Jenn and the Dogs

What do you do if your dog hates his crate? Let’s say Fluffy has separation anxiety. Assuming Fluffy loves being her crate (it reminds her of the safety and comfort of a natural den) then a simple way to battle separation anxiety would be to keep Fluffy in her crate when you are not home. This way she feels calm and relaxed and safe while you are gone, and won’t be so anxious the entire time. But if Fluffy hates being in her crate (she whines and howls and barks and begs to be released like a caged prisoner) then keeping Fluffy in her crate while you are gone can add to her anxiety and make matters worse. Plus your neighbors will hate you for the hours of barking and whining they have to endure.

Fortunately, we can teach our dogs to love being in their crate! And only then can we use the crate for just about any situation that comes along.

The “How To” of Crate Training:

Step 1: Start crate training on a day off. If at all possible, take a weekend off and devote that time to crate training. This is because most dogs will not understand what’s going on until the 5^th or 6^th try if you’re lucky. And even then, they will need consistent practice until they fully realize that they are supposed to be quit and clam every time they’re in their crate. It will be time well invested though.

Start by placing a few tasty treats just inside the door of the crate. Make sure your dog sees you do this, and encourage him (vocally) to get the treats. It’s very important that you do not use your hands to physically make your dog go to the crate at this time. Let your dog approach the crate in his own time. If your dog is picky about treats, then use his favorite toy or other object to encourage him.

When your dog approaches the crate and reaches in for the treats, phrase him! It’s ok if your dog just picks up the treats and then leaves. But remember to praise him when he approaches the crate and not after he has left the crate.

Repeat step 1 until your dog will quickly and confidently approach the crate for his treats/toy every single time.

Step 2: Now you are going to place the treats in a little further. Place the treats about ¼ of the way inside the crate (or less for more timid dogs) so your dog has to stick his head into the crate in order to reach the treats. Again, encourage your dog to go in on his own and praise him when he does. You may have to show him the treats or point at the treats to reassure your dog that they are in there. Again, don’t worry if your dog just goes in and out. That’s fine and to be expected right now. Repeat step two until your dog will quickly and confidently stick his head into the crate and reach in for the treats every time.

Step 3: Now you are going to place the treats ½ of the way into the crate (or a little less for more timid dogs) so your dog has to go at least halfway into the crate in order to reach them. Encourage and praise the heck out of your dog while he is reaching into the crate!

Step 4: As you may have guessed, the next step is to place the treats ¾ of the way inside the crate and….

Step 5: Finally, you are going to place the treats at the very back of the crate, so your dog has to go all the way inside the crate to reach them. Encourage your dog to go into the crate to get the treats and praise him excitedly the entire time that he is in there. Do NOT close the crate door! Again, it is perfectly fine if your dog just goes straight in and out. He does not have to eat the treats inside the crate right now if he doesn’t want to. Repeat step 5 until your dog will willingly and confidently go all the way into the crate, to the very back, to get his treats. Tip: Do not toss the treats in because the noise they make when they land can scare some dogs (especially dogs that are normally skittish) and then they will be afraid to go into the crate. Reach in and place the treats down gently so they don’t clank.

Step 6: Place a few treats into the very back of the crate and encourage your dog to go in to get them. When your dog goes in, block the opening of the crate with your hands and arms so he can’t get out. Do not close the crate door; just use your hands and arms to block the opening. Expect some protesting from your dog. They will whine, bark, and try to poke there heads out. Do not give in! Do not even allow his little nose or little paw to stick out. Also, do not say anything while your dog is protesting. Just sit there quietly and continue to block the door until your dog calms down and is quite. Tip: Wear a thick sweat shirt and gloves to protect your hands and arms incase your dog tries to “dig” his way out.

Once your dog has calmed down and has been quiet for a few moments, you can let him out. Do not make a big deal out of releasing your dog or your dog will make an even bigger deal the next time you try this again. In fact, it’s best if you say nothing. You do not need to praise him right now because simply being released is plenty rewarding enough. The point of step six is to start teaching your dog that the sooner he calms down and is quite, the sooner he can have his freedom back. Repeat step 6 two or three more times max. After the third time, take you dog outside to use the bathroom, play with him, take him for walk or do some other enjoyable activity, and call it quits until later in the day.

Step 7: Repeat steps 1-6 at least 3 times a day for a week or how ever long it takes until your dog can easily get through all six steps with minimal protest or problems. Then continue with step 8.

Step 8: Place a few treats that take longer to eat (such as milk bones) and your dog’s favorite chew toy inside the crate, at the very end of the crate, and encourage your dog to go in and get them. Once your dog is inside the crate, close the door. Be very careful not to slam the door shut, that’s scary! Sit about three or so feet in front of your dog’s crate (or some where your dog can still see you) and do something quiet such as reading a book or checking your e-mail. 

Expect lots of protest from your dog! Even the calmest, most obedient dog will become an award winning drama queen during this step. Not only will they bark, whine, howl, and cry, but they will try a multitude of the most bizarre behaviors you’ve ever seen. I’ve seen dogs throw themselves against the door while clawing and scratching and howling as if they were being tortured. I’ve seen dogs throw a tantrum that would shame a toddler. Not only will they try nearly anything to get out, but they will keep it up. Some dogs will keep it up for hours, until they collapse from exhaustion. But no matter what, you must not give in! They are only acting and trying to fool you into letting them out. Don’t be a push over! Do not say anything to your dog; do not look at your dog or even turn in his direction. Just ignore it. Eventually your dog will realize that his protesting is not going to work and he’ll eventually settle down and chew on his chew toy or take a nap.

Wait until your dog has been clam and quiet for a full 5 minutes. Every time your dog misbehaves, wait until he calms down again and then start counting the minuets over from zero.  For example, if your dog has been quiet for 4 minuets and then starts to misbehave again, then you must start the clock over from zero minutes (so it might be more like an hour before your dog is actually quiet for a full 5 minuets).

Tip: If your dog continues to whine/bark/cry/etc. non stop for an hour or longer (or 30 minuets if you live in an apartment), then it is time to add a mild punishment for their behavior. Do not get up or walk over to your dog. Instead use a squirt bottle or squirt gun and squirt your dog from where you are sitting. You can also use a shaker can (an aluminum can with coins in it) and give it a couple shakes. Do not abuse or over use the squirt gun or shaker can. Think of it as a last resort. If you use these tools too often, they will become a crutch and your dog will never learn to be quiet on his own.

Once your dog has been calm and quiet for a full 5 minuets, you can let him out. Take him straight outside to use the bathroom and stretch his legs. Do not make a big deal out of releasing your dog or your dog will make an even bigger deal and misbehave even more the next time. Just silently and casually walk over and open the door. You do not need to praise your dog because his freedom is more then enough praise on its own.

Step 9: After you have let your dog out to use the bathroom and stretch, repeat step 8 two or three more times. Then call it quits until later in the day. Practice step 8 at least twice a day, but no more then three times a day max, for two weeks, or until your dog no longer puts up a fight and will be calm and quite in his crate right away.

Tip: Always take your dog outside to use the bathroom and stretch after every time you open the crate door. He might not have to pee every single time, but it will get your dog used to a routine and teach him not to worry, he will get a chance to go outside (which also helps with potty training!).

Step 10: Once your dog will accept being quiet in his cage for five minuets, you can begin to increase the amount of time he is left in there. Increase the time steadily over the course of a month or so. For example, 5 minutes to 15 minuets, to 30 minutes, to 1 hour, to 2 hours, to 3 hours, to 4 hours. You shouldn’t leave your dog in a crate for more then four hours at a time on a regular basis.

That’s it for now. In my next blog, I will go over how to teach your dog to automatically go to his crate when ever you tell him to, even from across the room! In the mean time, I’ve included a few tips below to help make crate training more enjoyable for your dog.

Tip 1: Dogs are natural den dwelling animals, so trying to make the crate seem as close to a real den as possible will help your dog like being in there. To do this, cover up the crate as much as possible with thick, heavy blankets, so it’s dark in there.

Tip 2: Make the inside more comfortable! Put some extra soft bedding in there. A word of warning though: this may be a bad idea for dogs who are not potty trained because they may pee on their bedding and not even realize it as it is absorbed by the bedding.

Tip 3: Leave a chew toy or two in there so your dog is not bored. Don’t put too many in though, or he will not have enough room!

Tip 4: Some trainers will tell you to feed your dog in their crate, but I’ve personally found this to be very false. It is ok to leave a few treats in there for them to find, but most dogs do not like having to eat their meals in the same spot where they nap.

Tip 5: When you are not using the crate, leave the door open anyways so your dog can go in-and-out of his crate on his own. I can guarantee you that at some point during crate training, you will start to notice your dog going into his crate on his own more often. When this happens, pat yourself on the back and give your dog a big hug, congratulations! Your dog officially likes his crate!

Good Luck,
Jenn

In addition to socialization, obedience training plays a major role when trying to combat aggression. I don’t know if Milo has any prior training, but if Milo can perform a solid sit-stay or down-stay, then you can use this to your advantage and have him lie down or sit and stay while other dog owners and their dogs pass by. This may even be a better place to start until you and Milo become comfortable enough to try meeting other dogs face to face. Start by practicng sit-stay and down-stay in your back yard until Milo will automaticaly respond correctly each time you give the command. Then try having Milo sit-stay or down-stay at random times during a walk (both with other dogs near and without other dogs near).

Good Luck – Jenn

Dear Adrienne,

It seems to me that Milo has a little bit more poodle in him then cocker spaniel. Poodles can be high-strung, but luckily poodles are extremely intelligent and easy to train. At the same time, cocker spaniels are known to be fearful and/or nervous around strangers (dog or human). As a cockapoo, Milo ’s got the best and worst of both breeds. DO NOT accept Milo ’s aggressive behavior. Giving up on your dog will only make his behavior worse. What Milo needs is some socialization training. Milo does not have to get along with every dog he sees, but he does have to at least learn to tolerate other dogs.

First of all, you need to stop pulling back on Milo ’s leash when another dog is near. I know pulling on the leash is a natural reflex that humans have, but the truth is when you pull tight on the leash, it triggers your dog’s guarding instincts which makes your dog want to attack even more. Most dogs are experts at reading human body language and sensing our feelings. When you see another dog walking towards you and you get nervous, start pulling on the leash, or start walking away to avoid the dog, Milo picks up those feelings within seconds. When a dog senses that his leader (owner) is nervous or scared, then the dog immediately goes into attack mode as an attempt to protect you. Do this often enough and Milo eventually realizes that it’s other dogs that make you nervous. So Milo gets used to being in attack mode at the very sight of another dog. Unfortunately, dogs don’t realize that’s actually their bad behavior that makes you nervous to be around other dogs.

Socializing Milo correctly, along with reminding yourself to be calm and collect, should do the trick. No more avoiding dogs. Instead, you should want Milo meet at least one new dog a day. Start slow. The next time you go for a walk with Milo and another dog comes along, ask the owner if it’s ok for the dogs to meet each other. Assuming the owner says yes, let Milo go up to the other dog and let them sniff each other for a few minutes. Remember to keep the leash loose!!!! Praise Milo for sniffing and checking out the other dog. Pet the other dog yourself and say “good doggy!” This will show Milo that you are not afraid of other dogs and he shouldn’t be either. Take no longer then a few minutes to do this, thank the dog’s owner, and continue on your way.

It’s ok if Milo barks and pulls on the leash to get to other dogs in the beginning. But if he nips, if he cowers with his tail between his legs and/or looks scared, then do not bother greeting that dog. Just continue on past them. If Milo will not fallow you willingly because he’s to busy trying to lung at another dog, try calling him in a happy, excited voice and give the leash a few little tugs while you walk away. This usually works better then dragging him off while scolding him. By the way, you do not want to scold him for his behavior in the beginning because this will cause Milo to associate strange dogs with negative attention. You want Milo to associate other dogs with positive attention, so try calling him excitedly and pat your legs or clap your hands to get his attention. Or just walk away without saying anything.

As for his behavior at home/in the yard, this may be a little more difficult to control because he may be guarding his territory. I recommend using a citronella collar if he usually barks while attacking. Citronella collars are the most human and the most effective and will work even when you are not home. All you do is fill the collar once a day with citronella spray (basically a solution of water and lemon juice) and turn the collar on. When your dog barks, the collar will automatically spray your dog. Dogs hate the way citronella smells and many dogs also hate being sprayed. It’s a very mild punishment, but it works wonders. Add a command such as “no” or “leave it” and Milo will soon learn to stop his bad behavior before he gets sprayed. The true beauty of a citronella collar is that it works even when you are not home. You can do the same thing a citronella collar does yourself by squirting your dog with a squirt bottle or by using a shaker-can, but the problem with those is that dogs quickly learn that they can still misbehave when you are not home to administer the punishment, and so training takes a lot longer. If you want to, you can use the citronella collar when going for walks too. But I strongly recommend that you turn the collar off when going for a walk and try to socialize Milo instead so you can get to the heart of the problem.

Let me know how it goes. Remember to go slow, at Milo ’s pace and comfort level. It will probably take a few months of daily practice until you see a major difference in his behavior. Good Luck J

Jenn

Puppy Pads claim to help make potty training easier and many people have come to believe that dogs automatically know how to use them.

This is very false. Yes, they are scented to attract your dog, but the truth is puppies have no idea that they are suppose to pee on these pads. Puppy pads really look like fun toys in the eyes of a puppy because they are basically giant pieces of tissue paper and anyone who has owned a puppy, or even an adult dog, knows how much joy puppies get from playing with and ripping up tissue paper…

If you want to use puppy pads, you first have to train your puppy to pee and poop on the pad. Sounds like extra work, doesn’t it? It is. Training your puppy to use puppy pads is an extra step before training them to go to the bathroom outside. It is not necessary to use puppy pads at all and most trainers will tell you to simply skip it. If you want your dog to use the bathroom outside, then train him to go outside. Not inside on a pad.

In addition to being extra work, using puppy pads can also cause your potty training to go backwards, cause confusion in your dog, and take LONGER to house break your puppy. This is because when you train your puppy to use puppy pads, you are training them to do their business in the house and, thus, you are teaching your dog that it is ok to do his business in your house. Sometimes this all a puppy learns because young puppies, and also some adult dogs, have a hard time telling the difference between a puppy pad and a rug or carpet, so they will just assume that it is ok to “go” anywhere in the house. This leads to more accidents on your floor and a bad habit is formed. Again, it is best to simply skip using puppy pads and take your puppy outside to use the bathroom from day one.

Now, there are some occasions in which using Puppy Pads is a good idea. People who live in an apartment and do not have a yard or outdoor area for their dog to use may, by all means, use puppy pads to create an indoor bathroom for their dog. Dogs who are injured, senior dogs that have a weak bladder, nursing mother dogs, puppies who are less then 10 weeks old, etc. can all benefit form having an indoor bathroom that a puppy pad would provide.

If you would feel more comfortable using puppy pads when you are not home (for example, if you work long hours and don’t want to worry about rushing home during your lunch break to let your dog out) and you do not mind the extra work it will take to teach your dog, then by all means go for it. I happen to live in an apartment on the second floor, and I taught my dogs to use puppy pads in addition to going outside because I do not really have a yard so the only time my dogs get to go outside is when we go for walks. It was extra work, but it was wroth it for me. And might I add that my 4 month old puppy still “misses” the pad every once in a while.

How do you teach your dog to pee on a Puppy Pad?

First decide where you want your dog’s indoor bathroom to be. To give you an idea, it should be far away from where your dog eats, sleeps, and plays. Dogs don’t want a toilet in their kitchen, bedroom, or living room any more then you do. The laundry room or hallway is a good idea. Do not put it in the basement unless your dog can already walk up and down the stairs on his own.  If you keep you dog in the kitchen when you’re not home, make sure you put the pad as far away from your dog’s food bowels as possible.

The rest of training is basically the same as training your puppy to go outside (see House Breaking 1) only instead of taking your puppy out side, you’re going to take him over to the pad.

Tip 1:  Use the leash and go with your dog! Just like going outside, you must put your dog’s leash on and go over to the pad with your dog. For a puppy, it’s helpful to pick up your puppy and place him on the pad. Encourage your dog to “go potty” when he’s on the pad in a happy, excited voice. And praise him when he does!

Tip 2:  For the first month or so of training, it’s helpful to place two or three pads down at a time so your puppy has more room to sniff around. Dogs like having room to sniff and find that perfect spot to go on. As your training progresses, you can decrease to two pads and then one pad. Use your dog’s leash and your hands to gently guide your dog over to the pads if they start to go on the edge and miss a bit. Do not punish your dog for “missing”. It will take time to perfect his aim.

Happy Training!
Jenn