How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend

by Monks of New Skete

  Granted, there is a real difference between dogs and dolphins. Dogs live with us in much more intimate ways than do dolphins, making the relationship far more complex. Nevertheless, clicker trainers believe that the same positive principles can be applied to dog training in a way that makes the use of force obsolete. This is where all the controversy about this method lies: since everything is built upon positive reinforcement, there are no corrections or discipline whatsoever in the learning process. In fact, they are positively discouraged. Many wonder, "Is it realistic and appropriate to train dogs using this method alone?" Clicker trainers insist that it is and have spent enormous energy trying to sell it to the public.

  Entire books have been written on clicker training. Without trying to overly simplify it, here is a brief overview of how it works: Clicker training is based on the presumption that a dog will always work willingly and efficiently, as long as he both understands and is motivated to perform the task requested. What is usually used as the primary motivator, or "reinforcer," is food, but theoretically it could be anything the dog really loves. Clicker training takes its name from a small, rectangular child's toy that is held in the trainer's hand and makes a sharp "clicking" noise when depressed. As a particular sound, the clicker holds no special fascination for a dog. However, it can become an "event marker," a "conditioned reinforcer" the dog comes to associate with a desirable reward (a treat, the primary reinforcer) received after performing a correct behavior. The click occurs at the precise moment the dog follows the command, and he then receives the reward several seconds (or many seconds) afterward.

  The desired behavior can be progressively refined, or "shaped," because the dog wants to earn the reward. When a dog hears the click, he knows a reward is coming. Thus, the click becomes a positive reinforcer: the dog associates the click (and a verbal cue) with a specific behavior. By patiently teaching the dog the basic commands, a trainer can establish "fluencies." By now, you can see that clicker training has a vocabulary all its own, grounded in the language of operant conditioning. This can be a bit of a turnoff, but clicker trainers insist that it is useful to stick with terms that can be scientifically described and made precise. Hence, they define a fluency as "a basic, learned behavior that you can incorporate into other, more complex behaviors and into behavior chains."* These exercises are taught with the help of a target stick. (In clicker training a stick replaces the leash. Clicker training is done primarily off leash.) By building upon already learned exercises, clicker trainers believe the sky is the limit as to what you can teach your dog.

  Clicker training has evoked strong feelings in the training profession, both pro and con. People seem to be either rabidly for or against it and are not averse to hurling stinging insults at the opposing position. Traditional trainers are billed as force fiends addicted to punishment, while clicker trainers are described as unrealistic sentimentalists who have been sucked into what is politically correct. So who's right?

  Clicker training is not the method of training we specialize in, and although we have become familiar with it, we by no means pretend to be experts. Though we are not advocates of clicker training, at the same time we do not deny that someone can train his or her dog successfully using this method. The fact is that there are a number of highly skilled dog trainers taking this approach. Authorities such as Gary Wilkes and Morgan Spector, to name only two, have established reputations as highly competent trainers with a sound knowledge of dogs and dog behavior.

  What we do take serious exception to, in all the rhetoric, is the suggestion that training has to be entirely positive for it to be humane, that corrections have no place in a modern thinking approach to obedience training. This is simply not true. Dogs can learn quickly and effectively with the help of well-timed corrections in a program of overall obedience that is essentially positive. Dogs are quite capable of understanding that there are negative consequences for certain behaviors beyond simply not receiving a treat, and this knowledge can lead to consistency and reliability in training results. There are simply too many well-adjusted, healthy dogs around that have been trained intelligently by such methods to suggest otherwise.

  Furthermore, even though we are strong advocates of a positive approach to training, we do not believe it is either fair or helpful to suggest that corrections are never appropriate. In today's training climate, a lot of owners have come to feel guilty about giving any sort of correction to their dogs, resulting in more confusion and misunderstanding and lots of spoiled dogs. Traditionalists or not, we don't see a taboo on corrections as a service to dogs or their owners.

  For those who are interested in investigating clicker training, we recommend getting beyond the hype over ethics and the philosophical issue of whether it is more loving to train your dog this way. Why not simply try to gauge if this method would be something appropriate for your dog? Generally, dogs with softer, more sensitive temperaments respond well to clicker training. If you're inclined to give it a try, try to attend a workshop where you can see things firsthand. Then you can compare what you've seen with how dogs do in a more traditional class. If you decide to pursue clicker training, there are plenty of videos and books to help you.

  But getting back to Pavlov: we have found that Pavlov's initial discoveries have been expanded with great success in dog-behavior modification. If you have questions about using sound as therapy for dogs, it is best to consult a trainer experienced in applying it. Pavlov's lectures themselves on conditioned reflex make interesting, if heavy, reading.*Playing Pavlov can be fun and effective, limited only by your ability to understand and apply the basic principles of sound conditioning.

  22

  Silence and Your Dog

  Animals are creatures that lead silence through the world of man and language and are always putting silence down in front of man. Many things that human words have upset are set at rest again by the silence of animals. Animals move through the world like a caravan of silence.

  A whole world, that of nature and that of animals, is filled with silence. Nature and animals seem like protuberances of silence. The silence of animals and the silence of nature would not be so great and noble if it were merely a failure of language to materialize. Silence has been entrusted to the animals and to nature as something created for its own sake.

  — MAX PICARD, The World of Silence

  Once, an Irish setter named Queenie was brought to us, quivering like a leaf. The harried owner wanted to leave her with us for observation. "She shakes like that all the time," she explained. "I don't know if she can take our lifestyle." This comment inaugurated a discussion of the lifestyle at the dog's home. The woman described her family as "active" and "robust"— and, she added, "very noisy." Meanwhile, her three preschoolers were in the car in the parking lot, alternately laughing, screaming, and crying. When asked if she wanted the children to be in on the consultation, the woman exclaimed, "Oh no, they're too noisy. When they're around, Queenie shakes even more!"

  As we explored the family situation, it became clear that this dog had hardly any time to herself. Except for a five-hour stretch at night when she slept, the poor animal lived under a constant barrage of noise and racket. Orders and requests in this family, whether to the dog or to one another, were screamed or shouted. The television was the nerve center of the home and was on almost twenty-four hours a day, even if no one was watching it. When the family went out somewhere, the TV and radio were left blaring because they were afraid Queenie might become lonely and launch on a spree of destruction. Furthermore, the home was situated on a busy highway, which lent its own noise to what the family produced.

  However, Queenie's shaking had started only when she was six months old. The family had purchased the dog when she was two months old, and the animal was fine for about four months. But once the shakes started, they continued, and now Queenie was almost two. In all her time with these people, she enjoyed few moments alone (even defecation was while on a leash).

  After two da
ys in our relatively quiet surroundings, she stopped shaking. The problem did not appear to be genetic, nor did it seem to stem from any kind of high-strung nervousness. Trained in a park obedience program, she responded to normally spoken commands and even to whispered instructions. When with us, she seemed to enjoy herself thoroughly. She entertained herself by tossing balls, by sprinting, and by relating to her canine neighbors in our kennels. When the owners came to pick her up, they could not believe the transformation.

  After suggesting some diet changes and a vet check, we then launched into a discussion of home conditions and the way the dog was treated. We emphasized daily obedience exercises, daily play sessions, and, most important, some quiet time alone for Queenie. As a result of reexamining the whole situation, the owners stopped blaming the dog for not being able to "take it" and began to consider their own behavior and the general atmosphere of their home. The children (this time included in the discussion) were especially sensitive and concerned. One boy, five, said he often had headaches all day. Pointing to their pet, he said, "Maybe Queenie does, too."

  Yes, dogs need silence. They also need some time alone, even though they are basically pack-oriented animals. It's up to us to provide them with some quiet time. There is no need to feel guilty about training your dog to be alone for a certain period of time each day, as long as it is not excessive. Even when we are with them, a certain silence can be extremely beneficial to the relationship. Though most obedience training should be highly animated and lively, full of peppy talk and encouragement, it's a good idea to have an occasional quiet session, whispering the commands, moving around lightly, perhaps even conducting the whole session in a wooded area or park. In fact, you can extend this idea to your longer walks. Don't undervalue the beneficial effects of a quiet walk in the woods. Even if your dog is not off-leash-trained, use a flexi-lead*to make things easier on yourself and your dog. Many an owner has commented how such a walk seems to renew the dog and calm him down.

  Eye contact works with silence as another essential element in any good canine-human relationship. It's a good practice to stop once a day, get your dog's attention, and simply look at him. Don't stare, however. Simply stop, look, and smile while remaining silent. In a word, "insee," as Rilke says. Then end the moment with an affectionate pat or friendly word. Direct stares, hard and penetrating, can be interpreted as threatening, so avoid them. The kind of silent eye

  Quiet walks with your dog are calming and help keep both of you connected with the natural world.

  contact we are concerned with here is gentle and sustained, a real exchange between animal and human; therefore, its entire "tonality" is one of peace and quiet.

  There is a myth that all obedience training should be done in noisy environments that simulate "real life." Yet in nature films on wild dogs and wolves we can see the real periods of silence enjoyed by the pack. Distractions and other noise do serve to teach proper retention of commands. But especially at the beginning of formal training, you must plan silent sessions with your dog. Silence is such a rarity that we must plan for it, or it will not come our way. So figure it into your life, and into your dog's. Everyone has at some time experienced a moment of silent communication with his or her dog. It's important to cultivate these moments as you grow in your relationship with your pet.

  Some city dwellers might well ask, "But where can I go for silence every day?" With some creative thinking, there are solutions. One urbanite takes his obedience-trained mastiff to the local branch library. He explained his situation to the head librarian and asked for

  A good dog can be a part of your study and quiet time, even in a library.

  a trial run. Another woman in a crowded suburban area stops at a local church for ten minutes every day and puts her golden retriever on a down-stay between the pews. Still another owner closes his windows to highway noise, draws the drapes, lights a candle, and does yoga while his dog lies nearby.

  Some of us do a similar practice here at the monastery during our meditation periods. When a dog knows how to hold a down-stay for an extended period of time, she can be included in such intimate, silent activities. They provide the dog with a context of silence, too, one in which the dog settles down and becomes relaxed and comfortable as she does nothing. The gist is obvious; if there are already quiet reflective moments in your life, it is just a matter of letting your dog in on them. If, on the other hand, you never have any quiet time alone to retreat and refocus yourself, perhaps you should think of ways to incorporate some such moments into your own life and share them with your dog.

  A guide dog or a well-behaved pet might be able to attend church with you.

  23

  Radio Training

  One piece of equipment in our training collection that looks out of place when lined up with training collars and leashes is the radio. You can use a radio to help train your dog. All you need to do is tune in to a station.

  Playing the radio for a litter of puppies is an old breeder socialization technique. We play the radio for our puppies here at New Skete. Since most of our puppies go into a family setting, we feel that it is important for them to hear a variety of voices — men's, women's, and children's. National Public Radio's All Things Considered has been heard by many of our pups. During the day, they may listen to talk shows, children's shows, and many styles of music. Call-in talk shows offer a wide and constantly changing variety of voices. But stay away from "controversial" shows that feature people arguing.

  Some say that rock is the best socialization music for pups, and others swear by classical music. The positive effects of Beethoven on dairy cow milk production is well known by farmers. The "Mozart effect" on human beings has been well publicized. In the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest psychiatric patients were lulled into inertia by placid music that was played all the time. As far as we know, no specific studies have been done on the effects of different types of music on dogs, but it is our experience that music can be of value. But pace those who feel rock and heavy metal music are good socializing devices; we advise being careful not to bombard dogs, young or old, constantly with loud, assaulting noise. But do use the radio creatively, especially for problems.

  The radio can help a dog spend long periods of time alone. For example, Clancy, a two-year-old Irish setter, had difficulty staying alone while his owner, a young office worker, was at work. He barked incessantly. The desperate woman brought the dog in for training after her neighbors threatened to have her evicted if the barking did not stop. Clancy began obedience training right away, mastering heel, sit, stay, and come very quickly. His owner remarked during one session how attentive Clancy was to the sound of popular records played on the stereo. "The first thing I do when I get home is put on a stack of records to help me unwind. Clancy loves it. He sits right next to the speakers and listens, almost like the famous RCA Victor dog."

  This tip helped us figure out an additional tactic to stop the barking. We suggested that the owner begin playing the radio half an hour before leaving home and to leave the radio on all day, tuned to a station featuring the kind of music she usually played. She should continue to play the radio or stereo when she returned home. Greetings and departures were to be kept low-key. Combined with obedience training, the radio seemed to help the setter keep quiet. The radio masked traffic and street noises, especially the sound of children and other dogs playing in a nearby school yard, which may have helped set the dog off on a barking spree.

  Looking back on the Clancy case, we are mindful that, like us, many breeders and boarding-kennel proprietors use piped-in music because they feel it quiets barkers and howlers. If you consider "radio therapy" for your dog, don't use it as the only technique to solve barking or other problems. It needs to be combined with an effective program of obedience training. And don't forget that too much noise can backfire. Remember the story of Queenie in the last chapter!

  24

  Massage for Dogs

  When you sit down to work with
a creature, simply focus on what you're doing instead of trying for a connection. Seeking too hard or waiting for some kind of heightened contact will not only block your own experience but will also make your animal nervous and self-conscious.

  — LINDA TELLINGTON-JONES, The Tellington TTouch

  Not every culture that allows domestic pets teaches its members ways to relate physically with those animals. In some countries dogs live a dog's life and are rarely held or petted. We've noticed that some German dogs we import do not seem to like our "American" way of petting. After investigation through our German contacts, we learned that Germans have a slightly different approach to their dogs. They pet and stroke them in a different way and in different places than do many Americans.

  In American culture, petting a dog is very important. Most people tend to pet dogs around the head and shoulders and stop there. Others literally trounce their dogs, pounding their sides and ruffling their fur.

  Sometimes there is little method to the physical display. The dog is expected to take it whether or not it is the kind of physical affection he enjoys. Few dog owners stop to read their dog's needs and desires. A dog owner may find that the dog does not enjoy being petted — if by "petting" we mean rough jostling or pounding. Instead, like many humans, they greatly enjoy a more extended type of body contact — a kind of massage.