When involved in training conversations around the internet, I hear a lot of things:

I need my dog to see me as the alpha...
I need my dog to see me as dominant...
I need my dog to see me as the pack leader...
I need my dog to see me as the boss...
​I need my dog to see me as in charge...

​My response to those comments is always the same:

I don't need my dogs to see me as any of those things.

You can imagine that my response can get a lot of reactions--and not always the good kind.  I get asked a lot about how I can train a dog without showing her I am the dominant pack leader.  How can I make a dog behave if they don't know I am in charge?  How can I not want to be a pack leader?  I tell them it is actually not too complicated.

I didn't get dogs to prove I was "top dog."  In terms of wanting to be seen as in charge, there is really no need to try to prove anything there.  I have opposable thumbs and I can open the dog food container.  As far as my dogs are concerned, I am a wizard.  I can do algebra (sometimes), think abstractly and read classic literature.  I am already ahead of the game there, too.

I am the bearer of all good things.  Walks, toys, play, food, treats, snuggles, pets, a queen sized bed--all of it.  And, as a result, my dogs look to me and see me as a pretty amazing person.  And as a result of that, they will work for me, listen to me and we live together in harmony.  It is pretty great.  

At no time in my relationship with my dogs have I ever felt the need to exert dominance over them. Pushing them around or forcing them to do things doesn't prove that I am a pack leader.  It doesn't show them I shouldn't be trifled with.  In fact, it doesn't really prove anything.  Except maybe that they should fear me.  

And that isn't the type of leader I want to be.  

So, how did I do I manage to get my dogs to listen without showing them who is boss or intimidating them?

We learned how to communicate.  I watched them.  I listened to them (dogs tell us a lot of things--we just have to learn how to listen). I never forced them to go faster, farther or longer than they were comfortable.  When they said "I have had enough," we stopped.  They learned to trust me.  I showed them what I liked.  They did it.  I reinforced it, they realized what behavior worked, so they started to do it more often.

And they look at me like this:

They look at me like that because they trust me.  And I trust them.  And we are a great team.  The three of us.    

My dogs see me as the most amazing person on earth because every good thing that have gotten has come from me.  As a result of that, my dogs will do what I ask them to.  And on the rare occasion they don't listen, I don't need to yell, scream or pin them down to show them they need to listen.  All I need to do is withhold reinforcement (praise, food, play) and they realize that they didn't do what I asked.  And you know what?  They do it the next time. 

Leadership isn't about winning--leadership is about building a team and growing together.  

Since I am not concerned with being the dominant one, does this mean that my dogs get away with everything and my house is chaos?  Of course not.  If you were to watch the day to day around here, it is pretty routine.  They wait patiently for food (while sometimes singing for their supper), they come in when asked, they snooze on the couch when I need to do some work or when I am watching TV, they wait to be let in and out of the car, they listen on walks.   As I sit here typing this, Gracie is snoozing in her bed in my office and Garmin is watching the world go by out my office window. 

My dogs aren't perfect (I tell clients that all the time, so it isn't a secret), but our relationship and understanding of each other is close to perfect.  And that took time. But I regret nothing.  And because they trust me, they take risks in training, they aren't afraid to make mistakes and we learn from them together.  And we all grow stronger.

That's it.  That's my big secret--I listen to dogs, build a relationship based on trust, set dogs up for success and then reward them for it, thus reinforcing good behavior.

So, the question remains:  Should you be a leader? 

​Sure.  But be the kind of leader that someone would want to follow.  I want a dog that wants to work with you because it is fun and worthwhile and he wants to follow you. A dog who knows that if you are leading him too far from where he's comfortable, he can tell you to stop without fear. I don't want a dog who works with you because he is afraid of what will happen if he doesn't.  

This week, instead of worrying about being dominant or showing your dog that you are the alpha pack leader, start thinking about the qualities you want to see in a leader.  What would make you want to follow someone and work for them?  Is it yelling, intimidation or fear?  Or is it cooperation, mutual respect and understanding?

In training, build the relationship first.  The behaviors will follow.  And if you stop focusing on proving your dominant position and start focusing on building a strong, lasting relationship, you will be amazed at what happens next. 

Until next time, Happy Training!
​

Leash walking.

Honestly, I think I could just leave this blog post at those two words. Those two words bring fear, anger, anxiety and frustration into the hearts of dog owners everywhere.  Why? Because this is the HARDEST thing in the world for dogs to learn.  
​
Don't get me wrong, other behaviors are hard, but this one goes against every natural instinct your dogs have.  Dogs want to explore the world, not be tethered to a slow walking human.  They want to run and sniff and play and learn.

And we tell them they can't do that.  

But--What if we let them?

(Pause for effect)

And what if I told you I don't make my dogs walk at my side all the time during walks.  
(Oh the shock, the horror, the madness!)

Okay.  Now that we are over that, let me explain.

Both of my dogs have great leash walking manners.  They have good position.  They have good focus and they have no tension on the leash.  They were taught early on how to do it.  Why?  Because it creates a well mannered dog who can go out in public and not knock everything off shelves.  And because I didn't need my arm ripped out of my socket.  And because for Gracie, as a therapy dog, it is imperative she can walk nicely on a leash through crowded places.  

I spend a lot of time teaching and talking about leash walking in class.  We talk about methods, harnesses that can help us gain control (like the Balance and the Freedom) and how to make walking loose lead SUPER reinforcing.  One of my favorite methods of leash walking is the 300 Peck method that reinforces a dog for each good step he makes.  We want being near you with the leash slack to be the most awesome place in the world.  We find what motivates the dog, use it to our advantage and when it clicks, it is awesome to see.  

When I first started working with dogs, I believed that a dog right by my leg without moving ahead or sniffing or exploring was the only way to walk.  They weren't allowed to sniff unless given the go ahead.  They weren't allowed to be even the slightest bit ahead of me.  

It wasn't until I started realizing I wasn't enjoying our walks that made me think maybe they weren't either.  And it was hurting my relationship with my dogs.  I was frustrated.  They were frustrated.  And something wasn't working.  

So I let up a little.  I gave them a little more leeway.  I let them trot ahead.  I let them sniff.  I let them pee on everything.  We stopped to smell the flowers (or whatever scent the previous dogs left.)  We strolled along.  And something amazing happened--they were perfect.  They never pulled.  They were having fun.  

​And so was I.

Now when we go for a normal walk, my dogs routinely trot a little ahead, sniff things, pee on things and they check in with me when we are walking.  They don't surge ahead.  They don't pull me down.  They are often ahead of me, sniffing, trotting along and checking out the world.  And if asked, they return to my side without an issue.  And they are happy and tired at the end of a walk.  I am, too. 

Why?  Because they were getting more stimulation than just a simple walk. Garmin in particular has benefited from this new "sniffy" walk structure. Or lack of structure.  
 
Once your dogs understand leash walking behavior and that leash slack pays off, you can actually start to give the dog a little leeway in where they need to be.  But they have to REALLY understand the expectation (no tension on the leash) before you can give them a little freedom. Freedom doesn't mean pulling you down the street. Freedom simply means freedom to explore on walks.  By doing so, you aren't letting them control you or the walk.  You aren't giving in to their demands--you are letting your dog be a dog.   

If you have questions about leash walking or any of the methods or equipment I mentioned, let me know.  I will be glad to help you and your dogs enjoy your walks.  

Until then, happy training! (and happy dogs)

Most of you know that I have been blessed with not one, but two, reactive dogs.  And I don't use that word in an ironic way.  I am actually happy that I have them because working them through it has been a huge stepping stone to working with other reactive dogs. There are lots of ways to manage reactive dogs, so I will tell you what I did that worked, what didn't, what books I love and share some websites with you.  

​Before I go any further--I NEVER suggest aversives like prong collars or e-collars when working with reactivity.  I mean, I never suggest them anyway, but for this behavior I am adamant about it.  Reactivity is based in fear.  Punishing a dog for being afraid is not to going to help.  In fact, it could make it far worse.  If you have been told to use a tool like that to manage reactivity, please keep reading.  You may find another way.  

In my experience, reactive dogs are NOT aggressive dogs.  They are fearful dogs.  If you have an aggressive dog or a dog that you feel may bite, I suggest conditioning them to a basket muzzle for your (and their) safety.

But first, what IS reactivity?

Reactivity is tied to the fight, flight or freeze fear response.  Most reactive dogs are NOT aggressive dogs.  What you are seeing is a big display of "oh my goodness, I am so scared of that thing, I want it to go away!"  Normally, it starts with a stiffened body posture, then some whining, then some barking, then some growling, lunging and full on freaking out.  

Then you, as the owner, start to tighten the leash (or maybe you already did that when you saw the dog approaching).  You try to get your dog's attention, and you can't.  You feel trapped, hopeless, and mortified that your dog is behaving that way.

And it results in a stressed out owner because you have no idea what is happening.  And you don't know what to do.  

The most important thing to remember is that your dog doesn't WANT to react.  If we can find a way to build their confidence, condition a new response to the trigger and help the dog learn to relax around the things they find scary.

Asking them to "get over it" isn't going to work.  That is a technique called flooding and the premise is that you force them to face the thing they are afraid of and they will eventually get over it.  Nope.  They won't.  They will shut down completely, which will make you THINK they are over it.  Think of it this way--you are afraid of spiders.  Someone tells you "we are going to put you in a room with a thousand spiders.  You will just have to get over it."  Would that sound good to you?  I doubt it.  So, we need to not do those things to our dogs.  You may tell yourself "but it is just a stroller.  How can that possibly be scary?"  It doesn't matter how it is scary.  All that matters is that your dog is worried about it.  And we need to make them less worried.

Since both Gracie and Garmin were (and are) managed differently, so I will share the training I did with both of them.  

Gracie
Gracie wasn't reactive from the beginning.  She didn't start until she his adolescence.  And since we know that a lot of reactivity stems from fear, it makes sense that she would show this new behavior around that time.  It is important to not that she was never reactive in classes or in public--she only reacts on walks.  And only to dogs on walks.  Her reactivity seemed to be very conditional.  But it was reactivity nonetheless.  

When she first did it, I didn't know what to do.  I wasn't a trainer yet.  I was just a dog owner who adopted an anxious, fearful, reactive dog.  I spent a lot of time forcing her to walk by dogs (wrong).  I would make her hold a sit while dogs walked by (also wrong) or I would shove treats in her mouth as a dog walked by (closer to being right, but for a dog who is over stimulated, treats are little compensation and most of the time the dog won't/can't even take them).

I was told I needed to show her who was boss and force her to act right.  I was told I needed to pop her leash whenever she reacted.  

I didn't want to do any of those things.  So I started reading.  And I stumbled upon the "Look at That" game, which actually taught the dog to look at the thing they were worried about.  I thought it was crazy.  And counterintuative, but I decided to give it a shot.  It all starts with no distractions.  You teach your dog a "look" cue.  So, Gracie and I did it.  She had a great "look" cue indoors.  Then, you take it outside.  Ideally, you do this with a calm dog as a set up, but I didn't have a lot of friends with dogs, so I had to try my best with dogs on our walks.  So, I would see a dog at a distance, Gracie would see the dog, I would say "look" and she would look at me.  Praise, treat, repeat.  We did this for a while, always at a safe distance, and then one day a miracle happened.  She looked at a dog and then looked at me.  No cue needed.  She did it on her own.  

We started to decrease the distance between dogs.  We would walk a little ways off the sidewalk and work on the "Look at That" game as dogs went by.  Now we can walk by dogs at a close distance and all she does is glance at them and then back to me.  She even does it when she hears a barking dog.  Bark, look.  The behavior has become a reflex for her and instead of reacting, she simply looks at me.  It has made my walks with her much more pleasant.  She still reacts IF a dog surprises her, but for the most part, she is managed well.  And still has an awesome default "look" when she sees a trigger.  And she is also a therapy dog and has her advanced CGC title, so she has come a long way!

Garmin
Enter Garmin.  He came to me after I had been training dogs for about 2 years.  I swore I would do things differently.  He would NOT be reactive, anxious or fearful.  

And he was anxious, reactive and fearful.  

His reactivity was different.  Very, very different.  When he would see another dog (or person.  Or bike, stroller, skateboard, lawnmower--you get the idea) he would freak out immediately and then redirect that frustration on whatever was closest.  And that was either Gracie or, most likely, me.  I had lots of lovely bruises up and down my legs when Garmin was younger.

Since I had worked with Gracie, I thought I knew what to do, so we started with the Look at That game.  

He wasn't having it.  None of it.  

His safe distance was infinite it seemed.  Even a speck of the trigger in the distance and he was in full blown freak out mode.  

​I tried the open bar/closed bar technique with him.  It didn't work.  

I kept trying.  And failing.  Miserably.  I was told to put an e-collar on him.  I refused.  

So I started walking him in empty parking lots.  At odd times.  And that worked for a while, until other people started finding my empty parking lots and treating them like off leash dog parks.

Each time he was rushed by a dog, his behavior worsened.  And I was more lost than ever.

In March of 2016, I attended ClickerExpo in Cincinnati, Ohio.  There I sat in on a seminar conducted by Emma Parsons, a trainer who, like me, ended up with a reactive dog.  She told her story and I swear I was listening to my story--she had hoped to have an agility dog, instead she got a reactive dog.  And she mentioned all the things she had tried that didn't work.  And then she showed something that did.  She called it "the dance."  

Essentially, here is how it works:  you walk your dog towards the trigger.  The second the dog sees it, you mark (either with a click or a word) and then you move backwards--AWAY from the trigger and reward.  Then you move forward again.  Dog sees trigger, you mark and move backwards and reward.  Repeat as you decrease distance, always keeping dog under threshold.  The key is to mark that precise moment that the dog sees the thing and DOESN'T react.  Moving them away from the trigger is rewarding (yay! I am getting away from the scary thing) and then they get a yummy treat (double yay!)

I was mesmerized.  And energized.  And I couldn't wait to come home and try it with Garmin.

So I did.  We started the following week.  And I was amazed at what he could do.  He was flawless.  And since starting this technique, we have had very few reactive episodes.  In fact, he can take walks in neighborhoods with low foot traffic now  and he can go to public spaces around people without reacting.  And it is a beautiful thing.

Essentially, we were playing a version of the Engage/Disengage game.  It is one of my go-tos for clients and others who ask me about reactivity.  And one that a current client credits with her dog's success.  

Garmin is still reactive, but he is on the road to recovery.  In fact, he was just in a grooming salon with other dogs around and didn't react once.  Not once.  And that is a huge win.

Other Resources
The techniques I listed above are the ones that I have used with great success.  That doesn't mean those are the only things that work.  Here are some other links and ideas.

Grisha Stewart has a program called BAT 2.0 that has been very successful for lots of dogs.  I have not had the opportunity to use it, but I have read up on it and find it very beneficial to dogs.  

Emma Parsons has written two books:  Click to Calm and Teaching the Reactive Dog Class that have great techniques in them.  I have them both and refer to them often when working with reactivity.

Patricia McConnell wrote a booklet called Feisty Fido that includes a reactivity protocol.  She also has a great article on dog reactivity on her website.  

Dr. Sophia Yin also wrote articles about the subject.  Those can be found on her website.  

There is also a protocol called CARE for Reactive Dogs.  I have never used this one, but I know people who have.  There is a Facebook Group dedicated to this method as well.  

The Bottom Line
Your reactive dog CAN be helped.  It will take time.  And you will need to be patient. The most important thing to remember is that you are on your dog's timeline and not yours.  You may think "we have worked at this same distance for a week now, surely we can move forward," but your dog my tell you that is a whole lot of no.  Listen to your dog!  The second you move to close, you will potentially damage any progress you made.  With reactivity I have found that slow and steady definitely win the race.  

If you have a set back, it's okay.  Take a breath, give your dog a day or two to decompress and then try again.  Set backs in reactivity are common, but usually dogs who have a strong reinforcement history bounce back and you are back on track in a few days.  Just remember that you CAN do this.  And celebrate each and every small step forward.  

If you have a reactive dog and need help, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at LLRcanineobedience@gmail.com.  Reactive dogs are close to my heart, and I will happily help put a plan in place for you that teaches you and your dog how to best conquer this hurdle.

Happy training!

A couple of weeks ago I had a client ask me how many hours a week I spent training/working with my dogs.  I had to think about it and, at the time, I answered "It depends."  Which is, for the most part, true.  However, the more I thought it, the more I realized that I am actually working with them in some way more than I intitally realized.

You see, she got me to thinking.  When she asked, I was only thinking about formal training sessions.  So, the honest answer to that is that I spend about 20 minutes daily training my dogs in formal sessions (an hour if we factor a walk into this, but let's take that out of the equation for a minute).  First, I pick 2-3 behaviors.  Then I start with one dog and I set a timer for 2 minutes, we work on one behavior of the behaviors.  Then I switch dogs and do the same thing.  Then I switch again and work on a new behavior for 2 minutes.  Then we are done for that session.  If I do that twice a day (ideally), I am working with each dog formally for anywhere from 6-12 minutes a day.  That's it.  

But that really isn't it.  When I let them outside, they sit before dashing out the door (we have lots of bunnies who like the yard, so I have to scan first).  I call them to me when it is time to come in and they get reinforced for that through praise and lots of love for coming to me. For breakfast and dinner they have to wait patiently while I prepare their meals and then they wait until given the go ahead to eat.  After meals they get a treat and I usuallt run them though a few behaviors before giving it to them.  If they are laying on the couch, floor, in a crate, dog bed, etc. and they are being calm while I work, watch TV or read--they get praised for that.  Gracie wants to play fetch?  We work in a little obedience work in there.  Garmin lets me rub up and down his front legs and mess with his feet?  Praise and love.  They let me brush their teeth, more love and praise.  In the middle of this blog entry, my dogs saw a stray cat walking outside and started to bark at it (as dogs do).  I stopped what I was doing and we worked on new reactions to that cat--so sometimes the opportunities present themselves.

I can't tell you how many times a day I walk by Gracie sleeping and say to her "good girl."  Why?  Because she is being calm and quiet in the house and that is a behavior I want reinforced.  Garmin is laying in the bed watching the world go by through my open window right now--and when I am done with this, he will get some love for that calm behavior.

So I guess the answer to my client's question is that I am always working with my dogs in some way.  My dogs are a part of my daily routine and even when we aren't training, we are.  I just make sure to let them know they have done something I like.  It doesn't have to be through food.  A simple scratch behind the ears or even just a "good boy" is usually enough for those daily behaviors.

So don't be so hard on yourself if you didn't have time to do a formal session.  Focus on the behaviors you want and build from there.  My dogs are an integral part of my life.  We work together.  And that is what I want for all of you--to have a relationship that is effortless and based on mutual respect, understanding and lots and lots of love.  

I talk about this a lot in classes and with fellow dog owners/lovers:  you have to advocate for your dog.  Your dog cannot talk.  Your dog cannot tell people he is uncomfortable, scared or nervous.  That falls on you.  That means you have to know your dog AND you have to be willing to speak up.  I don't care if your dog is a new puppy or the best trained dog in the world--all dogs have needs and wants and thresholds and it is up to us as their owners to know those things.

All over social media you hear stories of people whose dogs end up starved, hurt or "broken" in the hands of professionals.  And most of it occurs while the owner is standing nearby.  Why?  Because they believe that this trainer is doing what is best for their dog because they are the professional.  But that is not always the case.  

A few weeks ago I was talking to a client and she told me a story that she has given me permission to share with you.  And I have to tell you--I was so very proud of what she did and how she handled herself that I immediately congratulated her on her willingness to advocate for her dog.

She was in my basic foundations class and her dog is a puppy--a typical happy, bouncy excited puppy.  She is a great dog and so very smart and responds very well to positive reinforcement.  To help her walk better on leash, we started using an Easy Walk Harness and they had seen great improvement in her.  They were happy.  The dog was happy.  I was happy.

But, apparently, someone wasn't.

The owner and her family were going camping and they knew that their puppy wasn't quite ready for that yet, so they decided to board her.  They researched facilities and the weekend before they were leaving they took their dog to the facility they had chosen to introduce her to the surroundings.  The person who runs the facility is also a trainer.  When they arrived they had their dog on her Easy Walk and one of the first things the trainer does is reprimand them for chosing that walking aide for their dog.  Told them they should put a choke collar on her and that would be better.  Before they knew what was happening, this trainer had a choke collar on their dog and was walking her around.  She did okay (not great).  Then, as they were standing and talking and this puppy was simply standing there, the trainer gave a harsh leash pop and collar correction. The owner saw nothing that warrented any type of correction and immediately told the trainer to take the collar off her dog and give her back.  And they quickly left.  As they were leaving the trainer said "So, I'll see you guys next week."  He didn't see anything wrong with what he had done.  

She and her husband were furious.  When we talked she said "If he was willing to make that harsh of a correction when I was standing there, I couldn't imagine what he was willing to do if I wasn't there."  She also said that she was upset that he was offering unsolicited training advice since she was there for boarding.  She knew that there was no way they were leaving their dog at that facility for a week.  But they also knew they were short on time.  

They spent their entire day going around to various facilities in the area looking for another option.  Please keep in mind that they had already planned to leave their puppy in the hands of the trainer they had just left--but they knew that they would not feel safe or relaxed if they did.  This family gave up their whole day in order to make sure that their dog was happy, safe and unharmed.  They found a facility they liked and their dog had a great experience and they had a wonderful vacation.  

And this is what I mean by advocate for your dog.  The owner told me that she was uncomfortable from the beginning and although she went into it with an open mind, she knew that this facility was not right for her dog.  The atmosphere felt wrong and the training went against what she felt was right for her dog.  Was it convenient for her to give up a whole day?  Of course not.  But, did she do what she knew was right for her dog?  Yes.  100% yes.  

Never second guess that feeling--you know what is best for your dog.  You know your dog better than anyone.  Just because someone is a professional does not mean that they know your dog better than you do. Ask questions.  Be informed.  And, most importantly, be your dog's advocate.  They will thank you for it.  

Clients ask often if they will ever meet Garmin.  I tell them no and when they ask why I jokingly say "because one look at his behavior and you will seriously question my abilities as a dog trainer."  We get a good laugh and we move on.  

That isn't at all the truth.  Truth is, Garmin is SUPER smart, trainable, eager and quick to learn.  He loves to train, is the reason I learned clicker training and shaping.  You guys have seen him in videos--he is a sharp dude. He also can relax without issue in my house and is the sweetest, most snuggly boy.  

But, deep down, he is an anxious mess.

The truth of the matter is that I don't bring Garmin to class because he couldn't handle it.  It would be too much for him and he would be frantic and then he would shut down.  And since I talk often about advocating for your dogs, it would be unfair of me to place him into a situation that he would feel uncomfortable in.  

Does he love people?  Oh, yes.  He will launch himself at you, grinning all the while.  Does he like dogs?  Meh--he's indifferent.  He really ignores dogs if we go swimming or are in any situation where he may be off leash. On leash, he is different.  He does not like dogs on leash. We have worked on it and he is better, but he needs space, so I give it to him.  The only dog he can't live without is Gracie, so I am fortunate in that regard.  

Garmin has a near perfect heel/loose leash walk in my house.  He has a flawless loosh leash walk in my driveway.  But, take him somewhere off my property and suddenly the world is scary.  He hates the car.  Every leaf, bird, voice, dog barking, car engine--something to potentially be worried about.  He is hyper alert all the time when we are off my property.  He forgets all he knows about leash walking.  Not because he is being defiant, dominant (laugh) or stubborn.  But because his brain literally won't let him do it.  

He and I have been on a very long journey.  Three years long--all in hopes that one day we can take a walk like a normal team.  In a neighborhood with dogs and people and kids on bikes.  And we are getting there, but it is slow.  Do I sometimes get frustrated?  Of course I do.  Could I force him to do it?  Sure--I could flood him and force him to get over it, but at what price?  He trusts me.  And in a world where he thinks most things are scary, that is a precious thing and if I force him into a situation where he feels unsafe, I may lose that and I am not willing to take that chance.

If you find yourself the owner of an anxious dog, just remember that your dog will not progress like every other dog.  Your dog will not be as quick to rebound as other dogs.  Your dog may never be the social butterfly you had hoped he would be.  But he is your dog and you are his person--listen to him.  Learn from him and remember that your dog determines how fast you get to go.  He isn't on your schedule--you need to be on his.

Patience is your friend when you have an anxious dog.  Garmin is on his way to being more relaxed--he has come so far already.  There are days when it is hard for me to see that because I think "he should get this by now," but then I remember we aren't on my schedule.  We are on his. 

I know there are plenty of people out there who disagree and say that we should push these anxious dogs so that they can "get over it" faster, but, in the grand scheme of your relationship, what price are you willing to pay?  

It's no secret that I work with a lot of rescue dogs.  I spent years working in rescue.  I have two rescue dogs myself.  And I have talked to lots and lots of adopters.  And I talk to a lot of rescue agencies and so many of them have three words of advice to anyone who adopts a dog:

​Two week shutdown.  

The two week shutdown is simple in theory--give your dog time to adjust.  Don't take them on a ton of stressful outings.  Don't invite the whole family over.  Don't throw them into an obedience class or into a board and train in the first few days.  Don't take them on long, winding walks in the new neighborhood.  In fact, don't take them on any walks.  Stick to your yard.  Don't take your new dog to the dog park.  And don't give your new dog free run of your house.  

And PLEASE don't toss newly adopted dog into the mix of your three established dogs/cats.  Or have a group of 12 seven year olds over for a sleepover the day you bring new dog home.  

Why?  Because chances are your new dog is frightened and unsure already.  Her whole world is new.  She is in a new home with new smells.  And having new people rushing at her, car noises whizzing by her, dogs barking at her, or children yelling excitedly all might make her just a little more uneasy. It is proven that overstimulation leads to bad behavior and, as a result, she may act out, and at this point she might not know you enough to trust you.  And you don't know her well enough to know that she is uneasy.  She needs to understand that you are there to protect her and provide a safe environment for her, and without this initial period, that trust is missing and you may end up with a dog that is insecure, frightened and unsure of the world. Or worse:  returned to the rescue.  

Instead of rushing into things, take it slow.  Bring the new dog in, give her space to call her own.  Get her used to her crate.  Establish a feeding routine.  Introduce the leash.  In fact, tether her to you.  That way you can catch any and all good behaviors and even start to see any potential needs of future training.  Toss a toy here and there (but don't force her to play).  Let her learn the world around her.  Let her learn that you are the source of good things--and start to build that bond.  Just you and your dog.  

Ignore "bad" behavior (crying, whining, jumping) and gently praise good behavior.  Don't shower your new dog with love and affection.  Don't force yourself on your new dog.  Take it slow--this is a relationship after all, and you are getting to know each other.

Please know that "two weeks" is a general guideline of the amount of time you should follow this program. Some dogs will settle in faster, some will take longer. It all depends on the individual dog and their needs. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR DOG. They will "tell" you when they've had enough.  Adult dogs often need the shut down more than puppies, but, again, pay attention to your dog--they can all benefit from a little decompression when they first come home.  And never give a puppy free run of your house (more on that later!)

I know when you adopt a new dog you want to show her off to the world--I mean, who wouldn't?  But, for the future of your relationship, share photos and fun stories via Facebook, Twitter, Instragram or the family newsletter, but don't overwhelm your new dog.  Set her up for success, build that bond and you will be amazed at what happens.  

Dogs are not born learning bad behaviors.  They are either taught by us (they jump, we pet, they learn that jumping is rewarding), taught by another dog (one dog sees another counter surf and suddenly you have two counter surfers) or they are self taught (if they get into the trash and learn that yummy food is there, they will go back to the trash again and again).  

Are dogs born with instinct?  Of course!  If you get a cattle dog, they will have the instinct to herd.  If you get a beagle, they will have their noses to the ground.  Can those instinctual behaviors manifest into bad habits?  Yup.  For example:  your cattle dog nips at the heels of people who move to fast (that is instinct).  You let it go and let it go and let it go...and then suddenly you want it fixed.  Now you are working against instinct AND habit. 

All too often I see dogs with behaviors that are troublesome.  And worse:  engrained.  What that means is that they have been exhibiting the behavior for a long, long while. And if we don't give them new habits, those bad ones become the only ones they know.  And if that behavior has been going on for a while, it will take some time to modify.  And you may need a professional.  

Before contacting a trainer, however, here is what you will need to do.  Ask yourself if you have seen ANY signs of the behavior in the past--even small ones.  If you really can't see any, contact your vet. Often sudden behavior changes have medical reasons.  If you can find clues that the behavior was present, contact a trainer and be prepared to work.  

Here is my point:  as soon as you realize a behavior is manifesting in such a way that COULD be a problem down the road, call a trainer for help.  If your puppy growls when you try to take a toy away, that may be cute to you but when the dog he becomes does it, it is suddenly an issue.  Your 5 pound puppy jumps up to greet you?  Adorable.  But when that puppy turns into a 40 pound dog and jumps on your small child, it isn't so dorable.  So, the thing is, it wasn't sudden.  It had BEEN an issue.  You just didn't realize it.  

When you reach out to a trainer, be honest--don't hold back.  We can't help you if you don't tell us everything about when the behavior started, what you have done (good and bad) and how often the behavior occurs.  And please realize that if the behavior has been happening for a while, it will take time for the behavior to be modified.  You and the trainer will be working to create new habits--and if you think of how hard it is for you to create new habits, THAT is what we are working with.  It will be difficult to give a clear time line of when the behavior will be modified, but what I can say is that if you are dedicated and consitent, you will see results. But you will have to be patient.  It could take time.  Weeks.  Months.  But it can work.  And it will.  

How do I know?  Because the minute I knew Gracie had anxiety, I reached out for help.  And as soon as I realized that Garmin had intense leash reactivity resulting in redirected frustration?  Worked on that, too.  If I didn't, those problems would have simply gotten bigger.  They would not have gone away. Are they gone completely?  Nope--in fact, some of those behaviors will never completely go away.  They can be modified.  And managed.  But they may never go away.

Never be afraid to ask for help--it's how we learn and how we grow as dog owners.  ​But, the sooner you reach out for help, the higher the probability that you will be able to turn it around.  Would it be easier to give up?  Probably, but you owe it to your dog to try.  

Often when I take Gracie out into public I get stopped by people who have dogs themselves and we often strike up a conversation.  Inevitably, I hear at least one of the following things:

"It must be nice to have a dog who is as well behaved at that"
"My dog could NEVER be that well behaved"
"I can't believe she listens to you like that"
"I wish my dog would act that way."
"I can't even get my dog to sit, much less anything else."

So, I thought I would address a few of those things.

"It Must Be Nice to Have a Dog as Well Behaved as That."
It is.  But she wasn't always that way.  She didn't come to me that way.  I worked with her A LOT to get her to this point.  Gracie has been in training of some kind since she was 5 months old.  She went through basic obedience, intermediate obedience, advanced obedience and therapy dog training.  She also had private training sessions for issues like separation anxiety and leash reactivity.  She was CGC certified and therapy dog certified by the time she was a year old.  Not because she came to me perfect. It was because I got her in classes and, in addition, worked her at home.  

"My Could NEVER be that Well Behaved."
Yes.  You dog can be this well behaved.  Remember:  Gracie was awful.  She had moderate separation anxiety, crate anxiety and she was nearly impossible to house break.  She was afraid of men.  She was afraid of people in hats.  She hated people coming into my home.  In fact, when I told the private trainer I had hired that my goal was to get her to have her Canine Good Citizen Title, he told me she would most likely never do that because of her issues.  I thought otherwise, so I worked hard.  Everyday.  I still work with her everyday.  And her behavior is the result.  Maybe your dog won't ever be a therapy dog, but your dog can learn manners, but it isn't going to happen overnight.  You are going to have to work at it.  Rarely (if ever) are you going to have a perfectly well behaved dog dropped into your life.  Yes, maybe if you adopt an older dog they will have some training so it will be easier, but it will still be up to you to make sure that you continue the training.  Getting to the point of having a well behaved dog is hard.  Maintaining that behavior is also a challenge because after finishing classes often maintaining a training schedule is hard.  You have to commit to your dog if you want the well behaved dog.

"I Can't Believe She Listens to You Like That"
She listens to me because she trusts me.  She listens to me because I have shown her that there are benefits to listening to me.  She listens to me because I have encouraged her to do so.  She listens to me because she has learned that when she does, amazing things happen.  I have a great relationship with Gracie.  She knows I will never hurt her, lead her into danger or set her up for failure.  She listens to me because I have never given her a reason not to.  I have never hit her, made her fear making mistakes or harmed her in any way.  I can't say I have never raised my voice (I have.  I am human and I make mistakes), but I can say I have never put her in a position to lose her faith and trust in me.  I have never put a shock collar on her to "encourage" her to behave.  I have never put a prong collar on her to "encourage" her not to pull.  I have simply shown her that there are rewards to listening.  And she has thrived on it.  This is why I don't offer board and trains (and, no, I am not bashing those trainers who offer them as I know quite a few).  I don't offer them because it takes YOU out of the equation.  And I think building that bond and that trust is a key component in training. 

"I Wish my Dog Would Act That Way."
Your dog CAN act that way.  But wishing for it to happen and making it happen are two different things.  Ask yourself:  what have you done to get your dog to the level that Gracie is now?  I didn't have a magic wand to make her this way.  I wished she was better behaved and took action.  Trust me, I get it.  Garmin would make a GREAT agility dog, but he has some issues that need to be ironed out first.  So, instead of me saying "I wish Garmin could be an agility dog," I have to take action to get him to the point where he can be an agility dog.  If you have goals in mind for your dog, you can start working towards them.  Even if you never get there, at least you end up with a dog that is better balanced, better behaved and you will find you have a better relationship. 

"I Can't Even Get My Dog to Sit, Much Less Anything Else."
Then start small.  Enroll in an obediece class where you start with the basics.  In the last Basic Foundations class that I had I had a one year old dog that came to me not knowing any commands.  He wouldn't sit, come, lay down.  Nothing.  It took two classes for him to learn sit.  It took three weeks for him to decide that he knew "down."  But, after that, there was no stopping him.  In fact, he is now enrolled in my advanced obedience class.  So, your dog CAN learn.  You just have to take that first step.  Focus on that relationship you want with your dog.  Don't worry about anyone else.  

And always remember that it is okay if your dog doesn't get it right away.  It is okay if they struggle a little.  Just don't give up.  And maybe one day people will run into you and say "I wish my dog was THAT well behaved" and you can tell them "well, let me tell you how I got here..."

iI wish people could see the dog we see.  At home, he is so good.  Out in public, he's totally different."

I can't tell you how many times I have heard that from clients.  And I get it.  100%.

Because Garmin is that dog.

You see, at home, Garmin is sweet and fairly calm.  He has his moments when he paces and is on edge (usually when we haven't had a chance to walk or train), but, for the most part he has settled in nicely here and can find a soft, warm place to sleep or chill and he is content.  

But in public, people don't see that.  He is a whining, panting, vocal mess.  He is still sweet as can be, but he can't be quiet.  And he can't stand still.  I can get him to focus on commands and perform them, but not with the accuracy he can do them at home.  I can't even take my own dog to group classes because it is just too much for him.  

I can see people eyeing him and shaking their heads.  I can see them whispering to each other about him.  And I don't care.  Why?  Because I know that he is doing the best that he can.  Is it perfect?  No.  Are we working on it?  Everytime we go out.  Is he making progress?  Absolutely.  But he is anxious and tries his best.  And that is all I can expect of him.  It is all anyone can expect of their dog.  I tell clients that--don't worry about what others think.  Accept what you can do.  Accept what your dog can do and work from there.  No one else has to like it, understand it or agree with it--you just have to do what is right by your dog.  Show them that they world isn't scary.  Even if it takes some time.  

Garmin, like so many other anxious dogs, is a great dog.  He loves to work and train and he wants more than anything to please me.  He loves people.  The world is just a big scary place to him.  

One day he may calmly walk through a store or ride in the car without being upset, but, for now, people will have to take my word for it.