How to train your human

A lesson for dogs?

If dogs could read, and were the only ones to read this post, my work here would be redundant. Dogs, you see, are born with an instinctive ability to train humans.

They know we can't say no

“But isn’t it the other way around?” I hear you ask, “Don’t the humans train the dogs?” The short answer is no. And yes. Sometimes. While many of us share our lives with dogs, and put varying amounts of time and energy into shaping their behaviour (with varying levels of success), our training efforts are far from instinctive.

Humans have been cursed with excessively large brains and a need to understand and rationalise everything. This can actually be a hindrance when trying to motivate nature’s perfect hedonist.

Dogs on the other hand, just seem to know how to get what they want. If a dog wants a pat, he knows he just has to go and drop his head in a human’s lap. If he wants his belly scratched he just has to roll over and stick his feet in the air. If he wants to be chased around the park, he knows to run away from his human.

Even when we are training our dogs, they still have the last laugh, “I’m only sitting because I want the treat/pat/toy you’re going to give me when I do.”

So now that we know how our dogs have trained us, how can we use this to our advantage? As in the sitting example above, the dog learns to do what the human wants in order to get what he wants. Now that we know this, we can see what the dog wants by how it behaves. Once we know what the dog wants, we can use this to reward the dog for doing what we want.

If your dog puts his head in your lap and stares lovingly into your eyes, he obviously wants a pat. Before you give him what he wants, make him do something for you (it doesn’t have to be hard). Once he does it he gets his pat. Everybody wins.

If you practise this, you’ll get used to making your dog work for his reward and he’ll be more inclined to follow your instructions.

Obviously there’s going to be some days when you just need a big furry cuddle and that’s one of the great joys of dog ownership. But by making him work for your affection whenever possible you’ll both enjoy a more mutually rewarding relationship.

Fortunately dogs can’t read so I’m writing this comfortable in the knowledge that my furry friends will never find out that I’m the one who blabbed.

The most important thing to teach your dog

What does a dog need to know? Is it important that he can sit, stay, roll over and shake hands? Should he be able to bring in the newspaper or play dead? Some of those things are very useful, some will impress your friends but for my money there is only one thing that absolutely every pet dog should know.

That one thing is a bulletproof recall. A dog that comes immediately when he’s called anywhere, anytime and in any situation is a pleasure to own. Yes, it takes some work to achieve but if you put the time in you’ll find it’s well worthwhile and it might just save your dog’s life.

Q. But isn’t it more important for my dog to stay so he won’t run away?
A. If you can call him back it doesn’t matter if he runs away.

Q. Shouldn’t I teach him to stay off the road?

A. You can call him back before he gets to the road.

Q. What about chasing cats, fighting, jumping on people, etc.?

A. When you can reliably recall your dog, you can prevent or stop any of these behaviours by simply calling him away.

Q. So all I need to do is teach my dog to come when I call?

A. If you only want to teach your dog one thing, then yes. But you also need to ensure that he will come reliably in any situation. You also need to make sure that you are always around to call your dog out of harm's way.

When you know they'll come back, you can all enjoy the freedom

A more sensible solution is to teach other useful behaviours like stay and keeping off the road in addition to your bulletproof recall but the recall is the most important.

In my experience people like to train the easy fun things like sit and shake hands before they worry about recall. They think “he always comes in from the other room when he hears me open the dog food so he’ll be alright.” Then they take him to the beach or the dog park and have to chase him around for hours trying to get the leash back on him.

So teach the recall first, practise it every day wherever you go with all kinds of distractions - and keep reinforcing it forever. You’ll be glad you did.

Recall tips:

• Start simple in the backyard or the house, when he can do that you can try the front yard. Don’t challenge him too early.

• Never call your dog back to punish him – you’ll only make him less inclined to come in future.

• Call your dog frequently, give him a pat and let him go free again – if he only ever gets called so you can put his lead on and take him home, he’ll work it out fairly quickly.

• Don’t call him if you don’t expect him to come – standing at the park repeatedly calling your dog’s name while he runs around with his friends achieves two things, 1. You feel stupid and 2. He learns to ignore you. Until he has reliably learnt the recall it’s best not to call.

• When you’re practising recall on lead don’t let him get to the end of the lead before you call him back – he needs to learn to come for the call not the pull.

Seven steps to choosing your perfect dog.

Dogs are wonderful companions. I believe that every home should have at least one. But this only works if you have the right dog (and the right home). Owning a dog that doesn’t suit your family and your lifestyle is often worse than having no dog at all.

So how do you find the perfect dog for your family?  Try the Saxon K9 seven-step programme.

Step 1: Know yourself. Do you really have the time and patience to commit to a dog for the next ten to twenty years? Do you have, or can you acquire, the skills necessary to train and care for a dog? What type of personality are you? You need to know so you can choose a dog with a complimentary personality (or dogality).

Step 2: Be patient. People will often spend weeks researching a new car or washing machine but they’ll rush into buying a dog because they saw his picture in the paper or she was so cute in the pet shop window. A dog is not a car or a washing machine; a dog is a member of the family. As the only family member you get to choose, it’s important to take the time to make the right decision.

Step 3: Make a list of your favourite dog breeds. It doesn’t matter how long or short your list is. It doesn’t matter why you like certain breeds or dislike others. If it’s going to be a family dog, you should all make the list together because it’s important for the whole family to connect with the dog.

Step 4: Research. Once you have your short (or long) list, do some research and find out as much as you can about each of the breeds. Find out how much exercise grooming, training, food and care each needs. If any need more time or resources than you can commit, cross them off your list now. Find out the origin of each breed, expected lifespan and any genetic issues that may be common in those breeds. This information may affect your choice.

Step 5: Decide what you want to do with the dog. If you want to participate in particular activities with your dog, it’s best to get a dog that’s been bred or at least has an appropriate size and demeanour for that sort of work. For example, if you want a dog you can carry around in your handbag, don’t get a Rottweiler. If you want to compete at a high level with your dog, you may need to look for a dog from particular bloodlines. If any on your list are inappropriate, you can cross them off too.

Step 6: Decide if you want a puppy or a more mature dog. Puppies are cute and cuddly but they don’t stay small for long. They also need toilet training and a lot of work before they settle down. Mature dogs are often more settled and may already be trained but they may bring personality issues from their past lives.

Step 7: Do you want to rescue a dog or buy from a breeder? There are thousands of shelters around and most breeds have their own rescue organisations. Adopting a dog from a shelter is usually cheaper and will often save a dog’s life. If you want to buy a dog from a breeder, it’s a good idea to contact the breed club and get references. If someone is breeding dogs and is not associated with the breed organisation, there may be a reason.

Tips:
Do not go to a breeder or shelter until you know what you want and you’re ready to buy. Those puppy eyes can be too hard to resist and you may end up bringing home the wrong dog.
Speak to your chosen breeder or shelter staff and find out about their dogs. Let them help you to choose a dog with the right temperament for your family. They will know the dogs much better than you can and they should always want to bring the right people and dogs together. If you feel like they just want to offload any dog on you, look somewhere else.
All dogs will need some work from you. There is no such thing as a dog that doesn’t require training, exercise and stimulation. But, as with any quality investment, if you commit for the long term, your life will be greatly enriched.

Why do you want a dog?

There's something magical about dogs and humans that attracts us to each other. Sometime between ten and one hundred thousand years ago we both realised that life would be better if we worked together. We've been partners in work and life ever since.

So it's no surprise that modern humans still carry an instinctive attachment to our furry little friends.

Unfortunately, life has moved on from the time when spent our days wandering the countryside looking for things to eat, and our modern lifestyles don't accommodate dogs as easily as they once did.

So while I still believe that dogs enrich our lives and make us happier, healthier, more complete people; I also believe that dog ownership is a commitment that should not be entered into lightly. Before taking on a dog, or any pet, you need to seriously consider what is involved and whether you are prepared for that sort of responsibility.

Are you happy to take him for walks in the freezing rain and the dark of night? Can you take the time to teach him about the world and his place in it? Will you give him a warm, dry place to sleep? Will you feed him and brush him and spend time with him? Will you be patient and tolerant when he chews your best shoes or digs up your prize roses? Can you include him in all of your plans for the next ten to twenty years?

If your answer to these questions is, "Yes." Then you are on your way to enjoying a life of fulfillment that only a dog owner can understand. A dog will always be happy to see you, will never ask where you've been or why you're so late home. They'll listen to your stories and give you a hug when you need it. They won't complain about your cooking or the state of the house. They're always happy to do whatever you want to do. A dog is truly a human's best friend.

Give your dog a little bit of your love and attention and you will be repaid a thousand times over.

Dogs need some of your time, they need patience and consideration, they cost money to feed and maintain. When thinking of buying a dog, don’t think of it as a thing, think of it as a member of your family.  As the cliché goes, “ A dog is for life, not just for Christmas.” Once you experience the joy of owning a dog, every day will be like Christmas.

Next week I’ll discuss how to choose your perfect dog.

Operant conditioning – the amazing invisible fence

This is not the dog mentioned in the story

This morning while out walking with my dogs, we passed a house by which we have frequently walked in the past. In this house lives a young black and white border collie. Usually when we pass the dog is waiting by the front fence to bark a hello to any passers-by. As the front fence is made of vertical metal bars, the dog can easily see what’s going on outside and gets excited and barks accordingly.

After passing the front of this house and saying hello to the dog, we continue up the laneway that goes along the side of the property. The dog has never bothered to follow us up the laneway because the side fence is solid colourbond that the dog cannot see through.

This morning however, I noticed as I rounded the corner that a portion of the side fence was missing, possibly blown down in a recent storm. So I wondered to myself as we approached the missing section whether we were about to be joined in the laneway by a border collie or if she would at least come for a look.

I couldn’t see a small furry head poking through the gap and as we walked past I looked through to see what the dog was up to. As it turned out, she was just strolling nonchalantly across the yard in the opposite direction, completely oblivious to the two dogs and a human standing only metres away, completely unfenced and exposed.

It would seem that this dog enjoys her current lifestyle sufficiently that escaping has never been a consideration. Nonetheless it illustrates the power the conditioned response has over a dog’s behaviour. In the past the dog has had no interest in the side fence because she couldn’t see through it or interact with anything behind it. She has therefore learnt that there is no enjoyment to be had in that area. Once this behaviour is learned, the dog will continue to ignore this area and so the fence continues to hold the dog even though it’s not there.

While I’m not suggesting that we should all knock our fences down, once we understand the conditioning process it can be a very useful training tool. Obviously an action or behaviour that reaps no reward – food, attention, excitement – for the dog will eventually be extinguished.

Free feeding and the collapse of civilisation?

I’ve often been asked about free feeding dogs, or leaving food available for them to graze on throughout the day. It sounds like a great way to keep them occupied and out of mischief, right?

Yes, that’s exactly how it sounds. Unfortunately in practice it doesn’t work that way.

As with any sort of animal, the best way to enrich a dog’s life is by exercising its mind. A dog in the wild spends most of its time working out how to get its next meal. If the dog has food constantly available, it loses its primary motivation for using its mind.

If we make a human comparison, do you think everyone in the world would still get up and go to work in the morning if they could have everything given to them for free whenever they wanted it? How long would society continue to function under these circumstances?

The dog now has its entire mental capacity free to focus on other things, like escaping, barking at the neighbours or shredding your couch.


In addition to this, a free fed dog is more likely to develop fussy eating habits, weight problems and even eating disorders.

You may now be thinking, “How do I stop free feeding?” Fortunately it’s really quite simple. Just stop. Decide when you want to feed your dog – once a day is ample for most adult dogs – and do it. Other than at mealtime don’t make food available. Some dogs may protest at first, although I’ve found they rarely miss it, and they will certainly appreciate their meals more.

If you wish to make food available at other times it’s best to use something like a Kong or treat ball that requires the dog to work for the food. This will ease your conscience about leaving your dog without food whilst being an excellent enrichment activity for him.

While free feeding your dog probably won’t lead directly to the collapse of civilisation, it certainly won’t improve your dog’s behaviour or your relationship.

Hello and welcome

Hello and welcome to the Saxon K9 blog. In this blog we’ll be sharing our thoughts on all things dog related.

Saxon K9 provides an alternative to conventional dog training organisations. Our goal is to make life better for the dogs of the world and their human companions. To this end, we take a holistic approach to dog behaviour, rather than simply programming your dog like a machine. We guide you through a process that helps you to take the dog’s viewpoint to help you understand why he does the things he does.

Once you can understand the way your dog thinks, you will find his behaviour much more predictable and reasonable. You will also be better equipped to communicate with him and he will be more likely to do what you want him to do.

Saxon K9 will also give you the information you need to maintain your dog's physical and emotional well being to prolong and enhance your life together.

Saxon K9 currently has trainers available in Sydney and Newcastle, NSW, Australia please contact us on 1800 SAXONK9 (1800 729 665) or visit www.saxonk9.com.au for more information.