PEGGY MORAN’S DOG BEHAVIORAL TRAINING
BEGINNING DOG SCHOOL HOMEWORK--LESSON ONE

Before starting...

HEALTH CHECK!

Negative fecal examination (no parasites)

All vaccinations up to date (or titer showing dog’s level of disease immunity)

Physical examination by veterinarian--especially for older, overweight, newly acquired, or recently ill dogs

Urinalysis--for frequently wetting dogs


EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

Throw rug, towel, or dog blanket for "desk"

Collar--buckle, or pinch collar (small or medium gauge, fitted to dog’s neck by adding or removing extra links)

Training leash--6’ -10’ cotton or leather

Several favorite toys and bones

NO harnesses (except for seat belt on the way to school!), nylon leashes (too slippery!), choke collars (too dangerous!)

NO "cookies" or "treats"--we use other types of positive reinforcement!


PATIENCE REQUIRED

Prioritize training for the next six to eight weeks, and plan for it to feel like work. Making changes in your, and your dog’s, way of thinking is stressful, but will pay off in enjoyment of each other over the rest of your dog’s lifetime.

Encourage family support and participation; your dog needs consistency to learn.

Don’t feel guilty about establishing rules and reinforcing them; dogs feel most secure living with a qualified and competent leader.

Dogs work hardest to gain things they want; be sure you allow your dog lots of success and positive reinforcement hinged on good behavior.

Pair praise words--"Good boy"--with warmth, sincerity, and gentle, firm touch; make them meaningful!

Keep corrections remote, or impersonal; don’t show your dog how YOU feel about inappropriate behavior, change HIS interest!

Keep a training journal to record each days progress and problems.


Rules for Good Leadership...

HOUSETRAINING

Out on schedule; no punishment or scolding for "accidents!"


FEEDING

NO hand feeding! Feed in bowl at scheduled meal times, and take away unfinished food after 30 minutes.


AFFECTION

Pet only "when the light is green"--your dog is sitting or lying down, and emotionally relaxed. This reinforces a quiet social attitude.


PUNISHMENT

NONE!--We use "remote" corrections (consequences which seem to be the direct result of a behavior) rather than angry, disapproving personal reactions.


HOMEWORK
 
With the dog on a leash, practice set-ups with people greeting you (first) and your dog, using "red-light, green-light" rules.

Notice what your dog does RIGHT, and positively reinforce it! Praise, petting, play, and freedom are just a few examples of things dogs will work for!

Keep penny bottles strategically positioned around your home, and keep one in your hand when greeting a dog that jumps and "mouths."

Rig "booby traps" using penny bottles and fishing line, for dogs that steal or raid wastebaskets.

"Ball-and-chain" dogs that are unable to be trusted loose, rather than always confining them.

Supervise off-lead dogs.

Confine when you are unable to supervise.

Try to eliminate all negative attention and punishment using redirection, prevention and remote consequences instead.

Remember...
Dogs repeat behaviors which make them feel good; dogs do not repeat behaviors which are unsuccessful or feel unpleasant. Dogs learn from their own experiences!

Positive Reinforcement = more of a good thing

       Note: when reinforcing a quiet, independent behavior, owners should not apply positive reinforcement, but instead should allow all good results to seem to come directly from the dog's own behavioral adjustment. When reinforcing interactive training, owners should take credit for applied reinforcement, looking at, praising, and petting their dogs! 
      Self Reinforcement: Dog lies down and feels comfortable; dog eliminates (anywhere!) and feels relief; dog raids garbage and obtains food.
       Applied Reinforcement: Dog sits or lies down and gets petted; dog looks at owner and is given a release (freedom) command; working (police/military) dog finds explosives and gets toy.

Negative Punishment = less of a good thing

       Note: ALL "punishment" used in training is applied so as to be perceived by the dog as a SELF punishment--the result of a change in behavior.
       Self Punishment: Dog strains against leash and feels uncomfortable; dog stands and petting stops; dog barks and loses owners attention.

Positive Punishment = more of a bad thing

       Note: Remember, ALL punishment should seem to be the direct, logical consequence of a behavior, not the result of an owner's reaction to the behavior!
       Self Punishment: Dog raids garbage and triggers a "booby trap"--penny bottle positioned above, attached by thread or fishing line to the wastebasket; dog jumps on person and feels tight collar; dog barks at passersby and hears penny bottle fall somewhere behind itself; dog sticks nose into rose bush and experiences thorns; dog eats bee and experiences stinger. 

Negative Reinforcement = less of a bad thing

       Note: owners become involved with dog only once the dog has adjusted to the "positive" zone; the rules from "positive reinforcement," regarding quiet/independent behaviors verses engaged behaviors still apply.
       Self Reinforcement: The dog stops straining against the collar and feels better; the dog jumps up on a bed and feels warm in the winter; the dog goes into its doghouse to escape a downpour; the dog gets off the bed to lie on the cooler floor during the summer.