Dog stuffie–for me!

I just found this adorable handmade stuffed dog toy. It’s for people, not dogs, but look at that nose! Those big floppy ears.

Is there anything cuter than a Dachshund stuffed dog? Because if there is, I can’t think of it.

I can just see this handmade stuffed dog toy sitting on the bed in the guest room, smiling at everyone who spends the night. I can also see it being unstuffed the moment Vance is left alone with it. (Does your dog like to unstuff stuffed animals, too? Vance is the worst about believing nothing stuffed should stay stuffed.)

Something tells me I oughtn’t to bring home the stuffed Dachshund dog just in case Vance can’t learn the difference between my toys and his ;-).

The two most important words in dog training

If you have a dog, you’re always training. Always. I know, that sounds completely exhausting, but whether you’re watching TV and the dog’s pushed you off the couch and you’re sitting on the floor (though in that case, perhaps the dog’s training you?) or you’re giving the dog a bath, when your dog’s around, he’s always learning from you, always reading your body language, and always being trained.

And, in dog training, there are only two words that matter: “Good dog.” See, our dog wants to make us happy, and so it’s important not to be stingy with your approval and encouragement. Sure, you can overpraise a dog, but most of us do the opposite–we don’t give them enough encouragement.

If you had a two-year-old (and bear with me, because we don’t have kids of our own yet so this all comes from babysitting my nieces), you don’t go around telling her all the things she’s doing wrong. The way she chewed the couch and made you mad or how that barking at the mailman has got to stop. Nope! Instead, you give her good choices and distract her when necessary. Then, you encourage her when she gets something right.

And your dog is a lot like a two-year-old. So, that means that when he’s barking at the squirrels *again*, instead of yelling, you should say, “No. Quiet.” and then distract with a Kong or stuffed animal or command “Get on your bed.” Then, follow it up with, “Good boy!”

I find this rule especially hard when Vance is in the car with me. To keep him from climbing over me to get out of the car first, I know all I need to do is tell him to lay down before I open the door. But, instead, I often forget and start to open the door without giving him a command. So, then he climbs on me, and I yell. NO! Get OFF ME! You get the picture. He gets confused, I get furious. And it can all be prevented just by taking a moment before I open the door to remind Vance that a) I’m in charge; and b) he’s not getting out of the car until he’s being obedient.

If you have trouble with this process, you’ll definitely get a lot from my earlier article on the dog training program Nothing in Life is Free (NILF for short). I’d love to hear about those times when you forget that a quick command before doing something means you get to say, “Good dog” instead of “Stop that!”

How to hire a great dog trainer

Whether you’re having behavior problems with your dog or you just want your dog to be more obedient, it might be time to hire a dog trainer. Of course, you don’t want to hire just anyone–it’s really important that you hire someone who’ll suit your dog’s temperament and train your dog the way you want your dog trained.

1. Do your research on dog trainer styles. Do you want someone experienced with clicker training? Would you like someone who’s all about the positive reinforcement? Or are you more traditionally-minded when it comes to dog training? By knowing the different approaches to training, and the one that best resonates with you, you’ll be able to find a dog trainer who follows the methodology you’re looking for.
2. Find out if anyone you know has hired a dog trainer. It’s always best if you can get recommendations, so ask around. Now, mind you, just because your best friend’s sister’s husband’s brother hired some guy who worked wonders with their dog doesn’t mean you’ve found your dog trainer, it just means you’ve found a potential dog trainer ;-). You still want to call around and find several people to interview.
3. Make consultation appointments with two or three dog trainers. Most will offer this for free because they want to meet you and make sure there’s a good fit between the dog trainer, the dog, and you. This is a great time to get your questions answered and to ask to see the dog trainer at work with one of their own dogs.
4. If you’re having trouble deciding, check out a few local classes to get a feel for different dog trainer styles. Often, you can audit these classes (leave your dog at home, of course) and that will help you see the dog trainer in action.
5. Hire the dog trainer that you feel is the best match for your dog’s temperament. And, of course, for best results do what they tell you to ;-). But that’s a topic for a future article.

Have you ever worked one-on-one with a private dog trainer? What did you like best about the process? I’d love to hear about your experiences!