It's Ok to say "NO!"

In a recent Facebook post, a dog owner with a 6 month old pup is worried her pup will hurt her cat because the puppy plays so rough when he's overexcited.

Looking through the suggested solutions by other dog owners, I saw lots of good advice about redirecting the pup, as well as rewarding him for making the right choices.

But not a single person mentioned correcting the puppy.

Meanwhile, back at the Front Range K9 Academy training facility, we see countless dogs who have never been told "No!"

Many of these dog owners are truly at the end of their ropes, often describing just how awful their dogs are, and some considering giving up on them.

At our first meeting, during temperament testing and consulting with these owners, we are no longer shocked at the number of times a simple "No!" paired with stern eye contact, and a quick squirt with one of our trusty (and CHEAP) squirt bottles immediately stops the barking, lunging, frothing at the mouth and snapping, 'terribly aggressive' dog in its tracks (can you hear the sarcasm as I type?).

We - the trainers - are not surprised.  But you could knock some of these owners over with a feather.

Given the amount of money some of our poor clients have spent elsewhere on other trainers, and some really outrageous 'training equipment' and methods, the trainers at FRK9 and I have often joked that we need to make up some t-shirts that simply say, "Squirt Bottles are Cheap." 

There is a growing, and very worrisome trend in the dog world lately that needs to be talked about.

On social media groups, in dog training articles and blogs, on the evening news... there is a strong resistance by some dog owners (and by many dog trainers) to embrace the concept of "NO!"

I am here to state, for the record:

It's Okay to tell your dog "NO!"

Whether we're talking about a verbal "NO!", a hard stare, or a physical correction, it's not only okay, but sometimes it's downright vital to correct your dog.

When we use verbal or physical corrections, we are helping our dogs learn what is acceptable and what is not.

I think every dog owner and dog trainer out there would agree that this is important.  After all, if WE don't tell the dog what is absolutely NOT OKAY in our human world, they are likely to make a lot more mistakes than if we do tell them.

Now, before you get your panties in a bunch about corrections - let's define what a correction is.

A correction can be anything from a "No!" or "Ah! Ah!" (or any other sound you use to signal to your dog to stop doing something) to shaker can full of coins that startles a dog and stops a behavior, to a squirt from a squirt bottle, to a quick tug & release on leash & collar, or a tap on a remote collar - really, a correction is anything that stops your dog from doing something.

And a correction is just that - a correction of an incorrect behavior.  

It's not mean. 

It's not abuse. 

It's not going to emotionally scar your dog, or damage your relationship with it.  In fact, I'll go so far as to say NOT correcting your dog will do much more damage, in the long run.

I am increasingly worried about the number of times I see dog owners asking questions that reveal they've been brainwashed into believing anything other than treats and redirecting a dog is downright cruelty.

I am not sure if this trend is due to the white-washing of advice found on the internet (as dog trainers, most of us are all too aware of the Animal Rights groups out there that are gunning for us, and really gunning for dog & pet ownership in general), or if our culture really has changed so much in the 33 years since I started training dogs.

Either way, the simple fact remains that dogs need BOTH types of information to succeed.

Let's use the 'roadmap' analogy to make this clear.

If you and I are in a car, and you are driving us to St. Louis, MO, and our GPS system is broken (humor me) - how long do you think it would take to get there if I ONLY tell you when you're going the right direction, but I sit quietly when you make a wrong turn?

If this is the case, we may NEVER get there.

The same is true if I am ONLY telling you when you're going the wrong way, but never acknowledging when you're headed in the right direction.  This will only lead to you being nervous and very stressed and lost.

But, if I am telling you BOTH when you're headed in the right direction, AND when you've made a wrong turn, we should have a pretty smooth trip.

The same is true for your communications with your dog.  If you are ONLY rewarding good behavior, and never correcting bad behavior, it will take much longer (if ever) for your dog to understand what is okay, and what isn't.

The same applies if you are ONLY correcting bad behaviors and never reinforcing good ones - you will create a nervous, anxious, and possibly aggressive dog.

It's only when you give your dog the WHOLE PICTURE that you can move forward smoothly - and much more efficiently and quickly - with your dog's training.

Why wouldn't you want to give your dog a roadmap to success?

That's it from this end of the leash.

Jennifer Hime, is the Owner & Training Director at Front Range K9 Academy in Wheat Ridge, CO.  She can be reached through K9counselor.com.

Patterns Vs. Incidents - a Presidential Concern

Maybe the Bidens ought to give up on having German shepherds in the White House.

No matter where you fall on the political scale, or what you think of the current President or state of affairs, having to banish 2 dogs in the span of less than two years is a sign of a serious problem ('Major' was sent off to live with friends - also for biting - in December 2021; now off goes 'Commander' in November 2023).

The latest report on Commander is that in his two years at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, he's had at least 11 bites to staff - some serious enough to require medical attention.  Additionally, some sources say there have been many more, unreported/untreated bites from the 2 year old German shepherd.

As a professional dog trainer of over 33 years, I am appalled.

Why was this dog allowed to practice this behavior for so long and so many times?  

I'll tell you why:

When it comes to their dogs, Joe & Jill Biden are no different than many of the pet owners we see at Front Range K9 Academy every week.

They love their dog.  

They are exceptionally busy, and dog training doesn't always come first.  

And most importantly, they are in denial (or those advising them about the dog are).

Look folks, it's not rocket science - sometimes dogs bite.  But when this happens, we have to determine whether we're looking at an isolated incident or at a pattern that reveals the nature of the dog itself.

Sometimes, a dog biting is a one-time thing which can be explained - or maybe even excused - by circumstances.  This is an incident of biting.

It might happen when the dog is injured, startled, feeling threatened, or otherwise not acting in character; and, if it truly is incidental, it's not likely to happen again.

What 'Commander' is doing is not incidental biting.  It has crossed a line.  In fact, it has so far surpassed that line, the line has become a dot in the far, far distance!

I've assessed and worked with hundreds (maybe thousands) of aggressive dogs of all breeds.  Any bite is cause for concern.  Anything beyond 2 bites is cause for major concern.

Now we're getting reports of 11 or more bites from this dog.

This, my friends, is a very clear pattern.  And patterns of behavior are notoriously difficult to extinguish.

And this is where understanding the nature of the dog - its breed, temperament, and history are so important when making the right decisions regarding what comes next.  

And that applies whether we're talking about the President's dog, or your dog.

When owners come in with a dog with bites under its belt - whether it's one bite, or many - we are always cautious.

We'd love to tell you "Yes!  Your dog can be 'fixed' and will never bite again!"  But that would be a lie.  A dog who is willing to bite even once, may be willing to do it again.

And the dog who has gotten well-practiced in the habit or pattern of biting is a truly dangerous animal.

This doesn't mean things are hopeless and you have to send your dog away.  

But it DOES mean you have to become fully accountable and responsible for the actions of your dog - for the rest of its life.

And for the love of Mike, you have to step out of denial, and into reality.  Wishing things would be different does you and your dog NO GOOD.

Life with an aggressive dog is hard.  As humans, we're always hoping to explain away bites - "The child scared him."  "He doesn't like to go to the veterinarian."  "She doesn't like men in hats."  "It was windy that day, and she was upset."

But if your explanations are adding up, as your dog wracks up bite after bite, it's time to step back and take a long hard look at what's going on, and what has to change.

Because, as one of our favorite signs at the training facility says, "If you change nothing, nothing will change."

Jennifer Hime is the Owner & Training Director at Front Range K9 Academy in Wheat Ridge, CO.

Perseverance Pays Off

 A few months ago, I posted a Pro Tip about perseverance being so vital in training.

Today's training - out doing Foundation work with demo pup, "Bug" - reminded me of this important concept once again.

Bug is on day 4 of Foundation training. Her first session of this lesson did not go well, in spite of her being a star student with the first 3 days of Foundation work.

On the first session of Day 4, she was chasing the long line, dropping her shoulder and sprinting to the end of the line (and hitting it HARD) regularly, tangling up and protesting - all the things an almost-4-month-old pup will often do, but things THIS pup had not done during the previous training sessions.

I chalked it up to new snow, the new format and slightly more challenging lesson, and just a rotten session. A lot of folks would've spent too much time over-thinking the issue... "Did I do it wrong?" "Should I go back to Day 3 and do more of that lesson?" "Is this training even working?"

But, having done this method of training for nearly 23 years, and having trained thousands of client dogs, as well as 25 of my own dogs in the method, I have the luxury of knowing the difference between a rough session, and a true training problem.

Sure enough, the second session of Day 4 training went MUCH smoother. In fact, Bug surpassed my expectations, trotting along next to me, letting the extra long line drag out away from her for most of the session.

Success on so many levels! Bug grasped the concept that her handler (me) is unpredictable, even when she *thinks* she knows the game we're playing...so her best option is to keep her eyes and ears on me - which is the whole point of Foundation work!

If I had given up, or gone backwards in training, I wouldn't have let Bug learn the lesson in her own time.

Once again, even when a new concept feels too challenging, it's worth it to persevere for a few more sessions, to see if your dog is learning the concepts, in spite of the struggles.

Now, if the second session of Day 4 training had been as bad (or worse) than the first, that would be PATTERN emerging, and I would have needed to re-assess the next steps.

But a single INCIDENT of a bad training session doesn't mean you're doing it wrong, or the dog can't learn, or the training doesn't work. If you begin to see a pattern (multiple bad sessions), then something needs to change, but if it's just one rough session, give the dog a break for a few hours (maybe even a day) and then revisit the session to see if they've learned the new concept.

Very often, they'll surprise you - and ace the lesson on the second attempt. But, if you don't persevere, you'll never know whether you just had a bad session, or if you need to change something in what you're doing!

Jennifer Hime is the owner & Training Director at Front Range K9 Academy in Wheat Ridge, CO.

There are no shortcuts in dog training.

I am going to anger, frustrate, or alienate a lot of people with this post.  

Some will be dog trainers.

Some will be dog owners.

Here's the thing:  I don't care.  What I say below needs to be said.

And more importantly, what I say below needs to be heard - by many dog owners, and not a few dog trainers as well.

Ready for it?

Here we go.

"Obedience IS the answer."

The answer to what?

Your dog's anxiety problem.

Your dog's aggression problem.

Your dog's over-excitement problem.

Your dog's fence running/fence fighting problem.

Your dog's leash reactivity problem.

Your dog's vet visit problem.

Your dog's groomer visit problem.

Your dog's toenail cutting problem.

Your dog's humping you, the kids or grandkids, and everything else in sight problem.

Your dog's overly exuberant mouthing, jumping, barking, nipping, dumpster-diving, counter-surfing, or biting problem.

Shall I continue, or do you see the point?

A look at Dog Trainers who don't believe in Obedience.

Let's begin with the dog trainers out there who are eagerly telling owners (while taking their hard-earned money):

"I can fix your dog in 2 to 3 sessions, you don't need obedience."

"I can fix your dog in a 2-week board & train program, you don't need obedience."

"I can fix your dog at a 4 hours workshop or seminar, you don't need obedience."

The funny thing is, whether you're working with a positive-only trainer (rewards only, no corrections), or a balanced trainer (one who will correct a dog for poor behavior, as well as rewarding good behavior) - there are both types of dog trainers out there who will tell you don't need to do any work in training obedience to fix your dog's problems.

That's like saying you don't need to teach a child to count before teaching them addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division!

In the positive-only camp, we have well-meaning trainers (and yes, behaviorists) who tend to focus primarily on the problem behaviors their clients present to them; offering management, desensitization and counter-conditioning techniques, sometimes paired with behavioral medications and lots and lots of treats.  

And their technique for treating your dog's separation anxiety, or fear of having ear or eye drops put in, or having toenails cut, etc. MIGHT just work - for awhile.

Until the next thing happens - some new anxiety or phobia rears its ugly head.  Some other new problem behavior 'mysteriously' appears.

But there is actually no mystery here.  A bunch of cookies, and a few desensitization exercises rarely 'fix' the underlying problem that caused the initial behavior problem to start with.  

So, your dog has now developed another issue...and another, and another...and so it goes, with ever more and more trainer sessions to pay for, and medications to try...and always the next problem is just around the corner for you and your dog.  Pretty nifty set-up for the trainer, though.

In the 'balanced' training approach, there are trainers who are just as bad, but on the other end of the spectrum.  These trainers are also under the gun to 'fix' the issues, and to do so quickly.  Because they use both rewards and corrections, they feel like they have all the answers when reward-only based training has failed.

If they're not laying a strong foundation of obedience with a dog before addressing problem behaviors, the balanced trainers face the same problem the positive-only trainer does:  risking a confused, untrained dog whose next list of problem behaviors is just around the corner.

But, there is a bigger problem than just failed shortcuts here.  In the case of balanced trainers, there is the danger of falling into the trap of applying corrections too early (and yes, sometimes too harshly).

Too often, we see dogs who've come from positive-only trainers who've failed them by not providing the dog the tools to ease their own anxiety or other problems.  

And, we see dogs who've come from balanced trainers who have become more anxious, more aggressive, etc., due to overly-harsh corrections, or simply from rushed training efforts that have also failed them.

This only sets the positive-only Vs. balanced trainer debate more firmly in motion, with one side yelling "You're abusive to dogs!" and the other yelling back, "Your methods don't work!"

Meanwhile, the dogs - and their owners on the sidelines - are the ones left with the short end of the stick.

What about those dog owners?  Don't they hold some responsibility?

Dog Owners who don't understand/believe in the power of obedience.

To answer the above question - yes!  Dog owners also hold some responsibility here.  

They need to understand the power of obedience training, and what it can do for their dogs.

But, it's hard to fault the dog owners out there when some of today's most popular internet dog trainers are telling them they don't need obedience for their dogs.

Plus - Obedience training isn't always sexy.  It takes commitment, patience, and dedication.

Sorry to tell you, dog owners of the world - this is something many of you lack.  

As a trainer of more than 30 years, the number of clients I see today really willing to put in the amount of time, mindfulness, and commitment to training is greatly reduced from when I began training in 1990.

Owners today want shortcuts as much as the trainers want to give the shortcuts to them.

In our fast-paced, instant-gratification world, owners don't want to spend weeks and weeks methodically teaching Fido to heel, sit, stay, lie down, and come.

What those owners (and trainers) fail to realize is that the time and effort it takes to teach some very basic life skills to the dog also builds trust, communication, and a relationship that will last a lifetime.

But too many owners want the magic pill or piece of equipment that will skip the work and "just make him come when called."

"Make her like other dogs."

"Make her be ok when we leave for 8 to 10 hours a day, 5 days a week."

"Make him not pull so hard on the leash...I don't care if he actually heels."

And on and on goes the list of problems - most of which are solved not by shortcuts and pills and equipment, but by taking the time to teach the dog how to live in our complex human world.

What IS Obedience?  And WHY is it the answer?

So, what's the solution?

Well, we've come full circle.  

Earlier in this post, I said trying to solve a dog's problems without obedience training is like trying to teach complex math to a child who hasn't learned to count.

That comparison is spot on.  

Obedience training gives the owner and dog a common language.  This is just like the child we teach the alphabet & number systems to - before we expect them to do math & read!

Obedience training gives dogs a picture of our crazy human world that is reliable and predictable...in turn, making THEM more predictable and reliable.

Obedience training gives the dog a set of skills, that when applied consistently to real life, turns into a set of character traits that any high-functioning being needs to get along well in the world (namely: attentiveness, confidence, patience, self-discipline, predictability, reliability, and dependability).

Who wouldn't want that for their dog?

But, again, obedience training takes time, dedication, and commitment.  It's <gasp!> WORK.

It's way sexier to just slap a few 'quick fixes' on a dog than to put in the time to teach it, guide it through our complex lives, and build a relationship with it.

Hmmm....come to think of it...isn't that why you got a dog in the first place?  To share in a relationship with a completely alien mind?  

So, the next time you read a facebook or instagram post from some celebrity dog trainer telling you that you don't need obedience, give this post some thought.

After all - would you expect your human child to function well if their teachers took extreme shortcuts in their education?

Why would you shortcut your dog?

PLEASE NOTE:  None of this is to say there is no usefulness in many of the techniques and equipment used by our colleagues, both positive-only & balanced.

It IS to say that many times those same problems that prompted the need for their short-lived solutions would have been solved through communication through obedience training, without the need for medications on one end of the spectrum, or extreme techniques on the other.

Jennifer Hime, is the Owner & Training Director of Front Range K9 Academy in Wheat Ridge, CO.  She can be reached at k9counselor.com