Training

Monday, December 28, 2020

Usually when I watch dogs misbehaving, it is not because they do not understand the directive they are given. They understand just fine; they simply ignore the instruction.

That said, let me draw a distinction between dogs and puppies. Puppies simply do not know, can't understand, and have small bladders. Even so, puppies grow into dogs, and what is cute for a puppy to do is not always cute for its future adult self. It is crucial to keep this in mind and train the puppy with its future largeness in mind.

There are varying schools of thought on how best to raise a dog. There is great diversity in what works, too. However, there is a lot of chaff out there that just doesn't work. I'm not here to critique how others choose to raise their pets, and, frankly, as long as someone doesn't leave their dog's poop everywhere, let them put their muddy paws all over me, or let them make a huge racket, I'm pretty much ok with what anyone else does. Live and let live.

What I want to provide here is a snapshot into how I do it. I'm not saying it's the way it should be done; I'm simply sharing my experience because I have successfully raised generations of well-behaved Labrador Retrievers. This is what has worked for me.

In a nutshell, my overarching training plan is:

Love the dog like crazy, at all times.
Be consistent.
Do the absolute minimum required to achieve the desired results.

First, my rationale:

I like to take my dogs with me everywhere, and we are not going to be welcomed someplace if they are unruly;
I don't like to irritate other people, so I do not want to let my pets disturb others;
I hate being on a leash, so I prefer to put out the (rather significant) effort of training my dogs to operate appropriately without one (even in traffic); and
I love my dogs and want them to live the most interesting lives I can provide, and a well-disciplined dog has far more freedom.

Next, my methodology:
When I got my first Labrador Retriever a couple decades ago, I did a lot of reading on how to train dogs. The most interesting summation I found went like this:

"Dogs can't think like humans, but humans can think like dogs."

Absolutely brilliant! This completely sums up how I have learned to do it! I enter their world because they just can't enter mine!

The most important ramification of this is that I do not treat them as my equal. Dogs are hierarchical by nature, which means they are instinctively prepared to be dominated, but if they are not, they dominate. Since I cannot have an egalitarian relationship with my dogs, I dominate them. They understand that, and we're good.

How to practice healthy domination:

Roll them over onto their backs regularly
Hold them on your lap on their backs
Carry them about in your arms on their backs
Teach the dog to pass through a doorway only when invited (especially the car, both getting in and out)
Have them sit and wait before allowing them to eat; get to the point that you can leave the room and return a full minute later without them having touched it
At random moments on a walk, tell the dog to sit; no matter how far they are from you, they should do it
Barking can be annoying, or even terrifying to people who are not used to it; teach your dog to be respectfully quiet
Have them sit and wait when chasing the ball until you release them

A mother dominating her puppy

When you are teaching commands, have lots of practice and give lots of praise. Make sure they understand a command before you correct them for not following it. Teach a command by saying the command in a clear, audible voice, then show them what is meant by guiding them through the action. For example, you might teach your dog to come by having it on a leash, saying, "Come!", and pulling them gently toward you.

Once they understand a command, though, follow through. Always follow through. Do not give a command you are not willing to enforce!

At first, enforcement should be gentle. As time goes on, though, and they begin to understand the command, their refusal to comply is not for lack of understanding. It is for lack of attentiveness and domination.

When your dog is given a command to which it does not respond, knowing full well what is being asked, physically take hold of the dog and exert your dominance. For example, you might roll it over onto its back, grab it by the skin around its neck, and shake gently, just as its mother would do, speaking in low tones that express seriousness and purpose. Then reassert the command. Your humbled dog should now comply (though they may need a brief reminder of what the command means, now that they are surprised or slightly frightened). Become increasingly firm over time until simply giving the command, no matter how far away from the dog you are, results in quick (if not immediate) compliance.

Take your time, though. It may take up to two years to get a puppy's full attention and cooperation, so do not become impatient or harsh. That said, they should be able to sit and wait for 30 seconds without reminders before eating their food by the time they are 12-weeks old and heeling next to you without a leash by the time they are 18-weeks old.

Here are some commands you might consider teaching your dog (these may seem overly simplistic, but many dogs can't do a simple "stay" for one minute, especially when there are distractions):

Sit (they should be able to comply no matter how far from you they are)
Stay (ultimately they should not move from that spot until released, even for hours)
A release command (this can be a simple "OK", or I like to use their name as their release, especially when in groups)
Heel (where they walk next to you on your left side and sit when you come to a stop; they should not move from that spot until given another command)
Come (or "come here"; this can be hard when there are other temptations)
Drop (helpful when they have in their mouth a chicken bone they found that could kill them if splintered)
Leave it (they should not touch it again)

Three generations of field Chocolate Labrador Retrievers

Here are some standing instructions I like to keep enforced unless released:

Staying out of the kitchen
Staying out of the street (my dogs will churn up grass coming to a stop at the curb when chasing a rabbit that darts across the street)
Keeping their paws off people (I find gently stepping on their back paws while loving on them is the best way to teach them not to let their paws make contact with humans)
Staying off the furniture or the bed (I physically pull them onto the bed or couch when I want them there; the default is to stay off of it)

Training a dog can be a lot of work, but if you will put in the time and effort early on, you won't have to help them unlearn bad habits, and you will have a wonderful companion to take with you wherever you go.

The one that got away

Updated 2021-02-14
All the images on this page are of my dogs or their offspring.

Training a Dog