H MORRIS Posted January 31, 2022 Posted January 31, 2022 One of the big problems with high energy anxious dogs is that they display a lot of these unwanted behaviours such as barking at noises, barking in the car, wild greetings, submissive urination, pulling on a lead, possessiveness etc etc. We’ve tried a lot of the videos and they’re starting to work with our border collie, but the dog is starting to get over weight from the treats. And there’s a limit to how small you can make them. Currently we’ve switched all his food to training in the hope it helps. And secondly in some cases we’re struggling with progression. He’s getting great at drop now, but if he finds something on a walk he still won’t drop it. This is because objects to food is a massive step with no in between. He’s done dozens of different objects in different locations, but as soon as he gets a bread stick or similar, whatever treat you have he’s going to eat it! Any help appreciated.
Adrienne Farricelli Posted January 31, 2022 Posted January 31, 2022 Hi there, and welcome to the forums! It is very true that dogs who are high energy and anxious may engage in a variety of undesirable behaviors. These dogs need to learn how to better control their impulses, they need structured exercise and lots of mental stimulation(brain games!), outlets for their natural instincts (border collies love to follow moving objects, stalk, eye and chase), a good diet, routines, gentle training methods and the right amount of sleep (many dogs get cranky when they are in dire need for a nap). If your dog is starting to get overweight, you are providing more calories than what he is consuming. So it's a good idea to start cutting on the amount of treats, and providing more exercise and activities that tire his body and mind out. If your dog loves his kibble, I am all for it, especially for certain types of training that are carried indoors. If you have ever counted how many pieces of kibble are in your dog's daily meals those are many, many opportunities for training! If your dog therefore loves eating his kibble, and you can get your dog to think that kibble is as good as treats, then you'll easily have plenty of training opportunities without having to depend much on higher-calorie treats. Here's the thing: you can persuade your dog into loving to eat kibble by simply making him earn it. The scientific term is "contrafreeloading." This term was coined by animal psychologist Glen Jensen in 1963 who described the phenomenon of animals who come to prefer eating food that requires some effort to obtain versus food offered freely. *I would though leave the treats for the life-saving types of training, such as recalls, leave its and drop its of valuable things. Here are some other tips on reducing calories (on top of splitting them in small pieces and using kibble). -Look for Low-Calorie Options The fewer calories a treat has, the more you can provide without surpassing Dr. Freeman's 10 percent rule (treats should comprise no more than 10 percent of your dog's total daily calorie needs Look for treats therefore that are advertised as being very low calorie. For instance, Bixbi Pocket Trainers provide less than 4 calories per treat. I have used these for training dogs, especially when clients are concerned about their dogs filling up and where every calorie counts. For example, last time I had a small Yorkie mix that weighed a little less than 7 pounds. Her vet assumed that her caloric requirements were probably around 200 calories/day. With that in mind, considering the 10 percent rule, she would therefore need to not go over 20 calories from treats. At 4 calories per treat, she could get up to 5 treats a day (5x4=20). While 5 treats a day may seem like very little, once you break them up into 4 pieces each, that leads to 20 treats that can be used to reinforce 20 desirable behaviors! There are many other low-calorie options on the market nowadays, like Zuke's Mini Naturals (one of my favorites) which contain just a mere 2 calories per treat! - Use Dog Friendly Fruits and Veggies Many dog owners use fruits and veggies for training their dogs. This is a good option considering that these healthy human foods have low calories which helps dog owners ensure their dogs don't eat more than 10 percent of the daily calories. Board-certified veterinary nutritionist Dr. Deborah E. Linder lists several low-calorie options for dogs on Petfoodology by Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University.https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2017/12/does-an-apple-a-day-keep-the-vet-away-harmful-vs-healthy-foods-for-pets Please don't just feed any fruit or veggie you come across without ensuring first that they're not toxic to your dog. For instance, consider that grapes, raisins, nuts, onions and garlic can be harmful and some of them even toxic to dogs. -Train With Cheerios Cheerios are a favorite low-calorie food that can be used to train dogs. They offer the advantage of taking on the smell/taste of treats pretty well, so you can mix them in with other treats/kibble to make them more appetizing. Warning: Avoid any cereals that contain raisins or the potentially deadly ingredient xylitol. I will be tackling the issues you are encountering with drops it, in the next thread shortly.
H MORRIS Posted January 31, 2022 Author Posted January 31, 2022 Thanks for a very comprehensive reply. He's a very lucky boy and gets Eden kibble, chicken and pate every day for training. Making the pieces smaller is obviously the way to go. Really look forward to your thread about bridging the gap between objects and food for the 'drop' command. Many thanks.
Adrienne Farricelli Posted January 31, 2022 Posted January 31, 2022 In some cases we’re struggling with progression. He’s getting great at drop now, but if he finds something on a walk he still won’t drop it. This is because objects to food is a massive step with no in between. He’s done dozens of different objects in different locations, but as soon as he gets a bread stick or similar, whatever treat you have he’s going to eat it! Yes, indeed, there can be a massive step from objects to food, especially with dogs who value food much more than toys, but we can lower the challenge and help our dogs by adding some intermediate steps in between. For instance, we don't go from training a dog to drop a toy to dropping a steak one has dropped from the counter in one day. Now, of course, on walks we can't control the level of value of things found on the road, but we can empower our training by using management, strategically creating set-ups starting with lower value things (like a piece of bread), gradually upping the value of things, and working on preventive measures so that a "drop it" on walks becomes more of a back-up plan when other measures may go wrong. So firstly, let's tackle why a dog is so eager to grab things on walks. This is due to a strong instinctive drive that is deeply ingrained in them. We can't blame them though: dogs are naturally predisposed to scavenging for food. Descending from gray wolves through a process of domestication, dogs have evolved from a predominantly hunting to a scavenging lifestyle. While the exact process from hunter to scavenger remains under debate, we have proof of the change through a dog's enhanced ability to digest carbohydrates, a major adaptation which enabled dogs to efficiently adapt to living among humans and eating leftovers found in waste dumps. While dogs no longer eat leftovers and are now cherished companions, the instinct to scavenge remains. Now you know why many dogs love to raid the trash bin, counters and search for crumbs under the table! To stop a dog from picking up things on walks, we therefore need to put ourselves a little in their mind and do some troubleshooting. The Importance of Taking a "Holistic" Approach Now, dog behaviors don't just start out of nowhere. Being aware of the "nuts and bolts" of why dogs behave in certain ways can help us work directly on the root of the problem, allowing us to take a holistic approach that helps us tackle the issue from different angles. Many behavior issues are directly linked to a dog's physical, emotional and mental health. In order to succeed in changing certain behaviors, it's important to keep into account the dog's health, nutrition and wellbeing. Is the dog healthy? Is the dog eating a well-balanced diet? Is the dog exercised enough? Different dogs have different energy levels. Is the dog receiving enough mental stimulation? How is the relationship between owner and dog? Is the dog anxious? These are all important questions to address when considering working on a dog who is posing some behavioral challenges. With all this in mind, following are several ways to stop a dog from picking up things on walks using a holistic approach that tackles potential issues from a variety of angles. 1) Consider a Veterinarian Visit If your dog is picking up things on walks with the intent to consume them (regardless if they are edible or not), it may be helpful to stop by the vet and have a little talk. Chances are, the dog is just fine, but it's not bad to err on the side of caution. Dogs who eat excessively and have ravenous appetites can sometimes be suffering from several underlying disorders such as diabetes, Cushing's disease, pancreas problems and heavy parasite burdens which causes them to eat more because the pesky parasites may be depriving them from nutrition. Even certain medications can cause a ravenous appetite in dogs. For instance, prednisone is known for causing increased hunger as a side effect and dogs may start eating odd things (my dog at the age of 11 started eating poop for the first time). 2) Skip Aversive Methods When implementing a holistic approach, the last thing one wants to do is suppress the behavior using punishment. No yelling, no corrections using a shock collar, no forcibly remove the item from the dog's mouth (unless it's something really harmful, but be warned-you risk getting bitten this way). All these methods do is create an adversarial relationship with the dog which can lead to a dog who will snatch things when one isn't around or worse, becomes aggressive or swallows foods or items fast in hopes of us not noticing them or to avoid us from trying to remove them from their mouth. Sure, while swift intervention is needed should a dog get ahold of something potentially harmful, but it's important to use the least aversive methods possible that do the least damage. Some of the methods require training, so in the meanwhile the best bet is to implement management. 3) Provide Outlets for Natural Behaviors As mentioned, scavenging is a natural, instinctive behavior in dogs. We cannot entirely remove instincts from a dog , especially when they have an adaptive value, but we can provide some outlets for them in a controlled setting. For instance, many brain games provide opportunities for dogs to search for food and the best part is that we can use their kibble for several of them. We can teach them too some impulse control too by asking them to sit/stay down/stay as we scatter the kibble around or prepare these games for them: The treasure hunt game: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/elementary/the-treasure-hunt/ The bottle game: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/high-school/the-bottle-game/ The muffin game: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/elementary/the-muffin-game/ 4) Prevent Rehearsal of the Problematic Behavior The more a dog engages in a problematic behavior that is reinforcing to the dog, the more it establishes and puts roots. But here's the deal: even if your dog gets to practice the behavior sometimes yes and sometimes no, it establishes even more strongly due to its "intermittent reinforcement." Humans who are addicted to gambling know this too well. Since winning at a slot machine in Vegas happens only on rare occasions, it creates an obsession that draws the player to keep trying. The brain chemical dopamine plays an important role in this sort of addiction. The rush and euphoria when the wheel starts spinning makes the whole experience exhilarating. Some similar feelings are likely to happen in dogs when they find things on walks, although the whole pursuit (the thrill of the hunt!) is ultimately what triggers increased dopamine levels in the dog's brain. "Dopamine is about the anticipation of pleasure, it's about the pursuit of happiness rather than happiness itself." said Robert Salposky in a presentation. To prevent rehearsal of the problematic behavior, you will therefore have to implement several management strategies as explained below. 5) Actively Scan the Environment When we take out dogs on walks, as caring pet parent it's ultimately our job to steer clear of any temptations that may draw our dogs like a magnet. Dogs don't know any better and need our gentle guidance just as toddlers put everything in their mouths and we need to lock up medicine cabinets and store chemicals high out of reach. Let's think about dangerous consequences. What if a dog picks up a bone and swallows it whole? The bone may get stuck in the airway, or may scrape the throat or puncture the intestines. It may lodge somewhere along the way causing an intestinal blockage that can turn into a costly surgery with a long recovery period. So when you walk your dog, try your best to pay extra attention. I recently had a dog over for board and training who wanted to eat everything, from tissues to dead animals to wrappers, leaves and stones. It was almost painful walking him initially because it required so much attention. This of course was not the time to be answering the phone or admiring any surrounding sceneries. I had to actively monitor the road and look out for things that could have been on the ground. Even with all the attention one day he was able to snatch a piece of bread somebody left for the pigeons. As the pigeons were eating and flew away, it was hard to see until the very last moment-which was too late. Careful scanning not only will save a dog from ingesting something potentially harmful, but will also prevent us from stepping on any yucky messes, tripping over things or bumping into any electric poles! Note: With the pandemic, things may be a little challenging due to face masks blocking our lower peripheral (side) vision, especially if we wear glasses. Walking slower and ensuring a tight fit can help us see better. A snug fit also helps reduce the chances of glasses fogging up. 6) Walk in Clear Areas Avoid walking your dog in areas where it may be difficult for you to see what's ahead or hiding underneath. You want a clear, unobstructed view of what's ahead and around you and your dog. For instance, you may want to avoid walking your dog in places with tall grass. Dogs have a strong sense of smell, so they are easily drawn to foods that may hiding under tall grass. You may also want to avoid tall grass because this is also a favorite hiding spot for ticks. As opportunistic feeders, ticks stick to areas with tall grass because it becomes easy for them to crawl onto passing people and dogs as their legs brush against the blades. 7) Use the Right Walking Gear You want to use walking gear that will make it easy for you to collect your dog in case you abruptly notice something lying on the ground. A retractable leash (also known as "Flexi Lead," is a big no-no because your dog is likely to walk ahead of you and you won't have time to retract the leash. Same goes with long lines (long leashes). You want a leash that is no longer than 4 to 6 feet. Also, you may want to use walking gear that allows you to better control your dog, especially if you have a large and strong dog. Clipping the leash to a front-attachment harness gives you more control that a regular buckle collar, and a head halter (properly introduced though gradual steps and positive associations) gives you even more control since it controls the head of the dog. 😎 Train Your Dog to 'Leave it" The very first step in training a dog to not pick up things on walks is training the "leave it cue." Training for this needs to start indoors using low value items and always rewarding the dog for leaving things using higher-value items. With time, your dog will learn that if he controls his impulse and "leaves things" something even better awaits him. Once your dog does well in responding to your "leave it" cue at home, it's time to start doing the exercise outdoors such as in a safely fenced yard. 9) Play the "I am a Magnet" Game This game is meant to draw your dog to you (like a magnet) despite some temptations placed on the ground. When out in the yard (with your dog inside), place something tempting that your dog may like to eat, but that he's not crazy for and that is safe if he should happen to eat it. I like to use a chunk of bread for this part of training. Then put your dog on leash and practice walking past the bread and tell your dog to "leave it" the moment you notice any interest in it. When your dog walks past it without trying to get it or looks at you, praise lavishly and reward with something very valuable (like 2-3 pieces of chicken or some high-value treat your dog goes crazy for). Once your dog gets good at this, practice it as well on walks. Have a helper place some bread in some areas you and your dog will pass through and practice the game. To help your dog succeed, keep some distance from the tempting food at first, and then once your dog gets the concept, you can walk closer to it. You can also increase the value of the things you use to practice on the ground (always using safe things, if unsure please look up lists of foods that are dangerous to dogs to make sure to avoid them) while also increasing the value of the foods you feed to reward. With time, you may get to to point of being able to even walk your on a loose leash or even off leash (in a safely fenced area) and your dog listening to your "leave it" cue because it predicts wonderful things! Note: If your dog happens to eat the bread or other safe food, say "oops!" and ignore your dog for some time. You want your dog to know that wrong choices lead to not superior in value treats or attention. However, make a mental note to be extra careful next time as the more your dog gets to make mistakes, the more effort you'll need to succeed. However, there's another valuable training you'll need to add in your arsenal, which is the drop it cue, which you are already working on. 10) Train the "Drop it" Cue The drop it cue is essentially a back-up plan in case your dog for some reason still manages to pick up something. Perhaps you missed seeing something before your dog did or you said "leave it" too late or/and your dog didn't listen. Life may throw us these things every now and then and nobody is perfect. In such a case, try saying your "drop it" cue. As with the leave it cue, you'll need to practice your drop its using safe, lower value things (like toys) always rewarding your dog using other toys or foods that are perceived as superior in value than what was dropped. You want your dog to be pleasantly surprised, and since this can be a cue that may save your dog's life, it's not a time for being stingy. Compile a hierarchy of foods your dog loves and use the foods at the top for rewarding dropping things that may pose a challenge. Quantity, size and duration (long-lasting edibles) can matter. Dogs are likely to be more impressed if you feed several pieces of baked liver in a row when your dog drops a meat-less bone, getting a whole cookie has more of an impact after dropping a small piece of bread and giving a bully stick may be more valuable than a hollow marrow bone. Every dog though is different, so you will need to pay extra attention on what your dog personally values more or values less. To some dogs a used piece of tissue may be as valuable as a cookie! 11) Implement More Impulse Control Training Controlling impulses is not something that dogs are born with. Sort of like children who aren't born knowing how to be patient and not wanting everything right away, dogs need to learn the virtue of delayed gratifications. This is not something that will immediately stop a dog from picking up things on walks directly, but it will help the dog attain calmer behaviors in face of distractions and better frustration tolerance: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/impulse-control-frustration-tolerance/ The Recipe for Success So to sum it up, with more mental stimulation, more outlets for natural behaviors in a controlled setting, with careful management to prevent rehearsals, with training a good response to leave it, and practicing lots of drop its with a variety of foods and scenarios, we should up the chances for success, while strategically lowering the chances for failures. I hope this helps, Happy training!
H MORRIS Posted February 1, 2022 Author Posted February 1, 2022 Thank you again for a thorough reply. We’ll up the ‘leave it’ and ‘drop’ work and hope it helps. My dog loves bread, in fact he loves all food, even fruit like apples and bananas. I’m going to have to find a food that he’s not so keen on, somehow, in order to make the transition from objects to food. 1
Adrienne Farricelli Posted February 1, 2022 Posted February 1, 2022 Sounds like a plan! You know your dog best, so base the training keeping in mind his personal preferences. Now, this can be a little challenging with dogs who have a strong instinct to wolf down anything edible. I recently had a dog with possible pica (recommended vet visit to see whether there was something amiss), and therefore he would gulp down everything like there's no tomorrow. He swallowed tissue paper, rocks, socks, any type of dropped foods, you name it. I had to let him sample several things to figure out his hierarchy of foods by watching how he reacted. When he was drooling or acting super eager/antsy to have more of something, I knew it was something he really liked more than the other things. Turned out stinky treats worked best- the stinkier the better! This is not surprising though considering that a study has found that when given the choice, dogs show a clear preference for animal protein with a meaty texture, strong smell (and likely taste) over other foods. Here are two videos on leave it, a demo on how to train it and some leave it exercises: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwbbAeEZPaU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCVN6NdM4n4 The setter leaving the dropped paper with pizza in the video above was the one with possible pica how loved ingesting tissues and paper. He had a double whammy of temptations here: the paper wrapping and parts of pizza attached to it (yuk, the stuff people toss on the ground!). Destiny wanted that the day the owners came to pick him up, with the wind, this same wrapper was right in front of the owner's car. I didn't see it between my mask being on and talking with the owners so as I had him on leash just before jumping into the car he grabbed it and jumped into the car with it in his mouth. I told him "drop it" and the owners were so proud of him since he normally would have just gulped it down. I am glad I had some high-value treats in my pocket to reward that! This is a perfect example on how you can get a nice return on your investment after working on something so much!
H MORRIS Posted February 2, 2022 Author Posted February 2, 2022 Thanks again. Great stuff! Just what we’re looking for. Finn will eat anything as long as it’s food but paper, plastics, socks etc he’ll chew but won’t swallow. Which is good. We’ll try to up the anti on ‘leave it’s’ Just like you show, but I’m not holding out any hope for dropping anything food related out of his mouth, even though he’s getting very good with different objects.
Adrienne Farricelli Posted February 2, 2022 Posted February 2, 2022 Thanks again. Great stuff! Just what we’re looking for. Finn will eat anything as long as it’s food but paper, plastics, socks etc he’ll chew but won’t swallow. Which is good. Yes, that's a big advantage! When boarding and training this dog I felt like I had to grow an extra pair of eyes on my back. I mean the first night at my place, he woke us up in the night gagging and when I got up to check on him, he had just puked a black sock. Owners told me they were glad they brought him to me a day later, as the day prior to that he puked the wives' underwear!😬 We’ll try to up the anti on ‘leave it’s’ Just like you show, but I’m not holding out any hope for dropping anything food related out of his mouth, even though he’s getting very good with different objects. Management can have you covered until you can work on a more reliable response with leave its and drop its progressing to involving foods starting with lower value. Here is a demo on drop it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUnItd7OEmw Now, for more challenging cases (like when all food is super valuable or in cases of dogs lacking trust or prone to resource guarding), we can also try a different approach. More and more trainers and behavior consultants have been suggesting Chirag Patel's approach which adds a classically conditioned twist to the exercise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndTiVOCNY4M I have personally tried this method and found it helpful as a starting point with certain dogs. It may take a little longer to implement, and it may seem a little odd at first, but it turns the act of dropping almost into a reflexive action. Of course, if there are any signs of aggression, such as a dog who growls, stiffens or tries to bite when approached when the dog is in possession of food/ toys or other valuables, professional intervention is required for safety and correct behavior modification implementation.
H MORRIS Posted February 6, 2022 Author Posted February 6, 2022 Thanks again, great videos. In those two vids, when the dogs are given food (albeit low value) there's just a long enough pause for the trainers to give the command 'drop', mark, and produce the high value treats. My dog Finn is superb at drop with just about any object after a lot of training, it's become reflex. But as soon as it comes to food however low value eg bread or kibble, and even though he knows I've got chicken waiting to give him, I can't even get a pause before he turns away and devours it and returns wagging his tail for his high value treat. He's a very excitable dog and I guess this is all part of his condition. I'll continue with the games and impulse training and just hope time will calm him.
JMFS Posted February 6, 2022 Posted February 6, 2022 Maybe go even lower value. Esther will do anything for food so I know well your struggle! Maybe a carrot? She'll eat carrots, but given something else she'll latch on to the else. An apple slice? Broccoli? Blueberry, banana, cantaloupe, celery, green bean, spinach, or some other dog-safe less exciting snack. If one of those works then you can slowly work your way through the list from least desirable to most. 1
Adrienne Farricelli Posted February 6, 2022 Posted February 6, 2022 You are very welcome! The first video, at the very end there are some 'drop it' demos done with a white Great Pyrenees which involved a generally very high value chew, basically a rawhide chew which many dogs would never want to give up and may even fight over it given the chance. The second video by Chirag Patel at the end involved dropping whole hot dogs which are also often at the very top of high value food for many dogs. Of course, these are things to practice with only once reaching a certain level of responsiveness. We want to therefore start training drop its at elementary levels, and then build our way gradually to middle school and then progress to college levels. As Jennifer pointed out you can try with some dog-safe veggies, the plus is they are low calorie if he happens to eat some. Sometimes we need some extra experimenting with certain dogs. Some dogs just need to grasp the concept which can be sometimes challenging with foods as they're just so used to gulping things down without our intervention so now they're wondering what in the world we're asking them to do. Dogs may think: "why in the world would I do that?" So we may need to gain their trust and help them gain those thinking skills to reach that lightbulb moment of "oh, so that's what you want! I can do that! Cool! Every time I drop something I get something better!" If you are at the point of getting an almost reflex -like response with dropping toys, then I believe you are on the right track and need to pat yourself on the back for a job well done. You may just need to find the right foods to get started. If he's so quick eating bread or kibble, then you may need to find some ways to gather a little more time before he devours them and gain that little extra momentum. When you move to food, you'll may therefore need to find a starting point and maybe start trying with something large or hard enough that he can't just gobble down in seconds. I would skip the kibble as that's not easy to spit out and most dogs inhale it without even chewing. Dogs are also so used to eating it so consumption of it may be such a reflexed action you can't gather a thinking moment. If you are using small and soft pieces of bread and not getting anywhere skip that too for now. You can try with these instead: -A half or quarter loaf of super hard, stale French baguette-style bread (that would have been tossed anyway.) -An ice-cube made with low-sodium chicken broth or a popsicle for dogs (there are many recipes online on how to make these, never use sticks as dogs may ingest those too). Many dogs will lick an ice cube rather than chew it and this will give you time and make the- easy- to- swallow chicken more appealing. You may have to wait for your dog to carry the ice cube or popsicle in his mouth or try to chew it to strategically execute your drop it. -Or maybe you can find an intermediate step and stick with toys for now, but adding some element of food. Like you can try with a toy with a dog cookie stuck inside that is almost impossible to extract. You can say "drop it" and toss the chicken when he seems tired of trying. Then entice him to take the toy again and tell him to drop and toss the chicken at a distance and as he eats that far from you, get the toy and walk away and quickly remove the cookie inside and hide in in your pocket or behind your back. Then, come back, drop the toy and wait for him to grab the toy again, and ask for a final drop it and if he does, give him the cookie. -Or, if your dog isn't prone to resource guarding and has a soft bite (meaning doesn't hurt when he mistakenly misses and grabs things that are close to your hands as in a game of tug), you can even start your drop its by holding on to one side of something big enough such as a long piece of celery or carrot and asking your dog to "take" and then once he does, then ask for "drop it" (in this case it doesn't really drop, he just lets go since you're holding on to it,) as you show with your other hand some tasty chicken and toss it. A disclaimer is warranted here: some dogs may grab carrots or other large chunks of difficult to digest foods and swallow them whole or in large chunks and this may lead to bowel obstructions, so something to be aware of. If that works, then rinse and repeat a couple more times, until at one point, you ask for the drop it without showing the chicken. If he drops, then praise and reward by tossing 2-3 pieces of chicken at once to inform him that "bingo! that's what you wanted!' Now, with drop its, we want to minimize as much as possible the chances for failure because what happens if our dogs often enough hear "drop it" and the next thing they do is they just swallow the food? They may come to think that "drop it" means eat and swallow and they get reinforced for that with the tasty food going down their throats! So we need to break this cycle and do lots of reps with toys to enforce in the dog's mind that "drop it" means to spit things out and not eat and swallow and if you feel like going back to basics using Chirag Patel's method (video number two) it may be super worthy in the long run. Alternatively, before he's reliable enough, you can routinely do some tests. In other words, when your dog has an edible that he's carrying around or taking some time to chew, approach, but keep some distance, and try to "test things" by tossing something that you feel may be far more valuable and that he'll likely get up to get. If he goes for that, you know you have a potentially good valuable for training drop its, so when he goes back to the edible chew, and again holds it in his mouth, you can start to add the cue 'drop it' as you toss the valuable nearby. When he drops the edible, make sure to praise as he goes eat the valuable you have tossed. After some time, remember to delay the food tossing as we don't want them to rely on the sight of food. Simply, say "drop it" and wait for him to drop and then toss the valuable. As with other types of training, we want to prevent food lures from becoming potential bribes. As always, with any training or behavior modification using food, caution is needed. Never forcibly remove food from a dog's mouth and with dogs with a history of resource guarding or dogs who show any signs of aggression, professional intervention is required for safety and correct behavior modification implementation. *Disclaimer: certain types of training/behavior modification comes with risks. If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting) for safety, please consult with a dog behavior professional (DACVB, CAAB or dog trainer specializing in aggression) who uses force-free behavior modification techniques for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos and general info found in the forums or course (or any online source) are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this course and forum, you are waiving any liability claims or other type of claims related to any dogs' behavior against you or others.
H MORRIS Posted February 7, 2022 Author Posted February 7, 2022 18 hours ago, JMFS said: Maybe go even lower value. Esther will do anything for food so I know well your struggle! Maybe a carrot? She'll eat carrots, but given something else she'll latch on to the else. An apple slice? Broccoli? Blueberry, banana, cantaloupe, celery, green bean, spinach, or some other dog-safe less exciting snack. If one of those works then you can slowly work your way through the list from least desirable to most. Thanks very much for the suggestions. He’s not big on vegetables or fruit and tends to leave them but he will eat banana and apple pieces. They’ll definitely be on my list. 1
H MORRIS Posted February 7, 2022 Author Posted February 7, 2022 17 hours ago, Adrienne Farricelli said: You are very welcome! The first video, at the very end there are some 'drop it' demos done with a white Great Pyrenees which involved a generally very high value chew, basically a rawhide chew which many dogs would never want to give up and may even fight over it given the chance. The second video by Chirag Patel at the end involved dropping whole hot dogs which are also often at the very top of high value food for many dogs. Of course, these are things to practice with only once reaching a certain level of responsiveness. We want to therefore start training drop its at elementary levels, and then build our way gradually to middle school and then progress to college levels. As Jennifer pointed out you can try with some dog-safe veggies, the plus is they are low calorie if he happens to eat some. Sometimes we need some extra experimenting with certain dogs. Some dogs just need to grasp the concept which can be sometimes challenging with foods as they're just so used to gulping things down without our intervention so now they're wondering what in the world we're asking them to do. Dogs may think: "why in the world would I do that?" So we may need to gain their trust and help them gain those thinking skills to reach that lightbulb moment of "oh, so that's what you want! I can do that! Cool! Every time I drop something I get something better!" If you are at the point of getting an almost reflex -like response with dropping toys, then I believe you are on the right track and need to pat yourself on the back for a job well done. You may just need to find the right foods to get started. If he's so quick eating bread or kibble, then you may need to find some ways to gather a little more time before he devours them and gain that little extra momentum. When you move to food, you'll may therefore need to find a starting point and maybe start trying with something large or hard enough that he can't just gobble down in seconds. I would skip the kibble as that's not easy to spit out and most dogs inhale it without even chewing. Dogs are also so used to eating it so consumption of it may be such a reflexed action you can't gather a thinking moment. If you are using small and soft pieces of bread and not getting anywhere skip that too for now. You can try with these instead: -A half or quarter loaf of super hard, stale French baguette-style bread (that would have been tossed anyway.) -An ice-cube made with low-sodium chicken broth or a popsicle for dogs (there are many recipes online on how to make these, never use sticks as dogs may ingest those too). Many dogs will lick an ice cube rather than chew it and this will give you time and make the- easy- to- swallow chicken more appealing. You may have to wait for your dog to carry the ice cube or popsicle in his mouth or try to chew it to strategically execute your drop it. -Or maybe you can find an intermediate step and stick with toys for now, but adding some element of food. Like you can try with a toy with a dog cookie stuck inside that is almost impossible to extract. You can say "drop it" and toss the chicken when he seems tired of trying. Then entice him to take the toy again and tell him to drop and toss the chicken at a distance and as he eats that far from you, get the toy and walk away and quickly remove the cookie inside and hide in in your pocket or behind your back. Then, come back, drop the toy and wait for him to grab the toy again, and ask for a final drop it and if he does, give him the cookie. -Or, if your dog isn't prone to resource guarding and has a soft bite (meaning doesn't hurt when he mistakenly misses and grabs things that are close to your hands as in a game of tug), you can even start your drop its by holding on to one side of something big enough such as a long piece of celery or carrot and asking your dog to "take" and then once he does, then ask for "drop it" (in this case it doesn't really drop, he just lets go since you're holding on to it,) as you show with your other hand some tasty chicken and toss it. A disclaimer is warranted here: some dogs may grab carrots or other large chunks of difficult to digest foods and swallow them whole or in large chunks and this may lead to bowel obstructions, so something to be aware of. If that works, then rinse and repeat a couple more times, until at one point, you ask for the drop it without showing the chicken. If he drops, then praise and reward by tossing 2-3 pieces of chicken at once to inform him that "bingo! that's what you wanted!' Now, with drop its, we want to minimize as much as possible the chances for failure because what happens if our dogs often enough hear "drop it" and the next thing they do is they just swallow the food? They may come to think that "drop it" means eat and swallow and they get reinforced for that with the tasty food going down their throats! So we need to break this cycle and do lots of reps with toys to enforce in the dog's mind that "drop it" means to spit things out and not eat and swallow and if you feel like going back to basics using Chirag Patel's method (video number two) it may be super worthy in the long run. Alternatively, before he's reliable enough, you can routinely do some tests. In other words, when your dog has an edible that he's carrying around or taking some time to chew, approach, but keep some distance, and try to "test things" by tossing something that you feel may be far more valuable and that he'll likely get up to get. If he goes for that, you know you have a potentially good valuable for training drop its, so when he goes back to the edible chew, and again holds it in his mouth, you can start to add the cue 'drop it' as you toss the valuable nearby. When he drops the edible, make sure to praise as he goes eat the valuable you have tossed. After some time, remember to delay the food tossing as we don't want them to rely on the sight of food. Simply, say "drop it" and wait for him to drop and then toss the valuable. As with other types of training, we want to prevent food lures from becoming potential bribes. As always, with any training or behavior modification using food, caution is needed. Never forcibly remove food from a dog's mouth and with dogs with a history of resource guarding or dogs who show any signs of aggression, professional intervention is required for safety and correct behavior modification implementation. *Disclaimer: certain types of training/behavior modification comes with risks. If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting) for safety, please consult with a dog behavior professional (DACVB, CAAB or dog trainer specializing in aggression) who uses force-free behavior modification techniques for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos and general info found in the forums or course (or any online source) are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this course and forum, you are waiving any liability claims or other type of claims related to any dogs' behavior against you or others. OK you’ve definitely made me realise that I need more imagination to find those in between steps. A superb reply that’s full of interesting advice. I tried a stick of celery this morning and when I said ‘get it’ and ‘hold’ he held it in his mouth. And then the ‘drop’ was perfect. Later I tried to give him a small piece to eat but he wouldn’t eat it. Drat, no wonder he was so good. So the hunt is now on for something he only just regards as food but will drop, or a treat he can smell inside a container, or a higher value food that’s harder, so he can’t bolt it down to give time for the drop command, mark and treat with high value. I’m on it. Meanwhile keep practising with toys. Thanks again.
JMFS Posted February 7, 2022 Posted February 7, 2022 Adrienne, I Love that approach from Chirag Patel! We tried it this morning and Esther took to it excellently. She's so flipping Fast with getting things in her mouth and this gives us a great starting point. She'll let me delve into her maw to retrieve items, but I'd rather get her to drop the gross stuff on her own, lol. I was cracking up at your video each time the pup spat the item out. Something about a fluffy being ejecting a large item out of their mouth had me giggling. H Morris, I hope you find success with the different items! These furry heart stealers can be a major challenge at times!
Adrienne Farricelli Posted February 8, 2022 Posted February 8, 2022 22 hours ago, H MORRIS said: OK you’ve definitely made me realise that I need more imagination to find those in between steps. A superb reply that’s full of interesting advice. I tried a stick of celery this morning and when I said ‘get it’ and ‘hold’ he held it in his mouth. And then the ‘drop’ was perfect. Later I tried to give him a small piece to eat but he wouldn’t eat it. Drat, no wonder he was so good. So the hunt is now on for something he only just regards as food but will drop, or a treat he can smell inside a container, or a higher value food that’s harder, so he can’t bolt it down to give time for the drop command, mark and treat with high value. I’m on it. Meanwhile keep practising with toys. Thanks again. Well, that gives you a starting point! Next step, may be trying putting some peanut butter on that celery he seems so disinterested in and freezing it (make sure the peanut butter' doesn't contain xylitol) or making a mix of mashed celery with some yogurt and a little bit of peanut butter (again make sure it' doesn't contai xylitol) and shape it as a log and freeze it or mashing some banana with peanut butter and freezing it into large, easy-to-carry and drop shapes. Be generous when he drops, especially those first ones, rather than just one piece of chicken, try tossing several pieces to leave more an impact. This doesn't necessarily mean more chicken, just offered in several pieces so to offer a little fun treasure hunt. Surprise your dog, make it feel like you're throwing a party! Most dogs will trade fruit/veggies for protein with not much thinking.
Adrienne Farricelli Posted February 8, 2022 Posted February 8, 2022 20 hours ago, JMFS said: Adrienne, I Love that approach from Chirag Patel! We tried it this morning and Esther took to it excellently. She's so flipping Fast with getting things in her mouth and this gives us a great starting point. She'll let me delve into her maw to retrieve items, but I'd rather get her to drop the gross stuff on her own, lol. I was cracking up at your video each time the pup spat the item out. Something about a fluffy being ejecting a large item out of their mouth had me giggling. H Morris, I hope you find success with the different items! These furry heart stealers can be a major challenge at times! Yes, Chirag Patel's method is very cherished by behaviorists world-wide. I have been using it more and more for some challenging cases. It does take a little longer because initially you are just saying drop without the dog mouthing/ carrying any objects/foods, but the extra steps are totally worth it because it creates a positive association with the word and the dog gets so reflexively used to eating savory foods upon hearing it, that he more easily drops anything from the mouth. As a bonus, as you gather the chicken with the finger, it helps build trust with hands nearby food. Of course, it's not suitable for dogs who resource guard, but I think it works great as a preventive. Yeah, that fluff ball teddy-bear Pom has a special place in my heart, so full of character! One day I saw her eat something, and since she was in my care, I took the risk and opened her mouth worried it could have been something harmful. I retrieved the item from her mouth and popped a treat from my pocket in her mouth in exchange, only to realize later it was ---uggh, I feel like gagging still to this day--- it was her poop! I was literally retching as I rushed to clean up my hands. So drop it and leave it turned out being the main training she needed, along with learning to trust me being around when she pooped (owner used to scold her). She eventually got very good at her drops, so much so, one day, I was sitting on the couch reading emails and she intently, with great purpose jumped up right next to me and dropped her poop on my lap-and looked up at me with the expectation of a treat to exchange! This is normally a pleasant consequence of teaching drop it. It's a sign you have instilled a higher level of trust. My female Rottie Petra, used to chew my pens, but then once she learned to drop well, she would carry any pens I lost to me rather than chew them on her own which was great, but I never thought about this happening with poop, eeek! 1
JMFS Posted February 8, 2022 Posted February 8, 2022 Esther has done that to both of us with the poop, and you're right. It's retch-worthy. Ugh! I started with her kibble for now - chicken is a rare commodity these days and our stores are bare. She already trusts us 100% with hands and is the polar opposite of Momo when it comes to guarding resources, thank goodness!
Adrienne Farricelli Posted February 9, 2022 Posted February 9, 2022 21 hours ago, JMFS said: Esther has done that to both of us with the poop, and you're right. It's retch-worthy. Ugh! I started with her kibble for now - chicken is a rare commodity these days and our stores are bare. She already trusts us 100% with hands and is the polar opposite of Momo when it comes to guarding resources, thank goodness! Well that's a big plus! It's great that she's showing signs of not being prone to resource guarding. I am sure you have contributed to her 100 percent trust with hands. There's a big chicken wing shortage everywhere apparently due to the upcoming Super Bowl, but it looks like anything chicken related lately is being sold out. I think it's OK to start with kibble on the Chirag Patel drop exercises, especially at the very beginning when nothing is being dropped. Just to introduce the concept. When then swapping to meat it'll be a pleasant surprise for sure!
H MORRIS Posted February 15, 2022 Author Posted February 15, 2022 Adrienne, we’d be really interested on your take about the amount of activity for our anxious hyper dog. Reading around there seems to be a split of opinion amongst the dog trainers and behaviourists. Some advise lots of activity to tire them out. Some say that activity hypes them up, particularly games of fetch, chase or tug, which further arouse them. These trainers advise a ‘do nothing’ protocol to try and get them to calm down so they have to mooch about without rehearsing. With Finn our border collie cross, he has 3 short toilet break walks down the lane for leash work, about 1/4 mile there and back. He also has two 20 minute exercise bouts in our paddock, chasing balls, fetch, frisbee work and at least one session of find a scent object off the lead. As we’re retired we often go for longer walks and take him to parks, woodlands etc. We’ve also done a lot of socialisation stuff walking around busy car parks, town centre, eating at cafe’s etc. But at just 2 years old he still struggles to settle, particularly in the evening when we watch TV, listening for any noises outside, barking when he hears anything. He moves from position to position and frequently scratches the floor or furniture. Wonder if we should do less?
Adrienne Farricelli Posted February 16, 2022 Posted February 16, 2022 Reading around there seems to be a split of opinion amongst the dog trainers and behaviourists. Some advise lots of activity to tire them out. Some say that activity hypes them up, particularly games of fetch, chase or tug, which further arouse them. These trainers advise a ‘do nothing’ protocol to try and get them to calm down so they have to mooch about without rehearsing. Hi there! This is a great question. In the dog trainer world there is a popular saying: "The only thing two dog trainers can agree on is that the third trainer is wrong." This just to point out how many subjects of controversy there may be when it comes to training methods and other various things like this famous "exercise conundrum." There is really no easy answer when it comes to how much exercise is needed for a specific dog, there are just too many variables at play. For instance, let's consider breed. Most dog breeds on this planet have been carefully crafted to fulfill some important roles through many years of careful selective breeding. Retrievers were selectively bred to retrieve downed birds and return them to the hunters with a soft mouth, spaniels were bred to flush birds out of dense bushes, livestock guardians were bred to protect vulnerable livestock from predators, small terriers were bred to hunt and kill rats and so forth. Knowledge is therefore power in knowing what to expect when one brings a specific dog breed into their lives. Variety is the spice of life and dogs come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and personalities! Activity levels will vary greatly from one dog to another based on their histories. Many dog breeds were built for having lots of stamina and their high energy levels made them prized workers. These dogs are naturally drawn to movement (its self-reinforcing!) and staying still is difficult. Other breeds led less active roles such as keeping an eye on valuables, saving the occasional distressed traveler or drowning person, or warming the laps of aristocratic ladies. Knowing what a dog breed was selectively bred for can give us an insight on what type of exercise and what activities the dog may enjoy. For instance, huskies, which were selectively bred to pulls sleds, won't be very happy with a short walk around the block. But even then, even within breeds, there are no rules written in stone. There are show lines and working lines in many dog breeds, and there can be even great variances between puppies of the same litter! Then factor in other individual factors such as the environment in which a dog is raised (a sporting breed in an apartment will crave more exercise than the same dog raised on a farm) and some dogs on top of being energetic are also anxious, which can aggravate things. And then, wen need to also consider that not all exercise is created equally. Excessive exercise of the wrong type may be doing more harm than good. We may be exhausting our dogs, and on top of that, with too much cardio exercise, we may be increasing our dog's fitness and endurance which means they'll need more and more and this may not be feasible nor sustainable for us. While it's true that beneficial endorphins are released when exercising, when accompanied by high levels of arousal, there are risks for other hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline being released as well and these hormones are related to stress. I personally think something important to consider the quality of the exercise and balancing it out with other forms of activities. Many dog owners get stuck with playing too much fetch with their dogs. A game of fetch in certain predisposed dogs may turn into an adrenaline-pumping ordeal and some dogs may even get addicted to that due to the games repetitive pattern. Or some other dog owners may rely on taking their dogs too often and for too many hours to day care or the dog park. Relying excessively on certain, specific forms of exercise, may create a narrow view of exercise and mental stimulation coming to depend too much on them and never having the opportunity to explore other forms of activity and play. These dogs risk living their lives constantly looking for a ball or playing wild at the park rehearsing hyper behaviors over and over. There are fortunately, more productive forms of exercise that may benefit both dogs and dog owners. I personally find, that often, the ideal solution is the golden way in between. That is finding the perfect balance between a dog's need for exercise and mental enrichment (brain games! food puzzles!, sniffing adventures!), basically, that ideal sweet spot that will help keep dogs and dog owners happy. Of course, breeds needs to be considered as well, with that some dog breeds being more needy than others due to their heritage. A certain dog breed can be a nightmare for some while it can be a dream dog for others. With Finn our border collie cross, he has 3 short toilet break walks down the lane for leash work, about 1/4 mile there and back. He also has two 20 minute exercise bouts in our paddock, chasing balls, fetch, frisbee work and at least one session of find a scent object off the lead. As we’re retired we often go for longer walks and take him to parks, woodlands etc. We’ve also done a lot of socialisation stuff walking around busy car parks, town centre, eating at cafe’s etc. But at just 2 years old he still struggles to settle, particularly in the evening when we watch TV, listening for any noises outside, barking when he hears anything. He moves from position to position and frequently scratches the floor or furniture. Wonder if we should do less? It sounds like Finn has a nice array of activities! It may take some trial and error at times to find the perfect balance. I feel that after providing a dog with the right balance of exercise and mental stimulation, we may sometimes need to help set the mood for some well-deserved relaxation. Some dogs need more help to learn how to settle down and relax. Some dogs may even get cranky when they are tired and misbehave until they get tired enough to fall asleep. We can help these dog by creating "quiet zones" that promote relaxation. These are simply quiet areas away from the areas of the home buzzing with activity, where there are comfy dog beds and temptations are kept out of reach. If your dog barks at outdoor noises, it may help turning on a fan to create some "white noise." If you can identify whether certain noises trigger the barking, you can try the "hear that' method: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/fear-noises/, this may keep him awake for some time, but he may habituate to them which can help in the long run. One can therefore help a dog practice relaxation, by creating a routine while reading a book or watching TV. Creating a routine and praising the dog in a calm tone when he lies down on his bed can help reinforce calmness. When practiced day after day, this should become easier and easier over time. It's a good sign when dogs start to emit a sigh and lie down on their side for some restorative REM sleep. Some high energy dogs may struggle settling down and these dogs do best if crated or placed in an exercise pen so to limit their movement and encourage them to settle down. Offering them a long-lasting edible to chew such as a bully stick or a frozen Kong can help them wind down and make good choices. However, if there are some other concomitant forms of anxiety at play, this may require a more involved approach.
H MORRIS Posted February 16, 2022 Author Posted February 16, 2022 Thanks for an extensive and brilliant reply. Lots to think about. It’s good to know we have some balance in our activities. We’re also doing your brain training games during the day and he loves them. He’s incredibly bright even though he’s very anxious and reactive. We’ll try the ‘hear that’ and work harder on ‘place’ to try and get him to relax when we’re getting on with other things. Nobody tells you if you get an anxious puppy, it’s the route for a whole variety of unwanted behaviours, not just one or two. Barking, lunging, wild greeting, struggling to relax, resource guarding, pulling on the leash, hyper vigilance and aversion to grooming. The amount of training and research can be incredibly daunting if you’re not a trainer or behaviourist. It’s been a long and sometimes stressful uphill 2 year battle and we haven’t won yet. But we’re determined to help him succeed and he’s improved a lot. Our previous dog hardly needed a treat to behave beautifully, this has been a real eye opener. Much appreciate your superb insights.
Adrienne Farricelli Posted February 22, 2022 Posted February 22, 2022 You are very welcome! I love your determination and positive mindset despite the hurdles you have encountered. Keep me posted on how things go, and if you need any in depth guidance or encouragement on any of the issues you have listed, this is the place and we are here to help! Best, Adrienne
H MORRIS Posted February 22, 2022 Author Posted February 22, 2022 Thanks for your kind words. Another issue we could do with some help on is his separation anxiety. Since the lockdown in the UK finished, he's very stressed at us leaving. So we've watched the training videos and flagged up that we're leaving, put him in the utility room, put on relaxing music, given him a chew and are leaving for just a few minutes at a time, increasing duration very slowly. We return and take him out immediately as a reward. It's been hard. The whining and crying is difficult to take. But it's now led to a side effect, if he sees either of us go anywhere near our shoes he goes absolutely mental, barking, spinning, jumping, even if we're just going out to take the trash. We've tried doing it quietly whilst he's in another room but he can hear us. This has only just started since we've been doing the separation training.
Adrienne Farricelli Posted February 23, 2022 Posted February 23, 2022 Another issue we could do with some help on is his separation anxiety. Since the lockdown in the UK finished, he's very stressed at us leaving. So we've watched the training videos and flagged up that we're leaving, put him in the utility room, put on relaxing music, given him a chew and are leaving for just a few minutes at a time, increasing duration very slowly. We return and take him out immediately as a reward. It's been hard. The whining and crying is difficult to take. But it's now led to a side effect, if he sees either of us go anywhere near our shoes he goes absolutely mental, barking, spinning, jumping, even if we're just going out to take the trash. We've tried doing it quietly whilst he's in another room but he can hear us. This has only just started since we've been doing the separation training. You are very welcome. So for treating separation-related issues, there is a lot to cover. There are many books over 200 pages long covering the issue since things can be complex and I have attended several virtual conferences, the best coming from veterinary behaviorists and these last over two hours long. You are definitely not alone as the pandemic has put us all in a situation never encountered before. Many dogs have never had the opportunity to learn how it feels to be left alone, or the dogs may have been fine before, but now that we have been working more from home, they have gotten so used to our salient presence, that leaving them now has become their biggest fear. The very first step in these cases is a veterinary visit to rule out any medical issues and for an accurate diagnosis. Some dogs in pain have been reported to be more likely to become anxious when left alone and separation anxiety can be a little tricky to diagnose at times (it's now called "the great imitator" for this very reason). The best way to diagnose separation anxiety with more certainty is recording the dog's behavior when left alone and having your veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist take a look at it. Important would be to set your recording device with a clear view towards the area you exit and both leave for a brief absence sticking nearby as you monitor your dog using your remote monitoring device (camera) so that you can come back quickly as needed. Once diagnosed, usually these case are treated using a multi-modal approach consisting of management, medications and behavior modification. Let's take a closer look into these. Management: Management entails not allowing the dog to rehearse the full-intensity behavior. This is the part that most dog owners find challenging, because this means that the dog should never be left alone, at least initially. Medications take on average 4 weeks to take effect, and in the meanwhile the dog needs to stay under threshold as much as possible. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/ If owners work, the dog can be taken to daycare or a pet sitter may swing by. If owners for one reason or another cannot take the dog to day care of hire a pet sitter, then additional event-based meds that are short-acting and effective more quickly, can be added always under the guidance of the vet. Medications: There are only 2 FDA approved maintenance drugs for treating separation anxiety in dogs and they consist of Clomicalm (a tri-cyclic antidepressant) and Reconcile (an SSRI). As mentioned, these take some time to kick in, but once effective, they help calm the dog enough so that he is no longer over threshold and behavior modification can be started. As mentioned, situational, event-based medications( like trazadone) can be used on specific occasions for example when the otherwise stay-at-home dog parent needs to be absent or the left-alone time is expected to be longer than usual. Such event-based meds kick in quickly, although they do not last very long. Used alone, they can be an option for dogs with milder forms of separation anxiety, but in more severe cases, it is best to combine them with the above maintenance drugs and use the event-based medications as a booster. An advantage of medications is that they can help work on concomitant forms of anxiety. Research has shown that many dogs with separation anxiety also suffer from noise phobias and thunder storm phobias, so the meds can also help with that. Behavior Modification Behavior modification often entails desensitization and counterconditioning techniques. Here is more about them: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/desensitization/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/counterconditioning/ Often it consists of uncoupling pre-departure cues, instilling more independence and creating positive associations with absences. Uncoupling pre-departure cues often entails repeating an action that dogs have learned to associate with the owner leaving without the actual leaving. In other words, if your dog is nervous when you put on your shoes, you could start by keeping your shoes by the couch and practice several times of putting them on and then sitting on the couch to read a book. Since putting on the shoes have led to such an intense emotional response (you mention spinning, barking, jumping) it would be important to work on this after meds have kicked in. Time after time, putting on the shoes should become a boring activity as the dog disassociates the action with departures. Other pre-departure cues need to be included as well, basically any thing that has been done before leaving that has set the dog in an anxious state. More on this below in the general protocols I will be posting shortly. When one must really leave the home, it would be best to keep the shoes outside so that this anxiety-evoking action is not presented. However, it would be important never leaving the house with a dog who is frantic or panicky as that leads to sensitization rather then desensitization, hence the importance of using meds and taking a very gradual approach in getting the dog used to our departures. Dogs also need to learn how to become more independent, no longer follow dog owners room-to-room and they need to get used to very gradual departures. Starting with very brief absences, and as the dog gets better, we can then very gradually add longer absences, but it 's a good strategy to mix in some shorter ones as well so that the dog doesn't sense an increase in difficulty which can be stressful. Food that lasts long (like a Kong stuffed and frozen) can be used to create positive associations with departures, but it's important to practice caution. If one is not diligent, food can become a predictor of us leaving, and the dog may come to dread that and even start refusing the food only to eat it upon our return. It's helpful therefore providing the food as well when we are planning to stay home so to prevent it from assuming this negative "stigma." I am posting below just some examples of general protocols used for behavior modification. Please note that every dog is different and may require a different protocol that is custom-made based on several variables and specifics.
Adrienne Farricelli Posted February 23, 2022 Posted February 23, 2022 As mentioned, this is just a general sample, therefore not to be used as a recommendation for a specific case, considering that every dog is different and needs an individualized approach under the guidance of a professional.. What's needed? Interactive toys, treats, food, a mat, baby gates, vet-prescribed medications for the most severe cases, possibly vet-recommended calming aids/nutraceuticals for the milder ones, and some technological gadgets such as remote monitoring devices and/or automatic treat dispensers can be used in the exercises. Although optional, the use of these technological gadgets come extra handy considering that they allow to monitor dogs remotely so to evaluate whether it's a good time to raise criteria or whether a dog is being pushed too hard. A safezone will also need to be established. This safezone is the dog's confinement area where the exercises will be performed. For comfort, it is best to use an area that is central to family activities such as an office, kitchen or living room. Dogs who enjoy their crate, exercise pen or playpen and love to lounge in it, can have it placed in the safezone as long as these enclosures remain open as some dogs with separation anxiety suffer from concomitant containment phobias. A safezone should be blocked out by a baby gate or in homes with open-plan layouts, a super wide gate may be needed. 1: Protocol For Clingy Dogs Who Follow Owners Room- to- Room One thing many dogs suffering from separation anxiety share is extra clinginess, so much so, that many dog owners have started to nickname their dogs "Velcro Dogs." These dogs follow their owners from one room to another and like to sleep by their owners' feet so to be the first alerted when their owners are about to get up and walk around. This component of treatment for separation anxiety in dogs needs its proper protocol since it would be non-productive starting practicing outdoor absences if these dogs aren't even able to tolerate brief absences within the home. The goal of these exercises is to gradually build on distance until the dog can be left in a room while the owner is in another. On top of these exercises, it's ideal to encourage these dogs to sleep at night on their own bed or mat and sleep there as well during the day (rather than sleeping constantly on the owner's lap, glued to the owner's body or at the owner's feet). Note: some dogs are particularly attached to one person. To start the exercises easily, it is best to start with the person the dog is less attached to and then progress using the person the dog is attached to. Step 1: The first step entails having the dog to be able to relax and cope without following their owners everywhere. These dogs need to learn to perform brief sit/stays or down/stays on a mat or other comfy place while the owner walks around, but initially remains always in the dog's sight. Here is how to train these: Sit: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/sit/ Down: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/lie-down/ Stay: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/stay/ Stay on a mat: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-dog-go-to-mat/ Initially these sit/stays and down/stays should be very brief for just 1-2 seconds while the owner just takes a step or two away in various directions and then returns to reward. Criteria is then raised with the owner just walking a few steps away (3-4) and then returning to reward. Gradually, distance and duration can be added, but it's important to make sure to not make increases in time and distance predictable as dogs will soon come to predict this increase in difficulty and may grow incrementally anxious. To avoid this, mix in shorter (less time) stays and closer stays (less distance) frequently. For example, 2 second stay, then 4, then 3, then five, then 1, then 4, then 6, then 2 etc or 2 steps away, then 1, then 3, then 4, then 1, etc. Distractions at some point can be added as well. Clap your hands as you walk away, count to five out loud, turn your back to your dog, lift your arms, walk around your dog etc. If your dog ever breaks the stay just say a casual "oops" and send your dog back to the area where he was asked to stay. Resume the exercise, this time making it a bit less difficult before progressing to asking for more. Many clingy dogs follow their owners every time they get up from sitting. If your dog gets ready to follow you every time you are sitting on a chair or couch, and you put your hand on the arm rest or put down the remote, practice sit/stays and down/stays as you repeat these actions over and over. Then increase criteria, and start to get up repeatedly from your chair/couch/. Then get up and take a few steps and may be even walk around your dog and go back to sitting. These exercises should be done until fluent and the dog appears totally relaxed and no longer eager to follow. End the sessions with a jackpot of treats. Step 2: Gradually increase distance/duration. With longer duration, it's best to request down/stays to prevent tiring. Take more steps away (from standing or sitting) and for gradually longer times and start going out of sight. Ask your dog to down/stay on a mat as you briefly get out of view behind a wall or door for a split second, then return and reward. Repeat several times as you gradually mix in shorter absences and longer absences and shorter distances with farther distances, making sure to not allow you dog to detect an incremental pattern of difficulty. You can mix in brief errands too such as opening/closing a closet, grabbing a beer from the fridge or closing a window as long as they don't cause you to be out of sight for too long. These exercises should be done until fluent and the dog appears totally relaxed. Always end the sessions with a jackpot of treats. Step 3: Increase more the distance and duration. Install a baby gate, hide several treats around the enclosed area, send your dog there and have your dog explore his new confinement area and find the goodies. Leave the baby gate open for a couple of days so that the dog can freely visit and discover goodies in there Next, practice briefs stays as you get in and out of the baby gate and return. Stay always in sight. Gradually increase the time you stay out as always mixing in briefer stays with longer ones, but not more than a minute in length. At some point, get out of the baby gate and start preparing a stuffed Kong that can be easily unstuffed in just a minute or so. Place the stuffed Kong behind the baby gate where your dog can see it and smell it and cannot get it. Your dog should try to get the Kong. Wait for a little bit of frustration to set in such as your dog trying to paw it or whine. Grab the Kong and give it to your dog as you remain in view at a distance behind the baby gate for 1 minute. Return inside. Repeat, reloading the Kong again making it more challenging to unstuff and then less challenging, so that you can increase the the time you stay out as always mixing in briefer stays with longer ones. Try to return when you know your dog is just about to finish unstuffing his Kong. Step 4: Start incorporating the treasure hunt game, using a portion of your dog's meals as outlined in the course. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/elementary/the-treasure-hunt/ Have your dog sit/stay or down/stay as you get a portion of your dog's meal allowance and hide the kibble around. Have your dog watch you in anticipation and then as you leave the room and release your dog. Allow your dog to hunt as you are briefly out of sight. Return and repeat the exercise hiding the remaining portion of your dog's meal allowance and leaving as your dog goes on his hunt. As always, gradually increase the time you stay out of sight, mixing in briefer stays with longer ones, but not more than a minute in length. Alternatively, in lieu of the treasure hunt game, you can stuff a slow food dispenser such as a Kong Wobbler, Buster Cube or regular Kong with the kibble and let your dog work on it while you are away. At some point, start delaying your returns a bit so that your dog has finished hunting or eating from the Kong but doesn't appear to anxious about running out of food and being alone. 2: Protocol for Uncoupling Pre-Departure Cues Dogs in general are masters in reading body language and learning all the cues that culminate into our departures. It's therefore not surprising when they start acting nervous when dog owners get up, have breakfast, and then put on makeup, shave, brush hair, put shoes on (as in your case!) and grab the keys. These are all pre-departure cues that put dogs on high alarm, as these cues have been chained one to another and associated with departures. Uncoupling these associations requires some work. The work encompasses desensitizing to the pre-departure cues and breaking up their associations with the departures. These exercises are done when not leaving the home. Make sure that you therefore have time set aside for this. To start, compile a list of behaviors you perform normally when heading out and identify the ones your dog seems to react to. Then, place them in order chronologically, starting with the one that is farthest away from leaving the house. You will then work on exposing your dog to these behaviors starting with the first and then chaining them one by one until the dog becomes uninterested in them as they lose value due to them no longer leading to departures. For instance, if your list looks something like this: put on shoes, grab briefcase, grab keys and walk out the door, your exercises will look something like this: (please note, sit on the couch/watch TV is an example, you can do many other things that your dog associates with you being home like knitting, washing the dishes etc.) In your case though, you may need to work more on the shoe component taking a very gradual approach so not to evoke anxiety. Your vet may recommend meds to lower the threshold. Put on shoes, sit on the couch, watch TV (when you sit down and watch TV or read a book or go prepare a meal, do so for a few minutes each time) Put on shoes, grab briefcase, sit on the couch, watch TV Put on shoes, grab briefcase, grab keys, sit on the couch, watch TV Put on shoes, grab briefcase, grab keys, walk towards the door, sit on the couch, watch TV Put on shoes, grab briefcase, grab keys, walk towards the door, touch the door knob, open the door slightly, close door, sit on the couch watch TV Put on shoes, grab briefcase, grab keys, walk towards the door, touch the door knob, open the door, take a step out, then back in, close door, return, sit on the couch watch TV Put on shoes, grab briefcase, grab keys, sit on couch, walk towards the door, touch the door knob, open the door, take a step out, close the door (with you outside), quickly reopen door, close door, return, sit on the couch, watch TV. Put on shoes, grab briefcase, grab keys, sit on couch, walk towards the door, touch the door knob, open the door, take a step out, close the door (with you outside), lock the door, unlock the door, return, sit on couch watch TV. Put on shoes, grab briefcase, grab keys, walk towards the door, touch the door knob, open the door, take a step out, close the door, lock the door (with you outside), and increase duration of staying outside gradually, but for no more than half a minute (always mixing in shorter absences in the midst of longer ones), then unlock the door, return, sit on the couch, watch TV. Note: If your dog seems upset by any of these behaviors, you may need to split them further. For example, if your dog is doing well up until you start opening the door (like you catch your dog whining), then, you may want to split the action of walking to the door in further segments (e.g take a few steps towards the door, return, sit on couch, then, walk to the door and stand in front of it, return, sit on the couch, then, walk to the door and touch the knob for a split second, return, sit on the couch, then walk to the door and open the door a bit for a split second, return, sit on the couch. Do this until the door can be successfully opened without the dog worrying about it. 3: Exercises by the Door Monitor your dog for signs of distress These exercises are more difficult, and therefore, require dogs to be very well proficient at the previous tier level. Dogs should therefore have reached a point where they are fine with being left alone for up to half a minute as the owner stands behind the closed door. Because these absences are longer and more distractions are added (car engine starting), it helps to provide some high-value long-lasting goodies for the dog to consume such as a strategically stuffed Kong with layers (e.g a layer of cookies stuck at the bottom, kibble mixed with peanut butter, a cookie stuck midway, canned food, another cookie at the top). For longer absences, on top of a Kong, an automatic treat-dispenser set to release treats at frequent intervals can turn helpful. When providing goodies to consume for these absences, it's important to provide them as well while you are at home to prevent them from turning into a pre-departure cue signaling to your dog you are about to leave. At this point, it may also be important to use some form of remote monitoring so to assess how the dog is doing and keep tabs on progress and/or setbacks. Body language should be carefully assessed. Anytime a setback is noticed, it means that one must work more on a lower level until the dog is perfectly comfortable with that level. For example, if the dog becomes anxious upon being left alone for 8 minutes, more time should be spent practicing at lower times. Increments should be done in seconds rather then chunks of minutes always mixing in briefer times to make the exercises as variable as possible. Build the time gradually up to 30 minutes if possible. Arrivals should always be no big deal. Ignore your dog as you walk in and just go straight to the couch. Example of exercises: Put on shoes, grab briefcase, grab keys, walk towards the door, touch the door knob, open the door, take a step out, close the door, lock the door, start car engine, then unlock the door, return, sit on the couch, watch TV. Put on shoes, grab briefcase, grab keys, walk towards the door, touch the door knob, open the door, take a step out, close the door, lock the door, start car engine, spend a bit of time in the car, then unlock the door, return, sit on the couch, watch TV. Put on shoes, grab briefcase, grab keys, walk towards the door, touch the door knob, open the door, take a step out, close the door, lock the door, start car engine, move the car a bit ahead and then back into parking space, then unlock the door, return, sit on the couch, watch TV. Put on shoes, grab briefcase, grab keys, walk towards the door, touch the door knob, open the door, take a step out, close the door, lock the door, start car engine, drive the car around the block and then back into parking space, then unlock the door return, sit on the couch watch TV and so forth. Gradually increase more time spent away, mixing in shorter absences. A Word About Treatment For Separation in Anxiety in Dogs It's important to consider that slow and steady wins the race in behavior modification. It will take time, commitment and determination to attain results with the dog being calm enough to cope with gradually longer departures. The goal is to get a dog to be calm and reward that. Setbacks are always possible during behavior modification no matter how well planned the program. To reduce the chances of setbacks, it is best to perform separation anxiety exercises with the help of a professional for in-person evaluations and coaching. Some of the more severe cases may require prescription medications (prescribed by a vet) to help the dog relax enough and open the lines for learning to take place. Calming aids may help too for milder cases. These may include: -Using a recorder you can program to play every thirty minutes a recording of your voice. -Calming supplements such as those containing L-theanine (ask a vet for recommendations) -DAP diffusers such as Adaptil/Comfort Zone -Adaptil collars -Dog calming CDs (like Through a Dog's Ear) or calming music for dog on YouTube -Puppy toy with heart beat (Snuggle Pups Behavioral Aid) -Thundershirt, Anxiety Wrap, Storm Defender I hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions or concerns! Best, Adrienne *Disclaimer: certain types of training/behavior modification come with risks. If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting) or severe anxiety, for safety, please consult with a dog behavior professional (DACVB, CAAB or dog trainer specializing in anxiety/aggression) who uses force-free behavior modification techniques for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos and general info found in the forums or course (or any online source) are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction.
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