Is the reluctance in using positive reinforcement in dog training linked to the fear of vulnerablilty?

My colleagues and I talk a lot about our industry and those related to it, especially the dog training industry. That’s because with our interactions with dogs are deeply impacted by the way that others interact with them—and that the dog training industry is unregulated. Despite certifications available through organizations like Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers as a start, some trainers don't seek professional training, certification and ongoing education. I’ve talked before about how rough handling, punishment-based dog training and ill-conceived pet products impact my fellow pet sitters and everyone else around the dog that they’re being used on. Sometimes, these have consequences that are unthinkable. It's sad to think that as a pet sitter, given even one of the certifications I've got I out-qualify some professional dog trainers out there.  

Whether we have a pet or not, we hear a lot about dogs that have been poorly socialized, have had a cloudy history or have suffered abuse. I’ll venture to say that we all know of a family with a dog that has separation anxiety, others that have fear-based issues, aggression or anything in between. I know several. Having a knack for understanding how to communicate with them, I’ve several in my care, and we’ve great relationships. Trust is the bass for that. Given the fact that trust and communication are touted so much in relationships between humans (though not so easy facilitated), it’s no surprise that it’s been a healthy boon in our interactions with dogs. This is the core of positive-reinforcement training, and something my work is firmly rooted in. I know that’s true for a lot of other people, too. In fact, most of the interactions that I and other folks have with dogs and their handlers are good. I’m happy about that, given how unfavorably I’ve seen some of them go.

I’ll note that I can always spot an individual that uses training (if at all) and interaction methods that rely on dominance and fear or if a handler is clearly just clueless. The humans may not tell me, but a dog’s body language doesn’t lie. That’s a heart wrenching thing to observe.  I’ve learned to be pretty savvy about diffusing situations for the dog’s sake as well as any human close by and advocating for the dog (and in turn for the humans).

It’s fair to say that in my own view, one that I share with so many others who adhere to ethical and science-based training and interaction concepts, that each of us has not only a responsibility to the animals that have been entrusted to us by clients, The Universe or otherwise, but to the well-being and safety of other humans and animals.

So, why isn’t everyone doing it?

That’s a very good question—one that I've been mulling around—and something that Zazie Todd, PhD explores in a new paper, titled ‘Barriers to the Adoption of Humane Training Methods’ out this month. She detailed a few interesting ideas in a companion piece “Why Don’t More People Use Positive Reinforcement?’, on Companion Animal Psychology.

I’ll assert that, as Todd does, it’s likely that it’s complicated, just as we humans are.

It’s true, that having a smooth flow of communication with dogs takes time, effort, and as is the case with other humans, it’s not the one we’re communicating with -- it’s usually us --  that’s not doing so effectively. But the difference between communicating with dogs and other humans is the language barrier: we need to speak ‘dog’. That requires us to be fully present, clear, precise in our timing, and to be aware of our body language as well as our pet’s. We need to be patient, to stop, back up, start again. Being conscious of how we’re feeling physically and mentally when we’re engaging with our dogs is key, and that goes for our dogs, too: are they distracted or uncomfortable? And, just how does that affect our training time and everyday interactions?

This is just the tip of the iceberg, of course, but my goodness, it all seems like such work, compared to methods that rely on fear, punishment, dominance, the notion of living in a pack, or aversives, or so it seems. The fact is that once one understands how to use humane training methods they understand it isn’t work: it’s simply a shift in thinking about how to communicate. The rest comes easily.  

There are a lot of other reasons why the humane methods, though the norm these days, still don’t resonate with some families and even trainers. Todd skillfully points those out, but I feel a lot of it comes down to the perceived barriers of those that aren’t on board, especially because it calls on us as humans to step it up and take stock of how lazy we can be about communication and relationship-building. 

But something else has been gnawing at me: I kind of wonder how much of it has to do with the sense of vulnerability that dogs inherently bring out in us. (Thanks, oxytocin!)

As a Certified Pet Loss and Grief Companion, I’ve studied how grief and loss are often tainted by shame and fear—and how vulnerability comes with the territory of loss and connection.  That’s not always a comfortable feeling, vulnerability. It’s not a far leap then to consider how one, in an effort to maybe tamp down their natural vulnerability in interacting day after day with their dog during training to go with a methodology that is the polar opposite: to try and mold a dog, like a lump of clay by using fear, pain even punishment, rather than honoring the living, breathing being that they are and building a trust relationship. I wonder the same about those hired by families to train dogs... what is their relationship with vulnerability? 

What I find it hard to ignore is that humane training methods by their very nature require us to tap into our vulnerability and be open to it; those that are antiquated rely on punishment, fear and pain, squashing any any sense of being vulnerable. Going the humane route—being vulnerable—forges the human-animal bond and preserves it. It teaches the pet to be resilient and to cope with difficult situations with more finesse. These methods promote choice and autonomy for the pet, and they hold us humans accountable. Most importantly, they bolster the well-being and safety of not only the humans and animals that engage in interactions that are up close and personal, but every human and animal that they are in proximity of.

Lorrie Shaw is a Certified Professional Pet Sitter (CPPS) and owner of Professional Pet Sitting, where she specializes in ancillary pet palliative and pet hospice care. She's a member of Doggone Safe (where she completed the Speak Dog Certificate Program), as well as the International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care, Pet Sitter International and Pet Professional Guild. She tweets at @psa2.

Pet behavior professionals can enhance a companion animal's hospice care

Pet hospice is an area of veterinary medicine that is emerging, and for good reason. Our pets are living longer and healthier lives, and when terminal illness and the like rear their head in twilight or even in the prime of life, addressing a pet's comfort and quality-of-life is key. That goes for the family and caregivers in their life, too. That's the work that hospice vets and professionals who are a part of the periphery, but very involved with the day-to-day happenings—such as pet sitters and dog walkers, like myself—strive for. 

It's not uncommon for a family to reach out for some extra help during times like this; work and familial responsibilities don't stop because a pet's needs necessitate palliative and hospice care. Often, experienced caregivers like me fill that void to keep medication doses on track, see that potty breaks and comforts are seen to as well as offering a fresh, clear perspective on how things might be going. Respite for the family members, not to mention a 'hey, how are you feeling? How are you handling things? Any concerns?' is as vital as any care that the pet receives, I assure you. I've been there, and not so long ago.

We can also give insight into options for less stressful ways of medicating pets, including compounded medications and fear-free approaches.

You might be surprised that other professionals, like accredited positive reinforcement dog trainers, animal behaviorists and veterinary behaviorists, can be an integral part of the equation, too. 

'How can that be?', you might be wondering.

In my experience, yes, there's a lot of focus on the pet's health and physical well-being, and their mobility, and their safety—of course. But one core thing that I always ask a family is (and hopefully all of the humans important to the pet are present during that initial consultation) 'So what do they like to do? What's fun to them?? What brings them joy???' 

Usually, when that is unpacked, faces light up. Tensions are released. Voices speak up readily. That familiar joy emerges. 

Ah, yes... it's important to remember that simply because a pet is in a time of life that looks very different than when they were less fragile, they still crave joy and enrichment. They very much do. And the humans need it as much as the pets do. I will admit that often, I'm able to help unearth that part of sharing life with a pet that often gets buried easily. Toys, modified-versions of games that suit a pet's changing needs, thinking outside the box when it comes to what's fun. 

But other times, situations are outside my realm of training or expertise. Maybe there are some cognitive issues that even the hospice or regular vet isn't as in tune to. That's where an experienced and qualified trainer (or, in some cases, a veterinary behaviorist) can really untangle things and come up with solutions to a challenging situation, for example, helping to counter-condition and desensitize a pet to experiences that they troublesome. 

It's not that uncommon these days for companion animals to be part of a multiple-pet household. Let's think about how challenging that could be: each pet has their place in the hierarchy, then an illness or age-related decline shakes things up. I've had households where a cat being treated (reluctantly, at first) feeds some apprehensive vibes to the other cats in the tribe. Those other cats can at times pick up and transfer any tension to humans in the house, or sometimes, other pets, causing physical harm. Does the order of things change with dogs? Certainly, and situations can be complicated. In many cases, a protective tenderness emerges amongst the non-human members of the family. This isn't always the case, though, and the pet needing that extra care can get picked on by one or more of the group. A qualified professional can help sort things out and restore a sense of balance to the household. 

As much as its important with us humans to address emotional well-being when facing profound health changes, it's important not to underestimate the value of bolstering our companion animal's needs just the same. Having the insight of a professional can make a lasting difference for each member of the family. 

Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. She has been a featured guest on the Pawprint Animal Rescue Podcast, talking about her career working with companion animals and writing about her experiences. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Safeguard against serious injuries with positive reinforcement dog training and proofing strategies

Working with dogs can be unpredictable, as anyone who does so will attest. I've seen my share of (mostly) minor injuries through the years: bruises, twisted fingers, scratches, minor sprains—even blows to the face—and one of those latter instances made me grateful that I need not wear eyeglasses full time. 

While being mindful and employing safe and force-free handling techniques on the pet professional's end is vital in making any interaction that a companion animal has with them is as favorable as can be, it's only part of the equation. It's equally helpful that a pet not only be accustomed to being handled (with care, of course), but to be reliably trained to understand cues and to have a reasonable amount of self-control. That not only ensures the safety of the human, but as importantly, that of the pets. 

We understand that a dog needs be able to understand and perform cues, right? Of course. When a dog can stop what they're doing and listen when they are being cued to do something, it's invaluable. And, proofing those skills in different scenarios is vital. But, achieving a reliable level of recall can be a bit complicated when a dog has trouble reigning in their excitement or when they have issues with reactivity.  For some, it's an infrequent event, and understandable, while for others, well, it can be an ongoing problem. And, unfortunately, it can put dogs at risk of injury. 

I'll offer a cautionary tale (one that I've permission to share) and I'll be honest: this isn't the first time that I've seen a scenario like this.

A few months ago, a friend got in touch to ask if I had an extra crate that they could borrow. Their very sweet, large mixed-breed dog, Maggie, had injured her leg the night before and needed to be confined while unsupervised for the foreseeable future. While the injury—a torn Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CrCL)—is common, the poor pooch hadn't sustained the injury while running or during rough play, as one might expect. You see, Maggie's habit is to get really excited when she sees people. Running around like crazy, jumping up in the air, carrying on, that sort of thing. (We've all witnessed bouts of frenzied joy like this that seem harmless, right?) Upon the family's arrival home from an event on that evening, Maggie began jumping around wildly in her usual unbridled fashion despite her human's efforts to tone things down, and BAM! she landed on her leg in just the wrong way. The result was an injury that was not only painful, but required expensive surgery, and a lengthy recovery and rehabilitation period.

Once all was said and done, my friend insisted on enlisting the help of a qualified dog trainer to better communicate with and to empower Maggie in having some self control, so that there wouldn't be a repeat of what happened. The result is that Maggie gets far less keyed up in those situations she used to find difficult to navigate, which keeps her safer, and her humans are enjoying fewer mishaps, too.

Never underestimate the power of the skills and self-control that come from solid dog training grounded in positive reinforcement. They'll make sharing daily life with your four-legged friend more fun, safe and rewarding.

Need help hiring the services of a qualified dog trainer, behaviorist or veterinary behaviorist? Click here to get a better understanding of the field, and the certifications that you should be familiar with. 

Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. She has been a featured guest on the Pawprint Animal Rescue Podcast, talking about her career working with companion animals and writing about her experiences. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

What dogs do post-training may enhance their ability to master new tasks

Dogs do a lot, albeit unintentionally, to remind us how to live life well. 

The value of being a good listener. The importance of naps. Stretch often. Don't lose your curiosity. Cuddling is good. Life is short.

The most important, in my experience—don't forget to indulge in play—comes up often in puppy development and dog training circles. I use it frequently in my work with pets, and for good reason: it's super-fun, it breaks up any tension that may be present from being out of routine and it's a great way to establish and reinforce a bond with an animal. 

Play also plays a part in a pet's learning, which is why it comes up so frequently amongst dog trainers, behaviorists and pet sitters. We've long known that by incorporating games, and fun, we can open up the channels for a dog in learning cues (what we used to refer to as 'commands') and other skills exponentially. 

A new study indicates that the usefulness of play may extend beyond that. 

Researchers from Animal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare Group in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Lincoln in the UK set out to test how what events happen after a dog training session affect the animal's ability to retain what they've learned. 

16 Labrador retrievers were included in the study, and to accurately test how well they retained what they had learned, they were given identical skills to master and for good measure, they needed to reach 80% proficiency. 

The dogs were divided up into two groups: 8 were part of a "play group" while the other half were in a "rest group". The former engaged in 30 minutes of activity (a few minutes on a walk, then 10 minutes of off-lead play, with the balance of time spent on another walk). The "rest group" did just that—rested for 30 minutes on a dog bed—while the humans involved talked amongst themselves. 

In order to confirm that there were measurable differences in each group with regard to physiological arousal, the saliva (to detect hormonal variances) and heart rate of each dog were monitored during the rest/play sessions. 

Though the study was small, I found the results quite interesting. But first, a little on how the humans were able to test the dogs. Using a method called relearning, the dogs were put through the same paces as they were the day before to gauge how much they were able to retain from their previous exposure to the new task—in this case, was object discrimination, which used their sense of sight and smell. 

As far as what what the dogs demonstrated, those in the "rest group" didn't have as easy a time with relearning the task that they had been exposed to the day before: the dogs that were included in the "play group" relearned the new skill 40% faster than the dogs in the other group.

So, what does this all mean? 

Well, as far as we can tell, the old adage 'practice makes perfect' isn't as simplistic as it seems. Play and fun, when coupled with learning something new, seem to enhance and expedite the process of relearning and building new skills. It's fair to say that it could, in some way be connected to having fun with their people as well. 

The takeaway? It certainly can't hurt to take a break during your training sessions and do something that they find pleasurable—like a game of fetch, tug of war, a walk—to enhance your dog's progress in learning new things. You'll keep the good momentum going, and reinforce the human-animal bond. 

Read the study, Playful activity post-learning improves training performance in Labrador Retriever dogs by clicking here. 

Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. She has been a featured guest on the Pawprint Animal Rescue Podcast, talking about her career working with companion animals and writing about her experiences. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Fine tune your listening skills for better outcomes in dog training

It’s not what you say, but how you say it. Despite the fact that I spend more of my time each day communicating with dogs than humans, I assure you that this is something that is not lost on me with each interaction that I have with my charges.

A recent read highlights the notion that dogs not only pick up on nonverbal communication and facial cues from humans, but that they can recognize emotions in humans by combining information from different senses. This is something that hasn't previously been seen outside of humans.

That sort of thing isn’t so surprising to most of us who have shared life with a dog; it really does seem that in time, they pick up on our moods and such. My Gretchen was always very in-tune to what I was doing or feeling, especially as time went on. As she entered her final weeks, this became abundantly visible: it was almost as if a mirror was set in front of me if I were feeling uneasy about something that was happening, and I needed to tread with even more mindfulness so that she was not stressed.

All of that said, what we are conveying to our dogs during training – not just what we are saying and physically cueing to them – but our body language, our emotional language matters.

The latter is something that often gets lost in the mix of all that is dog training.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for formal dog training of course. It’s a boon when a human needs help on how to better communicate with their canine, and that’s what it comes down to. It’s just that it’s easy to get uber-focused on our cues, our timing and treat-delivery and other positive reinforcements. That tunnel vision can detach us somewhat from the most important part of training, which is relationship-building part.

But, back to how in-tune dogs are. They’re better at observing things than we are.

You know that quick pause and look that you get from your pooch when you shove your hand in your pocket for something because he knows that's where the treats usually are? Yes, that.

And when you grab a certain pair of shoes? The ears go up and so does the excitement level.

When I walk into the bathroom and fetch my toothbrush from its perch in the evening, that’s a signal that I’m getting ready for bed and invariably, I'll hear four paws padding down the hall to the bedroom.

Our pets are sponges for our subtleties. It's easy to see then how our cues – as unintentional as they are at times – can be confusing to dogs during our time together spent on training.

Be 'all in'

It might sound clichéd, but it's important to be fully present when actively training. One of the best bits of advice that I was given years ago when I started writing was: ‘If you’re not feeling it when you set about writing something, just stop. It'll come through in the piece if you keep trying. Just set it aside. You can come back to it later.’ The same is true when we approach a training session with our dog. If it seems like we’re feeling a little off, mentally distracted or upset, we’ll not perform at our best and neither will our four-legged friend - but more importantly they'll recognize that something is amiss, too.

That said, it's our obligation to identify when a dog is on that side of the fence.


Keep it simple, short

Simplicity is best when training. Giving one, clear cue is all that's needed when aiming to get the response that we're asking for. When it doesn't happen, it's easy to get off track and repeat the cue and try different things (often, we shift our body language right along with getting too wordy and/or changing our tone to add emphasis), but all that does is exacerbate the problem and frustrate both parties; a dog will then just take stabs in the dark and miss. Patience is best when used in abundance.


Don't muddy the waters

One of the most common things that we do to confuse our dogs is to unintentionally distract them or exhibit behavior that is incompatible with what we're asking them. Cueing to 'sit' while petting them is a good example of this. For some dogs, the act of being touched is stimulating to the point of distraction and their brain goes to "...that feels nice and I'm loving the attention and oh, hey, what's going on again??"

Simply having their undivided attention, cueing 'sit' in a direct and calm manner while making good eye contact and then timing the food reward or praise/petting after a dog follows through with a rump on the floor is enough.


The takeaway

Having the right training skills and tools in place is a must. But keep in mind that the most valuable tool in the process of training and communicating with your dog is the relationship that you have together and how you'll continue to build on it. With a little effort, our communication skills can be as effective and efficient as that of our four-legged friends.

Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

'Do as I do' poised to be a credible method in training, highlights dog's capability as social learners

One unseasonably-warm spring day in 2000, I was knelt down in a soon-to-be flourishing flower bed. Having ditched the hand shovel that I had been using, my gloved hands seemed a more efficient tool to dig small pockets in the soil in order to get the items that I'd picked up planted. 

Unbeknownst to me, Gretchen – who was about 8 months old at the time – had been spying me instead of chewing on the bone that I'd given to occupy her mind. Her curiosity got the better of her it seemed, since before too long she had claimed a spot next to me, peering over at my methodic digging and mounding. 

Suddenly, she set to jabbing one front paw at the freshly cultivated earth, then the other. Looking over at my work, and back to her own poking and digging, tail wagging all the while and her face wearing an expression as if to say, 'you and I – we're doing the same thing!'. 

It's not just a fond memory for me, but an illustration that dogs are fully capable of social learning. 

This type of learning has been studied in different non-human species (including lizards) 

Social learning, as the name implies, bears the hallmark of one learning a new behavior by watching someone else perform it, then copying that behavior. It was first thought that only humans were the only species capable of the processes that are considered to be high-order. 

Seeing how in-tune Gretchen was even at that age, I was excited to use her willingness to follow my lead to help me facilitate better communication and our training process. It was a fun way interact with her and proved to be an effective tool in unfolding her. Little did I know that years later, it would become a recognized asset in the world of canine behavior.

Any positive direction that dog training takes is a good one, and an interesting method called "Do as I do" (DAID) is an example of this and is catching on. By using a dog's ability to learn socially, DAID enables the handler to demonstrate a set of actions to the dog that can then be imitated (thusly, learning by doing). 

In a recent study done by researchers Adam Miklósi and Claudia Fugazzi from Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary, set out to see how a more traditional positive reinforcement method using clicker/shaping training (which uses individual learning) stacked up against DAID. 

The pair expanded on their findings in the study published in August, Social learning in dog training: The effectiveness of the Do as I do method compared to shaping/clicker training. 

Fugazzi, who created the DAID method, is also author of the book Do As I Do: Using Social Learning to Train Dogs. 

Most interestingly, the results from the study indicate that DAID is more effective than shaping/clicker training when it comes to learning things that involve interacting with an object. For the study, opening a sliding door on a cabinet was chosen because for each dog involved, as it was a novel behavior.

Dogs who were trained with DAID learned faster than the dogs who were only exposed to clicker training for the skill. They also retained the ability to perform the behavior when later cued verbally better than dogs in the clicker group – even after 24 hours had passed from first exposure to learning the skill. Furthermore, the DAID dogs could apply the same skill more reliably in a new context. (This could prove to be helpful in "proofing". For more on that, click here.) 

Though DAID incorporates social learning, it's a more simplified form than is seen in other instances. 

Social learning often plays out by way of an individual learning a new behavior simply by observing others in a group setting, and without any cue to reinforce that they're getting it right.

In DAID, the dog learns by observation, then performs a behavior and has positive reinforcement – that all important form of communication – when it is performed correctly. (The positive reinforcement is a hallmark of operant conditioning.) In essence, a handler - treats in hand, ready to reward - gets the dog's attention and performs an action with the animal paying close attention. Next, the handler exclaims, "Do it!", at which point the dog mimics the action and if performed accurately, is rewarded with a treat and a verbal affirmation.

Using this multifaceted approach is fun, engages dogs in a positive way and enhances their natural learning style, since they are social animals.

More research is needed on how reliably dogs can learn body-movement behaviors (another area of importance in canine training) as was referenced in the study. I think it'll be interesting to see how reliable this kind of training is for those desirable behaviors.

The best part of this research is that it highlights the importance of establishing a solid human-animal bond between a dog and their people, and how we can make it work to enhance our communication with our canine counterparts.

Watch the video below to see a DAID training in action.






Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Fine-tune your approach when offering treats to better communicate with a dog that is too motivated by food

I often use food rewards when I'm with my canine charges, and I do so for various reasons. It might seem like being a caregiver to animals is strictly a fun and carefree endeavor, but it's serious business and there's much work to be done each day to keep everyone on schedule, comfortable, and having the cooperation of my four-legged friends is essential.

It's common for them to want to linger a bit longer in their backyard on visits, or not focus as well on walks when they're dealing with a slightly different schedule than they are used to. In cases like these, using treats to persuade a pooch is valuable, as most dogs (but no, not all in my experience) are quite motivated by food.

Occasionally I'll be caring for a dog that is a little too focused on getting edible rewards. I find that one cause is the chronic reliance on treats by their people (as opposed to using a combination of praise, play and treats as rewards), the timing of the food reward and the value of it.

One example of this is demonstrated by one of my charges: she's a dog that won't do anything without a food reward, even at five years of age and having gone though basic positive reinforcement training. Most of the time she'll spaz out and commence to performing any number of commands that she thinks I might be asking for — a combination of sit/down/high five in rapid succession — hoping that any number of those might elicit the yummy treat she knows that I might have in my possession, as her people usually do.

There are a couple of things that can help resolve the issue of a misplaced focus, and they're easy to implement.

Right on time

As we know with positive reinforcement training, it's crucial to have a dog's undivided attention and focus when working with them. Treats are a big part of that but it's our timing of doling them out that best communicates with them. To do this, ask for the behavior that you want, ensuring that you don’t reach for the food until the dog has performed it correctly. Using the clicker or verbal marker is important because that is a consistent precursor to what they want — the reward. Always click or mark, then reach for the food or have it ready in your hand behind your back. (Poor timing is most definitely the root of the problem with my charge, as is the overuse of treats.)

Don't let a dog's sense of smell trump your requests

If it's one thing that I know, not all treats are created equal, and I use them all differently for that reason. Some are crunchy, others soft while a few stimulate super-high value real estate in the brain because they have a powerful aroma.

Potent-smelling treats are a boon and as a pro, I know to save them to have as a secret weapon in motivating reluctant or skittish dogs. Otherwise most dogs can't pay attention to me, my voice and what I need them to do; they're only interested in the yummy bits of food and expect me to be a human Pez dispenser. Instead, I use less-valuable food treats that don't over-stimulate their olfactory system.

Incorporating the use of the appropriate treat rewards (or better yet a combination of treats, lavish praise or a quick game with a favorite toy to keep a dog on their toes) and timing the reward and marker properly can help you to better communicate with your four-legged friend.


Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer -- most recently as a regular contributor on MLive -- and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Helping dogs overcome their fear of car rides can be simple but it takes patience, time

From the time Gretchen was a tiny pup, she has spent time traveling in the car frequently. My desire to take road trips with her was a driving force behind that, so making even the shortest car rides a pleasurable experience was something that I worked at making happen.

In the 15 years since I brought her home, we've taken many trips — and there have been car rides to other people's homes, the park, the pet store and more frequently these days, trips to a local facility for laser therapy to address her advanced arthritis, which she enjoys (more on that later).

Through it all, Gretchen has enjoyed her car rides because almost always, good things happen (sometimes these days that means the two of us splitting a small order of fries from the drive-thru after laser therapy).

That said, a lot of people have dogs that they have welcomed into their family that are not so fond of a vehicular outing, and it's understandable: cars can be noisy, over-stimulating and disorienting — plus, there's the scary unknown. Bad experiences can result in lots of nervous panting, drooling or even vomiting on the part of our pet friends.

If you're in that camp, rest assured that you can help your reluctant pooch make friends with the thing on four wheels.

First, consider that your furry pal might have an aversion to car rides because of motion sickness or even anxiety, so a visit with the vet is in order to see if medication can help.

If not, the anxiety that they are feeling is likely because they are simply afraid.

Here's how to help mitigate any reservations that your dog might have:

• Demonstrate that the car is something positive. Start by approaching your vehicle while it's parked and the engine is off. Playing their favorite game near it and around it will create a positive association, as will offering high value treats.
• Give them autonomy. Open the doors of the car before you climb in calmly, but cheerfully. Invite them to join you in the same manner, all the while offering high value treats and praise. Consider feeding a favored food once they venture inside. Keeping the doors open allows your pet the freedom to make choices will help increase his confidence. It will also give you a barometer to measure how they're feeling about things,
• A Kong toy filled with food to enjoy while in the car might further enhance positive associations. If your pooch decides to exit the vehicle, kindly retrieve the toy from them and put it in the car in plain view. This will demonstrate that the vehicle is the place where fun things happen.
• Transferring a positive association can be helpful. If your dog has a good relationship with their crate, you might consider putting one that they're familiar with in the car. Be sure to keep the door to the crate open, as this will offer the autonomy to get in and out as they wish.
• When you observe that your pet has made friends with the new environment, it's time to take the next step: being inside the car with the engine running. How you do this is crucial. With you and your four-legged friend happily settled in somewhere in the backseat area of the vehicle, (and making sure that the radio is off), have a person that your pet trusts get in and calmly start the car. Sit with them while rewarding with yummy treats, or play with a valued toy and praise. You won't be driving anywhere, just allowing them to get used to the sound and feeling of the running engine. Remember, it's all about positive associations.
• Once your dog gets the hang of how that feels, you can begin taking short drives, (preferably where there isn't too much stimulation, like lots of traffic or people or animals), and then gradually increasing the distance and intensity of visual and auditory stimulation. (Some dogs do really well with the help of calm, relaxing music playing on the stereo during their car rides.)
• Ensuring that these first outings always end on a positive note is key, so something like a walk in a favorite park or some interactive playtime back at home would in order.
• After implementing these fun and easy tips, it isn't too long before the time comes when most dogs get really comfortable with the family vehicle and then of course you'll need to spell out C-A-R R-I-D-E.

Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer -- most recently as a regular contributor for The Ann Arbor News -- and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Curbing an unwanted approach from an off-leash dog can be done in a couple of easy steps

I find the following scenario irksome, if not dangerous: I'm with a canine client for a leashed walk, either in the woods or in a neighborhood and suddenly, an unfamiliar dog (or three) appear and are charging toward us.

This is a scenario that I need to be hyper-aware of, as several clients on my roster are in the process of learning to be better socialized (and admittedly yes, some of them will never change). Others have had a recent surgery, or have painful injuries or arthritis. Some are seniors and do not see or hear well, and that can complicate sociability.

It's not unusual for me to hear a distant human voice exclaim as they try to catch up to their four-legged pal, "Don't worry! My dog is friendly!" (We dog professionals refer to this as MDIF, by the way.) Then I respond, "But this dog has difficulty, so it's appreciated that you please give them a little space."

Being prepared to get out of situations like this is crucial no matter who you are, but as a professional, I can offer a fast and simple way that I buy myself a little time to get a handle on the situation and get some much-needed distance between the dogs involved.

First, always have a pocketful of tasty dog treats handy when out on your adventures.

If you find yourself in a sticky situation like this, employ what I call a 'fast sit and stay': ask your dog to sit and stay behind you while you step forward a bit and toss a handful of treats into the face of the dog that is coming toward you.

Tossing the treats usually distracts the dog enough so that they spend several minutes sniffing them out on the ground while you and your pet make a quick, quiet exit.

If you're not able to get your own dog "on a stay," as we professionals call it, the surprise of tasty treats tossed in the other dog's face will usually keep them occupied for at least for a couple of minutes.

This is a useful idea for anyone who runs or walks, whether you have a dog or not.

(I should note that this isn't likely to work in a situation where there is a highly stimulated, aggressive dog that is solely focused on attacking either you or your pet. That unfortunately is a much different scenario.)

For more tips on getting the most out of your walking adventures with your dog, click here.


Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Walking multiple dogs at once can prove to be a dangerous prospect, even for professionals

Admittedly, being a professional dog walker is a lot of fun: You are greeted by your charges with a lot of enthusiasm, the premise of your time together is all about fun and positivity and you never know what to expect.

The latter statement is probably the most important. Not knowing what to expect can be an exhilarating thing — but it's also something that needs to be taken quite seriously.

The need for dogs to get out and about and experience the world is something that myself and fellow dog professionals stress is necessary, and for good reason. Exercise is important, sure, just as the socialization with people, other dogs, and their environment.

It's the socialization part that can throw a wrench into the best intentions when it comes to taking some pets out for some fun, especially if one or more of them have trouble handling themselves with regard to their behavior.

In households with multiple dogs, I often hear about the struggles that are encountered when trying to walk their four-legged friends as a group. To do so seems to make a lot of sense, right? Time is saved, there are certainly enough contraptions out there to facilitate the task and after all, people like my most famous predecessor, Jim Buck, have made it look
easy.

I have no problem with the idea of walking one or two family dogs together, providing they are able to both handle themselves confidently. But beyond that, I never walk more than one pet at a time.

The truth is, walking a group of dogs is not wise, nor is it safe, for a lot of reasons. It's especially true if there are one or more dogs at the other end of the leash who simply lack the skills and sophistication to successfully navigate a challenging social situation that they find themselves facing. It could be a squirrel that pops into view, or a small child that tries to approach — or perhaps another dog that triggers an unwanted response.

Further, the level of arousal easily becomes heightened in the presence of the other dogs in the group. Those reactions boomerang right back to the dog who is having difficulty, or worse, that dog could redirect their unwanted response onto another dog in the group — or even toward the human that's on the other end of the leash.

Let's not forget about encountering a reactive dog and their ill-prepared handler, or those canines that are allowed to go off-leash. (I see this frequently.)

A situation like any of those are nothing short of disastrous.

That said, it's wise to attune oneself to the specific needs of each dog in the household and proceed accordingly, rather than putting everyone together in a group — tethered — with the expectation that they'll all be on the same page.

A reactive dog deserves to have the time out on a walk all to themselves, so that their human has the opportunity to work with them one-on-one, or simply to just get the most out of the walk that they are able to. Every good experience sets the stage for long-term success and confidence.

Mitigating any probable angst with the other pets in the group while you are out with another is easy: before the leash is grabbed and the shoes are put on, give the other pets their own stuffed Kongs or safe chew toys to stay occupied, in or out of the crate, while you're away.

Walking several canine friends may seem like an ultimate goal to attain in households with multiple dogs, but I assure you that it's a misguided one. Even as Buck, a pioneer in my field, acknowledged in a 1964 interview, there are dogs that simply require solo treatment.

Here's to keeping your adventures from becoming misadventures.

For more practical tips that will save your sanity on walks, even if your pooch has a ways to go in their training, click here.


Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Attentiveness is an essential skill that all dogs can benefit from

Lorrie Shaw 

The personalities of the dogs that is get to meet and work with every day never cease to amaze me. They certainly vary, and observing those canines that are in multiple-pet families is really interesting.

When meeting with a family for the first time, one thing that I am keenly observant of is how naturally attentive a dog is to their people. This gives me a lot to go on as I'm getting to know my prospective charge. If the property has a fence, I suggest heading outdoors to play off leash.

In doing so, it helps me understand what sort of things will garner attentiveness toward me, especially if they don't offer it easily.

As a caregiver, much of what I do is all about relationship building, and from that, everything else follows: trust, bonding -- and an environment of cooperation.

The latter is vital, as the single most important aspect of my job is to keep a pet safe. If their attention is on me when a situation arises that may cause their safety to be compromised, that can make all of the difference.

Consider the dog that has a habit of bolting out of an open door, or when a pet is safely able to be outdoors off-leash. Trying to connect with a pet while giving a command like "sit", "stay" or "come" is impossible without having their full attention.

It seems important to say that the foundation for training, not to mention daily interaction is built on the concept of attentiveness.

While some dogs offer it effortlessly, others are easily distracted by things, or perhaps or have difficulty in connecting with people. I've met canines that simply lack connection with some people in their tribe. That's not to say that attentiveness can't be learned by a dog if they aren't so good at offering it. With the practice, they can gain the skill.
The best way to lay the groundwork when it comes to fostering attentiveness from your pooch is simple: build your relationship with them. By interacting with each dog one-on-one with activities like play, walks, brushing, talking to them -- anything that they find satisfying -- and then the connections begin.

Once that relationship has been supported positively, working on attentiveness is a simple task, though being consistent is where the magic lies.

There are two common cues used to teach the skill: “watch” and then of course the dog’s name.

“Watch” signals a dog to look at you, and saying her name lets her know that she should pay attention to you and wait for what's next.

When I get a pet's full attention, I always immediately follow up with a treat to reinforce the skill. This increases the likelihood that I'll get that favored response in the future, and of course sets them up for success.

Once they get the hang of it, feel free to use a favorite game, a belly rub or something specifically valuable to the pooch to alternate with a treat as a reward. Eventually, you should be able to ask for their undivided attention and it will be like second nature to them.

Teaching this valuable skill makes it easier for a dog to respond to other important cues, like “down,” “stay” and “come,” or simply to follow in a different direction while out on a walk.

Working on this essential building block of communication enhances the success on another vital skill: recall.

As with recall and other cues, I highly recommend "proofing" attentiveness in different environments regularly. Remember, simply because a dog has learned a skill in one scenario, it doesn't mean that they can apply it to another as easily. Work on it everywhere: indoors, while outdoors with varying levels of distraction. Practice makes perfect.

Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Heading out for a walk with your dog this winter? Make it safe and fun on both ends of the leash

We're heading into the harsh winter weather here in the Ann Arbor area, and we've swapped our lightweight coats for heavier ones, and pulled out the hats and gloves in recent weeks.

The snowy mess outdoors is a consideration when it comes to our feet for obvious reasons —we want to stay warm and dry.

As bipeds, it's also a challenge trying to walk on snow and ice covered areas, and the risk of injury from a fall increases greatly this time of year. If you’re walking a dog, your risk of a slip and fall in winter conditions is even higher.

Being safe and smart when you’re enjoying the winter weather with your dogs on or off leash is a must.
For myself, there is one key tool in staying safe this time of year: the proper footwear.

Nothing beats my Betty Boots by Keen to keep my feet protected from the elements, and my STABILicers give me extra traction in winter weather. I can go from a wet sidewalk to snow-covered trail to icy country roads in rapid-fire succession, and can do so with more confidence because of what's on my feet.

But footwear is only one part of the equation when it comes to being safe while out walking your dog.
The other part of winter safety on dog walks is quite simply, the dog.


Case in point: when I'm out on daily walking rounds, all-to-often I see people struggling with their dogs, trying to get them not to pull, to listen to commands and maintain an even cadence. In more than one instance, I’ve seen the human get knocked off of his or her feet because of slick surfaces and unruly pooches — a pretty dangerous situation where the consequences are not limited to a possible injury to the human and the dog.

In one instance, said dog became physically separated from the human and ran off in all of the confusion. Luckily, the pooch was easily coaxed back to the owner, and all was well.

Rule number one: each dog must listen to the commands of their partner on the other end of the leash.
Don’t get me wrong. When I’m out with my charges, it’s really all about fun. I’m there to get them out for exercise and a good time — a chaperone, of sorts. Reading and leaving 'pee-mail' is par for the course and exceptionally good for canines, as is exploring things along the way — within reason of course.

The difficulty begins though, when the pooch you're with must constantly pull or tug, or when they yank on the leash when you’re trying to clean up after they've done their business.

If your furry friend is having trouble getting the message about what you expect when they are out and about, I can offer a little wisdom to help you persuade your pup —no matter the age —to behave a little more politely on a leash, and advice on basic walking tools that will keep both of you safe this winter.

Ditch the retractable leash. Your dog should be able to walk politely on a traditional leash before you ever consider using a retractable. (I use a six-foot one most often.) Unruly dogs can get wrapped around trees or snarled in bushes and are not easily controlled when on a leash like this. Worst case scenario: These types of leashes do snap easily, and that's last thing that you want.

Teach your dog to 'sit/wait' when you're cleaning up after it. This command is invaluable in so many situations, but it's especially handy when you're trying to pick up their waste. I often offer dogs a treat to munch on to keep them occupied while I quickly scoop.

Consider buying a harness. I provide these for dogs when they're in my care, as they are securely tethered to me once the harness is attached to the leash — no worry of them slipping out of a collar and taking off. A secondary benefit: when using a harness that uses a front-chest leash attachment like the Easy Walker from Premier, if the dog pulls, the harness tightens slightly across their chest and shoulder blades, (as opposed to their neck) and redirects their attention back toward you. I've used them on dogs that normally would pull constantly, and they get the idea quickly that pulling isn't a favorable thing, especially when coupled with teaching the next concept.

Loose leash walking — or walking without pulling — is a must. It doesn’t matter if you're on a sidewalk, on a desolate dirt road or on a hiking path. It's quite simple to teach, although I will admit it does take time to do. The key is consistency and patience, just like when you're working with your dog on basic obedience. Dogs learn best when those two elements are part of any routine. Knowing basic commands is so important for a dog and really should be taught alongside walking on a leash with manners. Click here for a great tutorial that employs an effective positive reinforcement method for loose leash walking.
Consider putting these things to work on your outdoor adventures with your pet, and you'll not only enjoy the time more, but you'll increase your chances of staying out of the emergency room this winter.




Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Teaching your dog to accept treats gently from bare fingers takes practice

It's no secret that dog treats work great to help me accomplish a lot of things in my day, like getting a reluctant dog to cooperate, or curbing their barking, or to divert the attention of a dog who has a hard time handling himself around other canines (or people) while out in public.

Like you, perhaps, I also use treats to reward desired behavior from my clients and my own dogs. I'm always looking for an opportunity to do that.

Because I hand out so many treats in a given day, then also means that there are more opportunities for my fingers to get nipped.

Much to the chagrin of many clients when they have the opportunity to see their pet interacting with me, they are reminded of their pooch's habit of snatching treats from bare fingers with great enthusiasm. The wince that I see on their face as their pet gazes at my hand as it comes out of my treat pocket is telling, but a sense of relief washes over when nothing unfavorable happens.

That's only so because I make it so with all of my clients, manners or not.

Not taking treats gently can be a source of conflict for plenty of reasons, but you're all-too-well aware of this if you're in the midst of working on training favorable behaviors. Repeated opportunities for their teeth to meet fingers can make for a frustrating go of things.

I should note that some dogs only exhibit this excessive eagerness when they're in a state of excitability, or it can of course arise only when there are multiple dogs present.

By and large, canines can learn to have some self-control (some are gentle about taking treats by nature) when it comes to accepting a yummy treat from their humans, and you can teach it at home — just make sure that you are steadfast in the idea that unless your furry friend does so gently, he doesn't get a treat at all.

This is done with the cue that is called "gentle."

Some dogs cannot be taught to take a treat with care (there's one in my family!), so if there's one in your midst, take heart — you can still safely offer your enthusiastic pooch a bit of something good.

It seems important to note that teaching this cue should always be done as a stand alone training so as not to confuse your pet.

Start by teaching your pooch what the cue means: hold a treat in your hand, close your fist around it and offer it up. If your dog bites at your hand, keep it closed. How you deal with this will depend on your tolerance and how enthusiastic your furry friend is (wearing a glove comes in handy). Generally, they will stop biting and lick your hand — some even nibble gently — and at that point you'll want to say "gentle" and open your hand completely to give him the treat.

Repeat this exercise every time you give him a treat, as consistency is the key. If your dog has sudden amnesia when it comes to being careful, pull your hand away and then try again, once again using the "gentle" cue as a reminder.

This can be a challenge while in a dog park or a class, needless to say. In these settings, you can offer the treat with your flat palm. Most dogs are able to take treats properly when they are offered with an open hand.

With my Bruiser and a couple of clients, dropping the treats on the ground rather than giving them directly to the dog makes most sense.

Because it takes a lot of practice for most dogs — including some of my clients — to refrain from nipping fingertips, I for the most part will use the latter two approaches. They by no means teach a desirable behavior, but they keep my fingers intact.

Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Life after a pet's hearing loss can be less daunting when you both learn new communication skills

One chilly pre-dawn morning this past year, I quietly padded past the dog bed where I can usually find Gretchen either lightly snoozing, as she appeared to be that day or already sitting up, looking around quietly. She's always been easy to rouse, either by my simply walking by or with a quiet whisper asking if she'd like to go outside.

That morning, nothing.

My heart sank, as at 12, I was all too aware then that my time with her is limited.

I tried again, and nothing.

I reached down and softly touched her shoulder, and she woke up with a start.

What I should have realized was that she couldn't hear me, but I dismissed it as her being sound asleep. Gretchen failed to hear me again later that day as I called to her later as I was cutting up an apple to eat, as she will always come to beg for a piece. I called to her, then puzzled, I observed her as I loudly clapped my hands, then whistled.

Not even a look in my direction.

She had seemed to have lost her hearing so quickly, and of course a visit with the vet was in order. She was due to go back for a recheck after being treated for a urinary tract infection, and upon conferring with her doctor, my suspicions were confirmed: the antibiotic that Gretchen had been prescribed to treat her infection had likely caused her hearing loss. As was expected, her hearing did return, but for the few weeks that sense was gone, it was a game changer.

Gretchen has always been an engaged dog who listens well, and I was all too aware of how much she had relied on that sense to function day to day, not to mention how much we relied on it together to communicate in different ways.

I often wondered how disorienting that might be to her, to suddenly have that sense disappear.

Her sense of hearing was one thing that I capitalized on to train her as a puppy, of course. However, her training wasn't limited to simple verbal commands. I'm grateful to say that I I insisted on including hand signals along with each verbal command (sit, stay, come). Even when praising her, I would clap my hands. I have been mercilessly teased by family because of my natural tendency to not be able to talk without moving my hands, so this came quite naturally to me, I think.

I'm quite certain that over the years, she's picked up on my non-verbal communication too.

In those weeks when that one crucial sense wasn't available to her, we were able to fall back on those established and recognizable hand signals and body language, thankfully.

Those few weeks weren't without an adjustment period and a few gaffes on my part, though Gretchen seemed to fall into our new routine with ease.

A dog who has always been reliable off leash in the yard and in public, Gretchen could be easily called back without issue. But without the ability to hear me call out to her, I needed to be more aware of her whereabouts and mindful of staying out with her so that I could get her attention in other ways. On more than one occasion, I found myself forgetting and needing to go to her to get her attention. Old habits die hard!

Here are some other tips in teaching and incorporating hand signals to communicate with a pet, should the need arise due to age or, in Gretchen's case, a medically-induced cause.

First and foremost, a visit with the vet is necessary to rule out any medical issues.

It's important to remember that a hearing-impaired dog needs to focus on her handler to see visual commands that correspond to the verbal ones, for example, "sit" and "down." So, it's essential that you have a “look at me” cue or signal that gets your dog’s attention. This tells her to look at you. Then, a desired behavior can be performed by being prompted by a visual command.

To do this, prompt her to look at you in response to the "look at me" cue: give a stimulus, a gentle pull on the leash, a light touch on her shoulder or even move a treat out in front of her nose and up toward your face. As soon as she makes eye contact, mark with a “good job!” signal, such as a thumbs up, or like I do with clapping hands and follow, (or mark it) with a treat.

(The goal is to get your pooch to make eye contact when you give the first cue, like the shoulder touch or gentle leash tug, without any further prompting from you.)

Once your pet gets the hang of it, you can phase out giving the treat. Do this by moving your empty hand, still shaped like it has a treat inside it, up toward your face. Praise your pooch for making eye contact. Eventually, you'll be able to fade out the hand signal by moving your hand near your face.

You'll want to continue focusing on the wanted behavior with the “good job!” signal and a reward, or immediately ask your dog to do another behavior, such as a sit, when she looks at you.

Commands your furry pal previously learned on a verbal signal will need to be retaught with new visual or physical cue. This can be facilitated more easily if your pet still has some hearing, and is called transferring or replacing the cue. Click here for more on that.

Consistency is the key, so you'll want to be succinct, use the same signal each time you work on that desired behavior and ensure that everyone in the family (and caregivers!) are using the same signals.

As with anything else, these skills become better with practice for those on either end of the leash, and by establishing another way to communicate, you and your pet will find life easier to navigate after their hearing loss.


Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.