Dog Games

Jeanne Perciaccanto

Ultimate Dog Training

I like using games and tricks in conjunction with sound training.

A dogs brain is not static, only engaged to follow commands: come; sit; down or stay.

The come from a fluid history of adaptability for survival.  They worked hard to ensure continuation of the species.  Hunting and protection of territory to maintain food supply was primary.  It was a simple fact of life, no food = no life!

Reproduction and care to enable pups to reach adulthood kept the pack vital.

Safety for the pups from weather and other larger/ stronger predators kept them in search for appropriate dens/ safe areas in which to raise the pups.

Basic necessities also required these areas also have suitable water supply.

They worked hard and seven days a week!

When not working, they played.  

When I watch large off leash groups interact, they play games similar to what our kids play.  Games such as: tag; chase me; hide and seek, king of the mountain; protect the fort; tug of war; fetch and keep away.

The games are based on natural drives and needed skills for survival such as:  digging, chewing, hiding precious items; climbing and challenging self-confidence or another willingness to follow suit.

These games are based on life and social interaction.  Dogs will be vocal and physically interact with each other.  Communication of growling, bumping, snapping are similar to "Mom he's touching my toys!" They learn how to play well with others by being taught by those they play with and learning to assess their interaction.

When we play games with our dogs, we need to play the games they will like.  Some dogs love fetch, others can't be bothered.  "You threw the ball, you go get it!"  Some like hide and seek, others have an "out of sight out of mind" mentality.  "You got lost, you find your way back!"

While all dogs can like all types of games, there are games more suited for certain breeds.

Hunting, field, working, sight dogs breeds like action games such as fetch because it involves sight and movement.

Terriers, designed to borrow for vermin like hide and seek and chasing moving things such as flirt toys.

Find what your dog likes and use that to build games.  Treats work nicely with most dogs, for others a ball or bumper gets their heart racing.

You can also teach close tricks like roll over, shake hands, speak or spin.

Always teach in steps and pieces.  If your goal is to turn/spin, start first with getting the dog to turn their head in the direction you want.  Then turn their head back equal to center of body.  Next build to a turn all the way towards their tail.  Follow that pattern until the dog does a complete circle.

Always be sure what you ask they can do safely and have no physical impediments such as poor hips/joints or are not so big you can't safely handle having to prevent a fall!

Dog games connect you and your dog.  Anything that creates thought and focus is a good thing!

www.ultimatedogtrainingnj.com

Best dog training collars!

Jeanne Perciaccanto

Ultimate Dog Training

A common question is what is the best dog training collar I should use for my dog?  

What is it you want the collar to accomplish for you?

Need to:

• stop jumping
• pulling on leash
• stealing items off the counter
• "listen to me"
• come back when I call them

Most collar questions come about after a series of attempts to get the proper or required response to stop the dog from repeating the same unwanted behaviors, "I just can't get them to stop, (fill in the blank)."

The other side of the coin may be, you have seen someone walking their dog very politely at the park wearing a specific collar and the logical conclusion is, the collar is making the dog walk so nicely!

Enter any pet store and there are whole sections of various types and designs of collars. 

One type will go around the neck, another the face and still yet the body and each designed in its own way to help dogs be controlled in some fashion and make handling the dog easier for the owners.

Most people go through a process of elimination when trying to find the right solution.  Try this collar with no results, go onto the next until the final goal is achieved.  You may start with a harness because it appears to be the most comfortable for the dog to wear, only to find that it actually makes pulling more comfortable for the dog.  

You may have tried a buckle collar only to have the dog choking itself, so the harness seemed plausible to stop the choking but find it didn't do anything for the pulling!

Next you might try an anti-pull harness and stop the pulling but not succeed at preventing jumping.

You move up the ladder from one level of corrective device to the next becoming more frustrated at the results and fearing you will be perceived by the public as being a harsh pet owner for using a collar others may vilify.

You ask friends what did they use and how did it work out for their dog?

You ask the pet store employees to recommend what would be the best for your problem?

You ask you Vet, groomer and anyone you see walking a dog calmly for suggestions to your problem.

Finally you have reached the last resort and ask a trainer.

All the gears come screeching to an abrupt halt when the trainers tells you, "No collar trains or teaches a dog to do anything!" 

Wait! What?

If collars trained the dog, we could just put them into a nice collar, stick the leash in their mouths and say, "go train yourself!"

Collars have their function in creating thought and giving dogs a guideline to assess their own behaviors and actions.  Collars help a dog find and create a point of understanding based on and compared to what they are doing in that moment.    

The balance of learning happens with the dogs' understanding of the boundaries produced by the collar, combined with the owners acceptance or reward in a precise moment of time.  Dog pulls, then stops pulling, "Good Dog!"  The dogs actions and the result of those actions is based in a thought process, "I did this and that happened!"  Thought is where training takes place.  As action happens, you mark that action you want with something to indicate, "YES!", right choice. 

While the collar facilitates the dogs knowledge of their own actions, marking the proper thought will get them to repeat that action.  Dog pulls, collar offers an understanding of what pulling offers, dog stops pulling and owner offers and understanding of what happens when not pulling.

Another way to think of this is as a gas peddle.  The peddle is used to make the car move but only when someone presses down on it.  How fast of slow the car moves depends on how the gas peddle is used.

Collars = thought = action + owner = reward = learning! 

www.ultimatedogtrainingnj.com

Can my dog be trained?

It's a puzzle to me!

Jeanne Perciaccanto

Ultimate Dog Training

There is usually a tipping point which compels a dog owner to call a dog trainer!

Behaviors can range from annoying to serious but most owners will put up with one type of behavior as long as the dog doesn't cross an imaginary line and do "that" behavior found totally unacceptable.  Jumping is tolerated as annoying rather than problematic because it is not as intolerable as using their home as an outhouse! Pulling while walking may not be fun but is something that can be accommodated, however, a dog constantly barking is not permitted!

So, the dog has crossed the line drawn in the sand and is doing "it" and "it" must stop!  You have tried everything and now call a local dog trainer. You tell the trainer you don't need all that fancy stuff and just want your dog to stop doing "it!"

Dog owners love their dogs. If possible, they would want the perfect well behaved, calm and well mannered family pet.  Due to most interactive histories, many owners don't believe this possible.  Instead, out of frustration, they look to "spot" train, dealing with individual problems, rather than learning as a whole.   "It" is the problem and 'it" is what has to be solved. Dog training being viewed as an item to be selected from a menu of choices and miss the concept that all behaviors are inter-connected.

Column A.                                          Column B.                                         Column C.        

biting                                                  leash pulling                                        not listening
possessive aggression                     running away                                      chewing
growling                                             jumping on company                          barking
nipping                                               House training                                    getting into garbage  

Dog trainers see what they do as putting the pieces of a puzzle together!  The pieces are all there but have to fit together to make a whole picture.

The dog trainer will ask owners questions about the dog which lead them to developing a history of your dogs behaviors and building a full picture of what and how learning needs to take place based on how learning has already occurred.

The owners see the problem as the single entity of concern, "just stop my dog from doing "it!" but to a dog trainer, "it" is the end result of a series of unresolved issues or behaviors that caused "it" to have happen in the first place.
What or how has your dog learned and why does your dog think it is okay to do what they are doing?

How do the pieces of the puzzle need to be re-arranged and be put into place so the picture becomes crystal clear for your dog?

Your dog jumping may be part of the same behavior as going to the bathroom in the house.  Both could be demand for attention or marking space as a social/ territorial act.  Further, both behaviors could just be your dog hasn't learned what is acceptable and how they should behave in a manner they understand clearly.

Pulling on the leash is the same as barking since both are expectations of follow the leader.  All behaviors, no matter which column they come from can all be part of the dog never learning how to have self-control nor developed proper problem solving skills, leaving the dog to their own devises of how to communicate with you.

A knowledgeable and experienced dog trainer can see how the pieces of the puzzle fit into place.  Allowing the process to unfold, dog owners begin to see their dogs learn, make self-controlled choices and watch as the dog begins to understand clearly what and how they are to behave.  Give the process a chance and allow the pieces of the puzzle to come together and let your dog become a well behaved family pet because they choose to behave!


www.ultimatedogtrainingnj.com