Field Trips for Dogs
Every Sunday a group of my most dedicated and weather tolerant students meet with me for weekly "dog improvement field trips." We have been to a pet supplies warehouse, a dog friendly automotive superstore, a quiet forest trail, several downtown areas, outside quite a few coffee shops, to a river walk, a strip mall, a children's home, and a nursing home. Our dogs have walked for miles, and have ridden elevators, been in and out of automatic doors, up and down long flights of stairs, been passed by bicycles, pedestrians, cars, joggers, shopping carts, and wheelchairs. Children with no pets of their own have laughed with delight when allowed to take turns walking our tolerant and obedient pets; elderly people have cried with joy, our dogs warm greetings triggering warm memories of their own pets. The dogs have licked countless hands and received innumerable hugs; they have brought their owners many complements, and have made many people smile.
The dog owners seem to get as much or more enjoyment out of the outings as their waggy-tailed pets do. It cannot help but draw a smile from anyone taking a turn at bringing up the back half of our nearly one-half-a-city-block long group. Taking over as "leader of the pack" is also great fun; personally I feel like the "pied piper of dogdom," or the "Dog Scouts" den mother, when fronting our troop. And what a troop it is--an Otter hound, a Basset Hound, two Dachshunds, a Pharaoh Hound, several Labrador Retrievers (representing all three colors), a West Highland White Terrier, two German Shepherd Dogs, a Bernese Mountain dog, a Boxer, a Golden Retriever, two Australian Cattle dogs, a Portuguese Water dog, a Standard Poodle, a Rottweiler, a Border Collie, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel--just to name a few!
Besides offering the public an opportunity to observe and mingle with a beautiful assortment of well behaved dogs, we demonstrate something equally important--responsible dog ownership. Though so far we have only met dog lovers, I am sure there are a few people we pass who are not so fond of our favorite four legged friends. But even they would have to admit, the entire group is never disorderly. As people pass on the sidewalk, the dogs never lunge or sniff. When the owners stop, the dogs also stop, and remain either "at ease," standing quietly, or at "heel," sitting at their owners' left sides. This is the result of much practice and positive reinforcement--experienced in abundance during our field trips, but more importantly practiced by the owners during the week as well.
These owners know the first rule is: know when to reinforce. When a dog is pulling, it needs to fail at pulling; by standing still and refusing to move forward, or even backing up to change the dog's direction back toward the owner, the dog can find pulling unproductive without having to experience punishment or harsh neck jerking. Each time a dog pulls, if the owner refuses to move until the leash is slack, the dog learns following gets it somewhere, while pulling or straining does not.
But it would be quite frustrating to try this for the first time behind a group of more well trained dogs, such as in my class. The less trained dog and owner would end up accidentally reinforcing the wrong behaviors, either allowing the dog to tug and strain to keep up, or defeating the whole purpose when left behind with a frantic dog as the group draws away. Rather than jumping into a public training program with both feet and four paws, start by practicing at home. Work with the dog on a leash in the house, using family members as "strangers" and distractions. Positively reinforce, and have your helpers positively reinforce, only when the dog finds moments of self control. When the dog is misbehaving, remove ALL attention. Don't allow the dog to walk away, don't scold or jerk, just wait; the positive moment, though fleeting at first, will come. When you do see a window of opportunity to reward good behavior, don't go overboard into the owner over-excitement zone, or you will be re-exciting the dog. Remember that socially, quiet demeanor is a virtue, and quiet dogs get more meaningful attention than hyper, manic ones. If family members withhold affection until their dogs are quiet, for instance waiting until the dog sits before petting, dogs learn to associate touch with quietness. But if the owners themselves are constantly rewarding over-excitement, it would be unrealistic to expect the dog to show control in even more stimulating situations, such as with strangers or in unfamiliar environments.
As the dog learns to ignore distractions, or to respond appropriately to them without forgetting the "leader" on the other end of the leash, it will have begun to learn the most important lesson: good things come to dogs that follow. When your dog seems to be getting the idea, upgrade the challenge level just a bit; try it in the dog's own familiar yard, or at a familiar family member's home, keeping the dog on its leash and following the rules of reinforcement for the entire training visit.
By gradually increasing challenge levels as the dog shows improvement in previous areas, soon your dog will be ready for its "public debut," walking around your own downtown areas, of course ALWAYS on its leash, no matter how trained!
All of my "dog improvement" students first took "owner improvement" classes, where they learned important behavioral concepts and leadership skills before getting to actually apply them at the more advanced field-trip level. It is unfair to take an uneducated, excitable dog, put it into an over stimulating situation it hasn't been prepared for, and expect perfect behavior. Rushing a dog into highly exciting environments actually undermines, rather than improves, a dog's social skills and self control. My students have done their homework, and our field trips give them a chance to refine and enjoy their results. Dogs, like children, can have education enhanced and experience broadened by field trips; but in both cases, how they will behave on those outings depends upon the education they receive at home!