Our article tells you more about the importance of keeping your dog active, in addition to providing you with tips for boosting your dog’s activity levels with fun indoor and outdoor activities.

What Is Active Dog Month?

Active Dog Month was created fairly recently by Natasha Thompson, blogger and creator of the website Om Shanti Pups. After noticing that her dogs were showing signs of cabin fever after being cooped up for a long period during winter, she became proactive in highlighting how important dog activity is to their mental health and physical health.

Now, every April, Active Dog Month occurs, which encourages dog owners to pay even more attention to their dogs’ exercise needs and incorporate fun indoor and outdoor activities into their dogs’ daily schedules.

How Much Exercise Does My Dog Need?

Keeping your dog active is essential, and walking your dog is something that all dog owners know they need to do.

However, the amount of exercise that your dog needs does vary on their size and breed; some dogs are much more active than others and need to be playing or working outdoors daily to receive enough exercise, while other dogs have energy in short bursts and prefer to roam around a backyard in small sessions to get their steps in.

You should note that, while tailoring your dog’s exercise needs to their size and personality is important, activity for your dog doesn’t just apply to physical exercise. Your dog will need cognitive activity and stimulation to stay mentally happy, and this can be achieved through games, puzzle toys, and training.

Some dogs, more than others, need a fair amount of training and mental stimulation to prevent them from engaging in destructive behaviors due to boredom.

Important Reasons to Keep Your Dog Active

The following are all important benefits of keeping your dog active. As we mentioned above, there are virtually no downsides to spending time with your dog and keeping them active, save for the muddy paws you might get during outdoor adventures.

Boost Your Dog’s Mood and Health

Most dogs were not created to live a sedentary life, and the majority of dog breeds have their origins in hunting or acting as an outdoor companion to their humans. If your dog isn’t active enough, they can develop lethargy, destructive behaviors, or other behavioral problems that leave both of you more stressed.

However, with the proper amount of exercise, mental stimulation, and activity alongside their owners each day, your dog will have an outlet for their energy and they will be both happier and healthier.

Keep Your Dog Fit

For many dog breeds, obesity and weight gain are genetic issues, and other health issues may be related to a lack of exercise. You can keep your dog fit and in good condition by providing them with plenty of activity, and this will help them feel their best and ensure that any potential health conditions are kept at bay for as long as possible.

Remember, regular exercise and a proper diet and care routine are all essential in keeping your pup healthy.

Strengthen Your Bond with Your Dog

Dogs are social creatures, and most dogs form very strong bonds with their families. You can strengthen this bond with your dog and provide them with the socialization they need by working on training with your pup, taking them to a park to play with other dogs in a monitored location, and spending time at their side while you engage with them mentally.

Your dog will get their physical and mental activity needs met like this, and both of you will feel closer to each other.

Provide Mental Stimulation

Mental stimulation is a vital part of your dog’s activity, and many dog breeds need training, in addition to other puzzles and games throughout their day, to stay mentally healthy.

It’s important not to forget that dogs can have mental health issues too, and that a lot of behavioral problems can stem from not having enough mental stimulation to keep their minds active and engaged throughout the day.

Counteract Behavioral Problems

When your dog has received ample amounts of mental and physical stimulation, they expend a great amount of their energy. This means that the pent-up energy they could have used to bark all day, chew your shoes, or knock over a trash can is gone, and your dog will be less likely to act in destructive or aggressive manners.

However, if you are still struggling with your dog’s behavior even after providing them with plenty of physical and mental stimulation, then a trip to the vet and professional trainer may be necessary.

Encourage Better Sleep

Lots of activity in their day means lots of chances for your dog to play, exercise their mind, and release any energy they may have. This means better sleep for your dog and the potential for longer rest periods between activities, something many pet parents enjoy and take advantage of to go out to work or for an evening.

When your dog is sleeping well at home, you don’t have to worry about them being energetic and destructive while you aren’t around to monitor them.

Ideas for Fun Dog-Friendly Activities

Fortunately, spending time with your dog is easy, and many pet parents may always be thinking of the next fun activity to do with their dog. We list both indoor and outdoor activities below to give you some enjoyable ideas for keeping your dog happy and active.

Indoor Training

Indoor training is great for a rainy day or when you want to give your dog some extra activity time without stepping outside of your home. We recommend learning tricks to give your dog both mental and physical stimulation inside, and you can make your indoor activity time with your dog even more fun by utilizing high-value treats and lots of affection as a reward. We also offer an online course on indoor activities you can do with your dog to help keep them active and engaged.

Outdoor Training

Outdoor training can be more extensive, as you and your dog will typically have more space to move around and learn. If you choose to engage in outdoor training with your dog, make sure that they are on a leash or in a fenced-in area to prevent any accidents where they run away.

You should also make sure your dog knows the basics of obedience before moving them to more complex or difficult tasks to learn. To help your pup master these basics, you can take our comprehensive basic obedience training program online, which will help get your dog ready to take on more intensive training challenges!

Dog Park Visits

Dog park visits are one of the best ways to keep your dog both mentally and physically stimulated, as these visits ensure they can run around in a safe location, interact with other dogs, and spend time outdoors. Just make sure when visiting a dog park that you keep an eye on your dog to ensure that their play remains harmless, as sometimes other dogs can be unpredictable.

Day Hikes

When the weather is nice enough, a day hike is a great way to spend the day with your pup and give them all the physical exercise and mental stimulation they need. Day hikes typically involve a long walk, lots of things to sniff or investigate, and the chance to interact with other humans or dogs on the walk.

When taking a hike with your dog, make sure to pack them enough water, bring paw protection if necessary, and keep them on a leash. Only choose a hike that your dog can reasonably achieve with their energy levels, size, and strength.

Puzzle Toys

Puzzle toys are a great option for giving your dog mental stimulation when you aren’t around, since these toys can keep your dog engaged as you leave your home for the day.

Many times, dog owners will choose to fill a puzzle toy with treats or peanut butter and let their dog spend time figuring out how to get their favorite treats. This is exciting for the dog and allows them to exercise their minds.

Take a Swim

Whether or not you and your pup visit a local lake or dog-friendly water park depends on your dog’s personality – some pups love getting wet, while others hate the feel of water on their paws.

That being said, taking your dog for a walk and a swim in a dog-friendly location can be a great way to change up your outdoor activities with your pup.

Create an Obstacle Course

It may take a little bit of extra time, but creating an obstacle course for your dog, inside or outside, is a wonderful way to exercise their minds and bodies. You can build your obstacle course as large or small as you would like, and you may want to fill the paths with treats and toys to encourage your dog to find their way throughout the course.

Playing in an obstacle course throughout the day and training on an obstacle course is one of the best ways to keep your dog both mentally and physically active.

An Active Dog Is a Happy Dog

Staying active is essential for many dogs, even though every dog has different exercise and mental stimulation needs. It’s important when adopting a dog that you understand your pup will need dedicated playtime, regular walks, and other activities to keep them both healthy and happy throughout their lives.

As we celebrate Active Dog Month in April, make sure to give your pup some extra play sessions, longer walks, and a fun time training to ensure they are exercising, active, and enjoying their time at your side. If you’d like help getting your pup more active through training, you can book a free 30-minute consultation with one of our dog trainers today!

The post Active Dog Month: The Importance of Keeping Your Dog Active appeared first on Dog Academy.

Another common displacement behavior is sniffing the ground or objects, which allows dogs to divert their attention from conflicting situations.

In this article, we’re going to talk about displacement behavior in dogs and why it happens.

Causes of Displacement Behavior in Dogs

There are many things that can lead to displacement behavior. One of the main reasons is social conflict, such as when a dog doesn’t know how to act around a dominating or strange person.

Stressful things in the environment, like loud noises or changes in habit, can also cause them to move around. Also, when a dog is in pain or discomfort, it may act in a way that helps distract it from the pain or discomfort. Understanding the reasons behind these behaviors can help you deal with and control them effectively.

Observing and Interpreting Displacement Behavior in Dogs

To understand why dogs move, it’s important to watch and understand the signs they give. Watch out for rapid changes in behavior, like a lot of grooming or sniffing. Note the situation in which these behaviors happen and look at the dog’s body language as a whole.

By observing a dog’s displacement behavior and figuring out what it means, we can learn a lot about how it feels and how to meet its needs.

How to Address Displacement Behavior in Dogs

To deal with displacement behavior, you need to be kind and patient. First and foremost, it’s important to give the dog a safe and loving place to live. Give them lots of mental and physical things to do to help them relax.

Positive reinforcement training can also be used to change and support the behaviors that you want. When dealing with displacement behavior, it can also be helpful to get help from a qualified dog behaviorist or trainer.

Displacement Behavior vs. Aggressive Behavior

Some dogs can get a bit aggressive when they’re under stress. It’s essential that you understand your dog’s behavior so you can rectify it. Despite the aggressiveness, it’s not necessarily “aggressive behavior.”

Let’s take a look at the difference between displacement and aggressive behavior:

Understanding the Difference

It is important to tell the difference between a dog’s displacement behavior and its violent behavior. Dogs use displacement behavior as a way to deal with mental problems, while aggressive behavior is caused by anger or the desire to hurt.

Most of the time, behavior caused by stress isn’t dangerous or harmful, but violent behavior can be dangerous and should be dealt with carefully.

Misreading a dog’s behavior as violence can cause people to be afraid of them or even hurt them. To safeguard the well-being of both dogs and people, it is important to learn about the differences between the two. By knowing about displacement behavior, we can treat our dogs with compassion and react in the right way.

Identifying Aggressive Behavior in Dogs

To tell if a dog is being aggressive, you need to look for certain signs. Some of these signs are barking, spitting, showing teeth, lunging, and biting. Dogs usually act aggressively when they think they are in danger or when they feel trapped. If you think a dog is acting aggressively, you need to get professional help right away to keep others from getting hurt.

The Psychological Aspect of Displacement Behavior

We know that stress is usually the main culprit behind displacement behavior in dogs, but here’s a bit more detailed look at why it happens.

Displacement behavior has a lot to do with cognitive conflict. Dogs have cognitive dissonance when their feelings or wants are at odds with each other. Displacement behavior is a way to deal with the discomfort that this cognitive conflict can cause. Dogs can temporarily get rid of their inner conflict by engaging in displacement behavior.

Coping Mechanisms for Emotional Conflict

Dogs have different ways of dealing with mental problems and displacement behavior is one of them. They might also try to get support from their owners, go to a safe place, or play to take their minds off of the problem.

It’s important to keep a dog’s surroundings as stress-free as possible and give them ways to relax and calm down. By making dogs less stressed, we can help them relax and calm down, thus mitigating their displacement behavior.

Displacement Behavior in Different Contexts

Here are some situations where dogs may display displacement behavior:

1. Displacement in Social Interactions

Dogs often show displacement behavior in social situations, especially when they meet people or dogs who are dominating or new to them. This lets them get rid of the stress that comes from these meetings.

As responsible dog owners, it’s important to give our dogs the chance to interact with other people in a controlled environment so that displacement behavior doesn’t happen as often.

2. Displacement Behavior at Home

Dogs can act like they are in a different place even when they are at home. Displacement behavior can be caused by changes in routine, the arrival of new family members, or stressors in the surroundings.

By giving our dogs a stable and safe setting, we can help stop them from running away and give them a sense of stability.

3. Displacement Behavior in Training and Obedience

Even during training and obedience lessons, dogs can show signs of displacement behavior. Dogs may engage in behavior such as excessive sniffing, scratching, or turning away to get rid of the stress they feel during training.

To mitigate their displacement behavior, training lessons need to be done with patience and positive reinforcement.

Case Studies: Real-World Examples of Displacement Behavior

To help you get a better idea of what displacement behavior in dogs is like, we’ve provided some examples below:

Case 1: The Nervous Shelter Dog

In this case, a rescue dog named Max is acting out because he has been hurt in the past. When people approach Max, he does a lot of sniffing and licking to draw attention away from his anxiety. By giving Max a calm and reassuring setting, consistent training, and positive reinforcement, he gradually stops doing things that make him feel uncomfortable.

Case 2: Conflicting Emotions in a Family Dog

When her owners fight or are tense, a family dog named Bella engages in displacement behavior. As a way to deal with her feelings, Bella cleans herself or shakes vigorously. By making Bella’s surroundings calm and peaceful and dealing with the problems that are causing the tension, her displaced behavior is greatly reduced.

Case 3: Displacement Behavior During Grooming

A dog named Charlie scratches the ground a lot when he is being groomed. This is a form of displacement behavior. Charlie is able to avoid thinking about how uncomfortable brushing is by doing this.

By using methods of positive reinforcement and introducing grooming activities, Charlie’s displacement behavior is slowly replaced with more constructive habits.

Training Techniques to Reduce Displacement Behavior in Dogs

When dealing with displacement behavior, it is important to use good teaching methods. Positive feedback is a very effective way to reward the behavior you want and change the behavior you don’t want.

Training works best when there is consistency, kindness, and clear communication. It’s important to keep in mind that training should always take place in a calm and friendly place.

The Role of Environment in Managing Displacement Behavior in Dogs

The setting has a big effect on how dogs act. It is very important to provide a safe and secure atmosphere that is not too stressful. Dogs should be able to play with interactive toys and get regular exercise to keep their minds and bodies busy. By making the environment balanced and interesting, we can help stop dogs from acting out and improve their general well-being.

Displacement Behavior in Working and Service Dogs

You might think that working or service dogs are less prone to stress, but they tend to display displacement behavior as well in certain situations.

The Unique Challenges of Working Dogs

Working dogs, like police or search-and-rescue dogs, have to deal with unique problems that can make them act out. These dogs are often in stressful scenarios and may have trouble dealing with their feelings. To keep working dogs from acting out, it is important for their trainers to give them the right training, support, and chance to relax.

Balancing Work and Emotional Health

Working dogs need to find a good balance between their jobs and their mental health. These dogs need a lot of time to rest, unwind, and keep their minds active.

For managing displacement behavior, it is important to give them regular breaks and do things that help them relax. By putting their mental health first, you can make sure they are happy and good at their jobs in the long run.

Strategies for Minimizing Displacement in Service Dogs

Service dogs are very important for helping people with disabilities, but because of the demands of their job, they may also sometimes show displacement behavior. Using tactics like regular exercise, training with positive reinforcement, and planned breaks, you can help stop service dogs from experiencing excessive stress.

Seeking Professional Help for Displacement Behavior in Dogs

When dealing with a dog’s displacement behavior, you may need to get help from a professional. Certified dog behaviorists or teachers are experts in figuring out and changing how dogs act.

They can give customized advice, help, and training on how to deal with specific behaviors. Getting help from a professional makes sure that the dog’s wants are met and its well-being comes first.

The Ethical Aspect: Understanding and Empathy

As dog parents, it’s our job to understand and care about what our dogs are going through. By learning about how dogs behave when they show displacement behavior, we can react to their needs with kindness and patience. It is important to make sure that our furry friends live in a setting that is peaceful and helpful.

Ethical Considerations to Keep In Mind When Training and Handling

When we train and handle dogs, we should think about what is right and wrong. Using positive reinforcement instead of punishment helps build trust and improve the relationship between people and their dogs. By being kind and respectful to our dogs, we can create a safe setting that makes for a good relationship.

Promoting a More Compassionate Approach

It is very important to encourage a more caring way of understanding and dealing with displacement behavior. By letting people know about displacement behavior and teaching them about it, we can help build a society that cares about and respects the mental well-being of dogs.

Build a Healthier Relationship With Your Dog by Understanding Its Behavior

To have good ties with our dog friends, we need to understand how they behave when they are under a lot of stress. By noticing and understanding our dogs’ displacement behaviors, we can meet their emotional needs in a better way.

Through empathy, training with positive reinforcement, and creating a supportive setting, we can help stop our furry friends from running away and build a healthy, happy relationship with them!

The post Displacement Behavior in Dogs appeared first on Dog Academy.

Dogs with separation anxiety can be extremely difficult to crate train – the crate should feel like a safe and secure space, but being kept away from us can make them feel the opposite.

That’s why today, we’ll cover some practical tips for crate training a dog with separation anxiety.

What Is Dog Separation Anxiety?

According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), “separation anxiety is when your dog exhibits extreme stress from the time you leave him alone until you return.”

The telltale signs of separation anxiety in dogs are:

• Exhibits stress or agitation when you’re about to leave
• Engaging in destructive behaviors when you’re not around
• Barking, whining, howling, or pacing
• Scratching at doors
• Trembling
• Having accidents inside the house
• Drooling, panting, or excessive salivation
• Attempts to escape the house (or get to the room you’re in), even if they injure themselves

Separation anxiety can be the result of several things, from genetics and trauma to a lack of proper socialization. Some breeds are more prone to separation anxiety than others, such as cavalier spaniels, border collies, and Labrador retrievers.

Crate Training a Dog With Separation Anxiety: Step-By-Step Guide

Crate training a dog with separation anxiety can take several months, so it’s important you remain patient, calm, and collected throughout the process. Be persistent but don’t push them too far, as otherwise, you could increase their fear of the crate (and being left alone!).

Positive reinforcement – also known as reward-based training – is by far the best approach. Punishment will only serve to elevate your dog’s anxiety and stress levels. Studies have shown that punishment-based methods can even increase aggressive and destructive behavior in dogs.

Before you begin crate training your dog, make sure they’re not wearing a collar or tag. These items can easily end up catching on the crate’s walls and injure your pup. You should also ensure the crate is the appropriate size – it should be spacious enough that they can move around easily but still enclosed enough that it doesn’t feel too open and exposed.

Introducing the Crate

Set up the crate in a quiet corner of the house where your pup will feel more at ease. Avoid busy areas like the kitchen or living room; constant noise and movement can elevate stress levels. Of course, some dogs might prefer the comfort of a social space. Every dog is different, and you know your dog best.

Once you’ve set up the crate in your desired location, leave the door open and encourage your dog to explore it. It’s crucial you don’t force them into the crate or pressure them.

Every time they look at the crate, praise them and reward them with a treat. If you use clicker training with your dog, click as soon as they engage with the crate.

Each time your dog becomes more confident, increase the difficulty of the reward criteria. For example, instead of rewarding them for looking at the crate, reward them for going near the crate. This technique is known as “shaping,” and it’s a fantastic way to get an anxious dog to engage with training without feeling pressured.

Anxious dogs may refuse to approach the crate, especially if they’ve had bad experiences with it in the past. If this is the case, there are a few tactics you can try:

• Lure your dog by scattering their favorite toys and treats near the crate.
• Sit beside the crate and speak to your dog in a high-pitched, excitable voice. This will pique your pup’s curiosity.
• Start smaller: disassemble the crate and simply put the crate’s bottom tray out for them to explore. As they grow more confident, gradually reassemble the crate, making sure to reintroduce them each time you add another part.

Making the Crate a Positive Environment

Dogs with separation anxiety tend to associate a crate with anything but a positive experience. After all, it keeps them away from you. Considering this, it’s important you make the crate a fun, safe, and comfortable environment. Here’s how:

• Add a soft, cushioned bed inside the crate. Ideally, opt for a bolster bed. A bolster bed has raised edges which can help anxious dogs feel more secure.
• Add a blanket covered in your scent.
• Feed your pup their meals close to their crate, and gradually move their dinner bowl inside it. They’ll soon learn to associate the pleasurable experience of eating with the crate.
• Fill the crate with treats, toys, and puzzle games to keep them entertained, happy, and busy. Swap out toys regularly to prevent boredom.
• You’ll want to particularly incorporate anxiety-relieving toys. Calming sprays can potentially help some dogs.

Keep at this process until your dog willingly (and happily) stays inside the crate. Don’t attempt to shut the crate door at this stage – remember, patience is the best approach.

Increasing Crate Time

The next step is to encourage your dog to stay in the crate with the door closed.

• Wait until your dog is inside the crate. Then, feed them a treat and slowly shut the door. Avoid making any sudden movements or loud noises, and don’t lock the door.
• Open the door after 5 seconds, and reward them with another treat or playtime.
• Repeat this method and slowly increase the time you keep the door shut. Try not to pay attention to your dog while the door is closed.
• Once your dog can comfortably stay inside the closed crate for 15 minutes, you’ll need to repeat the process again, though this time with the door locked.

If your pup starts whining it can be tempting to open the crate, scoop them out, and shower them in affection and love. However, this will only hinder their progress thus far – letting them out will reinforce their negative feelings and belief that the crate is a place they need to be taken away from. It’ll also teach them that whining is the best way to gain your attention.

If your dog whines, wait until they’re quiet before letting them out. Then, you’ll need to take it back a notch training-wise – it’s usually a sign you pushed them too quickly.

Leaving Your Dog Alone in Their Crate

This is the trickiest step by far: getting your dog to be comfortable alone in the crate when you’re not in the room with them. While difficult, it’s entirely possible with the right approach and mindset.

• Once your dog is inside the crate, walk a few steps away from them.
• After a few seconds, go back to the crate and reward your dog with a treat.
• Repeat this process, slowly increasing the distance and duration.
• You can start leaving the room once your pup is feeling confident, though initially only leave the room for a few seconds at a time. You also shouldn’t shut the door on them.
• Don’t make a fuss or show signs that you’re planning to leave. This will just put them on alert and increase their anxiety levels.

Whenever you return to your dog’s side, make sure to ignore them until they’re calm and settled. Then, open the crate door and reward them with praise and treats.

Tips for Crate Training a Dog With Separation Anxiety

There are a few more things you can do to help your dog feel safe and comfortable in their crate.

Vary When You Leave Your Dog Alone

You should regularly change up when you leave your dog alone. If you stick to a strict schedule, your dog will learn to anticipate you leaving. This can cause them to become anxious, as they’ll be hyper-focused on your departure and won’t focus on anything else. While some structure is normally unavoidable, you can help vary it up by doing daily tasks, such as going out to the shops, at different points of the day.

Desensitize Your Dog to Departure Cues

Through desensitization, you can train your dog to not stress over signs of departure – such as putting on a coat or picking up your keys. Desensitization involves exposing your pet to stimuli they find stressful in a non-confrontational way over a period of time. Eventually, your dog becomes accustomed to the trigger and doesn’t react to it.

Here’s how to desensitize your dog to departure cues:

• Put your dog in their crate and wait until they’re settled.
• Now, act out one of your departure cues, such as picking up keys, putting your shoes on, or fetching your coat. Don’t leave the room while you act out this cue.
• Wait a few minutes, then put any items away and go back to your normal behavior.
• Repeat this process, increasing the duration and trying it in different rooms of the house.
• Do this training technique sporadically throughout the day.
• Once your dog no longer reacts, start leaving your house for brief periods.
• Repeat the process with another departure cue.

Keep in mind desensitization is only effective if it’s gradually built up – you can start “small” by fiddling with your keys or simply moving your coat. Base your starting point on what your dog can comfortably tolerate.

Exercise and Mental Stimulation

Always ensure your dog is getting enough exercise and mental stimulation throughout the day, especially before you put them in their crate. This will help them feel more settled and at ease. Research has shown that a lack of daily exercise particularly can increase separation anxiety in dogs.

Never Make the Crate a Punishment

Sure, dogs can drive us barking mad at times, but they’re not going out of their way to be naughty or frustrate us. They simply don’t understand the difference between right and wrong in the human sense! As we mentioned earlier, you should never punish your dog, and that includes using the crate as a “time out” if you feel your dog has been up to no good.

If you use the crate as a method to punish your dog, they’ll never learn to associate it as a place they can feel comfortable, and their anxiety is just going to rise through the roof whenever you try to put them in it.

Don’t Leave Your Dog Alone for Long Periods

You should never leave your dog in their crate for hours on end. It’ll cause them to become frustrated, agitated, and even more anxious. The crate should always be a positive experience for them.

Keep crate time short, with 4 hours being the absolute maximum. However, be aware that for dogs with separation anxiety, 4 hours is often too long. Some can only tolerate 30 minutes – consider what your dog can comfortably tolerate, and don’t push it further than that amount.

Whenever you leave your dog alone in their crate, make sure they have games, treats, and toys to keep them entertained. Don’t forget to throw in a blanket covered in your scent as well.

Combatting the Underlying Cause

Crate training is only one method to tackle separation anxiety. There are plenty of other measures you can (and should) try to help your dog be comfortable with being alone. With the right approach, you can even get your dog to enjoy being left to their own devices.

While we can’t cover all the treatment methods in detail here, here are the main ones you should check out next:

• Desensitization
• Counter-conditioning
• Medication
• Anxiety-relieving supplements

Final Thoughts

While it can be a difficult and lengthy process to crate train a dog with separation anxiety, the payoff is worth it. Your dog deserves to be happy, whether or not you’re by their side. Crate training can provide them with a safe space where they can feel at ease throughout the day.

If crate training does not improve your dog’s separation anxiety, it’s worth looking into alternative methods, such as medication, desensitization, and anxiety-relieving supplements.

The post Crate Training a Dog With Separation Anxiety appeared first on Dog Academy.

This skill is crucial as it can be life-saving. For example, if your dog were to escape the house, your chances of getting them back will be much higher if the dog has a strong “come” recall (meaning they obey most of the time).

Similarly, if your dog is about to chase something into a busy street, you may be able to stop them by calling them to come. If you practice this skill enough, you can certainly get it to the level of mastery needed for it to be life-saving.

Now that we understand just how important this skill is let’s get right into training it. We’ll be providing step-by-step instructions on how to teach the basic skill as well as how to teach your dog to come even in the presence of distractions. Finally, we’ll share some tips and go over common mistakes so that you’ll be set for success.

Teaching the Come Cue

Whether you have a wee little pup or a rescue dog who never got a lot of training, your first step will be to teach them what come means. Your dog will learn that “come” means “run over to me.”

We will be using the word “yes” to mark that the dog is performing the correct action. However, you can use other words in place of “yes,” such as “good.” You can also use a clicker in place of a verbal marker.

1)  Use Treats

Find an area in your house where there are minimal distractions for your puppy. Make sure your dog knows you have yummy treats. Give your puppy a taste of the reward to get them excited about the training session and to let them know that good things come from you.

2)  Add Distance

Now, start walking away from your dog. If they follow you, say “yes” and reward them. Then, place a treat on the floor and try to get some distance between you and your dog (a few paces is enough) before they finish eating it.

Your dog will likely finish the treat and begin running toward you for more. As your dog starts running to you, say “yes;” when they get to you, grab their collar and reward them when they reach you by putting the treat on the floor again so that you can repeat this step.

You want to grab the collar to teach your dog that it isn’t an aversive action. In the future, should your dog ever get loose, they’ll be more likely to let you grab their collar should you manage to call them to you.

3)  Add the Cue

Once your pup is reliably coming to you after eating their treat, it’s time to add the cue. After your dog has finished eating their treat and is running to you, say, “come.” Repeat this step a handful of times until your dog understands the cue.

Once your dog understands the cue, you’ll want to keep practicing “come” in situations with minimal distractions until your dog has a reliable recall.

How to Teach “Come” Around Distractions

Once you have taught your dog to come reliably in an environment with minimal distractions, you’ll want to start adding those distractions back in. You should start slowly with this to ensure success. The first distractions you use shouldn’t be all that distracting; you’ll work your way up to using items or treats that are highly distracting.

1)  Practice Without Distractions

Practice the come recall without any distractions. This works as a good warm-up to the training as well as a reminder to your dog that performing the “come” skill is rewarding.

2)  Add a Small Distraction

Place your distraction nearby where the dog can see it. The distraction could be a toy or some treats. If you use a toy, don’t use one of your dog’s favorites. Try to pick something they don’t play with often.

If you use treats, make sure they are not as good as whatever you are using as a reward. For instance, kibble is usually not as exciting as chicken since dogs eat kibble daily.

Make sure your dog is on a leash so that you can prevent them from obtaining whatever item you use as a distraction. You wouldn’t want to inadvertently reward them for not listening to you!

3)  Repeat

Call your dog to you. The moment they look away from the distraction, and at you, you should say “yes” to mark that they’ve done something good. Say “yes” again when they are running toward you. Reward your dog while holding their collar when they reach you.

Continue practicing this step until your dog reliably comes away from the distraction or even begins to ignore it in favor of you. At this point, you can try repeating the exercise with increased difficulty by using a more exciting distraction.

If you’re having trouble getting your dog’s attention away from the distraction, then you can either move the distraction further away or try using something less enticing.

Tips for Success

Now that you know how to teach come, we’d like to share some tips that will set you up for success. These tips will help you avoid common mistakes as well as increase the likelihood of your dog listening to you.

Use a High-Value Reward

Dog trainers often talk about “high-value” currencies. What they mean by this is using a treat or a toy that is immensely rewarding for your dog.

These types of rewards are far more motivating to your dog than something like kibble, which dogs eat every day and thus is often not that exciting. When you have a strong motivator for your dog, it makes them more likely to obey.

A high-value reward will also create a positive connection in the dog’s brain. They learn that performing the behavior you ask of them is fun and has good consequences. Establishing this connection will make the dog more likely to listen to you in the future.

Don’t Punish Your Dog for Obeying

You may be thinking, “What? Why would I punish my dog if she comes when called?” However, it’s more common than you may think, and many people aren’t even doing it on purpose.

Of course, there are some people who will punish their dogs if they don’t come immediately. This is a bad idea because once the dog does come, they won’t know that they’re being punished for being slow. They will think they are being punished for obeying and will be less likely to do so in the future.

As far as inadvertently punishing “come” goes, many people will call their dog away from fun activities. Similarly, people may call their dog and then do things like give them a bath or trim their nails.

In these instances, the dog has been punished for coming when called (assuming the dog dislikes bath time and nail trims). Make sure that obeying is always fun and rewarding for your dog.

Be Consistent

Consistency is incredibly important in dog training because the opposite will only confuse your dog. When training “come,” you need to be consistent in what you expect of your dog. Some people make the mistake of using the word “come” when they actually mean something else, like “come closer” rather than “come to me.”

For instance, if you’re out on a hike with your dog off-leash and your dog is getting a little further than you might like, you might say “come.” The problem occurs when you allow your dog to run near you or past you but not directly to you.

You should not reward a dog if they do not actually come to you, and if they don’t, you should do your best to coax them over with claps, encouraging noises, or getting low to the ground. Do not use the word “come” unless you mean for your dog to come directly to you.

Another aspect of consistency is being consistent with your cues. You should strive to say “come” just once. If your dog doesn’t listen, try to get their attention by using their name, clapping, or whistling. You may have to go to your dog and lure them to you (but be careful not to turn things into a game of chase).

Saying “come” multiple times may confuse your dog. People who mistakenly repeat cues sometimes end up with dogs who will listen, but only after they hear the word three times. You wouldn’t want that!

Safety

It’s important to remember that while a come cue is great for safety, especially around cars, it can be dangerous when you’re on the opposite side of the street from your dog and a car is oncoming. For safety, an equally vital command to practice is to “lie down,” especially from far away distances.

Teaching a dog to lie down and stay until you’re closer or until called helps drivers know they won’t bolt into traffic and gives you extra time to get to your dog.

Practice Makes Perfect

One of the most important and useful skills you can teach your dog is to come when called. In fact, it can even be a life-saving skill that can prevent your dog from running into danger.

“Come” is straightforward to teach, but it takes a lot of repetition and practice (especially around distractions) before your dog will come every single time you call, no matter what’s happening around them. Luckily, using reward-based training makes learning a lot of fun for your dog.

Make sure to use high-value rewards, be consistent with your training, and avoid unintentionally punishing your dog for coming to you. Along with regular practice, these tips will set you and your pooch up for success.

The post How to Teach a Dog to Come appeared first on Dog Academy.

But what if your new furry friend keeps having accident after accident on the floor? It can quickly try your patience and cause property damage.

If you want to preserve your (or your landlord’s) floors and save yourself and your puppy unnecessary frustration, we’ve compiled a guide to help you train even the most seemingly stubborn puppy. It will certainly take time and patience, but in many cases, it’s simpler than you think.

Establish a Potty Training Routine

When training a dog to do anything, consistency is key. Dogs will learn patterns and routines and become comfortable following them, so find one that works for you and your dog and stick with it. Any deviations might confuse a young pup who is just getting the hang of things.

Each breed will have different needs when it comes to how often they need bathroom breaks, so some research is helpful. However, until your dog starts to communicate their needs to you, you should give them more opportunities to use the bathroom than they necessarily need.

Establish set times like first thing in the morning, 20 minutes after mealtimes, and right before bed, so your dog begins to understand when they can expect a break. Depending on the breed and age of your dog, more frequent breaks may be necessary for the early months of training.

Develop a specific word or phrase, like “let’s go outside!” that you can use with your dog so they know it’s time to go out. They will likely begin to come and meet you at the door when they hear this keyword because they will recognize the routine.

Once outside, make sure you say a specific potty cue that will help them know it’s time to get to business, like “go potty.” After they do their business, immediately reward them with a treat and plenty of praise. Over time, you’ll eventually be able to phase out the treat and praise, but always be able to use the cue.

What Causes Accidents

Did you know that a two-month-old puppy needs the opportunity to relieve themselves about five times a day? Just like human babies, they aren’t fully in control of their bladders yet, so they need constant bathroom breaks. Some trainers recommend giving your pup a bathroom break as often as every 20 minutes when you are initially housebreaking them to avoid accidents.

That may sound like a lot, and it can be, especially if you have a busy schedule. If you aren’t able to let them in and out all day long, you may consider crate training to help avoid accidents. Puppies and dogs are denning animals and will not soil where they sleep, so if you crate train during potty training, it can help your puppy avoid accidents.

However, puppies may only be left in their crate for certain durations; typically, the rule of thumb is one hour per month of age at a time up to 6 months. So a two-month-old puppy should only be left in a crate for up to two hours at a time, and puppies with poor bladder control may need a break in between.

Coping with Accidents

While in generations past, dog owners may have followed the “rub their nose in it” school of thought (taking a puppy to the site of their accident and rubbing their nose in their waste while scolding them), veterinarians and animal behavioralists agree that this is wholly unhelpful for training your dog.

In fact, this style of punishment-based training can be very harmful. It may make your dog fear you, and since they can’t fully understand why you’re angry, they may develop shame over needing to use the bathroom and continue to hide it from you and pottying inside the house in secret spots.

Instead, if you find a mess, clean it up as quickly as possible. Try to remove any trace of odor since dogs will use scent to find where they use the bathroom repeatedly.

If you catch your dog mid-accident, you can firmly tell them “no” or make a noise to startle them into stopping and quickly take them outside to finish there. This will help them understand what they are doing is wrong and show them the appropriate place to do it. Of course, dogs can’t understand you yelling at them for something they previously did, but they understand when it’s happening in the moment.

Just like with a child, you need to be able to control your emotions when training a dog. Screaming and punishing will only make them fear and mistrust you, resulting in behavioral problems down the line.

Signs Your Dog Needs a Potty Break

While it’s most important to establish a routine, your dog will likely clue you in if they need a potty break. There are some behaviors that signal that your dog is looking for a place to relieve themselves.

They may seem restless, sniffing, scratching, and even barking. If you have been consistently taking them outside, they may stand in front of the door when they need the bathroom. Dogs may also circle and scratch at a particular spot before relieving themselves there. If you see your dog exhibiting any of these behaviors, take them outside immediately.

When Puppies Go Outside But Still Have Accidents Inside

Many owners install a dog door that allows their pet to access the outside whenever they need to (make sure it’s a safe, fenced-in area, of course), but they find that their dog is still having accidents inside the house. There may be several reasons for this.

First, your puppy may not be used to thinking of the outside as their toilet. Breeders often set up pee pads or even a litter box for their puppies to use since they are mainly being kept in indoor spaces, and it can be hard to give so many dogs adequate outdoor bathroom breaks during the day. So they need to learn to recognize the yard as their bathroom

Second, it is easy for your puppy to get distracted. Every plant, every buzzing bee or fluttering butterfly, and every noise they hear is new and exciting. Puppies are still learning about the world around them and want to investigate all the new things. It’s easy for them to forget why they went outside. When you bring them back in, they may suddenly remember that they need to use the bathroom, and then, there go your carpets.

Finally, if you are sending your dog out on their own, they may feel a little anxious and eager to get back inside to see you as soon as possible. Dogs can feel anxiety in unfamiliar spaces and they can also quickly grow attached to their caregiver. They may rush back inside without relieving themselves, or without doing so fully so they can feel safe by your side again.

Tips For Helping Them Use the Bathroom Outside

If possible, you should always go outside with your dog while you’re housebreaking them. While they may have free run of the yard for play, put them on a leash initially to keep your dog from getting distracted. Keep them close to you, and don’t let them off-leash until they have done their business.

Dogs can be picky about where they use the bathroom, so it’s important to pick a quiet spot where they can feel safe and comfortable. This will become their potty spot, and as part of your routine, you can bring them to it during each break period. They shouldn’t be close to other animals at this time if possible. Initially, they still might be distracted, but don’t conclude that they don’t have to go. Instead, wait and use a potty cue like “go potty.”

Once your dog uses the bathroom, be sure to praise them and give them a treat. They will learn that this is what they are expected to do when you take them to this spot, and their outdoor bathroom routine will begin to be established.

Should I Use Pee Pads With My Dog?

Pee pads can be a necessary evil if you’re out of the house for most of the day. However, we don’t recommend them for dogs still being housebroken because they can ultimately slow down the process as they allow dogs to continue to “go” in the house.

Also, it can be difficult to train your dog to only go on the pee pads rather than on any surface in the house. Besides that, they are fun to chew and shred to pieces, which can result in another indoor mess or intestinal distress. If you want your dog to develop a good habit of going outside, pee pads can be counterintuitive, but many owners find them handy to use at least once in a while.

If you work long hours and plan on depending on pee pads for the rest of the dog’s life, you may want to consider getting a professional dog walker or pet sitter to stop by to let them out. However, depending on your dog’s age, breed, and health, they may still need the pads as a backup.

It’s also important to remember that your dog must be trained to use the pee pad. Dogs naturally avoid using the bathroom close to their nest or den, so make sure you don’t place it near where they sleep. This means you won’t want to put it in your dog’s crate if you are crate training. If you can put the pee pad out on a covered porch or on a sheltered terrace that your dog can safely reach via a doggy door, all the better to help separate their bathroom area and still give them the sense of going outside.

Some pee pads will be laced with chemical attractants to draw your dog to them, but they also sell attractant sprays if you want to use this to encourage them to use the pad.

Help Your Dog Develop Good Habits

Training a young puppy can be a real challenge because you need to be in tune with their needs rather than following whatever schedule is most convenient for you. While a dog can seem stubborn, animals rely on instincts and emotions. They aren’t trying to upset you; they just haven’t gotten all the pieces put into place. In very young dogs, they simply may not have developed bladder control yet.

A puppy is a big commitment, but many people feel it’s worth it to raise an adorable new family member. With time, plenty of patience, and lots of praise, your new puppy should be accident-free soon.

The post Potty Training a Stubborn Puppy appeared first on Dog Academy.

We’re going to try and answer this question for you once and for all by explaining a bit about how dogs learn as well as sharing information from relevant scientific studies on the topic. By the end of this article, you’ll be set to have successful training sessions that fit into your schedule.

Positive Reinforcement

Before we get into how often you should train your dog, we need to briefly talk about positive reinforcement, which is also known as reward-based or force-free training. This is a training method that rewards your dog for doing something right.

Positive reinforcement is the best training method you can choose for your dog because it is both humane and effective. It makes training sessions fun and rewarding so that your dog will be eager to learn the skills you’re looking to teach.

It does not rely on intimidation, leash jerks, force, or any other types of aversives. Though some people do make progress with aversive training, it does not matter how often you train a dog with aversive training; it is usually not as effective or efficient as positive reinforcement training and can damage the bond between you and your dog.

Therefore, you should set yourself up for success by using positive reinforcement to train your dog. All of the advice we give in this article will assume that you are using positive reinforcement and may not apply to other training methods.

Less is More

It’s important to consider both the frequency of training (how often you do it) as well as the duration of training (how long you do it). Believe it or not, in many cases, less is more.

Short Attention Spans = Short Training Sessions

Let’s talk about a dog’s attention span. How long a dog is able to focus will depend on the dog. Puppies tend to have very short attention spans, whereas older dogs may be able to pay attention for longer.

The rule of thumb, if you will, is to train for no longer than five minutes because most dogs will not get bored within that time. Some dogs will be able to stay engaged in training for longer than five minutes and vice versa.

So, pay attention to your dog and make sure they are eager to work with you. If they seem bored or disinterested, then your training sessions may be too long.

Luckily, you can work your way up to longer and longer training sessions. It’s best if you can end a session before your dog gets bored, though, so that they will associate training with fun and will be eager to participate in future sessions.

Should You Train Everyday?

You’ve probably heard that you need to train your dog every day, possibly even multiple times per day, but this isn’t necessarily true. Dogs are capable of learning skills even if you only train them once per week (more on this in our next section).

This will mean it takes longer for them to master the skill, but it doesn’t mean they cannot learn it. Therefore, it’s okay if the frequency of training sessions revolves around your own schedule.

You may have also heard that you should do several five-minute training sessions per day. Once again, even if you only do one five-minute session per day, your dog will still be perfectly capable of mastering the skills you are teaching.

How often you train should be based on your own availability as well as your dog’s attention span and willingness to learn. You do not have to force yourself to train your dog if you’re in a bad mood or if your dog is tuckered out from a long day at the park.

What’s more important is to make training part of your lifestyle in that you keep doing it over time. Don’t train your dog for a month, and then stop. It’s better for your dog to have training sessions throughout their entire life, even if they only happen once a week.

Another important thing to note is that dogs, just like humans, also need time to rest. Just as cramming before a test is ill-advised, so is forcing your dog to work on difficult skills without breaks.

If your dog is having trouble learning a certain skill, take a break from that skill for a few days to a week and work on other, easier skills in the meantime. Think of the brain (both yours and your dog’s) as a muscle: it needs time to recover after strenuous activities.

Studies on Training Frequency

After living alongside our furry friends for centuries, you’d think that we’d know everything about them. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case, and there are still many studies to be done on dog training.

The studies we do have, though, suggest that dogs are actually better at learning and retaining skills when their training sessions are infrequent.

2008 Study

In one study, titled “The relationship between number of training sessions per week and learning in dogs,” beagles were trained to perform a certain task. One group was only given one training session per week, whereas the other group was trained five times per week.

Each training session included 15 repetitions of the task being trained. Surprisingly, the study found that the dogs only getting one session per week were able to learn the task in 6.6 sessions on average, whereas the dogs being trained five times per week took an average of 9 training sessions to learn the skill.

On the other hand, the dogs being trained weekly took 6 to 7 weeks to master the skill, whereas the dogs being trained five times per week mastered the skill in about two weeks.

2011 Study

A similar study called “The effect of frequency and duration of training sessions on acquisition and long-term memory in dogs” looked at the frequency and duration of training sessions to see what effects these factors had on a dog’s ability to learn a skill.

Just as with the previous study, the dogs (also beagles) that had fewer training sessions per week outperformed the dogs that had more training sessions per week.

However, the same tradeoff from the first study remains. Less frequent sessions mean the dogs will take longer in calendar days to learn a skill, even if their retention and performance are technically better than dogs given more frequent training sessions.

What Do These Studies Mean for Dog Training?

While studies are necessary to help us learn about dogs, they aren’t the end all be all. This is especially true when there are limited studies available, and those studies have only been performed using a specific breed (in this case, beagles).

It’ll take a lot more research before we have a definitive answer to the question of “how often should we train our dogs?” However, these studies can be a good starting point and can perhaps also relieve some of the stress of frequent dog training as they suggest that you do not need to train your dog every day if you don’t want to or don’t have time.

Based on the studies, you should consider factors such as how fast you want your dog to acquire a skill. If you want your dog to learn a skill within two weeks, then you need to train more frequently.

Meanwhile, if you’d prefer to spend less time training, even if that means it may take six weeks for your dog to master a skill, then that is also a valid option. What is most important is fitting training into your schedule consistently, whether that be one day per week or five, and making sure your dog is having fun during each session.

How Often Should You Train Your Dog?

So, how often should you train your dog? There really is no definitive answer to this question. This is because the answer depends on factors like how quickly you want your dog to know a skill, your dog’s attention span, and your own availability.

You should train your dog as often as you are comfortable. Because studies suggest that dogs actually learn better with less frequent training, it is perfectly okay should you decide that you only have time for one training session per week.

On the other hand, if you want your dog to learn skills faster in terms of how many weeks it will take, then you’ll want to invest more time in training and do so more often.

Rather than stressing about what the perfect frequency of dog training is, you should focus on making the sessions fun and engaging for you and your dog. As long as you remain consistent and do not go months without doing any training, then your dog can learn any skill you teach them.

The post How Often Should I Train My Dog? appeared first on Dog Academy.

To help you get started teaching your dog this trick, we’ve compiled a step-by-step guide. You can review the process of training your dog to play dead below and look at our section on troubleshooting training problems in order to be as informed as possible about teaching your dog this great new skill.

Why Train Your Dog?

As you get started training your dog for the first time or teaching them new skills for their obedience repertoire, you may be wondering why training your dog is so important.

To start with, dog training can help improve their mental stimulation and ensure they are overall happier in life. It can also increase your bond with your pup and make them more likely to listen to you, leading to a more obedient dog. Plus, everyone loves a polite, well-behaved dog, and training can help with this.

The more well-trained your dog is, the happier they will be, the closer you will feel to them, and the more places they can safely go.

Teaching Your Dog to Play Dead: Step by Step

When it comes to teaching your dog how to play dead, there are a few simple steps that you should follow. Review these steps carefully, and then get to work practicing with your pup.

You should also note that you will need training treats to complete this process – try to use a high-value reward like pieces of ham, chicken, or turkey.

Step One: The Down Command

The first step in training your dog to play dead is to make sure that they are familiar with the ‘down’ command and can perform it easily. For this, you should put your dog in a ‘sit’ position. Take a treat and show it to them, then pull the treat away from their nose and back toward yourself, all while angling the treat to the ground. Your dog’s belly should hit the ground, at which point you can verbally give the ‘down’ command and reward them.

Practice the down command until your dog can perform it easily without the offering of a treat. This video can help you out in this process.

Step Two: Offer a Treat

Once your dog has mastered down, look to see which hip they are favoring – dogs will always put more of their weight on one hip versus the other when they are comfortable in the ‘down’ position.

Take out a training treat and show it to your dog. As soon as you have their attention, move the treat toward the opposite hip that they are favoring. This will cause them to lean to one side and eventually lay down on that side. Reward them and use a verbal command (something like ‘play dead!’ or ‘bang!’) when they lay on their side.

Step Three: Complete the Command

As your dog gets more used to moving to their side from the down position, you can start to take away the treat and rely solely on the verbal command. Remember to reward your dog with love and attention every time they perform the trick, and release them from the play dead position with a friendly and upbeat ‘ok!’ or something similar.

Step Four: Practice

After your dog has mastered the play dead command with just a verbal cue, the only thing left for you to do is practice.

Incorporate this trick into your dog’s training repertoire and practice it regularly along with other commands and obedience skills. This will keep your dog’s knowledge fresh and ensure that both of you make the most of your training time together.

Troubleshooting Common Training Problems

Training your dog is not always going to be the easiest task in the world. Sometimes, even the smallest issue can cause problems to arise between you and your pup. It is important to recognize these issues and get to work troubleshooting them if you want to ensure maximum benefits from your training sessions.

Your Dog Isn’t Listening

Some dogs can have stubborn personalities, and some dogs can simply be a little all over the place, making them feel like they aren’t listening. Instead of getting frustrated due to this, your best option is to slow down the training and figure out what really motivates your pup.

Most dogs are highly food motivated, so it may just be a process of figuring out what treats your dog likes the best and is willing to listen to you for.

Remember, training your dog should be fun and stress-free for the both of you. Don’t yell at your dog, try to force them to complete commands, or use any type of ‘tough love’ — such as smacking your dog — to get them to behave. Positive reinforcement, patience, and lots of affection is the best way to get your dog to learn.

Your Dog Doesn’t Want to Show Their Belly

For dogs, laying on their side or showing their belly in any way can feel like a very vulnerable position. If you are having issues getting your dog to lay down and you suspect it’s because they don’t feel comfortable, you should consider taking a step back from training and working on building up your bond with your pup.

Take time to make them feel loved and relaxed and work on easier skills that don’t involve showing the belly as you work up to learning this skill.

Your Dog Is Getting Overwhelmed

Much like humans, dogs can often get overwhelmed by the sights and sounds around them and lose their focus. If you notice your dog is getting overwhelmed by their surroundings and can’t seem to concentrate on your or their training, you should be looking for a different location to train your dog.

Choose somewhere that is unlikely to have lots of other people or dogs walking by during your designated training time, and make sure to have their favorite treat with you so that their attention stays on you.

Fun Training for You and Your Pup

Training your dog can be a fun activity for both of you that improves your bond and increases your pup’s overall obedience skills. The classic trick of teaching your dog to play dead can easily be mastered with simple practice, patience on your part, and lots of high value treats to encourage your dog.

Always remember to have fun while training your dog, and try not to overwhelm them with your teaching sessions. Do this, and you and your pup are sure to have the best time together learning new skills.

The post How to Teach Your Dog to Play Dead appeared first on Dog Academy.

Reactivity is a strong reaction to stimuli in a dog’s environment. Whether it’s a sound, person, animal, or situation, reactive dogs can be difficult to deal with. This is especially the case if the trigger causes your dog to become unsociable and uncontrollable in public places. Reactivity can develop from a lack of training and exposure, but it can also stem from genetics and breeding characteristics.

While reactive behavior can be challenging to manage, the good news is it can also be fixed. With the right techniques and training, you can rehabilitate your dog’s responses to its triggers, enabling it to become calmer and less reactive.

If you’re looking for tips, this article covers everything you need to know about how to rehabilitate a reactive dog and help it become a calmer canine.

What Causes Dog Reactivity?

Like humans, dogs react to their environment. However, for canines, an enhanced sensitivity to people or situations is often due to underlying discomfort. Whether it’s barking, lunging, or biting, dogs that over-react are often anxious, stressed, or overly excited. Getting to the root of your dog’s reactive behavior can be tricky, but it is possible.

The cause of reactive behavior can be due to numerous reasons, such as its previous history with other owners, traumatic situations, or its breeding characteristics. However, another key element of a dog’s reactivity is the energy it picks up from its handlers.

Dogs pick up our energy very acutely. Therefore, if you’re feeling tense or anxious, the dog will pick up on that and respond accordingly. In other words, a dog that defends its owner by barking and being dominant towards others may simply be trying to protect the human’s insecurities or unstable energy.

Another type of dog reactivity is withdrawal. Some canines are so nervous or unsure that they retreat and hide from the situation. Therefore, if you have a reactive dog, it’s important to figure out what the triggers are. Whatever the case, the good news is that the behavior can be changed!

Signs Your Dog is Reactive

If you have a reactive dog, it will often be obvious. Whether it’s attack or withdrawal, overly sensitive or reactive dogs will exhibit specific behaviors or bodily signs. Sometimes these start out small and then escalate, depending on the situation. Some of the signs to watch out for include:

• Body rigidity
• Stiff tail (it could be straight up and wagging, but there’s tension there), a calm dog will have a relaxed tail
• A fixed stare at a person or object
• Excessive drooling
• Non-responsiveness to cues or commands (e.g., calling his name or asking him to come)
• Straining or pulling on the leash
• Excessive barking
• Lunging at other dogs or people

If your dog frequently exhibits these behaviors in public, it could be an indication that it is reactive and stressed. Recognizing these signs is the first step towards rehabilitation — which is a good thing!

How to Help Your Reactive Dog

Having covered the signs and reasons for dog reactivity, below are a few things you can do to help.

Avoid Punishment

One of the first things to avoid is punishing your dog for its behavior. While it may be tempting to treat it like a child and scold it for acting poorly, punishment is not a good way to train a dog. Doing so will only make them more anxious and reactive. Instead, try to maintain a calm assertive approach with your dog. Use positive reinforcement or gently encourage them away from the situation to help it calm down.

Be a Calm Assertive Leader

One of the most powerful tools you have at your disposal is calm, assertive energy. Your dog wants to know who’s in charge and that it doesn’t have to compensate by being protective. Calm, assertive dog leaders are firm while also using a gentle and non-aggressive approach. Remember: dogs are highly attuned to our energy. The calmer and more stable you are, the better behaved your canine will be.

Find Ways to De-Stress

If your dog is under stress, find ways to help it unwind. This might require a change in the home environment or avoiding stressful situations until their reactive behavior is under control. While you don’t want to get in the habit of chronically avoiding stressors, it can be a good idea to pare back on a few activities while they undergo a behavior rehab.

Set Up a Routine

Dogs are creatures of routine. If you aren’t feeding, walking, and putting your doggie to bed at the same time every day, it can create anxiety. Therefore, your daily routine is one of the things to look at first when it comes to evaluating your dog’s reactive behavior.

Making your canine’s world predictable can go a long way to easing its stress as it knows what to expect and when. If your schedule is erratic, find ways to implement a regular (and simple) schedule so that your dog can relax. As your dog unwinds and settles into its routine, it will be better able to handle other environments such as the daily walk and socializing with other dogs.

Use Tools and Equipment

Another way to reduce your dog’s reactive responses is to get creative with tools and equipment. Whether it’s clickers, toys, or food, find ways to distract your dog from its stressors in a positive and encouraging way. This may require the help of a dog trainer who can guide you on how to use different tools, but it can go a long way towards redirecting your dog’s focus and energy.

Other tools you can use include a different leash or harness, which gives you better control over your dog on the walk. You might also want to invest in a puppy crate (if you aren’t already using one).

Crates create a safe, enclosed space where your dog can retreat if it is sensitive to noise and other people in the house. It may require some training, but over time, your dog will associate the crate with peace. Another benefit of this association is you can travel or transport them in the crate while keeping them calm.

Make Adjustments in the Household

Another thing you may want to try is amending the household, especially if your dog’s triggers are largely at home. For example, if its main trigger is people walking by the window, start training it to stay put. While this will take some patience, you can train your dog not to run to the window all the time and bark.

Other triggers could include the backyard, where your dog runs around the fence barking every time a car or person goes by. To amend this reaction, start training it on a leash and walk it around the yard. Each time it gets riled or excited, use treats, commands, or a clicker to redirect its attention. Over time, they’ll learn to be less affected by what’s happening outside the fence.

Learn About Canine Body Language

As well as helping your dog stay calm, it’s also important to become attuned to its body language. Learning to spot tension and reactive responses can enable you to intervene and stop its behavior from escalating.

If you’re new to this, start by watching videos and studying canine body language. By picking up on the cues and knowing what to look out for, you can better work with your dog and know when it’s agitated and when it’s relaxed.

Practice Counter Conditioning

Counter conditioning involves changing your dog’s response to its triggers. This could include noises, other dogs and humans, or objects like vacuum cleaners, bikes, cars, etc. In other words, counter conditioning involves creating positive associations with these triggers so that your dog no longer responds with fear or aggression.

To start this process, make a list of your dog’s triggers and put the most intense ones at the top. Work your way through the list and find ways to positively create new associations with treats, encouragement, or another activity. Again, you may need to work with a trainer, but there are ways to counter condition — such as using a favorite toy or sound. Each time your dog reacts calmly to the trigger, reward them with treats.

Take a Behavior Rehab Class

Lastly, take your dog to a behavior rehab class! A professional trainer can help take your dog from fearful to confident in no time. Many of these classes teach techniques for how to handle reactivity and keep your dog calm. Whether you attend an in-person class with other dogs (which helps with socializing) or take a series of online lessons, behavior rehab can make a fantastic addition to the techniques above.

FAQs

Are Some Dog Breeds More Reactive Than Others?

Any dog can become reactive; however, some breeds have developed particular sensitivities. For example, herding dogs can become reactive to moving objects and sounds. The reason is that their herding abilities demand highly attuned eyes and ears; the issue with this is they can become overly reactive, which can lead to constantly chasing anything that moves or withdrawing from loud noises. With proper training, though, herding breeds can learn to tune out distractions so that they mainly implement their eye and ear sensitivity when they’re shepherding.

It can be useful to know the origin and breeding background of your dog to determine its unique reactivities. Guard dogs, for example, can display sensitivities around other dogs because they haven’t been bred to be social animals. Conversely, because hunting dogs are sight-oriented, they can become reactive to visual triggers.

Is it Possible To Cure My Reactive Dog?

While it may seem challenging in the interim, dogs of all ages can be rehabilitated with the right training. The great thing about dogs is they can be trained to learn new behaviors and leave negativity behind. Whatever is triggering your dog now can become a thing of the past if you employ the right techniques. It might require a few ups and downs, but be patient and don’t give up!

How to Help Your Reactive Dog

Dog reactivity can be difficult to deal with, but it’s not impossible to fix. While it is nerve-wracking if your dog lunges or barks at other animals or objects, this behavior can be redirected with patience and the right training.

By identifying your dog’s triggers and learning how to read its body language, you can become an active participant in the rehab process. The tips and techniques above are a good starting point to train your dog to be less reactive, become calmer, and redirect its energy so that its triggers are no longer a source of stress and anxiety. Good luck and happy training!

The post Reactive Dog Training Tips appeared first on Dog Academy.

In this article, we will be giving you a step-by-step breakdown of how to teach your dog to roll over. We’ll also be discussing why dog training is important and what you need to keep in mind while teaching your dog new skills.

Why Teach Your Dog New Skills?

New tricks can be essential for your dog to learn as they help to improve their general happiness; dogs love to learn and love to hang out with their owner. Training time provides a dedicated session for you and your dog to bond, for their mind to be stimulated, and for you both to get some exercise. You can read more about the benefits of teaching your dog new skills here.

Teaching Your Dog to Roll Over – Step by Step

The following steps are a basic way to teach your dog the skill of rolling over. You should be engaging your pup in one or two short teaching sessions (ten to fifteen minutes works best) throughout the day, every day, as this will help them learn without either of you becoming overwhelmed.

It is also important to note that your dog will need to have already learned the ‘down’ command in order for you to build off of it with ‘roll over.’ Here is a video for teaching your dog ‘down’ if they don’t already know it.

Step One: Get Your Dog to Lay Down

The first step in teaching your dog to roll over is getting them to lay down. They should be able to follow a verbal cue for the ‘down’ command and have no trouble laying down without being bribed with a treat. Once this step is mastered, you can pull out your pup’s favorite training treats and proceed to the next steps.

Step Two: Start Small

When it comes to getting your dog to roll over, you have to build on the skill step by step; you can’t expect them to roll over immediately. So, when your dog is in the down position, take a treat and move it from your dog’s nose to their shoulder. They will have to turn their head and lean on their side to get to the treat – only reward them with the treat when they reach the posture of being on their side.

Step Three: Get Your Pup on Their Back

Once your dog is comfortable with getting onto their side and will consistently follow the treat there, you can start moving the treat past their shoulder and toward the floor. This will encourage your dog to fully roll over onto its back to retrieve the treat.

You should keep in mind that getting your dog to completely get on their back and expose their belly may be difficult for some dogs as it is a more vulnerable position; keep trying even if it takes a while and be sure to make your dog feel loved, comfortable, and safe while training to help them along.

Step Four: Complete the Roll Over Command

After your dog can successfully roll onto their back, move the treat until they keep rolling onto their other side, and then give it to them. You should repeat the entire process of getting your pup into the down position, then moving them through the roll over sequence until they can move through it seamlessly.

Step Five: Remove the Treat

The final step in teaching your dog to roll over is getting them to perform the trick without the treat. This is done by practicing the skill using your training treats but adding the verbal command of ‘roll over.’

Once you have practiced this several times, remove the treat from the process and simply use the verbal command and praise. It may take several training sessions to reach this point, but once you have it accomplished, congratulations! You’ve successfully taught your dog to roll over.

Training Tips to Keep In Mind

When it comes to training your dog, it is easy to get carried away and try to push your dog faster than they are ready to learn. It is important to keep in mind that all dogs learn differently and some dogs may take faster to the ‘roll over’ command than others. This, plus factors such as age and your dog’s general attitude toward training, can all have a big impact on their learning experience.

Be Patient

It is essential to be patient with your pup whenever you are in a training session. Teaching your dog new skills is supposed to be a valuable bonding activity that results in your and your dog having a closer relationship, in addition to your furry friend being more well-behaved.

Losing your patience with your dog when they don’t learn fast enough or loudly scolding and disciplining your dog when they perform a trick wrong will only scare them away from training. This can also result in a poorly behaved dog and may lead to future behavioral issues if you are not careful; gentle praise, lots of love, and frequent treats are the best things to bring to your dog’s training session.

Give High-Value Rewards

Most dogs are incredibly food motivated, especially if you find the right treat. Introducing some of your dog’s favorite foods into the training session and having the treats you use only available during teaching times will further motivate your dog to learn and to listen to you.

You can also use high-value rewards such as pieces of chicken or ham, or you can shop for top dog treats your pup may love here.

Remember to Have Fun

Training your dog should be a fun activity for you both. If you notice that either you or your pup are becoming too stressed out, take a break. You can transition to playtime, give your dog some extra love, or you can both retreat to your own favorite spaces for some time to destress.

Don’t push yourself or your dog too hard, as this will likely slow down the learning process instead of speeding it up.

Train Your Dog and Build Up Bonds

Training your furry friend is one of the best activities you can engage in with your dog. It helps to build their confidence, results in a more well-behaved dog, and increases the bond between the both of you.

Once you and your pup have mastered the roll over command with the help of your article, you can build on their skills and the training routine you’ve established to teach more advanced skills and encourage a regular routine of learning and fun with your pup.

The post How to Teach Your Dog to Roll Over appeared first on Dog Academy.

Not only does trick training provide your dog with enrichment, but in teaching a dog to speak, you can also teach them to be quiet. If you want to learn exactly how to teach your dog to speak and be silent, then keep reading.

Why Teach Your Dog To Speak?

Most people decide to teach their dogs to speak because they think it is a cute or impressive trick to share with friends and family. While this is true, there are some other great reasons to teach a dog to speak.

Firstly, teaching your dog to speak can also help you teach them to be quiet. If you have a dog that never seems to stop barking, then using “speak” to teach “quiet” can be rewarding for both of you.

Secondly, trick training of any kind is beneficial for many reasons. For instance, it can help strengthen the bond between you and your dog and, as a result, have a positive impact on training as a whole.

It also requires your dog to think critically, which is wonderful for their mental enrichment. Not only will your dog get practice with critical thinking, but this type of mental stimulation, especially when paired with exercise, can reduce unwanted behaviors.

Many dogs “act out” because they are bored. Teaching “speak” is often a fun activity for your dog and will help relieve boredom, which can result in a better-behaved pup.

How To Teach Your Dog To Speak

The best and arguably only way to teach your dog to speak is through the use of rewards like treats or play. While you can simply use verbal praise to let your dog know they’ve done something right, a clicker can also be helpful.

Clicker training uses a device (the clicker) to mark behaviors. It helps dogs understand exactly when they have performed the action that will get them a reward. Whether or not you use a clicker is up to you.

The most important aspect of this type of training is not whether or not you use a tool but the type of reward you choose. You need to know what motivates your dog best, whether that be cheese or a squeaky toy.

Your dog should be excited and eager to do whatever they can to get the reward. If they aren’t, you may need to rethink the reward and find something more interesting.

Step 1. Display the Reward

Bring your dog into a room with minimal distractions and put some treats in your hand. You can even give them a treat to show them that you have something desirable. Once your dog knows you have something great, they’ll be eager to perform whatever action it takes to get it.

Step 2. Ignore Unwanted Actions

Once your dog knows you have treats, they’ll likely do all they can to get those treats. They may perform a number of learned actions, such as sitting, laying down, giving high fives, or doing other tricks.

You’ll have to ignore these actions. As cute as they are, they aren’t what you’re looking for. Your dog will most likely give up on those actions and may even get a little frustrated or confused. But this is how they work through the conundrum of figuring out what will get them a treat.

Step 3. Reward Progress

If your dog makes any move to bark, whether it be a change in the shape of their lips or putting their ears back, you should say “yes” or “good dog” (or click) and reward them. You know your dog’s behavior best, so you’ll likely be able to tell when they are thinking about barking.

If you reward them for thinking about barking, it can give them a hint as to what you want and will often lead them to a full-out bark. Don’t be afraid to give them a jackpot reward (lots of treats) the first time they get it right and give you a nice full bark.

If your dog is stuck on giving a low growl or quiet yip rather than a full bark, withhold the reward until they make progress toward a louder bark.

Step 4. Repetition

Once you’ve gotten a clear bark out of your dog, it’s time to work on repetition. If your dog can repeat the action a handful of times, it shows that they understand what you want from them and that they’ll keep doing it for a reward.

Step 5. Add Your Cue

Now you can work on adding in a verbal cue. As your dog is barking, say the cue, “speak.” If you’d like to add a hand signal, you can do this at the same time as your vocal cue.

Though a hand signal is not necessary, studies suggest that dogs are actually better at responding to verbal cues and hand signals paired together than they are at responding to verbal cues alone. Therefore, it may be worth your while to add a hand signal.

Step 6: Test Your Cue

After you have repeatedly had your dog bark and given your cue, it’s time to test your dog and see if they have connected the dots. Say “speak” and see what happens. Hopefully, your dog will bark. If not, you’ll want to go back to step five and work on more repetition.

What If My Dog Won’t Bark?

You’ve been sitting around for 15 minutes; your dog has gone through a number of tricks and behaviors and now lays quietly, staring up at you patiently. They seem to have completely given up on figuring out what you want. So what do you do? How do you get them to bark?

You may need to help induce a bark by doing something that tends to make your dog bark. This might include playing or even doing something like barking at your dog (it sounds silly, but it works for some people!).

Pay attention to your own behavior, too. If you act excited and energetic, then you’re more likely to hype your dog up and get them to bark. This is not the time to be quiet and calm; your dog needs your enthusiasm.

Try to avoid encouraging bad habits, though. If you don’t like it when your dog barks when the doorbell rings, then do not ring the doorbell to induce a bark. Even though we want to teach our dogs to bark on command, we do not want to inadvertently reward unwanted behaviors.

Understand that teaching a dog to speak can require a lot of patience. Unlike skills such as “sit,” you cannot simply lure your dog into doing what you want and then giving a reward. You often just have to wait for your dog to figure things out.

How To Teach Your DogTo Be Quiet

Once your dog understands that barking will get them treats, you may find that they bark continuously or without you asking. However, once you add in your verbal cue and your dog can reliably speak when asked, you should not reward your dog for barking if you did not say “speak.”

Instead, you can use this opportunity to teach your dog to be quiet. The process is quite easy. Simply wait for your dog to stop barking, and then reward them while saying “quiet.” If you’re using a clicker, be sure to mark the silence.

At first, you may need to reward short silences. Just like with “speak,” you should reward progress in order to help your dog better understand what you want. Repetition is important for any skill, so be sure to repeat this process as much as possible.

If you find that your dog only barks once or twice when you say “speak,” but you feel they need more practice with “quiet,” you can induce barking by doing something like ringing the doorbell.

Do not pair this with the “speak” cue; think of it as a separate training activity to teach your dog to stop barking. Once again, you simply wait until they are silent before rewarding them. Repeat this until your dog catches on that silence means treats, and add in the “quiet” cue when they are reliably being quiet.

Speak Is a Fun Trick and a Useful Tool

Trick training is fantastic because it is fun, strengthens the bond between dog and owner, and provides mental enrichment. The great thing about “speak” is that it not only is a crowd-pleaser, but it can also be helpful in teaching your dog how to be quiet on cue. As you can see, it is both a fun trick and a useful training tool.

The post How To Teach a Dog to Speak and Be Quiet appeared first on Dog Academy.