Gem of a Pet (Part 2 of 2, continued from Clicker Training)

Your being Alpha is a facet of a well trained dog.

Establishing a pattern/habit of commands and obedience is another facet. This is part of why taking a step back to ground that you and the dog are both doing well with is often a better idea than continuing to bash your collective heads against a brick wall. You return to the Win-Win situation of Command and Obey. (You get obedience, the dog gets reward/approval, etc.) THEN you return to the steps, (piece at a time if it's complex behavior,) leading to the next behavior. You've removed the adversarial positioning that way, given the dog the opportunity to do good and be rewarded, brought him back into seeking your pleasure and further rewards, and encouraged him. (Sometimes the dog gets nervous, feels insecure and frustrated and pressured. By stepping back, we eliminate those barriers against progress.)

Accurately defining what we expect/require of the pet is an important aspect as well (see the article on Consistency.)

The third piece of the well-trained pet is proofing - practicing the command successfully with a variety of distraction, changes in environment, etc., so that the pattern/habit of obedience becomes rock-solid, dependable. While we always strive to be positive, this is where compulsion MUST be practiced. The pattern of obedience must be honed at this point, polished to perfection. What am I referring to? Let's talk about heel, walking alongside off the leash. We can (and should) teach that behavior initiall with the leash. It isn't just because the dog might run into traffic. It is also because if there is no leash, the dog can just run off and ignore you. Regardless of what some may claim, treats and Clicker sounds aren't the solution to everything. The leash, then, is how we define what Hell is NOT. It's not 3 or more feet away from your knee. It's not 2 feet ahead or behind you. It IS (Good dog! when the dog's shoulder is right there alongside your knee. So we reward the desired behavior, while Correcting the inaccurate perception that Heel can be practiced properly two or more feet away from you left knee. (This is all teaching the meaning of heel, in a sense, but in reality, TEACHING is happening when we're able to give the rewards, while a Correction is adjusting the miscomprehension the creature has of what ELSE Heel may mean. )

Now we jump ahead to that the dog knows and understands exactly what Heel means. The leash is now more than the laxed it has been. It's on the ground entirely. Or maybe we have a long light "check-cord" on in lieu of the leash. This keeps us from losing control entirely in case the dog decides the command is a request. It protects the dog from the dangers of running into the street, etc., and gives us a way of enforcing the command, should the dog elect not to comply. (Hopefully, you will not give a command you cannot enforce until the dog is well proofed.) Along comes that squirrel or rabbit. Is the dog still walking right alongside you, his shoulder at your knee? Lucky you! What about when the cat runs across the street, or the kids start chasing each other aorund, or... Until you are dead-to-rights CERTAIN that your dog isn't going to run off after the cat, squirrel, child, or startle, bolt and run off at the sound of a backfiring car, you're not done Proofing yet.

One lady wrote me bragging of that she'd put a CD on a dog (while insisting that her Positive-Only methods worked, proven by that CD.) I've got a $20 bill that says I could set up circumstances to make that dog break Heel so badly that you'd need telemetry or a psychic to find the dog again. The CD is trialed in a secure, controlled environment. That's not a real title, in my book. It's cute, kinda like merit badges in Boy Scouts, but it's hardly proof of the dog's abilities in the real world.

In the real world, trucks backfire, guns are fired, cats, kids, bigger (or smaller) dogs confront, food is found on the ground, female dogs in heat are nearby or passed recently. In the real world, that dog will not obey you when such circumstances arise without the Proofing aspects of both habit and compulsion.

There's little quite as pleasant as a well-trained dog accompanying you. You're able to relax and enjoy the animal's companionship. The dog is able to relax and enjoy the time spent out and about and with you, clear and secure in the rules and his ability to please you, to behave without fear of earning your wrath or frustration. People compliment you on how well behaved your dog is. The dog may even be welcome where other dogs are not allowed, because the proprietor has come to learn that your companion is not going to pose a problem.

Seeing Eye dogs which deserve their certification are such creatures. Police dogs which deserve their certification are likewise good, reliable citizens. Having a job to do only makes the animal go through its day that much happier.

Having the clearly defined structures in place (and your consistent adherence to those rules) makes for a happy, rewarding relationship on both sides. If you fail to provide that to your pet, that's YOUR failing, but both of you will suffer the consequences. There is nothing keeping you from having that level of obedience from your dog, except taking the time and effort to provide that structure and polish up the gem you share your home and heart with. The rewards are more than worth the effort, and last a lifetime.