July 31st, 2008
By Eric Letendre
Playing tug can be a great game for your dog. Tug games have gotten a bad rap and many dog owners have been told to never play tug with their dog. I have a little different take on the subject and teach that tug can and should be played as long as you follow some simple rules. Step one when playing tug games always has the owner starting the game. Don’t let your dog start the game. You should always start the game.
Next thing to remember when playing tug is that your dog’s teeth should never come into contact with your skin. If your dog’s teeth touch your hands or arm, the game should immediately end,
During the game the owner should frequently take obedience breaks. As your playing tug, stop the game and have your dog perform a command. Once your dog does the command you can start playing again.
The final and most important step of tug games is the ending. Always make sure that when you are ready to finish the game you should always make your dog release the tug toy to you. If you can’t get your dog to release I don’t recommend playing tug games.
Dogs have a physical and physiological need to use their teeth and jaws. Playing tug can provide a great outlet for this need. Tug is also a great way to exercise your dog. You don’t need a lot of space and tug games can be played anywhere.
If you can’t control the game or if your can’t get your dog to release the tug toy you should not play the game but if you can control the game it is a great way to bond with your dog and it can be used a reward when your training.
July 31st, 2008
By Eric Letendre
A lot of behavior problems are exercise problems. Many of the dogs that I see are not suffering from a behavior problem; they simply have too much pent-up energy and need exercise. In this article you’ll learn the two forms of exercise that all dogs need.
It’s important to understand that a lot of behavior problems stem from the dog having too much pent-up energy. Young dogs (4 to 14 months) have an unlimited amount of energy. In today’s society, a lot of dogs spend long hours by themselves.
A lot of dogs are left in crates or in the house while their owners are at work. Day after day the dog waits around to do something. This pent-up energy builds and manifests itself into a behavior problem. No amount of training can overcome an exercise problem.
The first step to overcoming your dog’s behavior problems is to physically exercise your dog. A lot of dogs spend a lot of time by themselves waiting for us to do something with them. Today there are many more resources for dogs than ever before.
One of the best activities you can do with your dog is dog daycare. Dog daycare allows your dog to spend the day playing with other dog-friendly dogs. If a dog daycare is not right for your dog, a dog walker may be the answer. Here are 41 ideas to help you give your dog physical exercise:
1. Memory retrieve
2. Two-Person recalls
3. Treasure hunt
4. Service dog gofer
5. Hide and seek
6. Leg weaves
7. Weaving with ski poles
8. Agility
9. Digging for objects
10. Herding indestructible ball
11. Chase remote control car
12. Chase object on fishing pole
13. Chase light
14. Chase racquetball bounce back
15. Chase remote control airplane
16. Chase hose with water
17. Chase ball
18. Lure coursing
19. Swimming free
20. Swim next to canoe
21. Swimming relay race with bumpers
22. Water Kong retrieve
23. Jumping over picnic benches
24. Skateboarding
25. Fly ball
26. Frisbee
27. Mountain Bike
28. Run through powder snow
29. Run through sand dunes
30. Sled dog
31. Treadmill
32. Run a race track
33. Jog with dog
34. Rollerblade
35. Backpacking
36. Carting
37. Skijor
38. Run hills
39. Walk/run stairs
40. Throw ball downstairs
41. Throw ball upstairs
Give your dog some mental exercise. Mental activities include: obedience training, tricks, agility, flyball and tracking. Mental activities are extremely important for your dog. I have seen very active, hyper dogs lie down and take a nap after a 10- to 15-minute obedience session.
The activities listed above are done with the owner. When you leave your dog alone, two of my favorite toys to leave with the dog are Buster Cubes and Kong toys.
A Buster Cube is a hard plastic cube that has some compartments inside. You can pour some kibble into the cube and shake it up. When you put it on the ground your dog will smell the food in the cube and start to paw at it. Some of the kibble will drop out of the cube and this is what will keep your dog interested in the cube. I have seen dogs play with their Buster Cube for as long as an hour. It’s a great toy to leave with your dog when you have to be away for long periods.
Another great toy for your dog is the Kong toy. Kong toys are very popular and they make great toys because they are indestructible and are hollow which allows you to stuff the toy. Kong toys can be stuffed with peanut butter or cream cheese. You can also pack in a few biscuits. Once the Kong toy is stuffed you can leave a few around the house for your dog and keep her occupied for long periods.
Once your dog is getting enough physical and mental exercise you’ll see big changes in your dog’s behavior. A very popular and useful saying among dog trainers is: “The only good dog is a tired dog.”
December 7th, 2007
By Eric Letendre
In the late 1800s, a German high school mathematics instructor named Wilhelm Von Osten began parading around his horse, "Clever Hans".
You see, Clever Hans was no ordinary horse. Clever Hans could add, subtract, multiply, divide, work with fractions, tell time, keep track of the calendar, differentiate musical tones, read, spell, and understand German.
Clever Hans would be asked a question and he would tap his hoof on the ground until he came to the right anwser.
People came from all over to see Clever Hans give the answers to some very difficult math questions.
But some folks were not impressed with Clever Hans. They thought that it was all some kind of trick.
The German board of education agreed and appointed a commission to investigate Hans.
Did Hans really add, subtract, multiply, divide, work with fractions, tell time, keep track of the calendar, differentiate musical tones, and read, spell, and understand German?
The quick answer…NO.
Hans did not know how to do any of the things that his owner claimed. Hans was not a mathematical genius but…
What they learned was that Hans was an expert at reading body language.
The investigators discovered that when a question was asked of Hans, he would start to tap his hoof until he came to the correct anwser.
He knew the correct anwser by watching for cues given by the person asking the questions.
The questioner’s posture and facial expressions changed in ways that were consistent with an increase in tension, which was released when the horse made the final, "correct" tap.
This provided a cue that Hans could use to know when to stop tapping.
In other words, Clever Hans was an expert at reading body language and knew when to stop tapping by the subtle cues given by the person asking Hans a question.
Pretty interesting. Clever Hans really was clever, but not in the way that we thought.
Anyone that lives with a dog should know about this because…
this has lead to what is now called "The Clever Hans Effect."
Social animals, like horses and dogs, become experts at reading our body language. Thisis important to understand when you live with a dog.
Not too long ago I was working with a very nice couple that was having problems with their dog.
They said that their dog knew the sound of their car, became agitated before they left the house, and would become very withdrawn when either one of them became angry.
I explained the Clever Hans Effect and that it has been found that many animals are sensitive to such cues from the humans that they live with.
Their dog was so "tuned in" to them that he knew when they were getting ready to leave, were happy, upset and a host of other things which in turn affected his behavior.
Today, the term "Clever Hans Effect" is used to describe the influence of a questioner’s subtle and unintentional cues upon their subjects, in both humans and in animals.
For instance, when drug-sniffing dogs undergo training, none of the people present know which containers have drugs in them; otherwise their body language might betray the location and render the exercise useless.
So why am I writing about Clever Hans?
Because your dog is an expert at reading your body language, many times some of the behavior problems you are experiencing are being reinforced though unintentional cues given by you.
JUMPING – How many of you reading this have a jumping problem with your dog? I would wager that a good number of your dogs are jumpers.
How do I know that?
Am I psyhic?
Nope, I just know that after 18+ years of working with dogs, jumping is at the top of the list when it comes to behavior problems and that the main reason it is such a problem is because The Clever Hans Effect is working in full force when it comes to jumping.
In my new Good K9 Manners course, the TTL Method that I outline has to do with this.
It’s important to remember that training is more than a clicker, choke collar, or a pat on the head.
Your dog is constantly watching you for some type of cue that may indicate that it’s time to go for a walk, dinner or to jump on you.
If your dog is doing a behavior that you don’t like, pay attention to your cues and see if you are doing anything to reinforce the behavior.
When it comes to dog training the dog is often blamed for bad behavior but sometimes we have to be careful of what we are unintentionally teaching our dogs.
I look forward to your comments.
All the best,
Eric
P.S. You can still get the FREE Good K9 Manners Video Course. It clearly explains how to teach your dog good manners.
Free video dog training and behavior lessons, articles and tips. Go to www.amazingdogtrainingman.com
November 14th, 2007
By Eric Letendre
Do you ever stop to look around and realize that time is flying by. Just yesterday I found out that Thanksgiving is only a week away. A WEEK AWAY!
How did that happen?
The weather is getting colder here in New England, football season is half over (depressing), and Christmas and New Years are right around the corner.
Before you think that I am some kind of Scrooge I want to let you know that this is one of my favorite times of the year. I LOVE the holiday season. There is nothing better to me than the Christmas songs, the movies, all of the traditions that we take part in every year, and the whole magical feeling of Christmas.
One of the reasons I’m writing about this is because I have been working on a project for you. You see, this is the time that you want to make sure your best friend’s manners are up to snuff.
You don’t want your dog knocking over your guests and stealing the Christmas turkey. So now is the time to give your dog a quick behavioral tune up or the time to teach your pup some good canine manners.
I have have been working on a mini-course on good canine manners. The big problems faced by most owners are:
1. Jumping
2. Stealing
3. Begging
4. Not calming down
5. Barking
6. Not understanding "go to place" command
Here is the link for the FREE Good K9 Manners Mini-Course:
Good K9 Manners
All the best,
Eric
June 18th, 2007
By Eric Letendre
I was on the run all weekend. Saturday started off with teaching two obedience classes, one of which was filmed by a local TV station (once I get the footage I’ll put it up on the website for you to watch). I then taught a private lesson with a cute little boxer mix.
As soon as I was finished with the boxer mix, I went to a wedding. I was there to help serve food. A good friend of mine was having a wedding in her backyard for her cousin. She needed some help and being the helpful guy that I am, I offered my services, which included serving meatballs and chicken in a buffet line.
Eric serving up meatballs and chicken.
As soon as I was done with the wedding, I had to jump in my car, drive two hours to Hartford, CT, and go to a bachelor party.
On Sunday, my girlfriend and her Mother decided that they wanted to explore some places in Western MA. We went to the Bridge of Flowers, the Potholes, and the High Ledges in Shelburne, MA, right off the Mohawk Trail. Here are some of the pictures.
Eric & Rachael on the Bridge of Flowers.
The Bridge of Flowers, Shelburne Falls, MA
Rachael and her Mom on the Bridge of Flowers.
The Potholes, Shelburne Falls, MA
Rachael inside one of the potholes.
View from the High Ledges, Shelburne, MA
Needless to say, my dogs needed a good romp by Monday. Which brings me to today’s point. I have been saying this for a long time, but it is worth repeating:
Most of the dogs that I see with behavior problems have way too much pent up energy. They have all of this energy that needs an outlet. The dogs that live with us today have a much different life than the dogs that lived with us just fifty years ago.
You see, the dogs of yesterday often had jobs within the household. Dogs were originally bred to hunt, guard, and herd. In today’s society most dogs will never do the tasks that they were originally bred for.
I have dogs from the herding group. Not one has ever herded a flock of sheep. Because of this, I have to provide outlets for their energy. I play retrieving games, tug games; I bring them hiking and swimming.
This burns off the pent energy that builds up in every dog. I also make sure that I exercise their brains. I always do obedience and tricks with them to stimulate them mentally.
So the next time your dog is driving you nuts, there is a good chance that your dog needs a good dose of exercise.
All the best,
Eric
P.S. If you would like to discover more about behavior problems and how to deal with them check out here how to solve them.
Free video dog training and behavior lessons, articles and tips. Go to AmazingDogTrainingMan.com
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Eric Letendre is a professional dog trainer from the United States. For more than 20 years, he has been developing dog training "hacks" that have worked for dog owners all over the world. Eric operates from a home office or a laptop while traveling and draws on his experience and passion for dog training to show others how to develop a dog that is truly “Man’s Best Friend”.
Eric is the author of numerous reports, the E-Book “101 Ways to Hack Your Dog’s Behavior,” “The Amazing Dog Training Man Book,” and produced and stars in his DVD “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer.”
