As a trainer, I’ve noticed some fascinating intricacies of dog behavior. It's what I do – I have no magic third eye – so I'm frequently looking for them. You might say to yourself, “Well, of course! Anyone could see that!” And just about every one of us has. But how many of us have really put much thought into them? You might be surprised to discover that, if you do, patterns will emerge.
Toys are More Fun
How many of us can forget the old parenting trick: I fondly remember how my father could make a forkful of broccoli or green beans a more entertaining mouthful by transforming it into a plane coming in for a landing on my tongue tarmac.
Well, guess what? It works with dogs, too. I’ve seen more than a few who, although not particularly turned on by their kibble, will suddenly eat with renewed vigor when their food is distributed in a puzzle toy like the Tricky Treat ball by Omega Paw. My own dog will overlook nuggets of food strewn on the floor and opt instead to toil over her food-stuffed ball, though the food is exactly the same!
The trick is to spend time teaching the dog how to get the food from the toy first, employing particularly tasty treats to jump-start his motivation. Once your dog has mastered the toy and is enjoying the challenge, then you can stuff it with less valuable tidbits, like his normal kibble.
Variety is the Spice of Life
People underestimate the importance of having a variety of treats when training. Many of my clients will come to a training session with one or two of their dog’s favorite treats and think that will get them through.
It might do the trick for labs, who, as a rule don’t have the most discerning palates and can get revved up by just about anything. But most dogs max out fairly quickly and need a super-charge part of the way through a session to keep them engaged. I usually start out using tidbits of hot dogs and Natural Balance.
Then, when the pooch seems to hit a wall, which usually happens when we introduce a new, more difficult behavior, I pull out the big guns – boiled chicken or cheese! The novel “yum” factor of these can put a jolt right back into the learning process just when it seemed the light had gone out.
The take-away: Have a treat rotation tor training, but hold back something especially yummy, which can relight the training fire when it seems to be burning out. When training, use soft, very small treats. Ten tiny treats are ten times better than one big treat in their eyes, and they won’t fill up as fast. And soft treats can be chewed and swallowed quickly so you can be on to the next repetition faster.
Little Dogs Get No Respect!
I remember watching in sadness as a client yanked and dragged his toy poodle from one place to another with no regard for the dog’s autonomy or personal space. That was the day I realized: All little dog owners should be required to own a big dog first.
Except under the most dire of circumstances, such as when a dog wanders too close to traffic and needs to be pulled abruptly out of harm’s way, no one would dream of manhandling a rottie or shepherd the way they might a little lhasa. We invite big dogs to join us, to follow us, to move with us. With little dogs, we force more than we invite.
Let’s not marginalize the little guys. If you find that you and your pooch don't agree on how to spend your time together, training can teach him or her all of the reasons why being at your side is such an advantage to one so small.
Little Dogs on High
If you’ve spent any time at the dog run, you’ve no doubt noticed the immediate change that takes place when a pet parent scoops up a little dog. All the others, large and small alike, start jumping, trying to get at the little dog. My own dog does this when I pick up one of my cats, and it can even happen when someone holds a baby. I think it’s predatory in nature, possibly hard-wired behavior, though I can’t say for sure. I do know it can be a recipe for disaster should the dog on the ground somehow reach the target -- which just might include your arm!
Ultimately it is safest to segregate play groups by size, so that small dogs aren't in the company of behemoths. Also, in mixed-species households like mine, teach the dog quiet, polite behaviors in the company of the cats -- for instance: a calm sit-stay.
Are Two Better than One?
When deciding whether to open your heart and home to another dog, make sure to consider your current furry family member’s perspective. While many will thrive from the company, especially if they’re left alone for long hours at a time, others prefer being the only pet, either because they’re not particularly good players with other animals or because they don’t want to share your attention. If this is the case, then your current animal should have the deciding vote; after all, he’ll be the one living day in and day out with the newbie. Fair is fair.
As important as training is with a single dog, it is absolutely critical in a multi-dog household. Training is the best way to assert yourself as leader. So, if you haven’t invested the time to train the dog you already have, introducing another is only inviting a life of pure chaos. Having more pets means more of your time, not less; so, if you are pressed for time with the family you have, be grateful for the love you already share and leave it at that.
The One Constant: Everything Changes… even Me!
Perhaps most remarkable are the changes I’ve seen in myself, especially how I use and express myself physically with dogs. My eyes have always been considered one of my more attractive traits, as they’re big and expressive, so for a good part of my life in the world of humans I have accentuated their size and flash. With dogs, though, this is an encumbrance, a challenge and, at the very least, off-putting. The way humans (and primates in general) greet each other – looking straight at someone, leaning forward, reaching out – is very assertive to dogs. When polite dogs greet each other, they approach indirectly, avert their gaze, and exchange a sniff.
In my role as a good-will ambassador between dogs and humans, translating the intentions and motivations of each to the other, I'm becoming a more fluent speaker of doglish, aware of the nuances and suggestions of seemingly innocuous human movements.
So, if your dog seems in a quandary about what you’re asking, no matter your intentions, it may well be that your doglish that is falling short of its mark. Examine your physical expressions and how your dog responds and perhaps the twain shall meet! (P.S. The book “The Other End of the Leash” by Patricia McConnell is a great resource for improving human-dog communication.)
Dog trainer Laura Garber, CPDT, of Hoboken regards training as an exercise in building relationships rather than obedience. She believes such an approach promises greater understanding and symbiosis within our family packs. Laura works with private clients in Hudson County and beyond. For information, go to myWoofGang.com or contact her directly at
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