Please Announce Yourself When Passing Others

I've submitted this to the Forum as a Letter to the Editor - a whole new experience for me. Let's see if it gets picked up. I could say this all in much stronger language, and as dog people, I'm sure you've experienced similar instances of being surprised by people - and dogs - coming up behind you unexpectedly. I try to write as I train - using positive reinforcement and not alienating people before they get past the first sentence. Let me know!

Flood waters are receding and daylight lasts into evening. Mosquitoes are still minimal. Bicycles and snow blowers can trade parking spaces in the garage for a while. Spring is truly here. It’s time to walk the dog.

I enjoy walking through Fargo-Moorhead’s beautiful parks and neighborhoods, and just one simple addition would make it perfect: that cyclists, runners, and roller bladers announce when they are approaching from behind.

I appreciate knowing when someone needs to pass by me and my dogs. It’s de rigueur in other cities, and should be here too.

It’s really a safety issue. When I know someone is approaching, I can keep my dogs’ focus, move out of the way if necessary, and make sure leashes are short. You don’t have to slow down or swerve away, and there’s no worries a dog will suddenly dart across your path after a squirrel in a tree opposite.

Some dogs startle easily or have fear issues about certain situations. An owner who can minimize these stressors helps keep you safe, and helps their dog deal with the realities of city life.

So please, please, simply call out “On your left” or “Passing” to others.

There's always a choice...

There’s always a choice…

We all have choices. No one can say in a particular situation, “I had no choice.” We simply decide to behave in a certain way because of the consequences. Perhaps we know what’s going to happen. Perhaps we don’t know the consequences of an alternative action. But it’s consequences that guide our decisions.

No matter what method a person chooses when training a dog, the dog has choices too. He can sit, or not sit. Retrieve, or not retrieve. Come, or not come. Knowing the consequences, he can still choose what to do.

That’s assuming of course that he understands what it is you’re asking. And that’s a whole other ball game. For right now, we’ll assume we’re talking about known behaviors.

Here’s the thing: If my dog chooses not to sit, what does he do? Not sitting leaves a universe of possibilities open – he might lie down, stand still, run, jump on me, play keep away, bark, … you get the picture. All of those things are not sitting. If I choose to manipulate the consequences so he sits to avoid what happens if he doesn’t sit, I’ll be correcting him forever, anytime a new situation comes up. Eventually he will generalize that “sit” means the consequence of every other action is to be avoided. “Every other action” is a vague criterion, and since dogs don’t generalize easily, and it can take time to get there.

Instead, I want to manipulate his consequences so he wants to sit when I say sit -- not to avoid a consequence but toward a consequence. Yes, we still have to go through a process of generalization. Sit means sit, not sit means avoid every other action other than sit. Much simpler.

By respecting my dog’s right to choose, we become allies working together, rather than adversaries. The onus is not on me to prevent the “not”s, but on him to do the “do”s. There are a million ways not to sit. And one way to sit.   

Dogs have choices too. And for me the choice is clear. 

I have a love-hate relationship with my flexi-leads...

I have a love-hate relationship with my flexi-leads. And right now – spring time – is a great time for flexis.

All winter my dogs have wanted to climb onto the snow piles to play king of the mountain. I admit it, it’s kinda fun! At any rate, a standard 6-foot lead is long enough for those piles along the sidewalks where we walk.

But now those piles are disappearing quickly. And what’s left is still fun to play in, for them at least. So out come the flexis and they can wander in the puddles and muck while I stay somewhat drier on the sidewalk.

But those walks are clearly defined as DOG-walks. Not exercise, not a walk for me. When I need them to potty and come in, stay clean for a car ride, or help me shed winter pounds, a flexi is not acceptable equipment. Neither is it when I teach.

The main point of contention I have is that there is constant pressure on the dog’s collar. It’s never really a loose leash, no matter how slight the tension may be. So the dog cannot learn or practice loose leash walking. And tension on the collar leads to more pulling. After all, you’re still moving forward, so it must work.

Yes, there is a locking mechanism, but that can be difficult to engage when your dog is launching forward after a rabbit. I have a couple different styles, and there’s a difference in how easy they are to lock.

There’s also no way to maintain a consistent length if you choose to walk with it locked. On one walk it might be 6 feet long, on the next walk 5½ feet  or 7 feet, or the full length of the lead. How confusing is that to a dog, never knowing how far is too far?

Do you always see every approaching cyclist or jogger, even from behind you? I don’t. I need my dog to behave in public, and sometimes a kid on a skateboard approaches too quickly for me to refocus my dog’s attention on me. Not to mention the inconvenience if the lead extends all the way across the path and no one can pass us, even if my dog comes to me immediately when I call. If she doesn’t come quickly, I have to reel in dog and line, locking it multiple times and generally looking ridiculous while others wait for me.

I live with multiple dogs, and I simply can't handle more than 2 flexis. That doesn't allow for extra leads, either. So that certainly limits how many can go puddle-jumping on each walk. 

Finally, the distance of the line allows dogs to build up a great deal of momentum before hitting the end. That velocity means he can hurt himself or jerk the entire handle out of your hand. Unpleasant and dangerous.

For these reasons, I only use extendible leads after my dog has learned loose leash walking. And that means as an adult. No puppies! While a puppy may follow you closely and never wander, she’s learning that a taut lead is the norm. Instead of a flexi, puppies should have a long line when playing outside in safe areas. Yes, it will get dirty. So put it in a pillowcase and throw it into the wash.

Once my dog has demonstrated she can walk politely at my side with a loose leash and adjust to my changes in direction and gait, we can occasionally use an extendible lead. It’s not for every walk.

Mental Exercise for the Winter Blahs

I’m the first to say I love winter, but this cold weather has GOT to stop! I’m feeling cooped up, tired, restless; I can’t begin to comprehend the cabin fever my dogs are experiencing. But when we try to go for a walk they are holding up their paws and turning towards home before we’ve gone a block.

So what can we do to get through it all? And sometimes it’s not the weather that prevents us from getting the exercise we need. Illness or injury can put a stop to a long romp in the park. Even having to work late might mean only getting in a short walk.

While physical exercise is vital, you can help your dog cope by increasing his mental exercise. It can be just as exhausting as a long game of fetch. Think about it – accountants get tired just as much as carpenters.

Teach your dog something NEW. Practicing already perfected behaviors is just going to bore both of you, and do your relationship no good.

Keep a list of tricks handy to choose from when you’re not feeling creative yourself. There’s a list at the end of this blog. Print it out and post it on the fridge so you can see it while getting out the training treats.

It doesn’t have to take a long time. Three minutes is better than 30. Seriously. Think of it this way: the first time you ask for a behavior, your dog has to remember all the way back to the last time you asked for it, whether it’s last night or a week ago. That can be tough. Each subsequent rehearsal requires remembering for only a few seconds. Repeating the same behavior 25 times means pulling it out of long term storage once, and short term storage 24 times. If you split training into five short sessions, you get five long-term retrievals! Which do you think will help your dog remember it better: once or five times?

Keep some treats ready to go, so you don’t have to stop to cut pieces or find something in the fridge. While I don’t recommend store bought treats as a rule, they can be convenient, and don’t generally need to be refrigerated. Just remember to keep them out of reach while not training, and to cut them into small pieces. Here’s a rule of thumb: if it takes longer for your dog to eat the treat than it does for him to do a simple behavior like sit, your treat is the wrong size. Sometimes you might have to make the treat bigger, for example if you have a boxer or other dog with big flews. Most of the time, though, make the treat smaller.

There are a lot of short time spans in our days that we could use to train. Get creative & train your dog in different rooms, at different times, and with different distractions.

1. TV commercials
2. While the coffee brews
3. Sitting on the toilet
4. Using mouthwash
5. On hold (but don’t abruptly ignore your dog when the person answers the phone!)
6. While your computer boots up
7. While the printer is printing
8. While the pasta boils
9. Waiting for your darling husband to find his keys
10. While the car warms up
11. While supervising the kids clearing the table
12. Anytime your dog is near you

There – you’ve just trained your dog in the kitchen, the living room, the dining room, the bathroom, the foyer, and in the car. And you’ve done it while sitting and standing, with and without using your voice, with one hand busy, dressed for work and relaxing and in a heavy coat while holding your purse.

It doesn’t have to be a behavior that you will ever use again, or even put a name to. The challenge of figuring out what to do to earn the treat is what’s stimulating to your dog. But on the upside, all those simple behaviors that take so little effort to teach and learn can be strung together into show-stopping tricks. For right now, focus on the steps along the way.

I always think the best walks are those when we are together, there in the moment, enjoying each other’s company. Make this true for your mental exercise as well. Focus on your dog, and let go of everything else for a whole three minutes. And when you’re done, you’ll both be happier, more relaxed, and appreciate each other even more.

Here’s that list I promised you. Print it out and hang it up somewhere you can see it. And mark it up! Cross out the things he knows already. Circle those you want to try, and check them off when you’ve done them. Highlight your favorites!

Things to teach my dog: A list for when I’m not feeling creative

1. Touch the back of my hand with nose
2. Touch the end of a target stick with nose
3. Touch the arm of the couch (or a pillow or a piece of tape on the wall)
4. Touch an open door
5. Keep going with this theme…
6. Touch the door hard enough to get it to move
7. Close the door!
8. Pull on a toy/rope
9. Pull on a towel/rope tied to a door handle
10. Pull on it enough to move the door
11. Pick up a toy
12. Pick up a pillow
13. Pick up a blanket
14. Drag something toward you (pillow or blanket)
15. Drop a toy in your hand
16. Drop something on cue, not always in your hand
17. Drop a toy into a basket
18. Spin to the right
19. Twist to the left (or vice versa)
20. Go between your legs (front to back)
21. Go between your legs (back to front)
22. Weave around your legs
23. Weave while you walk
24. Walk around both your feet
25. Ignore me (Sit behind you facing away)
26. Front paws up on a (stable) surface (like a heavy box, or a thick hardcover book for the small dogs)
27. Front paws up, & pivot around with back paws
28. All four paws up on a surface
29. Sit on it
30. Lie down on it
31. Spin in a circle on it
32. Balance on your exercise ball (Stabilize it!) Sit, Stand, or Down on it.
33. Step from obstacle to obstacle (not jump) without touching the floor
34. All four paws on the floor (sometimes called Down or Off; I call it Floor)
35. Target with a paw: similar to the touch with nose, only with a paw
36. Hit the Staples Easy button
37. Go sit on a rug
38. Shake
39. High five
40. Wave to you
41. Wave to another person
42. Raise your paw (Who’s the cutest?)
43. Woof/bark/speak
44. Sing
45. Quiet
46. Lie down on a hip
47. Lie straight down (sphinx position)
48. Lie down on side (dead dog)
49. Wag tail
50. Catch tail
51. Nod head Yes
52. Walk around the chair/table/other obstacle
53. Limp
54. Roll over
55. Beg
56. Pray (Put head on paws) with paws up on something
57. Look pitiful (head on paws, in a down position)
58. Cover nose with paws
59. Sit pretty
60. Hold eye contact
61. Sniff the air
62. Find me
63. Find the hidden treat
64. Shell game (hide treat under one cup)
65. Indicate the treat’s location (sit or touch, wait for you to give it)
66. Leave the treat alone (in front of, on paw, on nose)
67. Take the treat on cue
68. Come without taking the treats/toys scattered between us
69. Walk backwards away from you
70. Walk backwards beside you
71. Crawl forward
72. Crawl backward 
73.  
74.  
75.  
76.  
77.  
78.  
79.  
80.  

New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions have gone to the dogs… already.

January first has come and gone, and once again, I haven’t made any resolutions. I used to. I had lists of things I wanted to change, stuff I thought would make my life perfect – or at least better. They never lasted, and I’ve gotten the impression that’s the way it is for most people. Especially since it seems “lose weight” is on so many people’s resolution list. Over and over. (Sorry, didn’t mean to say “over” when talking about dieting, so again and again.)

I do, however, have goals. Plans for this year, things I’d like to accomplish. And I have several lists of goals. There’s one for the dog training I want to do for each dog, another for the titles I think they can earn, seminars and clinics I’d like to attend, and of course goals for the business. It can take weeks of dreaming and planning to come up with my goal lists.

Goals have a plan of attack inherent in them. If I just HAVE to hear a certain seminar speaker, I know I can’t rely on that weekend’s obedience trial to finish a title. And to finish a title by a certain time, I need to sharpen up Kiernan’s heeling way before that.  Goals have steps, mini-goals, accomplishments along the way. And if I don’t make a goal, I don’t feel like it reflects on myself quite like breaking a resolution does. Instead I examine the process to get there.

It’s not quite so clear with a resolution. My resolutions were vague, generic: “be neater,” “don’t be late,” “lose weight.”  And if I broke them down into smaller bites, “make my bed every day” soon fell away the first morning I woke up late. Somehow I expected to be the perfect person I wanted to be, instantly. Resolutions were kept or broken.

The dictionary on my computer defines goal as “the destination of a journey” and “the object of a person’s ambition or effort.”  I like the implication that a plan has to be in place in order to reach a goal.  Resolution is “a firm decision to do or not do something.” It’s more about the final outcome than the process of getting there.

As Bob Bailey says, “Be a splitter, not a lumper.” It’s a process, and along the way there may be detours, but there is a map too.

And certainly one needs to be “resolved” in order to reach one’s goals, I’ll stick to my goals.