Dogs Best Friend

Dog Behavioural & Dog Training Blog/Tips

A qualified Dog Behaviourist & Dog Trainer in the Hamilton, Waikato, Tauranga and Rotorua areas of NZ since 2004.
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Dog 'Obedience' Type Command Instruction
16.08.24Dog Training. Dog Behaviour. Consistency in dog training.Quite simply and perhaps obviously (or maybe not so obviously?) dogs brains don't think like ours. Is your family all using the same word for a command? If Mum is saying ‘Bella* come!’ and Dad is saying ‘Here!’ This can be a confusing situation for your dog.Don’t expect Bella/(*insert your dogs name) to just know what to do. "She’s heard it enough, she should know" is a common complaint I hear from owners. She’s been confused regularly by you is more like it. Also, do the words you are using as commands have more than one meaning or action associated with them? (this applies for different pack members too). Well gosh, that is confusing. For example perhaps you are using ‘Down’ for lie down and then to get off the furniture. Have a think about your situation and if you are confusing your dog ... Selina McIntyre, Dog Behavioural Consultant & Dog Trainer, Dogs Best Friend. For more dog training and behavioural tips, advice and suggestions, why not check out my book in association with HarperCollins, ‘Big Dog, Small Dog - Make your dog happier by being understood’ as well, check out https://selinamcintyre.podia.com/ for some online dog behaviour training, thank you 🐾 10.06.24 Dog Training. Dog Behaviour. The Recall/'Come.' As part of the recall, you should be ‘dictating’ where you’re going, what you’re up to etc. when out and about with your dog - as an assertion of your authority here. Then remember you're competing with the world around your dog at this time, so you need to change your tone (have a distinctly higher pitch than normal for you) and be more exciting/interesting!*Also importantly, ensure your dog does not have pent-up physical and mental energy as this makes the world off the home section, particularly exciting!When it comes to calling your dog back to you, make sure you’re bending down. This change in posture is both more interesting and less threatening to come up to. Return to standing once your dog returns. If your dog is not responding, swiftly walk away a safe distance without looking back. You can even hide behind a tree. Any time you chase after your dog here, creates a game scenario and you are then ‘following the leader.’By quickly moving away, the pull of the pack is likely to be strong and you should listen for any panting coming up behind you 😊 Recall takes practice too. Practice within your home and garden environments, then progress to using a longer lead whilst off property, increasing distraction levels over time/with success - including a greater distance from you and obstacles to vision, before finally allowing off lead time once you have great recall here (at least 90% of the time your dog returns quickly), Selina McIntyre, Dog Behavioural Consultant, Trainer and Author, Dogs Best Friend. For more dog training and behavioural tips, advice and suggestions, including around dogs pulling on their leads, why not check out my book in association with HarperCollins 'Big Dog, Small Dog - Make your dog happier by being understood,' as well, check out https://selinamcintyre.podia.com/ for some online dog behaviour training, thank you. 20.04.24 Dog Training. Teaching the 'Watch' command to your dog. Teaching the super useful command, 'Watch' -(This is to watch your eyes, for focus in the situation and can be useful before asking other commands, such as the Recall).Get your dog in front of you, either sitting or standing and say their name sharply in a commanding but friendly tone. Immediately offer a treat, do this once or twice. Then the third time, bring the treat up quickly just in front of your eyes, tell them to "Watch” as soon as they look at you (their eyes will be following the movement of the treat) then you can say, “Good dog” and give them the treat.Add the movement of your hand with the treat, back to your dogs face and up to your eyes. After a few repetitions, alternate the command without a treat (though never completely eliminate treats from training, to keep your dog on their toes).Your dog will get so that they watch your eyes regardless of whether you have a treat, when you command the ‘Watch,' Selina McIntyre, Dog Behavioural Consultant & Dog Trainer, Dogs Best Friend. For more dog training and behavioural tips, advice and suggestions, including around dogs pulling on their leads, why not check out my book in association with HarperCollins 'Big Dog, Small Dog - Make your dog happier by being understood,' as well, check out https://selinamcintyre.podia.com/ for some online dog behaviour training, thank you. 23.03.24 Dog Training. Dog Behaviour. I have not taught our dogs to Heel. I have not taught our dogs the 'heel' command.Why?I have no issue at all with a dog walking in front of me when out on the lead, they simply should not be pulling (thus trying to get me to go in the direction they want to go). The lead should be fairly loose. I keep this at medium length, not too long that I have to bring it in frequently to avoid obstacles but also, not a lead length that is a restriction and 'pressure to fight against' for a dog. The more restriction you place on them, the more dogs seem to pull. *I do say "This side" and will direct the dogs to the side I want them to move (usually to give space to other pedestrians) Selina McIntyre, Dog Behavioural Consultant & Dog Trainer, Dogs Best Friend. For more dog training and behavioural tips, advice and suggestions, including around dogs pulling on their leads, why not check out my book in association with HarperCollins 'Big Dog, Small Dog - Make your dog happier by being understood,' as well, check out https://selinamcintyre.podia.com/ for some online dog behaviour training, thank you. 16.03.24 Dog Training. Dog Behaviour. The training experience for your dog- Are you being realistic of what you're wanting from your dog? Is the ground very cold or wet that you want them to 'Sit' or 'Stay' on for example? This will affect some dogs performance of such a task. - Then it may seem obvious but it must be remembered, it’s called a 'Command’ not a ‘Request’… With this, I don't put the Recall/Come into the same 'command' category. For this instead, you really want to be appealing. - Also something to think about, do you change the tone of your ‘Command’ when giving it in ‘Public’ or in front of certain family members etc. This can effect your dogs response…Selina McIntyre, Dog Behavioural Consultant & Dog Trainer, Dogs Best Friend. For more dog training & behavioural tips, advice and suggestions, why not check out my book in association with @Harpercollins, 'Big Dog, Small Dog - Make your dog happier by being understood,' as well, check out https://selinamcintyre.podia.com/ for some online dog behaviour training, thank you. 31.03.23 Dog Training. Dog Behaviour. Do you sound like a broken record? Now this can be really hard to do initially, until your really get into the habit of it, but…Do not keep repeating a command - this sends the message to your dog that 2-3 repetitions are what the command is made up of, what needs to be heard. Also, why would your dog ever feel the need to do the ‘Command’ the first time, if you're going to nag about it - repeating it multiple times? To your dog there’s always next time… Selina McIntyre, Dog Behavioural Consultant and Dog Trainer, Dogs Best Friend. For more dog training and behavioural tips, advice and suggestions, why not check out my book in association with Harpercollins, 'Big Dog, Small Dog - Make your dog happier by being understood,' thank you 🙂 12.11.22 Dog Training. Teaching the 'Leave' commandThe 'Leave' is a very useful command. It can be used for leaving human food, Christmas pressies or even the neighbours cat! This command is about the dog moving back away from the object or animal.To teach 'Leave' -Keep hold of an especially favourable treat (or super interesting toy) in your hand and wait for your dog to lose interest - which they will eventually. The instant your dog has turned to go away (moving away) exclaim “Leave!” and offer the object. Repeat at least ten times, Selina McIntyre, Dog Behavioural Consultant & Dog Trainer, Dogs Best Friend. For more dog training and behavioural tips, advice and suggestions, why not check out my book in association with HarperCollins, 'Big Dog, Small Dog - Make your dog happier by being understood,' thank you 🙂 11.06.22 Dog Training. Dog Behaviour. Accidentally training the opposite! Did you know many dog owners inadvertently train the opposite of what they want their dog to do?It all comes down to timing.An example of this is the ‘Off,’ for ‘Off the furniture.’Be aware of how you give the command for this. To teach ‘Off,’ off must be said extremely quickly, the second your dogs feet are all off the object or all on the ground (a very small window of time). Whilst it’s important not to wait with this command, it’s also important not to say it too early, otherwise the word “Off” is associated by your dog with being ON the furniture.This principle applies with commands like ‘Quiet’ too. Where your dog should actually be being quiet, at the time the word “Quiet” is said, Selina McIntyre, Behavioural Consultant & Dog Trainer, Dogs Best Friend. For more dog behavioural and training advice, tips and suggestions, why not check out my book with HarperCollins, ‘Big Dog, Small Dog - Make your dog happier by being understood,' thank you 🙂 23.10.21 Dog Training. What's your tone?It may seem obvious but it must be remembered, it’s called a ‘Command’ not a ‘Request’…Also, something to think about, do you change the tone of your ‘Command’ when giving it in ‘Public’ or in front of certain family members etc. This can effect your dogs response…Selina McIntyre, Dog Behavioural Consultant & Dog Trainer, Dogs Best Friend. For more dog training and behavioural tips, advice and suggestions, why not head into your local bookstore for a copy of my book in association with Harpercollins, 'Big Dog, Small Dog - Make your dog happier by being understood,' thank you 🙂
06.02.2021
Dog training and behaviour can be about the subtleties in a situation …An example that can happen and be accumulative in nature, is from when you undertake the recall (the ‘Come’) after your dog has been off leash and you regularly put your dog straight back onto a short leash. This restriction can be too much of a negative for some, discouraging the recall. I would aim to have the lead fairly loose (knowing that not too far away you can bring your dog in if you like) or vary the length here. [Read More…]
21.11.2020
Teaching the command “Quiet!”When your dog is barking, growl a stern and guttural “Bah!”*Then, the instant they ARE quiet, say quiet and praise heavily. You could also reward with something high value - such as dried liver pieces or some crumbs of cheese, both being stronger smelling, so usually more attractive to dogs.Once the word association has been achieved, you can work on varying the length of the time, before you give your dog the treat for being quiet. [Read More…]
20.05.2018
Watch out for bribery!Do not show your dog the precious treat (or other reward) you have in your hand to try to get them to undertake the command you are wanting.Treats and other rewards should be given IMMEDIATELY AFTER the desired behaviour has been performed, for a few repetions (say 10 times max) but then reduced to a random schedule. [Read More…]
© Dogs Best Friend Limited N.Z. 2024. Selina McIntyre of Dogs Best Friend, a qualified Dog Behaviourist & Dog Trainer in the Hamilton, Waikato, Tauranga and Rotorua areas of NZ since 2004.