Category: Problem Behavior

Calming Shelter Dogs

Michael Baugh, CPDT-KA, CDBC

Sometimes the best thing you can do for a shelter dog’s emotional well being is nothing at all. But, please don’t misunderstand. “Nothing” in this case doesn’t mean neglect. If fact, this kind of “doing nothing” takes a great deal of attention and patience.

Dogs in shelters live under a great deal of stress and constant stimulation. People are coming and going. The lights are on for long hours. Dogs are barking and jumping and pacing. It’s a heartbreaking cacophony to those of us who work and volunteer in shelters. For the dogs it’s nightmarish. And it leads to progressive behavioral deterioration.

It’s no wonder so many of these dogs are frenetic when we take them out of their runs. They jump on us with apparent glee. They wiggle and wag and pant. Their excitement is over-the-top. We’ve all seen this before. They are filled with joy to be out of there and interacting with us. That much is true. The trouble is they are so aroused by their environment that they have no idea how to control themselves around people. They look crazy. It’s no wonder. They live crazy lives.

Because we care and because we love them, many of us reflect their joy and excitement right back at them. We pet them; tussle their ears and talk our sweetest most energetic baby talk. Then we trot them out for potty time and exercise. There’s no real harm in that. We’re only human after all. But are we doing any good? Is this dog learning how to live in a home with a family? Or is he just learning to freak out and jump with exuberance on every new person he meets?

I know. Those are hard questions to ask ourselves.

Let’s try this instead and see how it works. Behave the way you want the dog to behave. It turns out that dogs are very good at reading our body language, facial expressions and overall emotional tone. Be calm and project that calm onto the dog. Take him out of his run quietly, with a gentle hello. Walk outside at a normal pace. It’s okay if he’s jumping and pulling. This is new and he’s been living the bad version of la vida loca. Patience. Once he’s gone potty find a nice place to sit and quietly give him focused attention. Exercise is a good thing, but shelter dogs need quiet “down time” more than anything. And if it’s with a human being (you) all the better. Just sit quietly and observe. Breathe. Loosen your shoulders. Wait for the dog to calm with you. This may take a while. Say nothing.

If the dog looks at you, smile and in a gentle cooing voice say “good.” When you pet him, do so gently and slowly. You’ll find it’s very easy to accidentally get him wound up again. That’s okay. Start over. Once he starts to calm again, whisper “good boy” or “very nice.” The words are less important than the sound of them, soft and relaxing. Imagine the dog laying down at your feet, drifting into the first relaxing moment he’s had all week. Pet with long gentle strokes, no scratching or tussling. Good. Treats for eye contact, sitting or laying down are fine. But you might notice food is arousing to the dog as well.

This calming technique is great for dogs in foster care or ones freshly adopted from shelters. It’s a perfect way to just chill out with a dog who’s otherwise been wound up all day. I do it with my own dog. And I recommend it for every dog you visit at the shelter. If you’re lucky enough to interact with the same dog more than once, see if you notice a change in his reaction to you. Most adopting families want a dog who can settle down and do nothing with them. And sure enough, that’s exactly what you’re teaching your shelter dogs. Do nothing. And enjoy.

Trainer, Heal Thyself

Michael Baugh, CPDT-KA, CDBC

The truth is trainers make the worst clients when it comes to training our own dogs.  We’re great with other people’s dogs.  Our own dogs, however, often leave a lot to be desired.  There, now the dirty little secret is out.  Here’s the other secret.  I have some problems with my dogs.

Okay, they aren’t bad problems, and I won’t bore you with the details.  Still, I decided I needed to pull in some help from other trainers to get my head on straight.  It got me to thinking, how do you choose a good trainer?

You can find information online about choosing a good trainer, but here’s how a trainer chooses a trainer.

  • First, I wanted someone with experience.  Education and book knowledge are essential, but years of success on the front lines are invaluable.  In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell found that 10 years of actual work in a particular profession is what it took to be an “expert.”  I buy that, so 10 years was my benchmark.
  • Second, I wanted a trainer who knew his or her behavior science.  Training fads come and go, but sound, proven behavior science endures the test of time.  My trainer had to be fluent in the science of Learning Theory.
  • Third, my trainer had to have a track record among his or her peers.  I specifically gravitated towards two independent certifications, Certified Professional Dog Trainer and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant.  Certifications from dog training schools tend to promote the school from whence they came.  They don’t carry the weight of an independent third party certification.
  • Finally, don’t frighten or hurt my dog.  Those things have no place in training.  Do wrong by my dog and you’re fired.  Period.

I hate to be the bad guy here, but there aren’t many people who meet all those qualifications.  Plus, there’s a lot at stake here.  I got a “professional courtesy,” but trainers can be expensive.  More importantly, we’re putting the well-being of our beloved dogs in their hands.  It’s important to do the extra work and find the right person to help you with your dog.

Who did I choose?  I really should make you wait until next month’s issue, but I won’t.  I called my good friends at DogSmart here in Katy.  My colleague, Peta Clarke, in Australia also lent her expertise.    Now you may want to know, how are my dogs doing?  They’ll be just fine, so long as I’m a good client and practice what I preach.

( originally published in Texas Cats & Dogs Magazine )

Play Biting Hurts Too

Michael Baugh, CPDT-KA, CDBC

You don’t need a dog trainer to tell you this, but I will anyway.  Getting bitten by a dog hurts, and putting the word “play” or “puppy” in front of it doesn’t make it hurt any less.  It does, however, say a lot about the intention behind the bite.  We sometimes call that the function of the bite.  It’s basically what the dog is getting for his biting effort.  Knowing that can help us stop the problem.

Dogs who bite out of anger or fear usually get relief when they bite.  Whatever it was they were angry at or afraid of, goes away.  If they were upset by an activity (being groomed for instance), the bite stops the activity at least for a little while.  The function of biting is to stop something, or make something go away.  These can be tricky cases for behavior consultants because part of the solution is to help the dog like the thing or activity that currently makes him bite.  (More on that another time).

Dogs and puppies who bite while playing are trying to get something going.  They don’t want you to go away; and they don’t want an activity to end.  Instead, they want your attention, your full attention, now.  The function of biting is to start something, or get something.  It works too, doesn’t it?  We may spend hours ignoring our dog, but the minute he grabs hold of our pant leg look what happens.  He’s now the center of attention.  We stop everything to attend to our little shark.

By the time I get called in on these cases, the dog in question is usually pretty good at getting people’s attention by biting.  I like to look for what gets the dog started on his biting rampage.  Sometimes it’s just the site of a person.  Other times it’s a fun game that gets out of control.  I also like to look at what happens immediately after the dog bites.  Most of the time the dog gets a whole lot of attention.  Remember, even scolding is attention.  In either case, we’re actually teaching the dog to bite more.

What can we do about it?  The answer is, a lot.  First, steel up your nerves and take a deep breath.  Biting in general is very impersonal.  It’s just a behavior that yields a result.  We can influence what starts the biting.  If you know what activity gets your dog going, avoid it for the time being.  (Example: if wrestling with your dog gets him started on biting, stop that activity).  We also have control over many of the consequences of biting.  If your dog is biting for attention, withhold that attention.  I recommend taking the process a step further.  The opposite of attention isn’t ignoring; it’s ending social contact altogether.  Put the dog in his crate for a short time out.  He’ll learn quickly that his teeth don’t get him what he wants, which is you.

We can and should also teach our dog good manners, proactively.  We don’t want to spend our whole relationship with our dog reacting to his biting.  Instead, show him what really gets your attention.  In my household, sitting, attentive watching and coming when called get my attention every time.  Tricks do too.  I especially like it when my dog, Stella, rests her chin on my knee.  Too cute.  Shower your dog with attention for those good behaviors, and always be on the lookout for your dog doing something right.

(originally published in Houston Dog Blog)