Zak George's Guide to a Well-Behaved Dog

by Zak George

  6. What about going forward? Will you always have to be hands-on when it comes to managing your dogs together? Probably, depending on how often their scuffles occur and how serious they get. But as your dogs catch on, you ought to have to intervene less often to prevent potential altercations as they gradually become adapted to peacefully coexisting.

  HANDLING DOGS FIGHTING WITH UNFAMILIAR DOGS

  If your dog is less than friendly with unfamiliar dogs in public, here’s what you can do:

  1. Once again, management is the first key. Be sure that your dog is absolutely unable to bite or attack another dog at any time: out on walks, when you take him to the vet, or anywhere in public. As I’ve mentioned throughout this chapter, have your dog wear a basket muzzle while working through this issue.

  2. Next, it’s time to do some desensitization and counterconditioning training exercises. Get your dog used to being in the proximity of other dogs at a safe, responsible distance. This might mean doing some basic training fifty yards away or more from other dogs if your pet is particularly uneasy around other dogs. For example, doing some easy training outside the perimeter of a fenced dog park is a great place to start. Your dog can still see, hear, and sense the other dogs from far away—far enough that he’s not threatened, but close enough that he can learn to associate those dogs with something positive (like fun training with you along with lots of high-currency rewards). This, in turn, can help alter your dog’s perception of what it means to be around other dogs. He might go from thinking, “Being near other dogs is stressful and scary” to “I love being near other dogs because it means I get to show off my skills and get lots of treats or playtime.”

  3. Work up to getting closer and closer to the fence or other barrier as your dog demonstrates progress. Sometimes resolving dog-to-dog aggressive behavior is a matter of some simple training; other times, it’s much more complicated. For that reason, you must proceed cautiously and methodically.

  4. If you feel like your dog is doing well, you may be at the point of letting him interact with other dogs while wearing a basket muzzle. If you decide to do this, you’ll need to set up very controlled situations, ideally with an experienced positive trainer there in person to help. It’s best for dogs to be off leash and in a fenced, secure area during these encounters. With some dogs—especially those who weren’t socialized properly as puppies—it’s just a matter of learning good social skills by being around other dogs. Your dog may benefit from seeing social cues like play bows and other greeting behaviors from other dogs so he can learn how to interact more appropriately. Should your dog react unfavorably, never hesitate to take a step back in your training.

  5. Some dogs come to accept other dogs. Others may still want nothing to do with other dogs for the rest of their lives, and that’s totally fine. There are plenty of dogs who do not find being around other dogs enjoyable, and we should respect this about them. Don’t get me wrong: it’s never okay for your dog to pursue another dog aggressively. However, if he can remain in a rock-solid stay or down when you encounter other dogs, that’s the goal here. It doesn’t matter if he wants to become best friends with the other dogs. He just needs to behave appropriately when around them. Of course, for some dogs, this issue is a lot more serious—they just don’t behave appropriately around other dogs at all. If that’s the case, don’t let your dog be around other dogs at all until you work through these issues (if possible). There are some dogs who really shouldn’t be around other dogs their entire lives. However, that doesn’t mean they won’t make great companions for you!

  HANDLING BITING AND SNAPPING AT PEOPLE

  Every year, more than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs.14 Children are the most common victims. If your dog is snapping at people or biting them, first seek the help of a positive trainer or animal behaviorist in your area. You really want to get this behavior under control as soon as possible. If you are committed to keeping your dog and other people safe, you must also manage your dog perfectly by not putting him in situations where he is likely to bite someone. That being said, here is some very general advice on what to do:

  1. Take extra precautions when teaching your dog to be more accepting of people. It is your job to make sure that your dog is absolutely not in a position to bite or snap at people at all. For instance, don’t bring your dog to work, a park, or a pet supply store until you’ve done sufficient training to be reasonably sure that he’s unlikely to bite people. Also, keep your dog in a basket muzzle any time he might encounter another person.

  2. Start desensitization drills with anyone your dog seems to like, since fear of new people is the most likely explanation as to why dogs bite or snap at people. In other words, most dogs are good around people they become familiar with, so begin by getting your dog to pay attention to you in the presence of other familiar people. Basic, easy training drills like “sit” and “stay” as well as fun tricks ought to keep your dog focused on you. (See chapter 3 to learn such basic skills, and check out my YouTube channel to learn how to teach dozens of awesome tricks. 7 Dog Tricks in 5 Minutes! is a great video to start with.) Be sure you are rewarding generously! By doing this, you are emphasizing that your dog should get into the habit of focusing his attention on you when around other people, and you’re teaching him that good things happen when those people are in his company.

  3. Once your dog seems okay around those specific people, slowly work your way to getting your dog used to being around strangers at a distance. During these drills, you’ll want to continue communicating, “Pay attention to me! I’ll show you what to do, and you don’t need to be worried.” This is done by doing easy, familiar training drills of things you’ve worked on extensively in the past—such as those addressed in chapter 3—in these newer, less familiar situations. By slowly easing your dog into being around strangers at a distance, you are much more likely to make progress. If you overwhelm your dog, then you very well might hit a roadblock. The desensitization aspect of your training should be working at whatever distance your dog needs to be—where he’s comfortable, relaxed, and behaving acceptably. And again, if you feel there is any chance that your dog is likely to snap or bite, be sure he is wearing a basket muzzle so that you have a safety net in place.

  4. As you make progress, set up tons of counterconditioning exercises around people at safe distances. Those distances will vary depending on your individual dog. You may need to start at fifty yards away and work from there. Do basic training sessions with the aim of getting your dog into the habit of paying attention to you consistently. Work up to a stranger tossing some great treats to your dog and repeat this often. There’s no need for strangers to get close to your dog during this training. It’s more important that your dog simply learn to associate strangers with something good. Progress can vary from a week or so to years depending on each dog. Your patience and understanding will help things go as smoothly as possible. Naturally, the spectrum on this issue is extremely broad. Some dogs should never be trusted around strangers, while others will come to accept new people in time. My best advice is to work slowly and cautiously. Don’t be in a hurry here.

  HANDLING AGGRESSION TOWARD OTHER ANIMALS

  For some dogs, the thrill of chasing something small is so instinctive. However, you probably don’t want your pet chasing and harming small animals in your neighborhood, like cats, rabbits, ducks, chipmunks, and squirrels. Luckily, you can nip this behavior in the bud. Usually, this type of aggressive behavior isn’t fear-based as is often the case with the other types of aggressive behavior discussed so far. So, I’ll address this issue a little differently. Here’s what you can do:

  1. First, manage the situation. Make sure that you have your dog on a leash or long lead in places where he may chase and bite small animals. In that way, you can eliminate these behaviors. While working through this issue, at no point should your dog be unsupervised or uncontrolled where any small animals m
ight be present. That means that even on potty breaks in your yard, you’ll need to be with your dog and keep him on a leash.

  2. How do you desensitize your dog to small animals? Practice primary training often, especially “come” and “stay” (see this page and this page, chapter 3), in environments where small animals are present. If you spend a lot of time working with your dog on training in locations where animals typically pop up, and you consistently call him off those distractions, he’ll come to learn that chasing things without permission is against the rules. In other words, if you prevent your dog from chasing these animals and teach him to pay attention to you instead, then you’re well on your way to breaking this habit. To teach your dog how to listen when around distractions, follow the protocols on this page in the next chapter. I also have tons of videos teaching this skill on my YouTube channel. One of my favorites is How to Teach Your Dog to Stay—No Matter What!

  3. By frequently keeping training fun and enjoyable (don’t forget your dog’s currency!), you are conditioning your dog to learn that interacting with you and listening to you is far more fun than chasing, say, a rabbit. In other words, he’ll realize that there’s no need to chase animals when you are providing a more rewarding experience. Plus, your dog is learning that when he has the impulse to chase things, he should look to you for direction instead. If your dog still seems like he’d rather chase another animal than play or get a treat, then additional impulse control training is needed as well as more exposure to enticing distractions (like rabbits!) at great enough distances that you can get your dog’s attention. Always be prepared to take a step (or more) back when your efforts don’t seem to be working.

  4. If your dog loves to chase small animals, I have really good news: dogs who engage in this behavior can actually make the best fetch dogs in the world. That’s because fetch provides an outlet that closely mimics the thrill of the chase and the reward of catching the “prey.” Also, if you play fetch with your dog regularly, you’ll help mitigate his desire to chase and attack small animals because you are satisfying that desire in an appropriate way. See this page, chapter 17, for detailed instructions on how to teach fetch.

  CHAPTER 19

  NOT LISTENING AROUND DISTRACTIONS

  Getting your dog to readily listen to you around distractions may be one of the most challenging parts of teaching dogs. It seems like it should be easy, right? After all, if your dog has clearly demonstrated that she understands “sit” and “stay” at home or other places where she spends a lot of time, why wouldn’t she just honor your requests while in the presence of human company or other dogs, on a walk, or at the park or pet supply store?

  The truth is, teaching dogs to listen around distractions isn’t easy at all. It requires significant work and time—probably a lot more than you might realize. There are no shortcuts. Instead, the key is practice, practice, and more practice. In this chapter, I’ll explain just what to do.

  WHY DON’T DOGS LISTEN AROUND DISTRACTIONS?

  Why do dogs get so distracted so easily? It’s simple: dogs are super-intelligent and curious about the world. Taking an interest in something out of the ordinary is what intelligent beings do. Just as people might rush to gather around a street performer doing magic tricks, dogs find things out of the ordinary worth their attention. In other words, dogs are only doing what comes naturally to them, and it’s our job to teach them how to behave otherwise.

  WHAT TO DO TO MAKE SURE YOUR DOG LISTENS AROUND DISTRACTIONS

  While teaching your dog to listen around distractions does take a lot of time and effort, the good news is that it’s pretty straightforward. Here’s what you can do:

  1. First, make sure you can “pause” your dog reliably! What does that mean? Just do a basic “leave it/look at me” and a “stay,” which I teach on this page and this page in chapter 3. These skills are really the foundation of most types of distraction training. “Leave it” is something you use to stop your dog from investigating something or picking it up, while “stay” means keep all four paws right where they are. It’s critical that you always remember to include “look at me” when you ask your dog to “leave it.” Without having your dog’s attention on you, it’s pretty challenging to direct her and show her what you’d prefer instead. You want to ingrain in your dog’s mind that she needs to look at you when she is distracted so that you can guide her to the next steps depending on the nature of the distraction. For example, if you drop a bottle of prescription pills on the floor, you’ll want your dog to leave them alone as well as to look to you so that you can then tell her to stay while you pick the pills up. Or, in the case of encountering a stray, off-leash dog in the distance, you’ll want your dog’s attention on you so that you can walk in another direction smoothly and concisely without your dog lunging and barking and causing a scene. So, when your dog is distracted, first “pause” her so that you can plan your next course of action.

  2. Before you can reasonably expect total focus in various distracting circumstances, you must get as creative as you can on distraction training inside your house or in other very familiar environments. Virtually all introductory training lessons must be practiced, refined, and perfected in such easy places first (though we’ll discuss getting your dog’s focus in new environments in the next chapter).

  3. As I cover on YouTube regularly, the very first distraction-focused training lesson I teach is training your dog to leave a really good treat alone. This is why I love using real meat as the distraction because it’s significant enough to be very tempting to a dog. If your dog can leave a piece of meat alone when you ask, then she’s more likely to listen to you when there are more significant distractions such as cats, squirrels, or other dogs. See this page, chapter 3, for additional detailed instructions on this particular drill.

  4. After you’ve achieved a reliable beginner “leave it/look at me” and “stay,” your focus needs to shift to gradually making the primary lessons more challenging. For example, once your dog has mastered leaving a piece of meat alone, put an entire plate of food or your dog’s favorite toy on your coffee table and practice “leave it/look at me” and “stay.” Graduate to being able to place the plate or the toy on the floor (this is tougher because your dog has even easier access to the temptation) and so on. Move the plate or toy slowly back and forth while insisting that your dog leave it alone. Things that move are generally more enticing to dogs, so this is particularly challenging. With the toy, you could even squeak it a little at first and then eventually louder and more frequently.

  5. Do these primary lessons several times a day at first until you are confident you can calmly say, “Leave it! Look at me!” and set a plate of food on the floor or throw an exciting toy in front of your dog while asking for a “stay,” and have her comply. In other words, you want your dog experiencing the desire to pursue something and choosing to leave it alone, stay, and pay attention to you instead. After you’ve burned this concept into your dog’s mind over the course of a few weeks or even months, you’re ready to graduate to those surprise primary lessons.

  6. As we’ve covered throughout this book, surprise lessons are a super-important part of preparing a dog to listen around distractions. You must extensively practice getting your dog to “leave it/look at me” and to “stay” while in a surprised state of mind. Think about it: it’s one thing to have success while giving your dog ample notice and repeated opportunities to succeed while you are right there, slowly and clearly establishing that a lesson is under way. But surprise primary lessons are where your dog is given little notice. They’re like pop quizzes. Since your dog is surprised, these lessons are harder for her, so be extra-generous with your rewards. Also, get creative! For example, use everyday household objects: toss a throw pillow or towel near your dog and ask for a “stay” and a “look at me.” Do a surprise knock on a table or, when asking your dog to “stay,” jump up and down, and act silly. You want to tea
ch your dog to stay no matter what is going on around her. Don’t wait for organic distractions to occur before you train; instead, create believable, sudden distractions. Start off easy and gradually increase the level of distractions. No matter what, make sure your dog’s focus remains on you.

  7. If at any point your dog becomes way too distracted, immediately take a step back and make things easier. Say your dog gets very distracted every time you turn on the blender. That would be your cue to practice a surprise stay while you hit the blend button for a split second. Reward her for even the tiniest stay. Work up to five seconds, ten seconds, and longer. Surprise training lessons are what prime your dog to have a strong foundation to draw on when encountering distractions in real life. So, go to great lengths to do surprise “leave it” and “stay” drills often.

  8. So how do you transition from surprise lessons with purposefully set-up distractions to real life? This can be a little clunky as you won’t always know when a distraction is going to emerge, so prepare yourself for that. I know it’s difficult to imitate major distractions like an exuberantly barking dog who suddenly appears from behind a fence. However, if your dog is very used to being surprised by you in set-up training sessions, you’ll find it easier to get her attention when she’s presented with these authentic, real-world distractions. Yes, it’s true that you may need to encounter many organic surprises in real life before your dog starts getting used to such common things and truly generalizes listening to you in the face of all distractions in all contexts. Again, only time and practice will get you there. But you’re committed! That’s why you’re reading this book!