Picture this: you come home to a house that looks like it’s been hit by the world’s first indoor tornado. There is stuff EVERYWHERE. Couch cushions are scattered, stuffing misplaced. Papers are shredded all over the floor. Your coffee table is demolished. Maybe there is a little poo in the corner. And who is there to greet you, ecstatic, almost frantic? Your pooch.

Congratulations! You’re the proud owner of a dog with separation anxiety! You can now live out your days in fear that every time you walk in your door, you see destruction. And you get to buy a next couch about once a week! Just what every dog owner wants…

Except, in the real world, it isn’t feasible to go buy a new couch once a week. And who really wants to clean up such a huge mess every day? No, in the real world, we have to deal with separation anxiety. There are a variety of techniques, depending on how severe your dog’s anxiety is and how he is displaying his anxiety to you. However, there is a difference between boredom and separation anxiety, although they may have similar symptoms. First, identify that it actually is separation anxiety.

How To Identify Separation Anxiety

There are a number of signs your dog is experiencing separation anxiety. If he is displaying most (or all) of these signs, he probably has separation anxiety.

While this is not always necessarily a sign, it is a good indicator. Some dogs just like to be close to their owner.

Why Do Dogs Experience Separation Anxiety?

The easiest answer to this question is the obvious one, they miss you! Dogs are pack animals. They prefer to be around one another and around their pack leaders (read: YOU). When there are multiple dogs in a family, there is a less chance of either dog exhibiting symptoms of separation anxiety, simply because they have company (Note: This is true in well established packs. However, when introducing a new dog into a family with an already anxious dog, there is a chance the new dog will feed off of the other dog’s anxiety. Then you have two destructive dogs on your hands.). What is important to realize is that your dog isn’t trying to punish you by pooping in the corner or digging in the trash. He’s in panic mode. Dogs don’t get that we have to work, have social lives, and do other things with out them. He does not understand why you’re gone, and that makes him sad, or fearful, or anxious. He’s destroying your favorite shoe because it makes him feel better; it smells like you and chewing is a soothing action. Some dogs experience separation anxiety from early on. Others may develop the behavior later in life. Here are some reasons dog may develop separation anxiety.

How To Treat Separation Anxiety

How can you fix something when you’re not there to observe the problem? It may seem like an impossible task, but there are ways to treat separation anxiety. For minor cases, you may only need one of these. For more severe cases, you might try all of them.

Anthropomorphize an·thro·po·mor·prize [an-thruh-puh-mawr-fahyz] :to ascribe human form or attributes to (an animal, plant, material object, etc.).

Everyone who has ever owned a dog has done it (I’ve done it) – Made some sort of comment regarding how their dog is acting, how he is feeling or how he is behaving which in turn makes the dog sound as if he is human or capable of human actions or behavior. I think that is one reason why dogs name have graduated from Fluffy or Bingo to Chance, Max and Jimmy. It is also why we celebrate their birthdays and include photos of them in albums along with the rest of the family (guilty). Dogs do have human emotions, but only the more basic ones such as jealousy, fear, pain, anxiety, happiness.

• If one dog takes another dogs bone away, he could be playing or he could be jealous that the other dog has a bone and he doesn’t.
• A lot of dogs aggression is fear based. Something possibly happened in the dogs life that causes the dog to express his fear aggressively.
• Separation anxiety is a form of sadness or fear when they are separated from their owner.
• And then of course happiness which is obvious when a dog is chasing after a ball or wagging his tail so hard he looks like he is dancing.

When I refer to ascribing human attributes to dogs, emotions is not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about people who make comments like:

• “I won’t have my dog fixed because it will demasculate him. He won’t feel like a man anymore.” Really??? I guarantee he won’t feel “any less of a man” if he gets fixed. He won’t be thinking “Darn, I can’t get lucky anymore.”

Or…

• “Don’t smell that dogs butt. You know how disgusting that is. You know better than to do that!” One person smelling another person’s butt in human culture is obviously taboo. But in the dog world that is how they meet each other. It is literally a dogs version of a handshake.

Or…

• “My dog was so mad I left him home alone today that he chewed up my favorite pair of running shoes!” The dog wasn’t mad. He doesn’t know the emotion mad. He knows he misses you (he feels sad) so he wanted something that reminded him of you to make him less sad. Something that smells like you…your sweaty running shoes fits that role perfectly!

Or…

• “When I came home today, I found Buddy had jumped on the counter and ate a whole bag of cookies. He knew he had been a bad boy because he had the guiltiest look on his face. He knew he was in trouble.” Actually, no. Dogs are not capable of feeling guilty. To feel guilt dogs have to understand morality, have language skills, and be able to think about the past.

If a dog comes across as “guilty” what he is actually showing is fear because he immediately senses your unhappiness, anger and frustration at him. Dogs are amazing at reading human body language and reacting to changes in their owners body language over time. There has been a lot of research on this subject, and everything recent I have seen and read demonstrates that dogs do not feel guilt.

They do feel fear and some are very good at sensing when their owners are unhappy. When he is cowering or looking away he is showing fear from these emotions he feels from you. He is not feeling guilty from eating the bag of cookies because he does not remember doing that.Dogs live in the now, the immediate moment. The reason they don’t feel guilt is they don’t remember what they did 10 minutes ago. If we were to look into a dogs mind and see what he is thinking it would be with words having to do with the immediate moment like: ” Squirrel! Poop! Food! Leaf! Dog! Person! Bone! Squirrel!!!”

Not…
“Wow! That bag of cookies sure was good! I wonder if mom will buy more? Will she miss the bag from the counter that I ate? Maybe if I look guilty when she gets home she’ll feel sorry for me and buy me more! Great idea – look guilty!”

I’m not knocking anthropomorphizing. I do it all the time! When I leave for the day and my 8 month old pup, Jato, looks at me with those soulful, brown eyes it’s hard to not think “Oh, my baby doesn’t want me to leave him! He wants me to stay at home with him all day long and hug him and hold him and squeeze him!” What he is probably thinking is “Treat! Treat! Treat!”

However, it is important not to apply that incorrect assessment of a dogs behavior to training and analyzing their behavior. If you do that, you are going to make mistakes and most likely confuse your dog. Most of the behavior problems we come across are caused by incorrect assessment of dogs behavior based on human assumptions. Sometimes these are very innocent mistakes, others are very obvious and irresponsible – like assuming a “guard dog” has to know on its own when it will bite and cannot be trained or it wont be a good guard dog. Or when people abuse and discipline a dog because it does not behave correctly and “knows better”. All dogs must be taught (trained) to live in a human world – especially urban non working dogs. Above all, your dog is a dog, not a 2 year old child, not a 4 year old child, but a dog. As such, he needs to be treated like a dog and trained as a dog (not as a human) and given clear direction because he does not and will not speak human and he will not and cannot understand why you are acting like he “should know better”.

What is communication with a dog?

Yea, I don’t speak “human”

Clear communication is the corner stone for the longevity of any healthy relationship, including the relationship we have with our dogs.

While it can be argued that spoken language is the common form of communication used throughout the world among humans, such is not the case with our dogs. Not only does your dog not speak English – nor will he ever -, he does not speak any other verbal language either. If we are fortunate, dogs learn that some sounds mean he should do something. Therefore, when we bring a new member into our family, the responsibility is on our shoulders to lay the foundation for healthy communication.

To make it simple, consider that our dogs have the capacity to be multilingual. Body, verbal, food, toy, collar, whistle and leash can all be considered languages of communication for dogs. Attempting to use all these languages at the same time sets up confusion not only for the owner, but more importantly, the dog.

Using Body Language

Dogs communicate with each other using body language very effectively. They are also constantly watching our body language for queues – sometimes queues we are not even aware of. Therefore, at Sit Means Sit Austin dog training, we initiate teaching communication without using any verbal commands. We use our body and integrate our SMS collar, treats, praise,toys and/or the leash as needed, to guide and create a desired physical movement. For most, this approach is counter intuitive, since generally folks assume – or act like – the dog speaks English, and then they start throwing out commands louder and faster, sending the dog into confusion all while yanking on the leash.

Don’t Speak Louder

The classic, “yell at the dog until he figures it out,” is the shortest route to confusion and the direct route to inconsistent compliance. This scenario is no different than someone yelling at you in a foreign language. Confusion and frustration show up quickly, followed by fear. This does not set a healthy stage for learning to take place for either you or your dog.

Some argue they need to yell at the dog because that is the only time he listens. That is because you finally got the dogs attention when you were yelling (there are easier and more effective ways to get his attention) and so he learned that sit was SIT!!! He now does not associate the sound of a soft sit with the action of sitting.

This last week at our group classes we conducted silent classes. It was great to see some dogs that have struggled to grasp a concept to finally get it. This happened because the owners had to use their body language to guide the dog and stop using confusing words the dog didn’t understand.

Attention is the Key to the Game

That is all you had to do - show me with body language!

Teaching your dog a skill starts with gaining your dog’s attention. With our Sit Means Sit program there is no yelling, screaming or otherwise “hissy fits” involved to get your dog to learn. We build a line of communication in a planned progressive protocol. The progression is based on each dog’s capacity to demonstrate a level of comprehension of paying attention to the owner. Once the dog understands what is expected – to pay attention – then we begin with teaching a defined skill, followed by verbal marking. The initial skill set includes the commands “come” “sit” “place” and “break.” We can teach all these skills without a single word being spoken. Our deaf dog clients are usually the quickest to grasp this approach.

Try The Basics With Body Language Instead Of Words

By refreshing the importance of clear communication, it is our intention to shift your paradigm to the language of mutual understanding, so you can continue to teach your dog new skills. We would like to encourage all of you to check your communication style, and if need be, refresh your approach down to a whisper and go back to Sit Means Sit basics. Go ahead and dust off the place board, pull out the long leash and challenge yourself and your dog to go through the corner stone drill of Come-Place-Break. Then progressively add duration, distance, and distractions. Do all this to enhance your relationship and level of communication with your best four legged pal.

It is always interesting and a bit frustrating to me when I hear people say they think putting their dog in a crate is “mean”. Or when people have a crate trained puppy, but when the dog “gets old enough” they remove the crate from the dogs life. Crates, unless used incorrectly, are a good thing for dogs. They like them and there are benefits for you.

Why Crate Train A Dog or Puppy?

"Yup, I feel safe in here!"

There are lots of reasons to crate train your puppy or dog including:

• Aiding with potty training (see Tips For Housebreaking Your Puppy) – for example, dogs will not generally eliminate in their den and a kennel is a much smaller confined area that a young puppy can conceive of as their den then a room or an entire house.
• Help confine your puppy or dog if she is injured – unfortunately dogs can get injuries or ailments that require they be confined. Being injured or sick is stressful enough for a dog, if they also need to be put in a crate/kennel for the first time in their life that will just add to their stress. However, if the dog sees his crate as his home, then he will naturally want to spend time there when he is not feeling well.
• Keep your house “safe” – in case you don’t know, puppies like to chew and get into things! If they are left to wonder too early in their life they are very likely to do things you consider bad. Of course the puppy is not doing anything bad on purpose, but they don’t yet know the things she is allowed / supposed to do.
• Give your puppy and dog a safe place. To me, this is the most important one. A dog should have a place all their own. A place they can feel safe and not be bothered by other dogs, people, kids, etc. Dogs are den animals, and unless they are introduced to a crate wrong, the crate is a very comfortable den like environment. We recently got a puppy. My adult dog, Joson, liked to play with the puppy, however, sometimes Joson would be done and the puppy would want to keep going. Joson would just go to his kennel to sleep. We, and Joson, taught to the puppy Joson’s crate was a “no go” zone for the puppy.

Get the Right Size Crate

If the crate is too big for your puppy, she will be more likely to eliminate in some corner of the crate. So you want to get a crate that is small enough to feel like a bed. It is good to get a crate that can expand in size. Lots of crates you buy today will have a separator section where you can grow the area the dog can access as she grows.

It is even more important to ensure the create is large enough for your dog. Your dog must at least be able to stand up comfortably and turn around.

How to Introduce a Very Young Puppy to a Crate

The crate should be a safe and happy place for the puppy – not punishment.

A New Puppy and Crate May Not Work At First

This can be a challenge. There is a problem with a young puppy – we want to ensure the crate is a safe and happy place, however, when you very first get a puppy, the only “safe and happy place” for the puppy is in your arms. However DO NOT let the puppy sleep in your bed with you! Often the first couple nights with a puppy are crucial for getting the dog to be comfortable away from you, and they are going to be a bit sleepless for you and the puppy! Just understand that and prepare for it. If you get a brand new puppy (e.g. 8 weeks old or so) the first night with you is very likely his first night away from his siblings and he is going to be lonely and he will not understand what is going on.

In a perfect world, he would already be used to a crate, but that is not always the case (in fact, it is rarely the case). But you also have to sleep. With every puppy I have had, they go in a box or other confinement (not a dog crate) next to my bed. Often I will put my hand or arm in the box so they know I am there if he cries, then I remove my arm (all night long). Don’t be too doting or coddle with your puppy. This will only reinforce the behavior and he’ll cry even more. If he continues to whine, a gruff “Quiet” and a quick, but gentle, shake by the scruff should settle the matter. If all else fails, ignore him. Tough love may be difficult, but eventually your puppy will learn that crying at night gets him nowhere. The more persistent you are in your approach, the quicker the situation will be resolved. If you’re stern one minute and sympathetic the next, your puppy will only be confused and his behavior will continue. This only usually lasts for 2 nights.

You must also consider if the cry is for attention or because he needs to go potty. If the later, I get up and take him out quickly (do not play with him or give too much attention). Puppies have small bladders and need to go out often – every 2 to 4 hours. Remember to take away food and water at about 7:00 in the evening so that he is running on empty at bedtime. Oh, and take him out before bed!

Some people say a radio or other soft noise will help – and it can depend on the puppy. I have also seen where wrapping a ticking clock (an old analog alarm clock) in a towel and putting that in the box helps.

Don’t forget to let the puppy outside to go potty first think in the morning!

Okay, Graduate to the Crate

I use a box during the first nights because I always want the crate to be a safe happy place. You need to set aside time over the first few days to work on the crate so the dog can graduate from the box as soon as possible. Do this by:

1. Leaving the door open, put a treat in the crate, and let the puppy go in and retrieve the treat – don’t close him in. Do this throughout a day.
2. Next put the treat in and keep the puppy in the crate with your hand. Again, if he does cry, wine or bark, wait for a few seconds of calm before letting him out. But if you do this correctly and slowly the puppy should be fine with it.
3. Finally, start to put the treat in and close the door for just a moment and then let him out. Again, if he does cry, wine or bark, wait for a few seconds of calm before letting him out. But if you do this correctly and slowly the puppy should be fine with it. Slowly increase how long you shut the door for.

How to Introduce an Older Puppy or Dog to a Crate

It is the same as with a puppy but hopefully without the nighttime drama as he should be used to sleeping through the night now so you don’t need the box. If the dog has had a bad experience with a crate it may take more time and patience.

What NOT to Use a Crate For

A crate should not be used for punishment! It should be a place the puppy or dog want to go and will go to on their own. Not only will punishment make them not like the crate, it is pointless as a dog does not understand punishment. They do understand when you are mad, when they are scared, etc. But punishment only scares them. It is much better to redirect energy and train your dog. You and the dog will be happier and have a much better relationship. Lots of people think they can punish the dog because the “dog knows he did something wrong, he looks guilty”. There has been a lot of research on this subject, and everything I have seen and read shows that dogs do not feel guilt. They do feel fear and some are very good at sensing when their owners are unhappy.

Also, do not teach the dog to go to the bathroom in the crate – e.g. don’t put potty pads in the crate. If you do this, and the dog learns to eliminate in his crate, you are going to have a much more difficult time housebreaking your dog! Understand when you get a puppy you need to figure out a schedule to let the dog out every few hours for the first couple months.

Finally, here is a fun and decent video on crate training your puppy:

I often hear people complain how much time it takes to train there dog or complain the training doesn’t last. Of course these are not my clients because with the right training program and exercises that are relevant to you and your dog, training your dog does not need to take a ton of time and will last her lifetime.

One of the things that we teach to enhance the dog training experience is to train as you live. Training as you live means that you incorporate training into your everyday life. So, instead of only doing structured training, you also do training all day long (well, not constantly, but consistently and frequently). With the right exercises, guidance and tools this can be very effective!

Of course structured training sessions are necessary in order to teach some desired behaviors, but the real proof is when our dogs respond in a manner that is expected when the situation requires. Not when they are at some training center or in the relatively sterile environment of your home (without visitors).

For example, we wont wait until the dog runs into the street to teach her that she shouldn’t go into the street without permission.  Instead we teach this in structured training (because of safety). Teaching a dog not to enter the street is an example of boundaries that we teach our dogs to ensure their safety.

A training session to test this, would be having our dogs ‘sit’ at the curb while we walk into the street. (Obviously on a not so busy street. Parking lots work well.) The dog should not come onto the street unless given permission. While testing this, you will provide as many distractions as practical. Practice this in short sessions, anywhere between 5-10 minutes tops. This was an example of a structured training session.

You continue to train this as you live and “proofing” or testing this as your lifestyle permits. In order to make this routine, you will have to apply this as appropriate. For example, you take your dog on a walk and you’re crossing the street. You have her ‘sit’ at the curb and allow her to continue walking only when you give the command. This may take a few repetitions, and add an extra few minutes to your walk, but the training will sustain a lot longer. Continuing the training on a normal walk is an example of training as you live – assuming you walk your dog as part of your life. There are of course home exercises also. Trying to incorporate as much real world training “as you live” into your programs will ensure your dog learns quickly, the training does not wear off, and the dog and her behavior will integrate smoothly into your actual lifestyle.

A good dog trainer and dog training program, like at Sit Means Sit, will take the time to understand your lifestyle and help you incorporate the training into your life – where it matters – while having as little impact as is reasonable on your lifestyle or the lifestyle you are striving for with your dog.

austin@sitmeanssit.com | tel: 512.942.RUFF [7833]

As a dog trainer who takes in board and train dogs, who live with me and go places with me and with my dogs, I often have occasion to introduce a new dog to my family (which includes my dogs). Once a client completes private classes, we also offer group classes and here too is an opportunity for more dogs to meet each other. As such, it is important to note dog behavior (body language) to identify signs of aggression as well as conduct the introductions in the appropriate way.

Many people will just bring a dog home and let it loose in the backyard or house and hope (assume) things will work out fine. Sometimes this is the case, however, all too often it is not. And it is too late if you try this approach first! It is likely the dog being introduced to the family is stressed because he/she really has no idea what is going on. Then this dog is thrust into a home and/or yard that is not familiar and with dog(s) that are probably rather confident and possibly protective of their territory. The dog being introduced is going to have a lot of energy (potentially fearful, stressed and even playful and excited energy) and the dog(s) at home are going to have the same high energy levels (again, could just be playful, but also might be fear, protective, etc). This energy needs a controlled outlet as even playful energy can quickly escalate to be a problem and stressful energy can be explosive.

Fortunately there is a simple way to help release this energy, reduce stress, and more safely introduce a new dog into the house. You will need a few tools including:

• At least 2 people – one for each dog or at least one for the new dog and one for the existing dog(s)
• A leash for all the dogs. If the dogs decide to fight it is important you are able to pull the way from each other. On this note, make sure the collar is tight and the leash and collar are in good condition and sturdy. You don’t want the leash or collar to break or slip off in the unfortunate case of a fight.
• A relaxing walk route that is not overly familiar (e.g. potential territorial) for the existing dogs

Steps for a Safe Introduction:

Go for a single file walk – At first you need to keep the new dog separate from the existing dogs and simply go for a walk on leash. Walk single file. It does not matter if the new dog is in front or behind at first. You can change positions once in awhile but not with the dogs passing close to each other (for example, cross the street, move ahead and cross back over). This simply allows the dogs to start to get familiar with each other without the high energy and stress of an immediate introduction.

The key is for you to stay calm and do not project any frustration or fear through the leash or your body language to any of the dogs. Keeping the dogs at a distance for awhile can also help to reduce your anxiety and thus help everyone else to be calm too. Do not stress if your dog is not perfect or is pulling a bit. Just increase the distance until the dog(s) calm down and then very slowly start to decrease the distance. Remember to praise your dog and reassure them that the other dog is not a threat. Again, do not get frustrated and anxious at your dog. Your dog will assume your anxiety is the same source as his anxiety (the other dog) and it will just get worse – stay calm and relaxed.

Keep moving – Walking reduces intensity and keeps energy moving. You probably have noticed that if you walk by another person/dog, or jog by another person/dog, your dog is less distracted and “bouncy” then if you stop and try to hold back your dog. If not, pay attention in the future and you will. Even if you have a high energy dog, you will get through that “freaky” energy more quickly if you are moving then staying still. Additionally, walking together starts to simulate the dogs working together beginning to form a bond (very loose at this point).

If one or both dogs show signs of play (e.g. a play bow). Very good! But don’t let them play yet. You still want to have them relax so the play does not escalate to quickly. Keep moving!

Let the dogs “Tweet” – I call a dog marking and sniffing other dogs elimination (poop and pee) “doggy tweets”. Dogs learn a lot from smells in urine and feces. So, if one (or both) of the dogs eliminates, let the other dog sniff the poop or pee (after the dog that did the eliminating moves away – it is not time for them to formally meet yet. It is a good sign if the dogs are relaxed enough to eliminate around one another. Remember, sniffing parts of the body that we do not sniff is normal dog behavior and part of meeting a new dog.

Coffee break – Take breaks and give your dog long massaging strokes to help them relax. This is especially important if there are any signs of anxiety. If you are not sure if they dogs are anxious, be safe and take breaks anyway. During the break, the dogs are still not interacting and the breaks should not be close to the other dog – they need to be far enough from each other on a break that they are not paying attention to each other.

Image Credit: footloosiety via Flickr

Time for a group walk – Finally once the dogs are calm in the single file walk near each other; and there has been some sniffing; and you have been walking for awhile, start walking next to each other. The dogs do not need to be right next to each other (you can be between them) the key is you are walking together. This will continue to form that “working together” feel for the dogs and help their bond of cooperation strengthen. They may or may not be friends by now, but they should be at least coping with each other.

Play and/or Enter the Home

This “introduction walk” should normally be 30 or even 45 minutes – the longer the better. Take your time. As with people, first impressions are very important! Once the walk is completed, it is not important the dogs play with each other, but they should at least be able to tolerate each other in the same house. Always continue to watch for signs of aggression or stress!

If all the dogs are relaxed, and they want to play, this should be fine. However, you should only allow one dog at a time to play with the new dog. Dogs play best in twos and you do not want to ruin your hard work by causing stress again because your dogs “gang up” on the new dog. This is true even though your dogs might just want to play. The new dog is still new (like a new toy) and more then one dog tries to play with the new dog at once it can be very stressful and very quickly escalate. As always, monitor the play and ensure proper behavior is occurring (role reversal, breaks being allowed, handicapping, etc). These terms are all discussed in the article “How to Tell if a Dog is Being Aggressive“.

Dogs usually do not share well! – One of the most common causes of fights in the home are fights over toys or food. You may need to feed the dogs in separate rooms or in their crates. Also, do not leave uneaten food laying around. I cannot count how many clients have told me the fight was because “Lucy was done eating and Benji was just eating her left overs when Lucy went nuts and bit Benji.” Be prepared and have two of everything (e.g. water and food bowls, toys, etc) . It is natural for a dog (even a submissive dog) to be protective of anything they have (e.g. their food, a toy he or she is playing with, etc).

Please also teach your kids they DO NOT take ANYTHING from the dog!

If you know one or both of the dogs is aggressive or very fearful, or if you are just not comfortable, seek the help of a professional dog trainer or behaviorist. The first meeting is very important!

Not All Small Dogs Are The Same

As a dog trainer, I often get calls to work with and train clients that have small dogs as pets and companions. Every dog is an individual and some small dogs can be fearful, while other small dogs can be aggressive, and others are over-the-top friendly. Many different personalities and many different problems. Some small dogs run away, some small dogs bark excessively, some small dogs like to pee in the house (actually, this is starting to sound a lot like “some big dogs” too). Despite the type of behavioural problem that our clients are experiencing, there is hope -even for those dogs you might consider untrainable. In fact, the commonly carried incorrect thought on training small dogs is that either the dog cannot be trained effectively because he is so small, or, in the majority of cases, the dog owner doesn’t consider the behavioural problem to be too serious because the dog is small and can’t really do too much damage.

Train Indoor Small Dogs

Many small dog owners keep their dogs indoors. Dog training for an indoor dog has it’s merits for a couple of reasons. Firstly, many little dogs, puppies in particular have issues with peeing or eliminating in the house. Potty training is probably the number one dog problem that Sit Means Sit clients with small dogs have. Potty training is not a complicated process, but because of the freedom given to the small dog with sense of leadership or structure, the dog will easily sneak out of sight and potty in the house without the owners realizing. Having basic control over a small dog enables the dog owner to provide guidance and structure which in turn enables the owner to teach the dog to eliminate in a desired area, whether it’s on a potty pad or outside in a designated area.

Breed to Bark – But It CAN Be Managed

Another VERY common problem for the indoor small dog, as well as small dogs who travel with their owners outdoors, is that of excessive barking. Small dogs were originally bred as companion dogs and for pest control and to this day they still fulfill the role of companion dog. What many people don’t realize is that the companion dogs in antiquity were selected based on their loyalty and territorial nature. In essence the dogs that were most willing to alert when someone or something trespassed were often the ones chosen to be bred. This means that over the centuries little dogs have been selectively bred to be good guard dogs. Regardless of whether a small dog owner wants a guard dog or not, they very often get an exceptional one. More often than not, these dogs take it upon themselves to bark at everything that is new to them and often without stopping. More often than not this barking is considered nuisance barking.

Small dogs are often welcome in apartment and condominium units because physically they are unobtrusive, however their nature to be territorial guard dogs gets in the way of peaceful living. Excessive barking is actually a very easy to control problem, and the key to teaching your dog to quiet on command is a two step process.

Step 1: Pay Attention to Me (not the distraction):

The first step is teaching the dog to pay attention to you by teaching them to do a specific task. The task or obedience command that I teach my clients who own small dogs is how to “place” on command. This basically requires the dog to go to a mat or dog bed on command and stay there. The more challenging the object is to place on, the more effective it will be to teach the dog how to stop barking. The principle here is channeling the small dog’s energy and attention he is putting into barking into another task. Keeping him busy takes his attention off of what is causing him to bark.

When the dog will reliably go to “Place” on command around distractions, then the dog will stop barking. This is where step two comes into play.

Step 2: Teaching the “Quiet” Command:

Teaching the dog to be “Quiet” on command involves using the “Place” command to create the understanding in the dog’s mind between the word “Quiet” and the action of stopping barking. When the dog begins to bark the pattern to use involves telling the dog “Quiet” once or twice, and if he continues to bark, sending him to his “Place” and then repeating the command “Quiet” when the dog is on his place. In time the dog will realize that the word “Quiet” equates to going to his “Place” and stopping barking.

One dog in particular we worked with was a a Shih-Tzu named “Brodie”.  His owner was looking to learn to calm Brodie down when people would come over. In only two lessons Brodie was a completely different dog. He learned how to kennel on command as well as come back when called. We also taught Brodie to sit on a stool around some very tough distraction. He did amazing! Brodie’s owner wants him to be a companion and a lap dog. Brodie is allowed to jump on people as well Brodie is allowed on the couch and sleeps with his owner in her bed. Even though Brodie is allowed to jump and say hello to visitors, not every person we meet likes dog jumping on them, so Brodie’s owner taught him to stay in his kennel on command.

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Believe it or not, house training is one of the easiest things to teach a dog because dogs are clean by nature and don’t like to soil their den area. However, it does take time, patience and management. Using this concept, begin by always supervising your puppy when he/she is not in her den-crate environment. The largest reason people fail with house training is that they give the puppy more freedom than the pup or dog is capable of handling. An unsupervised pup or dog is bound to make mistakes.

Use a Crate to Replicate the Den

If you can utilize a crate to replicate the “den” environment that dogs need and feel secure in, it will shorten the process. If the puppy or dog is given the opportunity to get out of his crate when necessary, it can aid your house training efforts enormously. As the puppy is let out from the dog crate, immediately take him out on a leash to the spot you will want him to eliminate. If he goes, praise him. If not, put him back into his crate and try again in about 15 minutes or so. If your dog goes to the bathroom, he gets some -supervised- freedom. This means you still want to keep an eye on the pup so there are no accidents. Continue with this cycle until you and your dog have a routine going. Success earns the pup freedom for twenty minutes or so. Gradually extend the time as he grows older and more reliable. Remember a seven-week-old pup does not have a great deal of bladder control. Don’t expect him to go more than a few hours without having to eliminate, and don’t expect him to wait once he is out of his crate to eliminate.

Use an Elimination Word

Begin the first time you take your puppy out to give a word to associate elimination with. In the beginning the puppy won’t understand the word, but if each time you take him out you say to your puppy, “hurry up”, or “go potty” and continue to repeat the phrase until he goes, praising when it happens, your puppy will learn to associate these words with the action. Later when traveling or out in public it can be a cue word to get your dog to relieve himself in quick time, without having to wait in the scorching sun, or freezing rain.

All-in-One Management System

An even easier system for house training is using a crate with a dog door and an enclosed dog run on the other side of the dog door. The dog crate goes up to the dog door. The dog door in the beginning may need to be taped or otherwise rigged up so the puppy can comfortably go through the dog door. This way the puppy will naturally leave his “den” and go outside [of the house] to eliminate. The outside of the dog crate should be enclosed somehow to prevent the puppy from getting into any harm, or harm finding him!

Supervise your Pup or New Dog

When the pup isn’t in his crate, you have to use constant supervision to keep him from making mistakes. The easiest way to do this is to literally tie or tether the pup to your waist with a leash or line, or tether him to a piece of furniture where he has no more than three feet of freedom in any direction. Remember that a pup tethered to furniture should be watched carefully or he may chew it. Crating, supervising and tethering are examples of a management system used to support the dog until he is trained. With the crate set up to the dog door system, your puppy learns quickly to let himself out of his containment area to relieve himself. It also helps him develop some independence from always having you to hold his hand, thus increasing the need for the puppy to feel that he needs someone to take him out, he can’t possibly go by himself. If you are a parent of a child this should make sense to you. You would never leave your toddler to wanter the house without your supervision. You watch him/her all the type and put the toddler in a crib to sleep and a playpen to play when you cannot constantly supervise. It does not make sense to treat a puppy any differently. A toddler just like your puppy needs boundaries to keep him/her safe and supervised.

Added Benefit – Preventing Separation Anxiety

Because dogs are inherently pack animals, they prefer to be with us, than to be alone. Most cases of adult dog “separation- anxiety” would never develop if the dog, as a puppy, had been trained in the crate/dog- door/dog -run management system just described. Early on the puppy would learn to deal with being alone and without the opportunity to dig, chew or destroy things left available. These are some of the first essentials for a good start with your new puppy. Enjoy him and give him a good start with safe and secure boundaries in your home! Please don’t hesitate to contact us is you have any questions, would like help setting up a personalized puppy management system or if you need dog training and obedience help with a older puppy or dog!