Lucky Dog Lessons

by Brandon McMillan

  2. Breed Matters. From the time I was a little kid, I learned to respect the power of breed. Our German shepherd Zeke (actually, there were three Zekes over the course of my young life) was an amazing natural herding dog. I could spend a year trying to teach a dachshund or a bloodhound to do that same job and never get near the level the Zekes were born with.

  That’s no dig against the dachshund or the bloodhound. Each of them has his own gifts. Every dog breed does. Before you lift a finger to train your dog, learn about his breed so you know where his talents and shortcomings may lie. That information will help you set realistic training goals and teach to your dog’s strengths.

  3. Training Is Not Dominating. I first learned this lesson in my years of training animals who could literally eat me if they wanted to. There is no good way, for example, to force a five-hundred-pound tiger to lie down when you say so. He has to want it, too. Over the years, I’ve continued to live by this philosophy in training animals of all sizes because I believe that the most effective training happens when an animal does what I ask willingly. Training your dog isn’t about bending him to your will. It’s about using your role as the leader in your family—along with all the tricks and techniques you have at your disposal—to get your dog to choose to do what you want.

  4. You’re the Teacher; Play the Part. Training any dog has its highs and lows. You’re going to have great days and days where you feel like you’ve taken two steps back. Much like we all have bad days, so does your dog. I hope I’ve shared enough stories of my own mistakes and learning experiences in these pages to make that clear. Sometimes the producers of Lucky Dog have a laugh at my expense by keeping a scorecard as I try to teach a particularly difficult student the 7 Common Commands. Maybe you’ve seen one with tallies like Rover: 5, Brandon: 0. The thing is, even the dogs who totally blow me away in those early rounds eventually master each and every command.

  Training is a marathon, not a sprint, so if it all goes south, take a break, remind yourself that you love this dog, and then start again. Try to enjoy the process, bond with your dog, and see the humor in your occasional failings. Remember that the face you show your dog is the face that will be shown back to you. Be confident, glad to be there, and kind. Be assertive and even strict when you have to. Most of all, be consistent; as long as you stick to it, the training will happen.

  5. Let Your Dog Know What He’s Doing Right. You can help your dog understand what you want him to learn by letting him know whenever he’s doing things right. That means having treats at the ready and timing rewards just right: at the moment your dog figures out what you want. If you’re having a hard time capturing the exact moment, use a clicker. Or do what a lot of my clients tell me they do: copy the way I encourage my dogs during training with an intensifying, “good, Good, GOOD,” as they figure out how to follow a command. Using this kind of verbal encouragement is kind of like helping your dog play the Hot and Cold game most of us played as kids while he tries to learn something new. At first, whoever is “it” is wandering around blindly, trying to find the hidden object. But when your friend gets close, you start guiding with your voice, saying, “warmer, getting very warm, hot, HOT!” You can guide your dog the same way, giving him a verbal nudge to keep doing something right. The sound of your voice will encourage him to keep trying and figuring it out. After all, your voice is one of your most powerful tools in training.

  6. Training Is a Daily Diet. I know you’ve heard me say you need to train daily—but it’s the key to everything. You can’t just train a dog and let that be it. If you don’t keep it up, no matter how great a job you do in that first week, your dog will eventually regress. Think about it this way: Teaching your dog something new plants a seed. But just planting it doesn’t make it take root. You’ll need to take care of it and water it every day. Take ten minutes, three times a day for a week to set your dog up with a new command or behavior modification. After that initial training period, you can follow up once a week, and later once a month, forever. And keep this in mind: use it or lose it. If you don’t use the commands you teach your dog, he’ll forget them over time.

  7. Any Dog Can Be a Lucky Dog. I got my first celebrity dog-training client on a music video shoot. I came in with my Doberman and rottie and worked them all day. They were tough-looking dogs who were sweet. At the end of the day, the rapper who was making the video made a beeline for me. He wanted my number. He had a couple of tough-looking dogs at home who were not so sweet; they were out of control and getting kind of mean. Could I come to his house, he asked, and teach his dogs to be more like mine?

  And I did. Over the years, I’ve seen more dogs than I can count who seemed like lost causes become well-trained pets. Whether your dog is hyper, hard of hearing, headstrong—whatever the challenge is—he can be trained. If you put in the effort, I promise you’ll see results. But it only works if you work it.

  Last Word

  You may have heard me say it on Lucky Dog, but I think it bears repeating. My mission is to make sure these amazing animals find a purpose, a family, and a place to call home.

  If we all share in that mission, as a team we can save thousands of lives—maybe even more. This year alone, nearly four million dogs will go into animal shelters, and more than a quarter of those dogs will never come out. Those dogs are living, emotional, intelligent beings who deserve better. They’re dogs like Bruno, the dancing terrier mix; Skye, the dignified, sensitive white shepherd; Ari, the Malinois mix who just needed to learn a little self-control; and Tweety, the Maltese mix who came to me on the brink of starvation. And, of course, Lulu—the Chihuahua who was terrified to let anyone get close enough to love her. People had given up on every one of those dogs; and every one of them was saved and became a well-trained, loving, cherished family pet.

  If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years about people, it’s that dog lovers stick together. We share a common bond. When I first started rescuing shelter dogs to rehabilitate and train them, other animal lovers came out of the shadows to help me place them in forever homes. With almost no publicity, we were able to create a vast social media network that helped my rescues start new lives in loving families. From there, a major network series was born—all from a little idea I had when I was flat broke, living on a friend’s couch, just hoping for an opportunity in life. Sometimes I think I have a lot in common with the dogs I rescue.

  If each of us contributes in some small way—by rescuing a dog, fostering a dog, volunteering to help train a dog, or donating to feed and house one a little while longer—we can save the next Bruno or Skye or Lulu who comes along.

  One dog at a time.

  Ruff,

  Brandon

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Before I go I’d like to say a few things:

  When I started writing these chapters, I was intimidated because I’d never written a book before. But as the days went by, it became easier and easier. By the last few weeks, I couldn’t wait to write more. I’ve learned a lot about myself through this process because putting it all down brought me back to rescuing and training each of the dogs in the book.

  It also brought me back to learning animal training technique and reminded me how grateful I am to the people who taught me. I owe everything to them because they took the time to show me the correct way to train. I especially want to thank Mike Herstik for showing me so many incredible and practical techniques that I continue to use daily; Boone Narr for being an inspirational movie animal trainer when I was a kid and just learning; Gunther Gebel-Williams for teaching my family how to train large animals when they were kids in Europe; and my uncle Brian for teaching me how to train large predators when I was a teenager.

  Thanks also to Dave Morgan, Roy Barudin, and the entire Litton Entertainment team for discovering me a few years ago and putting their faith in me; CBS Daytime for allowing us to air such a great series; and Petmate for its support and the great products it provides the dogs at the ranch.

  T
his book wouldn’t have become a reality without the wisdom and guidance of my publishing team: agent Jeff Kleinman of Folio Literary Management, who believed in my book before there was a single page to read; editor Julia Pastore at HarperOne, who took a giant risk on this first-time author and never wavered in her support; collaborator Jana Murphy, who combed through my drafts, notes, blogs, and Lucky Dog episodes to help me shape an ocean of material into an organized book; photographer Craig Mathew, who perfectly captured the pack and me training at Lucky Dog Ranch; my publicist Suzanne Wickham and marketer Kim Dayman, who worked tirelessly to make sure the book would reach dog lovers everywhere; and the entire HarperOne team for their enthusiastic support.

  A special thank-you to our canine cover models: Wacha, Goldie, Chester, and Chico.

  On a personal note, I want to thank my mother for lifting me up during the darkest periods of my life and my sister for giving me direction when I was a lost soul. Last but not least, thank you to my little girl Lulu for showing me the meaning of true love. I’m forever in debt to you all.

  If I forgot anyone, please forgive me—you know what an airhead I can be sometimes. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go take a nap for a month.

  INDEX

  The pagination of this electronic edition does not match the edition from which it was created. To locate a specific entry, please use your e-book reader’s search tools.

  Note: Italic page numbers refer to photographs.

  Adolescent dogs

  and DOWN, 103

  and focus, 65

  and house-training, 184

  training considerations, 22–23

  Age. See also Puppies

  adolescent dogs, 22–23, 65, 103, 184

  and energy level, 35

  mature adult dogs, 23–25, 184, 201, 221

  senior dogs, 25–26, 192, 301, 302–303

  as training variable, 37

  Aggression

  and compulsion training, 40–41

  defensive aggression, 296–303

  fear aggression, 293–294, 297–198

  fence fighting, 300–301

  genetic-based aggression, 306

  keeping your distance, 307–308

  knowing your dog’s warning signs, 307

  leash aggression, 303–305

  management of, 293–294, 295, 308

  offensive aggression, 296–297, 303–308

  pain-induced aggression, 301–303

  possessive aggression, 198–300

  problems with, 294–295

  as self-preservation, 295–296, 302

  unsocialized aggression, 305–306

  Agility training, 246–247

  Amber (dalmation), 233–234

  Anti-anxiety medication, 288

  Anti-anxiety shirt or vest, 286, 286

  Apollo (Doberman), 55–58, 57, 111–112

  Argus Service Dog Foundation, 2, 4, 57

  Ari (German shepherd/Malinois mix)

  and DOWN, 98, 100, 101, 102–103, 111

  profile of, 96–97, 96, 314

  Barking

  approach to, 238

  and breeds, 245–246

  and fence fighting, 301

  penny bottle or Shake & Break for, 238–240, 241

  problems with, 27, 237–238

  QUIET command for, 239–241, 242, 243, 244

  and separation anxiety, 278, 279, 280

  SPEAK command for, 241–243

  tools for, 244–245

  training tips, 240–241, 243–244

  Beagles, 16, 34, 246

  Behavioral issues. See also Aggression; Barking; Chewing; Digging; Door dashing; Escaping from yard; House-training; Indoor marking; Mealtime mischief; Separation anxiety

  techniques for, 6, 72

  Big dogs

  COME command, 155

  and door dashing, 209–210

  DOWN command, 97–103, 98, 99, 100, 101

  HEEL command, 163, 165, 166–168, 166

  and house-training, 188, 192

  and nipping, 232

  OFF command, 141–143, 142, 145–147, 146, 147

  SIT command, 90, 91

  Black light, for indoor marking, 193–194

  Blank-board theory, 27–30

  Body language, and building trust, 44–45

  Bonding

  and exercise, 49, 51

  GET UP THERE for, 273

  and play, 51–52, 51

  and socialization, 52

  and taking it easy, 52

  and trust, 49, 51–52, 54

  Brachycephalic breeds, and pet doors, 218

  Breeders, socialization of dogs, 30

  Breed groups, 12–13

  Breeds

  behavioral traits of, 14–18, 34, 37, 66, 245–246, 251, 311

  and energy level, 35

  mixed breeds, 19–20

  and pet doors, 218

  purpose of, 11–14

  toy breeds, 13, 36

  as training variable, 14–18, 37

  Bruno (terrier mix), 5, 314

  Bully sticks, 287

  CALM DOWN, 64

  Calming supplement, 288

  Calmness

  and building trust, 44–45

  and DOWN, 101, 102

  and separation anxiety, 283

  and STAY, 123–124

  Chance (pointer mix), 181–183, 186, 197–198, 198

  Chewing

  alternative for dogs with taste for danger, 228–229

  alternative for irresistible thing, 226–227, 228

  approach to, 222–225, 224

  dog-proofing house, 222–223, 225

  on leash, 197

  lemon as deterrent, 229

  and nipping, 229–232

  outtakes, 233–234

  problems with, 220–222, 250–251

  and separation anxiety, 222, 278, 279, 281

  training tips, 225–229

  Chloe (Aussie shepherd), 31–32, 31

  Chuckit! ball, 68

  Citronella collar, 244–245, 300–301

  Clickers

  for COME, 153, 154, 155–156, 157, 158

  as tools, 78, 312

  Collars

  for chewing correction, 227, 228

  for COME, 159

  for door dashing, 203–207

  and indoor marking, 197

  types of, 73–75, 74, 75, 173, 176–177, 177, 244–245, 300–301

  COME

  and conditioning, 159, 161

  as essential command, 6, 28, 151

  and STAY, 154, 155

  teaching, 153–159, 156

  tools for, 153

  training tips, 159–162

  Compulsion training, 40–41

  Conditioning

  for COME, 159, 162

  for DOWN, 103, 106, 110

  for HEEL, 167–168

  for SIT, 92–93

  for STAY, 123

  and technique, 71, 93

  as training component, 58, 78–80

  Consistency, and building trust, 48

  Control

  Double Leash Lock-Off, 62, 63–65, 63, 64, 68, 72

  and DOWN, 95–96, 111

  and focus, 68, 70

  and martingale collars, 74

  and OFF, 143

  and SIT, 86

  as training component, 58, 61–62

  and training pedestal, 75

  “Control, train, treat”, 61

  Crate training

  and house-training, 184–188, 186, 189, 190

  and instincts, 254

  Daisy (terrier-poodle mix), 235–237, 246–247, 246

  Darby (boxer-bulldog mix), 114–115, 114, 125–126

  Digging

  approach to, 251–253, 255

  problems with, 249–251, 250

  underlying reasons for, 258

  Dog poop

  and digging, 252–253, 255

  and instincts, 252, 253, 254

  Dominance, 39, 40, 311–312

  Door dashing


  adding visual block, 210–211, 210

  approach at home, 203–207, 205, 206, 207

  and car dashers, 211–212

  and conditioning, 206–209

  creating an auto-stop, 209–210

  introducing pet door, 214–218, 215, 216, 217

  problems with, 201–202

  and tactile experience, 211

  training tips, 208–209

  Double Leash Lock-Off

  for DOWN, 97–103, 98, 99, 100, 101, 111

  technique for, 62, 63–65, 63, 64, 68, 72

  DOWN

  big-and medium-dog technique, 97–103, 98, 99, 100, 101

  and conditioning, 103, 106, 110

  and control, 95–96, 111

  as essential command, 6, 28, 95

  grab-and-slide technique, 107–109, 107, 108, 109

  outtakes, 111–113

  small-dog technique, 103–106, 104, 105

  starting from SIT, 110–111

  and STAY, 95

  teaching, 97–109

  training tips, 109–110

  EASY, 64

  Einstein, Albert, 33

  English bulldogs, 15–16

  Ernie (schipperke), 249–250, 250, 251, 258–259

  Escaping from yard

  approach to, 256–257

  problems with, 255–256

  underlying reasons for, 258

  Exercise

  and bonding, 49, 51

  and focus, 68

  and HEEL, 163

  and high-energy dogs, 252, 258

  Eye contact

  and building trust, 44, 45

  and training pedestal, 70

  Feeding. See also Food rewards

  and bonding, 52

  Fifteen-minute sessions, 6, 7

  Flash (Chihuahua), 220, 232–233, 232

  Focus

  and control, 68, 70

  and SIT, 86

  and STAY, 118, 123

  and stubborn dogs, 70, 77

  as training component, 58, 65–71

  and training pedestal, 75