How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves by Sophia Yin

Author:Sophia Yin [Yin, Sophia]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Dogs
ISBN: 9780793806447
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: TFH Publications, Inc.
Published: 2004-01-01T22:00:00+00:00

(Figure 19.9)

Mix It Up

Start by moving in straight lines—power walking forwards, doing about-turns or U-turns, right turns or suddenly run to the right or left. If Fido’s good at these, then add circles to the right or left at a brisk pace. You can spiral down from a large circle to a small one or serpentine in and out of trees. Speed up for a few paces, then suddenly walk in slow motion, and remember to reward intermittently. Fido should always have his eyes glued to your face. If he looks away, smooch to get his attention back, or suddenly change your direction and pace.

Troubleshooting

If you’re having problems keeping Fido’s attention, take a few steps back. Start by keeping his attention for the first two steps. Then, when he’s consistent, expect attention for 5 steps, then 7 steps, then 10 steps. Now go on to a variable ratio of reinforcement; that is, sometimes reward him every 3 to 5 steps and other times reward him every 10 to 15 steps so he never knows exactly when the treat’s going to come. Then increase the requirements even more. In this manner, you can quickly build up attention. Once you can regularly get attention at about 10 steps, you’re practically home free.

Be aware that in more difficult situations (e.g., the part of your walk where a gardener suddenly appears, dogs are barking, or people who want to pet him walk by), you’ll need to be ready to play the fun heeling games and give treats at a higher rate. The more you practice successfully in these high-distraction situations, the faster you can cut down on the food rewards in these contexts.

When to Use Heel

Now that Fido knows how to heel attentively on your left side, you have the tools to handle all kinds of problems. These heeling techniques can be used on dogs with many bad behaviors. In counter-conditioning, you train the dog to perform a behavior that’s incompatible with the problem behavior. At the same time, because you’re using food and praise, you’re teaching the dog to associate good things with situations that may have once been fearful.

On Regular Walks

Fido should just stroll at ease on a loose leash. But in a clutch situation, you should be able to bring him back to heel position with the soft utterance of the magic word. For example, when you need to pass a pedestrian who doesn’t like even leashed dogs, a well-timed heel for several yards should ensure that he or she can pass your dog safely. This game will also spice up ho-hum walks and make them more interactive. Sprinkle the strolls with a fast-paced game of heel. Vary and blend the methods whenever you want.

When He’s Aggressive With Other Dogs

If Fido sees other dogs and growls and lunges, go back to this heel exercise using either the first or the second method, whichever works best. Start at a distance where the technique works and gradually move closer and closer to the distraction.

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