Lucky Dog Lessons

by Brandon McMillan

  Alternative for Dogs Who Can’t Stop Chewing That One Irresistible Thing. This method of combating inappropriate chewing works best if your dog has one or two specific objects he can’t seem to leave alone. The underlying theory behind this technique is simple: after a while, too much of a good thing starts to negate its appeal. A favorite food is a perfect example. Let’s say you love pizza (and who doesn’t?). Now imagine how you’d feel if you had to eat pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day for a month. By the end of that month, I’m willing to bet you’d be in the market for a new favorite food. You might even get so tired of it that you stop eating pizza altogether.

  So let’s apply the same logic to a chewing dog. Let’s say your dog is irresistibly drawn to your shoes. It probably doesn’t take too much imagination to summon up that image—I meet a lot of dogs who are fascinated with anything that smells like their owners’ feet. It’s kind of a cute behavior in a puppy, but it’s something that can turn into a big problem if your dog keeps it up. To break this habit, take the shoe your dog wants so badly and tie it to his collar. Make sure it’s a flat collar, not a choke chain or pinch. If it’s a martingale, be sure to loosen it or hook it on so it won’t cinch up. This means tying it around the part without the ring. You’ll have to supervise this activity to make sure your dog doesn’t trip or get hung up anywhere. I’ve used this technique many times, so here’s a summation of how it typically plays out:

  •Hour One. Your dog’s first hour of close bonding with that shoe is usually pretty magical. For a while, he’ll be thinking something along the lines of This is great! I love this thing, and now it’s MINE!

  •Hour Two. By this point, most dogs are starting to get a little bored of their new appendage.

  •Hour Three. By now, many dogs are ready to move on to something else. But they can’t. The shoe (or other object) is still there, like their own personal albatross.

  •Hour Four. Four hours in (if not sooner), most dogs are completely over the shoe. At this point, you can take it off your dog’s collar and put it back on your foot. Chances are he’ll be more than ready to move past it and get on to something else. Be sure to offer an alternative approved chew or toy as a replacement and to praise your dog when he takes it.

  That’s all there is to it, but remember to keep an eye on your dog during this exercise. If he’s the rare animal who decides to try to actually eat the shoe during that time, then you’ll have to move on to another alternative training method.

  Only use a flat collar or loosened martingale and always supervise your dog when using this technique to break him of chewing an irresistible but inappropriate chew toy.

  Alternative for Dogs with a Taste for Danger. A couple of years back, I had a rescued black-and-white spaniel mix who loved nothing more than sitting on my lap and watching TV after his training was done for the day. His name was Lucky, and he was going to make a great pet for some laid-back family who wanted a mellow, affectionate pet to love. Things were looking great for Lucky’s future right up until I caught him doing something that could spell big trouble: he’d crawled around the television and was gnawing away on the tangle of wires behind it. Lucky was in fact very lucky—he could have been electrocuted, but he walked away unscathed. While some dogs like to chew leather or socks or stuffed toys, others develop a taste for potentially deadly chew “toys,” and that has to be dealt with immediately. I kicked into high gear to break Lucky of his habit using a technique called negative scent association to make it happen.

  Some people use products designed just for this purpose, including bitter-tasting anti-chew sprays available in pet stores. These can work, but at the ranch I usually just turn to something I have in the fridge: lemon. It’s cheap, I can use it anywhere, and I know it won’t do any harm if I put it in or on the dog’s mouth to teach him an important lesson.

  To use this technique at home, simply slice a lemon into small wedges and keep it handy while you wait for your dog to start chewing on the problem object. You can move this step along by bringing your dog near the object and showing it to him. When he puts it in his mouth, give him a firm NO and squeeze a little bit of that lemon directly in his mouth. He won’t like it, but it will not hurt him. Now offer the object to your dog again. Most won’t take it the second time, but if yours does, repeat the NO and give a second squeeze of the lemon. Don’t yell at your dog while you’re doing this; you want to deter him, not scare him.

  Next, rub a lemon wedge on the object (and around it if possible). In doing so, you’ll create a heavily scented zone that will help your dog remember the next time he passes by that he had a bad experience there and should keep his distance. The negative scent association of the lemon in his mouth and the smell of it on the wires or other no-chew object should do the trick. This is a lifesaving tactic, so a little tough love here isn’t against the rules.

  The Other Puppy Chewing Problem: Nipping

  You can’t blame puppies for being full of bad habits—after all, they’re brand-new to the world and don’t know the rules. One of their most annoying behaviors is nipping. Like chewing, this habit arises from a combination of a puppy exploring the world with his mouth and teething at the same time. Those baby teeth are sharp, and nipping can turn into biting, so it’s critical to get this issue under control sooner than later. I’ve seen far too many adult dogs who have this problem because the issue wasn’t dealt with at the puppy stage. In fact, dogs who don’t learn to stop nipping as puppies can grow up to be large dogs capable of exerting hundreds of pounds of pressure—with no malicious intent. They don’t understand that their jaws have gotten stronger.

  I knew someone a few years ago who had a Lab with a nipping problem that was never solved. The dog was two years old and weighed nearly ninety pounds—so the nip was more like a bite. He nipped at a neighbor’s kid and broke the skin. After that, animal control was called to investigate. No charges were filed, and the dog was able to remain with his family, but that event was just a huge wake-up call for them.

  Luckily, I have a quick-and-easy technique to solve this problem for good so you don’t end up in a situation like that, so let’s get started.

  Step 1. Choose a natural chew or chew toy your dog really likes and will want. Don’t have it on you, but keep it near enough for you to grab but out of reach of your dog. Most puppies are pretty predictable about nipping at playtime. If yours is one of these, start playing with him. It may seem strange to go looking to get bit, but bear with me because this technique is all about timing and it’s easiest to do if you can be prepared to respond. Play with your dog, getting your hands close to his snout, and he’ll likely nip at you.

  Step 2. When the bite happens, you’re going to grab your puppy’s collar with one hand and insert the thumb of your other hand into his mouth in a move I call the remote control hold. You’re going to hold your dog’s bottom jaw exactly like you’d hold a remote control for a TV. Your thumb will be inside his mouth on his tongue while your other four fingers are on the bottom of his jaw. Don’t squeeze; just hold on to the collar so your puppy can’t back away. Now you’ve turned the tables on him and made his annoying habit annoying for him. As you’re holding on, give your dog a NO command and maintain your grip. Many puppies will struggle, but hang on until your dog settles down. Use the collar—not the jaw—to control him if he struggles. Once he’s calm, wait another five seconds and release. Do not praise.

  Step 3. As soon as you release your dog, give him the chew. This will divert his mouthing to something more appropriate. Reinforce the idea that the chew is an acceptable target by petting him as he chews on it. After a few minutes of reward time, take the chew and put it back out of sight, then begin playing again. If your dog nips at you again, repeat the process. Most dogs pick this up after two or three times, quickly learning the difference between reprimand and reward. Some might take a little more practice, but almost all of them choose the reward once they figure out they have a choice.

 
; Training Tips to Remember

  Don’t Squeeze. Be sure you don’t squeeze your puppy’s mouth as you’re training this. You’re just holding on with minimal pressure and holding his collar with your other hand. You want to make this annoying for your dog, but it should never hurt him.

  Hold Out for a Full Five Seconds. It’s important that your puppy shows he is calm while still in the remote control hold for about five seconds before you release him. This teaches him that remaining calm will get him what he wants. If you let him go when he’s still struggling, all he’ll learn is to fight his way out of the situation—and that’s a bad habit you definitely don’t want to instill.

  Hang On to That Collar. Keep a firm grip on your dog’s collar while you use this technique. Most dogs will try to back away as you’re doing this, and holding the collar ensures that doesn’t happen and keeps you in control.

  Fair Warning. As a general rule, this technique works great on medium and large dogs. It’s not as useful on dogs who weigh less than fifteen pounds.

  One Lucky Dog

  Courtesy of Litton Syndications, Inc.

  Once he learned that he was only allowed to chew his own toys, Flash was ready to move on to his next lesson—and it was a big one. The young boy in his new family was so excited about getting a dog—and Flash was such a quick learner—I wanted to find a way to start their relationship off with something fun and exciting for both of them. On an early visit with the family, I’d had an idea about how to make that happen. AJ loved to ride his bike, and Flash loved to exercise, so I took a little extra time to teach this dog how to run alongside a bicycle before he went to meet his new family.

  Flash figured it out right away, and AJ couldn’t believe his luck when I told him his new dog could explore the neighborhood with him if he followed the safety rules I gave him. The two of them bonded almost instantly, cementing another great friendship between a kid and his dog. I couldn’t imagine a better forever home for Flash. It was an ironic but happy turn of events for a dog who may well have ended up in a shelter in the first place because he just wanted to be a dog and not just a furry, four-legged accessory for somebody’s handbag. Oh, and for the record, Flash hasn’t chewed up one thing since he joined his new family!

  Outtake

  When I was in my early twenties, my grandmother asked me to watch her house and dog while she was away. Amber, her two-year-old dalmatian, was probably one of the worst-trained dogs in history. On her best day, you were lucky if she’d SIT for you. She also barked too much, was barely housebroken, and chewed everything in sight. I knew she was a handful, so I was well prepared for the weekend ahead. But, you know, I still had to get the mail.

  I didn’t think my walk to the mailbox would give Amber enough time to find trouble, but I was wrong. When I came back inside, the house was eerily quiet. I knew she was in there somewhere and that the silence was a bad sign. I walked through every room looking for her. Nothing. I retraced my steps. Back in the living room, I couldn’t see her, but I could hear loud chewing. I tiptoed toward the sound and ended up right outside the pantry. As I slowly pulled the door open, I just hoped I wouldn’t find Amber chowing down on anything toxic.

  The good news was she was “only” eating dog food. The bad news was that she’d chewed a hole through the bottom of a previously unopened forty-pound bag of it and put her entire head inside. It appeared she’d already eaten about half.

  I shouted, “Amber! Bad girl!”

  She startled and tried to run away, but her head was so far into the bag that she was stuck. Rather than sit tight and wait for me to free her, Amber took off running, bag and all. Luckily, the bag served as a makeshift helmet so she didn’t feel it much as she ran into the walls and the furniture. At that point, I wasn’t even worried anymore about all the food she’d eaten. I just wanted to get the bag off her head before she hurt herself. She was in full panic mode and needed help.

  When I finally managed to corner her and remove her feed bag/helmet/blindfold, Amber stared up at me covered in kibble dust, looking confused but satisfied. She wasn’t sure what had just happened, but she’d eaten like a queen—easily a week’s allotment of food in one sitting. I’m pretty sure she felt the hardship of being trapped inside the bag was worth it.

  14

  BARKING

  Daisy was a ten-month-old terrier-poodle mix who was abandoned by her family. When I met her at the shelter, my first impression was that this dog was so small and scared it was hard to imagine how she’d survived on her own at all. There was nothing intimidating about her—not the little Mohawk she had going on with her fur; not the mad-scientist-looking eyebrows that lifted hopefully when I approached; and definitely not the earnest are-you-my-friend look she was giving me as I opened up the metal door to her kennel. When I picked her up, Daisy hung like a rag doll in my arms. It was as if no one had ever held her before.

  Back at the ranch, a day with the pack seemed to do her a world of good. By the time I took her to the training yard on her third day, she’d transformed from an extremely cautious puppy to an enthusiastic student and an impressive athlete. This dog was able to leap on and off even my highest training pedestal like an all-pro jumper.

  When we started working on her 7 Common Commands, Daisy was practically consumed with a wobbly, pent-up energy that made it tough to get or hold her attention. With the help of the Double Leash Lock-Off and some extra good treats, though, I was able to gain control and get her to focus. After that, Daisy took to training like a duck to water, breezing through her commands and moving on to more advanced challenges in just a couple of days. It might have been in her genes—poodles tend to be exceptionally smart and terriers are usually highly trainable—but whatever the reason, this dog was shaping up to be an obedience star. I could hardly wait to tell the family I had picked out for her—a great mom who was about to get married and her young daughter, who was hoping her new family unit would include not just a loving stepfather but also a dog.

  I met with the family to tell them about Daisy and was pretty sure I’d made a good match. But when I got back to the ranch and went to check on her, what I found stopped me in my tracks. I could hear Daisy barking long before I got to her—a squeaky bark, steady like a broken record: arf, arf, arf.

  I replayed the previous days in my mind and realized this was part of a bigger pattern. Daisy barked when she saw the mailman, barked when a squirrel ran across the top of the fence, barked when a leaf fell from a nearby tree, and barked, barked, barked when she played with the rest of the pack. It hit me then that Daisy’s barking might have been the reason she ended up in the shelter in the first place. Now she was barking incessantly while she waited for me to get home. I stood outside and listened—hoping maybe she had some good reason for making such a fuss and would settle down on her own.

  No such luck. Now I was faced with a big problem. Nobody likes to have a dog who barks all the time, but there are some situations where this behavior is a deal breaker. Daisy’s new family lived in an apartment complex—and there is no worse mismatch than a barking dog for a family with neighbors just on the other side of their windows and walls. I felt a pang of regret for having already told the family about Daisy. If I couldn’t cure this barking problem, I’d have to call the deal off—and disappoint an eager six-year-old in the process. I can’t tell you how much I wanted to avoid having that conversation.

  I needed to solve Daisy’s barking problem once and for all.

  The Problem

  Lions roar. Birds sing. Dogs bark. It’s only natural. This is probably one of the things early humans liked about dogs because a barking companion kept intruders at bay. But problem barking is something else—something most of us instantly recognize, despite some owners who choose to tune it out. The reality is that we as a culture have advanced and moved on, but the dog still has instincts from thousands of years ago. There are lots of different motivations for dogs to bark, from boredom to protection to trying to get a little a
ttention. Dogs coming from shelters often develop a barking problem simply because they’ve spent weeks (if not longer) at the epicenter of a bark zone. Since all the other dogs are doing it, many otherwise quiet animals join in—and soon it becomes completely normal to them.

  Whatever the root cause, barking can easily begin as a small issue and then manifest into a big problem—sometimes right under your nose. Sometimes owners even inadvertently contribute to its worsening by giving their dogs treats to shut them up. It works, but do you see the problem? In the dog’s mind, that’s a reward for barking—a reason to keep it up!

  Barking is an especially important behavior issue to take seriously because it’s one of the most common reasons animal control or even the police are called about dogs. This can lead to warnings from the authorities or landlords, or strained relationships with neighbors. Ultimately, it can even lead to evictions. And you can guess where the dogs of evicted tenants often end up—right back at the animal shelter. Over time, this can become a life-or-death issue for a dog, so I always recommend dealing with barking issues as soon as possible.

  The Approach

  One of the most important things to remember when you tackle this problem is that barking is a natural instinct in any dog’s DNA. There is simply no way to teach your dog to never bark again; that would be like asking a human to never speak. There are, however, ways to teach a dog to stop barking on command, and that’s how you can get this problem behavior under control.

  As with any training goal, there are lots of different ways to accomplish the objective. There are two main techniques I want to share with you here. I’ve used each of them successfully on hundreds of dogs, but I can’t be sure which will work best for yours. Every dog is a unique, intelligent animal, and what motivates one to change a problem behavior may not be the best solution for another. That’s why I always like to have options right from the start.