Austin Dog Trainer Blog

Dolphin bubbles!

Ever seen a dolphin play with bubble rings?  Dolphins can make bubble rings in the water - check out this video of dolphins playing with their bubble rings! 

Cara, Austin Dog Training and Behavior

If doorways aren't the answer to leadership, what is?

So, if going through the door isn't the way to gain leadership over my dog, what is?  Should I eat first?  Do Alpha Rolls?  Maybe I should never let him stand above me when I'm laying on the floor. 

To be honest, I don't think there is any ONE thing you can do that makes your dog respect you or see you as a leader for them.  In general, I believe in requiring politeness and manners around the house and not allowing dogs to get things in life by being pushy or barking.  And, don't forget, not every dog is walking around trying to figure out how to take over the world or even just your house!  We probably think about leadership a lot more than most dogs do because it's been drilled into our heads in the popular media that we need to establish dominance over our dogs.  That said, there are some things that can contribute to a well-run house:

1. Hand feed your dog or puppy throughout the day.  Rather than putting food in a bowl and letting your dog scarf it down, hand feed your dog its meals throughout the day as reinforcers for looking at you when you say its name, coming when called, sitting politely instead of jumping up, or performing a trick like shake or roll over.  Remember, control the assets (food) and you'll control the behavior!
2. Never respond to demand barking or jumping up.  If your dog or puppy is jumping on you or barking at you to get something it wants, leave the room!  Rude manners make me leave!
3. Require pleases and thank yous!  Okay, this one isn't quite accurate because I rarely require a thank you from my dog.  I always require a please, though!  Dogs can say please for things they want (there are those all important assets again!) by sitting, doing a roll over, performing a down stay, or touching a target on cue.  Any trained behavior can serve as a "please" to earn an asset (going outside in the yard, coming up on your lap for petting, having a toy thrown, getting you to put a food bowl down).

Remember, you're the one with the opposable thumbs and big brain!  Use those to your advantage. 

Cara, Buddy's Chance, LLC Austin Dog Training, Dog Behavior, and Dog Daycare

Do I need to go through the door before my dog?

People often tell me that they're making their dog wait to go through the door after they've walked through.  Their intention is to establish themselves as leader with their dog.   Personally, I believe you can do just fine as the leader of your group even if you let your dog out the door ahead of you.  Both of my dogs frequently go out the door ahead of me and neither one has any issues with leadership.  The key is to control your dogs at the door.  My dogs have a wait at the door and a DOOR cue that tells them when to go through the door.  That way, if I want them to let me go first, I can have them wait and if I want them to go through the door ahead of me, I can say DOOR and they understand to move through the doorway. 

The DOOR cue is very easy to teach - start saying DOOR just before your dog moves through the door.  After several days, your dog will begin to pair that cue with the action of moving through the door. 

Your next step is to teach the Wait at the doors.  This one is really just as easy to teach, if you practice it.  Ask your dog for a Sit and, after they've sat, begin to open the door.  If their bottom comes off of the floor at all, close the door and wait for them to sit again (it may take several minutes for them to sit again - just wait).  When they've sat again, open the door again.  If they let you open the door without getting up from their sit, tell them DOOR and let them go through the door.  If they get up from their sit before you give the DOOR cue, close the door and wait for the Sit again.  Repeat the opening and shutting of the door over and over until they realize they have to keep their bottom on the floor to make the door open!

For an excellent demonstration of how to teach this and several other useful "politeness and manners" behaviors to your dog, check out Dr. Patricia McConnell's video, Feeling Outnumbered.

Cara, Buddy's Chance, LLC Austin Dog Training, Behavior, and Dog Daycare