath thing? And have you ever met a dog that loves getting its anal glands expressed? That's love baby. Using food in training is just a way to give a real reward they understand for a job well done.

Of course like anything else, there are proper ways to use food and ways to abuse it. Food should be a reward not a lure, and food should reward progress. A good instructor can help you figure out when to reward.

As for what kind of food, it needs to be small, soft, smelly, and yummy. It should be something out of the ordinary they don't get every day. No hard crunchy treats. And by small I mean tiny. I give my Dobermans pea sized pieces of frozen Bil Jac and they will turn themselves inside out for them. Other good choices are string cheese (take tiny pieces off), or a rotisserie chicken with bone and skin removed, chopped fine. Hot Dogs can be sliced into thin rounds and microwaved on Medium until leathery. Treats Unleashed has Jurassic Bark and also carries Zuke's Mini Naturals, a perfect size and texture for treats.

So be ready to pay up! Reward your dog with praise and food. You'll progress much more quickly and have a dog that is an enthusiastic worker.

--Robin

A Kiss for Luck and You're on Your Way

During a last minute strategy session, Trip (Belgian Tervuren) sealed his agreement with a kiss. At a recent dog show in Mississippi, a local newspaper photographer captured this picture of Trip...a split second before he bestowed upon me a big, wet, make-up smearing kiss.

As it turns out it was a kiss for good luck. He garnered back-to-back Group III's both days in a competitive Herding Group.

Atta Boy...

The Lovely Music of a Partnership

For those who know me, the magical relationship I shared with Tique' was unique. Our dances together in obedience and agility garnered scores which were recognized with multiple high in trials. Tracking with her was relaxing for me...Tique' was an honest worker and never, ever led me astray. During herding, she managed me quite neatly...I was always in the wrong place at the wrong time and she worked in spite of me. When Christopher was born, he became her responsibility and slept under his crib. A dog of great sense and sensibility, Tique' was perfect in absolutely every way.

A glimpse into my house...into the office building at dog school...into my binder containing two decades of training notes...my adoration of her is prominent.

So, you can imagine, and my friends know first hand, that the loss of Tique', at 14+ years of age, was a blow that brought me to my knees. Literally.

At the blackest time of my life, people who loved me surrounded me...my veterinarian, Candace Stormer, DVM of Rolling Hills, my soul-sister, Chris Zink, Ph.D. DVM, http://www.caninesports.com/ Ginger, Kathy, Robin, Patti, Paula...all of my girlfriends supported me for months.

I'm not without dog. I have two really, really nice Tervuren...Reeva and Trip. However, I just couldn't bring myself to train either of them...my music had stopped. My partner was gone.

But, I'm not interested in rehashing my loss - we've all had them. My message to you is to celebrate the gift of your past companions...then get to work enjoying your current companions.

It took me a year to be able to enjoy Reeva and Trip. My breakthrough with Trip was herding with Jerry Rowe http://www.twincreekherding.com/. It was remarkable; Jerry advocated for Trip. "He loves you, Andie and is trying to figure out the game. You, dear, need to be worthy of him. Get in the game." From that moment on, the connection between Trip and I was forever changed for the right reasons.

With Reeva, it took a bit longer. Ironically, it came to me during a class I was taking. I love taking classes at CCSC and enjoy learning new skills. It was Patti, who teaches our jumping classes, that gave me reason to pause. After a challenging jump course, Patti came up to me and started listing all of the ways that Reeva "saved me" on that jump course. Reeva has an elegant jumping style and due to her great structure can make difficult maneuvers appear effortless. She also adores me. Those were the things that Patti pointed out to me.

At a dog event this weekend, I visited a photographer's booth and, surprisingly, discovered that she had used two of Reeva's jumping photos in her advertising display. I stood there and looked at the familiar face of Reeva...the dark, inquisitive eyes. The thrill she experiences when working with me...being my partner.

We can all name dogs from our past who were remarkable companions in a variety of ways. I'm suggesting that when we are blessed with a dog that we call 'once in a lifetime', that may be a disservice to those who follow in years to come. Don't waste the years you have with your current dogs. Take them for walks. Play a lively round of "tuggie", give them plenty of peanut-butter stuffed kong toys. Snuggle with him/her on the bed. Teach them skills. Make the best of the time you have together. Regardless of how long your dog lives this life with you, it won't be long enough. Trust me.

I'm a fully engaged partner of Trip and Reeva. At this point, they are my focus and the construction of each unique relationship is a journey that I relish. I want to be the kind of teacher that they so richly deserve. That's my goal.

There are times tho, that they move over and let the memories Jacques, Maverick, Rocket and Tique' come back and work with me. I give Trip and Reeva credit for being smart enough to let me indulge in revisiting the companionship of those who shaped me into the trainer I am today.

Don't walk. Run.
Go. Now. Hurry.
Your dog is waiting.
For you. Only you.
She is waiting.

Enjoy the journey -
~Andrea Meinhart

Teaching the Teacher

Cala (left) and Viva the day Viva retired from Rally Obedience after completing her Rally Advanced Title with a first place. Cala got her first Rally Advanced leg with a first place.

At CCSC we offer a pretty wide variety of classes. And as I've mentioned before, our instructors vary a bit in approach and training philosophy. All the instructors have a lot of experience actually competing in the sports they teach, and all instructors share a commitment to positive training. But we do differ in how we train certain skills.

Another thing you'll notice if you take many classes at CCSC. We instructors also take classes. You may have an instructor in your class. Perhaps even one that teaches that class in a different session. After all, we are also trying to train our own dogs at the same time we're teaching you how to train yours. And if you look carefully, you may see us take the same class more than once.

As an example, I own three dogs. Viva, at over 10, is retired from competition. I very occasionally bring her into the building and do a bit of heeling or let her run an agility sequence over 8" or 12" jumps because she loves to do it and hates sitting on the couch doing nothing. Viva's daughter, Cala, is almost 6. Though she has several titles she's a real training challenge for me and while you may see her in a Rally class, we train in agility on our own because she's loud and gets very amped up. Cala, by the way, has taken the Jump 1 class at least 4 times because she hates to collect her stride and I keep having to remind her that she can do it. Zipper is my young dog, and has been progressing through classes. He's taken Agility Foundations (twice), Jump 1, Handling and Sequencing (twice).

Now you might think we teachers have enough training experience to "not need" to take classes. But that's not true. Taking classes has many benefits. It helps our dogs learn how to deal with other dogs and distractions. It helps us get valuable outside insight and input into our handling. And taking classes from a friend who may have a different training method or philosophy can also help open us up to new ideas and methods.

So look around next time you're in class. You might see someone beside you who may be teaching you in another session.

4-H Jamboree at CCSC

Thanks to Baker's bad tooth keeping us home from playing agility games in Lawrence I ended up over at CCSC for the day.  What I got to do was to help out with the first 4-H Jamboree.  It turned out to be a great way to spend a bitterly cold day watching over 80 kids and their dogs from all over the state partake in a variety of dog activities.  Most of the participants were from outside of the Columbia area which made me aware of the fact that we take our access to facilities to work with our dogs for granted. 

The organizers; Gretchen & Sarah Carlisle and Julie & Liz Holle focussed on 4 activities: Obedience (with Andrea),

Rally with Jamie & Steve, and Joyce below:
and Showmanship (with the 2 Lizs),

and Agility with Sarah (the one activity that I failed to photograph thanks to a dead battery).

The kids were grouped into four sections according to experience which helped the instructors to pitch the training to maximize the experience for each team.  In addition the kids were lucky to have their experienced instructors aided by Jamie, Steve, Jenn, Judy, and Vicki.  The support staff inside preparing hot drinks and food and setting up parking of Barry & Beth & Mike & Terry & Gary, to mention a few illustrated how the dog community is just that - a community. It was super to see the kids and their dogs learn one new thing after another.  In spite of the chilly conditions in the building (a little hard on the heater units to keep up with constant opening and closing of the doors in addition to single digit temperatures and wind outdoors) they and their parents kept up a hectic pace.  I suspect that there will be a number of tired pooches and handlers this evening!  

These guys are the future of dog sports. Their ability to develop a relationship with their dogs will teach them skills that they will carry forward in life: including caring, responsibility, the joy of learning, patience, unrequited love, and the satisfaction of starting something new.

Partnership responsbilities

Poor Baker, he has a toothache thanks to a slab fracture of his molar and he can't get in to the veterinary dentist until the 11th of February.  We were supposed to go and play agility this weekend in Lawrence starting with Excellent Jumpers on Friday and then Jumpers, Fast and Standard classes on Saturday and Sunday and it was to have been our first chance to compete in the new year.  

Baker has been making great progress working with me and having fun in the agility ring and I was looking forward to our getting the chance to play together.  This morning, though, when we got up his third eyelid was covering most of his eye and his hawes were down and he looked miserable.  An acupuncture treatment helped to relieve the immediate symptoms and he is now on antibiotics but I knew when he laid his head on my lap before the day started that we will not be going to Lawrence.  

Am I disappointed? Yes. 

Is it the smart thing to do? Yes.

How so?  Obviously, if he is hurting he can not be expected to focus on the game.  And while he was credited as being a "stoic" with respect to not responding to pain, I know that he is not in top form - we all saw it in Jump 4 Class on Tuesday evening when he would not move quickly, did not want to jump, but we all gave it different excuses.  We saw it again on Wednesday after Foundations when he started out well and then pulled up.  Just think of how your head feels with a tooth ache - dull, unrelenting and the dogs can't tell us to leave off.  Apart from the fact that the venue in Lawrence is a dirt arena and Baker's eyes are already inflamed it is my job to be the responsible human partner and not let him hurt, become worse, or, more seriously, equate pain with training and competing.  So we will stay home, keep working on the dog room, let Baker sleep and be cuddled, let Ailsa practice tracking, have JJ as a guest so that he won't freeze in Lawrence with the Border Terriers, and help out with the 4-H Jamboree.  Actually, none of that sounds so bad (might even sleep in on Sunday morning....).

Time that the troops got healthier!

Ginger

Lordy it's a good thing they're cute

Or dogs just wouldn't last long with us, would they.

Zipper's been fighting some sort of something all week. I thought he was getting better, so today I had lunch out and didn't come home at noon. Hoo boy. What a mistake.

Came in the house to the smell of "uh-oh, he didn't make it." Poor little guy had been all kinds of ill. It's truly amazing how much matter a 10 pound dog can expel. Since he stays in a 400 sized (doberman sized) crate during the day the damage was contained...but also concentrated. And of course he was mortified at his "misbehavior." So he's looking at me like I'm going to beat him.

Meanwhile there's a big load of doggie blankets in the wash on the "Extra Large, HOT" cycle and I've disassembled his crate, cleaned, and reassembled. He's drinking, has appetite, nice pink gums, and while not his usual self is moving around fine so I'm going to watch him for another day or so. But no supper for you buddy boy.

See, yet another advertisement of the glories of crate training. Just think if he'd been loose all day. I'd have an entire house (and probably my own bed) to clean, not just one spot.

--Robin

First Time Blogging

Kathy here, the fourth member of this group FINALLY contributing to the CCSC dog training blog (after friendly reminders and friendly threats from Robin). I’m teaching several agility classes this session at CCSC – two weave pole classes and a contacts class. I also have 4 dogs of my own that I am training—3 border terriers and 1 whippet. Despite generalizations that are made about the behavior and trainability of breeds, I've always found that each dog I've owned /trained or helped in a class to be an individual, with their own quirks, strengths and weaknesses…

My intent is to use this blog as a report on training my 4 dogs and to bring up things I've been noticing in classes at CCSC. I have been training and showing my dogs in a variety of sports, including agility, tracking, obedience, rally obedience, earthdog, lure coursing and conformation. As for progress in training my dogs, let me introduce them…

KIP: 7 yr old male border terrier –
Kip has become the most accomplished dog I've worked with since I “got into” dog training. He is titled in tracking, agility, earthdog, and obedience. He is enthusiastic, but a bit soft sometimes, and has always been easy to distract. I’ve had to do so much retraining with him over the years to correct stuff that I didn’t quite teach him correctly the first time! (Everyone, it’s mostly our fault how our dog turns out!) However, as a team we’ve accomplished SO much despite my mistakes in training him. Currently, I’m showing him at the EXCELLENT level in AKC agility and I am trying to get him ready for showing in the open level of AKC/UKC obedience (we’ll see how that goes) and doing variable surface tracking (tracking on concrete, asphalt, gravel, around buildings) with him. He’s also a therapy dog with TDI (Therapy Dogs International).

BRIAR(aka Briar Brat): 3 yr old female border terrier—
Briar is a small BT (11 inches at the shoulder) and I’ve been working her in agility, tracking and earthdog. She’s softer than Kip in some ways but tougher in others. She can worry but doesn't act particularly guilty if caught doing something she shouldn't. I think/hope I have made fewer training mistakes with her than I have with Kip. She along with Kip have shown me that most terriers don’t seem to “grow up” until they are about 2.5 – 3 yrs of age. So I’ve taken her training more carefully, trying to build a better foundation, especially in agility, than I did with Kip. I didn’t show her in agility, tracking and earthdog until I thought she had matured enough to handle the stresses associated with showing. She enjoyed her conformation career but putting her in the agility ring caused a lot of angst (for her and me!) early on. However, one trains through all that stuff and as a result in the past year she has earned her novice AKC agility titles (NA-novice agility and NAJ-novice agility jumpers), her TD (tracking dog) and her JE (junior earthdog). Currently, she’s working at the open level ofAKC agility, training toward a TDX in tracking and doing some competitive obedience training. This fall she became a therapy dog through TDI and will get to start visiting places in the new year.

JJ: 17 month old male whippet—
JJ is a whippet from racing lines – in whippets (and some other sighthound breeds) there are amateur straight track and oval track racing competitions. As sighthounds also participate in the sport of lure coursing, where they chase a plastic bag around a field. The dogs really get to RUN, which they love and JJ is FAST. He started agility training this fall, with a focus on weave poles, contacts and jumping. He has been making steady progress on these skills. JJ has been a pleasure to train and VERY different than the terriers (I get into that another time). He also has been tracking since last winter. He also has been tracking since last winter. He certified for the TD test in September and got into a December test, but it was SO cold (<20 F) with snow, that he would not track. So I’ll be looking for tracking tests this spring to enter with him.

ASTRA: 6 month old female border terrier
The puppy is just that! A wild and crazy BT puppy. Outgoing, friendly, exuberant, energetic. She bounces EVERYWHERE! She’s been in “basic training” since she arrived in the household this September—house breaking , crate training, grooming, coming when called (that one needs much more work!). She’s been through a puppy class and a conformation class. Currently, she’s enrolled in one of the CCSC Agility Foundations classes and is having a blast! At her age, everything is kept positive, she’s learning her agility skills—walking on and through weird new stuff, going through tunnels, walking on moving weird stuff--and basic obedience skills—sit, down, stand, attention, walking on a loose leash--with clicker training. She’s also just started to learn tracking over the last two weekends. She was started on hard surfaces for tracking instead of grass (which I have done with my five previous tracking dogs) and has started out great. Since she was the pick of the litter she will be shown in conformation--probably starting this spring.

Enough for now.

Kathy

Silly Season

Whew! The first week of the new session of classes at CCSC is over! I don't know about you, but I've started thinking of the last week of registration and the first week of classes as "Silly Season."

All the people who've been wanting to take classes but keep forgetting to enroll suddenly realize it's almost too late, so the last week before Orientation is full of emails and questions. My inbox goes from getting a message or so a day to 15 or more. We get everyone sorted out and at Orientation go over the basic rules and what equipment we want everyone to bring.

The first actual week of class is sort of like your first day at high school, except that not only are you dealing with your nerves but your dog's nerves too. Students are getting sorted into rings, instructors are evaluating dogs and everyone is excited and jittery. Often new students have forgotten to bring the requested leash or have an inappropriate collar on the dog, so there are cries of "Oh no, I forgot!" It's loud and chaotic. Even though we've reassured everyone that it's normal, people are sometimes horrified at their dog's behavior on that first night. "He's never this way at home!" Of course not, but he's not at home. He's in a place with lots of strange dogs and people with a lot of noise and visual stimuli, not to mention the smells. Canine and human adrenaline soaks the air.

And I'll walk around and mutter, "Oh my God, Silly Season," in dire tones while secretly, I really like it. I like the energy. I like looking at all of those bright dogs and knowing that if their owners just stick with it, they'll be seeing huge progress.

By week 3, the classes are amazingly calm and organized. Most of the dogs have settled and are attentive but not hysterical. Owners have realized this is something they can do and that instructors really do understand that dogs don't come pre-programmed.

A few of the dogs though, are still pretty over the top. And sometimes owners get embarrassed, decide their dog must be untrainable since everybody else in the class is doing great and they've still got Mr. Bark At Everything on the end of their leash. And unfortunately, even though we assure them that they're normal, some of these students drop out.

One thing we instructors do have to stress continually is that if your dog was perfect, you wouldn't be spending the money to come to CCSC. You'll hear us say it in person and probably write it in this blog again and again—each dog is an individual. All dogs learn at different rates. One reason why we don't put "Beginning" "Intermediate" and "Advanced" in our class titles is because sometimes dogs need to repeat a class, and owners need to know that it's perfectly fine to do so. It's far less pressure to say "I'm taking Pet Manners 1" than it is to say "I'm still in Beginners" like you flunked grade school or something.

And let me tell you something else. Those over-the-top dogs? The ones that have tons of energy that you don't know how to direct? Well they may require more time and effort from you up front, and they will challenge your abilities and knowledge. They will make you work. But if you stick with that dog, if you will just keep coming to class and working each week, that is the dog that often has the most potential to be successful should you decide to do agility or any of the other dog sports. Because that dog has drive and attitude and spark. And I love that kind of dog. Give me an overeager brat who occasionally gets into trouble over a plodder any day.

The first week is over. We're starting to buckle down. Sooner than we think the last week of class will be upon us. And I bet you'll be shocked at how much difference you can see in your dog in these six short weeks.

Happy training!
--Robin

Young dog teaches old dog new tricks

A recent project at my house has been the conversion of  my garage that does not fit the van into a well used dog room.   The project has been underway in one form or another for a few months and is coming close to being finished.  One of the things I wanted to correct was the dog door.  It is nice to let the dogs come and go when they need without having to have accidents at the back door or getting up and down - especially with more than one dog.  The bad thing, that I wanted to fix, was the fact that once the doors with the plastic flaps age, they no longer fit the opening properly - meaning in the summer one lets cool air out and in the winter, frigid air (especially as the door is on the North side of the house) streams in past the flap.  The other thing is that the draft was particularly bad around the dog crates.  I don't even want to think what the hole in my door was doing to the heating bills!

Like any savvy consumer I hit the internet to research different designs and finally settled on an industrial job (Heavy Duty Dog Door™) with a hefty plexiglass panel set into

 an aluminum frame and sporting two industrial springs.  The first evening when I got home after the doors were installed in my office and the dog room, I  let Ailsa and Baker out of their crates.  They did what they always do: Bark, leap, scamper around, Jump, Bounce, Bark,

 and fly outside, through the door. Well! What a surprise for Baker when the door smacked 

him on the butt and made a huge BANG.  No way he was coming back inside.  Ailsa was not so put off - mostly surprised that the door had changed between morning and evening.  As I had classes to teach at CC

SC, I let them back in and off we went.  Later in the evening I opened the door to let them out and neither volunteered to try the door again. 

Thank goodness Ailsa did not need to go out during the night. Next morning, thankfully, it was not too cold so I had the chance to work on door skills.  I let them out and armed myself with some REALLY good treats from the fridge - left over beef tenderloin from Christmas (grief, the things we do for the dogs).  I then settled down on the floor inside the door - they were still outside.  Since the door is a big plexiglass window, they could 

look at me and I at them and I carefully took a big juicy chunk of meat and ate it right in front of them.  Baker came to the glass to see but would not touch the door.  After I had eaten another piece, Ailsa screwed up her courage and came in and experienced a yummy reward.  Then she did the puppy thing - sat - and looked at Baker.  He remained stuck outside. 

She looked at me and then looked at him and then very carefully, while looking at him, walked up to the door from the inside.  She then took her right paw, lifted it and pushed against the plexiglass while continuing to look at Baker.  Then she slowly, deliberately placed her 

head along her outstretched fore arm and rocked forward through the

 door bearing the weight of the door flap on the back of her neck,

 then slipped herself outside.

Once outside she placed herself next to Baker and looked up at him. Before I could hold out another piece of meat, she repeated the process from outside to inside.  Of course, she was rewarded for her prowess with a yummy piece of meat which she relished.  She then turned and faced Baker again.  Still he did not move.  Now she surprised me again by carefully illustrating the exit form, sitting next him outside, then repeating the entry form, got treated, sat, waited, sighed (it was hard not to laugh) and repeated the process again. and again, and again - I think it was 6 times over all but I was mesmerized watching the deliberations and patience and Baker's obvious agitation.  In the middle of one of the times where I was treating  Ailsa there was a huge commotion as a brown & while blur came hurtling through the door. 

I was quick to make sure that he got a great big morsel of beef given to him over a good 20-30 seconds.  Baker had screwed up all the courage he had and burst through the door for his piece of meat.   Then I quickly opened the door and they both went out and I closed the door again.  Needless to say, Baker was less than pleased, but Ailsa put her teaching hat on again and repeated the process of going in and out of the door until Baker came again (at this point Ailsa is getting 6 times the number of treats than Baker).  We repeated the process of teaching Baker twice again before breaking for breakfast.  I had a small giggle a little while later when I heard the door being used and when I got up to see, there was AIlsa punching the flap with her paw - just entertaining herself with the power to decide if she was coming or going.  Baker did not try the game. 

 

What was stunning was that the single lesson of how to use the door was taught by a 6 mo old puppy to a soon-to-be-7 year old dog.  Now, 3 days later, they are both using the doors as if that was all that had ever been at the house before.  And - I am pleased to report that there is no longer a howling gale at my back door!  

Ginger

Follow your nose

Okay Ginger and Kathy, stop laughing right now. Yes, I'm going to blog about tracking. No, I don't really know what I'm talking about. And, okay, yes, I am the person who really honestly does not like tracking.

For me, tracking is just almost as exciting as watching paint dry. Okay, running a track with my own dog is fun. But the whole planning, plotting, laying track, aging, flagging, etc. etc. is, well, boring as snot. And when you are getting together with your helpful friends and multiply all that planning, plotting, tracklaying, and aging by 4 or 5, well you're gonna be there awhile. I think the truth is I'm just too impatient for tracking.

Unfortunately my dogs like it. Zipper is especially good with his nose. Which just sucks because frankly, I'd rather pretend this one dog sport didn't exist.

Every once in awhile Ginger helps me get re-enthused about the sport (which means I move from 'Oh my God please don't make me do this' to 'Oh....All right....I'll meet you there' [martyred sigh]). Hence, you get to see pictures of Zipper tracking hard surface. I have it on good authority (i.e., not my own) that tracking hard surface is the most difficult kind because scent spreads and dissipates rather than pooling and settling in as it does in grass.

Zipper, he thinks it's pretty darn easy, especially when there are shreds of turkey to hunt. Darn it Zipper, for once can't you be bad at something so I can weasel out?

--Robin

Overcoming stereotypes

Zipper, Ch Regatta It's About Time, tells the rats that darn it, if that cage wasn't there....(no rats were harmed!)

I was re-reading my "too dumb to learn" blog, and I realized I'd left something out. It's the "that's an XXX. They can't do squat!" excuse.

In the past few years, the public, pushed by various Animal Rights groups, has been slowly brainwashed to think that purebred dogs, especially purebred dogs of certain breeds, are all stupid genetic nightmares. If they convince us of this, they can continue their campaign to eliminate all dog breeding of any kind, thus ridding the world of companion animals all together. (Don't think it's true that the Animal Rights movement wants to eliminate companion animals, both dogs and cats? Read some of what Ingrid Newkirk, who owns PETA, has said on the subject).

Those of us who own purebred dogs have always heard these things, especially in regards to some breeds, and show-quality animals of those breeds. Irish Setters can't find their way out of a field they're so stupid. Those "beauty-contest" dogs are so riddled with genetic disease it's a miracle they make it around the ring. Those snobby show people, they ruin breeds. They just breed for looks.

Happily, those stereotypes are very wrong in many cases. I bought my first purebred dog in 1981. I did everything wrong. He was from a puppy mill, and he sure wouldn't have won anything in the ring. But he had a super temperament. And I did do a few things right, because I met several people who introduced me to the world of dog shows, both obedience and conformation, what we call "breed". My first mentors taught me a tremendous amount about dogs and showing and responsible breeding.

Dobermans have their own set of stereotypes. Vicious, mean, will attack anything, turn on their owners. The most famous is the "brain grows too big for their head" theory, in which apparently at some point their brain grows so big it squirts out their pointy little ears, causing them to kill every living thing in a 50 mile radius. It's a miracle any Doberman breeders exist!

And now I have a Min Pin. Miniature Pinschers are a tremendously old German breed, used as ratters and small vermin hunters from the 1600s on. Not only do I have a Min Pin, but he's an intact male. And not only that, but he's a breed champion, from a long line of dogs who have done nothing but be beautiful. Champions right, left, and center. According to the pundits, this dog should be a) stupid, b) untrainable, c) riddled with genetic disease, d) have no native working instinct at all e) spending every waking moment trying to breed a female, thus unable to learn any skills whatsoever.

Somebody forgot to tell him that. Zipper is starting to show in agility. He's a natural tracker, and loves to learn and puzzle through problems. He's also a determined vermin hunter, and is the only Min Pin to get a Novice pass in AWTA Earthdog. Though his breed isn't at this time eligible for AKC earthdog, we're working on it, and he's working at a Senior Earthdog level.

I guess my message here is that no matter what dog you have—from Champion purebred to champion pet, from small to large, from young to old, your dog can learn. Sure, some dogs have genetic physical and mental limitations. Some will be very shy/soft, some over-hyper. Some will pick up concepts very quickly, some will take longer. But they can all learn and have fun doing it too.

--Robin

I'm Operant. How about you?

A lot of people who clicker train talk about having "Operant" dogs, or say they train "operant." And they're right. They are training using Operant Conditioning.

However, like I said in my other post, ALL dog training (and pretty much all people training too) is done using Operant techniques. Koehler, the Monks of New Skete, Diane Baumann, Bernie Brown, Karen Pryor and Sue Ailsby all use operant techniques, just based on different parts of the Operant spectrum. So a smart trainer understands the theory behind the foundations of our dog training.

Operant Conditioning means behaviors have consequences. And B.F. Skinner described four main quadrants of Operant training. It's really important to remember that the words we use for these quadrants are used with scientific definitions, not layman definitions. In other words, they don't mean what you might think they do. The four words are positive, negative, reinforcement, punishment.

Positive = adding something. (it does not mean pleasant, pain free, or happy)

Negative = subtracting something (it does not mean unpleasant or bad)

Reinforcement = increase repetition of a behavior (again, not necessarily pleasant, just an increase)

Punishment = decrease repetition of a behavior (does not mean painful or what I always think of, being spanked or hit)

The four quadrants of Operant Conditioning are:

Positive Reinforcement: Adding something to Increase a behavior.

Negative Reinforcement: Subtracting something (taking something away) to Increase a behavior

Positive Punishment: Adding something to Decrease a behavior

Negative Punishment: Subtracting something (taking something away) to Decrease a behavior

That's plenty of gobbledy-gook for this post. Suffice it to say, that for the most part, clicker training operates more in positive reinforcement and negative punishment than the other two quadrants. But all training does encompass all quadrants at some time or another.

—Robin

Dog Jobs

Monday was the start of a new session at CCSC and Monday was the first Monday of the month so it was time for Baker and Me to visit the Adult Day Care Connection at MU in Clark Hall. Baker is the third of my springers to visit on Mondays and we introduced the puppy, Ailsa, to the activity. One of the reasons I link our visits to Dog school is that I hear people saying that their dogs are bored or their dogs "need a job" and I realize that we agree that dogs need to do more than sit in the back yard or sit in the house.

Usually when this topic comes up we talk about getting the dogs into an activity such as Obedience or Agility or Rally that involves coming to class and can be done by any and owner. Depending on the breed of dog there are other activities which maximize the purpose of the dog breed - for example, the terriers as a group were bred to help keep the rodent population under control - that meant having a feisty personality that would not be cowered by coming face-to-face with a rat, for example. Further, these guys have coats that offer protection from the sharp teeth and claws of rodents and their body shapes tend to facilitate getting into small spaces. A terrier without a job can end up leaving the owners with several shredded shoes, holes in the yard (and under fences), etc. As it happens there are earthdog events which allow the trainer to employ the talents and structure of the smaller terrier breeds. Likewise there are herding, hunting, weight pull, lure coursing, and working dog or "schutzhund" as examples of activities make the most of specialized breed work. What about the "basic dog" or one who might be a pure bred but not "into" these activities.

Well that is where we get back to Mr. Baker - and the realization that I, for one, forget to tell trainers coming with their dogs and families to class - that they can contribute hugely to the community at large by participating as "therapy dogs". Depending on the organization (Show-Me Canines, Ann Gafke's Teacher's Pet, and PALS (Pet-Assisted Love and Support at MU Vet School)) there are different venues where the dogs go. Basically, the dog and trainer are expected to have a solid relationship that includes the skills of the Canine Good Citizenship (CGC) test plus the ability to deal with situations (noises, equipment, movements) that might be encountered in a school, hospital, public demonstration etc. In mid-Missouri we are fortunate to have CGC evaluators at CCSC and Teacher's Pet who are also certified as evaluators for Therapy Dogs International (TDI). There is a great feeling of accomplishment having the dog pass the TDI as it is the dog who becomes a member of TDI (the handler comes along for the ride ;) ) and it is especially wonderful to discover how the dogs literally get into their visits.

I recognize that Baker gets a hint that the first Monday of the month has come around again as he gets a bath and grooming on the Sunday evening before.  Then, the next day  I come home earlier than usual, and I usually I grab his special leash and collar and perhaps a toy, if not a seasonal bandana (Santa hat for Christmas, Flowers for Spring, Red, White & Blue for July 4, etc.) to top it off. He moves enthusiastically (spring, bounce, spring, bark, bark) to his crate in the back of the van and rides intently over to Adult Day Care. 

When we arrive he makes a quick stop outside and then walks into the building in a most stately, calm manner turning first to go around the room to greet each client in a counter clockwise direction. He knows who would prefer to only look at him and he them; he knows who needs him to tuck in closely so that they can pet his head, who needs him to get up on the arms of the chair for a closer scratch, who likes to pull on his ears and who thumps his head. Never have I seen him pull away, be impatient, or object! In the wide-wide world, no way does he allow his ears to be pulled! What is fascinating is how serious Baker is at his job - for no other activity does he devote such attention and energy.  Even though we are scheduled for only an hour, by 45 minutes I see him begin to flag and at the end of the hour he is ready to sprint to the van and into his crate.  While it only takes me 5 minutes to drive back to the house he is always sound asleep by the time I pull up in the drive way.  

Baker comes by his enthusiasm for his therapy work honestly: both his mother, Lily and his Great aunt, Shelley were similarly involved.  Shelley, my first black & white springer, had a favorite person at elder care.  Every week she would break all the rules.  After having made her round of the clients she would go to her favorite person and quietly insinuate herself up into his lap.  Then the two of them would snooze until the hour was done.  In those days there were other dog/trainer partners so her devotion to a single person was not a problem.  She continued in her therapy job for a good year after she had retired from other dog performance activities in spite of her  arthritic hips and loss of sight because of her interaction with this one person.  How did I know this with such certainty?  Well the Monday came when her friend was not there. She made her rounds and sniffed his empty chair and walked, with an air unique to Shelley, straight to the door. I was told that the client had died a week before and I did not think of it until the next month.  

I came home to get Shelley and Baker's mother, Lily. Lily promptly got into her crate in the van but Shelley did not even lift her head from her nap making it quite clear that she was now officially retired to the couch.  She had given plenty and I did not argue.  Lily had a different enthusiasm: children.  She really like the library program in Ashland where children a the library would read to her.  She would lay herself out on the floor and let them crawl all over her while they read their books.  She would move her head following their fingers; provide little licks; even appear to nod in appreciation.  It was uncanny.  

It looks like the tradition will go on from Baker to Ailsa as she has now come along for a few short visits and it is hard to believe that she is a 6 month old puppy when she made her rounds following Baker's example.  It is a pleasure and a privilege to go along with these dogs as they go to "work" and worthy or realizing that there are multiple venues for dogs outside of the house.

Ginger

Click what?

Several of us at CCSC train using a method loosely called "clicker training." It's one of the training methods used in some of our classes, so I thought I'd start a bit of a conversation about clickers and what they are and what they can do. Before getting into the subject though, it should be pointed out that there are many positive training methods out there, and clicker training is just one of those. One of the fun things about training is exploring different methods to find ones that work best for you and your dog. As an example, though I clicker train, I also use voice rewards, toys, play, etc. in my training. It's all about having tools in the toolbox.

Clicker training as a subject is far too big for a single post (and besides, I know that the rest of our crew here on CCSC Dog Talk will also weigh in). But I'll start the ball rolling by describing some of the science behind the clicker. Hopefully you won't doze off, because it's actually pretty cool.

I think everybody has heard of Pavlov's dogs. You know, hungry dogs, salivating for dinner. A bell was rung before dinner was served and pretty darn quick, the dogs began salivating just at the sound of the bell, even when food wasn't present. The type of training that was called is Classical Conditioning. And the device, the bell, was a classically conditioned tool. The bell told the dogs to expect something--food. The bell meant that one thing and only that one thing. The dogs knew it, they understood it.

Well there was this other guy, too. By the name of B.F. Skinner. And back in the 1930s he published research into another type of learning, called Operant Conditioning. Basically, Operant Conditioning means that behavior has consequences. And all dog training and is based in some form of Operant conditioning. We humans also learn this way. I'm not going to go into detail about Operant Conditioning today. Just remember the term, because you'll hear it if you train dogs with a knowledgeable trainer.

The important thing to remember is that once a dog has learned that a certain sound always means food, he can learn that certain of his behaviors can have the consequence of getting to hear that sound; which will reward him with food. In other words, he learns to work for that sound.

Today we don't use a bell (they can clang when you don't want them to and don't fit real well in a pocket). We use a clicker. The clicker makes a sharp, audible sound. We use it to mark a behavior we want to reward the dog for doing. As an example, we could click the dog for sitting, or for watching us, or for a correct weave entry. Lots of things.

Why a clicker? Why not just praise?
Some trainers, including some of the instructors at CCSC, use only voice and are extremely successful. But clickers may be more effective than voice to mark a dog's success. Why? Because it's not voice. I know that sounds weird. But dogs have been bred for thousands of years to be exquisitely sensitive to our voice inflections and tone. And when we praise, we always put emotion into that praise. Unfortunately, the praise or "Yes" we say when we are happy and energized and training is going really well is often quite different than the "Yes" we say when we're tired and everything has gone wrong. It's just the way we humans are. And dogs read the real emotions behind the words. So when we grind that "yes" out with our teeth gritted, they know we still aren't happy.

The beauty of the clicker is that it is entirely black and white to the dog. It says one thing and only one thing. "This is what I wanted. You get a treat!" Because it's so unambiguous, and because it is divorced from emotion, dogs really get it. And because they understand it completely, the clicker becomes a tremendously powerful tool.

The second reason why clickers may work better than voice is timing. Studies have shown that we can click with our thumb (or finger) faster than we can process a verbal word, send it to our brain, have the brain send it to our vocal cords, and voice it. Dogs also process it much faster. Instead of having to figure out what word the human is saying, they get this brief noise with a very clear meaning. There's some evidence that clicking may connect directly to the dog's limbic, producing a stimulus response (see Karen Pryor link by clicking here).

Karen Pryor's site is a great one to start with if you want more information on clicker training.

—Robin

The scoop of the Poop

CCSC instructor Cindy Jansen and CCSC Owner/instructor Ginger Huxley beside part of the haul from Grindstone. Both Cindy and Ginger are also members of the Show Me Canines Club that orchestrates cleanups.

Sometimes scooping the poop means getting all the best gossip. Sometimes it means, well, scooping poop!

Today Show Me Canines went to Grindstone Park and did clean up duty. We do this several times a year, in part to help ensure Grindstone continues to be viewed favorably by the city as an offleash dog area. Today the area was particularly dirty. We probably hauled out well over 200 pounds of poop, most of it from around the Grindstone and Capen entry areas.

I really try to keep my sense of humor about most things, and believe it or not there are many worse things than spending an unexpectedly warm January day walking the trails of Grindstone, even dragging a cart and doing the stop and stoop to pick up cold gelatinous dog doo. But it's not so funny that so many Columbians seem to think it's fine to let their dogs go all over the park (and each other's yards, and wherever) and not clean it up.

There are lots of reasons why you should pick up after your own dogs. The most obvious is because it's the law in Columbia. But I think most people don't really care about that. To a lot of people, picking up is stupid and gross, and they just don't want to do it. Besides, it's nature, right? All that poop will just break down anyway. Why pick it up?

Here's why. First and foremost, because it's good for the ecology. Yes, dog poop is a natural thing. But a heavy load of carnivore dung, such as what we found in Grindstone today, is hard on ecosystems. Dog feces can carry e. coli, Salmonella, and worms among other lovely items. These wash into our creeks and streams. Grindstone and Hinkson creeks are already polluted enough.

Secondly, nobody wants to step in it. I've seen toddlers running barefoot through the lush grass at Grindstone. If they step in poop, it could make them sick. Heck, it could make your dog sick if he steps in or inadvertently ingests another dog's poop. Then there's the great fun of getting into your car and discovering it's ground into your brand new Brooks Adrenaline running shoes you just paid $100 for at the Starting Block.

So come on Columbians. Put us out of a job. Pick up your dog's poop and dispose of it in the trash on your way out of the parks. It's the right thing to do. It's time for more than a few of us to step up to the plate to make sure it gets done.

Vole Wars revisited

Took a few pictures today of the Tag Team Vole Warriors in action.

Zipper exploring one burrow while Cala digs a new one


The 10-pound dog shoves the 65-pound dog out of his way



A satisfied and muddy-nosed Zipper back at the car.

Switching gears

Sometimes dogs teach us things we didn't necessarily think we needed to learn. And Zipper, my youngest, greenest, and smallest dog, has been teaching me a lot.

I've always sort of been the weave person around CCSC. Agility weaves, where the dog enters a set of vertical poles from a specific entry (first pole by left shoulder) and weaves through them rapidly, is one of the most difficult skills for a dog to learn because unlike jumping and tunneling, it really isn't anything dogs would do naturally. Back years ago when I started Viva, my first agility dog, I decided I wanted to teach her how to weave using a then new and revolutionary method called channel weaving. In channel weaving, we offset every other pole so that there's a hallway or "channel" going down the middle between the poles. We then pattern the dog to want to run down that channel quickly for a toy. Over time we make the channel narrower and narrower until the poles are finally a single line, and the dog weaves through them.

Channel weaving is the weaving foundation given to all dogs at CCSC. It works really well. And I'm good at teaching it. Not only have I taught quite a few students at CCSC to have fast, accurate weave poles, my Cala won the 2005 Purina IDC for 60 weaves, completing the weaves in just a bit over 13 seconds.



So along comes this little dog. And he doesn't like the channel method. I tried doing channels with him, and unless there was a second person actually standing at the end, he didn't get it. And not only that, but he didn't get the poles moving together. The minute the poles got close, he'd try to weave each individual pole instead of going down the middle.

I had two choices. I could either force him to fit my method, or I could change my method to fit him. I decided to do the latter. So Zipper and I are now exploring teaching weaves with the clicker and weave wires, the weaves inline from the very start. We've had some stumbles along the way and his weaves aren't as far along as I'd like them to be. On the other hand, he showed me from the very first practice that this made more sense to him than channels. And I'm confident he's going to end up with good weaving skills.

The moral of the story? Sometimes you have to switch gears and go into the land of uncertainty to train your dog. Sometimes the dog teaches you instead of you teaching him. Good trainers are not so wedded to a specific method that they have to force the dog to the method. And while I'm sure I'm making mistakes teaching this method to Zipper, overall the learning of it and the road we are travelling together makes me a better trainer both for Zipper and for all the other dogs I will teach and train.

Good Training is Disciplined Play

Rival, the only daughter of Tique' (Andrea), shows her "Obedience Trial Championship" style of working the scent article pile.

Rival is proof that a cherished companion can be a salty competitor and she inspires me to teach toward the goal of a devoted relationship. I hope that your dog inspires you!

Happy Training,

~ Andrea

Wonder what was going through Baker's head? Benefits of Crate Training

This morning I had the opportunity to be at home while work is going on at my house to convert my garage into a dog room so the dogs were out and about in the living room with me while I worked on the computer and work proceeded in the garage.  

The carpenter, Paul, came at his usual time, greeted Ailsa & Baker and while Ailsa was super pleased to see Paul, Baker was more reserved, but calm.  Fine.  I am pleased that Baker no longer looses his chips sounding like a mad man when Paul comes in the morning or when he comes and goes during the conduct of his work.  Usually, if I am not home, the dogs are in their crates.  They learn the "crates-are-great" game when they are puppies - Ailsa took to it in 2 days.  

Basically, I always give them a treat for going into the crate. Period.  Even if I put them in, treat leave, come home 30 minutes later, let them out and leave again a second or third or fourth time, going in the crate means they get a biscuit.  As a result they will go bonkers to get into the crates and will all pile in one crate if the doors to their crates are closed (creates quite a picture).  I know that some people don't like to treat their dogs as often as I do, but it is a personal choice - my guys get less in a meal to make up for what they get training.  Also they get a treat NOT a meal.  

I have also learned to play another game with the troops - the "I-must-not-scream,-bark-and-carry-on-to-get-out-of-the-crate" game.  In this case, when I get home, which ever dog is not carrying on gets out first.  She or he who is still carrying on is ignored (I stand still, say nothing and contemplate the fact that the ceiling of the office needs dusting).  At first it seemed to take FOREVER before they would calm down, but as soon as one does, I calmly say "Good quiet", lean over, and open the door.  You can imagine that at first the very act of either saying something, or leaning over, lead to resumption of the chatter.  SOoooo, I'd stand up, say nothing, look at the ceiling some more... and try again.  Given that one dog is already out (Jura) and has been outside, done "his business", come back inside and now has a toy (a ball - Lord knows where he found another one), there is great impetus to conform amongst the ranks. 

The remainder of the ranks are getting good at the game - now Ailsa is usually the second one out and finally Baker.  Given that it is usually in the evening that they are "bad" about coming out of the crates under control, it happens that the next activity once they are free is either to go into the crates in the van to go to Dog School (Super Yea) or to go into the kitchen to prepare supper (Super, Super Yea) - either way these are activities that they see as gigantic rewards.  Their better behavior is a reward to me for finally deciding to not raise my voice, spout out useless commands, etc. as all that did was escalate, rather than extinguish, actions that were driving me mad and exhausting all of us.  Having "the puppy" Ailsa in the house is especially good as it is making me be less complacent about behaviors that reinforce a lack of self-control in the dogs.

Back to this morning - when the man came to install the window shades Ailsa was all waggy tail and Baker insisted on checking him out and then both retired back to the living room with me and let the work proceed.  About an hour went by when the most ferocious growling and barking erupted.  I got up to find that the nice guy from Scoop-n-Doo had come to work on the backyard (Yea) and apparently Baker took singular exception.  I was shocked that Baker was not willing to accept him even with my being there, our speaking, letting him smell him, his not engaging him by direct line of sight, Ailsa thinking he was cool.  

Consequently, I suggested a cooling off period and invited Baker in his tizzy to take to his crate, which he did without a further ado (and he got a biscuit).  At that point it was not worthwhile analyzing his behavior or trying to fix it; it was better to give the dog a safe place where he could perceive no harm, do no harm, and quietly settle down.  One of the other workers in the house who had watched the whole set of events commented that it was neat that Baker thought of his crate as a safe haven and that he calmed down so quickly.  I thought "Touche´" - that is one reason we have crates - to provide safe havens - Had anything happened it would have been Baker who paid the ultimate penalty.  After the yard was made clean of their "poo" and Ailsa had happily escorted the Scoop-N-Doo man to his truck we went back inside and let Baker out where he remained happily in a supervisory role until I went into work.

On leaving the house again, as I was putting on my coat & gloves, I found both Springers in their crates waiting for me to hurry up and go so they could eat their biscuits.  OK, OK, I know my role!

From Andrea's Book of Beloved Quotes

"We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words." Anna Sewell

Too dumb to learn?

Anybody who teaches dog classes hears them. The excuses. People are so earnest when they tell us why they can't possibly take a class.

"My dog is dumb as a rock. He could never learn."

"She's so stubborn!" (also substitute obstinate, stupid, lazy, spiteful)

"You can't teach an old dog new tricks."

The people who tell us this are very well-meaning and sincere. They are usually quite intelligent themselves, but have failed to teach their dog to do (or not do) certain things. Ergo, the dog must be stupid.

But the thing is, dogs are not dumb. Dogs are one of the most amazingly intelligent creatures walking the earth today. I have a theory about dogs, firmly supported by the College Of No Data Or Research. My theory is that when dogs decided to partner their lives with ours, there were advantages to making themselves useful; doing jobs for us. And to be useful to the 2-footed critter with the most evolved and convoluted brain in the known Universe, they needed to evolve a tremendously powerful brain of their own. In many ways, dogs actually outmatch us. For instance, they are far better at reading humans and interpreting human-speak than we are at reading them. Scientists are just now finding that dogs outperform chimps in some tasks.

Obviously there are ranges of intelligence in dogs, just as there are in people. But what most people see as "stupid" is really biddability, or lack of it. Some dogs have been bred to work extensively directly with man. They have been bred to want to please us (biddability). They are generally seen as quite intelligent. Most of the sporting breeds, many of the herding breeds (especially Border Collies), and some of the working breeds like Dobermans and Rottweilers are good examples.

Other breeds are hardwired to be focused on something *other* than us. A Bassett hound's world is his nose. Terriers are bred to hunt vermin. Sled dogs are bred to pull. All of these breeds were deliberately selected to NOT depend so much on humans, but to use their instincts independently or within a pack of other dogs. They are often seen as "dumb." They aren't stupid at all. They just sometimes need different motivators to want to work with us.

Above all that, is training technique. The reason we instructors are here is not to train your dog for you, but to give you the tools to train your dog yourself. A lot of failures in training are simply because owners don't know the right technique or have the right motivational tool to vest their dogs in performing a specific behavior.

But trust me. Your dog is actually pretty amazing in the brains department. He can learn. And guess what. You can learn how to train him too. It's not as hard as you might think. Try it!

--Robin

Perfect Puppies

I love teaching puppy classes! For the most part, puppies come to me during that 'window of learning' opportunity and I am excited to be able to help the owner help their new companion be the best she can be.

I have discovered that, as a general population, puppy owners make similar mistakes, without really considering the long-lasting ramifications. I'm not going to go thru the Don't Do list, but I will give you a list of things that you should consider in order to get your puppy off to a great start.

1) Crate train. I encourage you to sit with your puppy on the floor in front of a open crate door. Give the puppy some high value treats and then place one just inside of the crate. The first one will be close to the door...just enough for your puppy to reach her head in. The next will be a little farther back...and so on. Pretty soon, you'll be tossing treats in against the back of the crate and your pup will be racing in to eat the goodie. If you find that there is a point where your puppy won't go in, toss another one...just a bit closer to the front (i.e. make it easier). You'll likely see her go for the first, see the second, then gobble that one up as well. When she is going into the crate, give her the verbal command "crate" in a kind voice. Pretty soon, your puppy will be racing to the crate every time you grab a cookie. I always give my dogs a cookie for getting into the crate. Always. You should too.

2) Don't be a sucker. Puppies are going to cry, wail, scream, bark and be a general noise nuisance for a while. Make sure they aren't calling you for a bathroom break!! After that's addressed, you are not going to acknowledge their complaints. Doing so is giving them attention...which is what they are demanding. Remember, to a puppy any attention, be it good or bad, is attention and they'll take whichever you are handing out. Don't yell "shut up" (that means nothing to your dog and sounds ugly to others who can hear you) or go bang on the crate. If you can't stand the noise, move the crate. This lesson is more painful for you than for your dog. Stay firm and it will pass and you'll be the envy of everyone else who caved.

3) Puppy-proof your house. My motto is "it's fair game if the puppy can get to it." Pick your shoes up, close closet doors, move the antique dining room table. Remove all temptation for your new puppy to chew on the wrong thing. They don't know the difference...and that guilt you see on their face as you are yelling? It's not guilt. It's fear. Knock that off.

4) Feed quality food. The dog food I feed is a food that my dogs do well on...which may be the same or may be different than what your dog does well on. Check out (better yet, get a subscription to) The Whole Dog Journal. Considered the Consumer Reports for Dogs, they conduct an awesome dog food (dry/wet) review published every February. Beg, borrow, steal or subscribe (it's cheap!)...you will be amazed and astounded.

5) Potty train the right way. Offer to go outside 1o minutes after eating/drinking and keep an eagle on the puppy while wandering around your house. I take my puppies out every thirty minutes and make a big deal of "going outside"...we race for the door, throw the door open and dash into the grass. My neighbors think I'm nuts as I chant "good, go potty" for my dogs (Reeva and Trip appreciate the feedback) but all of my dogs have been housebroken as babies. If I don't have "eyes on" my puppies, they are resting (quietly) in their crates. If you do it the right way, it's nearly foolproof.

6) Play with your puppy. I roll around on the floor, play hide and seek, let them crawl on me, play figure 8's around my legs (as I sit on the floor), play keep away, hold them like a baby. I also let my puppies play with SAFE DOGS. You decide for yourself what safe means and what dogs are safe. I can tell you that both of my dogs are puppy safe and are often seen playing with puppies in class. Some dogs are reliable that way...others are not. It is your duty to not let anything scary happen to your puppy.

7) Don't coddle and don't hover. Let your puppy explore his new world from the safety of a 6' leash. That way, if you see trouble brewing, you can reel him back in to you with a cookie as a treat. I let my puppies do just about anything to anyone...including being a general nuisance. They are figuring out what it's all about right now...you can shape their behavior/responses a little later. For now, back of and let him work it out.

8) Don't go to dog parks. Scary dogs can be there as well as dangerous illnesses. Save that for adulthood.

9) If your puppy is carsick, pop her a pepcid 30 minutes before traveling. No more foaming and no more queasiness. Most will outgrow this but if you don't help her thru it, her distaste for traveling will last a long time.

10) Say her name, frequently and offer lots of praise and cookies when she looks at you. An immediate response to his name and his ability to maintain eye contact will put you ahead of the pack.

Enjoy the journey -
Andrea Meinhart

Difficult Decisions

Good Cold Morning - I have read Robin & Andrea's posts and realize that it is tough to add something new when I am distracted by the lack of one of the pack. My pack of English Springer Spaniels (ESS) at present consists of Jura, Ailsa, & Baker. Jura is missing from the group because I made the decision that he should be out with a professional handler to complete his AKC conformation championship - or at least have a decent chance at finishing the title.

For those not familiar with the progression to the title of "Champion" in the AKC, a dog must earn 15 points under a minimum of 3 judges with at least 2 "major wins". A major, worth 3-5 points, is a function of the number of dogs showing and the region of the country in which the dog is being shown. Jura has 10 points (so he is now considered to be "pointed out") and only needs his majors BUT there have been no majors in this area. In addition the boy looks different from ESS being shown presently in the US.

Jura (the boy on the left) is a perfectly good example of the breed, conforming to the breed standard, with a number of less desirable traits (hey none of us possess the perfect dog!) but he differs with respect to markings (broken coat & spots (ticking)), bone, skin (let's just say I could cover another dog with his skin and it gives him longer, heavier ears), and eye color (correct but at the "light end"). Baker, the boy on the right, is a good representation of the ESS in the US. Anyway, with Jura's differences it takes a confident judge to pick the different boy and it did not help that I am new to the sport of conformation so I tend to not show him to his best potential. Therefore, I decided to send him out with a professional. So why am I missing the boy when I know that it was my decision?

First of all, Jura, like Baker and now Ailsa are my training partners and companions and we have a special relationship that comes from learning, working, and competing together. So when they are not at home there is a missing personality form the house.

Second, not all handlers treat their dogs as anything more than a job and/or a commodity. Not that they are cruel or laking of knowledge but it is a business and the kind of time that we invest in our dogs is not the kind of time you can invest in a "string" of dogs being taken out on the road.

Third, as alluded to above, when you work daily and often with your dog in performance events, you understand that the dog has personality traits that impinge on your everyday life and responses. Baker is highly excitable, for example, and needly so he makes me aware of his presence by checking in with physical touch frequently. Ailsa is all energy and a blank slate with a huge desire to learn so she is into everything with huge enthusiasm. Jura is "California Joe Cool" - he seems to be laid back and just in charge. Turns out he is fully engaged and the male leader - anything happens and the others check to see how he is reacting before they do anything. Consequently when he is gone the dynamics in the house change - Baker is more nervous and less decisive; Ailsa misses her play mate and big brother from whom she has been learning how to be the female leader.

The good news while I am missing the boy is that Ailsa (6 mo) is teaching Baker (6 yr) how to play! It has taken her 8 weeks but she has succeeded in getting him to play with her without using teeth (!) and to play tug on a toy, engage in chase games, and to pick up stuffed toys. I am loving it because he is more relaxed than I have seen him before! In addition, I am filling the void by spending more time on training fundamentals with Ailsa as this window of opportunity with a puppy goes by too quickly.

The handler e-mailed last night that Jura is well and playing well with the other English Springers and English Cockers. His next stop will be Florida in 10 days and there are majors in bitches each of the first 5 shows, so keep your paws crossed and I'll report how he does and whether he ever forgives me for sending him on the road.

Ginger