Nurturing a Better Dog, Trick No. 4: Lead the Walk!

(Note: This is going to be a long article, but please do read it through in detail, as this is one of the most important ways to have a happier, healthier, more balanced dog, and a happier life for you.)

Lead the Walk

Are you one of those people who dreads walking your dog because it always involves your dog barreling along the road, dragging you, arm stretched forward, running in a slightly sideways gait, and holding on for dear life, just hoping that your companion canine doesn't do anything embarrassing or dangerous today? If you are, then who can blame you for not taking your dog out as often as you should—for at least three bathroom breaks a day, and for a combined time of at least forty-five minutes, most of which should be on one particularly long walk? But here's the catch: as I mentioned in Trick No. 1, if your dog isn't getting out on a long walk every day, he or she will put all that pent-up energy to bad use.

So, the less you walk your dog, the more out of control he or she becomes, and that means a much more difficult walk. It's a destructive cycle. But don't worry; I'm going to show you how to make your dog walks a pleasure. And we're going to start by making sure you're using the right tool.

The Right Equipment

The vast majority of badly behaved dogs who pull on leash wear the same piece of bad equipment: the harness. A harness straps across the chest, giving your dog the ability to put all his or her weight into dragging you along, while doing nothing to control the head, which is the secret to controlling both a dog and his or her issues. What you should be using is a slip leash, a magical piece of dog-training equipment that is great for both you and the dog. Instead of putting all the pressure on the front of the neck like using a collar does, a slip leash spreads the pressure out, turning it into a gentle squeeze that goes all around the neck—try it on yourself; give a gentle tug backwards or to the side and see that it doesn't choke, but instead applies pressure all around your neck (if the dog keeps pulling and pulling, though, it can choke, so never let your dog pull, and always use a short, gentle tug and immediate release; also, never leave your dog tied to anything with a slip leash, as it will tighten on the throat if the dog turns around and around).

A dog has a natural inclination to pay attention when he or she feels pressure on the neck, as this is how a higher-ranking dog will show dominance, by mouthing the lower dog's neck; it's also how a mum dog calms her pups when she picks them up by the scruff and the mild pressure around the neck causes the pups to automatically relax. Make sure you put the slip leash on the dog correctly, with the leash part going from your hand and across the back of the dog's neck and then under, rather than underneath it and then up and over the back. If it goes across the back of the neck first and then under and back on itself, the leash will tighten when tugged but then loosen when relaxed, because the ring can fall; if the leash part goes under the neck first, then the ring won't fall when you relax the leash, and it won't loosen, which will just create tension. (If you walk the dog on your left, imagine holding the leash open in a P shape as you put it over your dog's head; if you walk him or her on your right, imagine a b shape.)

Head Held High

And to get your dog walking next to you without pulling, you simply need to just make sure the slip leash is high up on his or her neck, right up under the jaw and as close to the base of the ears as possible. This prevents your dog being able to move his or her head in any direction, keeping him or her focused on the walk instead; if your dog tries to pull, all that will happen is the head will automatically be lifted, preventing his or her ability to get traction to pull ahead. The difference between having a slip leash high or low is huge, with the former making walks so much easier just by itself. It's particularly effective at encouraging your dog to be more confident, as it helps him or her keep his or her head held high; just as mood effects body language, body language effects mood, so don't let your fearful dog adopt a fearful posture.

The Trick to Taking the Lead

But there are some pretty cool ways to have your dog accept your lead so that you don't need to keep him in check physically, which is of course better all round. Read on to learn a fun trick to teach your dog that he or she should completely forget about trying to walk ahead of you, and instead take his rightful place beside or behind you, never challenging your leadership.

(For brevity, in the rest of the article we will discuss as though the dog will be walked on your left, but if you walk your dog in your right, just reverse all the instructions.)

Keep your dog on your left and the leash loose. You want to have a calm, assertive, confident attitude and body language, and a positive image in your head of how you want the walk to be —expect the walk to be great (dogs read your mind through your body language very easily). But do also be prepared for things to start to go wrong and know how you will deal with them quickly and effectively so that you can get back on track—more about overcoming possible setbacks later.

Now, and throughout the walk, do not look at your dog; this just invites a challenge and shows that you're not being a good leader who would be focusing on the walk, not the dog. Wait until the dog is calm and not demanding to move forward, then give a little tug and start walking. Imagine an invisible line that runs left-right in front of you. As soon as you notice out of the corner of your eye that your dog even tries to pass that line (starts to walk ahead of you), immediately turn right 90 degrees and give him or her a quick but light tug to follow (90 degrees is better because you can easily tug him to the side but not so easily backwards). Stay aloof, but enjoy as your dog realises that the attempt to get ahead immediately put him further behind.

Your dog will catch up and most likely try to overtake once more. Just once again change direction, nonchalantly, 90 degrees to the right, and give a tug. Remember, do not look at your dog when doing this. Keep your shoulders back and your head up, and focus on leading the walk.

Do this again and again and you will soon notice that your dog isn't trying so hard to get ahead. Keep it up. Maintain the positive attitude and ignore the dog. Act aloof. Enjoy yourself. When you get the hang of it and feel more in control, start cutting him or her off to the LEFT; you'll be amazed how your dog starts looking up at you to see what you want him or her to do—or maybe just to admire you as you demonstrate such great leadership. Do a few more right turns, then a few more left, whether your dog tries to take the lead or not.

Stay Relaxed

Apart from when giving a light tug, you want a loose leash throughout—tension in the lead is tension in the leader-follower relationship, and it also enables your dog to test his or her physical strength against yours, so don't do it. Relax your arms, and relax the leash (especially when he or she meets other dogs—but more about that in a later article).

This whole exercise is a mind game. Dogs need a leader. If the leader isn't you, your dog will feel that he or she has to fill the role. By constantly showing your dog that he or she will always be behind you until you say otherwise, he or she will learn that it's his or her place to follow. The only way you can lose this game is to give in. Stay focused on having a perfect walk with you leading and that's what will happen (particularly with dogs, but also as in life, what you think will happen will happen, so keep a positive image in mind).

Your attitude is key, so don't let yourself get frustrated; if you control yourself, you control the situation, and that means you control the dog.

Taking It On the Road

I can fix a bad puller in minutes practicing this technique; it's never failed yet, no matter how big or strong the dog, nor his or her age. It works. If it's not working for you, read the instructions again and see where you're going wrong. It's probably that you're watching the dog, tightening the leash, or imagining it all going wrong—so DON'T!

You can do this exercise in a quiet road or park, where you have space to keep turning when necessary. Once your dog is walking nicely behind or beside you, you can start to walk in a straight line, but keep using tugs upwards and inwards (towards you) as soon as your dog starts to move too far behind, to the left, or ahead. Don't watch the dog; instead, simply feel the direction your wrist is being pulled in and just tug back.

Keep Control

For the first few minutes or so of any walk, while you are establishing leadership, don't let your dog smell the ground, go to anything, or even look at anything. When your dog wants to pee on a tree, keep walking, but allow him to pee at another tree instead. You are in control, and your dog will like that. Once he or she accepts your lead, you can grant more freedom, allowing your dog more of the leash to explore the environment as he or she wants, but never allow your dog to pull (just tug back) and make sure you take the lead again when the situation requires it or when heading home.

Be Prepared

There will always be times when you feel your dog is not accepting your lead or maybe starts to play up, perhaps because he or she is scared or wants to go and investigate something; just accept these incidents as great opportunities to once again demonstrate your leadership, and be prepared for how you will handle them. Here are some suggestions:

1. Just stop and ignore, even if it is fearfulness. Don't go anywhere until your dog is back in a calm state. But do give praise as soon as the dog starts to relax more. Alternatively, you can gently put your dog in a more confident posture, such as sitting with head up or standing with tail out or up, and then give praise and/or calming strokes.

2. Do the change-direction exercise a few more times until your dog has fallen back into line.

3. Give a tug up on the leash and make a short, sharp sound to get your dog's attention, and then just carry on with the walk.

4. Give a touch or make a 'Tsst!' noise to quickly divert your dog's attention back to you.

5. Push your dog's flank (around his upper thigh / waist area). This is a dog way of asserting oneself. You can use the side of your leg or knee if easier. But DO NOT HIT—it's a gentle shove, pretty much like leaning against your dog, to put your dog's rear slightly off balance.

Always, don't dwell on the unwanted behaviour; just quickly move on and focus on the good walk ahead, and expect your dog to follow alongside you. Remember to correct the behaviour at the earliest possible opportunity, which may be when your dog even just looks at another dog or a cat.

And be careful not to project your own fears onto your dog—this happens a lot! When you see something that you think may be a problem, just ignore it, keep your head up and shoulders back, and make sure you are not unconsciously giving your dog a clue that he or she should be prepared for trouble ahead. Control yourself if you want to control your dog.

Good Dog!

Whenever your dog is walking nicely, give praise or a treat. Speak in high, soft tones, and rub his side (not the head, which can feel like a threat, or the chest, which gets dogs excited). Let your dog know when you're happy with what he or she is doing and you will see more of that behaviour. Just be careful not to raise the excitement level. But dogs love praise, so be sure to tell them when they're doing great.

With your dog's perceived leadership on the walk now relinquished to you, you will start to see a huge improvement in his behaviour, as he or she will realise that it's no longer his (stressful) responsibility to decide what to chase, attack, jump up at, get excited by, or be afraid of. When people start to lead their dog walks, they all report that their dog seems happier, that the walk is far more enjoyable, and that their relationship with their dog seems far more fulfilling. You will enjoy those same benefits; all you have to do is believe it and stay positive.

Summary

Here is a summary of the most important points you need to remember:

• Leading the walk is key to controlling your dog's behaviour in other situations.
• Use a slip leash, and be sure it is on the right way round and high up under the jaw.
• Use light tugs to communicate with your dog.
• When your dog tries to walk ahead, just change direction, 90 degrees, with a tug, so he or she is behind you again.
• You cannot achieve what you don't first envision; how you perceive the walk to be is key, as your dog can read your body language, so say positive, confident, and calm, and always envision a great walk.
• Your dog will accept your lead if you believe it and don't give up.
• When demonstrating leadership on the walk, control everything; grant (and take away) more freedom once your dog is following nicely.
• Dogs are happier when they have a cal, confident, benevolent leader.
• Be prepared for opportunities to demonstrate you are a leader.
• Whenever possible, correct unwanted behaviour before it even begins.
• Do not dwell on mistakes; move on quickly from upsets and get back on track, enjoying a nice, calm, walk with your dog.
• Envision a good walk, and do not project your own fears; control yourself and your thoughts and you will control your dog.
• Praise lavishly or give a treat whenever your dog is doing well.
• Dogs want to relinquish control and their issues to a good leader—remember that.

Now go lead that walk! And be sure to let me know how it goes.


Seán

Nurturing a Better Dog, Trick No. 3: Leaders First!

This next dog-leadership trick is very simple to explain, but you will need to keep coming back to read it again and again to absorb the details, especially about how to back your dog up away from the door.

Enter New Environments First

When you take your dog for a walk, who goes through the door first: you or your dog? If you have a dog who is a nightmare to walk because he or she pulls like mad, or keeps trying to go for other dogs, or even shows fear at certain things, then you probably allow your dog to go through the door first. So many people tell me the same thing: "Fido is great in the house, but once we get outside, he just becomes difficult to control." If that sounds like your dog—or the opposite: your dog is fine on a walk but out of control in the house—then you're about to learn why.

Whenever you enter a new environment, whether that be going outside or inside, into a vet clinic, into a dog park, through a narrow lane, down the stairs, or even just into your yard or garden, you should lead the way. It's not that canine pack leaders go through doors first (dogs lead other dogs much better than us, and can do so from the middle or the rear just as well as from out front); it's slightly more complicated than that, but much more interesting:

A Leader for all Situations

According to research on abandoned or escaped dogs in Italy, packs tend to have one or two leaders, and it is most often a matriarch who takes on the lead role; however, very often, packs will have a different leader for different circumstances. Whereas the lead female may be in charge around the den, another dog may take the lead when it's time to go and reinforce boundaries, or to see off intruding dogs, or to go looking for food. This is a very efficient way of ensuring the pack is as strong as possible in any situation, since not every leader type is suitable for all situations. The rest of the pack accepts the leader of each situation readily, and harmony reigns because of it.

If you want to demonstrate to your dog that you are the leader in any situation the two (or more) of you proceed into, then the best way is to make sure you go first and with no attempts from your dog to challenge that. If your dog is allowed to go charging out the door, pulling you behind him, every time you go for a walk, then no matter how good he or she is at home, your canine companion will believe that he or she can easily assume the leadership role outside—and not being the best one to make decisions on what you should chase, attack, be scared of, or even bite, your dog will most usually invoke mayhem when seemingly put into that role.

Take Ownership of the Doorway

So, if you want to send a clear signal to your dog that it's your leadership that will dictate how the walk will be (and your aim should be for calm and controlled—more on that in the next lesson), then the solution is simple: take control of your dog before you head out the door, demonstrate leadership by remaining calm and assertive (and aloof), and make sure that you go through the door first while your dog waits for a signal to follow. You then make sure to do the same as you close the door behind you and set off on the walk (though your dog will almost always be 'ahead' of you at this point, he or she will be waiting patiently and without making demands until you are ready to lead the walk.

So how do we get the dog to go along with all this? Do we need to give orders—maybe have the dog sit and stay while we open and walk through the door? No. Giving dogs instructions is not the most powerful way to demonstrate leadership; what's most effective is when your dog works out for him- or herself the best way to show you in his or her own language that he or she accepts you control the door and therefore the walk ahead. If you follow the following guidelines exactly, then this is exactly how your dog will behave. Prepare to be amazed.

How to Lead Through Doors

(Remember: if you read carefully and make sure you follow correctly, this will work; if you need to see it in practice, sit tight for the upcoming videos to accompany this blog series.)

Leading your dog through the door will be much easier if you make him or her come to the leash instead of you chasing your dog to put it on. Just stay calm and stand confidently and quietly near the door until your dog comes to accept the leash (I know this will be impossible at first for many dogs, in which case, approach and leash your dog with the minimum of fuss). You may give the command for him to come to you if you want to, but only once—never incessantly. When your dog lets you leash him or her in this way, it's as good a signal as any that he or she is willing to submit to your leadership.

Lead your dog to the door. If he or she tries to dart ahead of you and put his or her nose near the door waiting for it to open or starts to try and scratch at the door, you need to step in and take 'ownership' of the door. Step in between the dog and the door, using the leash if you have to, giving tugs to make the dog back away to give you space to step in. Once there is enough space, loosen the leash and step into your dog, as though you want to walk into his floor space, in a calm, assertive manner, with a confident body posture and perhaps an 'Ah!' or 'Eh!' grunt as you do so. Do not do anything else that you think will demonstrate dominance, such as shouting, giving commands, being angry, raising the tone of your voice, etc., as it will likely be something that will actually tell the dog you are not really in control. If you like, raise a finger in front of you in a 'Don't even try it' kind of manner. This helps you feel dominant while also putting something above your dog's head, which will make him feel he has a superior above him or her. You can also tap (briefly push) his chest with your fingers in a kind of 'bite' action—gentle but firm, as though to guide.

Accepting the New Dynamic

Your dog will back away from the door, probably look confused at this new behaviour from you, and sit down. At the very least, he or she will stand and wait for your next move. You will open the door next, but first you must be prepared for your dog to try and dart through as you open it; know what you will do to counter this (exactly the same as you did to back the dog up in the first place, but with a very serious look on your face, and more stern body language, as if to say 'You are pushing your luck.' This will not make the dog scared of you, but will make him or her respect you more. Back him or her up again, and, while being prepared to step in again if you have to, know that, this time, your dog will stay in place, politely waiting to see what you want him or her to do. Dogs generally accept new leadership instantly and without question, and that is how we can achieve rapid change in a dog so quickly.

You should now be standing between your dog and the door, sideways on, so you can see both the door and the dog and are not blocking the doorway—this is very important, as you want the dog to stay in place because of respect for your new leadership and not because of a physical block. Open the door. Step in and back the dog up again in the same manner as last time if you have to, though by this stage you should find, to your amazement, that he will look at the open doorway and then you and back again, in turn, as he awaits your instruction. Walk through the door, prepared to back your dog up if necessary, but you should be able to just give a gentle tug and a command to come as you walk through the doorway ahead of him or her. If possible, wait until your dog looks away before inviting him or her through, as this ensures your canine companion isn't 'commanding' you or pleading to be able to go through, which would give him perceived status if that's then what happened.

Entering a New Situation

Get ready to control your dog once through the doorway, as he or she may think that it's OK to run ahead at this point. Simply give gentle tugs while ignoring the dog and remaining aloof as you wait for him or her to calm down once more. Close the door, and, once your dog is relaxed and not trying to make you do anything, head off on the walk, giving your dog a gentle tug as a signal to follow alongside. Remember, we always tug and immediately relax, as this prevents tension in the leash (and therefore the relationship) and gives the dog nothing lasting to resist. Give lots of praise (or a treat) as you set off, letting your dog know that he or she pleased you by accepting your leadership.

After a few times practicing this properly, you will have it down to pat, and your dog will understand the new procedure too. Never lose your temper or plead with your dog, and do not add anything else that you think may help. You want to keep everything simple while demonstrating control—of yourself first, then the situation and your dog. Follow this procedure when entering any new territory, environment, or situation, and you will be letting your dog know in no uncertain terms that your will shall dominate still and not your dog and his fears, excitement, or other issues that need to be kept under control. This simple technique, practiced at every possible opportunity, helps your dog to understand the new hierarchy. Don't feel sorry for him; it's hell trying to lead when you have know idea how to, and your dog will be happy to relinquish all that stress to you.

Summary

To recap the important points:

• You must go through doors first
• Dogs have different leaders for different situations
• If the dog is allowed to lunge through first, he or she will think that he or she can lead in the new environment
• A dog can be controlled by his or her issues, so if you don't lead, your dog and his or her problems will
  
• Dogs accept new leadership readily
• Stay calm, assertive, and aloof when demonstrating leadership
• Have the dog come to the leash, not you go to the dog
  
• Try to back your dog up with posture and a dominant attitude rather than physical force
• Tug, not pull; tap, not push
  
• Be prepared to respond to challenges
• Invite your dog through only when he or she is calm and not demanding
• Reward your dog for doing well
• Enjoy your new role as leader!
  

The next lesson will be on how to have your dog walking beautifully on leash, beside or behind you, never pulling, further enhancing the relationship between the two of you, and making walks a complete pleasure. So stay tuned! And be sure to post comments or questions, and please share this series with your friends.

Enjoy going first!



Seán

Nurturing a Better Dog, Trick No. 2: Attention!

Attention, All Dog Caregivers!

Dogs, just like people, crave attention. It's one of the least obvious but most powerful rewards for encouraging the kind of behaviour you want to see again and again. Ignore a child and eventually he or she will start exploring ways to get some attention from you, and if that means being naughty just to get a reaction from you, that is what he or she will continue to do. We see so many kids who have learned bad behaviour just because it got them some kind of attention. These kinds of children likewise don't get enough attention when they're being good. Yet we blame them and punish them more and more (giving yet more attention!) as they keep repeating the behaviour that we have unwittingly encouraged. And so often we do exactly the same—or worse—with our dogs.

There are many rewards we can use to encourage certain behaviours in dogs, from treats to belly rubs, praise to excited chatter, walks to playtime. But it's that oft-overlooked reward of attention that brings out most behaviours simply because we give it without even thinking—and that's why it's a leading cause of dog problems; we're not being careful about what we give most attention to.

Here's a great dog-behaviour trick: give your dog attention whenever he or she shows a behaviour you want to see more of and ignore (or briefly correct) those which you don't. Pretty simple, huh? And pretty much common sense too. And yet we so often forget to put this into practice.

Be Very Careful What You Give Attention to and What You Ignore

Here's a typical example, one I encounter so often when helping people rehabilitate their dogs: A dog keeps jumping up on guests when they walk in the door, so I ask the person how he or she responds to that, and the reply is that they will shout at the dog, continuously push the dog down, repeat a command to the dog, or walk the dog into another room and close the door. I then ask what they do when the guest is now in the house and the dog has calmed down, and most often the response is that they whisper to their guest to please ignore the dog while he or she is being quiet so as not to evoke more excited behaviour. They have been doing the complete opposite of what they should do to encourage the dog to be calm when visitors come!

Turning Fear into Confidence

Another important example of how to use attention, which may seem difficult to comprehend and much more difficult to put into practice, but which has an instant, profound effect, is when dealing with fearful dogs: A dog may be terrified, for example, of other people when out walking; whenever someone nears or even approaches from afar, the dog starts to back away, pull at the leash, panic, thrash, and do all he or she can to avoid that man or woman. Often, the person on the other end of the leash then starts to talk calmly to the dog, trying to reassure or reason with him or her, speaking in soft, reassuring tones, repeating "It's OK. It's OK." again and again. Yet while the dog is walking happily beside them, they do and say nothing. Without realizing it, they have been encouraging the fearful behaviour while failing to encourage calmness. Yes, that's really all it is!

When I work with these dogs, I ask the person to not do or say (and try not to think about) anything while I calmly and confidently—and literally—take the lead. The dog always freaks out having me so close at first, yet I do nothing more than focus on the walk ahead and give a gentle tug on the leash to get the dog moving forward (a tug involves a quick but gentle pull and immediate release; we don't keep pulling on the leash, as this just maintains tension and invites resistance). While the dog is acting fearful, I ignore as much as possible and maintain a calm, assertive air—in fact, I act aloof, regal, like a leader who expects others to follow. As if by magic, the dog, craving a strong, fair leader to lead him or her through the terrifying ordeal, will choose to come and walk by my side, much to the disbelief of the person, who has never seen their dog choose to approach a stranger before. It gets even better:

Demonstrate Calm Assertiveness

We then walk, with me saying nice, soothing things to the dog while he or she behaves more and more like a happy, confident dog, but still focusing on the good walk ahead. I give a gentle tug without looking whenever the dog starts to think about pulling away, but never look at them, because that's not only attention, but also another invitation to challenge your leadership. When people approach, I anticipate the dog's behaviour and give a gentle tug upwards and towards me together with a firm 'Ah!' or 'Eh!' sound, which, to every dog, means 'Stop it' (those of you who speak Chinese, use the fourth tone; to everyone else, imagine stamping your foot as you say it, which will help you get he correct, short, sharp, deep, falling tone—other tones sound weak to a dog). I sometimes have to put my foot behind the dog to prevent him or her backing away, and may then put the dog in a sit position while the stranger walks past. Any behaviour that is a step towards calm acceptance is rewarded with kind words or a stroke; any time the dog's fear tries to take over, a gentle tug and a serious 'Ah!' or 'Eh!' is used. By doing this just a few times, the dog will start to accept people walking close by, and most often I can have the dog approaching people by his or her own accord simply by sitting down and ignoring the little guy or gal while he or she explores her new-found confidence.

How can we get such an incredible result so rapidly? We simply gave attention (with long, higher-pitched chatter) to the desired behaviour but ignored as much as possible, or gave abrupt, gentle corrections, with short, deep, serious grunts to those behaviours we wanted to stop. Dogs accept new leadership instantly, and they respond incredibly well to attention, and this is how we can achieve this life-changing, seemingly miraculous change in behaviour so quickly. It's a sad realization for the person that their kindness at the wrong times was actually causing fear and unhappiness in their dog. And it's not easy to change; I realize that. But if you want to help your dog, you must overcome your own need to show attention and affection when your dog is going through uncertainty and fear.

Apply the Magic of Attention to Anything!

This same technique works great for preventing all manner of bad behaviours, and can be adapted for all situations. For the dog jumping up on visitors, for instance, calm, gentle, lengthy attention should be given to the dog when he or she is quiet, and the jumping up should be deterred simply by having your guests completely ignore the dog (don't look, touch, or talk, and, in fact, have them behave aloof, as though the dog weren't there), and asking them to just turn away should the dog still try to paw them (don't use hands in any way, including pulling them away, as this just initiates play). Get your guests to give nice attention to the dog as soon as he or she calms down and have them stand up and turn away as soon as the dog tries tries to lift his or her paws off the ground. It works like magic. Try it.

Conclusion

I'll share with you the very best advice I have ever heard, not just for fixing problem behaviour in dogs, but for achieving greater success and happiness in life too: Whenever something keeps happening that you don't like, tell yourself "That's my fault" and ask yourself "What have I been doing to reward that behaviour?" More than likely, you have been unwittingly encouraging your dog to behave that way. Think hard about that. Be honest. Identify where you went wrong, adjust your actions accordingly, using attention and corrections or ignoring at the appropriate times, and watch how the problem disappears.

Now go and give some nice, calm, loving attention to your dog—but only if he or she is being good, calm, or quiet. And ignore or briefly correct excited, demanding, or other unwanted behaviour. And let me know how it goes; I look forward to hearing about the amazing changes you bring about in your own dog. You will be amazed.


Seán

(Remember, I will be demonstrating all these techniques in a series of videos to accompany these lessons, so look out for those later.)

Nurturing a Better Dog, Trick No. 1: Walking!

Walk It Off

For most people with dog problems, the answer is simple: more exercise. "That's it?" you ask. "Very often," I reply. One of the biggest mistakes people make with dogs is that they believe a dog needs a big home with a large yard to run around in. I often hear this as an excuse as to why someone can't adopt a dog from me: "I only live in a small apartment; it wouldn't be fair to the dog." But the happiest dogs aren't the ones with the stress of having to 'protect' a large 'den'; nor are they the ones who get confined to the yard almost every day because their person thinks he's lucky to have such a big space to run around in.

No, the happiest, most balanced dogs are those with a small space to call their own, and at least forty-five minutes of walking every day. Yes, forty-five minutes. That can be broken up into several shorter walks (as it should if your dog can only take bathroom breaks outside, as they need at least three a day, and more if younger than eight months). But it is far better to make one of the walks a long one—better for the dog, and better for you too, as your dog will be able to release so much mental and physical energy in an acceptable manner. In fact, none of the following lessons will be able to help you if you're not providing your dog with enough daily exercise.

Unmet Needs

Dogs have a natural urge to explore just beyond their territory, to smell who may have passed by recently, to enjoy that forward momentum, to satisfy that desire to know what is 'out there', and to cement that bond he wants to have with you as only an on-leash walk can do. The more cooped-up a dog is kept, the more pent-up he will become, and with all that excess energy not being burned off in a healthy way, it will start to be released in ways that you would rather not experience: destructive behaviour, barking, nervousness, or even aggression. It's no coincidence that, of my own pack, the only dogs who bark when they hear noises outside are the crippled ones, who just don't get as many energy-releasing, stimulating, satisfying walks as my other dogs. In my neighbourhood, the dogs that bark incessantly or snap and snarl at passers-by are the ones who have the 'luxury' of a yard but don't get to go on walks.

Imagine if you weren't allowed to wander beyond your four walls, or even beyond your garden or yard. Imagine how stressed and frustrated you would start to feel if you never got to experience life outside your home. You would sink into some form of undesirable behaviour, either looking for ways to release that energy or get that stimulation, or shutting down and heading towards depression. Your dog is no different. He or she needs a good walk every day with his pack leader by his side to feel fulfilled and happy. Other forms of exercise, such as playing ball or tugging rope, all help your dog to release energy, but none compare in effectiveness to a long, tiring, controlled walk.

A dog who usually shows anxiety or barks when left alone will benefit from a long, tiring walk beforehand. A dog who tends to be overly boisterous or even aggressive will calm down much more if that energy is exhausted. A tired dog is a good dog. Even a nervous dog will calm right down after a long walk. And all these behaviours improve greatly over time the more walks the dog gets.

Controlling the Issues

But the walk must be, for the most part, on leash. This is because, if you want to control your dog's bad behaviour, you must first control your dog (and, above that, control yourself, including your thoughts on the matter, your body language, and your mood). Also, if you walk your dog the right way, it not only reinforces your status as pack leader, but defines what the pack (often just you and your dog) will pay attention to, chase, bark at, be scared of, attack, etc. A dog who is prevented from chasing other dogs because he or she is on leash will, after a while, be cured of that issue, as that behaviour will have been deterred, both through clear instruction on what is acceptable and because the addiction is weakened by a lack of regular 'fix', which is the buzz reward they get from initiating a chase. The same can be said for all manner of behaviours, even fearfulness.

Now, the usual catch 22 here is that, for many people with a problem dog, walking is a nightmare, as the dog will pull all the time or be forever trying to jump up at people, or run away from cars, or bark at passing dogs. But that will no longer be an issue, because several of the upcoming lessons will be all about getting your dog to walk nicely every single time you go for a walk--like a show-dog, right by your side, happily ignoring all distractions and visibly enjoying this new, relaxed, controlled way of walking. Don't believe it? You have to. It works. You will see.

Good For You Too

A daily walk has been proven to be the one of the keys to happiness, health, and longevity, and a great stress buster. While you may have been looking at the dog walk as a chore that you'd much rather forgo, you should now start regarding it as a blessing—a gift that your dog presents to you every single day, getting you out in fresh air, moving those legs and arms, getting air in your lungs, and leaving the pressures of the day behind. And it's free! Once he or she is walking nicely beside you, I guarantee that, no matter how much you don't look forward to that little bit of exercise, you will learn to enjoy the walk as well as feel much better after it—especially as you start to see the relationship between you and your dog greatly improving. Many people say they feel much closer and have a far more rewarding relationship with their dog when they walk him or her more.

So, glance away from your computer screen now and look at your dog. What would he or she love to do right now? And how lucky are you that this daily duty is also what is most likely to improve your dog's behaviour and your own health and happiness? So grab the leash, smile at your canine companion, and go for a longer walk than you usually do. By doing this, you'll be taking huge steps towards a much better-behaved dog. By not taking your dog on a long walk every day, you are depriving yourself of one of the easiest and most beneficial ways to improve the life you share with your four-legged friend. So get out there!

Happy walking!


Seán

(Remember: lessons on getting your dog to walk nicely are coming right up, so stay tuned!)

Ten Tricks for Nurturing a Better Dog

Overcoming Behavioural Issues

Starting today, I will be posting a series of tricks for getting a better behaved dog. Whatever your dog's issue, be it for example fearfulness, aggression, obsessive behaviour, pulling on the leash, barking, or destructiveness, there are ten simple measures you can take to overcome them. Some are basic necessities for getting the best out of your dog; others deal with demonstrating to your dog that you are the leader and therefore the one to say which behaviours are acceptable and which are not. Although the principles are simple, the results of applying them, you will find, are nothing short of miraculous.

Leadership is all about being calm and assertive and showing confident body language and a serious tone of voice when unwanted behaviour needs to be corrected; at other times, when the emphasis is on encouraging a certain behaviour, then a more open posture and encouraging tone is required. There is never a place for shouting or hitting or violent handling, as these will only make your dog scared of you and more than likely create a whole new set of unwanted behaviours. The emphasis is on letting your dog know what is and isn't wanted, in a fair, controlled manner.

Rapid Change

Dogs learn very easily. Unfortunately, we're not always aware of what we are teaching them. So often when I am called in to rehabilitate a dog with severe behavioural issues it is clear that the people have unwittingly encouraged the very behaviour they want to stop while also unknowingly discouraging the good behaviour. We'll learn how to turn that around to help your dog understand just what is wanted of him or her.

The good news is that dogs accept new leadership and their new position in the hierarchy instantly, so you'll find that many of your dog's behavioural problems can be eradicated very quickly; as soon as you start behaving like a good leader, your dog will start to follow. The vast majority of dogs are happy to take on the role of follower and relinquish their perceived leadership role and all the stresses and anxieties that go with it. Understand and accept, though, that dogs will test leadership every day—not out of disrespect or to make you annoyed, but because it's in a dog's nature to ensure the pack structure is still solid and the leadership is strong; if it's not, a new leader must rise to the role, and this is when issues begin to arise, as most dogs just aren't cut out to lead, and will therefore make a real bad job of deciding what to bark at, be afraid of, chase, or attack. Be consistent with your rules and your dog will happily follow them; start to slack and watch as your dog tests the boundaries more and more or even start to think he or she is once again in charge.

It's no coincidence that the most nervous dogs belong to the kindest people, simply because they have been reluctant to be strict with their dog when he or she most needed it, even if that meant correcting fearful behaviour. Some people think that their dogs won't love them any more if they start correcting unwanted behaviour or demonstrate leadership in other ways, but this couldn't be further from the reality. Dogs need a calm, assertive leader in order to feel secure; when I go and put a slip leash on a fearful or anxious dog and do nothing more than refuse, with gentle tugs, to let that dog pull away from me, what happens next always surprises the person: that dog will stop trying to pull away and will instead come towards me, usually climbing onto my lap for a hug if I am sitting on the floor. This is because I have provided that dog with something the person hadn't: calm, assertive leadership. It's when they witness their dog going to cuddle a stranger for the first time ever that the people realise how real kindness comes from providing a dog with his or her needs, even if it goes against our instinct.

And that's what pack leadership is all about: changing our instinctual reactions to our dogs' behaviour so that we can show them in their own language who is the leader and just what is expected of them. Whenever I rehabilitate a dog, I am actually just helping the person change the way their dog perceives them. They learn to be assertive at the right times, but also to be loving, fun, excited, or relaxed at the right times too.

You Can Do This

So, get ready to start the course. This is based on the exact same lessons I give people who have asked me to help fix their dog's problems. Some can take these lessons, instantly comprehend the changes they need to make, and bring about instant improvement in their dog's behaviour all by themselves. That's what I'm hoping you will do, and I encourage you to post comments on your progress, or ask questions so that I can improve the lessons for yours and others' benefit. Some need to see the lessons put into practice, so I will be adding videos of the techniques later. Yet others believe that their own dog is special, that these techniques can't possibly work on their Fido, and give all manner of excuses as to why these methods simply won't work; for those people, I am happy to come show you, on your own dog, for a small fee, and my guarantee is that you pay nothing if you don't see an incredible difference in your dog's behaviour when I apply these lessons—I have yet to not get paid. These methods work. But you must believe it to see it for yourself.

Whatever your dog's issues, realize that they are fixable. When people asked Michelangelo how he managed to create such stunning sculptures from blocks of stone, his answer surprised them: he didn't need to create anything; he just chiseled away to release the beautiful piece that he knew was already inside. And that's all you have to do. Your dog is a good dog waiting to happen. You really aren't trying to achieve the impossible here; a well-behaved dog is in there, and all you have to do remove the obstacles that have so far kept him or her from showing you that. Your dog is a reflection of you; be a good leader, and your dog will be a good follower. We can all lead; I will show you how.

Relax and Enjoy

But don't expect 'perfection'; allow for your dog's individuality, especially when it comes to things like sociability or energy level. My own dogs know very little in the way of commands, other than 'come' and 'leave it', which are for their own safety. I like that they show their own character, and I don't enjoy seeing dogs whose every movement or will is controlled by the person caring for them. You and your dog will be happier if you don't give the impression that you control everything; instead, provide guidance as to what is not acceptable and allow your dog to be him- or herself within those boundaries.

So, enjoy the coming lessons. Practice them with your own dog. Post in the comments if you have any questions or setbacks or need anything explained better, and I will amend the posts accordingly. Posts will often be edited, so check back often or set it up so that you receive updates.

A happier relationship with your dog awaits you!


Seán