Unwanted Behavior:
Jumping/Digging/Chewing/Mouthing
Nipping/Barking/House Soiling
The simplest and most difficult way to discourage a behavior is to ignore it. Some behaviors you may have to re-direct.
Stop your dog with a short, sharp noise (eh-eh) give them the correct thing to do, and praise them.
Supervise your dog, if your not watching them you can’t correct or reward their behavior.
(close doors/put things out of reach/pick up items off floor) See "how to start training your dog".
* Don’t chase the Dog. Never get physical with them, NO scruff shakes or “Alpha Rolls” or hitting or prying things out of their mouths (exception: if it is an object that will harm him, and you need it out of his mouth quickly).
Remember if you control their environment they don’t get rewarded for getting a hold of something.
TIME OUTS: This is used if they keep doing an unwanted behavior like jumping on your couch or grabbing at you and you have tried to correct them to stop it, but they aren’t listening and are out of control. Give them a time out.
You can use a crate if they really like their crate, if they don’t like going in it then use something else, either a tie down or a dog proof room. Only use a 20 to 30 second timeout. If they whine or bark do not let them out, ignore it, wait for at least 3 seconds of calm before release. If they go back to the behavior, correct them, if they don’t listen? repeat time out. They are never in a time out for longer than 30 seconds. Try to redirect the behavior to toy or something they can do, even practice cues, like sit , down, stay or take it, drop it, leave it, when they have learned these cue words. Don’t ask for something your dog doesn’t know yet.
MOUTHING/NIPPING: They need to learn not to put their teeth on you. We use the same corrections dogs use to communicate with each other. Do a “Yip” very high pitch or if your dog likes squeaky toys you may need to go to a low pitch howl, men need to maybe do a deep guttural “BAA“ or “Eh” sound. The “yip” is meant to sound like a wounded puppy. If they tend to escalate their behavior when you play, then play in an area you can leave but they can’t follow you, like behind a baby gate or in an exercise pen area, that keeps them in an area also if you’re still trying to potty train and keeps them from following you and nipping at your heels. Stop what ever game you are playing, walk away for 20 seconds, then, redirect them to a toy or chew stick then praise them for chewing on that. If they nip at your heels when you’re walking around, then you can use the same sound and stop, or if they persist then go into a room for 20 seconds then come back out and redirect them to an appropriate toy or chew, then praise them when they chew on it. We need to lessen the pressure of their bite until eventually they don’t put teeth on your skin or clothing. So always start with just hard bites, then as they get less intense then go to just small pressure bites until they do it a little mouthy , then stop them all together no teeth on you, they need to learn we are sensitive creatures, this helps teach mouthing inhibition. We would like to make sure if an emergency bite from the dog occurs, due to say: stepping on their tail for instance; the dog may strike, but with what intensity? I would want a really soft mouth on my leg, not a full on bite, (because the dog doesn’t know we are sensitive with teeth), so they need to correct us with less force. This is why I teach it this way, thank you Dr. Ian Dunbar.
CHEWING: Supervise your dog when you give them anything new to chew on, what do they do with the new object. Most dogs chew until they are 2 to 3 years old, and even older (If they don’t like to chew or not allowed to chew, they may experience dental problems in their future). Make a sound if they are chewing on something inappropriate, like “hey hey “, this is used as a startle aid to stop the behavior so that you can redirect them to something they can get praised for chewing on.You can give them a box for their toys and hide small treats in it, this way they go to the box and they get rewarded for it. They will start to return to the box to look for treats and they will find treats and a toy to chew on . Rotate the toys, don’t give them 20 toys to choose from, divide them in half and put the others away in a closet and then after a week change them out, this makes them think they have new ones or since they have not seen them in a while they get excited about them all over again. Check for chew damage and either repair or replace as needed.
DIGGING: Most digging is done out of boredom or trying to find a mate. Some breeds of dogs dig, it’s wired into them. You may never be able to stop them from digging but you can redirect them. Give them an area to dig in, a kid’s pool (holes poked in to drain water) or use 2 x 4 ‘s and some sand and bury treats and certain toys in it. This way they get rewarded for digging in the place you designate. Remember they can get rewarded by you or the environment. If they are digging under the fence you may have to bury chicken wire, or chain link fencing under it, most dogs that escape are either not fixed (spayed/neutered) or they are bored and when they get out they get to have fun and explore (this is the environment rewarding them), or they find the mate they were looking for. If your dog doesn’t eat their feces then you can always put their feces in the holes they were digging. Also you can bury a trash can lid in the hole, or put in sharp type of rocks or Large rocks that are harder to dig at. Don’t let them see you digging in a garden, they will see you’re having fun so they will join in. Always exercise your dog before you leave them outside, a tired dog is a wonderful dog, they will sleep. A bored dog is a dangerous dog they will find something to do. Give them something to do, a Kong* and/or a Buster Cube*, hide their food all over so they have to forage for it, don’t bury it..
Jumping on sofa/couch/chairs:
Teach them "off" if he jumps up there, tell him Off in a very low tone, deep voice and move towards him, with a hard stare even snap your finger and point to the floor, if he doesn’t see you as the leader he might not do it, if he doesn’t and say he turns his head away from you or lays there and wags his tail not taking you seriously, then go forward on the chair or couch, use your body, either on the couch, so you scoot towards them, use your butt, to slide yourself towards them, essentially taking their space slowly until you crowd them enough for them to get off the couch or chair; or if the dog growls or gives something threatening, stop, wait a couple of seconds and get a treat and get him off the couch by making sweet kissy noises and offer treat, keep something on the couch until you can get to a behaviorist or a trainer so you can avoid confrontation.
Threats by dog need to be addressed by a trainer, or Certified Behaviorist (DO NOT DO ANY OF THIS IF THEY ARE GROWLING OR SNAPPED AT YOU). To try and keep him off couch, while you seek help from a Behaviorist, so you don’t have a confrontation see "when not home".
When not home: Get a plastic carpet runner, it has little bitty spikes on the down side, place one of these spiky side up, (cut to fit the couch) and when he tries to jump up again, the couch will bite him (punish him) not you, it makes the couch uninviting. The more spikes on the underside the better, but watch for large dagger like spikes, (like what’s on some computer chair mats) we don’t want to injure the dog, just make the object uninviting, if need be, use a cover to buffer the spikes that are large daggers so it’s uncomfortable only. Or you can use boxes until you get one of these.
When home: If he is jumping up there even though you tell them Uh-Uh when he starts to jump and ignores you, then he is defying you, another "I think I’m in charge and I’ll do what I want" move, or testing you to see where they belong in your family structure, if they are under a year old ( you need to get control of your house back), I would start the NILIF rules and read the Leader/Follower articles here on Factoidz.
If he is not listening he needs a time out, (never more than 30 seconds), put him in the crate, (if he Likes his crate, if the dog is not comfortable with his crate do not use it for anything bad, a crate should always be a good event), if not, put them in a dog proof room, or on a tie out, (I have always used a metal loop screwed into a stud in the kitchen or hall wall when my dogs got larger), the bottom oven door with a 2 foot cable or old leash attached to it, (use an area devoid of entertainment, so they have to realize their action cause this reaction) clip them there and turn your back on them or walk away, for 30 seconds, if they are quiet afterwards then un hook them, if they go back to the couch and you tell them Uh-uh and they jump up anyway, say Off, if they don’t, back to tie out for 30 seconds, repeat until, they stop defying you and ignoring you. If they whine or cry during time out, you must wait for 3 seconds of quiet, (in addition to the 30 second time out, if they aren’t quiet after the 30 seconds is up, you must wait additional 3 seconds for quiet if need be), don’t let them off tie out if making noise.
For any visitors or relatives who come over, remove the plastic from the couch or chairs,…unless it’s someone you don’t want visiting…LOL
Counter Surfing: This is tough because they get on the counter because they have been rewarded, (environment rewarded them) so we must make the counter correct them, tell them "off" and step towards them like we did with the bed/couch above, when you’re there, but they usually just wait till you are not present. (You can use "leave it" once they learn this cue). Use a smell he has never smelled before, this way you can put the smell on the edge of the counter, instead of the actual cans. The dog wil assocaite that smell with the crazy cans crashing and it should keep them at bay as long as the smell is there.
Set up a booby trap. One person distracts the dog, while the other sets up the trap. Get a bunch of soda cans and put rocks or coins in them, tape the opening closed. Use a cookie sheet, or even a sheet of newspaper or regular writing paper depending on the area your trying to protect. Set the cans in a 2 tier level type setup on the paper or cookie sheet and put the booby trap on the edge of the counter, then leave the area. When the dog jumps up it should cause the whole thing to fall forward and make all the noise and commotion, this will cause you to come forward, and tell them eh-eh! have the other person distract the dog again, by calling them. Then reset the trap and do it again.
They must not see you do the set up, or be allowed to sniff and check out the cans, the smell of the counter edge is the only thing he needs to smell which he will do when he goes to investigate the counter. Ask co-workers or family or friends and neighbors for their cans if you don’t have them or drink anything in cans.
When you leave the house, and if the dog is loose, make sure all stuff is put away, that way they are not rewarded by the wonderful things on the counters and get rewarded by them.
BARKING: This behavior is one of the ones neighbors do not overlook. This is also a behavior done out of boredom most of the time, but also Breed specific, outside stimulation, being teased or harassed. They get separated from you and they need to sound off to see if you answer. If other dogs answer they keep talking. You have to find out why the dog barks, is it Boredom, separation anxiety, answering other dogs or protecting territory?
If they get into a habit of barking they will continue because it can be a stress reliever and sort of a high for them. Boredom can be just as simple as giving them something to do, a BusterCube*, a Kong* with tasty stuff frozen inside, Nylabone*, throw their food out in the yard (no rain that day) and have them forage for it, some breeds of dogs like a tough tire or hide type of toy hanging from a tree so they can play tug with it or tiring them out with exercise (a good walk, maybe use a backpack adding weight gradually) and/or play. Answering other dogs or protecting territory (they can’t protect your house if they need to, if they are outside) may be fixed with putting your dog inside and turning the radio on to drown out the other sounds.
Teach them to be “quiet”, by triggering the behavior (ask for doorbell ring or knock on door) then stepping towards them and saying “quiet” (stepping towards them makes them startled), and they stop, then after 3 seconds reward and praise them, do it again but this time ask for 4 seconds of quiet, then again and ask for 5 seconds and so on, going longer and longer for each quiet before they get treat.
A can with a few pennies taped up inside, or 2 lids banging together can be used as the startle aid also, same procedure, give command of “quiet” if they don’t: Don’t look at them, rattle can to startle them, then give treat for 3 seconds of quiet and repeat as needed and ask for longer quiet each time, first time 3 seconds, next time 4 seconds, then 5 seconds etc…
For a water bottle it’s the same procedure as a can of pennies, don’t let them see the bottle or where the water came from, hide under your forearm or arm pit, or use a paper or magazine to hide it and AGAIN don’t look at them, if they don’t see eye contact they usually won’t realize it came from you. Keep them guessing.
You must ask for longer and longer quiet before praise or rewarding, don’t forget to reward if they choose not to bark when they normally would have.
Another method is to put the bark on cue, I know it sounds counter productive to teach them to bark, but if you teach them to bark you can slso show them what quiet is. Trigger the bark by the above method, say bark right before the ring, then tell them good boy and treat, keep doing it, then ask them to speak, and they should without the ring, put a treat at their nose, it’s hard to bark and smell at the same time, when they stop then say "quiet" and treat them, if they bark before you ask them correct it with uh-uh, and don’t give treat for it, they get it for quiet good dog. then at other times have a bark fest, then quiet them. They only get treats for barking when you say to. Get longer and longer times for quiet.
See the factoidz already published on here for Potty training: http://factoidz.com/positive-potty-training/
and for Jumping up on you and others:http://factoidz.com/take-a-positive-approach-to-preventing-your-dog-from-jumping-on-you/
I hope this helped, please post a question to any of our experts, we’d be happy to try and help.
There will be more training lessons coming. Please talk to an Accredited or Certified trainer in your area. All dog are not the same and each have unique personalities.
copyright: K9linguist (Full Member APDT and Authorized CGC Evaluator)
